《Honey, You're a Billionaire?》


 Chapter 1 You Asked for It

    "I''m booking you for the night. Name your price."


    This was Nightfall Lounge, and Rose Shaffer had been drugged.


    She felt her body heating up, so before she disgraced herself in public, she chose a man in front of her.


    Nightfall Lounge was a famous lounge in Aquastead that offered male escort services.


    The other men were doing their best to please the female patrons beside them, but this man sat alone in a booth in a corner.


    Wearing a ck satin shirt, he looked handsome and distinguished. He carried himself in a way that stood in stark contrast to his surroundings.


    His gaze fell upon her. There was a displeased look in his eyes.


    Rose thought he was worried she could not pay him.


    "Don''t worry. I''m very rich." Rose tried to take out a card from her purse to prove she could afford it.


    But her legs suddenly gave way, and she fell onto the man.


    Jonathan Finch had a cold look in his eyes. He assumed she was just like the women who tried to offer themselves to him in the past.


    He had just arrived in Aquastead, but those people had already arranged a honey trap for him.


    Jonathan smiled disdainfully. His expression was cold and scornful.


    "I''ve seen many like you," he dered. "The next time you want to seduce someone, remember to act innocent. Men might be more interested in you that way."


    Innocent?


    Sorrow welled up in Rose''s heart.


    All men liked innocent women. That was why her fianc¨¦ had cheated on her.


    Her fianc¨¦, Nixon Lane, had gotten together with Kelly Shaffer, a seemingly innocent woman.


    Rose recalled the scene from earlier. The two had been entangled with each other, naked.


    She was furious.


    Unable to put up with it, she took Maya Lawson''s advice. She came to Nightfall Lounge in an act of revenge.


    But unexpectedly, she ended up getting drugged.


    At that moment, she felt as if thousands of ants were biting away on the insides of her body. She could not bear it anymore.


    But Jonathan heartlessly pushed her away. He got up and walked away indifferently.


    Rose did not want to stay in this ce. She did not know what would end up happening to her.


    Despite the humiliation, she grabbed the hem of his shirt. "I was drugged. Please ... help me..."


    ...


    Rose was carried out of Nightfall Lounge.


    Ten minutester, the two were in a room in the Elysian Hotel.


    Jonathan looked at Rose as shey on the bed with a dazed expression.


    A dark expression clouded his handsome face.


    He did not know what came over him. He could not believe he had agreed to help her.


    Frowning, Jonathan took out his phone and made a call.


    He said in amanding tone, "Elysian Hotel, room 602. Get your private doctor toe over immediately¡ª"


    Before Jonathan finished speaking, his phone was snatched away from him. The call ended abruptly.


    The very next moment, Rose''s lips found their target.


    Her body was burning up, but she kissed him rather clumsily.


    Jonathan did not get involved with women, and he would never prey on anyone. But her passionate yet inexperienced kiss made him feel something budding in his heart and body. Her hand crept under his shirt.


    Jonathan''s gaze darkened. He turned and pinned her under his body.


    His voice was strained with brimming ferocity as he dered, "You asked for it. Don''t regret itter!"


    Rose was startled by the faint gleam in his eyes. But right after that, the man''s overwhelming kiss overtook her senses.


    It felt like a st of cool water that eased the annoying fire in her heart. It seduced her and tempted her to match his pace subconsciously...


    They kept going throughout the night and only stopped at sunrise.


    Rose felt sore all over her body. She was extremely tired.


    Stunned, she stared at the man''s broad, naked back as she tried her best to understand what had happened.


    She deduced she had slept with a male escort. She had never done something this crazy before.


    Fortunately, he was still asleep. She had to leave as soon as possible.


    Looking at the torn dress on the floor, Rose recalled the intense scene fromst night. She gulped and blushed as her heart pounded.


    Then, she picked up the man''s clothes from the floor and dashed into the bathroom.


    Ten minutester, Rose came out of the bathroom wearing Jonathan''s clothes.


    Taking out her purse, she whispered, "Don''t worry. I''ll pay for your clothes, too."


    She was also going to pay the fee for his servicesst night.


    But after opening her purse, she froze.


    Rose fell silent.


    She did not have any cash.


    Rose panicked and wondered what she should do.


    Gritting her teeth, she reluctantly took something out of her purse. She ced the item on the desk opposite the bed.

 Chapter 2 Stole His Clothes

    An hourter, Jonathan woke up.


    He looked under the covers. Other than his underwear, he was not wearing anything.


    Not only so, but that woman even stole his clothes!


    Jonathan''s expression turned gloomy.


    As soon as Zac Gibson entered the room, he saw the sullen Jonathan lying on the messy bed. There was also a torn red dress on the floor. Zac immediately realized what was going on. "You''re... transitioning?"


    Everyone knew Jonathan never got involved with women. Still, countless women had tried to sleep with him.


    Jonathan was cold and heartless toward women. None of those women had ever seeded before.


    But it seemed like it had been quite an intense nightst night.


    Zac had been utterly drunk when he received Jonathan''s call the night before.


    Once he sobered up this morning, he finally remembered Jonathan asking him for a doctor.


    A month ago, Jonathan had defeated the other members of the Finch family. Hence, he became the new person in charge of the Finches.


    Since then, there had been nock of assassination attempts on him.


    In fact, Jonathan had encountered an assassin soon after he arrived in Aquastead.


    He suffered a sh on his waist, which required some stitches. Zac had thought that Jonathan''s wound had opened up again.


    ncing at the red mark on the snowy white sheets, Zac clicked his tongue. "You''re injured, but that didn''t stop you from having an intense workout!"


    "Get lost!"


    Jonathan nced at Zac coldly. The murderous intent in his eyes was obvious.


    Zac rubbed his nose awkwardly and conceded defeat right away.


    "Well, since you can still do intense workouts, you''re probably fine. The first-aid kit is right here. As for your wound ... you can deal with it yourself." After Zac left, a set of clean clothes was sent in.


    Jonathan''s wound had indeed split open.


    The blood on the nket was his, but the blood on the bed sheet ...


    He vividly remembered the obstacle he facedst night.


    For a moment, Jonathan was dazed.


    But when he saw a coin on the desk opposite the bed, his expression stiffened.


    The woman had said she was booking him for the night and asked him to name his price.


    She thought he was one of the male escorts, and she only left a coin.


    "Hah. I see how it is!" he scoffed.


    Jonathan had never been humiliated like this before. Clutching the coin in his hand, he exuded a terrifying air as he walked out of the room.


    He said to Zac, who was waiting at the door, "Track down someone for me. It''s a woman..."


    Deep down inside, hebeled her as a bold and despicable woman.


    ...


    Over at Scenic Gardens, Rose was entering the Shaffer residence. She sneezed violently.


    On her way home, she kept thinking about how she had been druggedst night. She had a niggling suspicion that she needed to verify right away.


    Maya was her aunt''s daughter. They grew up together, and they had always gotten along very well.


    They went to Nightfall Lounge togetherst night. Maya only had a ss of wine before excusing herself to go to the restroom. After that, she never appeared again. Rose suspected that it had been Maya''s doing, but she refused to believe it.


    "Mr. Lane, Uncle Jamie, it was Rose who persuaded me to go to Nightfall Lounge with her. I told her not to go to a ce like that.


    "But she said that she wanted to try something exciting before getting married to Mr. Lane. I feared that she would be in danger, so I went with her.


    "I went to the bathroom, but when I came back, Rose was gone. It was my fault. I should''ve held her back and stopped her from going ... Boohoo ..."


    As soon as Rose walked through the door, she heard Maya sobbing and ming herself.


    Rose went into the living room. She saw her father, Jamie Shaffer, and her stepmother, Chelsea Sutton. Kelly and Nixon, the adulterous pair, were there as well.


    A few photos were ced on the coffee table in front of them.


    When Jamie saw Roseing in, he grabbed the photos and flung them at her. "How dare youe back? Look what you did!"


    In the photos, Rose was wearing a red dress. Her entire body was wrapped suggestively around a man.


    The man had his back to the camera. He was tall and his face was not shown, but Rose''s face could be seen clearly in the photos. Rose''s mind went nk. She felt as if something had exploded inside her head.

 Chapter 3 Conduct the Marriage Ceremony

    Those were photos from the barst night.


    Rose wondered who had taken them.


    She felt like her head was buzzing.


    "Dad, calm down. Don''t let your anger affect your health. Rose probably wasn''t thinking straight.


    "It''s a good thing Nixon bought those photos. If not, when the photos get leaked to the public, it would affect the Celeste Jewels'' share price."


    Kelly coaxed in a gentle tone, but she was gloating inside.


    Last night, she had asked Maya to take Rose to Nightfall Lounge. She also arranged a few strong men for Rose. She wanted to take photos of Rose making a fool out of herself in public.


    But by the time Maya went back, a man was already taking Rose away.


    Maya could only snap a few photos hastily.


    Still, those photos were enough for Nixon to call off his engagement to Rose.


    Kelly stared at Rose with the expression of an innocent child.


    She suddenly noticed the man''s shirt Rose was wearing. "Rose, your shirt ... looks so weird! Why does it look like a man''s shirt?"


    Not only that, she could also see a few obvious hickeys on Rose''s pale skin near the cor. With just a single nce, she knew what had happened.


    "You''re such a debauched girl, Rose!"


    Jamie''s face was filled with disdain. Raising his hand, he was about to hit Rose when Nixon stood protectively in front of her.


    Nixon stared at Rose. "Rose, even though you betrayed me, I won''t hold it against you. I love you. As long as you behave yourself in the future, I''m still willing to marry you." Rose was speechless.


    She could not believe her ears.


    He said she betrayed him.


    Who had been the one in bed with Kelly yesterday?


    She could not believe he imed to love her and wanted to marry her.


    He looked at her with scornful eyes, and yet he pretended to be gracious and loving!


    Was it because she was the only heir to Celeste Jewels?


    Thepany, Celeste Jewels, belonged to Rose''s mother, Celeste Young. Celeste had founded it before she got married.


    After Celeste''s death, Jamie took over management of thepany.


    But Celeste had left a will.


    Once Rose got married, she would inherit Celeste Jewels and all of Celeste''s properties.


    Rose recalled how Nixon spared no effort to court her. Had it only been because he wanted Celeste Jewels?


    A mocking smile appeared on Rose''s face.


    She stared at the hypocritical look on Nixon''s face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kelly biting her lip with slight indignation.


    Rose''s eyes shed viciously as she said, "You''re willing to marry me. But what about Kelly, then?"


    Nixon''s expression instantly turned dark.


    Hastily stepping forward, he grabbed Rose''s wrist and pulled her out of the vi.


    Gritting his teeth, he warned her, "Rose, you''d better appreciate it while I''m ying nice. You''ve done such terrible things, yet I''m still willing to marry you. You should be grateful.


    "If you tell Mr. Shaffer and Ms. Sutton about me and Kelly, Kelly will be disgraced!


    "Unlike you, Kelly is a simple and innocent woman. She loves me, and I''m the only man in her life. She said she doesn''t care about status as long as she can be with me." Rose felt so disgusted that she wanted to throw up. "How long?"


    Nixon was startled.


    "How long have you been going behind my back and cheating on me with her?"


    Since the truth was already out, Nixon did not see the need to lie.


    "It''s been three years. I wanted to get more intimate with you on the night of your birthday, but you rejected me."


    "So you turned around and slept with Kelly instead?" Rose sneered.


    Nixon felt a little guilty. He instantly lost his patience as well.


    A few of his businesses were in trouble. He had to get married to Rose as soon as possible so that he could get his hands on Celeste Jewels.


    "It''s Grandma''s 70th birthday tomorrow, and Uncle Jonathan hase to Aquastead.


    "Grandma wants us to get married while Uncle Jonathan is in town. He can conduct the marriage ceremony for us.


    "Grandma will invite Uncle Jonathan to attend the birthday banquet tomorrow. Be prepared. I''ll introduce you to him." When Nixon mentioned his Uncle Jonathan, he did so with a look of admiration and respect.


    Initially, Rose had been uninterested in Nixon''s Uncle Jonathan.


    But when she saw how excited Nixon was about meeting him tomorrow, she changed her mind abruptly.

 Chapter 4 Get Married

    "Alright. I''ll meet Uncle Jonathan tomorrow. He''s an elder, so I''ll prepare a huge gift for him. Don''t worry, I''ll behave myself."


    ...


    After Nixon left, Rose picked up the photos on the floor.


    She nced at Maya coldly while saying, "These are pretty good shots. It''s a pity that you didn''t capture his face."


    The manst night had extremely good looks. He was as handsome as the hottest male celebrities.


    Maya felt a little guilty. She knew Rose would suspect her for what had happenedst night.


    She was about to argue when Rose looked at Kelly instead.


    Kelly had an innocent look on her face. She looked gentle and harmless, but deep down inside, her heart was filled with hatred.


    She did not expect Nixon to proceed with the marriage-not after Rose had been caught making out with another man.


    Kelly refused to back down. She wanted to press on with this incident and fan the mes so that Jamie would drive Rose out of the house.


    Just then, Rose smiled. The next words that came out of her mouth hit Kelly right where it hurt.


    "They''re holding a birthday banquet for Mrs. Lane Senior tomorrow night. Nixon wants me to get ready to discuss our marriage ns. Will you be attending the banquet as well, Kelly?" Kelly was silent. She was so mad that she began trembling.


    Nixon had never allowed Kelly to go to the Lane residence. He would never appear in public with her either.


    Kelly and Rose were both daughters of the Shaffer family. She did not understand why Rose got to move around in public, while she could only hide in the shadows.


    Her harmless and gentle expression faded away. It slowly turned into one of reluctance and jealousy.


    Rose sneered as she watched.


    Was this the woman Nixon thought of as innocent? The woman who would give up on status to be with him?


    Before Rose found them in bed yesterday, she received a message from Nixon telling her to see him.


    Kelly must have sent that message.


    What an innocent woman indeed.


    Rose eyed Kelly mockingly. Then, she took the photos and left the vi.


    She was not going to marry Nixon.


    But she would give him a surprise during the birthday banquet tomorrow!


    Nixon wanted Celeste Jewels, so she was going to foil his ns.


    The best way for her to achieve that was for her to get married, but not to him!


    Rose wondered who she should pick to be her bridegroom.


    Suddenly, she noticed the man in the photos. She immediately narrowed her eyes.


    "Haha. I have just the right person."


    ...


    Rose arrived at Nightfall Lounge.


    It was noon, so the lounge was not open for business yet.


    Rose stared at the closed entrance. She wondered how she could contact the man fromst night as soon as possible.


    Meanwhile, a bodyguard was showing Jonathan the surveince footage on a tablet. They were in a room on the second floor of Nightfall Lounge. "Mr. Finch, there''s a woman sneaking around the entrance. Should we deal with her?"


    Zac was the official owner of the lounge, but Jonathan was the biggest shareholder. He had invested the most into the lounge.


    Jonathan had encountered an assassin soon after he arrived in Aquastead. Hence, he left Charlie and a group of bodyguards at Aquastead Hotel. Then, he came to the lounge alone. No one knew of his whereabouts.


    At this moment, Jonathan''s mind was filled with the woman fromst night. She had stolen his clothes and humiliated him with a coin!


    Jonathan wanted to ask the bodyguard to drive the woman away.


    But then, he caught sight of the woman through the surveince footage.


    It was her!


    He narrowed his eyes and his gaze sharpened.


    A cold and dangerous smile spread out across his face as he gave his orders, "Bring her in here!"


    Momentster, the doors to the lounge opened.


    A few muscr men in ck suits walked up to Rose. "Pleasee with us, miss. There''s someone who would like to see you." Taken aback, Rose followed them into the lounge.


    When she finally regained her senses, she immediately realized something. She could ask these people for the man''s contact information. She was about to speak when she realized she did not know the man''s name.


    Could she refer to him as ... the star escort?


    The man had a handsome face, and he was very professional at what he did. It would make sense if he was the star escort.


    "Excuse me, but your star-"


    Before Rose could finish speaking, the door mmed shut behind her.


    It was only then that Rose found herself in a room.


    The room was dimly lit. The only source of light was aimed at a painting on the opposite wall.


    A man stood in front of the painting.


    He was wearing a ck satin shirt, just like the one she was wearing. His figure was tall and stately.


    Rose found the silhouette rather familiar somehow.


    Suddenly, the man turned around. When Rose saw his face, she grew excited.


    "It''s you!"


    It was the star escort she was looking for!


    Jonathan stared darkly at the woman standing by the door. There was a cold look in his eyes.


    "Yes, it''s me!"


    He had been looking for her, but she showed up of her own ord instead.


    She was still wearing the shirt she stole from him.


    The half-hidden hickeys near the cor reminded him of how he had lost controlst night. He also recalled the humiliation he felt when he saw the coin this morning. She would pay the price for humiliating him.


    Jonathan smiled menacingly. He was about to speak when Rose stepped forward and grabbed his wrists excitedly.


    She looked at him with an enthusiastic and expectant gaze.


    "Let''s get married!"

 Chapter 5 Negotiation

    Jonathan''s sneer froze. He could not believe his ears.


    After what felt like an eternity, Jonathan finally spoke.


    "What ... did you just say? Say that again!"


    Blinking, Rose said earnestly, "Let''s get married!"


    She could pay him for it.


    She had already thought things through. To avoid unnecessary trouble, the easiest way was to make it a trade.


    There would be no emotional strings attached. She would pay him to marry her, and he would take the money.


    Also, due to the special nature of his job, he was the perfect candidate!


    Jonathan thought about it for a moment. Then, a look of disdain and disgust appeared in his cold eyes.


    He could tell what she was trying to do now.


    Scoffing to himself, he assumed that despite not knowing who he was, she knew he was no ordinary man. Therefore, after heading home and thinking about it, she came back to him.


    Was she trying to marry a rich man, or was it the money she was after?


    Jonathan recalled the red stain on the sheets this morning. The guilt he felt dissipated.


    After all, he had taken herst night. He would give her a sum of money to dismiss her.


    Jonathan''s curt voice was flippant as he said, "I''ve met many women like you. How much are you asking for?"


    Stunned, Rose did not speak.


    How much? Was he negotiating the price for marrying her?


    Rose never expected him to be so straightforward. But now that she thought about it, she supposed it was to be expected from an experienced man like him.


    Taking a step backward, Rose examined the man from head to toe.


    She considered the price carefully.


    For some reason, Jonathan suddenly felt displeased. She was looking at him as if she was sizing up an item or a product.


    And he seemed to be the so-called product in question!


    "How much?" Jonathan pressed impatiently.


    "Three ... million dors?"


    Rose felt uneasy as she stared at him.


    He was rather handsome. Was the offer of three million too little?


    As expected, Jonathan''s well-defined brows creased.


    Three million dors?


    He had expected her to take advantage of the situation and demand a fortune. But surprisingly, she only asked for three million dors.


    "Hah..." Jonathan chuckled in disdain.


    Rose''s heart skipped a beat. She hastily raised the price. "Five Five million dors. Five million dors at most!"


    After she graduated, Jamie did not allow her to join Celeste Jewels. She did not use her family''s money, either.


    Little by little, she saved up five million dors by epting designmissions. She usually receivedmissions from an upperssman.


    It was her entire fortune.


    Jonathan looked even more scornful now.


    He was convinced that Rose was an ignorant woman.


    But it had been her first time, after all. He would not treat her unfairly.


    Reminded of the humiliation he felt from that coin, Jonathan decided to give her ten million dors. He would humiliate her with ten million dors.


    With a sneer on his face, he was about to say something when the woman spoke up first.


    "Alright, fine. What about ten million dors?"


    Rose went all out. She looked pleadingly at Jonathan before she said, "Can I give you five million dors first?


    "As for the remaining five million dors, it might take a month... Or maybe I can pay you in installments?"


    Fearing that he would not agree, she continued, "Don''t worry, I have the money.


    "Give me your bank ount number. I''ll transfer five million dors to you right now to prove my sincerity." Rose took out her phone.


    Once again, Jonathan''s expression froze. He was shocked.


    He wondered if his ears were ying tricks on him.


    Did she say that she was going to give him ten million dors?


    "Come on. Give me your ount number," Rose urged.


    She looked at him in anticipation. It was as if she were a wolf coaxing a rabbit to fall into a trap.


    Jonathan studied her intently. She could not tell what he was thinking by the look in his eyes.


    A momentter, he gave her his ount number.


    Within a minute, he received a notification. Five million dors had been transferred to his ount.


    Rose let out a long sigh. Even though she was reluctant to part with the huge sum, she had finally found her bridegroom.


    The next step would be to register their marriage and be officially married.


    Rose did not want to waste even a single second. "Let''s go back to our respective homes and get the necessary documents. We''ll meet at the county clerk''s office an hour from now." With that, Rose left.


    Jonathan looked at the bank transfer notification on his phone. He was in a daze.


    He could not believe that she had seriously given him five million dors.


    She had given him money to marry her.


    "Hah..." He had never encountered anything like this before.


    Jonathan was suddenly intrigued.


    As if to see what she was up to, Jonathan made a call. "Uncle Charlie, do you have my identification documents with you? Yes, I have need of them ..."

 Chapter 6 Star Escort Husband

    An hourter, Jonathan stood outside the county clerk''s office. He stared darkly at the marriage license he was holding.


    Meanwhile, Rose excitedly nted a kiss on her copy of the marriage license. She was already looking forward to the Lanes'' banquet tomorrow. That was when Nixon''s ns would fall apart. Suddenly, she looked at her "star escort husband" who was beside her.


    He had such a wonderful figure and face that Nixon could notpare to him at all.


    If he appeared at the Lanes'' birthday banquet tomorrow, Nixon would be disgraced!


    The more Rose thought about it, the more excited she became.


    "Um Do you have time tomorrow? Can you attend a banquet with me¡ª"


    ...


    Jonathan was stilling to terms with the fact that he was married. Without even thinking about it, he declined. "I''m busy!"


    Rose fell silent. She felt a little disappointed.


    But she soon got over it.


    Nixon''s uncle, Jonathan, would be attending the Lanes'' birthday banquet tomorrow. It would probably be an extravagant event, so her husband might get intimidated by its grandeur.


    Before they parted ways, Rose said to her new husband, "Since we''re already married, you shouldn''t go to Nightfall Lounge tonight. It''ll be best if you never go there again." "Where else can I go if I can''t go to Nightfall Lounge?"


    Jonathan frowned. He had not figured out who had sent the assassin yet, so Nightfall Lounge was the safest ce for him right now.


    But Rose misunderstood him.


    Her gaze on him instantly changed.


    She wondered if he was asking her for a house.


    Popr escorts like him usually asked their patrons for houses and cars.


    Rose despised such behavior. But when she remembered that she had bought this husband at a high price, she instantly forced herself to smile.


    After taking out her phone, she tapped on it a few times.


    Soon, Jonathan''s phone buzzed with another bank transfer notification. This time, it was for 6,600 dors.


    Jonathan stared at Rose in confusion.


    "Find a hotel to stay in for the time being. I''ll make further arrangementster."


    Rose smiled generously, but her heart was aching over the loss of her money.


    After paying the five million dors, she only had 6,650 dors left in her ount. She gave him 6,600 dors and kept the remaining 50 dors to pay for her ride home.


    On the inside, Roseughed miserably. It was not the absolute worst situation. At least she did not have to walk home.


    Rose felt like she could not stay here any longer. Not even for a moment. She feared she would not be able to keep up her smile.


    Before she left, she could barely maintain her smile as she suggested earnestly, "Um... you don''t have to pick an expensive hotel. You can choose slightly cheaper hotels. They aren''t all that bad..." Jonathan could see that her smile had vanishedpletely by the time she turned away from him.


    She even staggered a little as she jogged away. She seemed to be clutching her heart.


    He wondered if her heart was aching.


    "Hah ..." He was beginning to suspect that she had misunderstood something.


    Staring at the bank transfer notification on his phone, Jonathan suddenly felt curious. He wanted to find out if slightly cheaper hotels had pleasant environments as well.


    Just then, he received a call from Zac.


    As soon as he answered the call, Zac started teasing him.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior told everyone that you will be attending her birthday banquet. The upper-ss elites in Aquastead heard about this, and they''re all moring to attend the event.


    "Hmph! They''re not going there for the Lanes at all. They''re just trying to talk to you, the newly appointed person in charge of the Finch family!


    "The Lanes just want to use you to make themselves look good. Tch. How cunning... But if you don''t go tomorrow, there will be quite a scene at the Lane residence."


    Charlie had told Jonathan about the Lanes'' invitation.


    Thete Mr. Lane Senior used to be friends with the Finches, but the two families had drifted apart a long time ago.


    Jonathan did not n on attending at first, but he abruptly changed his mind. "I''ll be attending the banquet."


    If he did not want to keep staying in Nightfall Lounge, he had to catch the mastermind as soon as possible.


    The Lanes'' banquet was the perfect opportunity.


    Staring at the marriage license in his hand, Jonathan had a dark look in his eyes. Before Zac could say anything else, Jonathan spoke up.


    "Buy a house for me under someone else''s name. Also, I need your help to look into someone ..."


    He recalled the woman''s pretty face. She had a warm and radiant smile when they received their marriage license.


    He looked at the marriage license and found her name.


    "Rose Shaffer!"

 Chapter 7 She Was the Sugar Mommy

    When Rose returned to the vi in Scenic Gardens, she was refused entry.


    "How dare shee back again? Chelsea, go and drive her away!"


    Jamie''s angry shout could be heard through the door.


    "Jamie, don''t get angry because of her. You should take care of your health ..."


    "Dad, just let Rose in. She probably wasn''t thinking straight when she betrayed Mr. Lane. The men at Nightfall Lounge are all ...


    engaged in that sort of work.


    "I''m sure Rose would''ve paid him so that he wouldn''t tell anyone else about something like this...''


    Over in the living room, it seemed like Chelsea and Kelly wereing to Rose''s defense. But in reality, they were adding fuel to the fire.


    In an instant, Jamie''s tirade intensified.


    "She''s a wretched girl! I refuse to acknowledge a shameless woman like her as my daughter! From now on, she is not allowed to enter this house. I don''t want her tainting this ce. "Kelly, you''re kind and innocent. Don''t be like her."


    Rose felt like her heart was breaking. She was so upset that it hurt.


    She knew Jamie never liked her. Ever since she was a child, Jamie treated her coldly no matter what she did.


    It was his first time reacting so strongly to something she did.


    Jamie did not like her, but he pampered Kelly a lot. Kelly was his stepdaughter. She joined the family when he remarried.


    When Rose thought about Kelly''s true identity, she sneered mockingly.


    Suddenly, she saw something through therge floor-to-ceiling windows.


    Avoiding Jamie''s line of sight, Kelly was smiling gleefully at Rose. She seemed to be announcing her victory.


    Rose''s eyes shed coldly. But the very next moment, she smiled brightly and waved at Kelly.


    Kelly''s smile froze. She did not expect Rose to smile at all. She had expected to see Rose crying instead.


    Just then, Rose clenched her waving hand into a fist. Then, she lifted her middle finger ...


    Kelly was dumbstruck.


    Her expression instantly soured.


    Rose turned around and left. Kelly stared at her retreating figure with hatred-filled eyes.


    Furious, she immediately sent a message to Maya. Then, she appealed to Jamie. "Dad, Mrs. Lane Senior''s birthday banquet is tomorrow. Let me go with you. I want to gain more exposure to society!" Kelly swore to humiliate Rose during the Lanes'' birthday banquet tomorrow.


    ...


    It was midnight. Rose was wandering the streets.


    Her phone was flooded with messages from the high school alumni group she was in.


    An hour ago, Maya was so "worried" about Rose that she sent a missing person notice to the alumni group. She was sobbing as she pleaded for Rose to return to her family.


    Sensing that there could be gossip, the others asked Maya what happened. Hence, Maya "identally" mentioned how Rose had slept with a manst night. She also said that Jamie had driven Rose out of their home.


    The group exploded with messages. But at that moment, Rose was more concerned about where she could go tonight.


    She had transferred her remaining money to her "star escort husband" this afternoon. Now, she was broke and had nowhere to go.


    All of a sudden, she thought of something. Her eyes lit up.


    Her husband!


    Though their rtionship was transactional, she was still his patron. She figured he probably would not mind letting his patron stay over for the night.


    Rose took her phone out and made the call. She felt both nervous and excited.


    Soon, the call connected.


    "Hello?"


    When the man''s charming voice rang in Rose''s ear, she abruptly recalled the heavy panting she had heardst night. Her cheeks turned bright red. "Hello? Speak up!"


    The man''s voice rang out again.


    Rose snapped back to her senses. Shooing away the indecent scenes in her mind, she said, "Um... Well ... I was chased out of my house, so I don''t have anywhere to go now. Can I¡ª" There was a click. Before Rose finished speaking, the call ended.


    She stared at her phone. It took her a while to register what happened.


    She was stunned.


    Did he reject her?


    That thought left her feeling incredulous.


    "Hah! Fine. Very well ..." Rose got angrier by the second.


    What was with his attitude? She was his sugar mommy! She wanted a refund!


    Meanwhile, Jonathan was in a "slightly cheaper" hotel with a "nice environment".


    He looked at the document he was holding. It contained information about Rose and Celeste Jewels. He did not expect his newly wedded wife to be the sole heir of Celeste Jewels. But he was not surprised that Jamie had kicked Rose out of the house.


    Had he not asked Zac to investigate Rose, no one would have known about what Jamie had been doing in secret. Even now, Rose had to still be clueless about it.


    Jonathan smiled coldly. He was looking forward to how his wife would respond when she found out about the real situation with Celeste Jewels.


    There was a sinister look in Jonathan''s eyes as he sent the hotel address to Rose.

 Chapter 8 Eye Candy

    Eye Candy


    Rose was silently screaming for a refund, but her rage disappeared when she received the address her new husband sent to her.


    He had a conscience, after all!


    Rose rushed to the hotel at once. But once she arrived at the hotel, her smile stiffened.


    Her star escort husband was staying in the second-best five-star hotel. Even the cheapest room would cost thousands of dors per night.


    He could not possibly afford to stay here for long with the 6600 dors she gave him.


    Rose subconsciously clutched her heart. It hurt her to see her money getting -spent like this.


    Heading up to the room number she had been given, she arrived at a luxury suite.


    Rose felt her heart aching even more. She was beginning to suspect that the money she gave him could not even pay for a night in a room like this.


    Taking a deep breath, Rose decided to have a proper talk with her "husband".


    The door to the suite was slightly ajar. Rose pushed open the door and went in.


    While she did not see anyone, she did hear the sound of running watering from the bathroom.


    She figured he was showering.


    Rose found a couch and sat on it. Her hand identally touched a remote


    control on the couch.


    Instantly, the walls of the bathroom turned partly transparent.


    The man had his back to her. She could see the water running down his tanned


    skin.


    Rose''s heartbeat quickened. She knew that she should not be looking at this sultry disy, but she could not tear her eyes away.


    Her gaze followed the water flowing down his body before stopping at the spot where the transparent ss turned matte. Everything from the waist down was hidden.


    A look of disappointment shed across Rose''s excited gaze.


    She thought it was such a pity. Still, even just the upper half of his body was enough to serve as eye candy for her.


    Rose wanted to study him in detail, but the man in the bathroom suddenly


    turned around.


    Startled, she cursed to herself as she thought that he found out she was staring at him.


    Rose looked away hastily, but Jonathan did not seem to have noticed her.


    He turned a little and continued showering.


    Rose let out a huge sigh. She continued watching him.


    But soon, Jonathan was done with his shower. He got ready toe out.


    Rose pressed the remote control guiltily. Then, shey on the couch and pretended to be asleep.


    As soon as Jonathan came out, he saw the woman who was pretending to be asleep on the couch. He had noticed her watching him just now.


    "So she was bold enough to stare at me while I was showering but too chicken to face me afterward?" he mused.


    A sinister look appeared on Jonathan''s handsome face. He stepped forward and leaned in. He allowed his breaths to brush against her face as if it were a punishment. Rose could feel the man''s intense breaths. She wondered if he was trying to


    kiss her.


    Her heart almost leaped out of her chest. She wanted to push him away, but she felt too guilty to open her eyes.


    His breaths were getting more intense. Rose recalled the passionate scenes fromst night.


    Her breathing grew uneven. Her whole body tensed up as well. Just when she was about to give up, Jonathan''s phone rang.


    Jonathan saw how tense she was and was reluctant to leave. He wanted to keep teasing her, but a thought urred to him and he left to take the call.


    Rose exhaled in relief.


    The man''s low voice rang out.


    Rose heard him say a few familiar terms like "the Lanes" and "Celeste Jewels". But she was too tired. Surrendering to her fatigue, she quickly fell fast asleep.


    When Rose woke up the next day, she was the only person left in the room. Meanwhile, Jonathan was leaving the hotel. He got into a luxury car. There was a row of bodyguards watching over him. As he sat inside the car, Jonathan remembered Rose''s nervous behaviorst night. He could not help but smile.


    She had invited him to a banquet yesterday, but he declined. He was regretting it a little now.


    She had spent all her money to get married to him. Perhaps she had a goal to achieve at that banquet.


    But he had to attend the Lanes'' birthday banquet today.


    Having thought of something, Jonathan frowned. He said to Charlie, who was beside him, "Uncle Charlie, get someone to prepare an evening dress. Have it sent to the room I stayed inst night." After a pause, he added, "Make it a red one."


    She looked good in red.


    Back inside the hotel, Rose received a red dress. She recognized it right away.


    "The Crimson Temptress?"


    It was a limited-edition signature design that was only recently released by the luxury brand, K&K. Rose happened to be the designer.


    The dress was only avable in two colors, red and white.


    As a token of appreciation for her designs, her upperssman had sent her. the white version a few days ago. She did not expect the red version to appear in front of her as well. She wondered if her new husband bought it for her.


    He was the only one who knew she was here.


    But he was just a star escort working at a lounge. Even if he had some money,


    he should not be able to get his hands on this dress.


    Rose shook her head. "It''s probably an imitation. It looks like the real deal, though."


    Rose did not think much of it. She put on the dress and did her makeup. Then,. she headed off to attend the Lanes'' birthday banquet.

 Chapter 9 Have Mercy

    Have Mercy


    The Lane residence was located within a mountainside vils ares in Ageces


    Guests were already arriving at the venue


    Kelly had arrived much earlier,


    In Nixon''s room on the second floor, Kelly and Nixon were tangled up in a box of passion. After doing the deed, Kelly draped herself across Noron''s body. She wanted to keep seducing him. But Nixon grabbed her hand and stopped her.


    "Uncle Jonathan should be arriving soon, Grandma wants me to wee him myself. It''s a rare opportunity for me, so I can''t miss it."


    Kelly lowered her gaze in disappointment. She looked adorable and pitiful.


    Nixon''s heart ached when he saw her like that, but the event today was far too important.


    Nixon helped Kelly put on her dress.


    She looked like a wless princess in her white dress. It was her air of purity that made it impossible for Nixon to hold himself back.


    "I''ve never seen you wear this dress before. It looks good. The design is pretty


    nice.


    Nixon made a casual remark, but Kelly''s eyes shed awkwardly.


    "You know I don''t like buying luxury items," Kelly said innocently. "Still, it''s Mrs. Lane Senior''s birthday banquet today.


    "Since I didn''t have a suitable dress for the asion, my mom insisted on buying this for me. You won''t be upset that I''m dressed so fancily, right, Nixon?"


    In reality, she had intentionally grabbed this dress from Rose''s closet. It also had a beautiful name. It was called the Moonlight Angel.


    Kelly did not expect Rose to own a limited-edition dress from K&K''s signature collection.


    After all, all the wealthy socialites were fighting over it.


    Kelly was extremely jealous, so she put on the dress without another thought.


    If she was wearing the dress, then it was as good as hers.


    The dress was hers, and so was Nixon. She was going to take everything away from Rose!


    Kelly leaned against Nixon''s shoulder and left a lipstick stain on the cor of


    Nixon''s white shirt ....


    Ten minutester, a row of luxury cars pulled up outside the Lane residence. Jonathan had arrived.


    As soon as Jonathan got out of the car, he was surrounded securely by his bodyguards.


    Nixon, who came out in a hurry, weed him with enthusiasm. "U-Uncle


    Jonathan ..."


    Jonathan had always been a mysterious person. None of the media channels had ever taken a photo of his whole face before. Outsiders thought he had to be a sophisticated aged man. After all, he had. both the means and the tactics to manage the mega-rich Finch family. This new person in charge could influence the economy of Veridian with a mere snap of his fingers.


    But in reality, he was only three years older than Nixon.


    Jonathan was wearing a ck designer suit. He was 6 feet and 2 inches tall, and his handsome face was set in a cold, unapproachable expression.


    He walked forward without even sparing Nixon a nce.


    His icy and noble air made Nixon feel small inparison.


    Walking next to Jonathan, Nixon mustered the courage to introduce himself. Uncle Jonathan, I''m Nixon Lane. I had the honor of seeing you from afar when I went to Regalia a few years ago." "Nixon Lane?" Jonathan stopped walking.


    Charlie had mentioned Nixon to Jonathan before.


    Nixon was the one who wanted Jonathan to officiate his marriage ceremony


    for him.


    Jonathan nced at the lipstick stain on Nixon''s cor. He could not help but think of Rose.


    It seems like Nixon''s fianc¨¦e was as passionate as Rose.


    Meanwhile, Rose had arrived at the Lane residence as well.


    From a distance, she could see Nixon smiling as he walked in front of a group of bodyguards. The bodyguards surrounded a man as they entered the hall.


    Only the top of the man''s head was exposed. When she saw him, Rose thought that the person must be the "Uncle Jonathan" Nixon spoke of. She did not, expect him to be so young. Thinking of the wedding ceremony Nixon mentioned, Rose chuckled coldly. She touched the marriage license in her bag.


    The banquet had not started yet, so Rose went to the garden.


    In the garden, a group of richdies were gathered around Kelly. They were admiring her dress.


    The praise Kelly received from the people around her boosted her vanity and


    ego.


    Suddenly, a voice rang out. "You''re here, Kelly!"


    It was none other than Rose who had called out.


    Rose was standing in front of a wall of roses. Since she was wearing a red dress as well, she looked like a rose fairy.


    Every woman who saw her was amazed.


    The richdies noticed the red dress Rose was wearing.


    "Is... Is that the Crimson Temptress by K&K?"


    "Goodness me, that''s the one! The red and white versions have the same design, but they give off entirely different vibes."


    The two dresses were each beautiful in their own way.


    However, the two daughters of the Shaffer family were different.


    Rose''s features were wless and exquisite, whereas Kelly could only be described as delicate.


    The Crimson Temptress wrapped nicely around Rose''s body. She looked vivid and dazzling.


    Kelly, who was wearing the Moonlight Angel, seemedcking inparison.


    Kelly was furious. She knew she had lost to Rose and was cursing on the inside.


    Rose had been driven out of the house, and yet she still managed to attract everyone''s attention so easily. Kelly gritted her teeth in fury. But at the very next second, she made a pleading look while acting terrified. "Rose, don''t be mad. I didn''t mean to leave you behind. Please have mercy on me. Don''t hit me, please?" She instantly made herself seem like a pitiful girl who endured long-term abuse from Rose. COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus

 Chapter 10 Fell for Her

    Fell for Her


    All at once, the expressions of the richdies around them changed.


    Yet, Rose remained calm and simply smirked coldly.


    She stepped forward and adjusted Kelly''s dress, which looked a littlerge on Kelly.


    Then, shemented evenly, "K&K''s dresses are tailored to the customer''s exact measurements. We have different body measurements, Kelly.


    "If you had said that you liked this dress, I would''ve returned it and asked them to alter it for you. It wouldn''t have looked so awkward on you, then.


    It was only then that the richdies noticed that Kelly''s dress did not actually fit her.


    They instantly forgot about Kelly''s pitiful disy. Their eyes were filled with disdain.


    "So it''s not her dress after all? Don''t tell me she stole her sister''s dress. It does look like it would fit Ms. Rose better."


    "I never thought Ms. Kelly would be so vain. I heard she''s the tagalong child that Ms. Rose''s stepmother brought into the family. These kinds of children are more cunning than illegitimate ones!"


    The words "tagalong child" and "illegitimate child" haunted Kelly''s mind. She could not keep her act up anymore. Her clenched fists were trembling as well.


    But she had no choice but to endure it. When the richdies left, Kelly finally red viciously at Rose.


    Kelly yanked her cor down defiantly to reveal some suggestive hickeys.


    She provoked Rose in glee, "Do you know all the ways Nixon doted on me just now? We did it upstairs. He was so into it that he kept going again and again!" Kelly thought this would anger Rose, but Rose smiled mockingly.


    "You used Nixon''s phone to send me a message that day. You just wanted me to see you two in hed didn''t you?".


    "So what if i did she retorted


    Nothing. If you like him just tell me I would''ve given him to you. Why go through all that trouble to


    steal?


    Rose nced at the dress Kelly was weading and sneered before leaving.


    Kelly felt as if she had been pped in the face. She red viciously at Rose''s retreating figure


    Then, she went into the hall in anger. She wanted to seekfort from Nixon.


    Kelly arrived at the hall.


    She peered through the translucent curtains in the doorway of the tea room and spotted Nixon standing next to a man.


    The man had a tall and stately figure. He looked cold and noble as well.


    Kelly only saw him from the back, but he already seemed to be a hundred times better than Nixon.


    Judging from Nixon''s respectful behavior, the man must be the Uncle Jonathan he spoke of.


    Kelly thought that Uncle Jonathan was a middle-aged man. She did not expect him to be this young!


    He was young, rich, and influential.


    She thought about what it would be like if she was in a rtionship with him..


    Her heart pounded at the sudden thought.


    Meanwhile, Nixon had an ingratiating look on his face as he tried to keep Jonathan entertained, but he kept looking through the curtain in search of Rose.


    He finally caught sight of a red figure in the corner, so he said urgently, "Uncle Jonathan, I''ll get my fianc¨¦e toe over and meet you.


    He wanted to bring Rose over as soon as possible so that Jonathan could. officiate their wedding.


    "Okay."


    Jonathan nced at the red mark on Nixon''s cor again.


    He was interested in meeting this fianc¨¦e of Nixon''s whose passion reminded him of someone.


    Nixon had just left the room when Jonathan''s phone rang.


    It was a call from Zac.


    As soon as the call connected, Zac''s voice rang out urgently, "Um... It''s about that Rose Shaffer you wanted me to investigate yesterday. How do you ... feel about her?"


    Jonathan frowned.


    He wondered how he felt about her.


    Before Jonathan replied, Zac continued hastily, "Don''t tell me you fell for her.


    "You''d better not fall for her. She has a fianc¨¦. He''s Nixon Lane, the one from the Lane family... Hello?"


    Zac could feel the icinessing through the phone.


    "Jonathan, you can''t me me for this," Zac carried on. "You requested the informationst night. It was too urgent.


    "It''s only normal for the information to be iplete. Plus, the old man sent me to Leafshire on a business trip. It was ast-minute decision. If I had been around, such mistakes wouldn''t have urred."


    Zac wished he had been around.


    In the past few years, Jonathan had never shown any interest in a woman, much less asked Zac to look into one!


    Zac''s sixth sense was telling him that something interesting was about to happen.


    "Jonathan ..."


    Zac wanted to say more, but Jonathan had already hung up.


    Zac''s words were still ringing in Jonathan''s mind. Jonathan had a dark look on his face. The cold air emanating from him seemed to lower the temperature


    around him.


    Out in the hall, Rose suddenly felt a rush of cold air coursing through her whole body.

 Chapter 11 Behind the Door

    Behind the Door


    Rose nced around her. She spotted a tall male figure through the curtains of


    the tea room.


    The figure seemed familiar to her somehow.


    Rose was about to take a closer look when Nixon suddenly walked up to her. He blocked her line of sight.


    "Hurry up, Rose. I''ll take you to Uncle Jonathan right now."


    Nixon wanted to hold Rose''s hand, but Rose shirked away disdainfully.


    His eyes shed with displeasure, but when he thought of Jonathan, he had no choice but to suppress his emotions.


    "Rose, today is a great opportunity for me and my family. The Finches are the top among the three greatest families of Regalia, and Uncle Jonathan is the newly appointed person in charge of the family. "Once he officiates our marriage, and with Celeste Jewels behind us, I am guaranteed to be the heir of the Lane family!"


    Nixon was the Lanes'' only grandchild. But at the moment, his father, Hayden Lane, handled most of the family businesses.


    Hayden had an illegitimate son whom he had been working hard to nurture over the past few years. The illegitimate son posed a serious threat to Nixon.


    Nixon could not afford to mess up right now. He was in urgent need of Celeste Jewels to solve his funding difficulties.


    Rose smiled scornfully. She did not care about what happened to Nixon and


    the Lanes.


    But she did prepare a great present, and Uncle Jonathan had a VIP ticket to the show. She should meet him, at least.


    "Let''s go." Rose followed Nixon.


    Back in the tea room, Jonathan stared coldly at Rose. His eyes were dark.


    She was Nixon''s fianc¨¦e? What a fianc¨¦e she was, indeed!


    At the thought of the lipstick stain on Nixon''s cor, Jonathan''s gaze grew even colder.


    Jonathan watched as Rose and Nixon walked toward him. The dim light in his eyes turned into a sneer. Then, with an intimidating air about him, he walked out of the tea room from the other door. Charlie quickly went after him.


    Rose and Nixon had just arrived at the tea room when they saw Charlie with his back toward them. Nixon thought that he had done a poor job of entertaining Jonathan, so he hastily ran after them.


    When Charlie told him that Jonathan was tired, he sighed in relief.


    "There''s a guest room on the second floor. He can rest there. There''s going to be a ball before the banquet, so it would be great if he could attend."


    Nixon did not dare to disturb Jonathan. Thus, he decided to ask Jonathan to officiate their marriage after he had danced the first dance with Rose. He would ask Rose for a dance at the ballter. If Jonathan agreed to do it, Nixon''s status in Aquastead would be elevated.


    The more Nixon thought about it, the more excited he became.


    Upon returning to the tea room, he told Rose eagerly, "You must cooperate with meter!"


    Still standing at the entrance of the tea room, Rose stared at the spot where the man had been standing just now.


    She finally remembered where she had seen that figure before.


    The figure looked a lot like her husband!


    Was it him?


    She frowned and quickly denied the possibility.


    How could it be him? How could he possibly be here?


    Dismissing the thoughts in her mind, Rose smirked as she took in Nixon''s


    excitement.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll be sure to cooperate... alright!"


    She was going to cooperate in a way that was entirely different from what Nixon expected.


    Standing somewhere near the tea room, Kelly listened in on their conversation. She heard what Nixon told Rose to do.


    The viciousness in Kelly''s heart sprung up at the thought of Rose being the center of attention again.


    She took her phone out and sent a message to Hank Edwards.


    "I''ll be waiting for you in thest guest room at the end of the corridor on the second floor after dark. Be sure to prepare something stimting to keep things interesting." Hank Edwards of Edwards Construction was in his fifties. He was a portly man who was known to be quite the pervert.


    Kelly heard from Nixon that Hank was one of the guests today.


    When she arrived just now, she flirted with him for a while. She managed to charm him with just a few nces.


    Kelly had prepared Hank specifically for Rose. She even set up a surveince camera in the room on the second floor. The camera was linked to her phone. The opening ball would start after dark.


    When the time came, her phone was all she needed to show everyone the scene of Rose being pinned under a man!


    The sun had just set when Rose received a paper note.


    "Do you want to know how Celeste Young died? Go to thest guest room at the end of the corridor on the second floor. You''ll get your answer there." Rose''s expression stiffened at once. Celeste Young was her mother''s name.


    The note was unsigned, so it could very well be a trap. Still, Rose had always suspected that there was another reason behind her mother''s death. Even if it turned out to be a trap, she was going to risk it anyway. She would not


    let go of even the slimmest of chances of uncovering the truth,


    Avoiding the crowd, Rose went up to the second floor. The corridor was deserted.


    Rose walked up to the guest room at the end of the corridor and opened the door.


    The room waspletely dark. Shallow breaths could be heard in the darkness, and Rose detected the faint smell of alcohol.


    She was not alone in this room!


    "Who''s there?"


    As soon as Rose asked that question, she heard something falling onto the floor.


    Instantly, the stench of alcohol invaded her nostrils.


    Right after that, a dark shadow pounced on her. The man''s tall frame exuded


    oppressing air as he pinned her against the door.

 Chapter 12 Heartless Woman

    Heartless Woman


    Rose struggled instinctively, but the man''srge hand gripped hers suddenly. Their fingersced together suggestively


    He buried his face against her shoulder, His ragged breaths brushed over her corbones and made her feel numb there. Rose could not help but shiver.


    She tried to kick a vulnerable part of the man''s body, but she had only just lifted her leg when a hand gripped her knee.


    In the darkness, Jonathan''s gaze was terrifyingly piercing.


    "How heartless!" he snarled coldly and mockingly.


    She had paid to spend the night with him the night beforest, but she was trying to make him impotent now. He silently cursed Rose.


    Jonathan recognized her the moment she walked into the room. He spilled the wine on purpose so that the smell of alcohol would mask his scent.


    He even disguised his voice by making it lower. That way, she would not recognize him.


    Jonathan thought about the lipstick stain on Nixon''s cor. He felt ant inexplicable rage building up inside his heart.


    "Who asked you toe here? Was it Nixon?"


    Rose thought about the note. "Weren''t you the one who told me toe here?"


    Jonathan smirked mockingly.


    He wondered if Nixon had told her that he asked for her.


    "Hah..."


    Nixon was putting in so much effort that he went to the extent of sending his fianc¨¦e to Jonathan''s room.


    Jonathan wondered if Nixon knew about what had happened that night in Nightfall Lounge, or the intense night of passion afterward. Was it all a part of her and Nixon''s n?


    184


    Jonathan''s dark eyes shed fiercely. As if to get revenge, he grabbed Rose by the wrists and tossed her onto the bed mercilessly.


    "Ahh!"


    Rose only felt like the world was spinning. Then, the man''s body pressed down on her. His strong legs trapped her firmly beneath him. Something about him spelled danger.


    Rose gulped before warning sternly, "Do you know who I am? Nixon Lane is my fianc¨¦. If you dare do anything to me, he won''t let you get away with it!"


    Even though she no longer had anything to do with Nixon, his name was the only one she could use right now.


    After all, Nixon was representing the Lanes as the host of the banquet. His name should be enough to intimidate this man.


    But Jonathan simply sneered.


    She only remembered that Nixon was her fianc¨¦. Had shepletely forgotten that they had gotten their marriage license yesterday?


    Jonathan''s gaze darkened. As if to punish her, he breathed suggestively into her ear.


    Rose tensed up. She was in a dangerous situation, but at that moment, the sensation felt somewhat familiar to her.


    She wondered who this man was.


    As she was trying to figure out the source of the familiarity, Jonathan''s breaths moved down to her shoulder and halted. To her surprise, he bit her shoulder... "Argh!"


    Rose trembled in pain.


    Jonathan sank his teeth into her shoulder like a beast biting its prey.


    He finally felt a little better. As he inhaled the fragrance of her body, he subconsciously reduced the force of his bite.


    There was something utterly bewitching about her that charmed others.


    without them realizing it.


    Jonathan was not a lustful man, but he did it with her many times that night. Rose sensed that the man was letting go, so she did not move too much.


    Thinking of the note, Rose asked tentatively, "How did my mom die?"


    In the dark, Rose waited anxiously for an answer.


    Meanwhile, the ball was about to begin downstairs, but Nixon could not find any trace of Rose.


    He could not resist cursing, "That ursed Rose! She better not ruin my ns!"


    Kelly stood beside him andforted him. "Rose must''ve had something important to do."


    She assumed that up in the room on the second floor, Hank must have gotten his hands on Rose by now.


    "I''ll bring Uncle Jonathan down." Nixon went up to the second floor.


    Kelly had seen Jonathan''s figure earlier and could not forget about it. She wanted to head upstairs with Nixon so that she could get to know Jonathan. But then, she received a message from Hank.


    "Where are you, sweetheart? If you don''te here soon, I''ll go downstairs and look for you."


    Kelly''s expression hardened.


    What was going on? Did Rose not go over to Mr. Edwards'' room?


    Kelly used Rose''s mother''s death as bait to trap Rose, and she was certain that Rose would not have ignored that note!


    She nced at Nixon. He had reached the top of the stairs and was turning into the corridor on the other side.


    Kelly gritted her teeth. She decided to check on Hank to see what was going on.

 Chapter 13 Be My Woman

    Be My Woman


    Over in the room on the second floor, Jonathan had already let go of Rose''s shoulder.


    Under the cover of darkness, his sharp gaze was fixed on her.


    Based on the information Zac gave himst night, Celeste died in a traffic ident ten years ago. It was ssified as an ident.


    Jonathan wondered if there had been another reason behind Celeste''s death.


    Did Rosee to see him to find out more about her mother''s death? Was it not for Nixon''s sake?


    The long silence made Rose anxious.


    "As long as you tell me the truth behind that ident, I''ll do anything you ask of me."


    Jonathan''s gaze darkened as he questioned, "So, you''d even agree if I ask you to be my woman?"


    Rose froze. She suddenly recalled her new husband''s handsome face.


    Jonathan saw her reaction. His expression, which had improved a little earlier, soured again.


    His voice was flecked with traces of jealousy as he said, "What''s the matter? You can''t bear to part with your fianc¨¦?"


    Rose was taken aback.


    Nixon? He was not worth it!


    Rose felt a little panicky when she realized she could not dismiss the face of her husband from her mind. But Jonathan thought her reaction meant that she was feeling guilty. As expected, she truly did not wish to let go of Nixon!


    Jonathan sneered. The fury that had simmered down just now began burning fiercely again. He was about to punish this woman when there was a knock on the door.


    Then, a fawning and respectful voice called out, ''Uncle Jonathan, did you have. a good rest?"


    It was Nixon!


    Rose immediately returned to her senses. Her heart threatened to leap out of her throat. She did not even notice how Nixon addressed the man in the room.


    The voice inside her head was telling her that if she was found in a room with another man, her n would be ruined!


    When Jonathan sensed her nervousness, his expression turned even fouler.


    Suddenly, he removed himself from Rose and walked up to the door. The weight was lifted off her body.


    Rose did not even have time to rejoice when she heard the door opening. A ray of light shone in.


    Jonathan stood against the light. She could not see his face.


    Nixon''s voice rang out again. "The banquet is starting soon-"


    Before he finished speaking, Jonathan interrupted him. "A little something came into my room..."


    Jonathan sneered. He was making Rose even more nervous on purpose.


    Rose''s heart almost jumped out of her chest. She had to leave this ce at


    once.


    They were on the second floor. All the rooms had windows, but they were blocked by a huge curtain.


    The window was her only way out, so she dashed over to it without a second thought.


    Sensing her intentions, Jonathan''s expression darkened.


    Almost by instinct, he marched over to grab her, but Rose was like a snake that slithered away right under his nose.


    She drew the curtains swiftly and jumped down.


    Jonathan''s heart tightened. After regaining hisposure, he wanted to ask


    She had wieled the same sheddine & A His so the knew that the garden we right badan bile raam


    She knew the son was of Ass, the d experience in martial arts at the


    *Nad


    know how to Break Her Tali


    Hence, she was fine. But when the jarnold down, the hem of her dress caught ente something and the dress ware tonn. "What a pity


    Rose F?lt a little sad about the dress, but this oue was much better than being found out in that situation


    She looked up at the room on the second floor. The windows were pitch ck, and she still could not see anything.


    Exhaling in relief, Rose tore off the damaged part of her dress and tossed it into the bushes. Then, she turned around and left.


    Jonathan stood at the window on the second floor. He saw everything just now.


    As he watched her leave, a hint of a smile crept over his cold lips.


    "Did something fall just now, Uncle Jonathan?"


    After turning on the lights in the room, Nixon rushed over to Jonathan.


    Everything had happened too quickly just now, so he did not see anything.


    Jonathan was still staring intensely at the garden outside the window. "There was a stray cat in the room just now"


    A stray cat?


    Nixon did not understand how a stray cat could have gotten in. Still, he did not ask any questions. He was too focused on the ballter.


    "Uncle Jonathan, the ball is starting soon. Please be sure to attend it.


    "You haven''t met my fianc¨¦e, right? She''s downstairs right now. She''s looking forward to meeting you."


    Jonathan did not like the way Nixon kept mentioning his fianc¨¦e. He stared darkly at Nixon.


    Nixon felt his scalp turning numb. He felt like Jonathan was looking at him differently now.


    Before this, Jonathan had been distant and indifferent toward Nixon. It was as if he did not even acknowledge Nixon''s presence. But now, Nixon felt a sense of hostility from Jonathan.


    Panicked, Nixon was at a loss when Jonathan suddenly spoke up. "I''d like to see if she''s truly excited to meet me. As for the ball... turn it into a masquerade!


    D

 Chapter 14 Are You Looking For Me

    Support


    Are You Looking For Me


    "Oh, yes, of course. I''ll get it done right away." Nixon immediately nodded in agreement


    Jonathan was an enigmatic man who kept a low profile. Nixon thought the former probably did not want too many people to see his face.


    In reality, Jonathan simply did not want a certain stray cat to see his face.


    He nced at the bag on the bed. It belonged to Rose.


    Jonathan smiled in amusement. Then, he left the room with the bag in hand.


    Back downstairs, Rose had just entered the hall when she suddenly came to a stop. She had left her bag in the room!


    Her marriage license was in her bag!


    She could not care less about the bag, but the marriage license yed an important part in her n for tonight!


    Rose figured the man would have left the room by now. Gritting her teeth, she had no choice but to risk it.


    Avoiding the crowd, she rushed up to the second floor. When she entered the room, she saw that no one was there. It was as she had expected. But her bag was gone as well! He must have taken her bag!


    If she wanted her bag back, she would have to find that man. But she did not know who the man was.


    Reflecting on their struggle in the darkness just now, Rose recalled some details.


    She had just gotten out of the room when she spotted a phone on the floor. It was in front of a room at the other end of the corridor.


    Rose was about to take a closer look when the Lane family''s butler came upstairs.


    "Ms. Rose, here you are. I''ve been looking for you. Why are you here?


    "Mr. Nixon can''te to you because he has to keep Mr. Finchpany. He


    wants me to give this to you. The banquet is about to start, so please head downstairs now."


    +15 BONUS:


    The butler handed Rose a mask. The red mask was a perfect match for her red dress.


    Rose nced at the room at the end of the corridor. Then, she put on the mask. and went downstairs.


    All the guests in the hall were wearing masks. As Rose weaved through the crowd, her eyes searched for the man in the room just now.


    From a distance, Jonathan looked at the woman who was looking all around. He smiled without realizing it.


    Noticing that Jonathan seemed to be in a good mood, Mrs. Lane Senior announced the start of the ball.


    Nixon could not wait any longer. "Uncle Jonathan, allow my fianc¨¦e and I to dedicate the first dance to you. I hope that-"


    Before he could finish speaking, Jonathan interrupted him.


    ncing at the lipstick stain on Nixon''s cor, Jonathan spoke with a cold look in his eyes, "Never mind that. I''m thinking of getting some exercise myself. Would you mind letting me have the first dance?" "Oh... Of course not..."


    Nixon''s back was sweating. He would not darein about it.


    "Good!" Satisfied, Jonathan walked toward the


    center of the dance floor.


    He wore a ck suit paired with a ck mask. He looked like the king of the night as he walked toward the crowd.


    The wealthy elite of Aquastead, who already admired him, were even more excited when he did so.


    The youngdies were swooning.


    "Oh, my goodness! He''s so young and handsome! Is he going to choose someone to dance with him?"


    "Wow! I would die for a chance to dance with Mr. Finch. If I can marry him..."


    244


    "Pick me


    Pick me... Pick me..."


    All the rich youngdies were hoping that Jonathan would pick them. But. Jonathan walked right up to Rose and stopped in front of her. Everyone was rendered speechless.


    As silence took over the hall, Rose was stunned as well. She wondered what was going on. Was he asking her to dance with him?


    When Nixon noticed Jonathan''s intentions, his expression changed. It would be an insult to him if Rose and Jonathan danced together!


    Hence, Nixon mustered up the courage to step forward and stop Jonathan.


    "Uncle Jonathan, this is Rose Shaffer. She''s my-"


    Before Nixon could say the word "fianc¨¦e", Jonathan red at him. Thetter''s


    eyes were cold and hostile.


    Nixon shuddered. He even forgot to speak.


    Smiling, Jonathan bowed and asked Rose for a dance.


    His long years in a position of authority led to him developing a noble bearing, as well as a domineering air. It felt like he would not take no for an answer. For a moment, Rose was thunderstruck. But then, she noticed Nixon''s foul expression, so she ced her hand on Uncle Jonathan''s without hesitation. s, she instantly regretted it.


    The rich youngdies were looking at her with admiration and jealousy. She had probably be the public enemy of all the rich youngdies in Aquastead. Rose quickly calmed down. She would be announcing her status as a married -womanter. Even if she did be the subject of their jealousy and contempt, she would not remain so for long.


    Rose was led to the center of the dance floor, and the two started dancing to the music. She kept scanning the crowd to find the man who had taken her bag. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not find anyone like him.


    All of a sudden, she thought of a possibility. She whipped her head up and


    stared into the eyes of the man in front of her. His eyes were dark and stormy. When he looked at her, his gaze was cerlly deep.


    Seeing that she had finally noticed him, Jonathan smiled sinisterly.


    Leaning close, he whispered in her ear in a devilish tone, "Are you


    in a devilish tone, "Are you ...


    looking for


    me?"

 Chapter 15 Patted Her Waist

    Patted Her Waist


    The man''s voice confirmed Rose''s suspicion.


    It was him! He was right here!


    Shocked, Rose felt as if she had been electrocuted. Almost on instinct, she wanted to push him away.


    But Jonathan seemed to have seen through her thoughts. cing hisrge palm on the back of her waist, he pulled her closer. "Don''t move. Do you want everyone to know that you tried to seduce me in the room just now?"


    She was not trying to seduce him! Rose wanted to retort, but a threatening re from him silenced her.


    She grimaced beneath her mask, but she obediently continued dancing. He took the lead, and they danced quite well together.


    But Jonathan did not seem satisfied just yet. Her body was too tense.


    "Rx!" Jonathan discreetly patted her waist.


    Rose was startled.


    His actions felt like he was teasing her flirtatiously. He was harassing her!


    Rose red at him tomunicate her resistance.


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow and smirked. They were legally married. Patting her waist was no big deal. At most, it was considered a bit of flirting between a married couple.


    The other guests did not notice those movements. The two people in the middle of the dance floor looked especially good together.


    One of them was tall and stately, whereas the other had a graceful figure. The man''s ck suit also matched the woman''s red attire very well.


    But Nixon could keenly sense that something was off between the two. His expression was foul.


    floor to the hall. When she save the two people on the dance floor, her eyes burned bright with jealousy.


    Just now, after receiving the message from Hank, Kelly wanted to figure out


    why Rose had not gone to the room.


    But as soon as she knocked on the door. Hank pulled her in.


    She ended up taking Rose''s ce as Hank satisfied his desires again and


    again


    Kelly was furious. It should have been Rose, but she was the one who got stuck in that room instead.


    And Rose was dancing with Jonathan!


    Suddenly, she overheard two guests whispering to each other.


    "Did Mr. Finch fall for Ms. Rose? But she''s Mr. Lane''s fianc¨¦e!"


    "How can Nixonpare to Mr. Finch? With a snap of his fingers, Mr. Finch could affect the whole of Veridian, and maybe even the entire world!


    "I heard from an insider that Nixon is currently facing funding issues for a few of his projects. If he doesn''t patch those holes soon, he''ll be done for..."


    The rm bells went on inside Kelly''s head. She had no clue Nixon was in that much trouble!


    If Nixon was already done for, it was pointless for her to be with him anymore. Kelly was even more furious now.


    She had nned on using Hank to destroy Rose, but her n had failed.


    Suddenly, she remembered the camera she nted in the room. She realized that everything that happened between her and Hank had been recorded. She reached into her bag to take out her phone so that she could delete the video.


    But she could not find her phone anywhere.


    Kelly panicked. She hurried back to the room on the second floor. Even after searching every corner, she failed to find her phone.


    She was terrified. If the video got out, she would be ruined!


    While she was thinking about this, she heard Nixon''s urgent voiceing


    from the staircase. "Caleb, find out if Rose spoke to Uncle Jonathan when she went missing."


    Nixon''s expression was dark.


    He refused to believe that Jonathan would dance with Rose for no reason. He detected possessiveness in the way Jonathan treated Rose.


    A few minutester, the butler, Caleb Matthews, came back with new information.


    "A servant spotted Ms. Rose going to the second floor just now. Mr. Finch was in the innermost room on the second floor, so maybe ..."


    Caleb did not finish his sentence, but that was enough for Nixon to confirm his spection.


    Kelly, who was eavesdropping, was dumbstruck.


    She nced at the two rooms on opposite ends of the corridor and gritted her teeth in fury.


    Rose went to the wrong room, so she ended up in Jonathan''s room!


    How did she get so lucky?


    Kelly was burning with hatred as she went over the situation.


    Did Rose think that Jonathan was interested in her?


    Well, Kelly was not going to let Rose have her way!


    Kelly''s eyes shed viciously. From her bag, she took out the photos Maya had taken that night.


    COIN BUNDLE. get more free bonus

 Chapter 16 I Am Married

    I Am Married


    Meanwhile, down in the dance hall, the dance had just ended.


    Jonathan had not had enough yet.


    Even though Rose was forced to y along with him, Jonathan found it rather amusing. Reluctant to let go, he kept his hand on her waist.


    "Can you let go of me now, Uncle Jonathan?" Rose said with an insincere smile.


    Jonathan frowned. His voice was both domineering and jealous. "I''m not your uncle. Don''t call me that ever again."


    Rose wondered why he was being so jealous. Suddenly, Jonathan stuffed a bag into her hands. It was her bag!


    ted, Rose wanted to thank him. But then, she remembered the way he bit her when they were in the room on the second floor just now. Her shoulder was still hurting.


    He bit her, and he even stole her bag!


    Rose spat out through gritted teeth, "You wretched... thief!"


    Her voice was tiny. After all, she dared not mess with a prominent figure like him.


    But Jonathan heard what she said. She was insulting him!


    "Hah ..."


    Jonathan was about to say more when Rose hastily took a step back. Then, she turned around and fled into the crowd.


    His eyes followed her. Just then, Charlie came forward and handed Jonathan a phone.


    Jonathan answered the call. The person on the other end of the line was Finley Willis, the leader of the Azure n of the Finches.


    He was originally on a mission when he received new orders from Jonathanst night. So, he arrived in Aquastead this morning.


    At this moment, Finley was monitoring the team in charge of luring their target.


    "Mr. Finch, they''ve started making their move. There''s a spy among the people you brought to Aquastead this time. They''re waiting for you to leave in the car. Then, they''ll take advantage of the cover of night to attack you.


    "I''ve already arranged everything, Mr. Finch. You should leave first. Leave the rest to me."


    Jonathan nced at the crowd. He did not see Rose anywhere. He wanted to leave with her, but he did not want to expose his identity.


    "Don''t kill them." With that, Jonathan hung up coldly.


    After giving Charlie a few instructions, he left the hall.


    room to


    The banquet began. When Nixon came back, Jonathan was nowhere to be found. Then, he heard from Charlie that Jonathan had returned to the rest. It was only then that Nixon rxed.


    But he had no idea that the person in the room on the second floor was a body double.


    The real Jonathan had already left.


    Nixon suppressed his anger when he heard that Rose might have entered Jonathan''s room.


    Right now, he was uncertain about Jonathan''s attitude toward Rose.


    On the other hand, Mrs. Lane Senior was a shrewd woman. She knew that Jonathan''s possessiveness toward Rose meant something.


    Therefore, Mrs. Lane Senior went to Nixon and ordered him, "Forget about your engagement to Rose. If Uncle Jonathan truly fell for Rose, we''ll send Rose to his bed in the name of the Lanes. In return, we''ll receive his support in Regalia.


    "She''s just a woman from Aquastead. Even if Uncle Jonathan fancies her, he''s just ying with her. A family like the Finches will never recognize her. When that happens, I''ll just find you another rich youngdy from Regalia."


    Mrs. Lane Senior did not care about Rose at all. She was solely focused on the Lane family''s interests.


    Nixon did consider giving Rose to Jonathan, but he had some funding problems to solve. He had to get Celeste Jewels as soon as possible so that


    he could resolve his crises.


    Thus, Jonathan decided that he would marry Rose first. If Jonathan still fancied Rose then, Nixon would not mind letting Jonathan have her.


    After searching through the crowd, Nixon finally found Rose.


    "Come with me. Let''s go meet Uncle Jonathan!"


    Nixon came over and rudely grabbed Rose''s wrist.


    Rose was hurting from his grip. Shaking Nixon off forcefully, she said in disdain, "Why? So that he can officiate our wedding? If so, then forget it!"


    Her voice was quite loud. It instantly attracted the attention of the people. around them.


    Nixon''s expression was darker now. Lowering his voice, he warned Rose through gritted teeth, "Stop asking for trouble. It''s your honor to have Uncle Jonathan officiate your wedding!" "That''s just your honor!" Rose scoffed.


    More people gathered around them. This was the best chance for Rose to destroy Nixon''s dreams! Smiling, Rose met Nixon''s panicked gaze. Then, she dered loudly, "Sorry, Nixon, but I''m married!" Nixon was struck dumb. He was not the only one. Everyone present was shocked as well. Kelly, who was clutching a photo, was bewildered too.


    Rose calmly retrieved a document from her bag. Everyone could see that it was her marriage license.


    She looked down at the marriage license. She had not had the chance to take a good look at it since getting the license yesterday. This was her first time reading the words on the license. She nced at the name. "My husband''sst name is Finch-"


    That made her


    pause.


    Was her star escort husband''sst name also Finch?

 Chapter 17 Save Me

    Save Me


    But before Rose could read out her husband''s full name, Nixon snatched the marriage license from her hands and tore it into pieces.


    Nixon thought Rose had forged a marriage license just to get revenge on him for cheating with Kelly.


    Without even looking at Rose, he smiled and confidently addressed the guests watching them.


    "Sorry, everyone. Rose likes to y pranks sometimes. We''ll be getting married very soon. Mr. Finch will be officiating the marriage ceremony, and everyone''s invited."


    Nixon was determined to get Celeste Jewels.


    Rose stared glumly at the torn marriage license. She still had not seen her husband''s full name.


    But soon, she smirked coldly and announced, "I''m already married, but my husband isn''t Mr. Lane. If you don''t believe me, Mr. Lane, you can check with the county clerk''s office. The records there won''t be fake."


    And with that, Rose turned around and left the hall gleefully.


    Nixon started feeling uneasy.


    If Rose did get married behind his back, he would not be able to get his hands. on Celeste Jewels!


    Ignoring the guests who were still staring, Nixon immediately sent a message to a friend. "Help me check Rose''s marital status."


    Soon, he received a reply. "Sure, Mr. Lane, but I can only look into it tomorrow morning when I get to work."


    Nixon felt annoyed, but he could only wait.


    Rose had just walked out of the vi when a ck car pulled up in front of her.


    After getting out of the car, the driver spoke politely and respectfully to Rose." Ms. Shaffer, I am Mr. Finch''s driver. He instructed me to take you home."


    "Mr. Finch?" Rose repeated.


    Was he such a nice person?


    Though she was unwilling to ept the gesture, the Lane residence was located on the side of a mountain.


    She could not hail a ride at this hour, so after a brief moment of hesitation, Rose had no choice but to climb into the car.


    The car had been speeding along for a while when Rose suddenly noticed the malicious look on the driver''s face through the rearview mirror.


    Sensing danger, Rose instinctively called out, "Stop the car. I want to get off!"


    The driver showed no trace of politeness now. Instead, he had a cold and vicious smile.


    "Hah! Get off? Don''t me me for this, Ms. Shaffer. You should me Mr. Finch for being too smart.


    "He caught on to our ns. You''d better hope that Mr. Finch cares about you!"


    They had nned an "ident" to kill Jonathan tonight.


    But just now, the driver noticed that the "Jonathan" resting in the guest room on the second floor was a body double. The real deal had already left.


    The driver had received orders from Regalia that if Jonathan did not die tonight, he would be the one dead instead.


    So, he could only take a gamble by kidnapping this woman.


    He deduced that by this time, someone would have informed Jonathan that Rose had been taken away.


    Meanwhile, in a luxury car on the road ahead, Jonathan received a call from e road ahead, Jonathan received a call from Finley.


    "Mr. Finch, the spy is Connor Johnson from the Azure n of the Finches..."


    The Azure n had always been loyal only to the person in charge. It was obvious that Connor had been bribed.


    "Where did hee from?" Jonathan, who was driving the car himself, asked


    +15 BOHUS


    impassively


    "He joined the Azure n on Mr. Jack''s rmendation. I just found out that Connor''ste mother had connections to the Johnson family of Aquastead.


    The Johnsons were the ones behind the previous assassination attempt and the plot today."


    The Johnsons were the third greatest family in Aquastead after the Gibson family and the Spencer family.


    Jonathan smirked coldly.


    *Hah. Since Jack has already revealed the ace up his sleeve, I''ll destroy it for him!"


    Jonathan was never merciful toward his enemies.


    "Understood," Finley responded. He knew this was an order.


    Upon remembering the youngdy Connor had taken away, Finley frowned. He did not intend to report this to Jonathan.


    After the call ended, Jonathan recalled Rose jumping out of the window from the second floor. "Hah..."


    They had just parted ways, but he already wanted to see her again!


    Just then, his phone rang.


    Jonathan nced at the iing call disyed on the screen. His smile widened as he immediately answered the call.


    Rose''s panicked voice rang out from the other end of the line. "Hubby, save me. I was-Argh-"


    "Hah! You''re really married, huh? But no matter who your husband is, he won''t be able to save you-unless he''s Jonathan Finch!"


    Connor mmed on the brakes. Then, he turned around, snatched Rose''s phone away, and cut the call off.


    But Jonathan had already heard Connor''s voiceing through the phone.

 Chapter 18 Bite Mark

    Bite Mark


    Jonathan''s eyes shed coldly as he turned the car around without hesitation. As he did so, he gave Finley a call.


    "There''s a woman in his car. Pause all operations. I''m heading back right now. Wait for further instructions."


    Finley was speechless. He wondered how Jonathan had found out about it.


    "Mr. Finch-" Finley wanted to stop Jonathan, but the call had already ended.


    "Oh, no!"


    Finley abruptly realized that the woman in the car had to be a special person to Jonathan. He immediately drove back as well.


    Meanwhile, as Connor drove, the madness in his eyes intensified.


    Rose had the urge to curse him.


    "Hey, mister. You should''ve gotten your facts straight first. Why would


    Jonathan care about whether or not I die? I''m just a nobody. You kidnapped the wrong person!"


    Rose and Jonathan shared nothing more than a brief encounter that left her


    with a bite mark on her shoulder.


    So, the only person she thought of who could save her was her star escort husband. But now, her only hope had been dashed as well. She did not want to die just like that, so she continued coaxing the driver upfront.


    "Also, I was serious when I said that I''m already married-"


    The driver cut Rose off with a sneer.


    "Hah. Maybe Jonathan fancies young wedded-women!"


    Rose was speechless. She had no response to that.


    After sensing the madness in the driver''s eyes, Rose knew she was in deep trouble. She could only close her eyes and hope for a miracle. The car rounded a bend.


    Suddenly, there was a strong sh of light as a car came straight at them.


    Everything happened so quickly that Connor could not even figure out what was going on. He turned the steering wheel on instinct.


    There was a loud crash as the car rammed into the divider on the inner side of the road.


    "Argh!"


    Rose hit her head against the back of the seat in front of her. She felt her head was spinning.


    The brakes screeched. Through the car window, Rose saw a car stopping some distance away. A tall figure got out of the car.


    With the harsh light shining behind the man, all Rose could see was his silhouette.


    Rose''s heart pounded. Her dizziness seemed to be worsening.


    She saw the silhouette opening the car door and scooping her up in his arms. His strong arms reminded her of Jonathan, who had asked her for a dance. earlier.


    She tried her best to open her eyes. Though her vision was hazy, she saw at familiar and handsome face.


    "Hubby..." Rose called out softly before fainting.


    Jonathan frowned when he heard her calling him that, but he did not say anything.


    Over in the driver''s seat, Connor was leaning against the steering wheel with blood all over his head. When he heard Rose calling Jonathan "hubby", he was extremely shocked. The hubby the woman spoke of was none other than Jonathan!


    "You should know the consequences of betraying the Azure n," Jonathan''s cold voice sounded.


    Connor felt chills down his spine. All of a sudden, he startedughing


    maniacally.


    "Mr. Jack won''t show you any mercy, Jonathan!"


    "Let hime at me then. I''ll be waiting! Jonathan scoffed.


    Jonathan did not spare another nce at Connor. With Rose in his arms, he turned around and got into his car.


    He had only driven a short distance away when a loud noise rang out behind. him. mes flickered high into the sky.


    The car had exploded, and Connor died in the fire.


    Just before his death, he sent a secret message to Regalia.


    In a luxury condominium in Regalia, someone threw the phone aside in anger.


    Once the woman calmed down, she began to smile ruthlessly as she


    murmured a few words.


    "Aquastead... Rose Shaffer!"


    Jonathan took Rose straight to Harmony Hospital.


    After a thorough examination, the doctor confirmed that Rose only suffered a mild concussion. She would only remain unconscious temporarily. Jonathan exhaled in relief.


    He was in the hospital director''s office, and his expression was stormy.


    The burly and muscr Finley dropped to his knees. "I''m sorry, Mr. Finch. I know I made a mistake."


    "You''re sorry? You withheld information from me. How does the Azure n punish those whomit such wrongdoing?"


    Jonathan''s cold voice was filled with anger.


    Finley truly understood that he had made a grave mistake.


    He saw the way Jonathan ran into the hospital while carrying that woman. Before that, he had not realized how much Jonathan valued the woman Connor


    had taken away.


    Finley was about to beg for forgiveness when someone knocked on the door. The director poked his head in and said respectfully, "Mr. Finch, Ms. Shaffer has woken up." Jonathan''s expression softened a little.


    The Finches owned Harmony Hospital. As they left the director''s office, Jonathan sternly instructed the director and Finley, "From now on, I''m not Mr. Finch anymore!" With that said, he strode off to Rose''s ward.


    Finley was confused.


    Who could Jonathan be, if not Mr. Finch?

 Chapter 19 Wretched

    Wretched


    Jonathan rushed to the ward. When Rose saw him, she immediately got out of bed and ran toward him.


    Clinging onto him, sheined, "I thought I was going to die. I don''t get.


    why I was so unlucky that I would get dragged down by that wretched Mr. Finch."


    Jonathan was bewildered.


    Wretched?


    He frowned.


    Rose did not notice his reaction.


    She continued angrily, "If I die, I''ll turn into a ghost and haunt him every night! He won''t be able to get any sleep at all!"


    Finley, who had just arrived at the door, was thunderstruck when he saw the position they were in.


    He had never seen anyone acting so boldly around Jonathan before.


    Finley wondered if Rose did not know that the wretched Mr. Finch she was talking about was right in front of her right now.


    Jonathan was frowning. It was obvious that he felt a little upset.


    Finley thought Jonathan would push the woman away and reprimand her. But unexpectedly, Jonathan held her by the waist as if he feared that she would fall


    over.


    There was even a smile on his lips.


    For a moment, Finley was perplexed.


    Rose and Jonathan did not notice him at all.


    Jonathan knew he should punish Rose for being rude. But then, she said she would haunt him every night... He kind of looked forward to that


    Still in his arms, Rose stared at her husband''s handsome face. She recalled seeing him walking out of the light anding toward herst night. Her heart thumped wildly as a thought urred to her.


    "Oh, by the way, how did you find mest night?"


    Her phone had been snatched away from her before she could tell him where she was. She did not understand how he found her.


    Jonathan frowned. "It was probably a coincidence. I happened to pass by the


    area."


    Rose kept quiet.


    Was he telling the truth? Did he have a client who lived in that mountainside. vi area?


    The possibility of that upsetted Rose, but she quickly dismissed those thoughts.


    Tearing away from her husband, she listened to the doctor who updated her about her condition.


    Since she was not seriously injured, she decided to get discharged from the hospital. She wanted to pay a visit to the headquarters of Celeste Jewels.


    Rose bade her husband goodbye. She had just left the hospital when she received Nixon''s call.


    As soon as she answered the call, Nixon''s furious insults rang out. "Rose, you bitch! How dare you trick me! You-"


    Nixon had already found out about her marital status from the official government records.


    Rose snorted to herself. He was finally dropping the gentleman act and starting to throw insults everywhere. He disgusted her.


    She did not even wait for him to finish insulting her before she hung up with a sneer. She was in a great mood.


    Meanwhile, Nixon was so furious that he threw his phone on the floor. "Damn. it! How dare she get married? Damn it all...!"


    Moreover, the system at the county clerk''s office had no records of the man she married. It only showed that Rose was married, but her partner''s name was unknown. "What the hell does ''unknown'' even mean Nixon knocked over a cup.


    Beside him, Kelly was so scared that she sobbed silently. "Nixon, is Rose... Taking revenge on you? Maybe she can''t ept the fact that you and I are together. "Nixon, go and plead with her. Tell her that I am willing to take a step back. No, I''ll go. I''ll get on my knees and beg


    Kelly turned to leave.


    She had just taken a step when Nixon held her back. He was heartbroken to see her acting this way. He pulled her into his arms and said, ''I know you love. me the most." Burying her head in his chest, Kelly sneered.


    She did not leave the Lane residencest night.


    ]]


    While Nixon was feeling uneasy as he waited to verify Rose''s marriage, Kelly hadforted him with her body. That night, the two did it countless times.


    But if Nixon truly had a funding crisis he could not solve, things would be different.


    If Nixon was disqualified from the race to inherit the Lane family''s business, he would just be a nobody. She saw no reason to stay with him..


    Jonathan''s figure appeared in Kelly''s mind, and her gaze turned dreamy.


    But then, she recalled Jonathan dancing with Rose. She felt so jealous that she was about to go crazy.


    Just then, she received a message from Maya. When she read the contents, she frowned a little. But soon after that, her eyes shed viciously.


    Immediately after, the viciousness was reced by a look of innocent. puzzlement.


    "Rose just went to the headquarters of Celeste Jewels. How odd. She has never been there before. Do you think she''s there to im her inheritance rights?"


    As expected, Nixon grew even more furious. He pushed Kelly away in


    frustration. Then, in a fit of anger, he set off for Celeste Jewels.


    0

 Chapter 20 Who Exactly Was That Man

    Who Exactly Was That Man


    The headquarters of Celeste Jewels was located in Century Tower..


    Rose had just gotten into the elevator when a row of luxury cars pulled up outside the building.


    Under the protection of his bodyguards, Jonathan got out of the car.


    Finley identally voiced the question in his heart as he walked next to Jonathan.


    "The Finches only own a few scattered properties in Century Tower. The rest are in the Finch Building in Aquastead.


    "But Mr. Finch, you''ve chosen to inspect the properties here in Century Tower instead. Is it because of Ms. Shaffer?"


    Jonathan stopped in his tracks and sneered in disdain, "Because of her? Hah! You must be kidding me!"


    They got into the elevator. It was obvious that Jonathan stared at the listing for Celeste Jewels in the directory for longer than usual.


    Finley stayed silent. He pursed his lips and decided not to expose Jonathan. He knew that Jonathan was not being honest about his feelings.


    This was Rose''s first time at the headquarters of Celeste Jewels. She was stopped at the reception counter.


    She scoffed at the fact that she could not even enter thepany her mother


    left to her. What a joke!


    "Don''t you know who I am?" Rose asked.


    The receptionist nced at Rose in disdain..


    "I don''t care who you are. If you don''t have an appointment, you can''t enter. Even if you''re one of the Finches, the richest family in Veridian, the same rules apply to you!" Rose frowned. She tried to say something when Maya walked over to them. Maya did not seem toe bearing good intentions.


    "Rose? Hah! Uncle Jamie has already driven you out of the house. What are you still doing here?"


    Maya stopped pretending to be nice. She stared at Rose''s pretty face. Then, she looked down at the shirt Rose was wearing. Her eyes were filled with


    scorn.


    "Hey, why are you still wearing the man''s shirt? What''s the matter? You can''t even afford to buy clothes anymore now that you''ve been kicked out of the family?" Rose could barely recognize the person in front of her.


    In the past, Maya had not been just her cousin. Maya had also been her best friend, apart from Yvonne Spencer.


    Rose had been sincerely nice to Maya. She even drafted the jewelry designs that made Maya famous in the industry.


    But it turns out that that had all been for nothing!


    Rose smiled mockingly. She could not be bothered to waste time on Maya.


    "I want to see my dad," she said.


    "Uncle Jamie refuses to see you. Just get lost!" Maya was extremely arrogant. She was jealous of Rose''s beauty and talent.


    Therefore, she felt quite thrilled that she got to humiliate Rose now.


    Sneering, Maya said to the receptionist, "What are you waiting for? How can you let a random person enter Celeste Jewels? Get the security guards to


    chase her out!"


    "Understood, Ms. Lawson."


    Soon, the security guards came upstairs. They brought Rose down to the lobby on the first floor.


    Rose was furious. She tried to call Jamie, but she soon realized that he had


    blocked her.


    Hah... Rose sneered.


    Sometimes, she wondered if she truly was Jamie''s biological daughter. Her


    heart ached a little.


    Suddenly, an angry voice rang out behind her. Rose turned around to see Nixon marching toward her.


    As soon as Nixon approached her, he raised his hand and pped her across. the face. She felt a searing pain. Nixon red at Rose with a nasty expression and questioned her harshly, "Who''s the man? Who exactly is he?" Kelly hade with Nixon. She was so startled by the p that she panicked.


    "Nixon, please calm down. Rose didn''t mean to betray you


    Their reactions made it seem like Rose was a filthy cheater.


    In an instant, the onlookers began whispering about Rose.


    Jonathan had just walked out of the elevator when he saw Rose. She was standing in the middle of the crowd and covering her left cheek with her hand.


    Her head was lowered, and her long hair scattered messily over her face. She looked like she was being bullied.


    Jonathan''s gaze turned cold. He was about to step forward when he suddenly saw her looking up.


    Rose sneered, and in a sh,


    "Argh-"


    She lifted her leg and kicked Nixon in the crotch.


    An agonizing scream echoed in the lobby.


    Just by looking at Nixon, the bystanders could feel the pain too.


    Jonathan recalled what happened back at the Lane residencest night. He had pinned her to the door.


    It was a good thing he reacted quickly and caught her knee. If not...


    Jonathan could not help but gulp as he looked at Nixon.


    Nixon was bent over as he covered his aching crotch.


    Seeing as Rose did not need any help, Jonathan did not stay for long.


    His voice startled a frozen Finley, who was shocked speechless.


    "What are you looking at? Get going!"


    Returning to his senses, Finley caught up with Jonathan. But he could not resist turning around and secretly giving Rose a thumbs-up.


    Rose could not be bothered to waste any more time on Nixon, so she walked away. Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure at the entrance of the building.


    Rose recognized him right away. "My star escort husband?"


    What was he doing here?


    L

 Billionire 21

    Give Her to Uncle Jonathan


    Rose wanted to go after the man, but she had just taken a step forward when. Kelly grabbed her wrist.


    Kelly also spotted the figure, and she knew it was Jonathan!


    She wondered if Rose was about to flirt with Jonathan. If that was the case, she was not going to let Rose get the chance to do so!


    For a moment, the two were stuck together. Kelly finally let go when the man disappeared.


    Then, Kelly confronted Rose tauntingly, "Do you seriously think he fell for you? Even if he did, he couldn''t possibly marry you!"


    Rose was confused. She did not know why Kelly was saying that her star escort husband could not possibly marry her. They were already legally married!


    It was merely a transactional marriage, but Rose was not about to tell Kelly the real situation.


    Rose nced at Nixon, who was still in extreme pain. She cocked her eyebrows and sneered, "Aren''t you going to check on your precious Nixon? If he bes impotent, what are you going to use to keep him hooked?"


    "Why, you-" Kelly could hear the mockery in Rose''s words.


    But Rose ignored Kelly and walked out of Century Tower.


    Kelly was filled with rage. She red viciously at Rose.


    In the end, Kelly took Nixon to the hospital to get it checked.


    ording to the diagnosis at the hospital, Nixon would not be losing that part. of his body. However, there was no telling whether or not he would end up impotent.


    Still suffering from excruciating pain, Nixony on the hospital bed and gritted his teeth. He sorely wished he could just kill Rose.


    His phone rang. It was a call from the project manager who was asking him for money. Nixon switched off his phone in annoyance.


    He had to gather the funds urgently, but he had lost all hope of getting Celeste Jewels.


    All of a sudden, Nixon remembered what Mrs. Lane Senior saidst night.


    His expression grew sinister. "Since Rose has stopped me from getting Celeste Jewels, I will make her pay for it with her body!"


    Kelly did not understand what he meant. "Nixon, are you regretting what happened? I know that Rose is better than me..."


    "Her?" Nixon sneered. "She can''t even hold a candle to you, but Uncle Jonathan seems to fancy her. Since he likes her, why don''t I offer her to him?"


    He figured that once Jonathan was pleased, thetter would help him with his funding crisis.


    Nixon saw Kelly biting her lip and trembling slightly. Immediately, he pulled her into his arms andforted her.


    "Don''t worry, Kelly. You''re the only one in my heart. I love you. I''ll take good care of you."


    "Okay."


    Kelly was secretly pissed. She could not believe that Nixon wanted to give. Rose to Jonathan.


    Why was it Rose, of all people?


    Kelly was consumed by jealousy, but she dared not let it show in front of Nixon.


    "Would Rose be willing to do it?"


    "It doesn''t matter whether or not she''s willing. I have my ways of forcing her to offer herself up to him."


    Nixon brimmed with confidence. After he finished speaking, he took out hist phone and made a call.


    "Help me kidnap someone and put on a show. As usual, you''ll be paid once it''s done.


    Kelly clenched her jaw. She would have been pleased to see Nixon giving Rose to any other man, but not Jonathan.


    She thought about that photo Maya had taken. She had wanted to pass the photo to Jonathanst night, but unexpectedly, Jonathan left early.


    Kelly was furious. After excusing herself to the bathroom, she had that photo delivered.


    After leaving Century Tower, Rose could not see her husband anywhere.


    A row of luxury cars passed by in front of her. Rose remembered that there had also been a row of luxury cars outside Harmony Hospital..


    But she did not dwell on that thought.


    Rose went to Astra Law Firm. She talked to thewyer in charge of her mother''s will, Louie Grant.


    When Louie saw Rose, he was stunned. "Such a resemnce..."


    With a peculiar feeling in her heart, Rose smiled and said, "Mr. Grant, you must be joking. Everyone who knows my mom said that I have her eyes, but nothing else. "I''ve been thinking about it. I don''t look like my dad either. Do you think I was adopted?"


    Louie was stunned for a moment, but he soon regained hisposure.


    "You must be joking too, Rose. When you were born, I was the one who sent. your mom to the hospital. How can you be adopted?"


    Louie and Celeste were good friends, and he spent a lot of time ying with Rose when she was young.


    But after Celeste passed away, Louie seemed to be avoiding something. As al result, Rose rarely saw him anymore after that. "I''m married."


    Rose exined her reason foring.


    "I want to enforce my mother''s will, but my dad won''t see me. I''m not sure if he will hand over Celeste Jewels to me."


    O+15 BONUS


    Jamie even blocked her number, so she could more or less gauge his feelings


    about this.


    A grave look appeared on Louie''s face. After a brief moment of silence, Louie stared at Rose and spoke solemnly.


    "I''ll help you, but... have you truly decided to inherit everything your mom left behind? In reality, apart from this will, your mom had another secret will." COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus


    D

 Billionire 22

    Secret Crush


    As Rose left Astra Law Firm, her mind was in turmoil. She could not stay calm at all.


    Louie said that Celeste had left a secret will. The will would only be revealed after Rose inherited Celeste Jewels.


    Through her will, Celeste had arranged everything beforehand. It was as if she knew that something would happen to Rose.


    The secret will gave Rose even more reason to suspect the ident. She knew there had to be more to it.


    While Rose was deep in her thoughts, her phone rang with a call from her best friend, Yvonne.


    As soon as the call connected, Yvonne asked concernedly, "Rose, are your okay? I''m so sorry. The dance troupe has been having rehearsals the past few days, so my phone got confiscated.


    "I just heard about what happened to you. How could Maya do this? She keeps spreading the gossip everywhere! If I''d been there, I would''ve sewn her mouth shut!"


    The alumni group was buzzing over the news. Everyone now knew that Rose had a one-night stand with a stranger and had been driven out of the Shaffer residence.


    Yvonne refused to believe that Rose would just sleep with a random stranger. She believed there had to be more to the story.


    When Rose did not answer, Yvonne became even more anxious.


    "Rose, are you... alright? Rose, please be okay. I''ll ask for a leave of absence from the dance troupe and return to Aquastead. Let me be there for you."


    Rose was touched. It had been a while since shest received such kindness.


    Fearing that Yvonne would actually abandon her career ande back to Aquastead, she said, "I''m fine. There''s someone else who''s not fine, though..." Rose recalled kicking Nixon today. She felt extremely good about it.


    She briefly summarized how Nixon had been sleeping with Kelly behind her back.


    "Those cheating snakes..." Yvonne was furious.


    Then, she abruptly changed the subject. "Rose, my brother is back in Aquastead."


    Evan?


    Rose was surprised to hear that he was back so suddenly.


    Yvonne chuckled and suggested, "Rose, you''re single now, and my brother has always been single. You two can be a couple, right?"


    For a moment, Rose was dumbstruck. "What kind of joke is this?"


    "I''m not joking. You used to have a secret crush on my brother, didn''t you? If he hadn''t gone overseas, you would''ve won him over with your charm already. Nixon wouldn''t even be in the picture.


    Recalling the crush she had when she was younger, Rose felt her heart skip a beat.


    But in the very next moment, she found herself thinking about her star escort husband.


    "Yvonne, I''m ma-"


    Rose was about to tell Yvonne that she was married, but before she could do so, a luxury car pulled up in front of her abruptly.


    When the car door opened, Rose saw the person inside. She could not help but murmur, "It''s you?"


    Evan Spencer, the person inside the car, was wearing a casual suit. He looked like the warm spring sun as he waved gently at Rose.


    "Hi, Rose. What a coincidence. I spotted you from a distance. Where are you going? I''ll give you a ride."


    While speaking, Evan stepped out of the car. He opened the door to the passenger seat for Rose.


    Yvonne heard the sounds on the other end of the line and immediately asked,


    Who is it, Rose? Did you run into someone? Wait, I think I hear a man''s voice..."


    "It''s... your brother..."


    Rose swiftly ended the call.


    Yvonne was taken aback.


    "Evan? That''s weird. He just arrived in Aquastead today and they''ve already. encountered each other."


    She had no clue that the encounter was not a coincidence after all.


    As soon as Evan arrived in Aquastead, he began looking for Rose. He looked. everywhere before he finally found Rose here.


    Evan''s sincerity made it hard for Rose to decline his offer, so she got into his


    car.


    The atmosphere was a little tense.


    Rose had been epting designmissions from Evan, but they had only been contacting each other via email. They did not even call each other, much less meet in person.


    "Evan, thank you for giving me opportunities to earn some money." Rose broke the silence.


    Evan smiled brightly as responded while driving, "I should be the one thanking you. You have no idea how popr your designs are.


    "All the famous designers in Finterra keep asking me about the mysterious Ms. Flora. They want to work with you, but I''m a little selfish. I won''t let them get their hands on such a precious treasure." There seemed to be another meaning behind his words.


    Rose blushed as she hastily said, "Evan, you must be joking."


    "It''s not a joke."


    Evan looked at Rose. His gaze was serious and heartfelt. "Rose,e with me. to Finterra. With talent like yours, you could be the best designer in the world."

 Billionire 23

    Offering Herself


    For a moment, Rose was tempted.


    But, she still had not figured out the truth behind her mother''s ident. She could not leave Aquastead with an easy heart.


    She was thinking of ways to decline the offer when Evan''s gentle voice rang


    out.


    "You don''t have to give me an answer right away. The offer won''t expire."


    Rose sighed in relief.


    The sky had turned dark. Jonathan was in arge office on the top floor of the Finch Building.


    He had just finished his inspections. As he sat at his office desk, he found himself waiting for a call from Rose.


    Suddenly, his phone rang. But when he looked up and saw the name on the screen, his gaze darkened.


    He answered the call with an unfriendly tone. "Spit it out!"


    On the other end of the line, a chill ran down Zac''s spine. He did not know how he had provoked this cold man. Then, he realized something and spoke in a gossipy tone.


    "So, what happenedst night? Did something indescribable happen? If I''d been in Nixon''s shoes and realized that the amazing Mr. Finch fancies my fianc¨¦e, I would''ve given her to him."


    "Get lost."


    Jonathan hung up heartlessly.


    Two minutester, Zac sent Jonathan a message.


    He made it seem like he had been treated unfairly. "I''m being nice by caring. about you, so what''s with that attitude? I have so much work to do, but I still have to hunt down a good property for you."


    Zac sent over an address.


    Jonathan nced at the address. Just then, Finley knocked on the door and walked in.


    "Mr. Charlie has returned to Regalia, Mr. Finch. Before he left, he arranged for you to stay at Aquastead Hotel. Would you like to head over there right now?" As Finley spoke, he ced a stack of letters on the office desk.


    Jonathan stared at his phone. There still was nothing from Rose. Annoyed, he picked up a letter from the desk. It had been posted anonymously.


    There was a photo inside.


    The dimly lit photo featured a woman wearing a short red dress. She wrapped herself suggestively around the man''s body.


    Only the man''s back was visible. But the woman''s face...


    The annoyance in Jonathan''s heart instantly dissipated. Raising an eyebrow, he immediately stood up.


    "We''re going home."


    Finley was puzzled.


    Home?


    The Finches owned quite a lot of properties in Aquastead, including housing estates. But Jonathan had always stayed in hotels when he went on business trips. There had never been any exceptions. Finley wondered when Jonathan got himself a home in Aquastead.


    Jonathan''s footsteps were light and quick. Rose did not want to contact him, but he could contact her.


    But he could not seem too enthusiastic about it. That was his bottom line.


    Jonathan earnestly typed out a message. He kept editing it until only an address was left.


    Satisfied, he walked out of the Finch Building. He was about to send the message when he caught sight of a familiar figure He tracks. His expression soured.


    Opposite the Finch Building, Evan opened the door to the passenger seat. Then, he courteously escorted Rose out of the car.


    Before this, Rose had politely declined Evan''s offer to give her a ride home. She came up with an excuse to get off at this ce. "Thank you, Evan. See you."


    After smiling and thanking Evan, Rose turned to leave. She had only walked a few dozen yards when she received a call from an unfamiliar number.


    A woman''s terrified cries rang out.


    "Rose, save me... Argh! Save me! I''m at... I''m at Aquastead Hotel.


    The call was cut off.


    Rose recognized that voice.


    It belonged to Dawn Stevens. Rose had sponsored Dawn''s education when thetter was in high school. Dawn was now in her first year at Aquastead College. Dawn was in danger.


    Rose turned around. Seeing that Evan''s car was still there, she hastily ran back. toward it. In her hurry, she tripped over something and fell into Evan''s arms. But right now, she could not be bothered to care about the awkwardness.


    "Evan, please take me to Aquastead Hotel."


    Evan sensed her panic. He immediately told Rose to get into the car.


    The car drove off.


    Standing in front of the Finch Building, Jonathan did not catch what they were saying. He only saw Rose seemingly offering herself to the man.


    In an instant, his cold gaze turned darker.


    Finley, who had rushed up to him from behind, felt the iciness emanating from Jonathan. He asked tentatively, "Mr. Finch, are you... going home?"


    Home? What home?


    Jonathan snorted cynically. Mocking himself, he deleted the message he had


    just typed out.


    "I''m going to Aquastead Hotel."


    D

 Billionire 24

    My Husband


    Half an hourter, Rose and Evan rushed into Aquastead Hotel.


    Nixon and Kelly, who were already waiting there, spotted them right away.


    When Kelly saw Evan, she became insanely jealous of Rose again.


    Keeping up her usual innocent act, Kellymented, "I''m so envious of Rose. She''s so beautiful. She always has a man beside her."


    Nixon''s eyes shed ferociously as he made a call. "There''s a man with her. Get her to shake him off."


    In the hotel lobby, Rose received another call from that unfamiliar number. "Get rid of the person beside you!"


    Rose knew the caller was targeting her.


    She did not have any enemies besides Nixon. It seemed like she had not kicked him hard enough.


    Rose turned around with a smile and said to Evan, "Thanks for bringing me here, Evan. I''m going to meet an old friend now. You should go back." Evan did not believe her.


    He was about to say something when Rose stuck out her tongue


    mischievously. "Sorry, Evan. It wasn''t an old friend. I''m meeting... my husband."


    Evan froze up.


    Her husband?


    "W-When did you ..." he stuttered.


    He wanted to ask when Rose had gotten married, but Rose was already running-off.


    As she ran, she turned and waved her phone at Evan. "My husband is getting impatient. Men are so difficult to appease when they''re angry..." Her radiant smile looked extremely sweet.


    Evan felt his heart tightening. He walked dejectedly out of the hotel.


    As soon as Rose left Evan''s line of sight, her smile disappeared.


    Right after that, the person sent her a room number.


    Rose found the room. She went in, but there was no one in the room. A long red dressy on the bed.


    Her phone rang again. Dawn''s anxious voice rang out. "Rose... Rose, leave at once! I... Don''t mind me... Argh..." Before Dawn finished speaking, she was pped.


    Rose was furious. She roared sternly over the phone, "You''re targeting me, right? I''m here now, so just let her go!"


    The man on the other end of the line chuckled.


    "Sure, but... do you see the dress on the bed? Someone prepared it especially for you. Put it on, and drink the ss of water on the table. I''ll let her go once you do what you''re told!" Rose frowned. There must be something wrong with the water.


    The man spoke up again. "Don''t y any tricks. There are surveince


    cameras in the room, so I can see if you''ve drunk it or not.


    "But don''t worry. There are no cameras in the bathroom. You can change in the bathroom in peace."


    Clenching her jaw, Rose took the dress into the bathroom.


    A few minutester, she walked out of the bathroom in the red dress. Then, she took the ss of water and drank everything.


    Elsewhere in the hotel, Nixon saw Jonathan entering the lobby. Excited, he began making the arrangements.


    He did not notice that Kelly was gone.


    In the bathroom, Kelly flung her phone on the floor. She had received a phone call from Hank just now. He was the one who found the phone she lost at the Lane residencest night.


    Hank used the surveince footage to threaten her. She had to spend time with him tonight, or he would publish that video.


    "Argh!" Kelly was seething with rage, but she had no other choice.


    All of a sudden, a thought urred to her. Grabbing her phone again, she read the message from Hank.


    When she saw the address the message, she smiled maliciously.


    "Aquastead Hotel


    Room 1801!"


    It was only a floor away from the presidential suite Jonathan was staying in.


    Kelly imagined what would happen if Rose went to Hank''s room while she went to Jonathan''s room


    She was so excited that she could not contain herself.


    If she became Jonathan''s woman, she would no longer be the second daughter of the Shaffers that no one cared about.


    As for Rose...


    Kelly''s expression grew even more vicious. She immediately sent a message to a paparazzo she knew. "Earth-shattering news is waiting for you at Aquastead Hotel. You won''t believe


    it."


    D

 Billionire 25

    A Great Night


    Jonathan was in Aquastead Hotel''s presidential suite.


    He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and stared down dazedly.


    Just moments ago, he spotted a familiar car pulling up outside the hotel. Rose and that man were in Aquastead Hotel as well.


    He thought about Rose and that man doing something indescribable in a room. He felt extremely annoyed.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. His bodyguard called out in an odd tone, "Mr. Finch, Mr. Lane''s... gift has arrived."


    Jonathan frowned.


    A gift from Nixon Lane?


    He felt even more annoyed now. He was about to tell the bodyguard to get lost, but he suddenly changed his mind.


    "Hm," Jonathan responded indifferently.


    Hm?


    The bodyguard felt nervous. Finley had been sent to deal with the Johnsons, so this bodyguard had no choice but to take Finley''s ce.


    However, he could not understand Jonathan''s thoughts. He could not figure out what Jonathan''s hum meant.


    In a moment of uncertainty, the bodyguard gritted his teeth and opened the


    door.


    As soon as Kelly entered the room, she felt a chill running through her body. But when she saw the figure standing in front of the window, her heart heated up again.


    She smoothed the dress she was wearing. Nixon said that Jonathan probably liked red, so that was why he fell for Rose.


    Therefore, Nixon prepared a red dress for Rose. He also bought Kelly a white


    one.


    He liked it when Kelly wore white. He said she looked like an innocent yet charming flower waiting to be plucked.


    Since Nixon liked women like Kelly, she believed that Jonathan would like her as well.


    "Mr.... Finch, Mr. Lane wants me to give you a present. My name is Kelly Shaffer. I-" Kelly''s gentle voice wasced with charm.


    She had managed to seduce Nixon with the same innocent act back then.


    But before she could finish speaking, Jonathan interrupted her coldly. "Kelly Shaffer? What is your rtionship with Rose?"


    Stunned, Kelly answered gently, "She''s my sister."


    Jonathan remembered now. He read about it in Rose''s files before. After


    Rose''s mother died, her father married another woman.


    Rose''s stepmother brought a daughter with her. This woman in front of him, must be that daughter.


    "Turn around!" Jonathan said coldly.


    His order left no room for refusal. Kelly dared not disobey him, so she immediately turned around. That being said, she did not give up on her attempt to seduce him.


    She slowly took off her dress to reveal her pale back.


    That was the scene Jonathan saw when he turned around. His eyes shed with disgust. It was as if he had seen something utterly repulsive.


    He grabbed the nearest nket and tossed it at her.


    The nketnded on Kelly''s head. Kelly was so startled that she shrieked.


    "Ahh!


    In her panic, she stepped on a corner of the nket. She tripped and fell onto the floor.


    Jonathan sneered. He had a mocking look in his eyes. "So, you''re the gift from Nixon? Hah. It''s clear that when ites to the art of seduction, you''re not even remotely close to your sister."


    And with that, Jonathan walked out of the suite without even looking back.


    Left in the room, Kelly felt both embarrassed and mad.


    It was Rose again. It was always her!


    Kelly tried to figure out how things went awry for her.


    She had asked someone to send the photo of Rose seducing a man to the Finch Building. Jonathan must have seen it.


    But Jonathan said that she was no match for Rose.


    Kelly ground her teeth as jealousy and viciousness mingled in her gaze.


    So what if she could not win against Rose?


    Everything that happened between Rose and Hank would be exposed -tomorrow. Rose''s reputation would be ruined.


    Once that happened, Kelly refused to believe that Jonathan would still fancy Rose.


    In Room 1801, Rose''s head felt heavy. Her body was so weak that she could barely stay conscious.


    But she persisted. She dialed the unfamiliar number from before. "I''ve done it. Let her go right now. Immediately!"


    The man on the other end of the lineughed sinisterly. "Alright. I''ll let her go right away. You should behave yourself. Have a great night!"


    He hung up.


    Rose had no energy to think about what that man''sst sentence meant. She immediately called Dawn.


    The call went through in just a second. "Rose, I''m so sorry for dragging your


    into this. Quick, leave this ce at once. Boohoo... Rose ..."


    "Are you safe now?" Rose interrupted Dawn''s sobs.


    Dawn was stunned for a moment. "Y-Yes."


    "Good."


    Rose rxed. But she could not hold out any longer.


    COIN


    N BUNDLE: get more free bonus


    D

 Billionire 26

    Too Late


    Rose felt weak and unbearably hot. She was all too familiar with this sensation.


    Unlikest time, when she could still choose for herself, she feared she would not be getting a choice this time.


    "Hehe. You''re here, sweetheart..."


    Suddenly, a perverted voice rang out.


    Rose looked up to see a bald and paunchy old man with only a towel covering the lower half of his body.


    That wretched Nixon!


    Rose could not resist cursing. She could not believe he found a man like that to harass her!


    Hank did not care that Kelly was not in the room. His eyes lit up when he saw Rose, who was way prettier than Kelly. His lusty heart began to thump wildly.


    Rose gritted her teeth. Just as he was about to lunge at her, she used all her strength to duck under his arm. Dashing into the bathroom, she shut the door and locked it.


    Hank''s expression instantly changed. He tried to coax her with a suggestive voice, "Why did you close the door, prettydy? Hurry up and open it. Let''s have some fun together..." Inside the bathroom, Rose could not bear it anymore. She turned on the tap to fill the bathtub. Then, she soaked herself in the water. Still, she could not suppress the urge she felt. This drug was stronger than the one used on herst time.


    Meanwhile, after a few attempts, Hank seemed to have lost his patience." Hurry up and open the door. If you don''t open it, I''ll knock it down!"


    Rose instantly thought of her husband. She took her phone out and called him. "Hello?" Jonathan''s low and charming voice came through the phone.


    Rose was about to answer when she heard someone banging loudly on the door. Startled, she dropped her phone in the bathtub.


    Though she hastily scooped her phone up, it was already broken..


    The noises were getting louder. Rose closed her eyes in despair. For the first time in her life, she felt scared.


    Jonathan was in the elevator. He had a foul look on his face as he gazed at his phone. The call had ended abruptly.


    She called him, but she did not say anything before hanging up. He wondered if she was bragging about how busy and upied she was.


    Jonathan thought about Rose being in a room with a random man. The irritation in his heart turned into a raging fire.


    But then, his expression changed. He felt like he had heard a heavy collision over the phone just now...


    Sensing that something was off, Jonathan immediately called the bodyguards. He ordered them to track the location of Rose''s phone.


    A few minutester, they found out that the phone was in Room 1801 of Aquastead Hotel.


    Jonathan rushed over right away..


    In Room 1801, Hank finally managed to get the bathroom door open.


    When he saw the woman curled up in the corner, he could barely contain his itching desire. "Hmph! How dare you waste so much of my energy?"


    He swore to break this woman tonight to appease his anger.


    Just as Hank was about to lunge forward, the door to the room suddenly opened. Before he could figure out what was going on, a strong kicknded on his body and he went flying backward. Rose''s consciousness continued to wane due to the effects of the drug.


    Entering the bathroom, Jonathan saw the woman trembling while she curled up in a corner. His heart ached at the sight.


    He walked over to her.


    +15 BONUS.


    Sensing that someone was approaching her, Rose gripped a shard of broken ss in her hand. "Don''te any closer!"


    Her voice was shaking. She sounded like an injured animal that was still stubbornly fighting back.


    "It''s okay. It''s me," Jonathanforted her in a gentle voice.


    Rose was stunned when she heard the familiar voice. Looking up, she saw Jonathan. "It''s you..."


    "Yes, it''s me." Stepping forward, Jonathan removed the shard of ss from her hand. Then, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body.


    But when he came near, Rose only felt like he was adding fuel to the fire.


    She hadpletely let down her guard and was even more sensitive now. "I ... I was drugged..."


    Jonathan''s gaze darkened. She had been drugged twice in the span of a few days. He could not believe how gullible she was.


    His eyes were stormy. "I''ll take you to the hospital."


    Then, he carried Rose in his arms. He was about to walk out when Rose''s slender arms wrapped around his neck.


    "But I think... it''s toote."

 Billionire 27

    Settle the Bill Later


    The moment Rose finished speaking, she kissed Jonathan with lips that felt. like they were on fire.


    For a moment, Jonathan was stunned.


    Rose was like a fiery spark. Though she kissed without much technique, she easily managed to set him on fire.


    "Damn it! You asked for this yourself," Jonathan cursed.


    Why did he have to bother taking her to the hospital? She was the one who lit. the fire, so she had to put it out herself!


    Things were getting heated up.


    The bodyguards had already hauled Hank away from the bathroom.


    The next day, as the sky grew brighter, Rose woke up feeling dizzy.


    She had a splitting headache. Other than that, she felt sore all over her body. It was as if she had been run over by a truck.


    A certain memory of something that took ce in the bathroom came to mind. Then, the rest of the memories came rushing back. There were scenes in the bathroom and the bedroom too....


    Rose sat up in fright. Turning around, she spotted the man lying beside her.


    For a moment, she felt overwhelmed.


    What had she done this time?


    She realized she had done it again...


    Rose felt so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear.


    Suddenly, she spotted the man''s shirt on the floor. Clenching her jaw, she carefully got out of bed in an attempt to escape.


    But just as she picked up the shirt, the man''s deep and charismatic voice rang out behind her, "What''s the matter? You''re trying to escape after having your fill again?"


    Rose stopped moving.


    Caught red-handed, she felt so mortified that her whole face turned crimson.


    After taking a deep breath, Rose turned around. When she saw the man staring at her chest, she realized something.


    Instantly, she crouched down and covered her body with the shirt. Then, she red viciously at the man on the bed. "What are you looking at? You pervert!" Jonathan arched his brow. He looked like he was not satisfied yet. "Who''s the pervert here? I remember that you were the one who kissed me first. And then "Stop! Stop right there!"


    Rose''s face was burning. She did not forget any of the details fromst night. I''m sorry... Why don''t I pay you? Then we''ll treat it as-


    What happenedst night would be nothing more than a transactional exchange.


    But before she could finish her sentence, Jonathan seemed to deduce what she was trying to say. He interrupted her. "Come here!" His voice sounded cold. He seemed to be upset somehow.


    Rose


    hesitated, but after thinking about it, she knew she was in the wrong. So, sheplied and walked up to the bed.


    Still, Jonathan did not seem satisfied. "Get on the bed!"


    Rose took a deep breath. She acted as if she was making a huge sacrifice. She ced her hand on the bed to support her.


    A hand reached out and pulled her forward. In an instant, therge nket covered her, and with it came an intense manly scent.


    "You can pay, but we''ll settle the billter, along with this one!"


    The temperature in the room rose quickly.


    Meanwhile, on the first floor of the hotel, Dawn kept sobbing until her eyes


    turned red.


    She knew that Rose was in danger, but she dared not save thetter. As the guilt weighed upon her, she finally broke down. "Rose, I''m sorry... I''m so sorry She kept sobbing as she apologized.


    Over in the distance, Evan had been sitting in the car throughout the night. When he heard someone sobbing, he got out of the car to take a look.


    When he drew nearer to Dawn, he heard her mentioning the name "Rose". He instantly thought of the Rose he knew.


    "Is it Rose Shaffer? Did something happen to her?" Evan asked uneasily.


    Looking up, Dawn saw his anxious expression. As if holding onto a lifeline, she said, "Rose is in danger. Please save her... Rose is..."


    Dawn briefly told Evan about how Rose had been threatenedst night.


    Evan was worried about Rose, but he was also slightly relieved that the husband Rose told him aboutst night had only been an excuse. He thought that he still had a chance since she was unmarried. Evan immediately pulled some strings using the connections the Spencer family had. The hotel staff was ordered to check every room thoroughly.


    Themotion startled everyone in the hotel, including Kelly.


    The paparazzo she invited over to the hotel was keeping watch on the 18th floor. He was waiting for a chance to take a shot of the earth-shattering incident so that he could expose it as soon as possible. Soon, the hotel managerpleted the investigation on the 17th floor. Evan and some other people were there as well. They confirmed that there was nothing suspicious here.


    Once on the 18th floor, the hotel manager grew nervous. "Mr. Spencer, Room 1801 is upied by Mr. Edwards from Edwards Construction."


    Hank was famous in Aquastead for being a pervert.


    Evan''s expression hardened. "Open the door!"


    The hotel manager could tell that if they did not open the door right now, Evan


    would knock it down himself. They feared that it would cause too much of a ruckus, which might disturb the VIP resting in the presidential suite upstairs.


    The hotel manager immediately took out the backup card and swiped it to unlock the door.


    COIN BUND get more free

 Billionire 28

    Ho Is My Husband


    Inside the room, the deed was done.


    Jonathan stood in front of the window after he got dressed. He seemed to be in a good mood.


    He sent Finley a message asking thetter to prepare a set of women''s clothes. and bring them to the hotel.


    Then, he turned around. His back was to the window.


    Jonathan had a smile on his face as he stared leisurely at Rose, who was lying in bed.


    Rose blushed under his passionate gaze. She red at him.


    Suddenly, she detected a problem. She had taken the initiativest night, so it made sense that she should pay him for it.


    But just now, he was the one who initiated. She was not the one who asked for it. So, he should not be asking her to pay for what just happened. She would not pay any more than she was supposed to.


    Clearing her throat, Rose readied herself to conduct the negotiations. But before she could speak, the door abruptly flew open.


    "Rose?"


    Evan dashed in. He saw Rose on the bed with only her arms and head above the nket. He knew right away what had happenedst night. Seething with rage, Evan marched over to the window and ruthlessly punched. the man who had hurt Rose.


    Jonathan waspletely taken by surprise. The punchnded heavily on his face and blood streamed out from the corner of his lips.


    Rose and the hotel manager were thunderstruck..


    With reddened eyes, Evan clenched his fist and threw another punch at Jonathan again. But this time, Jonathan grabbed Evan''s iing fist.


    Licking his injured lips, Jonathan''s dark eyes shed dangerously.


    Rose finally recovered her senses. Wrapping the nket around her, she immediately got out of bed and grabbed Jonathan''s arm. "Let go! Let go of him! The hotel manager recognized Jonathan at once. In an instant, he felt as if the world was ending.


    Jonathan, the VIP guest, was supposed to be staying in the presidential suite upstairs. The hotel manager wondered why Jonathan was in this room instead. The hotel manager could not care about anything else. Fearing that something even worse would happen, he came forward and grabbed Evan. "Mr. Spencer, this is a misunderstanding. This man is-"


    He was about to say the words "Mr. Finch", but Jonathan gave him a cold re, and he trembled in fear.


    Rose guessed that Evan must have found out she was in danger. That was why he came to save her. But the danger had already passed.


    She immediately exined, "Evan, you got the wrong idea. He''s my... husband


    Rose said the word husband somewhat sheepishly.


    But that word was undoubtedly a bomb for Evan. He fell silent.


    He looked at Rose with a frown. He refused to believe it.


    The hotel manager was shocked. He nced between Rose and Jonathan in disbelief.


    Rose smiled awkwardly. "Well, I''m serious. He''s my husband-mywfully wedded husband."


    Evan felt as if something had crushed him. Trembling, he took a step backward.


    Jonathan eyed Evan coldly. He had recognized Evan right away. This was the man who had been with Rose in front of the Finch Buildingst night.


    Jonathan''s sixth sense told him that Evan liked Rose. His gaze darkened. He was satisfied with how Rose introduced him, but it was not enough.


    Reaching out, he held Rose''s waist possessively. He pulled up the nket that was currently around her neck as if he refused to let even an inch of her skin. be exposed.


    Without even looking at Evan, Jonathan questioned the hotel manager icily, "Why does your hotel allow people to enter upled rooms as they please?"


    The manager was so terrified that he broke out in a cold sweat. He hastily. apologized. "I''m sorry, M-Mr. Finch. It was negligence on our part. I promise that from today onward, this won''t-"


    "Get out!"


    The manager froze. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.


    "Get out. My wife... is exhausted afterst night. She needs more rest," Jonathan dered pointedly.


    The manager identally caught sight of the items on the table, which included a whip. He realized what was going on..


    "Oh. Yes! Please have a good rest, Mr. and Mrs. Finch. We won''t bother you anymore..."


    The manager dragged Evan out of the room.


    Inside the room, Rose''s head poked out from under the nket.


    Thinking of how Evan nced at her when he left, she felt a little guilty. "Evan was just worried that I was in danger, so..."


    Jonathan frowned in displeasure. Then, he sucked in his breath, making at hissing sound.


    Rose noticed the blood on the corner of his lips. She looked concerned. "Oh, you''re bleeding... Come, let me take care of it for you."


    Taking a cotton bud, Rose sat on the bed and wiped the blood from the corner. of his lips.


    She seemed to have thought of something.


    She said casually, "What a coincidence. Yourst name is Finch as well..."


    Jonathan, who was enjoying her thoughtful service, stiffened at once.

 Billionire 29

    Not a Good Person


    "What''s the matter? Do you know someone else with thest name Finch?"


    There was a trace of stiffness in Jonathan''s eyes.


    An image of the ck mask came to Rose''s mind. She remembered the mess she had been dragged into because of him that night. She almost lost her life.


    Rose thought that Jonathan brought her nothing but bad luck.


    "That Mr. Finch doesn''t look like a good person at all!"


    Jonathan frowned in silence. He wondered why he did not look like a good person to her.


    re a


    He was about to ask when Rose patted him on the shoulder. "But good guy. You saved me three times, so I won''t treat you too badly!"


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"


    What did she mean by that?


    Intrigued, Jonathan was about to ask again when he heard her chuckling.


    Her


    pretty face shed with awkwardness.


    Then, after steeling herself with determination, she said, "So, about what just happened... Can I not pay for that one time in the morning?


    "I wasn''t the one who took the initiative, right? You were the one who started it, so it''s different...


    H


    She puffed out her chest. The more she spoke, the more confident she became.


    Jonathan kept quiet.


    Was that all? Was this what she meant by not treating me too badly? Why were women like this?


    Rolling his eyes, Jonathan spat out, "No way!"


    In a different part of the hotel, Kelly received the photos from the paparazzo.


    In the photos, Rose was in bed, and two men were fighting. It looked like Rose had been caught cheating


    But Hank was not in the photos at all.


    "What''s going on?" Upset, Kelly called the paparazzo and questioned him.


    Hank was absent from the photos, and not only that, but the men in the photos were also extremely handsome.


    The paparazzo was mad too.


    "I was going to ask you the same thing, Ms. Kelly! What sort of tip did you give me?


    "You said that it would be earth-shattering news, but what''s this? How can a married couple making out in a hotel room be considered earth-shattering news?" The paparazzo hung up angrily.


    Kelly remained bbergasted for a long time.


    A married couple?


    Kelly looked at the man in the photo. He was standing in front of the window. and facing the camera.


    He looked a little like Ezra Turner, the most handsome man in the


    entertainment industry right now.


    But the way he carried himself made him even more eye-catching than Ezra.


    Was this the man Rose married?


    Kelly ground her teeth in jealousy. But soon enough, a look of derision appeared in her eyes. "So what if he''s handsome? He''s just an ordinary person!" He could notpare to Jonathan!


    Thinking ofst night, Kelly felt as if she had suffered unjust treatment. Nevertheless, she refused to give up.


    She deduced that Jonathan did not like women who offered themselves up to him. Fortunately for her, he had not seen her facest night.


    Kelly was certain she still had a chance if she switched to a more unique tactic.


    She looked at the photos on her phone with a cold smile. Then, she printed the photos and sent them to the Finch Building once again.


    When all that was done, she called Hank, but the call would not go through.


    Right now, Hank was in another room in the hotel. He had been left naked and exposed to the cold air the entire night.


    At this moment, he was lying on the floor shivering.


    A pair of exquisitely made leather shoes appeared in front of him. Then, a cold voice rang out above him. "Who told you to do thatst night?"


    Hank wanted to raise his head, but one of the shoes stepped on his back." Speak!"


    The icy tension in the room made it hard for Hank to breathe. He came clean. soon enough.


    "It was Kelly. I don''t know what happened, either. I asked Kelly out, but she didn''te. Instead, it was another woman..."


    Jonathan repeated the name in his head,


    Kelly? Rose''s sister?


    His eyes turned cold as he nced indifferently at the man on the floor. " Edwards Construction is no more. As for you... Hah!"


    Jonathan left.


    Hank shivered. He did not even see who that man was, but that sneer made his skin crawl. It felt even more terrifying than hell. Rose put on the clothes Finley brought over. Then, she went downstairs with Jonathan.


    They had just exited the hotel when Rose caught sight of a ck Maybach. She recognized it as Jonathan''s car right away. She instantly frowned and said, "That''s weird. Did that damned Mr. Finch stay


    herest night as well? Tch..."


    Rose seemed to hold Jonathan in contempt. She reacted as if she feared she might catch the gue from him.


    Grabbing Jonathan''s wrist, she urged, "H¨¹rry up! Let''s go!"


    Jonathan, who was being led by her, had a dark look on his face. He remained silent.


    He wondered if Rose hated him that much. It was all the more reason for him to hide his identity.


    Jonathan was d that he did not let his bodyguardse with him.


    But as they were about to walk past Jonathan''s car, they saw the hotel manager waiting beside it. He wanted to apologize once more for what happened earlier. Bowing to the two, he said loudly, "Mr. and Mrs. Finch-"

 Billionire 30

    Fallen From Grace


    Jonathan''s heart missed a beat.


    He was worried that his identity would be exposed.


    But Rose assumed the Mr. Finch she wanted to avoid was behind them. Cursing under her breath, she grabbed Jonathan''s hand and walked faster.


    She even chanted as she walked, "Don''t let him see me... Don''t let him see me


    The hotel manager who had been left behind had just finished giving his long. apology. When he looked up, there was no one in front of him. He was bewildered.


    Dragging Jonathan with her, Rose walked a fair distance before she felt safe. Finally, she stopped walking.


    Rose nced at the row of luxury cars. She exhaled in relief when she did not see the man she feared.


    "Whew! Good thing he didn''t see us. Listen, if you ever hear the words ''Mr. Finch,'' you''d better run away at once, understand?"


    "Huh? Oh. Okay." Jonathan frowned as he stared at Rose with a thoughtful expression.


    Meanwhile, Finley had caught up to them. He was about to ask Jonathan if he should drive the car over, but Jonathan spoke up first. "Finley, hail a cab."


    Finley did not speak. He thought he was hearing things. Jonathan''s car was less than 50 yards from here, so why would he hail a cab?


    Jonathan eyed Finley with a sharp gaze. "Go on. Hail a cab!"


    "Huh? Oh."


    Somewhatprehending the situation, Finley immediately gged down a cab.


    When they were inside the cab, Rose received a message. It was from Jamie. He was asking her to go to thepany.


    The car pulled up in front of Century Tower. Jonathan watched as Rose.


    entered the building. Ten minutester, a row of luxury cars stopped in front of the cab.


    Jonathan''s expression was dark. After a moment of silence, he pointed at a random car on the road.


    "Switch to a car of that brand," he instructed Finley.


    Jonathan sent Rose an address. Then, he got into the Maybach in front of ethem feeling rather satisfied.


    Meanwhile, Rose had just arrived at Celeste Jewels. She was taken aback when she saw the address she received from her star escort husband.


    "Zenwood Gardens?" It was a newly developed luxury residential area that had been one of Gibson Holdings'' projects. The properties there were quite expensive. Why did her star escort husband send this address to her?


    Before Rose could ask him about it, thepany''s receptionist came up to her with a look of annoyance.


    "Mr. Shaffer is waiting for you in his office. Please hurry up."


    The receptionist knew that Rose was the eldest daughter of the family who owned Celeste Jewels. Even so, her attitude was still terrible.


    She heard from Maya that Rose was not favored in the family. Jamie had even. chased her out of the house.


    Rose had fallen from grace.


    Ignoring the receptionist, Rose went into the office.


    Sitting at his office desk, Jamie got straight to the point. "I heard that you got married. Hah! You''re in such a hurry to take over thepany!"


    Rose saw the legal letter on the desk in front of him.


    Louie was quite efficient!


    Thinking about her mother''s ident, Rose met Jamie''s gaze. "This is part of Mom''s will. I''m just fulfilling her wishes."


    "Hah. You''re too young, Rose. You''ve never gotten involved in the jewelry industry, so you know nothing about it. If you take over thepany, you''ll only be destroying it!" Jamie was smiling, but his eyes were extremely cold.


    Rose felt that it was a little ironic. After all, who was the one who kept refusing to let her be involved in thepany? It was him!


    Kelly, and even Maya and her family, held positions in thepany. But Rose, the sole heir to thepany, was left out.


    "Don''t worry. Even if I go down in mes, I won''t let Celeste Jewels go to ruin." Rose''s tone was firm.


    Jamie seemed to have foreseen that she would not give in. He tossed a registration form at her.


    "This is the registration form for the nationwide jewelrypetition. If you can ce first in thispetition, I won''t stop you. I''ll allow you to fulfill your mother''s wishes." He was making things hard for her on purpose.


    There were countless excellent jewelry designers in Aquastead alone. Moreover, this jewelrypetition was open to the whole nation. The talents from Regalia would be taking part as well. Even so, Rose had no choice but to ept. "Alright. It''s a deal."


    Taking the registration form with her, Rose turned around and left. She had just arrived at the door when Jamie''s voice rang out behind her.


    "Since you''re married, you should let us meet your husband sometime. I''ve organized a family dinner at Gourmet Haven at 7:00 pm tonight. Be sure to bring him with you." "Okay," Rose replied coldly.


    It was not a family banquet at all. It was more akin to a death trap.


    She would attend it, but she had no intention of bringing her husband along. Rose would handle the situation by herself. She would not let an innocent person suffer and be humiliated. She made sure to arrive promptly at 7:00 pm.


    As soon as she entered Gourmet Haven, a tall man caught sight of her. He recognized her right away.


    D

 Billionire 31

    The Woman that Jonathan Has Set His Eyes On


    Rose? She wore a simple white shirt paired with jeans, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. As it was the first time Zac saw her in person, a hint of astonishment flickered in his eyes.


    After returning to the country for four years, he mingled with the socialites in Aquastead.


    Nevertheless, he had nevere across her. Instead, Jonathan, who came from Regalia, noticed her. He sighed with regret, he dared not covet the woman Jonathan had set his eyes on


    He nced at his phone. Jonathan had replied to the invitation message he sent just now


    I''m up to something I can''t make it," Zadresponded straightforwardly.


    Zac was seething with anger. He had worked overtime toplete the tasks assigned by Lucas and rushed back from Leafshire, just to catch up on thetest gossip about his romantic encounters Yet, he didn''t give him the chance to do so. His gaze turned toward Rose while editing the message swiftly.


    ''It seems like I''ve spotted your little beauty. Rose." Then, he sent the messag


    Three secondster, he received a response from Jonathan


    "Location"


    He rolled his eyes and muttered, "He''s favoring romance over friendship!"


    After that, he sent the address Jonathan took a nce at the address on his phone. Despite almost reaching Zemwood Gardens, he made a U-turn without any hesitation


    Meanwhile, Rose had entered the private room. Jamie and Chelsea were in the private room, together with Maya and her family. They were gathering around a young man and engaging in a lively discussion When Rose entered, the young man''s eyes lit up with amazement


    Rose''s aunt, Amelia Shaffer, deliberately caused her voice and unted


    Jackson is the manager under Finch Group. He''s highly regarded by Mr. Finch at such a young age. Maya is fortunate."


    Rose nced at Maya in surprise. She wondered when she had gotten a boyfriend.


    Maya looked smug as she said, "That''s because I have good taste, unlike someone willing to settle for just about anyone. Jackson''s family has coborations with the Gibson family too his joining Finch Group is purely based on his abilities without relying on his family."


    "Jackson must have met Mr. Finch, right?" Amelia immediately asked.


    Jackson was simply a minor manager under Finch Group. Where would he have the opportunity to meet someone as influential as Jonathan?


    However, he proudly raised his chin as he said, "Of course, I''ve met him!"


    Jamie''s eyes sparkled.


    "Jackson, can you introduce me to him?"


    Jamie had missed the banquet held by the Finchesst time due to ast-minute matter. He heard that Jonathan wore a mask that night, but no one had seen his true face.


    Finch Group had several gem mines in and outside the country.


    If he could establish a connection with the Finch family, his n to crush Celeste Jewels and rebuild his empire would be even more secure.


    As he was in a dilemma, Amelia promptly answered for him, "No problem at all. It''s just a small matter. It can be arranged at any time, right, Jackson?"


    Jackson had no way to arrange Jonathan''s schedule. However, he reluctantly nodded under everyone''s expectant gazes.


    At that moment, the manager of Gourmet Haven led the staff to serve an exquisite meal. It was so sumptuous that it left everyone in awe. Jamie was the first to notice the unusuality. "Is this not what we ordered?"


    "Mr. Gibson ordered us to serve the meal as a wee gift. We use the finest ingredients in our restaurant. It''s limited to only one serving per day. We hope +15 BONUS


    you all enjoy it." Before leaving, the manager emphasized, "Mr. Gibson has paid for the bill. Please enjoy."


    Gourmet Haven was a property of the Gibson family, which had only one son. In the entire Aquastead, there was only one "Mr. Gibson"


    Jamie was extremely surprised. He rarely had the chance to get in touch with the core of the Finch family. Therefore, he couldn''t fathom why Zac was being


    so generous.


    "Oh! Could this be because of Jackson''s connections?" Amelia eximed.


    Jackson chuckled. "I do have some connections with Mr. Gibson."


    At once, Amelia''s praises flowed incessantly.


    Rose, who had been sitting quietly, listened to Amelia''s ttery. The Shaffers had be prosperous through Celeste Jewels''s business, which was founded by her mother.


    Amelia and her family relied on the profits from Celeste Jewel, considering it their own. Nevertheless, they still felt inferior in their hearts.


    Now that Maya had found such an outstanding boyfriend, they were naturally eager to show off. As Rose continued eating her meal, the focus suddenly turned to her. Maya said mischievously, "Maya, I heard you got married. Where''s your husband? Why isn''t he here?"


    COIN


    BUNDLE: get more free bonus

 Billionire 32

    Maya Recognized Him


    Rose responded without even lifting an eyelid, "He has something to attend to. He won''t being."


    Jamie''s face immediately darkened. He had intentionally called the people on the spot to establish dominance over Rose''s new husband. Now that he was noting, his arrangement would be in vain. "What could be more important than meeting a father-inw? Call him now and ask him toe over," Jamie ordered.


    Rose seemed to ignore hismand as she continued eating her meal.


    Suddenly, Maya chuckled as she said, "Could it be that my brother-inw can''t bear to show his face? Is this the reason Rose doesn''t want him toe? Oh!


    He isn''t some old geezer, is he? Does he know about the night you went to Nightfall Lounge for excitement? Let''s say if my brother-inw were an old geezer, you''d be better off marrying that handsome guy at Nightfall Lounge that night!"


    Rose had just taken a bite of lobster when her movements suddenly froze.


    She did marry the guy from Nightfall Lounge. However, she was relieved she didn''t let hime. She''d rather handle these cold remarks herself.


    Nevertheless, her nonchnt attitude stirred up some individuals.


    "Jackson, you might not know-that night, Rose..." Maya exaggerated the details of Rose''s nightclub escapade as she told Jackson about it.


    Thetter then started looking at Rose with ascivious and ambiguous gaze.


    When he first saw Rose, he was captivated by her appearance. He thought she was hard to reach, but it turned out she was a party-goer. He decided to find an opportunity to have some fun with her. The others were unaware of his intentions.


    On the sidelines, Amelia sneered as she said, "How despicable, Just like her mother, back in the day..." Before she could finish her sentence, Rose picked up her ss and poured its contents toward her.


    "Ah!" Amelia jumped up out of shock. She red at Rose with embarrassment. Are you crazy?" Jamiemanded with a stern face, "Rose, apologize to your aunt!"


    "Apologize for what? Shouldn''t she be the one apologizing?" Rose retorted. "Aunt Amelia has been insulting my mom behind her back not just once or twice. You all enjoy everything she left behind, yet you devalue her to nothing! Don''t you find that ridiculous?"


    As her words ended, Jamie pped her across the face with a loud smack. A burning pain spread across her cheek as she stood there in a daze. Seizing the opportunity, Amelia grabbed her wrist.


    "You disrespectful brat! Since your mother passed away early, I''ll teach you a lesson on her behalf!"


    "Mom, calm down. You''ll hurt Rose..." Maya said as she stepped in.


    It seemed like she was trying to break up the fight, but her sharp nails were aimed squarely at Rose.


    Rose seemed to forget to resist as she was still reeling from Jamie''s p. Soon, her hair and clothes were disheveled due to the


    tugging and pulling from Amelia and Maya.


    On the other hand, Jamie watched the scene with indifference while Chelsea''s lips curled with a hint of schadenfreude. Suddenly, Maya pushed Rose hard, causing her to stumble backward toward the wall. Just then, a tall figure appeared at the door and cradled the back of Rose''s head.


    As the anticipated pain didn''te, Rose looked up to see a familiar face. For some reason, tears welled up in her eyes instantly.


    Jonathan frowned. He couldn''t understand how she had been bullied to this extent when she was the one who confronted Nixon fearlessly yesterday. He took off his suit jacket and draped it over her. "Who are you? Don''t meddle in other people''s business!" Amelia scolded him with her hands on her hips.


    Maya looked at Jonathan. She felt like she had seen him before. Jonathan''s


    aze was dark and


    neracing.


    He was about to speak when Rose tightly grasped his arm and said, "Let''s go."


    She was afraid that he might get into trouble


    Jonathan hesitated for a moment before he replied, "Okay"


    He then embraced her shoulder and prepared to leave


    Just as they took their first step, Jamie''s hostile voice echoed from behind. Are you the man who married her?"


    Jonathan halted and turned to meet his gaze.


    "Yes," he replied with just a word. Yet, it exuded an overwhelming air of authority.


    As Maya gazed upon his handsome face, she suddenly seemed to recognize


    him.


    "You - you''re the man at Nightfall Lounge from that night, aren''t you?"


    D

 Billionire 33

    Handsome Guy


    "Oh! Rose, I never thought you''d stoop so low as to be with a..." Maya said excitedly as her face filled with mockery.


    She was seizing the opportunity to humiliate Rose. However, before she could finish her sentence, Rose pped her across the face.


    "Ah!" She covered her face. "Rose, you...


    "This p has been a long timeing. If it weren''t for you that night


    Rose stared coldly at Maya. Her presence was overwhelming. A hint of guilt shed in Maya''s eyes. It seemed she was afraid Rose would reveal what happened that night when she drugged her.


    Then, she preemptively threatened, "Rose, my boyfriend is the manager of the Finch Group. He was highly regarded by Mr. Finch. If you dare to hit me, don''t be surprised if my boyfriend asks Mr. Finch to deal with your family."


    Upon hearing this, Jamie immediately moved to strike Rose. Before he couldnd a blow, Jonathan grabbed his wrist.


    A touch of irony appeared on Rose''s lips as she observed the situation. A single threat was all it took for Jamie, her father, to raise a hand against her without hesitation.


    A pang of pain spread within her as she questioned Jamie with a sorrowful tone, "Did you ever love my mother? Was her death truly an ident?"


    Jamie seemed unprepared for her sudden mention of Celeste. A hint of guilt shed in his eyes. Rose''s heart grew colder as she witnessed his reaction.


    She had secretly investigated before, but she had never directly confronted him. His response had already given her the answer-Celeste''s death was not. an ident, and he had known it all along. Rose didn''t dare to delve further into the implication behind it. She walked out of the private room while trembling inside.


    Before leaving, Jonathan cast a cold gaze upon Jackson as he asked, "What''s your name?"


    Jackson was overwhelmed by the powerful pressure as he stuttered, "Jack...


    Jackson Cadwell.


    "Good. Very good."


    Jonathan sneered and left the room. The atmosphere inside the room turned strange. Jackson suddenly felt a sense of unease, as if he had offended someone he shouldn''t have. Suddenly, he noticed Zac standing by the door of the private room. He quickly pushed aside his thoughts and approached him, trying to ingratiate himself.


    "Mr. Gibson, I''m sorry if I embarrassed you earlier. Thank you for the dishes you sent..."


    "Do I know you?" Zac interrupted emotionlessly before hurrying out as if he had something important to attend to.


    Jackson was left bewildered. It wasn''t just him; everyone in the private room wore a look of astonishment. They wondered who sent the dishes earlier as a favor if Zac didn''t know Jackson.


    Did he do it in Rose''s favor? It was impossible-she was a fallen heiress with no formal job. She couldn''t possibly wield such influence.


    On the other hand, Zac caught up to Rose when she was leaving Gourmet Haven. Jonathan had driven away with her and headed to Zenwood Gardens. Throughout the journey, Rose remained silent. It wasn''t until they arrived at Zenwood Gardens that she finally spoke.


    "I want to drink."


    Jonathan cast a nce at her and left in resignation. A few minutester, he returned with a few cans of beer. Rose was cuddling her knees and curling up on the sofa.


    She was like a wild cat that lost its ws even though it used to fight relentlessly. Her eyes revealed profound sadness.


    Jonathan opened a can of beer and handed it to her. She took it and emptied the beer in three swigs. Then, she proceeded to open more without stopping.


    At first, she drank in silence. However, tears began to fall by the fourth bottle. She drank while wiping her tears as if she was struggling to hold back her emotions.


    At one moment, it seemed like she couldn''t contain herself any longer as she suddenly cried out. Her words were barely coherent as she vented her frustrations. Jonathan had initially wanted to console her. Nevertheless, Rose suddenly stood up as he reached out.


    "I''m not easy to be trifled with," she dered passionately despite her swaying


    stance.


    Jonathan quickly stepped forward to support her. Her eyes were blurred with intoxication.


    With a grateful smile, she said, "Who are you? You''re quite handsome. Do we know each other? Hehe... Thanks, handsome guy... Ugh..."


    The overpowering scent of alcohol emanated from her, and she vomited all over him. Jonathan''s perfect, handsome face gradually shattered. The look of disgust in his eyes threatened to spill over. Just as he was about to push her away, Rose suddenly embraced his sturdy waist.


    She gazed at him with a hint of coquetry as she said, "I remember now, you''re my husband..."


    D

 Billionire 34

    You Are the Only One I Have


    The words "my husband" sounded particrly sweeting from her mouth. Jonathan was momentarily stunned.


    "I have nothing left... I''ve been cast out of my family, and I''ve given you all the money. You''re the only one I have."


    Rose seemed genuinely aggrieved. Jonathan recalled what had happened at Gourmet Haven. She had endured all the humiliation and bullying, but she had stood up for him in the end.


    He retrieved the idea of pushing her away as he said, "If you want to get back at them, I can help you."


    He rarely lent his hand to others. Nevertheless, in light of her defense of him, he could make an exception.


    After a while, the person in his arms still didn''t respond. He furrowed his brows as he looked down, only to find that she had fallen asleep:


    Her face was against his chest, and there was drool at the corner of her mouth.


    "So filthy!"


    Jonathan was full of disgust. However, he still picked her up and carried her into the bathroom. Once inside, he regretted his decision.


    They had crossed boundaries they shouldn''t have, more than once. He knew every inch of her skin intimately.


    However, the process of cleaning her was undeniably torturous for him as his body was bing restless.


    After tidying up Rose and cing her on the bed, he went back to the bathroom and took a cold shower for two hours to quell the rising desire within him. Nevertheless, as soon as he left the bathroom and saw Rose on the bed, his hair-drying motion froze. She had kicked the nket away, exposing her fair legs.


    The intense visual impact caused the desire that he had struggled to suppress to reignite slowly.


    "Heh..." he self-mockingly chuckled after realizing that he was acting like an inexperienced boy who was unable to resist temptation.


    He then picked up the nket and covered her before hastily leaving the room. As he couldn''t sleep at all that night, he decided to call Finley.


    Ten minutester, the heads of variouspanies under Finch Group in Aquastead were awakened from their sleep. They were informed that Jonathan had scheduled a video conference. In the video conference, they could only see a silhouette in a ck robe sitting


    on the chair.


    "Whichpany does Jackson Cadwell belong to?" Jonathan asked in a low, discontented tone.


    The heads were cautious and relieved to confirm that there was no one named Jackson in theirpanies.


    Just then, a person responded with a trembling voice, "Mr. Finch, he''s from ourpany. He''s just a minor Sales Manager."


    "Terminate him immediately," Jonathan ordered coldly and then ended the conference.


    The heads were left bewildered. They couldn''t believe that Jonathan had made such a grand announcement just to terminate a person.


    In less than ten minutes, in a smallmunity in Aquastead, Jackson was awakened by a call from his superior.


    Feeling a sense of aplishment as he was highly regarded by his superior, he answered the phone.


    However, the person on the other end said angrily, "Jackson, you have been terminated."


    Jackson was taken aback.


    "Why?"


    "It was a direct order from Mr. Finch. Think about whom you might have offended recently."


    With that, the superior hung up the phone. At that moment, amotion could be heard in the living room.


    "How could it end up like this? We have a good partnership with the Gibsons. Why did they suddenly decide to terminate it? And it''s Mr. Gibson''s decision! Jackson, what did you do to offend him?" Jackson suddenly felt as if his world was falling apart. He remembered


    Jonathan''s sneer and the dishes Zac had sent at Gourmet Haven. Probably, it was all because of Rose.


    "Damn it! Maya and her family have implicated me!" he cursed in a low voice.


    He suddenly remembered the improper thoughts he had harbored about Rose. Cold sweat ran down his back. What should he do now?


    On the other hand, Rose had a sound sleep that night. Early the next morning, she found herself waking up in an unfamiliar room.


    It was only when she walked out and saw her star escort husband, who was drinking coffee and eating breakfast at the breakfast bar, that her heart finally settled.


    She couldn''t hide her surprise as she looked around the house.


    "Is this your house?" she asked.


    It was a spacious, luxurious t in Zenwood Gardens. It was undoubtedly a high-end property.


    "It belongs to my friend," Jonathan replied nonchntly.


    He had paid for it, but the property was registered under Zac''s name. Rose was in shock regarding his ability to buy a house there when she heard his response.


    She naturally regarded his so-called "friend" as "sugar mommy" as she blinked suggestively at him and said, "I understand. It''s a ''friend''s'' house. I get it!"


    Jonathan stared at her with a suggestive look.


    "What do you understand?"

 Billionire 35

    I Can Make Changes


    Rose felt her scalp tingle under his intense gaze. Could she say it directly?


    "Nothing..." she chuckled awkwardly and fled.


    After fiddling with the printer for a while, she returned to Jonathan with a contract in hand.


    "This is our marriage agreement. We didn''t have the chance to draft it before, so let''s do it now."


    Jonathan took a nce at the contract. It clearly stated that their marriage was a transaction, and they would divorce without any ties after one month.


    Besides, she also promised to clear the debt of more than four million she owed him before the divorce.


    Jonathan couldn''t help but feel a sense of dissatisfaction as he asked, "One month? Are you sure you can pay off more than four million in one month?" Rose patted her chest confidently.


    "Of course! One month is enough. Hurry up and sign it."


    The National Jewelry Design Award was just one month away. Once she secured the championship and inherited Celeste Jewels, the transaction would


    Jonathan did not know about her agreement with Jamie. He stared at her for a while before signing his name reluctantly.


    Noticing his neat signature, Rose mumbled, "Finch..."


    Apart from the first syble, she couldn''t discern the other words. However, she didn''t press the matter further and happily kept the agreement. As she was about to leave, Jonathan stopped her.


    "Rose!"


    "Hmm?"


    She turned back. Her steps took her into his deep, dark eyes.


    "Come here."


    His voice was sultry. Rose then walked over, almost against her will. Jonathan hadn''t slept at all the previous night as he was aroused by her.


    Now that he was further agitated by her desire to end the marriage without ties in one month, an unexinable dissatisfaction arose in his heart. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace Rose''s heart skipped a beat as she bumped into his sturdy chest.


    She could feel his breath on her ear as he said seductively, "I''m not quite satisfied with this agreement."


    Rose swallowed hard, and even her speech became stuttered.


    "You


    What are you not satisfied with? I. I can make changes."


    Jonathan raised his brows.


    "I don''t need changes. Just add one use verbally."


    "What... to add?"


    "If you can''t pay off the debt in one month, you''ll have to pay it with your body. How about that?"


    His lips inadvertently brushed against her earlobe. It was just a brief contact before he pulled away. Rose was left in astonishment.


    "Pay with her body? What kind of suggestivenguage is that?!" she thought.


    Her face instantly turned red as vivid and unsuitable images shed through her mind. Her embarrassment was visible on her neck.


    As if she had suddenly regained some rationality, she quickly pushed him away.


    Looking at his charming and evil face, she shouted indignantly, "You.... you ever think about it!"


    Don''t


    With that, she promptly dashed out of the room. Her hurried departure left Jonathan thoroughly satisfied.


    He didn''t want to be the only one who had suffered the previous night. He wanted her to experience the feeling of being flirted with.


    Rose went downstairs with her heart pounding. The words "pay with your body" seemed like a spell that echoed in her ears, making her unable to shake them off.


    He was indeed a star escort; his flirting skills were top-notch. However, the thought of him pleasing the other "sugar mommies" in the same way suddenly made her feel ufortable. Just then, she received a call from Evan.


    "Evan..."


    She was a bit awkward. Just as she was about to exin the incident at Aquastead Hotel that morning, Evan spoke first.


    "Rose, do you have some free time? K&K has a client who wants a custom gown. I''m notfortable assigning this design to anyone else. Hence, I''d like to invite you to design it." He was cheerful as if nothing had happened.


    Rose rxed instantly and replied, "Of course, I have time!"


    Without a penny to her name, and with a huge debt owed to her star escort husband, she indeed needed to earn money.


    Evan then sent the client''s requirements via email. Within minutes, Rose received a prepayment.


    Looking at the sudden increase in her bank bnce, she was stunned for a few seconds before excitedly eximing, "I have money now!"


    Her first order of business was to think about her star escort husband.


    Support


    GET IT

 Billionire 36

    Publicly Announce Their Rtionship


    Inside Finch Building, the heads were all on edge after the impromptu video conference heldst night. They were expecting bloodshed to hit thepany today. However, Jonathan arrived with an unusually smiley face.


    Everyone was left bewildered, including Finley. Since he left work early yesterday, he wondered what had happened in his absence that made. Jonathan so happy. "Mr. Finch, this is a letter and documents we received this morning."


    §±


    Finley ced the items on the desk. He wanted to question him to clear up his confusion, but he dared not to. As Jonathan casually flipped through the documents, his gaze focused on an anonymous letter.


    He opened the envelope and saw a photo, which captured the scene in the hotel room yesterday morning.


    Initially, he wanted to investigate the source of this photo. However, he noticed that in the photo, Rose looked anxious on the bed-she was probably worrying about him.


    He raised his brows, and an inadvertent smile formed on his face.


    On the sidelines, Finley was curious about the content of the photo. He was about to take a peek when Jonathan received a text message on his phone.


    Jonathan picked up his phone. He saw a message informing him of a deposit of 100 thousand dors, with the sender being Rose.


    He wondered if she was in such a hurry to clear the debt because she wanted to avoid "paying with her body", or if she was eager to sever their rtionship in one month. He felt an unexinable sense of dissatisfaction.


    Just then, his secretary knocked on the door to inquire, "Mr. Finch, Mr. Lane is here. Would you like to see him?"


    Nixon-he was the one who sent Kelly, the woman who tried to seduce him, to him at Aquastead Hotel two nights ago.


    Thinking about that, a cold, fierce glint shed through Jonathan''s eyes as he said, "No, I don''t want to see him. In the future, he''s not allowed to set foot in Finch Building again."


    After being rejected and left outside, Nixon was very frustrated. The previous morning, he had witnessed Jonathan leaving the hotel with Rose. They seemed very intimate as they were holding hands. It seemed Jonathan was quite satisfied with Rose. Nixon wondered why he refused to see him.


    "Damn it!"


    He couldn''t hide his impatience as he decided to call Rose to question her. When the call went through, he didn''t even have a chance to say anything. Rose''s voice came through coldly, "Was it you who arranged for that incident at -Aquastead Hotel?"


    Nixon was taken aback.


    "Nixon, I must have been blind to think you were just a yboy who couldn''t control your desire. I didn''t expect you to be such a scumbag!"


    Rose had a lot of anger pent up inside her. If it weren''t for her star escort husband, she might have fallen victim to that middle-aged man that night.


    Nixon''s face darkened as he said, "Rose if it weren''t for me, how would you have a chance to get close to Uncle Jonathan? You should thank me. You''d better tell him to see me!"


    Rose was confused by his address toward Jonathan.


    "Get lost, Nixon! I''m holding this grudge against you. If I see you again, I''ll hit you every time I do!" Rose roared before she hung up the phone.


    Nixon was furious. He decided to call Kelly to seekfort.


    At this moment, Kelly was holding the application form for the National Jewelry Design Award. She had heard that Rose was going to participate.


    The Young family, one of the three major families in Regalia, was the host of the award. There were rumors that the Young family was working hard to get. Jonathan to be a special judge for the award. If Kelly seized this opportunity, not only could she beat Rose, but she could also attract Jonathan''s attention. As for Nixon...


    Her lips curled into a cold smile as she responded sweetly, "Nixon, I''m not feeling well. Maybe I caught a cold."


    Upon hearing her words, Nixon was concerned and said, "How did you catch a cold? I''lle see you."


    "It''s okay, Nixon. My parents are at home. I''m afraid they''ll find out about our rtionship. I''ve taken some medicine and just need to rest." Kelly coughed a few times to make it sound convincing. They chatted for a while before hanging up the phone. Nixon was extremely frustrated. Before, he had to marry Rose because of Celeste Jewels.


    Now that Rose had made things difficult for him, their engagement was no longer valid. He could openly be with Kelly as well. He decided to find an opportunity to publicly announce his rtionship with Kelly. However, he didn''t know that Kelly, who had Jonathan on her mind, had something else nned.


    After hanging up the phone, Kelly went downstairs and bumped into Maya, who was also holding an application form for the National Jewelry Design Award. A hint of disdain shed in Kelly''s eyes. Meanwhile, Maya said excitedly, "Kelly, guess who I saw? It''s Rose''s husband. Do you know who he is?"


    As Kelly thought about the picture of that remarkably handsome man she had seen, her eyes still held a hint of disdain,


    Then, Maya continued, "It''s the guy who was with her at Nightfall Lounge that night. He''s the host there! Hahaha! I can''t believe Rose married him!"


    Her statement finally attracted Kelly''s attention.


    Thetter then responded sarcastically, "It seems she doesn''t have high standards."


    "Exactly! She even tried to keep it under wrapsst night. It seems like she''s afraid of being embarrassed"


    Maya deliberately ignored the fact that the guy had a good-looking face. She was still smarting from Rose''s pst night.


    With a sinister n forming in Kelly''s mind, she mused, "If she wants to hide. her rtionship, I won''t let her have it her way. So..."


    She then shared her n with Maya. The two of them were quickly in


    agreement.

 Billionire 37

    He Believed


    Having acquired some money, Rose promptly booked a hotel room for the night.


    As Jonathan returned to Zenwood Gardens at midnight, he found the housepletely vacant. Rose hadn''t returned yet. Jonathan immediately called her as he was worried that she might be in danger. After a few rings, he heard Rose''s drowsy voice from the other end as she said, "Hello? Who is this?"


    "Where are you?" Jonathan asked in a deep, low voice.


    Rose''s mind took a few seconds to digest his words as she was still groggy from sleep. She couldn''t grasp what was happening.


    "I''m at a hotel. Who are you?"


    With that, she promptly hung up the phone and went back to sleep.


    Jonathan stared at his phone with a dark expression. Only then did he realize that she had only stayed for one night here, yet he hade to regard this ce as their home.


    However, she was right. After all, he was nobody to her. Both of them were just participants in a contractual marriage. They would go their separate ways in a month. Yet, he had taken it seriously.


    He let out a self-deprecating chuckle and left Zenwood Gardens. In the following two days, he altered his n and personally went to Arizon to handle the merger of the financial institutions under Finch Group.


    Rose hadpletely forgotten the call between them that day.


    During these two days, she had registered for the National Jewelry Design Award. She quickly created a design and uploaded it to the official website of the award.


    She had alsopleted a design for K&K. The clients were very satisfied with the design she submitted. In celebration, Evan asked her out for dinner.


    Rose didn''t decline sch


    haven''t properly thanked you. So, it''s settled, I''ll arrange it for tonight."


    As soon as she hung up the phone, she received a Facebook notification. It informed her that she had been added to a chat room.


    The chat room consisted of several socialites from Aquastead, and messages started pouring in.


    "Yes, we''re all in. It''ll be just a sisters'' gathering between us."


    "Why is Rose being so quiet? Could it be that her husband is too bad-looking and she''s embarrassed to introduce him?"


    Rose frowned as she replied, "He''s very handsome!*


    "We don''t care if he''s handsome or not, Rose. You don''t have to bring your husband along. Juste and have fun with us. You muste! We''ve already chosen a ce and time. We''ll inform you right away!"


    Rose rarely interacted with these women. They were just her high school ssmates. Nevertheless, it seemed that she couldn''t escape this "sisters" gathering" this time.


    After leaving the hotel, she found a nice fine-dining restaurant and waited for Evan there. Evan hadn''t arrived yet, but Rose received a call from Yvonne.


    *Rose, you got married? How could you not tell me about something so significant? Do you no longer consider me your best friend? Who is that man? I heard this news from my brother. Anyway, I had thought you might be my sister-inw, but it seems that''s not going to happen!" Yvonne roasted.


    Rose felt a bit guilty. However, she had nothing to hide from Yvonne.


    "I intended to tell you that day, but I ran into Evan. I hadn''t nned to marry for real; I just happened to need a husband, and that person happened to be a suitable one."


    "You mean a fake marriage?"


    Yvonne''s mouth was agape at the other end of the phone.


    Rose frowned as she exined, "It''s not exactly fake because we got the marriage certificate. It''s just that it will end once the time is up."


    "So, my brother still has a chance riebias


    US KONUS


    Yvonne yfully teased, "Rose, please consider my brother. He''s young, handsome, and rich. Furthermore, the Spencer family is also one of the top families in Aquastead, and my brother will inherit everything. Besides, he seems to have a crush on you!"


    Rose choked on her saliva as she was taken aback.


    "How is that possible? Please don''t make such jokes!"


    At that moment, Evan''s voice came from outside as he knocked on the door of the private room. Rose was so startled that she promptly hung up the phone.


    "It seems like I''m a bitte."


    Evan walked in. His casual outfit made him look like a boy next door.


    "Not at all. You''re right on time," Rose said as she stood up to wee him.


    For some reason, she kept thinking about Yvonne''s words regarding her spection of Evan having a crush on her. She felt an inexplicable sense of


    unease.


    However, during the meal, Evan''s attitude was professional and friendly. Their conversation centered around design matters.


    There was no hint of any romantic interest in his gaze. It made her feel


    relieved. She considered Yvonne was just being mischievous. There was no way Evan could have a crush on her.


    After the meal, Rose declined Evan''s offer to take her home. Thetter didn''t insist. As she left, Evan''s gaze held a trace of affection and barely concealed excitement. COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus


    D

 Billionire 38

    Intending to Humiliate Her


    Rose and the man were only in a contractual marriage that would end when the time was up-he had heard it all outside the private room just now. It meant he still had a chance.


    He did have a crush on Rose; it was since high school when she came to his house with Yvonne for the first time. However, she was too young at the time. He had been waiting for her to grow up. Little did he know that after he went abroad, she ended up being together with Nixon.


    When he saw those messages from Maya in the high school alumni chat room that day, he didn''t believe that Rose would be involved with another man.


    He was sure something had happened. Hence, he left his work there and immediately came back. Even their encounter on the street that night wasn''t a coincidence.


    He heaved a long sigh. Since Rose and the man were just having a contractual marriage, he would wait for them to end it.


    The next morning, Rose had just woken up when she received the message regarding the time and location of the gathering


    Tonight at 10 pm, at Nightfall Lounge."


    Seeing the words "Nightfall Lounge", her head buzzed and she instinctively wanted to refuse. However, the messages from those socialites kept popping


    1. up.


    "Rose, you better not bail on us. If you don''t show up, we''ll keep pestering you until you agree!*


    All these socialites were connected to various businesses in Aquastead, and some even had coborations with Celeste Jewels.


    In the future, when she took over Celeste Jewels, she would inevitably cross paths with them. After considering it, she sent a few words. "I''ll be there on time."


    At 10:00 PM, Rose arrived at Nightfall Lounge punctually. As she entered the


    bar, the socialites who had been waiting for her spotted her immediately. Mandy Walts greeted her with excitement.


    "Rose, you''re finally here! We thought you might chicken out and note."


    Afterward, she pulled Rose to their served booth in Section A. The booth was filled with the so-called toxic friends, most of whom Rose hadn''t seen in a long time. However, a person stood out-Maya was here too. Rose instantly realized that this gathering was a trap, but it was toote to leave now.


    "Rose, you''re so unexciting. You didn''t tell us about your marriage; we only found out from Maya. Come on, let''s have a shot!"


    "One shot! One shot!"


    The


    socialites were all joining in to force her to drink a forfeit. Rose smirked. She had to respond ordingly to their strong menace. She poured herself a drink and downed it in one shot.


    After the three shots from Rose, Maya''s eyes shed with malice amid the crowd''s encouragement.


    She chuckled and said, "Rose, everyone insisted on celebrating for you. They even suggested earlier that we bring all the hosts to celebrate for you. Rose, you''re someone!"


    Amanda grabbed a microphone from somewhere and loudly announced, " Come over here, all the handsome guys. Tonight, we''re celebrating our good friend, Rose''s marriage. We''ve ordered the most expensive drinks in the bar. Whoeveres to serve us will get amission!"


    Soon, all the hosts swarmed in. While the bar did have private rooms, they had intentionally chosen a booth today so that everyone could see them.


    Rose looked at Maya. She wasn''t sure if this group of toxic friends knew about the identity of her star escort husband.


    Nevertheless, she could tell that Maya had some malicious intent tonight-she wanted to humiliate her!


    Her lips curved with a hint of amusement as she said, "The drinks at Nightfall Lounge are quite expensive. With so many gentlemen here, each of them


    deserves amission. So, how much should we order?"


    "You don''t have to worry about that. We''ll pay for the bill," Amanda said.


    Indeed, she came from a wealthy family, and so did the other socialites. They nevercked money. However, Maya was much more financially strainedpared to them.


    Hence, Rose wanted to make her spend to humiliate her.


    She yed innocent as she said, "But Maya was the one who brought up the gathering, wasn''t she? She must have chosen this ce herself. ording to our rules, the person who organized the gathering should pay the bill. We can''t break the rule, can we?"


    Maya''s face stiffened.


    Rose could see right through her as she asked, "Are you unable to afford it?"


    Maya''s family relied on Celeste Jewels and Jamie for their livelihood. They had deep-seated feelings of inferiority and vanity.


    Hence, Maya couldn''t admit she couldn''t afford it, especially in front of these socialites.


    As Rose had expected, Maya raised her chin and said, "Why wouldn''t I be able to afford it? I''ll cover all the expenses tonight." Inside, she was bleeding. She was determined to make Rose pay for it tonight.


    Support

 Billionire 39

    A Proposal on Such asion


    Maya couldn''t wait any spot Rose''s husband.


    longer. She nced around at the hosts but couldn''t


    Unable to contain her curiosity, she blurted out, "Rose, where''s your husband? Why haven''t we seen him? You should call him over; we''re all friends here, and he should get a share of themission. Her speech caused chaos within the calm atmosphere. All the socialites were taken aback.


    "What do you mean?"


    "What do you mean by letting him get a share of themission?"


    Maya pretended to be surprised as she said, "Oh? You all don''t know about it? Rose''s husband works here!"


    The socialites were left in shock.


    "Is it for real? Hahaha!"


    "So, Rose''s husband is a host who works here. Rose, your taste is truly unique!"


    Mockery erupted in all directions. It was bing clear that Maya had set up this scenario to humiliate Rose.


    Mandy was excited as she asked, "Rose, where''s your husband?"


    She had always been envious of Rose as she was both beautiful and talented, making her the center of attention wherever she went. She couldn''t miss the opportunity to humiliate her.


    She was determined to expose her husband to make the situation even more entertaining. She took her phone and was ready to take a video which will be posted on social media.


    Then, she called the manager and instructed, "Get all your hosts out here!"


    The manager counted on the hosts and replied, "I''m sorry, Miss. They''re all here."


    "How is that possible?" Maya was holding a ss of wine as she raised her chin. She said condescendingly, "If any of the hosts have been left out, the


    "It''s impossible to have left anyone out. Would you like to check the list personally?"


    The manager handed her a list. Maya checked the names with the photos one by one. However, she couldn''t find Rose''s husband.


    Mandy grew impatient as she asked, "Maya, have you found him yet?"


    Maya''s face turned unpleasant. She tossed the list aside and directly asked Rose, "Rose, could it be that your husband has resigned? Well, it makes sense. After all, he can''t continue selling his body in a ce like this once he''s married."


    Her words provoked Rose, who then stared coldly at her as she said, "Maya


    That gaze sent a shiver down Maya''s spine.


    However, she assumed Rose wouldn''t dare to do anything with so many people around. Hence, she continued her humiliation.


    "Rose, you and your husband are a perfect match. One was kicked out of the family, and the other..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, a man''s voice suddenly rang out.


    "Maya... I''ve finally found you!"


    Everyone turned to see an unshaven man in a disheveled shirt. He was in a mess. It was Jackson. He hurried to Maya''s side and took her hand.


    "Maya,e with me!"


    "Who is this person?" the socialites asked in curiosity.


    Maya hadn''t expected Jackson to show up, but it was perfect timing.


    She pretended to ignore his disheveled appearance and proudly introduced him, "This is my boyfriend. Hees from a family-owned business and holds a high position in Finch Group. He''s also highly regarded by Mr. Finch. Jackson, don''t get the wrong idea. I''m just here to hang out with my friends. I won''t be like some people."


    She looked at Rose with a triumphant expression, as if she had already


    crushed her under her feet. A cold smile yed on Rose''s lips. She was about to say something when Jackson saw her


    The next moment, Jackson suddenly let go of Maya''s hand and knelt on the ground with a loud thud. This action startled everyone.


    "Jackson, what are you doing?"


    Maya thought he was about to propose to her.


    She blushed and said, "Jackson, there are so many people here. You know I don''t like to make a scene..."


    She was excited inside. For sure, she was a high-profile person who liked to receive attention. Jackson''s proposal to her on this asion was elevating her to the heavens.


    As for Rose... Maya was maliciously calcting how to humiliate her even further. She waspletely oblivious to the respect and fear in Jackson''s eyes when he looked at Rose.


    Then, Jackson crawled to Rose and mmed his head on the ground with a loud thud.


    D

 Billionire 40

    Begging for Mercy


    "Ms. Shaffer, I''m sorry. It''s all my fault... No, it''s all Maya''s fault. I haven''t done. anything wrong. Please, I beg you, help me plead for mercy. I can''t afford to lose my job at Finch Group, and my family''s cooperation with Gibson Holdings. is at stake!" Jackson pleaded.


    Upon hearing his words, Maya was left in a daze. She suddenly realized that he was not kneeling to propose but to beg for mercy. Moreover, he was pleading with Rose.


    She couldn''t believe what she was witnessing and didn''t trust her ears.


    "Jackson, what are you saying?"


    She wondered what he meant by losing his job at Finch Group and the cooperation with Gibson Holdings.


    Jackson became even more frustrated upon hearing her voice as he said, "You''re asking me? I offended Mr. Finch just because of you!"


    Then, he turned to beg Rose again.


    "Ms. Shaffer, if you want to me someone, please me Maya. From now on, I have no rtionship with her. Please talk to Mr. Gibson and Mr. Finch for me. I''ve heard that it was Mr. Finch himself who ordered my dismissal..."


    Rose was left bewildered. She had caught on to the fact that the cooperation between the Cadwells and Gibson Holdings was in jeopardy. Besides, Jackson had lost his job at Finch Group. Nevertheless, she could do nothing to help.


    "I don''t know Mr. Gibson or Mr. Finch!" she said as she recalled the confrontation at the Lane residence and the harrowing hijack incident on the mountain road.


    The name ¡°Mr. Finch" was synonymous with danger for her. She wanted to avoid encountering him at all costs. Jackson grew even more anxious as he assumed she was unwilling to help.


    His gaze flickered, and he suddenly grabbed Maya''s hand with a strong pull. In the next instant, Maya found herself forced to kneel on it


    "Ah!"


    Her exposed knees scraped against the floor and got scratched.


    However, Jackson showed no mercy. He shouted angrily at her, "Maya, your need to beg Ms. Shaffer for mercy. It was your idea to invite me to the family. banquet that night to watch a show. You, your mother, and your aunt conspired to humiliate Ms. Shaffer and her husband. None of this is my fault!"


    Rose did know that the family banquet that night was intended to humiliate. her. Yet, her heart was filled with irony even now. She stared coldly at Maya, who felt utterly humiliated.


    The surrounding socialites looked on with amusement. The n had been to humiliate Rose, but it had somehow backfired. Maya was the one being


    humiliated now.


    Jackson continued to urge, "Maya, speak up! Quickly apologize to Ms. Shaffer. As long as you apologize, I can consider continuing our rtionship." Maya''s eyshes trembled upon hearing his words.


    Meanwhile, Rose said with a cold smirk, "I don''t need an apology. I told you, I don''t know Mr. Gibson or Mr. Finch. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving."


    Before anyone could respond, she turned and left. However, Jackson, who had failed in his plea for mercy, shifted all the me to Maya. He suddenly pped her hard across the face.


    The loud smack reverberated throughout the hall, apanied by the socialites'' continuous mockery.


    "We thought Maya had found such an outstanding boyfriend..."


    "Exactly! Today we came at the right time. We got to see a show..."


    Maya gritted her teeth as she looked at Rose''s retreating figure not far away with determination in her eyes. Suddenly, she dashed toward her.


    The socialites watched her actions. No one offered any warning to Rose but rather eagerly anticipated the spectacle. On the second floor, Jonathan, who had observed everything, suddenly tightened his gaze. Beside him, Zac could sense his worry as he teased, "What''s this? You''re not


    going to be a hero ande to her rescue?"


    D


    Support

 Billionire 41

    A Night with a Lonely Man and a Single Woman


    "Who is she? What does she have to do with me? And why should I save her?" Jonathan sneered disdainfully.


    However, his body had unconsciously made a move to stand up. Zac, who observed his worry despite his apparent indifference, couldn''t resist teasing him.


    "When you asked me to investigate her before, I thought you were interested in her. It seems I''d overthought. Since you''re not interested in her, I have nothing to worry about." Jonathan''s gaze darkened slightly as he retorted, "What are you going to


    do?"


    "What else can I do? I''ll y the hero and save her. Who knows, I might win her heart Zac said with a suave expression.


    He then stood up and prepared to head downstairs.


    However, before he could take a single step, Jonathan blocked his path and said, "I don''t need your help."


    With that, he strode downstairs. As he reached the ground floor, Evan had also arrived at the entrance.


    Thetter immediately warned Rose after noticing Maya behind her, "Rose, watch out behind you!" Rose turned to find Maya''s hand firmly gripping her clothes.


    "Rose, you better go and die!"


    Maya''s gaze was filled with malice. Her sharp nails wed at Rose''s face as she intended to ruin it.


    Rose''s eyes tightened slightly, and her body slightly tilted back. With a swift motion, she grabbed Maya''s wrist and executed a shoulder throw, forcefully mming her to the ground. "Ah!" Maya cried out in pain.


    In one seamless movement, Rose restrained her by twisting her hand behind her back and knelt on her


    back.


    "Ah-Rose, let go of me! Ugh-" Maya was writhing in pain.


    Rose''s eyes were cold as she grabbed her hair mercilessly and said, "Maya, if you have a problem with me, I''m ready to confront you anytime. But if you ever make a fuss about my husband again, Trip out your hair and make sure you can''t show your face in public!"


    She released her mercilessly and turned to face the socialites in the booth at Section A with a warning look. Then, she looked at the manager. She raised her eyebrows and smiled.


    "This youngdy here promised to cover the bill earlier. Don''t forget to ask her for payment."


    With that, she turned and ran toward the entrance, where Evan was waiting.


    "Evan, why are you here?" she asked..


    I happened to be passing by this ce for something else and saw you outside Evan lied to her.


    He had noticed her in a video posted on Mandy''s social media, and he had followed her location. The two of them left Nightfall Lounge while chatting andughing.


    Inside the bar, Maya was left humiliated. She was unable to get up from the floor due to excruciating pain. No one came to her aid except for the manager, who asked her to settle the bill. The socialites were watching in the direction of the entrance. They had recognized Evan, the legendary figure from their high school days.


    He was h


    handsome and talented, not to mention that he was the heir to Spencer Group,


    "Mandy, why didn''t you tell us that Evan had returned to Aquastead?" one of the socialites suddenly. asked.


    All eyes then turned to Mandy. They all knew about her infatuation with Evan and how she saw herself as his fiancee.


    "He just came back. I went to pick him up from the airport."


    Mandy raised her chin proudly. She didn''t want to admit that she had only learned about Evan''s return


    recently.


    "Didn''t Evan see you earlier? Why do he and Rose look so close? Something''s fishy between them.... I''m sorry, Mandy. I shouldn''t have said that."


    Oh!


    The socialite who had spoken earlier quickly retracted her statement. Mandy clenched her fists in frustration. She directed all her anger at Rose. She was sure that Rose had seduced Evan,


    In the stairwell, Jonathan''s face darkened as he stared at Rose and Evan leaving.


    Zac, who noticed his frustration from behind, continued to tease, Tsk... She seems quite close with Evan. Hehehe! Someone''s met a rival!"


    Since it was rare to see Jonathan on the losing side, Zac couldn''t resist adding, "A night with a lonely man and a single woman... Evan is the heir of the Spencers. He is handsome and wealthy with a decent character. If I were Rose, I would definitely..."


    He hadn''t finished his sentence when Jonathan quickly walked out of the bar, following Rose and Evan.


    P

 Billionire 42

    Approach Him Voluntarily


    In the corner of the bar, Kelly was watching the scene in disguise. She was shocked when she saw


    Jonathan leave.


    She couldn''t believe that Rose''s husband was actually with Zac. Furthermore, Zac''s attitude toward him didn''t seem like that of an employee; it was more likely they were friends.


    She had a vague feeling that Rose''s husband''s identity was not simple at all. She immediately took out the photo the paparazzi had taken at Aquastead Hotel


    She sent it to him again as she instructed, "Help me investigate this person. Once the job is done, I''ll pay you a high fee."


    Outside the bar, as Jonathan was chasing after Rose and Evan, they had just gotten into the car. He didn''t hesitate and immediately drove to catch up.


    The car stopped outside the hotel. Then, Rose got out and entered the hotel. His gloomy face gradually rxed when he noticed that Evan hadn''t followed her!


    He considered Rose had been staying at this hotel for the past few days.


    He was displeased with the fact that she had been spending the night outside regrly even though they were married. She seemed to be putting him out of her mind.


    He took out his phone to contact her. However, he suddenly changed his mind and called Finley instead.


    On the other end of the phone, Finley couldn''t help but mourn for Rose for three seconds after listening to


    Jonathan''s orders.


    Only a few days ago, Jonathan had allowed Rose to act recklessly in front of him. Now, he was going to deal with her ruthlessly. Finley took a deep breath and immediatelyid down instructions.


    In less than half an hour, Rose, who was lying on the bed in the hotel room, was about to go to sleep when she heard a knock on the door. She immediately put on her clothes and got up to open the door. The hotel manager stood at the door with a smile.


    "Pardon me, Ms. Shaffer. There is a problem with this room. You can''t stay here for the time being.


    Rose was understanding as she replied, "It''s alright. Just give me another room."


    The hotel manager looked awkward.


    "I''m sorry, but there are no other rooms in the hotel now. Ms. Shaffer, how about wepensate you ten times the prepaid room fee? And you can find another hotel." Rose didn''t like to make things difficult for people. Although she was very tired, she still showed understanding.


    "Alright. There''s no need for a tenfoldpensation. Just refund me the prepaid fee."


    She wasn''t worried about finding another hotel to stay in as she had money with her. Then, she packed up her few belongings and left to find another hotel.


    A few minutester, she arrived at another nearby hotel. When the front desk staff saw her name on her driver''s license, a hint of surprise shed in her eyes


    However, she politely replied, "I''m sorry, Miss. We''ve just found out that the hotel is fully booked."


    Rose furrowed her brows. She didn''t think too much of it as she took back her driver''s license and left.


    It was only after she had gone to more than a dozen hotels that she realized something was amiss. It was abnormal that so many hotels suddenly imed to have no rooms avable. Something was fishy. At thest hotel, she was about to turn back when she overheard a conversation between a few staff.


    "I heard that it was an order from the Finch family. None of the hotels in Aquastead are allowed to amodate Ms. Shaffer."


    "Poor Ms. Shaffer, she seems to have offended the Finch family..."


    Rose''s mind was buzzing as she wondered when she had offended the Finch family. She didn''t even know anyone from that family. Suddenly, she remembered the tall figure she had faced that night in the room on the second floor of Lane residence-it was Jonathan.


    "It must be him!"


    He was the only one she knew. She left the hotel in frustration. A little way down the road, Jonathan, who had been following her, was waiting for her to approach him voluntarily.


    After she had visited so many hotels and hit a wall each time for more than an hour, she still hadn''t thought to seek his help. Jonathan was extremely displeased. He couldn''t help but drive closer. Then, he overheard her stamping her foot in anger and muttering, "Damn Mr. Finch! We''re absolutely irreconcble!"

 Billionire 43

    Keep Her by His Side


    Jonathan''s heart trembled. He frowned as he honked his horn.


    Seeing him in the car, Rose asked, "Why are you here?"


    "Just passing by," Jonathan replied calmly.


    Rose''s eyes lit up instantly. She hadn''t expected a way out. Her star escort husband was indeed an angel sent by heaven. She smiled and blinked with anticipation.


    "Um, can I stay for a night? Just one night. Then, I''ll leave early tomorrow morning."


    Seeing Jonathan furrowing his brows, she immediately added, "I can pay you..."


    She had no idea that Jonathan frowned because she wanted to leave the next morning. However, he was d that she was asking to stay of her own ord.


    He replied expressionlessly, "Get in the car,"


    Rose quickly sat in the passenger seat as she was afraid that he might change his mind.


    On the way, she admired her star escort husband''s perfect profile.


    She couldn''t help but sigh, "You have the samest name as that so-called Mr. Finch, but you''re much better than him..."


    She shook her head as she looked disdainful. Jonathan frowned. She seemed to dislike the so-called Mr.


    Finch.


    pose sto


    in the guest room in Jonathan''s residence at Zenwood Gardens. She fell asleep as soon as sheid down on the bed. Jonathan, who was in the room next door, spent a particrly peaceful night. The next morning, when Jonathan woke up, Rose had already bought breakfast. She served it while keeping an eye on her phone.


    With the sunlight streaming into the room, Jonathan found the breakfast unusually delicious with her beside him. Suddenly, his gaze froze when he noticed a rental listing on her phone. He furrowed as he asked, "Are you looking for a ce to rent?"


    Rose replied, "Yes. That darn Mr. Finch is too petty. I don''t know how I offended him. Since he''s in Aquastead, I probably won''t be able to stay in a hotel. Renting a ce wouldn''t be bad." Her eyes suddenly lit up when she saw a rental listing that piqued her interest. She immediately prepared to contact the estate agent.


    Jonathan''s face darkened. He was no longer interested in breakfast.


    Rose had arranged to meet with the real estate agent. After breakfast, she took all her belongings with her before leaving. She even left one day''s rent behind,


    During the entire morning. Jonathan seemed preupied. Even Finley noticed that something was bothering him.


    He couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Finch, is there something on your mind?"


    Jonathan shot him a nce. He asked in a surprisingly earnest tone, "If there''s someone you want to keep by your side, but she insists on wandering, what would you do?" Finley hesitated before replying. "Well, I''d make sure she has nowhere else to wander and can only stay by my side..."


    He sounded rather pleased with his answer as he found himself having a day where he could guide Jonathan.


    However, he then realized the "someone" Jonathan was talking about might be Rose.


    He recalled the previous night when Jonathan had instructed him to use all his connections to ensure that no hotel in Aquastead would allow Rose to check-in. He couldn''t help but tremble. At the same time, a smile formed on Jonathan''s face as he realized that the method he had usedst night had indeed been the right choice.


    He could use the same method to prevent her from renting a house.


    "Notify all the real estate agencies in Aquastead that no one can rent a house to Rose. Whoever dares to do so won''t be able to stay in Aquastead anymore," he instructed.


    He was confident that when the time came, he could appear before her as he had done the previous night. Then, she would have no choice but to beg him to amodate her.


    On the other hand, Finley became anxious. He had been working by Jonathan''s side since he was a child. Apart from Anastasia Young, he had never seen him care so much about a woman. He even heard Rose calling him "hubby" at the hospital, and yet he didn''t get angry.


    He couldn''t help but feel uneasy. What if Rose became the female owner of the Finch family one day, and she found out that it was Jonathan''s idea that prevented her from renting a house? Feeling anxious, he said, "Mr. Finch, would it be alright? How about we..."


    Just then, Jonathan''s phone rang. His gaze turned icy after seeing the name on it-it was Anastasia.

 Billionire 44

    Jonathan''s Desire to Keep Her


    After a moment of hesitation, Jonathan gestured to Finley to leave before answering the call. The caller seemed surprised at first.


    Then, her gentle voice came through, "Jonathan, I never thought you''d pick up my call. How have your been these years?"


    Jonathan remained silent for a long time.


    Anastasia then continued, "I know you probably still resent me. But, I truly had no choice back then... Can''t we let the past be the past? At the very least, the Finches and the Youngs are prestigious. And we used to...


    Jonathan coldly interrupted her as he said, "What are you up to?"


    It seemed like he didn''t want to indulge in reminiscing. Anastasia forced a bitter smile. She took a deep breath before getting to the point.


    "My grandfather wants me to participate as one of the organizers for the National Jewelry Design Award. I''d like to invite you as a special judge. You can rest assured, that you''ll only need to appear during the finals. It won''t take up much of your time."


    Jonathan was about to refuse, but she beat him to it and said, "You can think about it. There''s no need to give me an answer right away."


    Without waiting for his response, she quickly hung up the phone. It seemed she was afraid to receive his refusal. Jonathan furrowed his brows. Meanwhile, Finley had already conveyed his orders.


    At noon, Rose had viewed a house that she was very satisfied with. She was about to sign the lease when the real estate agent received a phone call.


    After answering the call, the agent told her, "I''m sorry, Ms. Shaffer. Thendlord has decided at thest minute not to rent this house. What do you think..."


    Rose replied, "It''s okay. Please rmend another ce for me."


    The agent looked troubled.


    "This....


    "Could it be that I won''t be able to rent any other houses either?"


    Rose felt a sense of unease creeping in the situation now was somehow familiar.


    "I''m truly sorry. I can''t do anything about it. Have you offended someone?"


    As Rose looked kind and generous, the agent stated his consideration. Rose''s mind recalled the image of that man with a ck mask.


    "I think I know who I''ve offended."


    It had to be that so-called Mr. Finch!


    They had only crossed paths that night at Lane residence. She admitted that she had indeed tried to


    harm his manhood under extreme circumstances even though she didn''t seed.


    However, how could that have led him to pester her relentlessly? She was seething with anger. After leaving the house, she decided to see the so-called Mr. Finch to ask for a clear exnation. Half an hourter, she arrived at Finch Building.


    After waiting for half an hour and not seeing her target, she went to the front desk to reques


    with Mr. Finch.


    a meeting


    Assuming she as an ill-intentioned client, the receptionist immediately dialed to the CEO''s office on the top floor.


    "What''s her name?" Finley asked as he answered the call.


    "She''s called Rose Shaffer. She said she has something very important to discuss with Mr. Finch."


    Upon hearing the receptionist''s words, Finley''s eyelid twitched. He quickly hung up the phone to inform


    Jonathan.


    "Mr. Finch, Ms. Shaffer is downstairs. She wants to see you."


    Jonathan didn''t expect her toe in person. He thought she was looking for "Mr. Finch", but this unexpected development cleared his previous frustration. "Let her up," he instructed.


    Ten minutester, a secretary from the CEO''s office went downstairs and personally led Rose to the reception room on the top floor in a respectful manner.


    The room was divided into two sections by a folding screen. After stepping in, Rose could only see a blurry silhouette behind it.


    Her breath momentarily faltered as a familiar sense of oppression washed over her.


    However, she quicklyposed herself and said, "Mr. Finch, can you tell me what I''ve done to offend you?"


    Behind the screen, Jonathan felt his mood lighten considerably when he saw her.


    He lowered his voice and replied, "You haven''t offended me."


    "Then, why have you repeatedly caused me trouble? You prevented me from staying in a hotel and even blocked my path to renting a house. What are you trying to do?" Rose was indignant. Jonathan yed with a coin in his hand.


    Without hiding his intentions, he replied, "It''s not safe for you to live alone outside. I have a suite at Zenwood Gardens. You can stay there."


    Rose was taken aback. What did he mean? She had a sudden suspicion that he might be trying to keep her!

 Billionire 45

    Everything Lies In His Control


    "Go on and dream your little dreams. I won''t stay there!


    With these resolute words, Rose left the reception room in feignedposure. As she descended the stairs, her heart raced with anxiety.


    These rich men always yed their games. Perhaps the so-called Mr Finch had set his sight on her, waiting to make her his ything.


    However, she refused to be a kept woman. Besides, she had never even seen what he looked like; he might have a crooked face or twisted mouth for all she knew.


    Worried that he might employ further tactics, she thought of her star escort husband. She made an immediate decision. On the other hand, Finley entered the reception room after Rose left. "Mr. Finch, why did Ms. Shaffer leave so fast? It''s only been a short while


    Jonathan also felt a tinge of disappointment. Even though there was a folding screen between them, he had wanted to steal more nces at her. Her parting words, however...


    His deep eyes gleamed mysteriously. Just then, his phone rang. As expected, it was Rose calling.


    When the call was connected, he could hear her extremely gentle voice, which was different from her earlier feline ferocity.


    "Um... I have a little favor to ask. I noticed that your ce is quite spacious. Living alone might get lonely, isn''t it? Do you need a housemate?"


    "Hmm?"


    Jonathan''s eyes had a subtle, fox-like cunning glint.


    "I''ll pay the rent. Can you ask your friend if he''d like to rent this ce?"


    "Yes, he will rent it," Jonathan said before hanging up the phone.


    He knew that everything was going ording to his n.


    On the other end, Rose was overjoyed to get his permission. Now that she had a ce to stay, the so-called Mr. Finch wouldn''t be able to employ any more tricks. Suddenly, she remembered something.


    "Just now, Mr. Finch mentioned that he has a suite at Zenwood Gardens: Did I mishear that?" she wondered.


    She tried hard to remember but couldn''t recall it. She told herself that it was probably a mishearing. Dispelling the thoughts, she took a taxi back to Zenwood Gardens. That night, the preliminary results of the National Jewelry Design Award were announced. Rose had doubtlessly made it to the finals.


    When Jonathan returned to Zenwood Gardens, she was preparing for the semi-finals.


    ording to thepetition rules, both the preliminary and semi-final rounds only required design drawings to be submitted on the official website.


    Only in the final round would contestants need to produce their designs as finished pieces. They had to go to Regalia personally for appraisal.


    This year''spetition had introduced an additional rule-the Young family, the organizers, would turn the finals into an auction event. The winning piece would be auctioned on the spot. The warm-toned light of the living room enveloped Rose as she was holding a pen and moving it on the paper, making a rustling sound. Jonathan was entranced as he watched her intently. When Rose raised her head, her eyes met his deep, prating gaze.


    A trace of unnaturalness fleeted across Jonathan''s handsome face. He averted his eyes, pretending to focus on the drawing on the paper-a rough design of a bracelet. "You can design?" he asked in genuine surprise.


    ording to the information provided by Zac, Rose had been unemployed since her graduation. He had thought of her as a clueless rich woman who couldn''t do anything. Nevertheless, her design seemed to be quite good.


    Rose proudly lifted her chin as she replied, "Of course! I''m quite skilled at it."


    The ''Ms. Flora" who had taken the Palene fashion world was none other than her. However, it was her


    secret.


    "What do you


    think?" She enthusiastically showed her design to Jonathan. "I n to create a teardrop-shaped piece here. What do you think? If I use this for the semi-finals of the National Jewelry Design Award, I should be able to make it to the finals, right?"


    "National Jewelry Design Award? Jonathan asked.


    "Yes! I''ve passed the preliminary round." Her eyes sparkled with excitement.


    With an air of indifference, Jonathan remarked, "If you make it to the finals, you''d have to go to Regalia, right?"


    "Of course! I''ll make it to the finals!" Rose said confidently.


    Jonathan''s eyes twinkled mischievously as he hummed nonchntly.


    "I think you won''t make it to the finals."


    Rose protested as she said, "What if I do make it to the finals?"


    "Then I might consider giving you a surprise," Jonathan said before turning and walking toward the master bedroom.


    "What kind of surprise? Be clear about it... Oh dear...


    Rose followed behind him but didn''t expect him to suddenly stop in his tracks. Unprepared, she bumped into his sturdy back.

 Billionire 46

    Looking Forward to Her Culinary Skills


    A twinge of mncholy coursed through Rose''s senses. Feeling worried, Jonathan turned around and was about to check on her. However, she grabbed his wrist and looked at him with anticipation. "What kind of surprise?"


    Jonathan was speechless. It seemed like she was right since she hadn''t forgotten about this matter.


    "I''ll tell you when you make it to the finals," he crisply replied before heading into the master bedroom.


    He suddenly thought that agreeing to be a judge for Anastasia''s invitation was a good idea after all.


    Outside the door, Rose''s curiosity remained unsatisfied, but this fueled her creativity. She stayed up all night toplete her design.


    After uploading the design to the official website at 6:00 AM, she finally went to sleep


    At 3:00 PM, she was awakened by her phone''s ringtone. Still half-asleep, she could only make out that it was a call from Evan as she picked it up


    "Evan..."


    "Rose, a friend from Regalia has just arrived in Aquastead and wants to see you. I apologize, but he knows Ms. Flora is in Aquastead. He''s a good friend of mine, so I couldn''t refuse. Don''t worry, he''s an upright person. He just wants to see you."


    Evan was gently seeking her opinion. Still in a daze, Rose only caught the words "Ms. Flora" and "a friend from Regalia".


    She mumbled, "Alright."


    "In that case, let''s set it for tomorrow at 8:00 PM. I''lle to pick you up."


    "Okay," Rose replied.


    She was still not quite awake as she hung up the phone. She slept until the next morning. After a full rest, she felt invigorated.


    When Jonathan left the house, she was suddenly inspired as she said, "I''ll cook dinner tonight. Would you like to try it?"


    Jonathan didn''t expect her to have good culinary skills. Yet, he couldn''t help feeling a faint sense of anticipation throughout the day. At 6:00 PM, he returned to Zenwood Gardens right on time. As soon as he got in the car, he received a call from Zac.


    "That person from the Youngs has arrived in Aquastead."


    Zac did not need to mention a name; Jonathan knew whom he was referring to.


    "So?"


    "So? There''s nothing more to it."


    Zac had originally nned to bring the two of them together and have a drink to clear up any misunderstandings.


    However, when he called that guy from the Youngs to make the arrangement, he already had an engagement for the evening.


    Thinking back to the friendship of the three of them in the past, Zac felt a bit down.


    "Let''s go out for a drink. Just the two of us." He invited Jonathan.


    "I''m not free," Jonathan replied curtly before hanging up the phone.


    What was the point of drinking when he was more looking forward to Rose''s culinary skills?


    At Zenwood Gardens, Rose was about to prepare the ingredients when she received a call from Evan. She recalled that she had agreed to something in her half-asleep state yesterday. Reluctantly, she texted him an address and changed into a different outfit before leaving. In her haste, she forgot to cancel her ns with Jonathan for the evening.


    Just as she got into Evan''s car, Jonathan''s car entered the underground garage. The two of them passed each other by a hair''s breadth.


    Rose and Evan made their way to a high-end restaurant in Aquastead.


    Inside the restaurant, a few pseudo-socialites who hade to the restaurant for a photo shoot were now whispering to each other while looking at the private room. They were no longer concerned with their cameras. Just a moment ago, a handsome young man entered the private room. One of the socialites recognized him,


    "Wow, it''s Miles Young from the Young family in Regalia. He''s in Aquastead! Do you know who the three most talked-about men are right now? They are Mr. Finch from the Finches, the Visualist Ezra, and Mr. Miles!"


    "I heard that a design prodigy in Aquastead also participated in the National Jewelry Design Award organized by the Youngs. Could it be that Mr. Mileses here because of that design prodigy?"


    "It must be true. He has a date... If only I''m good at designing..."


    The socialites were full of regret and envy. At the neighboring table, Kelly''s attention was caught when she heard the word "design prodigy". She didn''t even hear what Nixon was saying.


    Nixon, who was annoyed by her inattention, grabbed her hand on the table and redirected her focus.


    "Kelly, I want to introduce you to my grandmother and make our rtionship public."


    Kelly looked back at him disdainfully.


    Just then, the people at the neighboring table suddenly eximed, "They''re inside! Did you see it? A woman went in with a handsome man...

 Billionire 47

    Inviting Her as a Judge


    Kelly gazed in the direction and saw only the silhouette of a woman. Nevertheless, she recognized the man-it was Evan. As for the woman... Her figure bore a striking resemnce to Rose. Evan was following her. It made Kelly increasingly certain that the woman was indeed Rose. In an instant, jealousy surged within her. Alongside jealousy, there was an urgent sense of crisis. What was Miles doing with Rose? Was it because of the uing National Jewelry Design Award? Did he admire her designs, or was Evan trying to help her by using unfair means? The more Kelly thought about it, the more unsettled she became. Nixon noticed her change inplexion and immediately showed concern.


    "Kelly, are you feeling unwell? Let''s go then. I won''t return to Lane residence tonight. We can head to the apartment in the city."


    The city apartment had always been their secret rendezvous spot.


    Kelly had initially intended to hold onto Nixon before securing the support of Jonathan. However, as she looked at him now andpared him to Jonathan, her disdain grew,


    "I''ve been preparing for the National Jewelry Design Awardtely. I''m confident I can make it to the finals. My father urged me to finish the final piece early, so can we go to the apartment another time?"


    She soothingly touched his hand. Nixon had been feeling pent up these days. He wanted to vent his frustration with Kelly on the bed, but he had to hold back in this situation. In the private room.


    On their way to the restaurant, Evan had told Rose that they would be dining with Miles from the Youngs


    The Youngs held a paramount position in the jewelry industry. Naturally, Rose had heard of Miles before.


    Seeing the two of them enter, Miles promptly rose to greet them. He was dressed in a gray suit, his hair impably styled.


    Rose had seen media interviews with Miles, where he exuded a shrewd and astute business demeanor.


    However, after seeing him personally today, she discovered an unexpected sense of refinement and a strange sense of affability about him.


    As she pondered over the origin of this affability, she didn''t notice that her gaze had been fixed on his


    face.


    "Is there anything on my face?" Miles politely inquired.


    Rose snapped out of her reverie and blurted out, "Handsomeness!"


    She felt it was the kind of inherent elegance that left asting impression. Miles was stunned as it was the first time someone had praised him so directly.


    He paused for a moment before replying, "Ms. Flora, you are truly beautiful and interesting. No wonder Evan keeps you hidden as he''s afraid of others snatching you away."


    His gaze carried a hidden meaning as he nced at Evan. Yet, Rose believed he was referring to other jewelry brands extending an offer to her.


    The three of them took their seats. As they dined, they engaged in a casual discussion about international


    fashion. Suddenly, Rose broached the subject of the real matter.


    "Mr. Miles, you asked to meet me. I assume you have something else in mind?"


    Miles was caught off. With a suggestive smile, he replied, "Indeed, I do have a favor to ask you."


    "Well, I will do whatever I can." Rose had formed a very favorable impression of him.


    "Do you know about this year''s National Jewelry Design Award?"


    "Yes, I''m aware of it," Rose replied. She was one of the participants.


    "The Youngs would like to invite you to be one of the judges for the finals." He revealed his true intention.


    A slight breeze swept over Rose''s face as she hesitated.


    Miles noticed her hesitation and added, "Of course, if you prefer not to make a public appearance, we can consider altering the format of the final judging."


    Rose hurriedly shook her head.


    "No, it''s not that I don''t want to make a public appearance, but..."


    As one of the participants, how could she simultaneously serve as a judge? Thinking of her agreement with Jamie and her pursuit of the championship for the award, she had to decline the invitation. ''I''m sorry, Mr. Miles. I have to decline your invitation, but I can''t why. I''m sorry. I..."


    She wore an embarrassed expression. She had just affirmed that she would help without hesitation, only to refuse in the next moment. Fortunately, Miles had a gracious demeanor.


    "I might have been too hasty in making this request. It was somewhat inappropriate, but I genuinely appreciate your talent..."


    Rose understood this was a courteous remark. She was d that they all tacitly treated it as a minor episode. With their enjoyable meal concluding, they left the restaurant together. As Evan went to get the car, Rose and Miles remained


    In the dim light, Miles gazed at her with a distant look in his eyes as he said, "You look so much like her."

 Billionire 48

    Standing Him Up Makes Him Angry


    Rose''s heart skipped a beat. She thought of him as a refined charming gentleman in public but a love expert behind the scenes. However, his earnest gaze and sincere tone contradicted her assumptions.


    She immediately reproached her judgment and felt a pang of curiosity.


    "Her? Is she your ex-girlfriend? Your first love?"


    Miles noticed the curiosity in her eyes.


    He chuckled and said, "No, she''s my sister."


    "I see. Your sister..."


    Rose forced a smile. She had assumed there was some juicy backstory.


    Meanwhile, Kelly was eavesdropping on them from not far away. Earlier, she had rejected Nixon''s offer to send her home and pretended to take a taxi to leave..


    Nevertheless, she returned after a few minutes and deliberately waited for them toe out.


    Seeing them engrossed in conversation and seemingly getting along well, her jealousy red up like a burning fire.


    She was now more certain that Rose had made up to Miles to use his connections in entering the National Jewelry Design Award.


    "That sucks!"


    She clenched her teeth as she took out her phone and captured the image of the two of them who were chatting andughing. A malicious n was forming in her mind.


    After seeing Rose off in Evan''s car and parting ways, Miles''s driver brought the car.


    As he got into the car, his assistant handed him a stack of documents and said, "Mr. Miles, these are the entries for the semifinals of the National Jewelry Design Award. Would you like to review them personally?"


    Miles took the documents and casually flipped through them. Suddenly, he came across a design that caught her attention. He nced at the designer''s name. It was Rose!


    In the preliminary round, her brooch design had captured his attention. He had encountered numerous talented designers, but none had the same captivating effect as Rose''s designs.


    ''Pay attention to this contestant named Rose. Make sure she makes it to the finals. Also, in the next few days, I''ll be visiting Chereton. My grandfather is looking for his daughter, who once lived there," he said.


    Rose returned to Zenwood Gardens at around 11:00 PM. For some reason, she felt like she had forgotten something, but she couldn''t recall what it was.


    It was only when she arrived home and saw Jonathan sitting at the dining table that she realized her mistake-she had forgotten to notify him and canceled their dinner date.


    At that moment, he was Saning at her with an intense, almost predatory gaze


    An overwhelming sense of guilt surged within her.


    She tentatively asked, "Uh... Have you eaten?"


    Jonathan''s voice was as cold as ice.


    "What do you think?"


    Rose couldn''t help but swallow nervously.


    She cast a nce at her bedroom door and said, "Haha! You haven''t eaten yet? Why? It''s not good to starve... I''m a bit tired. You... you have no choice but to keep starving..."


    She decided to evade the situation after sensing his increasingly displeased expression. She was only about 30 steps away from her room. If she ran fast, she could make it. However, she was about halfway to her room when arge hand firmly gripped the back of her clothing. She was then lifted off the ground with considerable force. "Ah! Let go of me..."


    Fear surged through her. Jonathan''s pent-up anger from waiting for several hours had reached its peak.


    He said with a frigid voice, "Keep starving? What about your culinary skills?"


    She actually wanted to escape?


    Panic welled up inside Rose as she tried to exin, ¡°Haha... I forgot about it. I didn''t mean to. I''m sorry.... I''ll pay more attention next time.¡±


    She was even considering the next time?


    He continued to stare at her coldly as he asked, "Where did you go?"


    "I met a friend."


    "Who?"


    "Evan ..." Rose didn''t dare to hide it. Nevertheless, she didn''t mention Miles.


    Jonathan narrowed his eyes as he thought about Evan, who had feelings for her. Instantly, he felt even more displeased as his tone turned somewhat sour. "A date?"


    A date?


    "Don''t jump to conclusions! Evan and I have a perfectly normal rtionship, Rose emphasized with an air of righteousness.


    Her eager rification regarding their rtionship finally appeased Jonathan. However, he still held onto the back of her clothing, not letting go.


    Suddenly, his stomach gurgled. Following the sound, Rose turned and looked at his stomach. Then, a deep, somewhat pitiful voice rang out. "I''m hungry!"

 Billionire 49

    Act Improperly


    How could Rose ignore a handsome guy who was starving? She pointed toward the kitchen as she signaled him to let go of her.


    She then went to the kitchen. Ten minutester, a te of spaghetti was ced in front of Jonathan.


    He looked at the simple-made spaghetti with disdain. He already expected that her culinary skills were nothing special.


    However, after taking a bite, he revealed an incredulous expression. The taste was surprisingly good.


    Rose was cleaning the stove in the kitchen. Jonathan became entranced as the warm light illuminated


    her.


    When Rose was about to turn around, he shifted his gaze away and concentrated on eating his meal. Five. dayster, the semi-final results of the National Jewelry Design Award were announced. Rose sessfully made it to the finals.


    She eagerly screenshot the news and sent it to her star escort husband as she texted, "You promised me a surprise if I made it to the finals. Can you finally tell me what it is?"


    Jonathan was in a meeting. Upon seeing the message, his stern face suddenly broke into a smile.


    He then replied to her message, "I''ll give it to you on the day of the finals."


    What? Rose replied with an emoji that showed disdain and tossed her phone aside to prepare for the finals.


    However, Jonathan kept his eyes fixed on the phone, particrly on the emoji she sent. He couldn''t help but smile as his heart filled with joy.


    "Mr. Finch?"


    It was only until Finley reminded him that he noticed that everyone in the meeting room was staring at him in surprise.


    "Cough..."


    He put away his smile and resumed his serious demeanor.


    After the meeting, he immediately instructed Finley, "Notify the Young family that have a free schedule: on the day of the finals. I can attend as a special guest judge. Finley


    was momentarily stunned. The finals of the National Jewelry Design Award were scheduled for the 10th of next month.


    After quickly checking Jonathan''s schedule, he said, "Mr. Finch, the president of Lerain Group ising to Aquastead on that day. You have a dinner appointment with him. Besides, you also nned to visit Mrs. Gibson Senior in the morning.


    "Postpone it, or reschedule."


    Jonathan decided without hesitation.


    "But...


    It was right to reschedule the visit to Mrs. Gibson Senior.


    However, offending Lerain Group, which held significant influence in international affairs, was a risky move as Finch Group was seeking coboration with Lerain Group for the first time.


    It would make Finch Group a shame if Jonathan decided to postpone or reschedule the dinner with the president.


    "Mr. Finch ..."


    Finley wanted to say more, but a single nce from Jonathan silenced him. In the end, he went to discuss the details of Jonathan''s participation as a judge with the Youngs.


    The news that Jonathan would be a special guest judge at the National Jewelry Design Award finals was soon announced on the official website.


    That evening, when Jonathan was taking a shower in the bathroom, Rose saw the handsome silhouette of "Mr. Finch" on the official website.


    Her heart skipped a beat as she worriedly thought, "He''s also involved? What if he recognizes me and causes trouble?"


    Just as she was feeling uneasy, her star escort husband''s phone, which was left on the sofa, started ringing.


    She didn''t want to invade someone''s privacy. However, the call was persistent, hanging up a back repeatedly.


    Wondering if it was an urgent call, she decided to hand the phone to her star escort husband in the bathroom. However, as she reached for the phone, she identally answered it. calling


    From the other end of the line, a woman said gently, "Jonathan, I knew you wouldn''t refuse me. When you return to Regalia, I''lle pick you up.....


    Before she could continue, the bathroom door suddenly swung open. Rose was startled. Her hand trembled and identally disconnected the call.


    Jonathan, wrapped in a white bathrobe with ayer of mist on his wet hair, furrowed his brows. He stared at the phone in her hand. Rose felt as if she had been caught doing something wrong. Without thinking much, she blurted out, "I just wanted to use the bathroom..."


    "Huh?"


    Jonathan''s gaze grew more guarded as if he suspected she was using this as an excuse to act improperly. Rose felt that her exnation was falling apart.


    At that moment, the phone rang again. Seeing the name "Anastasia" on it, she immediately shoved the phone into his hand.

 Billionire 50

    The Visualist Ezra


    Rose quickly ran away after handing the phone to Jonathan. As she closed the bedroom door, she heard her star escort husband''s deep and sexy voice from outside.


    "Okay. We''ll discuss it when I return to Regalia," he said.


    Rose recalled the woman''s gentle voice she had heard earlier. Anastasia? From the way she talked, it seemed she had a close rtionship with her star escort husband. He was returning to Regalia? Rose felt a bit uneasy. Suddenly, she thought of something. Just now, Anastasia called her star escort husband by his name.


    "Is it "Jon?" she wondered.


    She strained her memory but couldn''t recall the exact name due to nervousness.


    She didn''t even delve into the fact that both Anastasia and her star escort husband used the word "return" when they talked about Regalia.


    The news that Jonathan would be a special guest judge at the National Jewelry Design Award finals quickly seized the headlines on Facebook.


    Many wealthy parties announced their ns to attend the auction after the finals.


    As the enthusiasm for the National Jewelry Design Award remained high with the entire nation discussing


    it, the Visualist Ezra in the entertainment industry posted on social media that he was in search of a jewelry brand endorsement.


    In no time, his fans swarmed to the official website and left numerousments expressing their


    support.


    In just three days, the coboration between the Youngs and Ezra''s studio was officially announced.


    Ezra became the brand ambassador for Young''s House of Jewels, as well as taking on the role of ambassador for the National Jewelry Design Award.


    The National Jewelry Design Award was already highly esteemed within the industry. With the endorsement of Jonathan and Ezra, all the finalists were motivated to put forth their best efforts.


    Seven days before the finals, Rose hadpleted her design. Now, she needed to turn her design into a physical piece.


    Celeste Jewels had advanced crafting techniques and top-quality materials. However, she, as an heir, didn''t have any rights to obtain these resources.


    She couldn''t help but feel the irony. She was thinking about where to find materials and have her design created when she received a call from Jamie.


    "Come back to the vi," he said.


    Rose hesitated for a while before she decided to go back. When she arrived at the Shaffer residence, she found Kelly and Chelsea there.


    Several cats and dogs ran up to her feet. Kelly beamed with satisfaction as she said, "Rose, I''ve adopted some cats and dogs. I don''t know why, but they seem to like your room. Your room is empty anyway. You


    won''t mind, right?"


    Rose nced at the room. All her belongings had been removed. She had been gone for less than a month, yet it seemed like there was no ce for her in this home anymore.


    She replied sarcastically, "I don''t mind. As long as you''re happy."


    With that, she walked into the study.


    Jamie, who seemed to have been waiting for her, asked, "You made it to the finals?"


    Rose replied, "Yes."


    "Good. If your mother knew that you inherited her talent, she''d be very happy." Jamie chuckled.


    It was the first time Rose had heard him mention her mother with such tenderness. She stared at him, hoping to find some caring aspect of her father.


    "What about you? Are you happy?"


    However, reality once again defied her.


    "Of course, I''m happy."


    Jamie''s face retained its usual aloof and detached expression. He took a piece of paper from the drawer and handed it to her.


    "For the finals, you need to create a physical piece based on your design. I know you don''t have many resources. You''re still a part of the Shaffers, so I won''t refuse to help you. You need to go to this ce and talk to this person. She can provide you with what you need."


    Rose nced at the address written on the paper as she asked, "Chereton?"


    Chereton was not far from Aquastead. It was known for its jewelry-making workshops. It was also a ce where her mother once lived. Taking the address, she left Shaffer residence.


    As she departed, Kelly and Chelsea were still in the living room.


    Kelly was thinking about their n as she asked Chelsea in uncertainty, "Mom, do you think she''ll go?"


    "Don''t worry. She cares too much about herte mother. Chereton was a ce where her mother once lived, so she''ll go."


    Thinking about the deceased Celeste, Chealse''s lips curled up in a cold smile.

 Billionire 51

    Your Eyes Look Just Like Hers


    Rose drove all night long to Chereton, where she managed to find the house ording to the address the


    next morning.


    The door was open when she arrived, and a middle-aged woman sat outside in the courtyard sewing. She was surprised to see Rose.


    "Hi there, are you Mdm. Angelica?" Rose asked gently.


    Angelica Willis swiftly set her sewing down and walked up to Rose.


    She looked at her long and hard before saying. "You''re so big now, Rose. I held you when you were a baby, do you remember? Oh, you must''ve forgotten about me already."


    Angelica gazed fixedly at Rose''s face, then eximed, "Your eyes... you look just like her!"


    Miles had said her eyes resembled someone else''s the other day, too. Knowing now that Angelica meant her mother, she beamed happily, feeling closely affectionate to the older woman. Angelica told Rose all about her mother, and then handed her an old box. Inside was arge chunk of raw fire opal.


    "Your mother left this behind decades ago. Take it. I have no use for it anyway."


    Rose was stunned. She could use this opal to craft a ne for the jewelry-designpetition. It was a beautiful specimen and would surely make heads turn


    But then again her mother had left this behind, and now that Angelica had given it to her, Rose couldn''t just take it without giving anything in return.


    So she decided she would give Angelica some money before leaving. Thetter was a hobby jewelry maker herself, hence she had the tools necessary in the yard.


    Rose started crafting the next morning. Watching her deeply focused on her work, Angelica was reminded of Celeste from all those years ago.


    There suddenly came a knocking on the front door. Angelica stood up and went to the gate. There was a man outside - Miles Young. Angelica narrowed her eyes cautiously.


    Before she could say anything, however, he asked, "Does a woman named Henrietta Willis-live here? Or do you maybe know anyone by that name?"


    Angelica masked her shock at the mention of that name. Henrietta Willis was Celeste''s name before she changed it a long time ago.


    "No. Never heard of it!"


    Angelica swiftly shut the door, worried Rose might be disturbed all the way in the yard.


    Disappointment red in Miles'' eyes. He had sworn he would find Henrietta after his grandfather instructed him to, yet after following his one possible lead here, it''d abruptly ended just like that. Rose ended up spending two days finishing the ne. It was just as beautiful as she''d imagined it! "You do have your mother''s talent," Angelica mumbled as she gazed at the ne.


    Rose decided she would leave the next morning, so she decided to learn more about her mother during dinner. She spoke with Angelica as the two ate.


    All of a sudden, Rose began feeling tired. She thought it might have been because of her continuous crafting for the past two days.


    "Your mother truly was blessed with talent and luck, you know that?" Angelica suddenly said. "So incredibly lucky it was unbearable. As for you, those eyes of yours do nothing but remind me of her wretched presence!"


    Dizziness swept over Rose.


    "What are you talking about, Mdm. Angelica?"


    "Thank you for turning this chunk of opal into such a fine piece of jewelry. I''m sure it''ll fetch a good price!" Angelica sneered as she took out the jewelry from Rose''s purse as well as her design sketches.


    "No...


    Rose tried to stop her, but was swept with a wave of lethargy so strong, she passed out. When she next awoke, it was 4:00 AM.


    Angelica was nowhere to be found in the house. As Rose recalled what had transpired, she suddenly pieced something together. "It was him!

 Billionire 52

    Stealing Her Jewelry for Kelly


    Rose immediately called Jamie''s number.


    The moment it went through, she cried angrily, "You told Mdm. Angelica to do this, didn''t you? All just to steal my design - did you use such pathetic tricks just because you were afraid I''d win the award?!" Jamie sneered and hung up the call.


    He''d thought Rose would lose at the entry stage of thepetition and use that as an excuse to deny her inheritance of Celeste Jewels.


    Unexpectedly, she ended up making it to the finals, and her designs were even secretly doted on by those in the Young family. That''s why he devised this scheme to ensure Rose''s loss in thepetition. Now Angelica had gotten her hands on the ne!


    Jamie smirked gleefully and said to Chelsea beside him, "Kelly won''t have to worry about thepetition now. Shell be using Rose''s design to participate. When she wins first ce, I''ll make sure she''s equipped with the necessary ir before establishing her as a nationwide master jeweler! If she catches the eye of the Young''s House of Jewels, it''ll be all the better!"


    Chelsea said worriedly, "But what if Rose causes a scene at the finals? What if she tarnishes Kelly''s reputation..."


    "We''ll just have to make sure she doesn''t make it there! Jamie then made a call with his phone.


    Rose drove all night back to Aquastead. She knew Jamie had his grudges against her, but he never expected him to stoop so low all so she''d be prevented from taking over Celeste Jewels!


    She wasn''t going to just sit back and wait now that she''d lost her jewelry. There were still three days to the finals, so retrieving her jewelry was nigh impossible.


    She could only hope to make another piece before the finals. On the car ride back, Rose took out some paper and began re-drawing the original ne design she''d made.


    Kelly suddenly called, to which Rose picked up.


    "Thank you so much, Rose. Dad said you''d be making me a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry, and it just so happens that I haven''t created a piece for the National Jewelry Design Award. I can use the piece you made instead, right? Hehe..."


    Kelly was delighted, trying to goad Rose. Kelly had sworn she would take away everything Rose had.


    Her initial worry that she might lose to Rose had long faded after her father unexpectedly came up with the idea of stealing Rose''s jewelry so she could use it herself.


    "He loves you so... Rose murmured sarcastically, though it felt like hot knives were cutting into her heart.


    She shakily hung up the call and looked back down at her design sketch. There was no point making this again, but she wasn''t going to just give up!


    Rose took a deep breath and tore out the sketch before turning to a new page. She was going to sketch a new design.


    She used the pen as a tool to vent out her undying rage and sadness into the paper, finally creating a new design in less than an hour. Rose then left a small me symbol in the corner.


    It was the signature she used when she drew her designs under her alias ''Ms. Flora'', but time was of the essence and she couldn''t be bothered to redraw.


    So she hurriedly scribbled her name underneath the symbol. Just then, the loud ring of car horns sounded in her ear. Rose looked up, meeting the striking lights of a truck that was racing right at them. With a loud bang and crash, the car swerved to the side, and Rose swiftly lost consciousness.

 Billionire 53

    Who''d Dare Ban


    His Woman?


    Jonathan received a call from Rose early at 6:00 AM. He recalled how she''d mentioned she would be preparing for the National Jewelry Design Award in Chereton a couple of days ago.


    It''d been days since then. Did she finally remember him? When Jonathan called, it was a man who picked


    it up.


    "Are you her husband? She''s been in a car ident and is currently here in Aquastead General Hospital."


    With that, the call ended. Jonathan''s heart skipped as he called the number again. But the phone had shut off this time. He drove first thing to the hospital to look for Rose.


    When he arrived, she''d just finished surgery and was resting in a ward, looking extremely pale.


    "Are you family? She''s lucky to still be alive after such a gruesome ident. Else the blood loss would''ve killed her," a nurse said softly. She then handed a blood-soaked notepad to Jonathan. "She was clutching tight onto this when they sent her in. It must be really important to her."


    Jonathan looked at the notepad and saw a design for jewelry under the dark red stains. He''d seen Rose''s design before, and it wasn''t this one. What happened in the past few days?


    Who was the man that had answered her phone earlier?


    Jonathan had Finley check the hospital surveince cameras and was then reported that the man who''d answered Rose''s call was the same man who''d sent her to the ER.


    The man didn''t seem to want his identity to be found out, however, so he hid his face throughout his time


    in the hospital. There were only two days left from thepetition finale.


    All participants arrived in Regalia early on to take photos with the judges at thepetition site to promote it online.


    Everyone had been present except for one of the judges, Jonathan Finch, and a participant, Rose Shaffer.


    "Mr. Finch just needs to turn up during the finale. He doesn''t need to be bothered with something as trivial as advertisements!"


    "Yeah! He earns a couple million dors each minute. But what about that participant, Rose Shaffer? Even Ezra''s showed up for the photos - does Rose think she''s some bigshot to not attend?" Theizens were engaged in heated discussions.


    Meanwhile, in one of Regalia''s finest hotels, Kelly was snickering gleefully as she read all theirments. She''d heard about Rose''s ident and consequent surgery.


    At this rate, there was no way Rose would show up for the finals!


    Kelly then logged into her burner ount and tagged several bigshots in the jewelry industry, writing. Someone who disrespects thepetition and the jewelry industry should be banned!"- Afterward, she paid some ghostwriters to help propagate her post. Soon, the tag #BanRoseShaffer became viral all over the inte.


    Rose remained unconscious in the hospital while Finley was alerted by the viral hashtag. He quickly showed Jonathan this. "Sir, look..."


    A dangerous gleam appeared in Jonathan''s eyes for a moment before disappearing. Ban Rose Shaffer? Who dared ban his woman? Jonathan turned his gaze to Rose''s stained notepad. "There''s no need to give up on thepetition now when she''s already drawn out her design," he sneered.


    He''d agreed to judge in thepetition all because of Rose in the first ce. If Rose couldn''t go to Regalia personally, he would make the organizer host thepetition in Aquastead!


    "Tell the Young family and the organizers to change thepetition site from Regalia to Aquastead. We will fulfill all demands so long as they approve this change!" Jonathan instructed. BIG SALE 3500 bonus free fou you

 Billionire 54

    Miss!


    Finley immediately got to work. Soon, news of the site change spread online.


    Thepetition organizer released an announcement "The National Jewelry Design Awardpetition will be hosted in Aquastead instead of Regalia this year!"


    Ten minutester, Ezra made a post with his photo. Underneath was the caption: "I heard Aquastead is a ce you never want to leave once you set foot in it. Why don''t we check it out?"


    Another ten minutes passed, and all the heavy yers in the jewelry industry had acquiesced to the site change without argument.


    Kelly soon returned to Aquastead and headed to the hospital where Rose was.


    When she saw Rose alone in the ward, still unconscious on the bed, she sneered, "Poor thing. Did no one


    The nurse happened to overhear her and walked inside.


    "Ms. Shaffer has been taken care of by her husband since yesterday. He... must''ve been busy today. I didn''t see him return after leaving this morning."


    "Pit."


    The husband that works as a bouncer outside a bar? Kelly rolled her eyes.


    She waited until the nurse left before whispering to her sister, "You need to hurry and wake up, Rose. Otherwise, you''ll miss out on watching me win first ce in thepetition. You are about to have your reputation ruined, and I''m not the only one who''s been buying off people to write shit about you. Looks like you have more enemies than you think!"


    Kelly left afterward, filled with delight. She didn''t notice the twitch in Rose''s fingers.


    Rose felt like she was trapped in a nightmare. In it, she was in a car, sitting beside a woman.


    When she turned to see who it was, she cried, "Mom...


    A look of fear red in the woman''s eyes. Rose followed her gaze and saw a truck with blinding lights hurtling right at their car.


    There was a loud crash, followed by the car being overturned and falling into a nearby river.


    Rose could feel the car sinking underwater and her with it, but suddenly a firm hand caught her wrist, pulling her up.


    A determined yet gentle voice said to her, "You need to leave, Rose... you need to leave right now!"


    It was her mother''s voice. Rose wanted to see her face, but the next thing she knew she was in the car''s wreckage, and her mother had turned into a man whose face she could not see. All she heard was a worried, "Hang on, miss!"


    Rose suddenly woke up from her dream. Her car ident was no coincidence!


    She hissed as she lifted her injured hand to pick up her phone. When she saw today''s date, another wave of shock ran through her. It was the tenth already, the day of the finale! Was she toote? The thought that Kelly would use her design in the finalpetition made anger well up in her chest. That design was created by her hand! Just then, a conversation wafted in from outside the ward.


    "I heard the sudden change ofpetition site from Regalia to Aquastead''s Trade Center was ording to Mr. Finch''s instructions!"


    "But it was the Young''s House who organized this. How could they just let Mr. Finch do as he pleases?"


    "I heard from a cousin who works in the Young''s House of Jewels that Mr. Finch is in a rtionship with Anastasia Young. They knew each other from a young age and were even contracted to marry one another. Yet Anastasia ended up marrying someone else. I heard that, she realized she still had feelings for Mr. Finchter on, and so decided to divorce her current husband.


    The name ''Anastasia Young'' was strangely familiar to Rose, but she hadn''t the time to ponder it right now.


    All she kriew was that thepetition site was now in Aquastead, so she was going to attend it and take back what was hers!


    Rose secretly left the hospital and headed to Aquastead Trade Center. All participants submitted their respective creations to the organizer before the finale,


    Arge screen at the venue depicting said participants names would reflect their submissions, and participants who had submitted their creations would have their names turned from gray to red. Kelly saw that Rose''s name was still gray and snickered delightfully. When she turned away, she happened to see Jonathan in the distance!

 Billionire 55

    Do You Have a Twin Brother?


    Jonathan was heading backstage under the protection of several bodyguards. Kelly only caught sight of his fading back, but it was enough to get her hyped up.


    Ever since thest time, Kelly had persisted with her dream of making it to the top, promising herself that she would approach Jonathan again once she got first ce in thepetition.


    She wanted to leave him asting impression, after all. Meanwhile, Kelly forgot entirely about the participant''s name list on the screen, and so did not see when Rose''s name changed from gray to red.


    Evan had just gotten off his ne at the Aquastead International Airport when he called Rose''s number. He''d taken an emergency flight to Finterra and saw the viral news online involving Rose. Many of his calls to her had gone unanswered, until this one.


    "Where are you, Rose? What happened? Are ...are you okay?" Evan asked worriedly.


    Rose leaned against her seat, wincing as her injury red with pain.


    "I''m okay. I''m on my way to thepetition site."


    Her weak tone made Evan worry even more.


    "Rose, I''m making sure the hate news online is being suppressed. For some reason, I can''t help but feel like you''ve made some enemies who are intentionally using this situation to ruin your reputation..." News online?


    Rose opened up her phone. Hashtags screamed in her face, ranging from #QuititRoseShaffer to # RoseShaffer DisrespectsCompetition and #BanRoseShaffer. All three had been made viral online. "Look, I''m famous," Rose murmured bitterly.


    There was no way someone as minuscule as her would end up being in the headlines if it weren''t for some third party''s maniption. Was it Jamie who started this? Or Kelly?


    If Rose was banned from the industry, Celeste Jewel would be doomed once she inherited it.


    Taking a deep breath, Rose had the driver speed up. They reached the venue in thirty minutes, which was packed with a thick crowd near the entrance.


    Some younger fans were holding up sign boards in their hands that read stuff like "Look at me, hotcakes!" to "You''re so handsome!". Ezra must be nearby.


    Usually, Rose would''ve tried her luck catching him as he walked by, but right now all she wanted was to reim what was hers in thepetition, suffering or not.


    She shoved into the crowd, a ck mask on her face. Rose was nearly at the venue entrance when a young woman caught her wrist.


    "Sir is asking for your presence immediately, Ms. Raeynal"


    Sir? Ms. Raeyna?


    Rose was taken aback. Realizing this woman must''ve mistaken her for another, she tried rifying herself. Unfortunately, the woman had already dragged her into a nearby private lounge. When Rose came back to her senses, the door had long shut behind her.


    A man''s voice came from behind her, "Well, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get started on my makeup!"


    Makeup? Rose turned around to find a mannguishing in a cushioned seat in front of a makeup mirror. His eyes were shut as Rose gazed at his face. Shock, she slowly walked up towards him. If she hadn''t recognized the man to be Ezra Turner, she would''ve thought this was her star escort husband.


    Rose had found thetter handsome, yes, but never put him side by side inparison to Ezra Turner.


    This suddenparison made her realize just how simr they looked, yet one closer look and you could tell just where their differencesy. Just like that, Rose blurted out a question before she could stop herself.


    "Do you have a twin brother?"

 Billionire 56

    Find Out Who That Woman Is


    Ezra opened his eyes all of a sudden.


    Rose was taken aback by the action and swiftly ran out of the makeup lounge. Secondster, Ezra''s assistant brought in another woman who''d dressed just like Rose earlier.


    The assistant said apologetically, "I''m so sorry, sir. I mistook the other woman for Ms. Raeyna ... "


    Ezra looked at Raeyna, noting how she''d dressed just like the woman from earlier - hair tied up in a ponytail, wearing a ck face mask. Even her left arm was bound up in a medical sling. "They do look pretty simr, "Ezra noted, amused.


    But the woman earlier had asked him if he had a twin brother. Did that mean she''d met someone who looked like him before? He was certain he was the only person who had his looks!


    "Hm."


    Curiosity piqued, Ezra called his assistant over.


    "Find out who that woman from earlier is. Now!"


    Raeyna was left feeling disappointed.


    She said tly, "I can just touch up your makeup a little, and you can head on out after."


    ording to the event schedule, Ezra only needed to show up onstage to present the winning piece. The event had only made it to the jewelry piece showcasing for the time being.


    Meanwhile, Rose had found a seat amongst the audience, waiting for the participants'' pieces to be revealed one by one.


    When the session neared its end, the host announced, "Now let us invite our 28th participant, Ms. Kelly Shaffer."


    Rose''s heart leaped into her throat as she watched Kelly walk onstage, dressed in a striking red dress. She was all smiles, wearing Rose''s favorite color today


    The big screen disyed the ne design, its smooth structure and lines catching everyone''s attention.


    At the bottom right was the name ''Kelly Shaffer'' underneath a me symbol. The sight-made Rose curl her hands into fists.


    The host asked Kelly, "What a stunning design, Ms. Kelly! May we know what this me symbol means?" How would Kelly know what it meant? When she got her hands on the design, she noticed the symbol of a me drawn at the bottom corner.


    Not knowing what it meant, she decided to write her name beneath it.


    With a grin, Kelly answered, "This is just a habit of mine. I like adding a me symbol to my drawings or writings. If it were to mean anything. I''d say it means my unquenchable passion for design." She then winked, trying to act cutesy. The crowd went wild with sounds of appreciation.


    Miles, however, frowned upon seeing the me symbol from the VIP seating row. He recognized it when he saw Ms. Flora''s designs through Evan.


    It was Ms. Flora''s signature mark for her drawings. But Kelly Shaffer was not Ms. Flora. A strange light glinted in Miles'' eyes.


    Meanwhile, someone brought out ''Kelly''s'' ne. The moment it was revealed, a wave of gasps washed through the crowd.


    A stunning, silver ne was presented on stage, iid with arge fire opal in the center and nked by several others.


    It was undoubtedly the most perfectly crafted piece of jewelry among all the other pieces. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and some judges even gave it a 10/10.


    After they''d given their points, the attention now turned to Jonathan''s points. Though he was as much a judge as the rest, he wasn''t present in the venue with them. He was currently in a special private lounge to the side, watching thepetition proceed through a live. telecast.


    The moment Kelly''s design was presented, he''d immediately recognized it to be Rose''s work. How could Rose''s design have fallen into Kelly''s hands...


    "The design and final product are exquisite," he said coldly. "I''d like to meet Ms. Kelly Shaffer in person."

 Billionire 57

    She Was Here!


    Jonathan''s instruction rang through the microphone and to the speakers in the event venue. He''d not said a word during the other participants'' showcase, yet now he was asking to meet Kelly in person!


    Did that mean the award was right on the horizon for Kelly? The audience gazed at Kelly in sheer admiration, thetter which was buzzing with excitement.


    Jonathan Finch had called personally for her. Did that mean she''d finally caught his attention? She took a deep breath topose herself. She couldn''t look too shocked now that Jonathan was looking at her. Smiling pleasantly, she was about to ept Jonathan''s offer when the man spoke again, "But before that, let us see the final participant''s creation!"


    He then went out of the lounge and backstage.


    Kelly frowned lightly, asking, "Final participant? Weren''t there only 28 of us? I should be the final one, right


    Next thing she knew, the participant list had been disyed on screen. Kelly grew rigid with fright when she saw that Rose''s name had been colored red.


    Rose was just as shocked at the sight. She''d been about to go onstage to reveal Kelly''s scheme in front of everybody. She hadn''t submitted her creation, so the organizer should''ve disqualified her already. So what was happening now?


    "Now let us wee Ms. Rose Shaffer onstage," the host said.


    Everyone looked to the side of the stage where the participants filed in, but Rose was not there.


    Kelly''s panic instantly faded. Rose was still unconscious in the hospital, so there was no way she''d be here right now.


    She was about to take advantage of the situation to further smear Rose''s name when a voice suddenly rang out from amidst the crowd.


    "I''m right here..."


    Rose''s throat was painfully sore as she rasped out the words. Only then did the crowd turn to look at her. Upon hearing her, Jonathan looked in her direction. Shock and delight filled his being. Rose was awake! Not only that, but she was present here too!


    "I''m here! I''m Rose Shaffer!" Rose said again, voice shaky.


    Jonathan shot his bodyguards a look. They immediately went to clear out a path for Rose to the stage. All eyes were on her as she walked onstage.


    Meanwhile, no one but Ezra noticed how Jonathan silently disappeared back behind the curtains. He narrowed his eyes, then nced at Rose. He grinned lightly.


    So your name is Rose, hm?"


    Rose was slowly walking toward Kelly, ring fixedly at her. Thetter was nearly trembling in sheer panic. She took a step back, wanting to leave.


    "You can leave from here, Ms. Kelly," the host said.


    Kelly was worried Rose might sabotage her, so the host had practically saved her. She decided to step


    away first before finding a way to get back at Rose. But Rose wasn''t going to let her go that easily.


    Kelly took a step back, but Rose immediately grabbed her arm.


    "Can I have my dear sister stand with me here onstage?"


    D

 Billionire 58

    Searching For Him


    "So you two are sisters? No wonder you share the same surname! If that''s the case, would you be willing to stay here and witness your sister''s creation?" the host asked, surprised. Kelly gnawed angrily at her cheek. Rose''s grip around her arm tightened, making her grit out, "Of course I


    will!"


    The host nodded at Rose.


    "Your mask, Ms. Rose...


    Rose took her mask off, revealing her pale and fragile visage. Miles couldn''t help but stand up, watching her in utter shock. No one noticed him when he did this, however.


    All of a sudden, a design sketch appeared on the screen onstage. It was drenched in blood, the bright color making everyone reel away. "What is this?"


    "Why is there so much blood?"


    Rose turned to look at the screen and was left shocked.


    "What''s going on?" A judge asked.


    Kelly immediately put on a worried act.


    "How could you be so careless as to let your design get so dirtied, Rose? What if people think you''re disrespecting thepetition?"


    The judges instantly frowned. They''d seen the discussions online about Rose''s reputation, so their perspective of her further worsened.


    Kelly was delighted by this. She couldn''t wait for the judges to outright disqualify Rose.


    Suddenly, the host seemed to receive some instructions through his earpiece. He first appeared shocked, then turned to Rose with a gaze of utmost pity. "Ms. Rose isn''t disrespecting thepetition. She''s been full-heartedly devoted to it!"


    The crowd turned to Rose curiously.


    The host continued, "You must all be wondering why there''s so much blood soaked in this design. It''s only because it''s been part of a terrible car ident!" "How could that have happened?" someone asked from the crowd.


    "Ms. Rose was holding the design in hand when she became the unfortunate victim of a car ident recently. She held onto it even after losing consciousness and being in the ER. The blood soaking this design surely represents her devotion to thispetition instead of otherwise!" the host cried into the microphone.


    The audience now gazed at Rose with admiration and pity. Rose stared at the design on the screen. She''d sketched it in the car days ago. Why was it here?


    The host answered her unasked question in the next instant.


    "There was someone special who understood Ms. Rose''s devotion, and so he''d personally turned this design to life while Ms. Rose was resting unconscious in the hospital."


    The creation was revealed, being disyed side by side with its sketch on the screen. Only then did the audience notice that the design was actually of two rings locked together.


    The bloodstain had created a perfect hoop that connected the two. At first nce, one would think they were looking at an actual ne.


    The actual creation, on the other hand, was a silver ne studded with rubies


    Two rings hung onto one end, and where the blood had stained a crystal red in the design, there was a red diamond now iid in the actual creation itself.


    Meanwhile, the other ne only consisted of a few demure white diamonds. The red and white diamonds reflected one another, showing off a contrast of riotous passion and calm stillness. Ezra immediately recognized the red diamond onscreen. The Finches had uncovered a one-in-a-million red diamond in their mine overseas recently, practically priceless in value.


    Yet he chose to use it here


    "How curious," Ezra murmured, eyes glinting as he stared at Rose.


    Rose''s heart felt like it might leap out of her chest as she gazed at the finished creation. She never imagined such a color pairing would create such a magnificent impact!


    Who was this ''someone special'' the host meant? All Rose could think of was the star escort husband''s face. She instantly searched for him in the crowd.

 Billionire 59

    Utterly Shameless


    But he was nowhere to be found in the audience. Still, Rose was certain this was the work of her star escort husband.


    Just then, someone apuded in the audience. As if awoken from some spell, the rest of the audience erupted into riotous ps, giving their approval to Rose''s creation.


    Kelly never anticipated things to turn out like this. How could Rose have drawn up a design in such a short amount of time?


    She stared intently at the design, then, as iftching onto a bone to pick, said, "It is a beautiful ne. Yet why does it seem to be more of a pair of rings?"


    As stunning as this ne was, it wasn''t derived from the design sketch itself. That meant it was bound to be disqualified!


    The judges all had a look of uncertainty on their faces now as they discussed amongst themselves.


    Rose turned back to the stage. She hadn''t forgotten her purpose here today. She sneered, about to retort when Miles suddenly called out from the VIP seating area, his voice loud and clear.


    "The fact that they''re rings does go against the rules. But isn''t this me symbol on Ms. Rose''s sketch a little familiar to all of us here?"


    Everyone turned back to the screen, noticing the little symbol of a me at the bottom corner of the sketch right above Rose''s name.


    "Ms. Kelly''s sketch had the same symbol!"


    The audience instantly pieced it together.


    "Could you exin how this came to be, Ms. Kelly?" Miles asked, staring right at her.


    Kelly''s heart fell into her stomach. She quickly acted innocent.


    "I''m sorry, Rose. I can''t keep this a secret anymore. I told you thispetition was an important one and that you had to draw your design. Why did you have to steal mine?"


    The crowd roared with spection. Rose was nearly steaming at the ears with how shameless Kelly was.


    She snorted, saying, "Where''s your proof that I stole it?"


    Kelly gnawed on her lip. Of course, she didn''t have proof! But then she suddenly spotted Maya amongst the band of participants.


    "Maya knows!" Kelly cried, upping her pitiful act. "Maya knows I''ve always had the habit of adding this me symboll She also knows my sister has always enjoyed stealing what''s mine


    Maya had already held a vengeful grudge against Rose for what happened at the bar the other night, so she didn''t hesitate to help Kelly this time around.


    "Yes, I can verify that the symbol is Kelly''s. Rose has always been very domineering, so Kelly''s always had to help hide the truth for her...


    Everyone''s gaze was suddenly filled with judgment as they turned to Rose. Rose only shot Maya a nk


    stare.


    Looks like she had no choice but to bring up her alias, Ms. Flora, now. Not if she wanted her work to continue being insulted, that is.


    Suppressing a groan of pain as her wounds red, she croaked out, "I have evidence


    Just then two different voices rang out as well, louder than hers.


    "I have evidence!"


    "I have evidencel"


    One was from Miles in the VIP seating area, and the other was from Evan, who''d just walked into the


    venue.


    The crowd turned their attention to the two men. Miles gave off a foreboding aura while Evan quickened his pace forward. They shared a look before gazing at Rose onstage.


    Miles said calmly, "I''ve seen this symbol before. Everyone who''s had some experience in our industry would easily recognize this symbol. It belongs to the recently-acimed jewelry designer prodigy known as Ms. Flora. Only a limited few know of her true identity. Could you be Ms. Flora herself, Ms. Kelly?"


    Kelly was taken aback. Of course, she''d heard about Ms. Flora. But what did this me symbol have to do with her? Rose had drawn it herself.


    Yet now that everyone''s attention was on her, Kelly had no choice but to keep her act up. She lowered her gaze, acting shy.


    "Can we not bring this up here? I like keeping a low profile."


    "So you mean to say you are Ms. Flora?"


    Miles'' smile deepened.

 Billionire 60

    It Hurts Too Much


    Kelly was panicking Inside under Miles'' gaze. All of a sudden, a thought came to mind: if she admitted that she was Ms. Flora, she''d win thispetition for sure!


    Kelly couldn''t help but feel delighted, knowing that Jonathan was watching her right now from


    somewhere behind the scenes.


    She said humbly, "Yes. I didn''t want to reveal my identity at first, but I forgot to leave out the signature in my sketch this time. By the time I thought about changing it, it was toote, so


    Kelly knew her lie wouldn''t stand up to question one day, but by that time she would''ve already won Jonathan''s heart over. So, she had nothing to fear!


    To her surprise, when she finished speaking, Rose chuckled lightly beside her. Kelly was about to ask her why she wasughing when Milesughed as well. It was dripping in sarcasm and disdain. "Did you know, I happened to meet Ms. Flora in person a couple of days ago, right here in Aquastead? You''re not who I met up with at all," Miles eximed.


    The crowd''s attitude immediately changed from awe to one of astonishment and spection.


    Kelly''s heart lurched once again, though she kept her act up.


    "Are you sure you didn''t make a mistake, Mr. Young? Or were you scammed? After all, I''ve never revealed.


    my identity to anyone."


    "Make a mistake? You''re saying K&K''s chief brand officer would make such a mistake as well?" Miles nced at Evan.


    Rose had never wanted to reveal her identity as Ms. Flora, but if she didn''t know, she just might end up beingbeled as a copycat and thief in the jewelry design world, ending her career. Evan couldn''t let that happen!


    He took out his phone and tapped the screen. The screen onstage then depicted several design sketches.


    The crowd instantly recognized them as the sketches for Ms. Flora''s creations ''Crimson Temptress'' and Moonlight Angel'',


    "These are some of the sketches for Ms. Flora''s creations. There is no other copy of them," Evan announced, "Now please turn your attention to the me symbol by the bottom corner of the drawing." The audience gazed at the little symbol of a me beside the letter F on the sketches. They instantly Identified it to be the same as the one on Kelly''s and Rose''s sketches!


    "They look the same, right down to those two points at the top of the me. You can see they''re from the


    same person."


    "Yeah. No wonder Ms. Kelly said she was Ms. Flora."


    "Did


    you forget that Ms. Rose''s design had the same me symbol?"


    "I thought Kelly said Rose stole her design to participate in thispetition?"


    "But Mr. Young clearly said Ms. Flora wasn''t Ms. Kelly


    "Who is Ms. Flora''s then?"


    Everyone looked at Evan. Surely he must know who Ms. Flora''s true identity is, given his position. Evan continued gazing at Rose.


    "My apologies for not keeping your secret, miss."


    His meaning was clear as day. The audience took a couple of seconds for the dots to connect.


    "Rose Shaffer is Ms. Flora!"


    Miles beamed warmly at Rose as well.


    "I met with youst time to invite you to be a guest judge for our event today. Now I understand why you turned down our offer at the time. It would''ve been gravely inappropriate if you were to judge now that you''re a participant here."


    His words caused another wave of conversation amongst the crowd. Ms. Flora had more than enough qualifications to judge thepetition today. Their gazes filled with admiration as they looked at Rose. Rose nodded at both Miles and Evan, thanking them for their assistance. Meanwhile, the morphine in her system seemed to have lessened some.


    Her wounds were now hurting painfully. She had to hurry up and retrieve what was hers! Jonathan noticed how she was suppressing her pain from where he was backstage.


    He immediately instructed the host onstage, "Hurry up and rify who the symbols and creations belong to, now!"


    D


    Support

 Billionire 61

    Exuding His Charm Freely


    The host received Jonathan''s instruction.


    Without the slightest dy, he said, "It turns out that Rose is Ms. Flora. This me symbol is her trademark, and it''s identical. How could it appear in Ms. Kelly''s work? The only exnation..."


    He had barely uttered these words when another exceptionally pleasant voice chimed in.


    "The only exnation isn''t that Rose stole Kelly''s design, but rather, Kelly stole her design..."


    As the words trailed off, the owner of the voice had already taken the stage. Everyone gazed in astonishment at Ezra, who was dressed in an all-white suit. However, Ezra only had eyes for Rose. He strolled over to her while ignoring the others and purposefully bent slightly, his handsome faceing level with hers. His amorous eyes sparkled with a mischievous charm. "Is that so, Rose?"


    Rose''s breath caught as she was taken aback by his smile. Perhaps from this surprise, a sudden dizziness overcame her. Subconsciously, she took a step back, losing her bnce in an instant. Her body teetered, and it seemed she was going to fall Just then, a long arm swiftly reached out to support her.


    A low, indulgent voice sounded in her ear, "Why are you so careless?"


    At this moment, Ezra resembled a fully spread peacock, exuding his charm freely. Rose''s heart quivered as she straightened up, instinctively putting some distance between them.


    Ezra''s fans erupted in excitement. Nevertheless, he remained calm and provocatively smiled into the camera. In the backstage lounge, as Jonathan stared at Ezra on the screen, his expression darkened. The cold aura surrounding him appeared to transmit to the host on stage, making him shiver. He quickly redirected everyone''s attention and focused on Kelly.


    "Ms. Kelly, the person who submitted stolen designs for thepetition was you, wasn''t it? Do you have an exnation?"


    In an instant, all eyes filled with scorn focused on Kelly. She was already panicking, but she continued to hold her ground.


    "It wasn''t me. I didn''t steal anything; it was Rose... she stole my design!"


    However, her determination crumbled when confronted with the evidence.


    Miles had already subjected the designs of both Rose and Kelly for the preliminary rounds and semi-finals to evaluation by judges and experts. The results were disyed on arge screen.


    The brushwork style of Kelly''s designs for the finals and Rose''s designs for both preliminary rounds and semi-finals were identified as the same.


    Meanwhile, Kelly''s designs for the preliminary rounds and semi-finals were far inferior to Rose''s.


    "For submitting stolen designs to thepetition and thus disrespecting the contest and the design industry, the contest officials and judges have unanimously decided to disqualify Kelly. As for Ms. Rose, whether it''s the couple rings or the fire opal ne, they are all exceptional works. Ms. Rose, as the


    champion of thispetition, is truly deserving of the title."


    Miles''s deration settled the matter. Apuse erupted, and everyone regarded Rose with admiration. However, when their gazesnded on Kelly, they were filled with disdain and reproach. That kind of gaze seemed as if countless thorns were piercing her. She was brimming with jealousy and resentment. She looked at Rose, who appeared pale and had even lost the strength to smile. It was clear that she was forcing herself. At that moment, a sinister n took shape in Kelly''s mind.


    I


    "I''m sorry. I was wrong...


    Suddenly, she began to cry, appearing wronged.


    "I shouldn''t have lied. This is my sister''s work, but I had no choice. My sister was in aa after a car ident, and I didn''t want her hard work to go to waste. I just wanted her work to appear in thepetition


    This statement portrayed her as a loving and devoted sister. Rose''s lips curved into a cold smile. If she hadn''t been so weak at that moment, she would have pped Kelly in front of everyone.


    It seemed she couldn''t hold on much longer. Nevertheless, she had reimed her possessions. A wave of dizziness overcame her, causing her body to sway.


    Ezra, who was standing nearby, was about to step forward, but Kelly was one step ahead. She supported Rose and kept the two apart.


    Feigning a worried and concerned demeanor, she said, "Rose, your condition. I''ll immediately take you to the hospital."


    After saying this, she hurriedly escorted her off the stage. Ezra attempted to follow but was stopped by the host. In the backstage, everyone was preparing for the uing auction. Kelly guided Rose to an empty area, finally revealing her malicious intentions.


    "Rose, why did you rush in to ruin my n?"


    P

 Billionire 62

    X


    Discovering His Identity


    "Clearly, I was about to be the champion and gain immense fame; I could even catch Mr. Finch''s attention. It''s all because of you... all because of you that everything has been ruined! You''ve ruined everything, so how about using this hand to make amends?"


    Kelly viciously grabbed Rose''s injured left arm.


    "Without this hand, your talent and beauty won''t matter anymore. Let''s see how those men will protect


    you!"


    She exerted more pressure, causing Rose to tremble with pain. Blood oozed from the wound, and Rose tried to push her away. Nevertheless, she was too weak at that moment.


    Just as she was about to lose consciousness from the pain, Kelly was suddenly kicked away with great


    force.


    "Ah!" she eximed.


    In the next moment, Rose found herself in familiar arms. In a daze, she saw her star escort husband''s


    worried face.


    "Hubby," she subconsciously called out before slipping into unconsciousness.


    Kelly had initially intended to curse. However, when she saw the person in front of her, her mind went nk. Jonathan''s expression was full of anger.


    He carefully picked up Rose and rushed to the lounge, urgently instructing his bodyguards, "Where are the people? Tell them that if they don''t arrive within three minutes, there''s no need for Harmony Hospital


    exist."


    Earlier, as soon as he saw Rose at the venue, he had the director of Harmony Hospital personally bring doctors to the scene, just in case.


    Kelly sat on the ground in a daze while watching his back. It was as if something had exploded in her


    mind.


    "Mr. Finch...*


    It was undoubtedly him. How could it be him? What did Rose call him just now? And the face of the man....


    As if to confirm something, Kelly immediately took out her phone and found the photos the paparazzi had taken in the hotel that day.


    Upon seeing the identical face in those pictures, a shiver ran down her spine, erasing any trace of her previous delusions. Just then, the paparazzi called. She answered the phone in a daze.


    On the other end, the paparazzi were furious.


    "Damn it! Do you want to get me killed? Do you know who the man in that picture is? It''s Jonathan, the newly empowered head of the Finches!"


    "Everyone knows that the Finches have imposed a media ckout on him. You had me investigate him! If it weren''t for my friend in Regalia warning me, I could''ve been in serious trouble because of you!" Kelly hung up the phone in a daze. Rose''s husband was truly Jonathan.


    "No..."


    How could she have married him? Jealousy consumed Kelly, but when she thought of what she had just done to Rose, a profound sense of fear gripped her.


    Almost instinctively, with no one around, she got up and fled from the venue. Inside the lounge, the atmosphere was heavy.


    A female doctor stopped the bleeding from Rose''s wound and reapplied the bandage.


    The hospital director cautiously exined the situation to Jonathan, who was frowning deeply, "Mr. Finch, the bleeding from thisdy''s wound has stopped. Although her injury has worsened, I assure you it won''t affect her recovery."


    "Why hasn''t she woken up yet?"


    Jonathan stared at Rose with a dark, intimidating face.


    The hospital director was afraid that Jonthan''s anger would lead to the closure of Harmony Hospital.


    Hence, he immediately reassured him, "Mr. Finch, she fainted from the pain. We''ve administered a painkiller, and she should be asleep now."


    Thinking about how Rose had endured the pain earlier, Jonathan''s heart seemed to ache.


    Just then, a bodyguard entered the lounge and said, "Mr. Finch, the auction for the artworks has begun. The auction of Ms. Shaffer''s fire opal ne is currently underway, and we''ve already ced bids in your name. However, Mr. Miles and Ezra are also bidding. It seems like they''repeting fiercely."


    A trace of displeasure shed in Jonathan''s eyes. None of them had the right topete over Rose''s belongings, especially Ezra. Recalling Ezra''s actions on stage just now, Jonathan''s eyes grew colder. He nced at the unconscious Rose before walking out of the lounge with determined steps.


    Support

 Billionire 63

    No Longer Dislike Mr. Finch


    An hourter, the auction wasing to an end. When Rose woke up, she overheard a conversation between the two nurses who were staying to look after her.


    "Oh my goodness, 500 million! The couple''s rings sold for a staggering 500 million!"


    "And the fire opal ne, they were all bought by Mr. Finch..."


    They were excited as they gossiped. They had overheard themotion from the auction outside; there were at least three parties continuously bidding, creating an insane atmosphere.


    "I wonder who the final lucky owner of that couple of rings will be..."


    "That''s obvious, given how nervous Mr. Finch was for Ms. Shaffer just now...


    They exchanged nces while brimming with envy. However, upon seeing Rose had awakened, their expressions suddenly changed.


    The hospital director had warned them not to mention Jonathan in front of Rose. Furthermore, they couldn''t reveal to her that he had saved her.


    ''Ms.


    Shaffer..." one of the nurses said, looking concerned.


    Rose''s mind was fixated on the couple rings.


    "The rings were auctioned?" she asked.


    "Yes."


    The nurse dared not lie. In Rose''s mind, the handsome face of her star escort husband appeared. She instinctively didn''t want the couple rings to fall into someone else''s hands.


    She tried to get up hurriedly, knowing that as long as she hadn''t signed the auction contract, there might still be a chance. As she moved, the pain from her wound made her break into a cold sweat. However, she would endure it for the couple rings. She recalled the confrontation with "Mr. Finch" in the darkness that night and the kidnapping that almost took her life.


    She knew that anything associated with him would not lead to anything good. She had to get the couple of rings back no matter what.


    "Ms. Shaffer, you need to rest ..."


    She ignored the nurse''s efforts and started walking toward the door. As she reached halfway, the door opened. Jonathan was standing in the doorway.


    Upon seeing that Rose was awake, his initial concern vanished instantly, but only for a moment. The next moment, his brows furrowed as he thought of her moving randomly when she had just awakened. She was disobedient. He was about to reprimand her, but her voice came out first.


    "Hubby... hurry, take me out."


    Jonathan''s brows gradually rxed. The two nurses had their mouths hanging open out of shock as Rose had just called Jonathan "hubby". Not only did he not refute it, but he even came forward and held her.


    They could see that his cold face carried a hint of indulgence. They were shocked that Mr. Finch had gotten married. It was truly earth-shattering news! The two of them were so excited.


    Even as Jonathan had left the lounge with Rose, they remained in shock and couldn''t wait to spread this news to make everyone equally astonished.


    However, thinking about the hospital director''s order to maintain confidentiality, they felt a sense of trepidation. Perhaps what they had just learned wasn''t news, but a secret.


    Who would dare to broadcast Mr Finch''s secret everywhere? They exchanged nces and immediately decided to be silent about it.


    Outside the lounge, the bodyguards had been dispersed, leaving only a few skilled members of Azure


    n guarding from the shadows. Jonathan carried Rose and made their way out of the venue.


    Just as they took a few steps, Rose sensed that they were going in the wrong direction.


    "We should go to the guest room!" she quickly corrected him.


    "Why go to the guest room?" Jonathan frowned, not stopping his steps.


    "To look for Mr. Finch, of course!"


    Jonathan''s steps came to a halt. He looked at her with his deep, dark eyes.


    "What do you want to find him for? You no longer dislike him?"


    "How could I not dislike him?!" Rose gritted her teeth and scoffed,


    He had shut her out in the entire city, making it impossible for her to find a hotel to stay in or even rent a ce. She hadn''t forgotten the countless grievances against him.


    "Mr. Finch is a petty and vengeful person. He seeks revenge for the slightest offense. With him involved, nothing good can happen....


    Before she finished her word, Jonathan''s eyes seemed to grow even darker.

 Billionire 64

    Was It a Coincidence


    "So, why do you want to find him?" Jonathan asked, his voiceced with frustration.


    A chill emanated from him, sending shivers down Rose''s spine.


    She didn''t have time to ask him what was bothering him as she exined, "Of course, to retrieve the couple rings. I heard that the rings were auctioned, and I want to keep them for myself. I need to stop them from signing the contract."


    Jonathan scoffed and said, "It''s just a pair of rings. What''s the big deal?"


    "How could it not be a big deall"


    Rose''s immediate instinct was to keep those rings. It wasn''t because of her design, but rather the strange feeling she had developed when she saw the finished product.


    The host mentioned that someone had turned her design into a finished product. While she hadn''t confirmed it, she was certain that the person was her star escort husband. She nced at Jonathan. Their marriage had been nothing but a transaction, but she still wanted to keep something. With the one-month deadline approaching, she was starting to feel irritated.


    "At least it''s my design, and it''s been through a car ident with me. It has extraordinary meaning as a wedding ring."


    "A wedding ring?"


    Her suggestion seemed quite reasonable. Jonathan''s mood began to ease, and his lips were about to curve into a smile. Just then, Rose poured cold water on him. "Most importantly, I can''t let that scoundrel Mr. Finch get his hands on it. I can''t let him unt it in front of some girl." Rose felt displeased as he thought of "Mr. Finch." Jonathan''s half-smiling lips froze in ce. After awhile, he stared at her with an extremely displeased expression.


    "Then you might be disappointed," he said coldly.


    "What do you mean?" she asked.


    "The rings are already in Mr. Finch''s hands."


    Rose couldn''t believe it.


    "How do you know?"


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow and cruelly extinguished her hopes.


    "I was present when they signed the contract. I watched them hand over the rings to Mr. Finch.


    "Furthermore, Mr. Finch ns to unt the rings in front of some girl."


    Did Mr. Finch have his eye on someone?


    Rose couldn''t help but mutter, "That girl has bad luck."


    Jonathan nced at her and smiled cryptically.


    113


    "Bad luck? Yes, she had to ept it," he thought.


    He brought her back to Aquastead General Hospital. After aprehensive examination, they confirmed that Rose was fine. Only then did he feel at ease. While Rose


    to the hos


    sleeping, Finley, who had been tasked with investigating the man who had brought Rose returned..


    "Mr. Finch, I''ve been following the surveince footage and investigating for a long time, but I still haven''t found his whereabouts. However, I found this..."


    He showed a picture on his phone where the man had a circr emblem on his wrist.


    "Worrain n of the Youngs? Jonathan recognized it immediately.


    Within the Three Greatest Families of Regalia, there was the Azure n of the Finches and the Worrain n of the Youngs, each possessing its hidden strength. The Young family... Jonathan stared at Rose in her hospital bed, hidden behind the ss window on the door. Was it a coincidence?


    He frowned as he ordered Finley, "Continue to investigate this matter in secret. Find out who that person


    IS


    "Alright," Finley agreed.


    While Rose fell asleep, the inte was buzzing with chatter. Under the official results and live video from thepetition,izens were involved in a heated discussion. "The youngdy is so beautiful, and she''s not wearing makeup! She''s even more beautiful than Kelly, who


    stole her work."


    "Kelly is so disgusting; she even wants to steal her own sister''s things!"


    "Last time, she stole her sister''s dress and wore it secretly. Hehe, let me tell you, she''s a drag on the family; her mother is just a second wife."


    "This little thief deserves to be banned! Ms. Rose deserves it; she''s Ms. Flora, and her dress design is priceless."


    Scenic Gardens, the Shaffer residence.


    Jamie''s face darkened as he asked, "How could this happen? Have you contacted Kelly?"


    They had also gone to thepetition site today. They realized that something was wrong when Rose appeared. Right now, their priority was to find Kelly.


    Chelsea once again dialed Kelly''s number. This time, it finally connected. However, before she could say anything, she heard sounds of heavy breathing on the other end.


    Support get it

 Billionire 65

    0


    Pregnancy


    Chelsea was so scared that she immediately hung up the phone.


    "What happened?" Jamie asked worriedly.


    Chelsea knew all too well what the gasping sounds from the call meant. She absolutely couldn''t let Jamie know what Kelly was like in private.


    Hence, she lied to him, "I still can''t reach her. What should we do? If something happens to Kelly, it''s all


    because of Rose!"


    As she thought about how Rose had ruined Kelly''s reputation and future, she grew increasingly resentful. She immediately started crying. Jamie''s expression darkened.


    He had ordered the creation of a car ident and used the online trolls to suppress Rose''s public image in an attempt to ruin her and prevent her from inheriting Celeste Jewels.


    However Rose had unexpectedly won the championship and her reputation had skyrocketed.


    "Rest assured, if something happens to Kelly, I''ll make sure that Rose lives a fate worse than death," he said with full determination.


    Chelsea bit her lip as she thought about the gasping sounds from the call she had just heard. As a mother, she knew what Kelly was really like.


    Kelly resembled her in her younger days when she was pure and innocent, which made Jamie indulge her very much. If Jamie discovered that Kelly was only pretending, he would be greatly disappointed.


    A sense of unease grew within Chelsea. Meanwhile, in Nixon''s apartment in the city, Kelly was sitting on top of him, working hard to please him.


    Every movement she made seemed almost frenzied. Even Nixon noticed that something was amiss.


    "Kelly, what''s wrong?"


    Nixon held her and looked at her with deep concern after a wild session. The two of them hadn''t met for a long time.


    During this period, Kelly had repeatedly rejected his invitations, using the excuse that she needed to prepare for the National Jewelry Design Award. He had assumed that she was intentionally avoiding him. However, when she reached out to him today and they met at this apartment, she initiated an intense encounter between the two of them.


    Once she entered the room, she kissed him as they went straight to the bed.


    "Nixon, I missed you


    She kissed him passionately, throwing herself into the act with intensity. Her reputation in the design industry had been tarnished. Therefore, she had to hold onto anything beneficial to her.


    The Lane family was an upper-ss aristocratic family in Aquastead. Thus, Nixon was the first person she thought of. She couldn''t help but loathe Rose for marrying Jonathan. It Infuriated her. Suddenly, a sense of difort surged in her stomach. She quickly dismounted Nixon and rushed to the washroom. She attempted to vomit, but nothing came out.


    12


    Nixon followed her into the bathroom, concerned about her condition.


    "Kelly, are you pregnant?"


    "How is that possible?"


    They had taken precautions every time. However, Nixon''s face was full of excitement. He immediately got dressed and left. A few minutester, he handed a pregnancy test to her. After a few more minutes, two red lines appeared on the pregnancy test. She was indeed pregnant.


    "Kelly, I''m going to be a father!"


    Nixon felt as though the heavens were on his side. Due to the financial difficulties he faced with a few recent projects, his father had reimed a lot of his privilege.


    If Kelly were to be pregnant with the Lane family''s great-grandchild, his grandmother would surely help. him regain what he had lost.


    "Kelly, I''ll take you to meet Grandma right away. We''ll get married immediately."


    He held onto Kelly''s hand. Kelly snapped out of her daze. The only instance where she didn''t take any precautions was on the day at the Lane family banquet


    However, she did it with Hank instead of Nixon at that time. Seeing Nixon so excited, she quickly calmed herself.


    "Nixon, I''m d I can finally marry you. But there''s something I need to tell you


    "What is it?"


    "They''re saying that I stole Rose''s design, but she willingly gave me the design. She said I could use it for thepetition. I saw that her design was better than mine, and I made a foolish decision "Little did I know, she had deliberately set me up. She had nned to sabotage me at the finals. Now my reputation in the design industry is ruined, I''ve lost everything...


    She looked at him, her face filled with sadness. Nixon felt an intense wave of empathy. Thinking of Rose,


    he was filled with anger.


    "That wicked Rosel Kelly, don''t worry, I''ll make sure to get revenge for you!"


    Kelly buried her head in his embrace as a satisfied smile appeared on her lips. What did it matter if Rose had married Mr. Finch? She could still ruin everything for her.

 Billionire 66

    Engagement


    Aquastead General Hospital. Early in the morning, a bouquet was delivered to the hospital room. Rose saw the name on the card''s signature.


    "Ezra?"


    As Jonathan entered the hospital room, he heard her calling Ezra''s name. His face instantly darkened as he swiftly walked up to her and took the card from her hand.


    Then, he threw it into the trash can along with the flowers. Rose was left bewildered. Suddenly, she recalled Ezra''s face, which bore a striking resemnce to her star escort husband.


    She was about to ask something when Jonathan''s phone rang. Realizing it was a call from Ezra, he decisively hung up the call. One minuteter, Ezra sent a text message. "I''m right outside the hospital. Do you need me toe up and see you? Also, should I meet Rose?"


    A hint of sharpness gleamed in Jonathan''s eyes. He walked out of the hospital room and made a phone call. Within moments, someone answered.


    "Bro..."


    Outside, in a red Ferrari, Ezra''s amorous eyes sparkled with a smile. What nobody knew was that the Visualist Ezra in the entertainment industry, was from the Finches. Jonathan interrupted him as he said, "I don''t care what you''re doing in Aquastead, but you to Regalia immediately."


    ou need to return


    "I haven''t had enough fun yet; going back to Regalia doesn''t sound right. Yesterday, I met a National Jewelry Design Award. What do you think would happen if I pursued her?" met a beauty a


    at the


    Ezra provocatively tested the waters as he crossed his legs on the steering wheel.


    Jonathan warned in a stern tone, "Don''t you dare provoke her!"


    Even through the phone, Ezra could sense his anger. He wondered if he was so concerned about her. He raised an eyebrow but didn''t say anything more before hanging up the call. "I don''t dare?" He gazed in the direction of the hospital building.


    Jonathan rarely showed such concern for any woman; of course, he had to give it a try. After staying in the hospital for seven days, Rose was finally discharged.


    After sending her back to Zenwood Gardens, Jonathan was called away by an urgent phone call. Alone at home, Su Ran was scrolling through Twitter.


    The topic rted to the National Jewelry Design Award still dominated the headlines.


    Among them, the term "Mr. Finch spent five billion on the couple rings" had a much higher search volume than "Champion Rose Shaffer" or "Ms. Flora". Netizens eximed about Jonathan''s financial prowess and even joked about giving birth to a monkey for him.


    "Tsk." Rose said in disapproval.


    Recalling her various encounters with "Mr. Finch" from her memories, she gradually formed an image of him in her mind.


    He had a decent height and a good physique, but his face probably wasn''t anything special. What if his child turned out to be a monkey. She exited her Twitter in disdain. Just then, a call came in.


    Her heart trembled as she found that the caller was Jamie. After answering the call, Jamie''s cold andmanding voice came from the other end.


    "Your sister is getting engaged today. As her sister, you should make an appearance."


    Kelly was getting engaged? To whom? She didn''t have a chance to ask, as Jamie coldly provided an address.


    "If you dare not toe, then never consider inheriting Celeste Jewels again.


    After saying that, he hung up the phone. Recalling the information Evan had discovered a few days ago, a cold smile appeared on Rose''s face.


    He had revealed that among the online trolls responsible for sabotaging her, one of them was instructed by Jamie. He even stole her work and gave it to Kelly.


    How much did her father hate her to go to such lengths to destroy her? Her heart still ached.


    She knew that even if she won the National Jewelry Design Award as agreed, Jamie was highly likely to back out of the deal.


    Nevertheless, she had no choice but to attend Kelly''s engagement. The address given was Aquastead Hotel. Half an hourter, Rose arrived at the destination.


    As soon as she got out of the car, she was bumped into by someone. Frowning, she looked up to see Nixon and Kelly standing just 16 feet away from her. Kelly approached with a concerned expression as she asked, "Rose, are you okay?"

 Billionire 67

    A Cheating Couple Should Be Bound for Life


    Kelly wanted to grab Rose''s hand, but she recoiled in disgust. A fleeting trace of hurt appeared on Kelly''s face, but she quickly feigned indifference.


    She turned to Maya, who had identally bumped into Rose a moment ago, and said, "Maya, please apologize to Rose."


    Maya stared at Rose with disdain as she said, "Rose? Oh, it''s Ms. Flora, isn''t it? I''m sorry; I just happened to be walking by and didn''t see you getting out of the car. You''re not mad at me, are you?"


    In reality, she had made a bet with Mandy and the others nearby. If she could knock Rose to the ground and embarrass her, they would all y matchmaker for her with the handsome guy she had her eye on.


    Jackson had eventually dumped her; she considered it Rose''s fault. Her eyes revealed a simmering hatred as she approached Rose, intending to teach her a lesson.


    Rose had recently recovered from a car ident, and Maya didn''t believe she could do anything to her. However, Rose saw through her intentions at a nce,


    As Maya got close, she suddenly raised her hand and grabbed her hair.


    "Ah!" Maya cried out in pain.


    Rose didn''t let go. Recalling the day of thepetition when Maya had provided false testimony to frame Kelly, she yanked her hair forcefully, tearing a clump of it from her scalp. "Ah-" Maya wailed in agony, sounding like a ughtered pig.


    Everyone around couldn''t help but gulp nervously. Wearing a disdainful expression, Rose let go of the strands of hair in her hand.


    Maya red at her fiercely, but before she could make an usation, Rose smiled sweetly.


    "This should be considered an apology. I ept it. Don''t worry, I''m not angry with you."


    While she smiled, her eyes bore a particrly threatening look, as though she could strike at any moment. Maya was thoroughly intimidated.


    On the side, Kelly''s eyes revealed a hint of displeasure, but she quickly put on a smile and tried to


    mediate.


    "It''s great that Rose isn''t angry. Dad said Rose would attend my engagement ceremony today. I''m really happy."


    Her innocent and cheerful smile made it seem as if the confrontation at thepetition just a few days ago had never happened. Even Rose was impressed with her acting skills. She nced at Nixon behind Kelly and said, "It''s him."


    Upon sensing her gaze, Kelly happily ran to Nixon''s side. She linked her arm with his and leaned on his shoulder,


    Rose, Nixon, and I are trul


    love."


    Rose raised an eyebrow. A sincere love, indeed. This cheating couple was a perfect match. Noticing her subdued reaction, Kelly felt a bit unsatisfied.


    12


    Recalling her various encounters with "Mr. Finch" from her memories, she gradually formed an image of him in her mind.


    He had a decent height and a good physique, but his face probably wasn''t anything special. What if his child turned out to be a monkey... She exited her Twitter in disdain. Just then, a call came in.


    Her heart trembled as she found that the caller was Jamie. After answering the call, Jamie''s cold andmanding voice came from the other end.


    "Your sister is getting engaged today. As her sister, you should make an appearance."


    Kelly was getting engaged? To whom? She didn''t have a chance to ask, as Jamie coldly provided an address.


    "If you dare not toe, then never consider inheriting Celeste Jewels again."


    After saying that, he hung up the phone. Recalling the information Evan had discovered a few days ago, a cold smile appeared on Rose''s face.


    He had revealed that among the online trolls responsible for sabotaging her, one of them was instruct by Jamie. He even stole her work and gave it to Kelly. How much did her father hate her to go to such lengths to destroy her? Her heart still ached.


    She knew that even if she won the National Jewelry Design Award as agreed, Jamie was highly likely to back out of the deal.


    Nevertheless, she had no choice but to attend Kelly''s engagement. The address given was Aquastead Hotel, Half an hourter, Rose arrived at the destination. As soon as she got out of the car, she was bumped into by someone. Frowning, she looked up to see Nixon and Kelly standing just 16 feet away from her. Kelly approached with a concerned expression as she asked, "Rose, are you okay?"


    0


    A Cheating Couple Should Be Bound for Life


    Kelly wanted to grab Rose''s hand, but she recolled in disgust. A fleeting trace of hurt appeared on Kelly''s face, but she quickly feigned indifference.


    She turned to Maya, who had identally bumped into Rose a moment ago, and said, "Maya, please apologize to Rose."


    Maya stared at Rose with disdain as she said, "Rose? Oh, it''s Ms. Flora, isn''t it? I''m sorry, I just happened to be walking by and didn''t see you getting out of the car. You''re not mad at me, are you?"


    In reality, she had made a bet with Mandy and the others nearby. If she could knock Rose to the ground and embarrass her, they would all y matchmaker for her with the handsome guy she had her eye on.


    Jackson had eventually dumped her, she considered it Rose''s fault. Her eyes revealed a simmering hatred as she approached Rose, intending to teach herja lesson.


    Rose had recently recovered from a car ident, and Maya didn''t believe she could do anything to her. However, Rose saw through her intentions at a nce,


    As Maya got close, she suddenly raised her hand and grabbed her hair.


    "Ah!" Maya cried out in pain.


    Rose didn''t let


    let go. Recalling the day of thepetition when Maya had provided false testimony to frame Kelly, she yanked her hair forcefully, tearing a clump of it from her scalp. ¡°Ah-¡°Maya walled in agony, sounding like a ughtered pig.


    Everyone around couldn''t help but gulp nervously. Wearing a disdainful expression, Rose let go of the strands of hair in her hand.


    Maya red at her fiercely, but before she could make an usation, Rose smiled sweetly.


    "This should be considered an apology. I ept it. Don''t worry; I''m not angry with you."


    While she smiled, her eyes bore a particrly threatening look, as though she could strike at any moment. Maya was thoroughly intimidated.


    On the side, Kelly''s eyes revealed a hint of displeasure, but she quickly put on a smile and tried to


    mediate.


    "It''s great that Rose isn''t angry. Dad said Rose would attend my engagement ceremony today. I''m really happy."


    Her innocent and cheerful smile made it seem as if the confrontation at thepetition just a few days ago had never happened. Even Rose was impressed with her acting skills. She nced at Nixon behind Kelly and said, "It''s him."


    Upon sensing her gaze, Kelly happily ran to Nixon''s side. She linked her arm with his and leaned on his shoulder.


    "Rose, Nixon, and I are truly in love."


    Rose raised an eyebrow. A sincere love, indeed. This cheating couple was a perfect match. Noticing her subdued reaction, Kelly felt a bit unsatisfied.


    She had asked her father to invite Rose to her engagement ceremony today to provoke her. After all, Nixon had been her ex-fianc¨¦. She expected her to be emotional and possibly cause a scene. Nevertheless, Rose smiled faintly and looked at the couple before her as she said, "I wish you both at lifetime of happiness."


    A cheating couple should be bound for life. With those words, she turned and walked into the hotel, leaving behind Kelly, who was discontented as she clenched her fists.


    The engagement banquet for Nixon and Kelly had taken over the first floor of the most luxurious banquet hall in the hotel. Since the guests had not yet arrived, Rose decided not to go in.


    She headed to the drink bar adjacent to the banquet hall, nning to make an appearanceter.


    After finding a seat at the drink bar, Ezra, who had been discreetly taking a break from his assistant and others, spotted her instantly.


    "Rose..."


    His e


    eyes suddenly lit up with interest. Over the past few days, Jonathan had ced countless bodyguards In the hospital to keep him under tight surveince.


    It seemed he cared more about Rose than he had initially thought. He raised an eyebrow and was about to approach when another man took a seat opposite her before him. He instantly squinted.


    Support

 Billionire 68

    Can''t Keep Uncle Jonathan in the Dark Forever


    Rose fixed a gaze upon the person sitting across from her, a hint of disgust lurking in her eyes. Just as she was about to leave, Nixon suddenly grabbed her hand.


    She instinctively jerked her hand away and sshed a ss of water onto his face.


    "Rose, you ..." Nixon seethed. "I see you''re jealous, aren''t you? You''re envious that Kelly is marrying me, but you dare not vent your anger on her. You''re afraid of exposing your true nature to others." Jealous? Rose had just taken a step forward but halted abruptly. She turned slowly to face and stare at him as if he were a fool.


    "Envious of a scoundrel like you? Marrying you is nothing to be jealous of."


    Nixon did not react with anger to being called a scoundrel. He believed Rose had married someone else as revenge on him, making it impossible for him to acquire Celeste Jewels.


    For some time now, he had been struggling to fill the financial hole of the projects. It was all because of Rose. Now, he was marrying Kelly, who would bring a substantial dowry.


    He intended to make a triumphanteback. Naturally, he wanted to show off in front of Rose her decision was wrong.


    to prove


    "After all, I''m from the Lane family," he continued, ''Grandma said that I''m the only rightful heir of the family. In the future, everything in the family will be mine. And you...


    "I heard your husband is a male escort. Rose, are you that desperate to find just anyone after leaving me? What kind of life can a male escort provide for you? You''re not as kind and fortunate as Kelly. The woman I love will lead a life of luxury."


    As he mentioned Rose''s husband, a clear disdain appeared in his eyes. He stared at Rose, hoping to see regret in her expression, but she didn''t.


    Rose raised an eyebrow and nonchntly corrected, "First of all, my husband is the most charming man in the world, far more handsome than you.


    "Secondly, it doesn''t matter what kind of life he can provide me. What matters is that I can provide the life I want for myself. You do know that Mr. Finch paid 500 million for my jewelry design in thepetition, right? As the designer, how much do you think I''ll get?"


    Nixon''s eyes visibly widened upon hearing her words. Noticing his expression, a cold smile crept onto Rose''s lips.


    ''As for Kelly, I hope that in your eyes, you''ll only ever see her as kind and innocent."


    Kelly was like a scheming person who pretended to be sweet and kind in front of others. Nevertheless, can a person fake it forever? If Nixon ever saw the real Kelly.


    Rose''s eyes held a trace of anticipation thinking about the scene. That would be when the real drama unfolded. Taking advantage of Nixon''s momentary confusion, she chuckled and left briskly. Once Nixon regained hisposure, Rose had already disappeared.


    "500 million..."


    He thought about what Rose had just said. He had been with Kelly continuously for the past few days, taking care of her. Hence, he hadn''t paid attention to thetest developments of Uncle Jonathan. He couldn''t believe he had spent 500 million to purchase Rose''s design. What kind of thing was worth 500 million? Could it be that he still had an interest in Rose? He couldn''t put his feelings into words. Suddenly, he saw Kelly walk in and immediately approached her.


    "Kelly, you said Rose married a host. Tell me who he is and I''ll bring him before Uncle Jonathan right away to expose her true colors. I can''t let Uncle Jonathan be kept in the dark forever."


    He still referred to Jonathan as "Uncle Jonathan", disying a sense of warmth. It seemed he had forgotten about being rejected by Jonathan not too long ago. However, Kelly''s heart skipped a beat. The host whom Rose had married was none other than Jonathan; she couldn''t reveal it to Nixon.


    Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile and said, "Nixon, she''s my sister after all, Let''s spare her some dignity, shall we?*


    "She schemed against you in the National Jewelry Design Award, and you''re still considering her!"


    Nixon stared at her. He believed that his beloved woman was kind, unlike Rose.


    "It doesn''t matter now."


    Kelly disyed a bitter smile. In the past few days, the mere thought of Rose had spoiled her mood.


    She wished that Jonathan would immediately break up with her, but she knew that rushing this matter would be unwise. Thinking of something, a calcting look crossed her eyes.


    Then, she put on a concerned expression as she said, Rose may be beautiful and has always been liked by men, but there''s something I''ve been worrying about, I haven''t known how to advise her to stop..."

 Billionire 69

    Married and Still Provoking Jonathan


    Kelly took out the photo she had taken outside the restaurant that day. In the picture, Miles gazed deeply at Rose. From a specific angle, Rose lowered her head slightly with a hint of shyness and allure.


    Nixon''s eyebrows furrowed instantly as he wondered who was the man in the picture. His attire and demeanor marked him as anything but an ordinary person


    "Nixon, that day I happened to see Rose with this man; they seemed quite intimate. I took the picture, intending to use it to advise herter. After all, she''s already married. Her involvement with another man like this isn''t right. But... Iter found out that this man is Mr. Miles from the Youngs in Regalia... That day, during the National Jewelry Design Award, Mr. Miles also helped Rose set me up. Why does Rose always receive so much favor from others since childhood?"


    Upon hearing the words "Mr. Miles from the Youngs", Nixon was visibly taken aback. However, upon seeing Miles''s expression as he stared at Rose in the photo, anger surged within him. "Why? It must be Rose seducing Mr. Miles..."


    He felt extremely ufortable. He felt Rose was utterly shameless for throwing herself at both Mr. Finch and Mr. Miles. Kelly was surprised after noticing the jealousy on his face.


    Did Nixon still care about Rose? She bit her lip and suppressed her anger, continuing to pretend to be


    concerned for Rose.


    "However, Rose is married. If anyone finds out about her behavior with another man, it would tarnish her reputation."


    Her double standard seemed to make her forget that the man in front of her had been taken from Rose by her as well.


    Her words brought Nixon to a realization-if Mr. Finch found out that Rose was not only married but also getting involved with other men, he would certainly not continue to care about her. Perhaps he would even teach her a lesson.


    "Kelly, please send me this photo," he eagerly requested.


    Kelly saw through his intentions, which were exactly what she wanted. She pretended to hesitate for a moment and reluctantly sent the photo to him.


    "Nixon, you must persuade Rose. Please don''t let anyone else see this photo."


    She wished for this photo to create a big stir in the city, Rose had married Jonathan-so what? What would happen if he found out that she was not the only man in her life?


    As she left the drink bar with her arm linked with Nixon''s, a smug smile crept onto her lips. Ezra, who had been quietly watching from the sidelines, had caught the general idea.


    Miles.


    Things are going to be interesting!"


    He hadn''t expected that Rose would still provoke Jonathan even after getting married, not to mention that she was also getting involved with Miles.


    Didn''t she know about the rtionship between these two men? As things were getting more intriguing. Ezra couldn''t afford to miss out on Rose''s story.


    Wearing sunsses and lowering his cap, he got up without hesitation and left the drink bar to find that intriguing figure.


    On the other hand, after leaving the drink bar, Rose received a call from Jamie, who instructed her to go to the lounge on the second floor of the hotel. After arriving, she entered the room. Jamie, in a formal suit, appeared confident.


    Upon seeing her arrival, a touch of coldness crossed his eyes as he said, "There''s a document on the table. Sign it.¡±


    Rose initially thought it was rted to Celeste Jewels. However, when she received the document and read its contents, her heart tightened.


    "What does this mean?"


    The document stated that she should agree to transfer 500 million to Kelly''s ount as a dowry for her marriage. 500 million?


    Setting aside whether she had that much money, why was Jamie asking her for a dowry when he was marrying off his daughter? Meanwhile, Jamie had prepared a set of reasons in advance. "You will inherit Celeste Jewels after all, but what about Kelly? She has nothing.


    "She''s your sister, and you originally had an engagement with Nixon. Yet, you secretly got married. You ruined your engagement with the Lane family, and Kelly is helping you fulfill thatmitment."

 Billionire 70

    Dowry for Five Hundred Million


    "So, you must provide this 500 million dowry."


    Jamie''s tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation Rose seemed to find it the most absurd joke sh had ever heard.


    "Is Kelly helping me fulfill my engagement?" she asked.


    The words were so preposterous that she wouldn''t have believed them if she hadn''t heard them from Jamie himself. Nevertheless, these words came genuinely from his mouth.


    The situation was that she had been cheated by Nixon and Kelly. In an instant, anger surged through he


    mind.


    She gritted her teeth and said coldly. "Then why don''t you ask her and Nixon how many times they''ve slept together behind my back all these years?"


    "Smack!"


    Rose had just spoken when a resounding pnded on her face. The stinging pain radiated through her


    Jamie stared at her with a stern look as he said, "You''re the one who''s shamelessly fooling around with men. Yet, you dare to nder your sister?" Rose''s heart couldn''t help but ache even though it was already filled with scars. After her mother passed


    away,


    Jamie brought Chelsea back less than a yearter.


    He showered his love on his stepdaughter and indulged her every request. At the time, she had thought, he favored obedient children like Kelly.


    It wasn''t until one day when she overheard a conversation between Jamie and Chelsea that she learned Kelly was their illegitimate child. Furthermore, Kelly was just three months younger than her. It was truly ridiculous.


    Rose smiled wryly as she fixed her gaze on Jamie for a while before saying, "Am I your daughter?"


    Jamie''s eyes shed slightly.


    He seemed to be hiding something as he turned his head, changing the subject as he said coldly, "Today, you must sign this document, whether you want it or not."


    Rose nced at the document on the table and scoffed, "500 million? I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed. Since I graduated, I haven''t taken a single penny from the family. Where am I going to get 500 million?" Even if she had that money, she wouldn''t use it as Kelly''s dowry. However, Jamie had thought of a way to manipte her.


    "You do. I heard Mr. Finch spent 500 million to acquire the couple rings you designed, not to mention the fire opal ne. After deducting some fees and the share the organizers of thepetition took, you should have received around 500 million. It''s just right for your sister''s dowry."


    Rose couldn''t help but sneer. It seemed he had his eye on that. His n was quite clever.


    "I''ll tell you now, even if I can get 500 million, I won''t use it as a dowry for Kelly." She left these words


    behind and walked out of the room.


    Jamie''s voice came faintly from behind, "You will! Just wait and see."


    Rose ignored him as she quickly entered the elevator. When the elevator reached the ground floor, Rose was about to step out when she saw Kelly waiting by the elevator.


    She furrowed her brows and walked out of the elevator, brushing past her.


    However, as they passed each other, Kelly suddenly taunted, "Rose, did you sign the document?"


    Rose halted in her tracks before turning to face Kelly. The two sisters locked eyes. Kelly''s face was


    adorned with a radiant, innocent smile.


    "Don''t me me. It was Dad''s idea."


    "Is that so?" Rose asked as she raised an eyebrow and took a step closer to her.


    "Rose, the banquet hall is right next to us, and people areing and going. If you want to do something..."


    Before finishing her sentence, Rose suddenly grabbed her wrist. She was caught off guard. By the time she reacted, she had been pulled into the elevator, and the doors closed slowly. Rose clenched her fist and struck her face with a powerful punch.


    "Ah!" she let out a miserable scream.


    There was a palpable smell of blood in the air, and her face was visibly swollen.


    Rose flexed her wrist''s tendons and grinned with a cold smile as she said, "Since your father cares so much for you, I let you experience it on his behalf."


    The punch she just delivered was in return for the p Jamie had given her earlier. With that, she walked


    of the elevator as the doors opened.


    The pain that had gued her heart after being taken advantage of by Jamie had been relieved with that one punch. She would never provide the dowry for Kelly.

 Billionire 71

    Is She His Girlfriend?


    Inside the elevator, Kelly was seething with anger as she stared at Rose''s retreating figure. With graceful strides, Rose exited the hotel and was about to hail a taxi when she received a call from Evan. "Rose, there''s a celebration dinner for the National Jewelry Design Award tonight. Mr. Miles would like to invite you.


    The National Jewelry Design Award had ended several days ago, and the celebration dinner had been scheduled earlier. However, due to Rose''s hospitalization, Miles had deliberately postponed it.


    "Mr. Miles...


    During thepetition, both Evan and Miles had helped her immensely.


    Feeling the need to express her gratitude in person, she readily agreed, "Sure. What''s the time and the venue? I''ll be there on time."


    "Tell me your location, and I''ll send a driver to pick you up."


    On the other end of the phone, Evan instinctively asked after recalling Rose''s "contractual husband", "Are you alone?"


    Su Ran hesitated for a moment as she didn''t grasp his intention. 1


    She nced at her side and replied, "Yes, I''m alone. Is there a problem?"


    A faint smile yed on Evan''s lips. Of course, it was better that she was alone. He didn''t want her to bring her "contractual husband" to tonight''s event. Rose then provided her address.


    Ten minutester, a luxury car pulled up in front of her. She gave the driver a brief look-the driver wore a ck mask, and his cap was pulled low.


    Nevertheless, he exuded youthful energy and an aura of radiance. He seemed more like a celebrity deliberately disguising himself to avoid attention than a driver.


    Rose didn''t think much of it and mentioned the name of a shopping center. Then, she closed her eyes and rxed during the drive. Half an hourter, another car stopped outside Aquastead Hotel.


    The driver couldn''t find Rose, whom Jonathan had instructed him to pick up. He immediately called Evan, but there was no answer. At the same time, in the CEO''s office on the top floor of the Finch Building As the bodyguard reported over the phone, Jonathan''s face, which initially held a faint smile, gradually darkened.


    "After Ms. Shaffer left Aquastead Hotel, she got into a car and went to the shopping center, where she proceeded to try on clothes. The driver of the car continued to follow her, and he resembled Mr. Tumer." The bodyguard was trembling. Jonathan had asked him to protect Rose, not monitor her movements. He didn''t have to report to him if there were no special circumstances. However, Ezra was a special case. "Are you sure it''s him? Jonathan''s voice grew colder.


    Before the bodyguard could respond, someone suddenly snatched the phone from his hand. The: bodyguard''s eyes widened in fear when he saw the person in front of him,


    "Mr Turner....


    Even with the mask, the bodyguard was certain it was him.


    Ezra raised an eyebrow at the bodyguard before he cheerfully called out to Jonathan on the other end of the line. "Bro"


    "Ezra, what are you doing?"


    Jonathan abruptly rose from his seat. His defenses were palpable, sending shivers down one''s spine even through the distance of the phone call, Ezra grew increasingly intrigued as he sensed it. "Of course, I''m going to have some fun. I''m at World Grand za. Would you like to join me?" he warmly


    asked


    "Ezra


    Jonathan''s anger red up instantly, but before he could issue a warning, Ezra hung up the phone. He tossed the phone back to the nearby bodyguard and strolled toward a high-end fashion store. He was carrying several shopping bags, resembling a dutifulpanion who apanied his girlfriend to go shopping. At that moment, Rose was trying on a gown in a fitting room.


    As Ezra returned to the store, the shop attendants observed him.


    One murmured, "He looks like Ezra... Look, isn''t it him?


    Though the voices were hushed, Ezra overheard them. He seemed to have a sudden realization as a glint of mischief flickered in his eyes.


    In the next instant, he pretended to identally slip off his mask, revealing his extraordinarily handsome face. The shop attendants gasped in astonishment. "It''s Ezra..."


    "Oh my goodness... I can''t believe I see the Visualist Ezra in person. He''s so handsome


    "Is thatdy his girlfriend?"


    Rose emerged from the fitting room, just in time to hear the word "girlfriend".

 Billionire 72

    Jealousy


    Rose subconsciously nced over and saw the shop attendants gazing in her direction. Meanwhile, the "driver" helped her carry the shopping bags, positioning himself with his back turned to her The silhouette of his figure Evan certainly had an impable eye. Even the driver exhibited such a trendy and stylish appearance. To an unknowing onlooker, one might mistake him for a famous model! Rose redirected her attention and continued scrutinizing the gown in the mirror. The "driver," Ezra, had already put on his mask. As Rose came out, he gestured discreetly to the shop attendants to keep quiet One charismatic wink from him sent the hearts of the shop attendants into a flutter. One of them excitedly took out her phone and aimed it at him, as well as the "girlfriend" behind him.


    Ezra was well aware of the effect of the images taken from different angles. He faced the camera, appearing casual but subtly shielding the person behind him.


    As expected, only a part of Rose''s face was visible in the photo. To someone unfamiliar, her identity would remain concealed. However, once recognized, her identity became apparent at a nce.


    "May I post this on my social media?" one of the shop attendants inquired with excitement.


    With his enchanting amorous eyes, Ezra replied with a triumphant smile, "Feel free."


    He eagerly anticipated her posting the photo. The shop attendant enthusiastically edited her social media


    POSL


    In less than ten minutes, the contents of her post had been shared on Twitter, causing a major uproar, In a luxurious car speeding toward a shopping center, Finley cautiously handed his phone to Jonathan. "Mr. Finch - something has happened."


    Jonathan furrowed his brow. He saw Visualits Ezra in the photo.


    that everyone was discussing the new romantic rtionship of the


    The picture was a screenshot from a fangirl''s social media post with the caption, "Oh my! A chance encounter with the Visualist Ezra and his beautiful girlfriend


    Beneath it was a photo. In the photo, although Ezra was wearing a mask and a cap, his distinctive amorous eyes were quite prominent.


    The


    mysterious woman behind him showed only a fraction of her face. Everyone online was specting about the identity of Ezra''s new girlfriend.


    As Jonathan gazed at the partial face in the photo, his expression darkened significantly.


    "Erase all messages rted to this photo within ten minutes."


    "Yes, Mr. Finch."


    Finley wasted no time and immediately contacted the social media tform. Inside the shopping center, Rose remained oblivious to the events unfolding on the inte.


    At this moment, she was trying on the high-heeled shoes she would wear to the-banquet.


    The deep green color and the lightweight feel of the shoes,bined with her silver long gown, made for a perfect ensemble,


    These are perfect!" she dered in satisfaction.


    As she headed to the checkout, she heard the "driver" emit a low chuckle. She looked over and saw him checking his phone, rapidly scrolling as if searching for something but not finding it. She suddenly felt that something was off about this "driver." However, in her haste to check out, she didn''t dwell on it.


    Little did she know that at that moment, a man consumed by jealousy had entered the shopping center.


    Jonathan was seething with rage as he asked, "Where is she?"


    Finley immediately obtained the precise location from the bodyguard.


    Mr. Finch, Ms. Shaffer is on the second floor. She has just finished paying and ising out."


    Jonathan moved like the wind, taking the nearest elevator to the second floor.


    Stepping out of the elevator, he spotted the figure-Rose, d in a silver form-fitting gown, and Ezra following behind her with shopping bags.


    At a single nce, the obnoxiousment he had seen on Twitter moments ago resurfaced in his mind "Although I can''t see Ezra''s girlfriend''s face clearly, her demeanor and figure match him perfectly." "Screw their so-called "match"! Damn, you, Ezra!" Jonathan couldn''t help but curse inside.


    With a fierce look in his eyes, he advanced determinedly, bypassing Ezra to grab Rose''s wrist. Then, he pulled her aside, away from the prying eyes of others.

 Billionire 73

    The Star Escort Husband is Angry


    Rose was startled by the sudden appearance of a tall figure. She was about to employ all her skills to give him a shoulder throw when she caught sight of the man''s profile.


    She immediately withdrew her intention to act. What was her star escort husband doing here? He had a gloomy expression as if he were very angry.


    Rose was about to ask him the reason for this anger when he led her to an empty corridor.


    "Hubby


    She had just spoken when her star escort husband''s handsome face descended, and he forcefully kissed her lips. Her mind went nk in an instant.


    Jonathan was filled with jealousy. He kissed her with an air of dominance, passionate and deep. Rose''s legs went weak from the kiss.


    It wasn''t until she could hardly breathe that she protested by patting her star escort husband''s chest. Jonathan then stopped the kiss. Rose leaned against his chest and felt their heavy breath. Her face turned crimson, all the way to her neck. They had already done what they shouldn''t have, but it happened under exceptional circumstances every time.


    The recent kiss felt different to her-every move seemed to be filled with possessiveness as if he was dering that she belonged to him. However, she was supposed to be the "sugar mommy". She felt like she should have been the one in control, even during a kiss. She was about to muster the courage to try again when Jonathan tightened his grip on her hand abruptly. "Don''t move! This is a public ce..." His voice strained.


    A public ce? He had just kissed her so passionately! As Rose was about to roll her eyes in disdain, she suddenly felt a certain hard object pressing against her. Her face turned hot in an instant. She didn''t dare move, fearing that things might escte. A strange atmosphere filled the air.


    Jonathan had never been in such an awkward situation. He was known for his self-control, especially when it came to women. However, he always seemed to lose control when he was around Rose. Her unique fragrance reached his nose, making him regret that he hadn''t restrained himself during the


    kiss.


    As time passed by, Rose timidly asked, "Are you feeling better?"


    Jonathan''s eyes flickered as he awkwardly responded, "Yes."


    Rose let out a long breath, seeming to be afraid of the impending awkwardness. She quickly stepped out of his embrace and rushed out. Nevertheless, as she hurriedly left the corridor, her foot slipped.


    "Ouch!"


    She winced in pain, and her eyes welled up with tears. Jonathan heard her and immediately followed. He squatted down and held her injured foot with hisrge hand.


    A sensation, akin to an electric shock, coursed through her body. Thinking back to their previous kiss, Rose shuddered as her face turned crimson.


    +15 BONL


    As soon as she made a move, Jonathan issued a domineeringmand, "Don''t move!"


    She instantly recalled his identicalmand from earlier after kissing her. She immediately stopped moving. Jonathan''s actions were very gentle. After a moment, he asked, "Is it still hurting?"


    Rose''s heart was pounding, and her face had already turned red up to her neck.


    "No, it doesn''t hurt anymore," she replied.


    She suddenly realized something and quickly nced around. Apart from Finley and the "driver," there was no one else nearby.


    The two of them were watching them, and Finley''s eyes were filled with shock and ambiguity.


    It was as if he didn''t see her star escort husband massaging her feet but instead witnessed their passionate kiss in the corridor.


    Her face turned even redder, and her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest.


    "You should get up quickly, it doesn''t look good with others watching."


    She immediately tugged at her star escort husband''s arm. Jonathan cast a sidelong nce at Ezra not far away, thinking it was good for him to see instead.


    As if deliberately asserting his dominance, Jonathan stood up and carried Rose horizontally.


    "Ah!" she eximed in surprise.


    Her hands instinctively hooked around her star escort husband''s neck. She could hear Finley''s sharp intake of breath, and the "driver" beside him looked at them with great interest.


    It was only now that she noticed the driver''s amorous eyes. She felt like she had seen them somewhere before.

 Billionire 74

    Smudged Lipstick


    Rose was about to inquire when her star escort husband had already carried her into the elevator and out of the shopping center.


    "Why are you with him?" Jonathan asked in a displeased tone as he ced her in the passenger seat.


    Rose wondered who he was referring to.


    She suddenly realized something and quickly replied, "I didn''t have a suitable outfit for the National Jewelry Design Award celebration tonight. Since there was enough time, I came to do some shopping. Evan''s driver is nice, he helped me carry the shopping bags... Oh no! My shopping bags are still with him."


    She suddenly remembered it. As she was about to get out of the car to retrieve them, Jonathan pressed his hand on her shoulder.


    He said in a gentle and indulgent voice, "I''ll go get them."


    Then, he closed the car door and walked back into the shopping center. He was in a jubnt mood thinking that Ezra was just a driver in Rose''s eyes.


    However, he couldn''t ignore Ezra''s intentions for getting close to Rose.


    He walked briskly toward him, taking the shopping bags from him and warning in a stern tone, "I''ve told you not to mess with her."


    Ezra removed his mask. Although the two men had simr facial features, their temperaments were vastly different..


    "What if I want to?"


    He nonchntly raised an eyebrow. He had purposely lured Jonathan here, and he had indeed taken the


    bait.


    Thinking about Rose''s appearance just now, he cast a meaningful look at the corridor where they had been. He had never seen Jonathan lose control like that before.


    He stared at Jonathan, his amorous eyes bearing a sly smile as he said, "Brother, I''m interested in her too. The next time I see her, I''ll make her realize that I am Ezra. Let''s have a fairpetition, shall we?"


    He gave Jonathan a provocative nce before leaving. A sharp glint shed in Jonathan''s pitch-ck eyes. Finley, who was on the side, dared not even breathe.


    A full minute passed before Jonathan said in an icy voice, "Cancel the rest of my schedule. Get ready, I want to attend the Young family''s celebration banquet


    "But didn''t you decline the Young family''s invitation before, Mr. Finch?"


    Finley was momentarily confused. However, he suddenly realized why Jonathan wanted to attend-Rose must be going to the celebration banquet as well, so he would go as well. "Alright. I''ll arrange it right away."


    He immediately made a phone call. Then Jonathan returned to the car, he took out a pair of sports shoes from the shopping bag.


    "I I didn''t buy sports shoes... Rose said.


    "I bought them," Jonathan said as he crouched down and held her foot.


    The sensation of hisrge palm made her feel a tingling numbness. Was he worried she might hurt her foot again?


    A warm feeling washed over her. She allowed him to remove her high heels and rece them with sports shoes. Thinking about the celebration banquet tonight, she suddenly wanted to go with him. Without hesitation, she invited, "Would you like to apany me to the celebration banquet tonight?" Jonathan''s body visibly stiffened.


    "In what capacity?" he asked with a hint of irony.


    "Of course, as my husband."


    Rose didn''t hide her intentions. This answer pleased Jonathan. He didn''t mind appearing in public as her husband and even felt a hint of anticipation.


    However, in the next moment, a bucket of cold water was poured over him.


    "Oh no! That''s Mr. Finch''s car! Rose suddenly eximed.


    She stared at a luxury car not far ahead, her eyes filled with disdain and rejection.


    "Let''s go quickly. Having Mr. Finch around can''t lead to anything good."


    Jonathan''s body tensed. He looked at her with his dark and unreadable eyes.


    "Come on! Don''t let him see us... Rose urged.


    At this moment, all she could think of was "Mr. Finch She failed to notice the darkening expression on her star escort husband''s face.


    Jonathan returned to the driver''s seat. A hint of irony tugged at the corners of his mouth. Should he be grateful that the car he had just used to bring her up here was not the one she recognized as Mr. Finch''s?


    He felt a lump in his chest. Rose was about to urge him to drive away, but he suddenly cast his gaze on her lips. His earlier gloom vanished as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.


    His smile made Rose''s scalp tingle. She wondered if something happened to her lips. Rose hadn''t had a chance to check in the mirror when Jonathan leaned in


    His hand touched the corner of her lips as he said in a deep, mellifluous voice, "Your lipstick is smudged...


    In addition to the smudged lipstick, her lips were slightly swollen. He had kissed her with too much intensity earlier.

 Billionire 75

    Mr. Finch Comes for a Woman


    Rose''s head buzzed as she looked at her slightly swollen lips in the mirror.


    She recalled the recent fierce kiss from her star escott husband and the way Finley and the "driver" had looked at her with ambiguous eyes afterward.


    Her lips were still swollen now; wouldn''t it be even more obvious earlier? What on earth had she experienced a moment ago? She was humiliated when she thought about facing peopleter. She covered her red and hot face, wishing she could find a hole to hide in. Jonathan let out a low chuckle as he was in a great mood.


    When night fell, he dropped her off at the celebration venue and watched her as she got out of the car.


    "Are you noting with me?" Rose asked again before leaving.


    Jonathan gave a faint smile. At the celebration tonight, Evan would be there; Ezra and Miles wouldn''t be absent either.


    During the National Jewelry Design Award finals, Miles had shown considerable interest in Rose. When the camera focused on him, his admiration was evident in his eyes.


    There were just too many people trying to get Rose''s attention, and he had to keep an eye on her himself. However, he couldn''t go with her.


    She had a strong aversion to "Mr. Finch". If she found out he was actually "Mr. Finch", he didn''t know what her reaction would be. The timing wasn''t right, and he couldn''t afford any surprises. "Alnight."


    A slight sense of disappointment crept over Rose as she thought he had refused. After parting ways with him, she stepped into a luxurious vi. The vi was privately owned by Miles.


    As soon as she entered, she heard a group of women talking excitedly behind a floral wall. They were talking about "Mr. Finch," which immediately made her pause.


    "Oh my God, breaking news! Mr. Finch ising tonight."


    "How is that possible? I heard that he had declined the celebration tonight. Plus, he isn''t even on the guest list."


    "Florence, from the preparations team, received a call personally, Mr. Finch is indeeding."


    "Florence''s even changed into a different style of dress. People say she''s determined to capture Mr. Finch tonight...


    "Tek she dares topete with Ms. Young for a man..."


    Everyone within Young''s House of Jewels knew about Anastasia''s previous entanglement with Jonathan. There were even rumors that she divorced her husband for Jonathan.


    Originally, Anastasia had nned toe to Aquastead this time, but just before leaving, she announced that she wouldn''t being for some reason. The employees chatted energetically.


    Suddenly, someone in the group eximed, "I heard that it was Mr. Finch''s idea to move the venue of the finals to Aquastead at thest minute. He''s covering all the expenses! I also heard that he was here for


    a


    woman.


    "Is it true? Could it be one of the contestants?"


    "But it doesn''t make sense. All the contestants are already in Regalia... Wait, there''s one..."


    The women simultaneously had the same thought, as if they had discovered a massive secret.


    Their eyes widened in shock as they said a name, "Rosel"


    Behind the floral wall, Rose overheard her name. It startled her so much that her handbag slipped from her hand.


    Her mind went nk for a couple of seconds. When she snapped back to reality, she felt as if she had been caught red-handed. She quickly picked up her handbag and hurriedly left.


    However, the words she had just heard continued to echo in her mind. Could Mr. Finch move the venue of the finals just because of her?


    As she recalled the night of confrontation with him at Lane''s residence, her body shivered involuntarily.. "No, it can''t be ... It must be a coincidence. It has to be


    She took a deep breath, but the words "Mr. Finch'' seemed as formidable as a fierce beast. Just the thought of himing to the celebration banquet made her feel an overwhelming urge to escape. She looked around instinctively, nning to leave quietly before anyone noticed her.


    However, when her gaze fell on the entrance, she suddenly saw a handsome and refined face approaching her with a friendly smile.


    D


    Support

 Billionire 76

    Who Is Trying to Seduce Jonathan.


    "Ms: Shaffer..."


    The person approaching was none other than Miles. He was dressed in a well-tailored ck suit and walked gracefully towards her.


    "Are you leaving?" he asked.


    Rose felt caught off guard but quickly put on an elegant andposed smile as she replied, "No, I''m not leaving. I was just looking for Evan, but I think he''s been dyed." Miles raised an eyebrow, showing that he saw through her excuse.


    "That day, due to the urgent situation, your identity as Ms. Flora was exposed. You don''t hold it against me, do you?"


    He stared at her with a burning gaze. Rose hade to the celebration to express her gratitude to him for his help that day.


    "Why would I? I''m grateful to you. If it weren''t for you and Evan, I might have been banned as the one who stole the artwork. You''ve done me a great favor."


    As her words ended, Miles chuckled.


    "Then, how are you going to express your gratitude?"


    Rose was stunned for a moment.


    Just as she


    was pondering, Miles said, "I''m just joking. It''s my pleasure to help the popr Ms. Flora"


    His eyes gleamed with admiration with a sense of warmth.


    "Ms. Shaffer..." he suddenly spoke.


    Just as he was about to continue, his assistant rushed to his side and whispered something in his ear. His eyes seemed to contract for a moment, but he quickly put on a refined smile. "Ms. Shaffer, I have some urgent matters to attend to. I hope you don''t mind if I leave."


    He turned and hurried away. It was as if something significant had happened. When Rose appeared at the banquet, she had already attracted countless attention,


    However, due to her pale and weak appearance during the finals, no one recognized her. Several men tried to approach and strike up conversations.


    However, they all received calls on their phones, mentioning urgent business or financial issues, and had to leave in a hurry. After a few attempts, none of the men dared to approach her any longer. Rose found herself alone, holding a ss of wine. Without realizing it, she wandered into the backyard.


    As she wanted to catch her breath, she suddenly heard a woman''s coquettish exmationing from a pavilion near the pool.


    "Ah! Mr. Finch....


    The mention of "Mr. Finch" made Rose''s heart tighten.


    Soon after, a man''s low and threatening voice followed, "Get lost!"


    Rose immediately recognized that voice, and it brought back memories of that night at Lane residence. Before she could fully process the situation, a woman came running from the poolside. She was dressed provocatively, and her face showed signs of disarray. When she saw Rose, her expression momentarily froze. Then she red at her angrily.


    Rose blinked in confusion. Why was this woman giving her such a dirty look?


    Quickly assessing the situation, she concluded that the woman had either tried to seduce Mr. Finch and failed or had been taken advantage of by him, and now they were no longer on good terms. She leaned more toward thetter possibility. With a disdainful nce at the pavilion, she decided to leave. However, thinking Rose was another potential seducer, Florence vented her frustration to her. She pushed her forcefully. Rose was caught off guard. She lost her bnce and let go of her handbag. "Ah...


    With a startled cry, she ended up falling into the pool with a ssh.


    "Take that! Let''s see how are you going to seduce Mr. Finch now."


    Still fuming, Florence ran out of the backyard. The celebration mainly took ce at the vi and the dooryard. Hence, nobody was around the backyard. Rose gulped down a few mouthfuls of water. Fortunately, she knew how to swim. A few minutester, she managed to reach the edge of the pool. "Damn it! Who''s trying to seduce Mr. Finch? she muttered in rage.


    She had overheard the woman''s conversation earlier. It seemed like she had been unjustly med. "Mr. Finch is a damn troublemaker. I always run into some kind of problem with him!¡±


    She leaned against the edge of the pool and spoke angrily. She realized that she was right, Mr. Finch was a man she should stay away from. As a gust of wind blew, she shivered uncontrobly.


    She needed to change out of her wet dress quickly. As she turned to leave the pool, she suddenly saw a pair of exquisite handmade leather shoes in front of her.


    D

 Billionire 77

    Only the Back of the Head In Sight


    Rose''s gaze followed the leather shoes upwards and saw a ck mask. The sparkling ripples of the pool were reflected on the mask, and she thought she had seen a ghost.


    She held her breath, pretending to be calm and hoping the "ghost" couldn''t see her.


    In the next moment, the ck mask erged in front of her; the "ghost" actually crouched down and reached out toward her. Jonathan''s hand gripped her am as he wanted to pull her out of the pool. Rose felt like she''d been jolted by electricity, and all her pretense ofposure instantly crumbled. There was only one thought in her mind-to run.


    She forcefully tumed around and kicked the pool wall with all her might, propelling herself several feet away. At the same time, it caused Jonathan to plunge into the water with a ssh. ry? He swam t


    He was drenched from head to toe. His expression darkened. Was he really that scary? He Rose and once again grabbed her arm.


    toward


    Instinctively, Rose kicked frantically, narrowly missing his sensitive areas several times. His expression. grew even darker, and he firmly wrapped his hands and legs around her.


    Rose was terrified out of her wits as she thought the ''ghost'' must be a water ghost.


    "Bro, if you''re looking for a stand-in, I''m not suitable. How about you release me, and I promise to visit


    your grave every year... No, I''ll go every day!" she earnestly tried to persuade.


    Jonathan narrowed his eyes. He wondered if she thought he was a ghost.


    "I''m not a ghost," he said in a low voice.


    Stunned by his confession, Rose asked, "Then, who are you?"


    Jonathan almost imed himself as her husband, but he quickly realized and said with a serious tone, "I am Mr. Finch."


    Upon hearing these words, Rose''s entire body stiffened. She had been so frightened just now that she had forgotten Mr. Finch was in the pavilion.


    She nced in the direction of the pavilion. It was now empty, and the man who was tightly embracing her from behind. His breath brushed against her ear, causing her to swallow nervously. "So, you are Mr. Finch. It was a big misunderstanding. Can you please release me now?" she asked.


    In this rare moment, she was behaving meekly in his embrace, like a docile kitten. Jonathan was tempted to not let go. Suddenly, she cried out in pain. "What''s wrong?" He instinctively released his grip. "Did I hurt you? Tell me where it hurts."


    His caring tone momentarily left Rose flustered. However, she quickly remembered that he was Mr. Finch, her nemesis with whom she had a terrible fate. She needed to escape quickly.


    When she turned around in a panic, her hand identally touched the mask on his face. With a slight pull, the mask came off. As Jonathan realized what had happened, a sh of anger crossed his eyes. Nevertheless, his immediate reaction was to turn around. Rose thought she would see Mr. Finch''s true face, but she was a bit toote.


    She only saw the back of his head-even the back of his head looked good too. She couldn''t deny that Mr. Finch probably had a decent appearance. However, his action of turning away just now was too conspicuous, as if he deliberately protected his face from being seen by others.


    Could it be that he originally looked good, but there was something disfigured on his face? What a pity... A trace of sympathy welled up in her heart. Soon, she realized that she needed to escape while Mr. Finch had already let her go. She quickly turned and swam to the other side of the pool.


    She was about to climb out of the pool when arge hand reached out to her. She looked up and was surprised to see the person.


    "Mr. Young..."


    Miles smiled warmly as he said, "Come up quickly. Don''t catch a cold."


    Gratefully, Rose smiled at him and quickly climbed out of the pool with his help.


    "Go to the second floor and change into some dry clothes. Luckily, my sister used to stay in this vi, and your body shape is simr to hers. You can wear her clothes; they should fit you." Miles handed her a bathrobe. His actions and tone were incredibly gentle.


    "Thank you, Mr. Young."


    After expressing her gratitude, Rose left the backyard. Just as she had gone a short distance, she suddenly realized she was still holding Mr. Finch''s mask.


    In the light, she noticed that this mask was the same as the one Mr. Finch had worn at the Lane family banquet. She thought that perhaps he couldn''t be without the mask due to some facial condition, After hesitating for a moment, she couldn''t bring herself to keep it and decided to head back.

 Billionire 78

    Finding a Recement


    After Rose left, the atmosphere in the backyard became quite eerie. Inside the pavilion, Jonathan had wrapped himself in a bathrobe.


    His face was dark as he dried his wet hair, seemingly pretending that Miles wasn''t there.


    "Long time no see. I never expected that we would meet again in such circumstances."


    Miles was the first to break the silence. Both of them were prominent figures in Regalia.


    After the incident that happened three years ago, they seemed to have developed an unspoken agreement, deliberately avoiding each other.


    Jonathan remained expressionless, offering no response to his reflections. Miles gave a faint smile and continued to stare at him, not wanting to miss any of his reactions.


    "You agreed to be a guest judge because of Rose, right?" he asked,


    This time, Jonathan''s brows furrowed slightly.


    "You changed the venue of thepetition at thest minute because of her, didn''t you?" Miles spoke with certainty.


    "I remember the host of thepetition said that Rose''s couple rings were sent by someone, but when reviewed the security footage, there was no suspicious person who delivered anything that day. Was it you?"


    Miles had suspected this before but couldn''t quite believe it. After all, how could the esteemed Mr. Finch do such a thing for a woman? The only exnation was...


    Miles''s warm gaze suddenly turned sharp as he asked, "Are you interested in Rose?"


    Jonathan continued to act as though he hadn''t heard, ignoring his presence. This time, Miles was provoked.


    He squinted his eyes and asked, "You''re interested in Rose because of her eyes, aren''t you?"


    Not far away, Rose, who had just returned with the mask, suddenly heard her name mentioned. Her heart skipped a beat as she couldn''t understand the situation.


    She hadn''t yet figured out what was going on when Miles continued, "Rose''s eyes do resemble Anastasia''s. If you want to find a recement, then I wish you well. However, the one you love can only be Anastasia."


    His tone was filled with a warning. Rose''s long eyshes quivered. She wondered if Anastasia was Miles''s sister.


    The other day, outside the restaurant, Miles had said that her eyes were very much like his sister''s. Putting everything together, she suddenly understood the situation.


    The slight interest Mr. Finch had shown in her was rooted in this woman named Anastasia. However, a stand-in. She furrowed her brows; she was not willing to be a stand-in for anyone.


    She decided to find an opportunity to rify this with Mr. Finch. Inside the pavilion, the two men faced off in an eerie atmosphere.


    Suddenly, Jonathan''s voice rang out, "Who I love is none of your business!"


    Even from a distance, Rose could feel the fierceness emanating from him. For a moment, she found his voice peculiar. It didn''t sound like Mr. Finch, but it felt strangely familiar.


    As she nced in the direction of the pavilion, she could only see Mr. Finch''s blurry silhouette.


    Just as she was about to explore where this familiarity came from, Miles suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Jonathan''s cor. Then, he clenched his fist and swung it toward his face. The punchnded hard on Jonathan''s face.


    "Ah... Rose let out a silent gasp.


    In the next moment, in her line of sight, Mr. Finch also raised his fist and delivered a punch to Miles''s face.


    "Ugh..."


    Just watching it made her wince. The two men seemed to have lost control of themselves.


    Jonathan took off his bathrobe while Miles also took off his suit jacket; they were now pummeling each. other with punches and kicks.


    In the end, both of themy on the ground. Their legs entwined around each other''s necks, neither willing to let go. Rose watched in astonishment. Was this how tycoons fought?


    It didn''t seem like they were enemies, more like two good friends caught in a physical altercation due to a misunderstanding.


    After the fight, both Miles and Jonathan seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They suddenly released each other andy side by side on the ground, just like the old times.


    "Jonathan, don''t put your sincerity on Rose. Your heart will always belong to Anastasia; that''s the debt you owe her, and you should repay it with a lifetime of love, Miles suddenly spoke, his tone deep and serious,


    Jonathan''s mind shed with countless moments involving Rose. It seemed he had already put his sincerity on her.


    Nevertheless, even though they had been the best of friends, he wouldn''t reveal his true feelings.


    "I''m interested in Rose only momentarily.

 Billionire 79

    Making He Public Embarrassment


    "That''s good."


    Miles expressed great satisfaction with this answer. Without even ncing at Jonathan, he strode out of the pavilion.


    As Rose''s mind continued to echo Mr. Finch''s confession, she suddenly noticed Miles approaching in her direction. Her heart skipped a beat.


    Fearful of being caught eavesdropping, she didn''t even have time to put down the mask she was holding as she jmmediately left the backyard.


    She carefully avoided the crowd and quietly went upstairs to change out of her wet clothes. Her movements were subtle. Her actions were noticed by Mandy.


    Mandy took a nce at Evan, who was looking for Rose at the dooryard. She was not originally on the quest list for this celebration event.


    However, upon hearing that Evan would be attending tonight, she immediately left Kelly''s engagement ceremony.


    She pretended to coincidentally meet Evan, using both soft and hard tactics to make him bring her along to this event. She even invoked both of their families to persuade him. However, during the entire journey, Evan had been constantly calling Rose. He didn''t even pay much attention to her. Her heart was filled with jealousy.


    Upon seeing Rose rushing in a bathrobe, her eyes harbored a sinister gleam. She walked directly toward her. Meanwhile, Rose was still thinking about Mr. Finch''s words earlier.


    For all she knew, she should be d that Mr. Finch''s interest in her was just temporary. However, why did it feel like something was blocking her heart? Was she under some kind of curse? She took a deep breath as she tried to dispel these thoughts. As she was about to step onto the staircase to the second floor, someone bumped into her,


    She instinctively grabbed the railing to regain her bnce, but her bathrobe was caught by a forceful tug.


    As she tried to hold her bathrobe, she loosened her grip on the railing, causing her body to lose its bnce.


    When she was about to fall to the ground, arge hand grabbed her arm, providing support and allowing her to regain her bnce. In thismotion, countless pairs of eyes turned toward her. Just as she felt like she was about to be exposed, the samerge hand that had held her arm shifted her to the side. The tall figure hid her from the view. She looked up to see Miles standing in front of her. Her heart skipped a beat as she said, "Thank you."


    He had helped her once again. Miles removed his suit jacket and draped it over her,


    In his usual gentle and melodious voice, he said, ''I''ll take you upstairs."


    In the eyes of the onlookers, the two of them seemed like a perfect couple. Miles''s actions were full of care and protection. Until the two figures disappeared on the second floor, the crowd remained in shock.


    "Who''s that woman? She looks pretty..."


    "Mr. Young has never been this close to any woman, nor has he ever had a girlfriend. There were even rumors that he prefers men, but I saw the look in his eyes when he gazed at that woman just now; it was filled with love."


    "Yes, I''m sure of it. That was love!"


    Several female employees seemed to have discovered a new world. On the sidelines, Mandy''s heart was about to explode out of anger.


    She had originally wanted Rose to fall and expose herself, but she hadn''t expected Miles to appear out of nowhere. She nced at Evan, who had just entered from the dooryard.


    At this moment, Evan was also staring in the direction of the second floor with his brows furrowed.


    Mandy walked up to him and said, "Evan, was that Rose just now? I almost didn''t recognize her. She''s amazing, even Mr. Young couldn''t resist her."


    Evan''s brows furrowed even deeper.


    Upon seeing this, Mandy continued to sow discord as she said, "Evan, I heard that Rose is already married. However, she''s entangled with Mr. Young. Is she having an affair?"


    As soon as she spoke those words, Evan shot her a displeased look.


    "Rose is not the kind of woman you think she is."


    His tone turned cold. He knew that Rose''s marriage was a sham. As for Miles...


    His gaze darkened slightly as he warned Mandy, "Don''t let me hear any baseless gossip like this again."


    With that, he walked away, striding toward the second floor.


    "Evan..."


    Mandy clenched her fist, feeling infuriated.


    "Damn it! What has Rose done to Evan to make him so infatuated with her?"


    Suddenly, she remembered something. With a malevolent glean in her eyes, she made a phone call.


    BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free lou you


    get it

 Billionire 80

    Deliberately Provoking Her


    At Lane residence, Kelly had just endured the scrutiny and provocations from Mrs. Lane Senior. Her heart. was filled with frustration. Her phone suddenly rang, and it showed that the caller was Mandy. The two of them rarely interacted as Mandy had always looked down on her. However, after some consideration, she answered the call.


    "Kelly, I''ve got some good news for you. Your sister, Rose, was quite impressive tonight. She even managed to captivate Mr. Young. Congrattions to the two of you! You just got engaged to Nixon, and Rose might get engaged to Mr. Young soon."


    Mandy deliberately provoked her. In the past, at Nightfall Lounge, the n to humiliate Rose was initiated by Maya.


    However, during Kelly''s engagement ceremony today, Mandy realized that Maya was just a follower. The real target for Rose''s humiliation was Kelly.


    As expected, Kelly couldn''t hide her jealousy and resentment as she said, "Nixon and I truly love each. other. Rose is already married. How could she enter the Young family? Are you mistaken?"


    With that, she hung up her phone. Her heart was burning with anger and envy. She dared not tell that Rose had married Mr. Finch. She bit her lip and went downstairs.


    Suddenly, she overheard the disdainful voice of Mrs. Lane Senior.


    anyone


    "Compared to Rose, Kelly is far inferior. Only you are deceived by her! She''s just a drag-along brought by a stepmother. Everything in the Shaffer family has nothing to do with her." Kelly was taken aback


    Then, Nixon''s voice came from behind, "Grandma, don''t worry. Kelly will bring a considerable dowry with her. Besides, I truly love her."


    "How much is love worth?" Mrs. Lane Senior sneered disdainfully.


    She continued, "Even if she brings a considerable dowry, can it be worth as much as Celeste Jewels?" When she had agreed to let Nixon pursue Rose back then, she had also seen the value of Celeste Jewels. "The only heir to Celeste Jewels is Rose. As for Kellyshe snorted softly before returning to her room in her crutches.


    The disdain and contempt in her tone deeply prated Kelly''s heart. She clenched her hands tightly, her nails almost drawing blood.


    Why did Rose have everything she wanted? From Nixon to Mr. Finch, to Celeste Jewels. When she was deeply absorbed in her resentment and greed, she was interrupted by Nixon.


    "Kelly, why are youing downstairs? Didn''t I ask you to go rest for


    a while?"


    Kelly suddenly snapped back to reality. She concealed her sinister expression in an instant.


    Nixon, I''m just a little worried about Rose. Maya mentioned that she went to the National Jewelry Design Award celebration. It was hosted by Mr. Young. Is it possible that she went there because of him? "What if something happens? The Shaffer family might be embarrassed if a scandal urs. What should


    we do? I dare not tell Dad as I''m afraid that he''ll be angry with Rose..."


    She spoke with apparent concern, and she even began to feign tears. As Nixon noticed something peculiar, a hint of doubt shed in his eyes.


    "Kelly, don''t worry. You should go upstairs and rest for a while. I''ll go out for a moment. Nothing untoward will happen with Rose over there."


    He tried tofort her and sent her upstairs. Then, he hurriedly left Lane residence. The first thing he did after leaving was to make a phone call to confirm Jonathan''s whereabouts.


    When he learned that Jonathan was also attending the celebration, he was taken aback. However, he then immediately felt excited.


    "Rose, I''ll make sure you suffer a big loss tonight."


    He gnashed his teeth in anger. After learning the address of the celebration, he immediately drove there. At the celebration, Miles waited for Rose outside after escorting her to a room on the second floor. It wasn''t long before Evan approached. Miles was slightly surprised to see him.


    "Where''s Rose?" he asked.


    He had always been careful and polite when it came to her, as he didn''t want to offend her in any way. However, Mandy''s words just now affected him.


    Rose was not someone who sought to fawn on the socialdder, but he couldn''t guarantee that others. wouldn''t fall for her.


    Miles immediately recognized his vignce as he answered, "She fell into the swimming pool, so I had her temporarily wear my sister''s clothes."


    He didn''t mention Jonathan. He had always known that Evan loved Ms. Flora. As a good friend, he should leave at a time like this to provide the opportunity and time to him.


    However, for some reason, he didn''t want to leave: Hence, the two of them stood in the corridor outside the room, waiting for Rose toe out.


    0

 Billionire 81

    Please ept the Five Hundred Million


    Inside the room, after having changed into fresh attire, Rose became entranced by a photo hanging on the wall. In the photo, two men and a woman stood side by side with their students'' day attire. However, their faces had been smudged with ck paint. Was this youngdy the "Anastasia" mentioned by Mr. Young? Who were the other two Individuals? Could they be Mr. Finch and Mr. Young? She refrained from overthinking and swiftly dried her hair. Letting the hair casually fall behind her, she prepared to go out. As she opened the door, two pairs of eyes met hers. "Mr. Young... Evan..."


    A bewildered expression flickered across her face. She had assumed that Miles would leave after bringing her here. She hadn''t anticipated him waiting for her.


    What''s more, she wondered when Evan arrived. The look in Miles''s eyes held a mix of shock and


    bewilderment.


    "Ana"


    He instinctively wanted to call out Anastasia''s name. However, he suddenly realized something and immediately withdrew his thoughts.


    Rose nced at the dress she was wearing and instantly realized her mistake.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Young. Did I choose the wrong outfit? I''ll change immediately," she apologized.


    The dress she was wearing had been taken from a corner of the closet. She had assumed it wasn''t something cherished by the owner. However, it seemed like she had picked the wrong one.


    Just as she was about to turn, Miles grabbed her wrist, causing her body to tense. Miles quickly released her hand, returning to his usual gentlemanly demeanor


    "There''s no need to change, Ms. Shaffer. This dress suits you very well.


    "I bought this dress for Anastasia, but she didn''t like it. She tried it on only once and left it in the closet. So, feel free to wear it; it''s no problem."


    He smiled warmly. Rose hesitated, unsure whether to change or not.


    At a loss for what to do, Evan suddenly spoke up, "Rose, we should be heading downstairs."


    With a sunny smile on his face, he extended his arm like a gentleman, waiting for her to link hers with his. Oblivious to his possessiveness, Rose graciously took his arm.


    Miles gazed at her retreating figure with a dazed expression. He thought that Rose merely had eyes resembling Anastasia''s.


    However, when she came out wearing the dress, her smile seemed to bring Anastasia back to life right before his eyes.


    Anastasia... he murmured, unable to resist following Rose.


    In the vi''s backyard, Jonathan, who was now dressed in a suit, sat in the farthest corner of the yard. His gaze fixed on the second-floor staircase.


    After a long time of not noticing Rose, impatience began to show on his handsome face. Just as he was about to lose his patience, Rose and Evan descended the stairs hand in hand.


    His sharp eyes narrowed. Evan was just her senior; was it necessary to be so intimate? His gaze was filled with a sharpness that he couldn''t conceal.


    Just as he was infuriated, Miles''s voice rang out from the vi, "Please allow me to introduce the guest of honor for tonight''s celebration, the champion of the National Jewelry Design Award, Ms. Shaffer." Rose hadn''t prepared for this, and everyone''s attention instantly turned to her.


    "Hello, everyone. I''m Rose."


    She immediately put on a graceful smile, thinking she could handle this quickly and find a quiet corner to avoid the limelight.


    However, Miles''s voice echoed again. "The most important event tonight is tomemorate Ms. Shaffer''s winning bid of 500 million from Mr. Finch''s auction. Ms. Shaffer, please ept it."


    Along with his voice, Rose''s phone vibrated. She took out her phone, which was filled with countless missed calls from Evan and a bank notification. She was momentarily stunned.


    "Damn!"

 Billionire 82

    Exposing Her True Colors


    Rose was so shocked that she blurted out. Though her voice was low, Evan and Miles still heard it.


    "Cough..." "Cough...."


    Both of them slightly hesitated before they covered their mouths and coughed, smiling lightly to help conceal her shock. At this moment, all Rose could see were the endless zeroes behind the five. While she was the heiress of Celeste Jewels, she hadn''t received a single penny from her family after graduating. She had been financially tight ever since she paid for her star escort husband. Now, with an unexpected 500 million, she was on the brink of blurting it out in excitement.


    Miles observed her with an increasingly gentle gaze as he asked, "Ms. Shaffer, don''t you want to say something?"


    His reminder brought her back to reality. She finally noticed that everyone was looking at her.


    She chuckled as she raised her phone and said, "Money... a lot of it. I like it!"


    Her words left everyone speechless. After all, who wouldn''t like that huge amount? In the backyard, even though they were quite far apart, Jonathan saw the sparkle in Rose''s eyes. "A money-lover!"


    She''s so into money yet didn''t hesitate to spend ten million to marry him. He couldn''t help butugh softly at the thought.


    Suddenly, a man''s sharp voice rang out, "Rose!"


    Rose turned to the source of the voice and saw Nixon standing at the door. At this moment, his face was dark as he was filled with jealousy. 500 million... Rose got 500 million!


    Although the Lane family had umted a certain amount of wealth over the generations, 500 million was not a small amount to them. However, Rose could get 500 million just for her two designs. Nixon was shaken and jealous as he wondered what kind of jewelry could be worth 500 million. Rose must have received this huge sum because Uncle Jonathan still had feelings for her. Therefore, he needed to expose her true colors and prevent Uncle Jonathan from being deceived further.


    He looked around, and though he couldn''t see Uncle Jonathan, he knew he must be lurking somewhere in the vicinity. This realization only fueled his determination.


    He stared at Rose and said sternly, "Rose, how long do you intend to deceive everyone?""


    Rose furrowed her brow, thinking that this guy was here with malicious intent. However, she remainedposed, having nothing to fear.


    However, Nixon''s words surprised others, and their gazes turned from him to Rose, filled withplex expressions.


    "What does he mean? Is he saying Ms. Shaffer is a fraud?"


    12


    Nixon gave a coldugh and raised his voice, "Don''t be fooled by her pretty face, this woman is an exceptional actress, a flirt, and very skilled at seducing multiple men at once. I have evidence!" With that, he took out his phone, disying a picture of the moment outside the restaurant when Miles was gazing at Rose with deep affection.


    The photo quickly circted among the crowd, ending up in Miles''s hands.


    Rose o


    nced at the photo and furrowed her brows even deeper. She hadn''t realized that she had been secretly photographed that day while dining with Miles Rose''s lips curled into a cold smile. She was about to speak, but Miles''s voice preceded hers as he asked, "What does this prove?"


    He casually tossed the phone to his assistant and stared at Nixon. His gaze filled with disdain. There was a subtle, yet intimidating force behind his words, which made Nixon pause. After all, he couldn''t afford to offend Miles.


    "Mr. Young, Rose is trying to seduce you. She''s not only trying to seduce you but also Evan and Mr. Finch. Please don''t be fooled by her."


    Evan and Rose both furrowed their brows. Evan thought if she had ever shown even the slightest hint of seduction toward Evan, she would have be Mrs. Spencer by now. Meanwhile, Rose had always wished to stay as far away from Mr. Finch as possible. It didn''t make sense to im she wanted to seduce him.


    They were both about to speak when they heard Miles''s low chuckle. The sound of hisughter left everyone momentarily stunned,


    Then, he fixed his gaze on Rose and spoke in aposed tone, "If Ms. Shaffer had even the tiniest bit of interest in me, I would have given her my entire world. Unfortunately


    D

 Billionire 83

    I Am Already Married


    "It''s a pity that I''m the only one who admires Ms. Shaffer. Meanwhile, shoes continued as he raised


    an eyebrow in disappointment.


    The crowd was instantly in an uproar. No wonder his gaze toward Rose had been so full of affection just now. Could it be that he had been secretly in love with her?


    "My goodness! What kind of ethereal love is this? Ms. Shaffer must have saved the gxy in her past life..."


    "Mr. Young is handsome and wealthy. Apart from Mr. Finch in Regalia, who canpare to him? Ms. Shaffer doesn''t have feelings for him?"


    "Could it be that Ms. Shaffer has feelings for Mr. Finch?


    Discussions among the crowd were rampant. In the backyard, hidden in the darkness, Jonathan''s eyes gleamed with depth as he focused on Miles in the vi! However, when he heard the statement mentioning Rose had feelings for him, a glint of excitement passed through his eyes.


    In the next moment, Rose poured cold water on his newly kindled mes as she rified, "No, I haven''t


    fallen for Mr. Finch."


    Her expression was serious. She had been at a loss due to Miles''s sudden confession.


    However, upon hearing someone im she had feelings for Mr. Finch, she immediately regained her mind and hurriedly distanced herself.


    As if fearing that no one would believe her, she waved her hands anxiously and reiterated, "I haven''t fallen for Mr. Finch. Please don''t misunderstand, everyone!"


    Jonathan was speechless. He had an impulse to step forward and kiss her as she spoke nonsense, publicly dering his sovereignty. Rose''s response left everyone momentarily stunned. Meanwhile, Miles and Evan both burst intoughter.


    "It seems she doesn''t like Mr. Finch," Miles said as he nced in the direction of the backyard.


    He knew Jonathan was watching.


    Perhaps with a bit of ulterior motive, he focused on Rose and semi-yfully asked, "Then, what about me?


    Rose knew that Miles''s recent admiring words had been meant to help her out of a tricky situation. Nevertheless, what was the situation now?


    Her mind went nk. For a moment, she didn''t know how to respond.


    Several romantic-minded employees in the crowd couldn''t help but cheer, "Is this a public deration?"


    Ms. Shaffer, please tell Mr. Young that you want to be his girlfriend!"


    For a moment, many people in the vicinity were shipping the two,pletely sidelining the usations made by Nixon.


    Nixon had not anticipated that the situation would develop entirely contrary to his expectations. He stared at Rose fiercely with resentment.


    Rose is already married, and nobody knows, right?"


    The cheers died down. Even Miles furrowed his brows. Nixon seized on the reactions of the people and triumphantly stared at Rose as if dering victory. However, Rose breathed a sigh of relief.


    She raised an eyebrow as she smiled and told Miles, "Yes, I''m already married. I''m sorry, Mr. Finch, but I can''t like you either!"


    Each of the prominent figures in Regalia was not someone she wanted to offend. It just so happened that Nixon had provided her with an opportunity to save her dignity.


    "Haha... Well, it seems I appearedte. I wonder who is lucky enough to have married Ms. Shaffer. I must meet him someday."


    Miles nced toward the backyard. Did Jonathan know that Rose was already married?


    "Of course, I''d love to. My husband is incredibly handsome."


    Rose''s eyes sparkled when she mentioned her star escort husband.


    Miles''s smile grew deeper as he said, "Oh, is that so? Then we must meet him."


    It would be even better if Jonathan could meet him too. Rose''s openness endeared her to many.


    The affection in her eyes toward her husband was so evident that no one could believe she was a flirtatious woman. Miles and Evan, along with Rose, strolled among the guests.


    Meanwhile, Nixon was left hanging on the sidelines. His face was extremely unpleasant. He hadn''t expected Rose to be so skilled in handling the situation.


    Nevertheless, even though Miles believed her, Uncle Jonathan might not. He scanned the surroundings to look for Jonathan.


    Suddenly, a ck-d bodyguard approached him and said, "Mr. Lane, Mr. Finch requests your presence."


    P

 Billionire 84

    Could it be Mr. Finch


    Nixon was excited. Soon, he was brought to the backyard. In the darkness, Jonathan''s face was incredibly grim. Nixon thought he had finally revealed Rose''s true colors.


    He immediately added fuel to the fire as he said, "Uncle Jonathan, you have seen that Rose is that kind of woman. She''s not worth even a single nce from you, "What kind of woman is she?" Jonathan''s voice was low and chilly.


    Nixon quickly painted an even darker picture of Rose.


    "She was once my fianc¨¦e. To harm me, she got involved with a male escort and even married him. She approached Mr. Young and you just for money to support his husband."


    A male escort? Rose indeed treated him as if he were some kind of special upation worker, throwing money at him. A faint smile involuntarily tugged at the corner of his mouth,


    However, Nixon didn''t notice his change in expression. Thinking about the 500 million Rose had just received, he felt a surge of envy.


    "Uncle Jonathan, don''t let her deceive you. Those jewels aren''t worth 500 million. I can help you retrieve them."


    If he could retrieve them, Jonathan would surely be grateful ttohim. Jonathan crossed his legs and smiled.


    "How do you n to retrieve them?"


    Nixon was overjoyed as patted his chest and said, "Uncle Jonathan, just wait and watch. I can get this done immediately."


    Jonathan nced at him and said, "Well, give it a try."


    Nixon failed to notice the odd tone in his voice. He felt as though he had received a golden opportunity.


    "Alright."


    He turned around confidently and walked toward Rose in the vi. With Jonathan''s backing, he not only intended to make Rose return the 500 million but also wanted to expose her in the worst way possible. Inside the vi, Rose was chatting with several jewelry designers. Suddenly, Nixon''s voice rang out.


    "Rose!"


    Through the crowd, Rose met his gaze and instantly saw the malice in his eyes. He was indeed a persistent guy who never gave up.


    Earlier, she didn''t want to disrupt Miles''s celebration banquet, so she ignored him. However, if he continued to pester her


    "Smack!"


    With a crisp sound, a pnded on Nixon''s face, leaving everyone in shock. In the hall, an angry middle-aged man who had just arrived exuded a strong air of anger. Rose recognized this man.


    "Dad!"


    Nixon was left dumbfounded by the p. As he came to his senses and saw Hayden, he waspletely taken aback.


    Nevertheless, he was still focused on impressing Jonathan in front of everyone, to the extent that he hadn''t even paid much attention to the p. His gaze returned to Rose.


    As he just looked over, Hayden pped his face again. With a smack, Nixon couldn''t help but stumble.


    "Dad..."


    His eyes reddened. Hayden didn''t give him a chance to speak. He immediately signaled two burly men to grab him. The men then dragged him away.


    Hayden bowed to Miles and said, "I apologize, Mr. Young. My unfilial son has behaved improperly and disturbed everyone.


    As he was leaving, he cast a probing look at Rose. In his sharp eyes, apart from scrutinizing, there was a strong undercurrent of respect, even more so than the look he gave Miles. That look left Rose feeling strange.


    "Thank you for your help, Mr. Young"


    She thought that Miles had called Hayden over. However, he didn''t seem to care.


    "If it was because of that man just now, then you''re thanking the wrong person."


    He was nning to teach Nixon a lesson, but he hadn''t acted yet..


    "Then who was it?" Rose muttered as she looked at Evan.


    He furrowed his brows, not bothering to im the credit.


    "It wasn''t me either."


    Rose was even more perplexed. If it wasn''t Miles and Evan, who else couldmand such respect from Hayden? Could it be Mr. Finch?


    A scene of her being trapped by the man in the water earlier shed in her mind, causing her to shudder instinctively


    "No, it can''t be him."


    She pushed away the thought. Just then, her phone rang. Upon realizing the caller was her star escort husband, she immediately answered the call.


    "Hello?"


    The call was connected, but there was a moment of silence from the other end. In the backyard, Jonathan was left in a daze when he saw the smile on Rose''s face as she answered the phone.


    T

 Billionire 85

    The Possessiveness of the Star Escort Husband


    She treated him as if he were an untamable force of Hature to be avoided at all costs. However, when it came to her "husband," she could smile so radiantly.


    A trace of displeasure welled up within Jonathan''s heart.


    "Hello?"


    Rose nced at her phone. The call went through; however, why wasn''t her star escort husband saying. anything? Jonathan suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, his mood for from pleasant. "I''ming to pick you up. Be ready in ten minutes. I meet you at the entrance."


    He hung up before Rose could respond. Rose wondered what had caused that explosive tone. Had she done something to upset him? Meanwhile, Miles had left with his matters in mind.


    At the same time, Evan saw Rose at the door. Outside the vi, Jonathan stood next to an ordinary sedan,


    with his back facing the direction of the vi.


    When Rose saw that figure, her heart inexplicably tightened. Was that Mr. Finch?


    When the man turned around, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the handsome face.


    of her star escort husband.


    Jonathan''s gaze briefly passed over Evan as he walked up to Rose and took her hand.


    "Evan, we should..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, Jonathan gently pushed her into the passenger seat. The car then roared to life and sped away. Evan watched as the car disappeared, a hint of wariness in his eyes. The man''s actions were filled with possessiveness. Was it just a simple contractual marriage between them? He couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease. Inside the car, the atmosphere was peculiar. The star escort husband had a dark expression on his face, seemingly in a bad mood. Rose thought of the 500 million she had just received and wanted to make her star escort husband feel the joy too. "Do you know? The money from the National Jewelry Design Award auction was transferred to my ount today. 500 million! I''m a rich woman now."


    She excitedly waved her phone. Jonathan''s lips curled into a faint smile, thinking that she was indeed a money-lover.


    Just then, Rose added, "I also have over four million to repay you. I can pay it all at once."


    The smile on his face froze. Paying it all at once meant their marriage would be over. Some inexplicable annoyance welled up in his heart. He remained silent until they arrived at Zenwood Gardens. Then, he coldly said, "Get out of the G


    Rose stepped out of the car. Just as she closed the door, the car sped away in front of her. She was puzzled, wondering if she had said something wrong.


    After some serious consideration, she concluded that it must be because she hadn''t yet transferred the money she owed him.


    Hence, the first thing she did when she got home was to process the bank transfer. Fu Jinhan drove away. and an iing transaction notification caught his eye. "That infuriating woman!"


    Jonathan couldn''t help but curse, wishing he could throw his phone out of the window. At Lane residence, Kelly was taken aback by the scene before her eyes.


    Just a few minutes ago, Nixon had been brought back to the mansion by Hayden''s men. As soon as they entered, Hayden kicked him several times in front of everyone.


    Themotion even woke Mrs. Lane Senior up.


    "What''s going on? What did he do wrong for you to treat him like this?"


    Full of pity for her grandson, Mrs. Lane Senior had him helped to his feet.


    Nixon immediatelyined, "Grandma, he ruined my opportunity. I could have helped Uncle Jonathan retrieve the 500 million from Rose, but he took me away without saying a word. Hayden, I think you deliberately didn''t want me to shine in front of Uncle Jonathan."


    He was furious, and the thought of the 500 million in Rose''s hands left him deeply resentful.


    "Shine? You nearly ruined the entire Lane family!" Hayden wished he could tear apart this disobedient child.


    The reason he had attended the celebration banquet was because he had received a personal phone call from Jonathan.


    He wamed him that if Nixon dared to disrespect Rose again, he would erase the entire Lane family from society. Hayden didn''t dare to hesitate and rushed to the banquet.


    He was certain that Jonathan had used the word "disrespect" intentionally. He red at Nixon with a gloomy expression.


    "From today on, you will stay home and not go out. I warn you, stay away from Rose!"


    With that, he left in anger. Nixon was confined to the mansion. Kelly clenched her fists silently.


    She had hoped to guide Nixon to the celebration banquet to embarrass Rose, but he couldn''t even handle such a simple task. Thinking of Nixon''s words earlier, it appeared that Rose had obtained the 500 million.


    A tinge of greed shed in her eyes. She left the Lane residence under the pretense of ate-night visit to Shaffer residence. Upon returning to Shaffer residence, she found Jamie and tearfullyined to him.


    BIG SALE: 3600 bonus free fou you


    D

 Billionire 86

    I


    Inheriting Celeste Jewels


    Kelly cried pitifully, intentionally not disclosing the reason.


    After Jamie and Chelsea repeatedly inquired, she choked and said, "It seems that Mrs. Lane Senior doesn''t like me. It''s all because I''m not the eldest daughter and can''t inherit Celeste Jewelry. Even if I marry Nixon, it won''t help him."


    She was heartbroken as if she had suffered a great injustice in the Lane family. Chelsea, also in tears, embraced her and wept with her.


    "It''s all my fault. You''re your father''s biological daughter, but for all these years, you''ve been treated as an outsider. If you marry and still have to endure such injustice, what can you do? Maybe you shouldn''t marry at all


    "But


    I''m already engaged to Nixon. If we break off the engagement, the Shaffers''s and Dad''s reputation will be ruined."


    Kelly cried even harder. Jamie, with deep and determined eyes, remained silent. His daughter had suffered too much!


    Celeste Jewels had been left by Celeste, and Rose would inherit it as soon as she got married. He had been stalling because there were some matters he hadn''tpleted yet.


    Now that Rose had won the championship of the National Jewelry Design Award, she would undoubtedlye to fulfill Celeste''s will.


    A hint of determination filled his eyes as if he had made a significant decision.


    He nced at the mother and daughter as he said, "Kelly, don''t worry. When you get married, you will do so with grace. I won''t let you suffer anymore."


    Kelly smiled in triumph. She knew her father cared for her. Even if she couldn''t secure the inheritance of Celeste Jewels, Jamie would make sure she received the 500 million.


    On the other end, Jonathan didn''t return to Zenwood Gardens that night. The next morning, Rose had just awakened when she received a bank transaction notification.


    The money for over four million she had transferred to her star escort husband the previous night had been returned to her ount.


    "What''s going on?"


    She tried the operation several times, but it failed each time. Feeling puzzled, she was about to call the bank to inquire when Jamie''s call came in.


    "Rose, why don''t youe to thepany headquarters today? Your mother''s creation, Celeste Jewels, should be passed on to you."


    His tone was unusually gentle. Rose almost thought she had misheard him. Even after hanging up the phone, she still felt dazed. Her intuition told her that Jamie wouldn''t easily hand over Celeste Jewels. After a quick freshening up, she took a taxi to Century Tower. Upon arriving at thepany headquarters, the receptionist treated her warmly, a stark contrast to her previous attitude.


    "Ms. Rose, please follow me. Mr. Shaffer has been waiting for you in his office for quite some time."


    The receptionist led her to the office. As soon as she entered, Jamie came forward to greet her.


    "Rose, I''ve prepared everything today. These are the relevant documents for the inheritance. I''ve already signed them. Take a look."


    He spread a stack of documents in front of her. Rose carefully examined them; they were indeed the relevant documents for thepany''s inheritance.


    There was also a deration of Jamie relinquishing all positions at Celeste Jewels.


    "Rose, everything rted to Celeste Jewels and the Shaffer family''s assets have their origins with your mother. Over the years, I''ve held on to Celeste Jewels. I may not have contributed much, but I have put in my share of effort. I dont want any shares in thepany, but I hope you can let me keep the vi where


    the Shaffers live."


    That vi had been acquired while her mother was still alive. However, it had long since be someone else''s home. Rose readily agreed.


    "Your sister''s dowry..."


    Rose thought he was going to make her sign the agreement for the 500 million dowry again.


    However, Jamie''s tone was surprisingly warm as he said, "I understand I didn''t think it through when I asked you to sign that agreement yesterday. I haven''t been attentive to you over the years. Please don''t me me."


    This sudden warmth left Rose momentarily stunned.


    "Although you have a lot of design talent, managing apany is not a simple task. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can ask me at any time. Consider it my way of making it up to you," Jamie sighed as he said, appearing like a regretful father.


    After that, he convened a meeting among the top executives and announced that Celeste Jewels belonged to Rose from that day on.


    After a day ofpleting various formalities, Rose still found it hard to believe. Had she inherited Celeste Jewels? Everything had happened so suddenly making her feel unusually unsettled.


    The next day, she arrived at thepany early. It was already 10:00 am, and the empty office had only a few people scattered around.


    She randomly asked an intern, "Where is everyone? Where have they gone?"

 Billionire 87

    Seeking Him Will Certainly Come at a Price


    Before the intern could say a word, Maya, wearing a triumphant expression, walked in and handed a resignation letter to Rose.


    "Congrattions on sessfully inheriting your mother''s legacy, Rose. I came here today to personally resign, out of consideration for our years of friendship. By the way, you asked where everyone went, right? Just check yourpany email."


    Rose opened her email and saw a flood of resignation letters.


    "All the key positions in thepany have been vacated, leaving only these inexperienced interns. Rose, how long do you think Celeste wels can survive now? Hehehe... Do you think Uncle Jamie intended to give Celeste Jewels back to you?"


    A malicious grin crept over the corners of Maya''s lips. Even if Rose inherited Celeste Jewels, what could she do with it alone? She left with a maliciousugh.


    Rose''s office was left empty, and a few interns stared nkly at her. Almost everyone could sense her unpreparedness. The air in the room became stiflingly silent, and it felt like one could hear a pln drop. After a few minutes, a mocking smile finally curled on Rose''s lips. After a long pause, she dialed Jamie''s number. She thought he had already blocked her, but the call went through surprisingly. "Rose, why are you calling me so early? Is something wrong?"


    Jamie''s voice from the other end of the line was unusually concerned, like that of a caring father. Rose felt an icy chill listening to his words.


    She almost shivered as she asked, "Why?"


    Nearly everyone in thepany had submitted their resignation letters at the same time, a clear sign of Jamie''s directive.


    He remained silent for a moment and replied gently, "Rose, I''ve said it before, no matter what you face, you can alwayse to me."


    Come to him anytime? It was only now that Rose finally understood the meaning of those words. Jamie wanted her to ask him for help.


    However, seeking his help would undoubtedlye at a cost. Thinking of the agreement that had her providing a dowry for Kelly, her lips curled into a bitter smile.


    With a hint of irony, she hung up the phone. Time seemed to stand still. The interns gazed at her, not daring to make a sound.


    Suddenly, she turned to look at them, wearing a wry smile as she said, "You''ve all seen it. Almost everyone has resigned. If any of you want to leave as well, feel free to do so." After saying that, she walked into her office. Her deste figure evoked a sense of pity in those who witnessed it.


    Just then, a young man spoke up, "I''m not leaving, Ms, Shaffer. I''ve just graduated and don''t have much experience. If you don''t mind, I can help out around thepany. Rose raised a faint smile as she asked, "What''s your name?"


    "I''m William Zens."


    "Alright, you can stay."


    She nodded at him and turned to enter her office.


    Suddenly, another timid voice spoke up, "Ms. Shaffer, I''m not leaving either."


    It was the same intern Rose had asked about the missing staff earlier. She had long, flowing hair and a sweet face. Her eyes were bright yet filled with ack of self-confidence. As Rose hadn''t responded, she began to sound anxious.


    "Ms. Shaffer, I''ve seen your designs for the National Jewelry Design Award. I''ve always admired you, and I want to learn from you. My name is Sherlyn Yates."


    She gazed at Rose with hopeful eyes, as if a me had ignited within her. That me drove away the chill that had just settled in Rose''s heart.


    "Sherlyn, you can stay."


    Rose felt a sense of gratitude.


    "Count me in. I want to stay too


    "I''m not leaving either. Can I stay, Ms. Shaffer?"


    "My name is Henry Losse."


    "I''m Shane Zoyard."


    Two more voices chimed in simultaneously. The gloomy office was suddenly bathed in a ray of light. Rose looked at the four of them and felt a burning determination inside her. "You can all stay. From today on, as long as I''m here, I will never treat any of you unfairly.


    D

 Billionire 88

    A Trap Set for Her


    in a five-personpany, Rose immediately arranged for the release of a job recruitment notice. Meanwhile, across the street in the office building facing Century Tower, Jamie sat in his office.


    The vast ground floor office area was upied by employees, all familiar faces from Celeste Jewels. Kelly gazed at thepany''s signboard, "Lavier Jewels, which stood out prominently. She was pleasantly surprised. It turned out that her father had been discreetly operating a jewelrypany.


    Over the years, numerous resources acquired through Celeste Jewels had flowed primarily to theirpany, thanks to her father''s maniptions.


    What could Rose do even if she inherited Celeste Jewels? It


    was an empty shell at this point.


    She wanted to bring Rose over right away to witness this, as she was sure her reaction would be priceless. However, on the surface, she continued to appear deeply concerned as she said, "Dad if Rose were to. find out about thispany..


    Before she could finish, Jamie coldly interrupted her, "She will find out sooner orter, but even if she does, there''s nothing she can do."


    These past years, every step he had taken had been extremely cunning. Rose wouldn''t find any ws. A gleam of shrewdness appeared in his eyes.


    "Kelly, I''ve told you that you''ll have a splendid wedding. From now on, you will be the sole heir of Lavier Jewels. Even the Lane family won''t dare underestimate you anymore." "Thank you, Dad!"


    Kelly almost let out her triumphant feelings. Nevertheless, even in front of Jamie, she couldn''tpletely drop her benevolent fa?ade.


    Thinking of something, she bit her lip and said, "However, Nixon already informed Mrs. Lane Senior that I''ll be bringing 500 million as a dowry for the wedding. "Rose will deliver that dowry at our doorstep."


    Driven by greed, Jamie was certain of his arrangement. The recruitment announcements had been out for an entire day, and Rose received only a few resumes.


    Moreover, when she reviewed thepany''s inventory, she noticed discrepancies in the lists. As she was nning to investigate further, amotion outside caught her attention. Soon, a high-society-looking woman with bodyguards stormed in.


    "Get your manager out here!"


    The woman''s entourage exuded an intimidating aura. Rose stepped out of her office, with William, Henry, and Shane forming a protective barrier around her.


    Without waiting for her to speak, the high-society woman dered coldly, "Are you the one in charge of Celeste Jewels?"


    Rose did not evade the question and answered, "Yes."


    The woman sneered, "Then, you owe mepensation!"


    She gestured to her bodyguards, and they ced several high-end jewelry boxes in front of Rose.


    ''These are the custom-made jewelry I ordered from your store not too long ago. I chose Celeste Jewels because it has a decent reputation, but it turns out you dared to use fake materials for my pieces!" The woman angrily tossed a custom contract over and said, "Pay us thepensation!"


    Rose furrowed her brows and opened one of the jewelry boxes. Inside was a diamond ne made from a unique diamond.


    While the materials appeared genuine to the untrained eye, Rose could tell almost instantly that it was indeed fake. She then proceeded to open the other boxes.


    Despite an initial appearance of authenticity, each of the jewelry was counterfeit upon closer examination. Meanwhile, the custom contract stipted a tenfold penalty for using fake materials.


    The total value on it was in the tens of millions which meant she owed one billion.


    "Ms. Shaffer, what should we do?"


    William had just checked thepany''s ounts and found that they only had a few hundred thousand in liquid assets. Rose furrowed her brows, her eyes deep with thought. She could pay for the one billion. However, it was a trap set for her.


    She took a deep breath and met the woman''s gaze as she inquired, "One billion... How much did Jamie pay you?"


    The woman, showing a hint of guilt in her eyes for a brief moment, quickly regained herposure. "What payment? You''re not thinking of reneging on your debt, are you?" she asked.


    Then, she signaled to her bodyguards, who immediately stepped forward and red menacingly at Rose. Sherlyn, who was standing by, was on the verge of tears. Yet, there was no hint of fear in Rose''s eyes.


    "If these pieces of jewelry are indeed fake, we willpensate you as stipted-one billion, not a penny less. However, these jewelry items are not fake. Why should we pay?"

 Billionire 89

    Do You Still Want to Stay Now.


    The woman noticeably hesitated upon hearing this.


    "It''s impossible for them not to be fake."


    Jamie had made it explicitly clear to her that the sets of jewelry he had given her were fake. He wouldn''t deceive her.


    Rose observed her reaction and remarked, "Whether they are real or fake can easily be determined by an expert''s assessment. Are you afraid to have them appraised?"


    "Who''s afraid? We''ll have them appraised!"


    The woman gave her a confident look. It seemed she was wary of any tricks Rose might pull as she immediately had her bodyguards collect the jewelry along with the custom contract.


    "To ensure fairness, why don''t each of us invite an appraiser? We can meet at Aquastead Hotel in two days and have the jewelry appraised face to face, Rose suggested with a sly smile that made the woman inexplicably uneasy.


    Despite her lingering doubts, she couldn''t see any potential tricks in this arrangement.


    "Alright."


    After agreeing, she took the jewelry and left. Still feeling uneasy, she ced a call to Jamie.


    "Mr. Shaffer, do you think your daughter might try something?"


    She recounted the entire incident to him. Jamie didn''t take Rose seriously at all.


    "She''s indeed clever, but in just two days, she couldn''t possibly replicate several sets of jewelry exactly. She probably can''t even remember the designs in that short amount of time. As long as the sets of jewelry were appraised to be fake, she had to make thepensation.


    "Don''t worry. I promised to give you a 10% share of the one billion. I''ll keep my word."


    Only then did the woman''s unease subside. After the woman left, the office fell silent.


    "Ms. Shaffer, are those jewelry items genuine? William had a bad feeling.


    All of them looked at Rose expectantly, sharing the same doubts.


    "They''re all fake," she said calmly.


    The morale of the group instantly plummeted.


    "So, what should we do? We''ll still have to pay when they''re appraised,"


    Shaffer


    "Ms. I was just about to report that thepany had only a few hundred thousand in liquid assets...


    At this point, Rose showed no signs of great shock. It was as if any bad news was now the norm.


    "What should we do now?" Sherlyn had a worried look her


    in eyes.


    Rose looked at the four of them.


    Surprisingly, a smile crept onto her face as she asked, "Do you still want to stay now?"


    For a moment, silence hung in the air.


    The four exchanged nces before Sherlyn spoke up first, "Of course, I want to stay. I still have so much to learn from you."


    William followed, "Yeah, we''ve already made our decision; there''s no turning back."


    Henry chimed in, "I''m staying no matter what."


    Shane also added, "That''s right, Ms. Shaffer. Don''t even think about getting rid of me."


    The four of them smiled brightly, and the office was filled with a warm atmosphere. Rose''s previously icy heart felt unusually warm.


    At this moment, she knew that Jamie had done more than just withdraw the employees. Celeste Jewels was probably already a mess, and she was about to face the unknown.


    Thinking about the jewelry appraisal in two days, her eyes darkened.


    "Sherlyn, can you tell if the jewelry is real or fake?"


    Sherlyn replied, "I can; I''ve studied jewelry appraisal."


    "Good. Go check the authenticity of the materials in our inventory right now."


    "Alright, I''ll go right away!"


    She left to carry out the task.


    Rose then instructed William, ''Immediately close all the stores and investigate the authenticity of the jewelry being sold."


    She couldn''t be sure if Jamie had any other tricks up his sleeve. Now, she had to not only react but also be proactive.


    "Yes, Ms. Shaffer," William agreed.


    Not long aft


    Not long after, Sherlyn returned with an anxious face.


    "Those materials are all fake, Ms. Shaffer. What should we do?"


    This result had been within Rose''s expectations. Jamie had indeed pulled a ruthless move. However, she needed those materials for the jewelry appraisal in two days.


    Her mind suddenly shed an image of Miles''s refined face. At the celebration banquet, she had exchanged phone numbers with him. After hesitating for a moment, she nervously dialed his number.


    At Nightfall Lounge, as soon as Miles saw the phone call from Rose, he instinctively nced at Jonathan, who was sitting across from him.

 Billionire 90

    Tearing Up the Agreement Directly


    Zac had just returned from a business trip and immediately Invited both of them out for drinks.


    "Come on, let''s drink... Today, we won''t leave until we''re three sheets to the wind!"


    He tried to liven up the atmosphere. However, Jonathan remained stoic as he entered Nightfall Lounge. He exuded an air of resentment, drinking in silence without uttering a word. Two days had passed since hest visited Zenwood Gardens, and Rose hadn''t shown any reaction. Frustrated, he took a swig of the strong alcohol, but it did little to alleviate his agitation. After observing him for a moment, a faint smile graced Miles''s lips as he said, "I need to take a call." Then, he left the private room. Just as Rose thought Miles wouldn''t answer the call, it rang. "Hello, Mr. Young... I''m sorry to disturb you, but I need your help. I urgently require several jewelry materials. I''m facing a situation here, and after thinking it over, you''re my only hope in the entire Aquastead." Rose and Miles had only met briefly on a couple of asions, and Miles had helped her twice before. However, she wasn''t sure if he''d assist her again this time.


    Miles found this request rather surprising.


    Finch Group was in the mining business. Even if the materials weren''t in Aquastead, it wouldn''t take more. than a few hours for Rose to get them if she approached Jonathan. However, she said she could only rely on him. He furrowed his brow slightly. After a moment of silence, Rose thought he was going to decline.


    "I''m sorry. If it''s inconvenient, then


    She didn''t want to trouble him.


    Before she could finish her sentence, Miles snapped back to reality and firmly stated, "It''s convenient. Of course, I can help you. What do you need? Il deliver it to you."


    Rose was taken aback. How could she dare to trouble Miles to deliver the materials to her?


    Before she could politely decline, Miles spoke up again, "Please send me the list of what you need and


    the address."


    Then, he ended the call. Rose was momentarily stunned as she stared at her phone. Soon, she regained herposure. Time was of the essence, and she had to make every moment count. She quicklypiled a list and sent it to Miles along with the address. Meanwhile, Miles returned to the private room and took his coat before leaving.


    He gave Jonathan a meaningful nce as he said, "I''m sorry, but I have a prior engagement. I''ll be leaving first."


    His insufferable look left Jonathan feeling particrly irritated. After downing a few more drinks, even Zac noticed his unusual behavior.


    "What''s wrong? Did you lose to the little beauty again?


    He was just making a casual guess, but Jonathan tightened his grip on the ss. Zac instantly choked on


    the drink.


    "So, you lost to her?" he asked regretfully.


    During this time, his father had kept him busy with various tasks all over the country. He was sure to have missed out on a lot of gossip.


    "You''re not falling for her, are you?"


    He squinted his eyes yfully. Jonathan furrowed his brow. He was serious about Rose, but did he love him. Love was too extravagant. He nced at Zac and remained silent for a while.


    Then, he suddenly spoke. "If there''s an agreement where one party wants to end it, but you don''t want it to end, what would you do?"


    Zac instantly smelled a juicy piece of gossip.


    "Isn''t it simple? If you''re a bit domineering, you just tear up the agreement. Just make everything go as you say. But if you want to be a bit cunning, quietly prevent the conditions for ending the agreement from being met. That should do the trick."


    "What happened? Do you have an agreement with the little beauty? What kind of agreement? Tell me


    more.


    "It seems that the little beauty wants to end this agreement. Hmm... I wonder what''s in this agreement Is it something interesting?"


    He was brimming with excitement.


    "Stop pestering me!" Jonathan scoffed.


    Then, he set his ss aside, got up, and left the private room.


    "Where are you going?"


    Zac chased after him.


    "I have a date with


    my little beauty," Jonathan replied.


    At this moment, he felt inexplicably ted. Although he couldn''t directly tear up the agreement, he had already ensured that the conditions for ending it couldn''t be met.


    Upon leaving Nightfall Lounge, he made a phone call and instructed Finley, "Notify the bank to reject any further transfers to the ount that was used a couple of days ago. As for the reason, let the bank figure it out themselves."


    After hanging up the phone, he headed straight to Zenwood Gardens. He wondered if Rose had already returned home at his time. He was surprisingly eager to see her.

 Billionire 91

    Wanting to Approach Her


    As he returned to Zenwood Gardens, the night had already fallen. However, Rose had not returned yet. Jonathan tried to call her, but her phone was already switched off.


    At this moment, Rose waspletely engrossed in staring at herputer screen, meticulously replicating the designs of those sets of jewelry from memory.


    She waspletely unaware that her phone had been switched off at some point. Afterpleting the final design drawing and printing it, Sherlyn looked at the design sketches with incredulity. "These are the design sketches for those sets of jewelry from earlier!" she eximed.


    The chaotic scene earlier had made it difficult for her to remember just a few prominent features of the jewelry.


    However, Rose surprisingly managed to memorize the entire appearance of the sets of jewelry in such a short time. Sherlyn''s eyes were filled with admiration.


    Suddenly, Rose looked at her and asked, "Can you do the polishing and crafting?"


    She hesitated for a moment and replied with some trepidation, "I''ve learned it, but I''ve never actually worked with real materials,"


    "Then, you can tryter."


    Rose gave her an encouraging look. Just as she finished speaking. Miles personally walked into thepany with a box in hand.


    As soon as he entered the office, he sensed that something was amiss with the atmosphere. However, he chose not to inquire further.


    He handed the box to Rose as he said, "Ms. Shaffer, the materials you required are all here."


    Rose received the box with joy.


    "Thank you, Mr. Young. You''ve been a great help. I''ll have someone settle the payment with you right now." She was about to call William over, but Miles stopped her and said, "It seems like you have more important matters to attend to. I can wait for the payment."


    Thinking about the appraisal in two days, Rose couldn''t afford to dy either. After seeing Miles off, she took Sherlyn and hurried to the jewelry processing factory owned by Celeste Jewels.


    Below the Century Tower, just as Rose was about to call for a taxi, a luxury car stopped in front of her.


    u like to go? I''ll


    Miles rolled down the window with a gentle smile and said, "Ms. Shaffer, where would you give you a ride."


    Rose was momentarily surprised that he hadn''t left yet


    "Sure."


    She didn''t refuse and got into the car, stating her destination. During the ride, Miles noticed that she was lost in thought and refrained from speaking too much. They soon arrived at their destination. Rose got out of the car and rushed into the processing factory. All the craftsmen from the factory had


    been taken away by Jamie, but the machines were still there.


    Without wasting a moment, she took out the materials Miles had provided and began her work. Outside the factory, Miles didn''t leave. He watched the one lit area of the factory with a sense of attraction. He deeply knew that Rose''s eyes were so much like Anastasia''s, yet she was not her. However, there was an inexplicable pull that made him want to get closer to her.


    Suddenly, as if he had made a decision, he took out his phone and made a call to his assistant.


    "Find out what''s happening at Celeste Jewels. Also, inform Grandpa that I have some urgent matters to attend to, which will dy my return."


    Having given these instructions, he walked into the factory with determined steps. On the other end, Jonathan was listening to Finley''s report with a gloomy expression.


    "Jamie has taken all the staff from Celeste Jewels. Mr. Finch, it''s clear that he intentionally left Ms. Shaffer with this mess. She might be under too much pressure and feeling overwhelmed...* "She won''t," Jonathan interrupted with a cold tone


    Rose''s personality dictated that when facing difficulties, her first thought would be to confront and resolve them. Right now, she must be thinking about how to find a solution.


    Without any dy, he immediately drove to Century Tower. Half an hourter, he found Rose''s phone on her office desk.


    Just as he was about to gather a team to search for her whereabouts, a young man burst into the office. They exchanged a nce, and they both inquired, "Who are you?" "Where is Rose?"


    William was nearly breathless due to Jonathan''s imposing presence.


    He instinctively responded, "Ms. Shaffer went to the processing factory."


    "The address!" Jonathan nced at him.


    The look in his eyes made his heart skip a beat.


    Only when he provided the address for the processing factory did he regain hisposure and asked, "Who... who are you?"


    However, his question was met with an empty room. Jonathan had disappeared like the wind.

 Billionire 92

    Just Happened to Feel Like It


    The night grew darker. Under the soft lighting, Rose wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead.


    Losing in her intense concentration, she failed to notice that Miles had been watching her at the door for quite some time. He was familiar with Rose''s work.


    The craftsmanship of the fire opal ne from the National Jewelry Design Award was so exquisite that even artisans with decades of experience found it hard to match.


    She was only in her twenties. However, her skill undoubtedly Involved a great deal of natural talent aside from diligent practice.


    "Ah!


    A sudden cry caught their attention. Rose turned to see Sherlyn with a small cut on her hand, caused by the machine. She hurried over to check. Once she was sure it wasn''t serious, her anxiety lessened. However, Sherlyn''s hand couldn''t continue working with her hand for the time being.


    "You should go to the hospital to get it bandaged to prevent infection." Rose quickly helped her stop the bleeding


    Sherlyn, overwhelmed with guilt, was on the verge of tears.


    "I''m so sorry, Ms. Shaffer, I was too careless. Will this dy the work? What if we can''tplete these things by the day after tomorrow..."


    "We willplete them! Trust me!" Roseforted her with a reassuring pat on her shoulder.


    "Go quickly ande back, I''ll still need your help."


    Upon hearing that she was needed, Sherlyn didn''t want to waste any more time so she replied, "Alright, I'' go right away."


    Watching her leave, Rose noticed Miles still standing at the door.


    "Mr. Young...


    Before she could say anything. Miles approached withrge strides.


    "I don''t have many friends in Aquastead, and I had nowhere to go; so I came in. I hope I''m not bothering


    you."


    Rose couldn''t help but twitch her lips. Was it possible for him to have no friends and nowhere to go? "Of course, you''re not disturbing me, but right now...


    She genuinely couldn''t entertain him. Miles understood her Intention. ncing at the several design sketches on the worktable, he had probably grasped the difficulties she was currently facing. "Do you need these finished by the day after tomorrow he furrowed his brows as he asked.


    Even if that girl had been here, it would have been a tight schedule for the two of them toplete these sets of jewelry. Not to mention that there was only Rose now. "Yes," she replied.


    The sets of jewelry had to be finished by the day after tomorrow, no matter what.


    "Mr. Young..." she was about to politely ask him to leave and get back to work.


    However, before she could speak, Miles sincerely said, "I haven''t done these things in a long time. I just happened to feel like it. You don''t mind if I use these things, do you?"


    Rose was speechless, wondering what he was nning to do. Before she could react, Miles had already taken off his suit jacket and tossed it aside. He then grabbed a work apron and put it on.


    Rose was dumbfounded for three seconds by thebination of his refined appearance and the apron. Then, he picked up a design sketch and selected materials before sitting down at a workstation. Rose''s long eyshes blinked as she realized he was going to help her.


    "Why are you still standing there? We need to finish these by the day after tomorrow, right?"


    Miles raised his head and looked at her with a smile. She was temporarily blinded by his smile. She returned to her workstation, still trying to hide her amazement.


    "I can''t believe that you know how to do these."


    In her understanding, someone like Miles, a tycoon in Regalia, could effortlessly earn money. Hence, it was impossible for him to personally handle such work. However, he was incredibly skilled in this area, fully equipped and efficient. Miles seemed to remember something as his eyes became particrly gentle. "The Youngs started in the jewelry business. My sister used to enjoy doing this. No matter what she did, me and Jon..."


    He paused for a moment.


    His eyes shed with a hint of peculiar emotion as he continued, "Finch and I would apany her."


    Rose wondered if the "Finch" he said was referring to Mr. Finch. After the celebration banquet, she looked up the "Anastasia" mentioned by them online.


    In Regalia, Mr. Young Senior had only one granddaughter named Anastasia Young. Her name had seemed familiar to her all along. Three years ago, Anastasia had married someone.


    No wonder at the celebration banquet, Miles had said that Jonathan treated her as a stand-in for Anastasia. While lost in her thoughts, she finished polishing a colorful gemstone.


    She habitually took a pen, gazed intently at the gemstone, and drew a me on it before carefully cing


    it on a piece of cloth. Havingpleted these steps, she inadvertently caught Miles''s astonished gaze.


    "What is this?" he asked.


    His usual elegance was reced by a


    serious expression as he pointed at the me on the gemstone.

 Billionire 93

    He Is All Rose Needed


    Rose nced at the me she had drawn on the gemstone, confirming that it was the same as her usual depiction.


    "You''ve seen this before, right? The me."


    She was still grateful for his assistance during the National Jewelry Design Award finals. However, it was evident that this wasn''t the answer Miles was looking for.


    He walked up to her and asked, "I know it''s a me, but why did you mark it like this?"


    Rose understood what he meant. Why did she make this specific mark?


    She pondered for a moment before answering, "It''s probably just a habit from when I was young."


    In her memory, her mother would make something and habitually make a mark in the most inconspicuous ce. She looked at the seriousness in his expression and found his reaction peculiar. "Isn''t that normal?" she inquired.


    Normal? Miles cast a nce at her. The Young family had its origins in the jewelry business, and nearly Ever family member personally created their works.


    After finishing a piece, they would all make a mark in the most concealed ce. Rose''s actions earlier... He was in deep thought when his phone suddenly rang. He quickly answered the call. Rose observed a trace of urgency on his face as he spoke on the phone.


    After hanging up, he looked apologetically at her and said, ''I''m sorry, but I have something urgent to attend to. I''ll immediately arrange for two craftsmen from Regalia toe here overnight so that it won''t dy your work."


    Before Rose could refuse, he left in a hurry, even forgetting his coat. As he left, Jonathan appeared at the door. His face was gloomy, and he felt a bit disgruntled


    He couldn''t believe that Rose sought help from someone else when she encountered a problem. Looking at Miles''s discarded coat on the floor, he walked into the room without hesitation. Then, heposed a message and sent it to Finley.


    "Inform the people in Regalia that no matter what, we can''t let Miles''s people get on the ne to Aquastead,"


    He thought there was no need for Miles to bring in craftsmen; He was all Rose needed. After sending the message, he sat down at the same workstation where Miles had been sitting. Rose waspletely engrossed in her work. When another polishing machine made a noise, she suddenly looked up and saw Jonathan, leaving her momentarily stunned. "What? Do you find my face attractive?"


    He didn''t raise his head but sensed her gaze. His tone was unfriendly, tinged with a heavy resentment


    Rose mumbled softly, "Well, it is indeed good-looking.


    Her voice was barely audible, but Jonathan heard it.


    He wanted to ask if he was more handsome than Miles, but considering that he was her "husband" at the moment and didn''t know who Miles was, he let it go. However, the resentment that had been building in him moments ago dissipated.


    Meanwhile, after having her hand bandaged at the hospital, Sherlyn returned to the workshop in thete hours of the night. As she entered, she saw not only Rose but also another incredibly handsome man. The handsome man asionally raised his head to nce at Rose, who was fully absorbed in her work. The look in his eyes was filled with tenderness, sweet and heart-melting.


    She tactfully understood the situation and stood aside not daring to interrupt. Finally, in the early hours of the day they had agreed upon, all the sets of jewelry werepleted.


    As the day hadn''t arrived, Sherlyn couldn''t help but ask Rose when Jonathan was out, "Ms. Shaffer, who is he?"


    "My husband," Rose replied with a yawn.


    These past few days, she had hardly gotten any sleep. Now, the exhaustion was hitting her, and she dozed off right at the table.


    Sherlyn was silently impressed by the talent and looks of Rose and her husband. Just then, Jonathan returned.


    He advanced and picked Rose up, making a conscious effort to be gentle so as not to wake her up. Before leaving, he instructed Sherlyn, "Take these things with you and follow us."


    His manner was like that of someone who was used to being in a high position. Sherlyn followed obediently. Downstairs, Finley was waiting in the car:


    Sherlyn didn''t recognize cars, but when she got in, the luxurious interior and essories inside made her realize that this was a valuable car. In the back seat, Rose was sleeping soundly in Jonathan''s arms. The car went straight to Aquastead Hotel. Upon learning that Jonathan would be staying in the presidential suite at the hotel night, the hotel manager hade from his home.


    He was personally leading a team of staff to wait at the hotel entrance. As soon as the car stopped, the hotel manager rushed over to open the car door personally.


    Sherlyn was taken aback by this grand reception. She watched as Jonathan carried Rose through the hotel''s entrance. A group of staff followed behind. She felt a little dizzy. What was the identity of Ms. Shaffer''s husband?

 Billionire 94

    Meet the Person Behind Her


    Rose was awakened by her rm clock. When she checked the time, it was already 8:00 am. Realizing that today was the agreed-upon time, she was shocked


    She immediately grabbed her fully charged phone from the bedside table and called Sherlyn, "Have the people on that side arrived? Where is the appraisal expert arranged by William? And those sets of jewelry that need to be reced..."


    "Ms. Shaffer, please rest assured. Everything has been arranged," Sherlyn replied.


    The jewelry that needed to be reced had already been taken by Jonathan. To rece the jewelry, there needed to be some special arrangements, and Rose had to personally oversee it.


    As soon as she got out of bed, she saw Jonathan standing at the bedroom door with his arms crossed.


    He looked her up and down before he asked, "Are you sure you want to go out like this?"


    Rose was taken aback. When she looked down, she realized she was in her pajamas, made of silk


    material that was a bit too revealing. It left her figure on full disy.


    When she raised her head, she met his gaze, which was filled with amusement. She blushed intensely. Almost instinctively, she grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at him. "Stop staring! Haven''t you seen me like this before?"


    She covered her chest. Jonathan effortlessly avoided the pillow that was hurled in his direction and turned around


    After a while, he replied in his deep voice, "I''ve seen it."


    Rose''s ears were burning as she couldn''t argue back. Jonathan was also somewhat helpless.


    When he had returnedst night, she hadn''t cleaned up for two days, and she looked somewhat disheveled.


    He was concerned that she wouldn''t be able to sleepfortably, so he had reluctantly helped her wipe herself clean and change into her sleepwear.


    However, he never expected the type of sleepwear Finley had prepared for her. The set she was wearing was the only one with a little more fabric that he could find. He had indeed done his best.


    When Jonathan was having breakfast in the dining room, Rose had changed her clothes as she came out. She peculiarly looked at him.


    In her mind, images of the row of sexy sleepwear hanging in the closet shed through her mind. She quickly took a few bites of bread before rushing out the door.


    Sherlyn and William had been waiting downstairs. When she reached the designated VIP meeting room with Sherlyn, the woman was already there with a group of bodyguards.


    There were twice as many bodyguards as there were two days ago, creating a formidable presence that seemed to suggest that no matter what happened today, Rose was going topensate for one billion. Inside the hotel, Jamie was also present. He sat alone in a quiet corner of the lobby, wearing a pair of earbuds, which allowed him to listen to everything happening in the meeting room.


    Inside the meeting room, the woman, surrounded by her bodyguards, confidently tossed the customized contract onto the table as she said, "You''ve had two days. Is the money ready today?" She held a safe in her hands. Jamie had suggested that Rose might more than switching the items.


    try to y tricks, but it was nothing


    Ignoring the possibilities and the fact that there was no way she could create identical pieces in just two days, the woman was confident that, as long as she ensured the items in her possession remained unchanged, there would be no trouble for her.


    Rose certainly needed topensate for one billion.


    Looking at her safe, Rose asked, "If they''re fake, I''ll make thepensation; but what if they''re real?"


    The woman coldly smirked, believing there was no chance they could be real.


    "If they''re real, I''ll follow whatever you ask."


    She tightened her grip on the safe.


    "If they''re real, call out the person behind you, and let me meet him," Rose replied, her tone filled with irony. -After much pondering, she realized that the woman couldn''t have crafted the perfect n to involve the


    fake jewelry without Jamie''s cooperation. The real mastermind behind all this was Jamie.


    A hint of diffidence flickered in the woman''s eyes. In the hotel lobby, Jamie was momentarily startled while holding a coffee cup. He hadn''t expected that Rose would see through their scheme. Nevertheless, even if she did, they had made sure that every step was done perfectly. Even if she realized the truth, she would still have to pay that one billion.


    In the meeting room, Rose taunted, "Is he afraid?"


    Upon hearing Jamie''s voice over the receiver, the woman gained more confidence.


    "No problem for that."


    Rose then pped her hands and said, "Very well!"


    With that, William brought in the appraisal expert they had hired. Apanying them was Jonathan.

 Billionire 95

    Employing Every Means


    Jonathan cast a nce at Rose. Their eyes locked, and a vivid image of the sexy sleepwear in the closet shed across Rose''s mind, causing a slight flush to her cheeks.


    "Why is he here?" she inquired.


    "Ms. Shaffer, the appraisal expert was brought here by Sir, and he has entrusted the jewelry to him," Sherlyn whispered to her.


    Rose was taken aback. Why would the jewelry be handed over to him? ording to the nned flow, there should have been some minor chaoster on, allowing William to switch the jewelry. Then, everything would be untraceable. However, at this moment, Rose was beginning to feel uncertain. After both sides had positioned their respective appraisal experts, the woman opened the safe.


    As the expert had already appraised half of the contents of the safe, the expected chaos had not yet erupted. Rose looked at William, wanting to ask him what was happening.


    However, he paid no attention to her and instead fixed his gaze unwaveringly on her star escort husband. "Cough..."


    Rose wanted to catch William''s attention with the cough. Suddenly, the appraisal expert brought by the woman whispered something in her ear, Her expression changed dramatically.


    "How is this possible? Take another look! These items are fake!" she eximed.


    The appraisal expert did consider saying they were fake. However, the materials used for these jewels were even more genuine than the real thing.


    Furthermore, the appraisal expert Rose had brought seemed somewhat like a Jewelry Appraisal Master from a certain jewelry appraisal program. "Madam..."


    The other appraisal expert wanted to say something, but Jonathan gave a signal to his appraisal expert. Halney Yogesh immediately approached the other expert and took an exquisite ne from his hand. "Make way, it''s my turn now," he said confidently.


    The other expert was overwhelmed by his presence. He took a step back, too stunned to say another word. Halney carefully examined the jewelry sets and quickly drew a conclusion.


    "Who said these were fake? These are as authentic as can be, Mr. Fin


    He recalled the instructions from Jonathan to not address him as "Mr. Finch".


    Hence, he immediately corrected himself, "Sir, would you like an appraisal certificate?"


    His eyes were filled with reverence as he asked.


    Issuing an appraisal certificate involved a series of procedures, but with Halney''s status, those


    procedures could bepleted within a matter of minutes.


    "Let the certificates be issued jointly by the two experts to avoid any future disputes, Jonathan hinted.


    Halney immediately understood his intention. He then stared sternly at the other expert. The other expert had already recognized him and confirmed that he was the Jewelry Appraisal Master. "Let''s issue them," he mumbled with a trembling voice.


    He had no choice if he wanted to stay in this line of work. However, the woman was furious.


    She pped the expert''s face as she eximed, "What kind of rubbish are you? Are you colluding with them to deceive me? I said these items are fake, so they must be fake!"


    She then waved her hand, and her bodyguards immediately surrounded Rose and her group.


    She smirked at Rose as she said, "Youngdy, I don''t know what trick you''ve yed, but to leave this room, you''ll have to repay the one billion."


    She now appeared as if she were an aggressor. Rose had encountered ruffians before, but she had never dealt with robbers. She believed that as long as the items were genuine, everything would be settled. However, she hadn''t expected that the other party hade specifically for the money and was willing to employ any means necessary to get it.


    As she was momentarily stunned, the woman signaled one of her bodyguards. The towering man quickly approached Rose and aimed a powerful punch at her forehead.


    "Ah..."


    Sherlyn was almost in tears. However, Rose was still somewhat distracted from a moment ago and she reacted a beat toote. She was about to be struck in the head when she instinctively closed her eyes. However, the expected pain never arrived. She could feel arge palm securing her head. With a loud smack and the thump of something heavy hitting the ground, a painful cry echoed throughout the room. Rose regained her senses to find her head cradled by arge hand, her face pressed against a familiar chest. The man''s distinctive scent surrounded her. It was her star escort husband.


    Her heart skipped a beat. In a daze, she suddenly heard a loud noise as the door to the reception room was kicked open. In the next moment, a group of uniformed police officers stormed in.

 Billionire 96

    He Struck My Wife


    The sudden arrival of the police took Rosepletely by surprise. The police had surrounded the woman. and her group.


    The head officer, Connie Lenzier, approached Rose and asked, "Mr. Finch, are you okay?"


    Jonathan''s face darkened. If he hadn''t acted quickly, Rose would have been hurt.


    He nced at the bodyguard he had kicked away and said, "He struck my wife."


    Connie''s forehead was covered in sweat. An hour ago, they received a report of a fight and brawl at Aquastead Hotel.


    Initially, they didn''t pay much attention to it, but someone noticed that the person reporting the incident was referred to as "Mr. Finch". Nobody was ignorant of this name-he was the head of Finch Group.


    Connie didn''t waste any time and personally led his team to the scene. He nced at the person writhing on the floor. This person was the one who had been beaten up. "Mr. Finch..."


    "I acted in self-defense."


    Jonathan didn''t allow him any room to speak. If it weren''t for the concern of revealing his identity, he wouldn''t have involved the police. Finley was no match for them. Jonathan tightened his grip on Rose''s head with his left hand. Then, he huddled her shoulder tightly, ncing at the woman and her bodyguards.


    "They attempted a robbery. Will you handle it?" he asked Connie.


    "We will handle it, of course," Connie responded.


    "As long as a criminal incident urs within Aquastead, we will take strict measures to protect the lives and property of our citizens."


    He didn''t dare to be negligent. Although Jonathan was a business tycoon, the influence of the Finches was intricate andplex.


    "Very well, then," Jonathan said, tossing a video recording to him.


    The video captured the moment when the woman pped the appraisal expert and made her demands. It also showed the bodyguard''s fist approaching Rose.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t capture the scene of Jonathan kicking the bodyguard away. The woman panicked upon hearing the audio.


    "Sir, it''s not like that. They tried to deceive me with fake jewelry. I spent a lot of money on these pieces, and I''m just asking forpensation ording to the agreement. Is that illegal?" She hastily pulled out a customized contract, which made Jonathan sneer. Halney didn''t wait for Jonathan to speak and immediately stepped forward.


    ''These are not fake jewelry, Sir, I''m Halney Yogesh, and I''ve appraised all these pieces. Based on my professional experience, I guarantee that these jewelry items are genuine."


    #15 BONUS


    Even people outside the industry had heard of Halney''s name. He was known a Appraiser",


    the "Golden-Eyed


    "Not only me, but anyone with a discerning eye in this field can confirm that these jewels are authentic," he dered and nced at the appraisal expert brought by the woman. The other expert''s heart trembled as he quickly said, "Yes, I''ve examined these jewels as well, and they are all real."


    "So, it seems that someone is distorting the truth and trying to extort money," Connie stated with a stern expression.


    After taking another nce at the video, he added, "Furthermore, there is a suspicion of violent robbery. We''ll take everyone back to the station for further investigation of the specific details." With a single nce, he signaled his officers. They immediately began handcuffing the bodyguards and the woman. She was at a loss for words, wondering how this could be happening.


    "It''s not like that. Please listen to me..."


    She wanted to exin, but Connie waved his hand and said, ''Take them away."


    He didn''t give her a chance. As the police officers were leaving the meeting room, Jonathan suddenly remembered something.


    Taking a nce at Rose, he said, "Wait one more person is missing."


    Su Ran''s eyes shed with understanding. She knew exactly who he meant. It was Jamie.

 Billionire 97

    Refusal


    When Jamie heard that something was amiss inside, he immediately ran away. As soon as he got into his car, Finley blocked him, and he was quickly apprehended by the arriving police.


    As one of the parties involved, Rose had to go to the police station to give a statement. Inside the police station, Jonathan leaned against the door with one hand in his pocket. He was waiting for Rose, who was currently being questioned.


    "Mr. Fin


    Connie was about to call Jonathan as he approached, but he nced toward the interrogation room and hesitated.


    Confirming that Rose wasn''t out yet, he continued, "My wife doesn''t like it when people call me ''Mr. Finch," so call me "Sir", especially in front of my wife. Remember that." Connie was briefly stunned, but he quickly corrected himself, "Understood, Sir"


    Just as Kelly reached the entrance, she overheard Jonathan''s words regarding his wife disliking people calling him "Mr. Finch".


    She had originally intended to enter the police station, but she immediately halted in her tracks. She hadn''t expected that Jonathan would intervene in this matter.


    If he saw her, he would surely suspect that she was also involved in the scheme to frame Rose.


    She covered her stomach, feigning weakness as she said, "Mom, I''m not feeling well. You go inside to handle Dad''s matters."


    Chelsea, aware that her daughter was pregnant, didn''t say anything and went inside the police station alone.


    After Rose came out, she encountered Jamie and Chelsea, who hadpleted their bail procedures. "You ungrateful daughter!"


    Jamie was filled with anger and shame. He charged toward her, raising his hand to strike her. As Jonathan was about to step forward, Rose had already grabbed Jamie''s wrist. "Ungrateful daughter?"


    She found the usation deeply ironic.


    She stared into his eyes and questioned, "Do you still consider me your daughter?"


    Leaving aside turning Celeste Jewels into an empty shell, even scheming with outsiders to harm her wasn''t something a father should do.


    However, when faced with her questioning, Jamie''s eyes didn''t portray any guilt. It was as if she had never been his daughter.


    Rose, we''ll see how this unfolds."


    He suddenly withdrew his hand and smiled with a sense of self-satisfaction. In front of Rose, he never bothered to pretend.


    Previously, he couldn''t be bothered to act as a kind father, and now he didn''t even attempt to feign friendliness.


    Even if the incident of the fake jewelry was resolved, he didn''t believe Rose could fill up the numerous holes he had left in Celeste Jewels.


    As he was leaving, he fixed his eyes on her and said, "Your eyes... they''re too much like hers."


    After he left, Rose was still in a daze. Those words resonated with her even when she left the police station. Miles had mentioned that her eyes resembled Anastasia''s, so Mr. Finch took her as her stand-in. Meanwhile, Jamie also said her eyes resembled hers which was referring to her mother, Celeste Young.


    The look in his eyes made her feel that he harbored resentment toward her mother, enough to want to destroy Celeste Jewels and even drag her into its destruction.


    Noticing her trembling, Jonathan cautiously reached out and held her hand. Her hand was unnervingly cold with sweat as if she was unconscious.


    "I want to go somewhere," she suddenly said.


    Jonathan hadn''t finished speaking when she interrupted him, "I want to be alone."


    He hadn''t expected to be rejected. If it were someone else, he would have coldly scoffed and walked away without looking back.


    Yet, even after Rose had gotten into a taxi, he remained standing in the same spot.


    "Mr. Finch, Ms. Shaffer refused you... Are you heading to Zenwood Gardens or the hotel tonight?"


    Finley, who had been waiting outside the police station, approached tentatively. Jonathan hadn''t had a proper rest in two nights. As his most trusted bodyguard, he needed to consider his well-being. Jonathan gave him a faint, chilling nce, causing him to feel a slight tingle in his scalp.


    "Who said she rejected me?"


    Jonathan coldly chuckled. Then, he took the keys from Finley and got into his car. He sped off to catch up with the taxi, which was already moving away.


    He had barely left when another car pulled up.


    Miles, sitting inside the car, narrowed his eyes and instructed his driver, "Follow them."

 Billionire 98

    Extraordinary Possessiveness


    Rose arrived at a suburban cemetery.


    She stared at her mother''s tombstone and murmured, "Mom, I''vee to see you."


    Looking at her mother''s photo on the tombstone, she indeed had eyes very simr to hers. Her mother was very beautiful.


    However, during the car ident all those years ago, her face was so disfigured that even the best mortuary makeup artist couldn''t restore her original appearance.


    She had cried and called out, trying to wake her mother. However, no matter how hard she cried, her mother''s eyes remained tightly closed.


    Now, it seemed that Celeste Jewels was going to meet the same fate as her mother.


    "If I had discovered Jamie''s hidden agenda earlier, things wouldn''t be like this now..."


    There were still many things at thepany that she hadn''t had the chance to sort out.


    However, from Jamie''s greedy extortion scheme, she knew that resolving the mess at Celeste Jewels. wouldn''t be easy. She refused to give in.


    "Mom, no matter what, I will save Celeste Jewels," she swore with determination.


    She leaned against the tombstone and talked for a long time. She was so tired that she eventually fell asleep. The night breeze was gentle, and the sky began to drizzle.


    Miles, dressed in a white suit, covered Rose with his ck umbre. Not far away, Jonathan''s eyes were deep andplex. As their nces met, he approached and lifted Rose horizontally, carrying her away. Miles followed, holding the umbre over Rose''s head to shield her from the rain. No one spoke on the way Rose seemed to dream of Celeste as she called out "Mom".


    She seemed to mistake Jonathan''s embrace for her mother''s as she nuzzled against his shoulder. Jonathan''s lips curved upward triumphantly.


    If it weren''t for his concern that Miles might cause trouble; he would have wanted to tell him right away that he and Rose were already married. As for Miles, he could get away as far away as possible. However, sensing his excessive concern for Rose, Jonathan ced her in the car. Then, he turned to look at him.


    "Stay away from Rose."


    He rarely gave warnings.


    Miles took a look at Rose, who was sleeping soundly in the car, and asked, "Are you serious about her?" Last time at the celebration banquet, he had felt that Jonathan treated Rose as a stand-in for Anastasia.


    However, when he had nned to finish the jewelry-making tasks together with Rose that day, he received from Regalia, saying that his grandfather''s condition had worsened.


    Hence, he rushed back urgently. On the road, he had arranged for some of the best craftsmen from thepany toe to Aquastead and help Rose with the work. +15 BONUS


    Yet, he didn''t expect that the craftsmen would be intercepted at the airport by the Azure n of the Finches. He knew it was ordered by Jonathan-he knew him too much.


    His extraordinary possessiveness... He was sure that he was serious about Rose. Jonathan didn''t reply.


    Miles''s eyes had a touch of madness as he shouted in a low voice, "You''ve promised Anastasia, don''t forget!"


    A scene shed through Jonathan''s mind, and he looked at Miles with aplex expression.


    "Stay away from Rose!"


    With that, he got in the car and drove away. Miles was furious as he tossed his umbre to the ground. Soon, rain soaked his clothes and hair.


    Jonathan brought Rose back to Zenwood Gardens. He didn''t go into the underground parking lot.


    Instead, he carried her out of the car at the entrance of the residentialplex, then casually threw the car keys to the security guard to park the car.


    As Jonathan walked away while holding Rose, the security guard was just about to get into the car when a woman called out to him.


    Sir


    The security guard turned to see a delicate and docile woman, Although she wasn''t as beautiful as Rose, her pure and innocent expression made onepletely defenseless. "May I help you with something?" he asked in an extremely polite attitude.


    Kelly had overheard Finley mention the words "Zenwood Gardens'' outside the police station earlier.


    Hence, she hurriedly took a taxi toe here and waited specifically, not expecting to find them there. Zenwood Gardens was a top-tier luxury residence.


    Some vimunities couldn''tpare to the facilities and amenities inside. She wondered if Rose was living here with Jonathan. She was extremely unwilling in her heart.


    However, at this moment, she was pretending to be delicate and harmless as she said, "Well, you see, the one who just went inside is my sister. She had a conflict with our family because of her boyfriend.


    "I don''t know what kind of love potion her boyfriend, whom she''s been dating for only a few days, gave her. She insisted on running away from home. We''re all worried that she might run into bad people and be deceived for money or other purposes..."


    She disyed genuine concern with every expression, seemingly a caring younger sister.


    The security guard didn''t doubt her words at all and reassured her, "Miss, rest assured, Ms. Shaffer''s boyfriend is very good to her. Although they are staying in a friend''s house, Mr. Finch is an elite. There''s no way your sister could be deceived for money while she''s with Mr. Finch."


    Kelly keenly picked up on something


    "Staying at a friend''s house?"

 Billionire 99

    Jonathan''s Frustrations


    "Yes, he''s staying at a friend''s house. The property is under the name of Mr. Gibson. I wonder whether Ms. Shaffer or Mr. Finch have such a close rtionship with Mr. Gibson."


    The security guard suddenly realized that he might have disclosed too much information about the residents. He immediately refrained from saying anything further.


    Kelly stood in ce, feeling something was amiss. Given Jonathan''s status, acquiring a property in Aquastead should have been effortless. Why was he borrowing Zac''s house?


    She was eager to find answers. Just then, she received a message from Maya, which included a video and a voice message. She opened the voice message.


    "Kelly, why haven''t youe yet? Today''s main event is you; to celebrate Rose''s unlucky day, I n to drink a lot tonight!"


    Ever since Maya found out that Jamie had left Celeste Jewels an empty shell for Rose, she couldn''t have been happier. She wished for Celeste Jewels to go bankrupt quickly so that she could step on Rose. However, she was unaware of Jamie''s visit to the police station, Kelly intended to ignore her message as she pondered her questions. However, she noticed a figure in the video that resembled Zac.


    She hastily opened the video, as if wanting to confirm something.


    "It''s him!"


    Her eyes sparkled, and she immediately replied to Maya''s message: "I''ll be there soon."


    At the bar, Zac was called over by a few friends. Despite the noisy atmosphere, he was not fully present at the moment.


    His mind was preupied with the agreement with the little beauty that Jonathan had mentioned a few days ago.


    "What could that agreement be?"


    His curiosity, which had been fermenting for several days, was bing unbearable. He picked up his Phone several times, contemting calling his friend to get some answers. However, he didn''t want to provoke Jonathan..


    After much thought, he decided to send a message to test the waters, "Are you there?"


    "Are you busy?"


    "Wanna meet up?"


    "Haven''t seen you in two days; you miss me?"


    His messages disappeared into the void.


    In Zenwood Gardens, Jonathan was enduring great torment in Rose''s room. He had initially intended to Hay her on the bed and leave, but she clung to him like an octopus.


    He hadn''t noticed before that her sleeping habits were so terrible. He felt a sense of disgust but allowed himself to be entangled by her limbs. His phone received a few messages.


    He took a nce at it-they were useless messages from Zac. He didn''t initially intend to pay them any mind, but a new message appeared on the screen.


    "I''m just curious about the agreement you have with the little beauty. If you don''t tell me, I might as well go ask her."


    If Zac found Rose and revealed his identity. His heart skipped a beat as he carefully removed Rose''s clinging limbs. Then, he picked up his phone and stepped out of the room. He dialed Zac''s number. In the bar, Zac stood up abruptly when he realized Jonathan was calling. The surroundings were too noisy for gossip. Hence, he swiftly left the bar and found a quiet spot before answering the call.


    As soon as the call connected, he heard Jonathan''s warning in a low voice, "If you dare to look for Rose, just try it."


    He was getting desperate, wasn''t he?


    Zac couldn''t resist teasing. "Mr. Finch, your mood seems a bit vtiletely. Frustrated, perhaps?"


    Jonathan couldn''t be bothered to respond and was about to hang up.


    However, Zac''s cheeky voice sounded again, "Jonathan, I just want to know what kind of agreement you have with the little beauty. We''re good friends; if you tell me, I promise not to tell anyone."


    Even through the phone, Jonathan could almost sense his eager expression. He knew he was tight-lipped, but once his curiosity went unsatisfied, he would keep pressing, which was quite annoying. He frowned and replied coldly, "Marriage agreement.


    Silence ensued on the phone. Jonathan almost thought the call had dropped.


    Suddenly, Zac blurted out, "Damn it!"


    0

 Billionire 100

    Acting Strangely


    "You''re married? Damn! With the little beauty? How''s that even possible?"


    Zac eximed in session. It seemed the news he''d just heard was too shocking. He even walked back and forth several times, stomping his feet a few times to disy his amazement.


    After the initial shock, he seemed to think of something as he asked, "Okay, you''re married. But why would there be a marriage agreement?"


    Why not? Jonathan couldn''t say that he had received a substantial sum of money from Rose before they got married.


    As Mr. Finch, if he were to be found out selling himself for money, he wouldn''t feel much more embarrassed,


    He remained silent for a while, and Zac had already concocted an extravagant drama in his mind.


    "Are you worried that she''s only interested in your identity as Mr. Finch, your money, and your status? That''s why you''re guarding her?"


    Jonathan furrowed his brow as he refused to exin.


    "Or could it be that she''s pregnant, and you think that she isn''t good enough for your esteemed status? So, you n to abandon her after she gives birth to your child, leaving her with the baby?" As Zac continued to speak, his words became increasingly absurd.


    Jonathan finally interrupted his nonsense, "I won''t abandon her, and she doesn''t know my true identity. "That''s good then."


    After all, Zac quite liked Rose. If it weren''t for Jonathan making a move first, he might have pursued her himself. However, if she ended up bing Jonathan''s wife, he would dly ept that oue. He suddenly remembered something


    "She doesn''t know your identity? She doesn''t know you''re Mr. Finch?"


    Kelly didn''t enter the bar again. She hadn''t expected to see Zacing out of the bar as soon as she got out of the car. She cautiously followed him and eavesdropped on their conversation. She was shocked to know Rose didn''t know that the person she had married was Mr. Finch. Remembering Jonathan''s statement at the police station, her lips curled into a cold smile. Having received the answer, she didn''t bother listening to what Zac had to say. She had thought that Mr. Finch was deeply in love with Rose and that she was someone special to him. However, keeping his identity a secret from her meant that this wasn''t love; it was merely a bored wealthy tycoon toying with Rose as if she were a ything. Kelly let out a cold snort. If this was the case, Jonathan''s interest in Rose would eventually wane. Then, she might have her chance. Kelly ced her hand on her belly-this child had been her fallback n, but now it seemed like it could be a stumbling block. She couldn''t let this happen. She gritted her teeth as if making a decision.


    With a soft chuckle, a n formed in her mind. Rose had a dream. In her dream, she was in her mother''s


    arms. Her mother''s scent made her feel exceptionally warm.


    After a good night''s sleep, she was even more determined to protect Celeste Jewels, the legacy her mother had left for her.


    "Good morning."


    As she had just walked out of the bedroom, her top husband, who was sipping coffee at the dining table, greeted her. His handsome smile briefly distracted her


    "Come and have breakfast."


    Jonathan was pleased with the adoring look she gave him. Rose snapped out of it.


    On the empty spot on the table, there was a peculiar-looking, vaguely heart-shaped fried egg, and a few slices of charred bacon. Did he make this?


    In her memory, during their time living together, she hadn''t seen him cook. They usually just had a cup of coffee in the morning.


    She didn''t say anything, but as she passed by him, she caught a faint scent that reminded her of her mother. She didn''t think too much about it as she sat down to eat breakfast.


    The fried egg, despite its unappealing appearance, didn''t affect its taste. The burnt bacon was edible too. As Jonathan watched her finish the meal, a sense of aplishment welled up.


    He suddenly realized that he might be quite skilled in cooking. He could fry eggs and bacon, so he could probably make other dishes as well. He contemted for a moment. Just as Rose was about to leave after breakfast, he suddenly called, "Rose."


    "Yes?


    "Come back early tonight. I''ll be waiting for you."


    "Okay."


    She felt like her top husband was acting strangely.

 Billionire 101

    Someone Is Secretly Helping Her


    Rose didn''t dwell on it. When she arrived at thepany, she was surprised to find that the office was now fully upied with people. Everyone appeared to be handling their tasks efficiently.


    She thought she might be having a hallucination. Just a few days ago, there were only five people in the entirepany, including herself.


    Despite putting out recruitment notices, no one had applied for the positions. Now, it was apletely different situation.


    "Good morning. Ms. Shaffer."


    The lovely receptionist at the front desk greeted her with a smile. Rose checked thepany''s sign once again to confirm that it was truly herpany.


    Then, she responded with a smile, ''Good morning."


    As she walked toward her office, everyone she met greeted her with smiles and warm greetings.


    When she entered her office, she immediately summoned William to inquire, "What''s going on here?"


    William was just as baffled as he replied, "I don''t know how this happened, but this morning, arge number of applicants arrived; they all seemed to have significant work experience. They appeared to be well-suited for the positions, so I hired some of them. Now, Henry and Shane are handling their onboarding."


    Not only Rose but also William, Sherlyn, and others found the situation suspicious too.


    Almost every applicant seemed to be a perfect fit for a specific role within thepany, even exceeding thepany''s immediate needs.


    As a result, William had to make a selection and retain the individuals who seemed the most suitable.


    "Ms. Shaffer, could it be that someone is secretly helping you?"


    He thought of Jonathan, Sherlyn had mentioned to him that Jonathan was Rose''s husband. He had inquired with Halney about Jonathan''s background the previous day.


    However, he received a cryptic response, stating that he was just an ordinary person. However, Zac didn''t believe it. If he were truly an ordinary person, why would Halney look at him with such reverence?


    He had an instinctive feeling that Jonathan was not an ordinary individual. Rose also believed that someone was assisting her.


    She briefly thought of her star escort husband''s involvement but quickly dismissed the idea. He wasn''t capable of orchestrating such a grand operation.


    Given the grand scale of assistance she had received, she concluded that it must have been orchestrated by someone she knew, either Evan or Miles.


    After the celebration banquet, Evan returned to K&K headquarters. He was probably unaware of Celeste Jewel''s difficulties. That left Miles as the likely benefactor.


    She understood that Miles had been helping her because her eyes resembled those of his sister. However, she couldn''t help feeling somewhat guilty about epting help without a valid reason.


    13


    She decided to call him immediately. Miles had just finished listening to his assistant''s report. He had sent applicants to Celeste Jewels, and only half of them had been epted.


    The other half had been reced by another group of individuals. He knew these additional applicants were sent by Jonathan. Just then, his phone rang. It was a call from Rose. He raised an eyebrow as answered the call.


    "Mr Young, thank you! The payment for the materials you arranged the other day has been sent, and you''ve also helped me greatly today. Rose said.


    She was confident that Miles was the one who had assisted her. Miles didn''t know whether she had also thanked Jonathan.


    After the gratitude was expressed, he responded, "Is that all you''re going to say? Isn''t that too little?"


    Rose was momentarily taken aback. She immediately proposed, "How about dinner tonight?"


    "Sounds good," Miles agreed.


    He was pleased with the invitation. Rose then remembered her star escort husband''s request for her toe home early tonight.


    After a moment''s hesitation, she asked, "Can we meet tomorrow instead?"


    "Tomorrow?"


    Miles furrowed his brow.


    "Do you have other ns for tonight?"


    "Yes, I promised my husband to go back home earlier tonight."


    "Your husband...


    As long as she was not spending time with Jonathan, anyone would be fine. Thinking about Jonathan''s warningst night, he instantly made a decision.


    "Well, isn''t that unfortunate? It seems I won''t be able to make it tonight. I may not be avable in the near future. I don''t want to disrupt your romantic evening. Ms. Shaffer I''ve only done a small favor for you, so don''t worry about it."


    He spoke lightly, but Rose felt a surge of guilt. Miles had helped her multiple times, and every time, it was more than just a small favor. She needed to express her gratitude properly.


    On the other end of the line, Miles''s assistant reminded him about an uing meeting.


    Realizing that he was about to conclude the call, she quickly suggested, "How about having dinner at my ce in the evening?"


    "Can 17" Miles inquired.


    "Of course," Rose replied with a smile.


    "I''d love to meet your husband as well. I''ll see just how remarkable he is, considering he managed to


    marry you.

 Billionire 102

    Capture Her Heart by First Capturing Her Appetite


    After hanging up the phone, Miles began to anticipate his meeting with Rose''s husband tonight. He knew Jonathan too well.


    He was used to making independent decisions. If he really put his heart into pursuing Rose, even though she was already married, it wouldn''t be an obstacle to him.


    He would spare no effort to make anything that annoyed him disappear. However, even so, Rose''s husband could pose some challenges for him.


    If he could persuade him to let Jonathan give up, that would be even better. Miles chuckled as he contemted this.


    ¡°Prepare a bouquet of roses and get a pair of the limited edition earrings from the recent Young House of Jewels collection. I''ll be needing them tonight," he instructed his assistant.


    On the other hand, Rose immediately felt regret after hanging up the phone. Inviting Miles to their home might not sit well with her star escort husband.


    After some contemtion, she decided to make a test call. She dialed the number, but it indicated that the person was already on another call.


    She tried multiple times, but her star escort husband remained engaged in conversation. Just then, Sherlyn came in to report on her work.


    Rose quickly set her phone aside, temporarily forgetting about it.


    Zenwood Gardens. Jonathan, dressed in an apron, was currently in the kitchen. He looked somewhat defeated. The voice of the head chef from the Finches came through his earphones.


    "Mr. Finch, don''t forget to add salt and pay attention to the cooking time. Finally, add a bit of honey mustard to perfect the dish."


    Jonathan''s face darkened. The contents in the pot had already turned into a charred mess,pletely unrecognizable. This was the fifth dish he had burned.


    He had followed every step as instructed by the chef. Where had he gone wrong?


    In the earphones, the chef continued to praise him earnestly, "Mr. Finch, you''ve always been able to do anything from a young age. I never thought cooking would be a challenge for you." The chef had been delivering the steps through the phone, and Jonathan always replied to him faintly as if everything was well-controlled. After all, it was his first time cooking.


    His talents were truly remarkable.


    Feeling somewhat uneasy, Jonathan said, "You''ve worked hard; I''ll have Charlie give you a raise.


    After that, he promptly ended the call. The kitchen was in shambles as if it had endured a battlefield.


    His face grew gloomy as he wondered who had said that to capture someone''s heart, one first had to capture their appetite.


    Thinking of the person who had given him this questionable advicest night, he immediately called Zac.


    When Zac answered, he asked excitedly. "How''s it going? Did my advice work, just as I said it would?"


    In their conversation yesterday, Zac had learned about Jonathan''s marriage agreement. He promptly transformed into a love expert, offering advice.


    He had told him that to make Rose not terminate the agreement, he had to show her his virtues. For example, solving her problems and more importantly, capturing her heart by first capturing her appetite. This morning, he had instructed Finley to arrange the applicants to apply for a position at Celeste Jewels.


    nning to prepare a big meal for Rose tonight to win her over, he nced at his kitchen, which now looked like a battlefield.


    With a dark expression, he asked, "Are you sure the methods you suggested are effective and not meant to mess with me?"


    "How could I mess with you?" Zac asked back.


    He wouldn''t dare to, no matter how many times he was given the chance. Zac originally wanted to ask where the problem might be, he didn''t want to press further after sensing his displeasure, Suddenly, he thought of something and asked, "What did the little beauty first notice about you?"


    Jonathan remembered the night they first met at Nightfall Lounge, where their connection had been almost magical. His dark eyes clouded with a hint of mist.


    "My face," he replied vaguely.


    "Tsk...


    Zac couldn''t argue with that. He wanted to encourage him to continue using his looks to win Rose over, but it seemed that he had had an epiphany as he abruptly ended the call.


    Jonathan knew that he could use his advantages to win Rose over. As for capturing her appetite, he could work on thatter. He removed his apron and headed to the bathroom. He was nning to present himself in an exceptionally

 Billionire 103

    The One to Thank Is Not Him.


    In preparation for entertaining Miles that evening, Rose returned to Zenwood Gardens early to prepare dinner. As soon as she entered, she was greeted by a strong aroma of food. The dining table was filled with dishes that she loved, both visually appealing and delicious.


    "This..."


    She began to wonder if she had walked into the wrong house. Before she could make her exit to confirm, her star escort husband emerged from the kitchen.


    "You''re back early today. Just in time for thest dish. Wash your hands, and we can have dinner," Jonathan said while carrying a te of sd.


    He was wearing an apron, resembling a family cook. His handsome face was undeniably charming even In this attire, which added a touch of authenticity to his presence. Rose was briefly stunned.


    She scanned the table with amazement and asked, "Did you make this?"


    "Why don''t you taste it and see if it suits your pte?"


    It wasn''t a problem for her to think he had made the dishes.


    "Wow... I didn''t expect you to be so skilled. You''re good-looking, and you can cook. You''re truly a perfect man. Whoever marries you is so lucky!" Rose praised him enthusiastically,ying the groundwork for her uing revtion about the inviting guest.


    The corners of Jonathan''s lips curled up. Wasn''t she the lucky one? He ced the dishes on the dining table and took off his apron as he prepared to have dinner with Rose.


    As soon as he touched his apron, Rose hurried over.


    "Hubby, you''ve worked hard. Let me do it for you."


    She took off the apron for him and even massaged his shoulder. Jonathan was pleased to be called "


    hubby".


    Noticing him in a good mood, Rose said, "Today, someone helped me immensely. If it weren''t for him, thepany would still be in chaos and unable to function. So, I want to express my gratitude to him." Jonathan frowned, thinking she was going to thank him. Zac had done something right. If Rose could ease her misunderstanding of "Mr. Finch", that would be ideal.


    "The person who helped you must be a great person," he remarked.


    "Yes, a truly great person! We didn''t know each other before, but he reached out to help several times. It''s only fair to express my gratitude, right?"


    Jonathan''s face disyed a hint of awkwardness. She remembered the times he had extended a helping hand to her.


    She was even contemting expressing her gratitude to him, which showed her sense of conscience.


    "How do you want to express your gratitude?" he asked as he gazed at her with anticipation.


    Since he was asking this; did it mean he wouldn''t object to her inviting Miles to their home for dinner?" How about inviting him to have dinner?" "That''ll be good."


    However, wasn''t it a bit risky to reveal his identity as "Mr. Finch" before capturing his heart?


    While he was pondering this, Rose''s eyes lit up as she said, ''I knew you would understand. I was nning to cook a meal myself, but it seems you''ve already prepared everything. Look at the time; he should be arriving soon."


    She took out her phone and sent a text message to Miles, who quickly replied, "I''ll be there in ten minutes."


    "The timing is perfect."


    Rose immediately began preparing to wee her esteemed guest, Jonathan watched her busy figure and felt a growing unease. What did she mean by arriving soon?


    In haste, he quickly sent a message to Finley to inquire if Rose had invited anyone over today.


    Finley soon replied, "No. Mr. Finch, the person we sent to Celeste Jewels only made it halfway through the interview process. Another group of people also applied for jobs there.


    "I intended to report to you immediately, but you mentioned that you had important matters today and didn''t want to be disturbed... Mr. Finch..."


    Jonathan didn''t pay much attention to what Finley had said next. The person Rose wanted to thank was not him. She was nning to invite someone else over for dinner.


    Fury surged within him as he coldly questioned, "Who?"


    P

 Billionire 104

    Jonathan''s Strategy


    As Rose changed her clothes and stepped out, she was startled by the somber expression on her star escort husband''s face.


    "What''s wrong?"


    He was fine just moments ago. Was it her imagination, or did she detect a hint of jealousy in his tone?


    Jonathan fixed his gaze on her and asked, "Who is the person you want to invite?"


    "Oh, I forgot to mention. It''s Mr. Young from the Youngs in Regalia. I''ll introduce you twoter; he''s also


    eager to meet you."


    Jonathan''s face seemed to darken even further. The additional group of people who applied for jobs at Celeste Jewels was probably Miles''s doing. He had clearly warned him to keep his distance from her.


    He stared at Rose in silence for a moment before he suddenly smiled, "Since he helped you so much, I should express my gratitude to him as well."


    Rose was somewhat puzzled. However, she didn''t dwell on it and checked the time; it had been almost ten minutes since Miles said he would arrive.


    She adjusted the dishes on the table, not noticing her star escort husband sending a message to someone. His eyes had a cunning glint as he sent amand to Finley''s phone.


    Within seconds, the order was ryed to the bodyguards near Zenwood Gardens. Miles was driving alone, heading toward Zenwood Gardens.


    He nced at the roses and gift box on the passenger seat which he had prepared for Rose.


    He didn''t intend to interfere in their marriage, but if he didn''t apply some pressure and hinted at her husband, he might refuse his request to confront Jonathan.


    To deal with Jonathan, he needed to employ some tactics. He raised an eyebrow and suddenly noticed a car approaching from the left, while another was closely tailing him from the right.


    He immediately became alert and nced at the rearview mirror. Behind his car, three cars were seemingly surrounding him.


    His car was now trapped between several vehicles. If he stopped, it would undoubtedly result in an. ident. Hence, he continued driving forward, brushing past Zenwood Gardens.


    Upstairs, Rose had been waiting for more than ten minutes, but Miles still hadn''t arrived. She decided to call and check on his situation.


    Jonathan sat nearby, appearing innocent and unaffected as he watched her intently. After the phone rang for quite some time, Miles eventually answered the call.


    "Mr. Young, is everything alright?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.


    "Ms. Shaffer, I may be dyed for a while," Miles replied.


    He nced at the cars surrounding him. At this point, he was getting further and further away from


    Zenwood Gardens. The call was then disconnected.


    Jonathan showed concern as well as he asked, "Has anything happened to Mr. Young?"


    Rose assured him, "It''s alright. He''s just going to be dyed for a while."


    "Alright, it''s not a problem. He helped you so much, so waiting a little longer is only fair," he said with a sincere expression.


    Another ten minutes passed, and Miles had yet to arrive. Rose decided to call him once again.


    "I''m almost there, Ms. Shaffer. Please wait a little longer," Miles replied.


    By now, he had realized that those cars blocking him were trying to keep him away from Zenwood Gardens. The only one capable of orchestrating this was Jonathan. After ending the call with Rose, he dialed Jonathan''s number. On the balcony, Jonathan was enjoying the breeze while waiting for him. He answered the call without hesitation. "Jonathan, order your people to withdraw immediately! Miles muttered through clenched teeth.


    The wind brushed against Jonathan''s face, making him feel extraordinarilyfortable. He didn''t respond verbally, but his intent was clear. There was no way for him to withdraw. He would only withdraw if Miles decided to back down


    "How did you find out?" Miles suddenly asked.


    He still couldn''t figure out how Jonathan had discovered his appointment. Only he, Rose and his assistant knew about it. His assistant was his confidant and wouldn''t leak the information to Jonathan. Jonathan grinned and provocatively uttered, "Guess."


    Sensing someone approaching from behind, Jonathan promptly ended the call. He turned around to see Rose, who was walking toward him with a worried expression.


    "Hasn''t Mr. Young arrived yet? He helped us a lot, and if something happened on the way...


    Jonathan looked genuinely kind as he continued, "Let''s just go and meet him."


    Despite his words, he had no intention of actually going to meet Miles. He had not yet earned his attention. As expected, just as he suggested going to meet him, Rose''s phone rang. It was Miles.

 Billionire 105

    Do You Want to Come


    "Ms. Shaffer, I have some sudden matters to attend to today and can''t make it."


    Miles nced at the several cars around him, his heart filled with frustration. After saying this, he promptly hung up the phone. Rose was a bit bewildered. What could have happened to him?


    On the side, Jonathan had already headed to the entrance, ready to change his shoes and leave. He could tell from Rose''s expression that Miles wouldn''t being.


    However, he still had to put on a facade.


    "Let''s go!" he urged.


    Rose lowered her eyes and said, "No need to go; Mr. Young said he has some sudden matters and can''t


    make it."


    "Can''t make it? Well... that''s a shame. I was looking forward to meeting him," Jonathan sighed in disappointment.


    He looked at the table full of dishes and asked, "How about we eat first?"


    "Sure," Rose reluctantly agreed.


    She was indeed feeling a bit hungry. The dishes on the table were as delicious as those prepared by a top chef.


    When she thought about the pitiful-looking eggs and the burnt bacon in the morning, she looked at her star escort husband with a pensive expression.


    After dinner, Rose continued to work onpany matters. A call came to Jonathan''s phone from Finley.


    "Mr. Finch, Mr. Young is still downstairs. But don''t worry, my men are still blocking his car. He can''t even leave right now. He must be fuming."


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow. After ending the call, he excused himself to throw out the garbage and went


    downstairs. 1


    He was dressed in a casual wool sweater, exuding outstanding looks and physique, which drew the attention of people he passed by on the way. From afar, he could see Miles in his car. Their eyes met, and Miles''s gaze seemed murderous. As Jonathan approached the car, the passenger''s side door opened up for him.


    Upon opening the door, Jonathan immediately noticed the bouquet of roses and an exquisite gift box. Were these for Rose? He picked up the items and got into the car himself. "Do you live here?


    Miles had guessed that Jonathan woulde, but he didn''t expect him to be living in the same residentialplex as Rose. Jonathan didn''t reply. His silence was an admission. Miles''s eyes darkened as he asked, "So, have you met Rose''s husband?"


    Jonathan remained silent, but the look in his eyes seemed to dismiss Rose''s husband entirely. This further confirmed Miles''s suspicion.


    Jonathan had moved into the same residentialplex as Rose to get close to her. Inside the car, an eerie silence hung between them. Suddenly, Miles broke into a smile.


    "I never thought that the prestigious Mr. Finch would condescend so much for a woman. Jonathan, should I offer my congrattions to you?"


    Jonathan''s smile was enigmatic. Hee had done far more than he had ever imagined.


    "If you want to offer your congrattions, you can," he replied.


    However, he didn''t need them. It wouldn''t affect him in the slightest. With that, he got out of the car. As he was leaving, he took the roses and gift box with him and thanked Miles with a smile. "The flowers are lovely, thanks."


    It was as if the flowers were meant for him. As he approached a trash can, he tossed both the flowers and the gift box into it without any hesitation.


    Rose immersed herself in work, and her star escort husband was in an unusually good mood tonight, asionally appearing before her.


    For the past few days, he seemed to be quite free, evening to thepany with her early in the morning, acting like her personal bodyguard..


    Since they had hired new staff, thepany was finally running smoothly.


    Rose remembered the marriage agreement she had with her star escort husband, which had already exceeded the agreed-upon one month. She now officially owned Celeste Jewels.


    The agreement should be over. However, every time she tried to repay the money she owed, the bank would return the funds, each time with a different excuse.


    She decided to visit the bank in person. Before leaving, she searched her office but didn''t find her star escort husband.


    "Ms. Shaffer, are you looking for Sir?*


    Sherlyn''s gaze held a hint of mischief. In her view, Rose and Jonathan were deeply in love. He just disappeared for a little while, and Rose had started searching for him. Lately, her favorite pastime was teasing this couple.


    "Ms. Shaffer, Sir went downstairs just now."


    Rose touched her nose, feeling a bit embarrassed as she headed downstairs. When she arrived downstairs, she didn''t see her star escort husband, but she received a call from Kelly. When she answered the call, she heard her voice which was filled with schadenfreude.


    "Rose, I saw your husband with another beautiful woman. Do you want to catch them red-handed?"

 Billionire 106

    Taking You Somewhere


    *ying games like catching a cheater, that''s better left for you and Nixon."


    Rose coldly disconnected the call. Kelly didn''t expect this reaction from Rose. She looked toward the nearby figure of Jonathan and a woman.


    The woman was none other than Anastasia. Anastasia had just arrived in Aquastead, and she to see him. Therefore, she called him as soon as she got off the ne.


    was eager


    "Jonathan, it''s been so long. Originally, I was supposed toe to the National Jewelry Design Award with my brother, but Anthony....


    She took off her sunsses and pushed her hair aside, revealing a bruise on her left cheek, clearly from a blow. Jonathan frowned.


    "Since I filed for divorce, Anthony has been pestering me. In my heart..."


    Anastasia gazed at him with affection, hoping to find a trace ofpassion in his eyes. However, Jonathan only furrowed his brow and looked at her with an exceptionally calm expression. After a pause, he coolly asked, "Where is it?"


    If it weren''t for a call from his grandmother in Regalia, telling him that Anastasia had brought something for him, he wouldn''t have left Rose and rushed over here.


    He checked the time; it was almost noon, nearing lunchtime. He still had to go to herpany and have


    lunch with her.


    Anastasia was taken aback. A sense of disappointment welled up in her heart as she said, "Jonathan, are you still angry with me? You know, back then, I had no choice..." "Where is it?" Jonathan urged.


    Anastasia bit her lip and reluctantly took out a small box from her bag. She knew it contained a fire opal bracelet, which was part of the dowry her grandmother had given her.


    Her grandmother had been concerned about her marriage, and she knew that she had hurt Jonathan. If she wanted to get closer to him, she could only make progress through Mrs. Finch Senior. *Mrs. Finch Senior said this is the dowry she brought when she got married, and you can give it to


    someone you care about."


    She had made up her mind; this time in Aquastead, she would capture Jonathan''s heart and obtain Mrs. Finch Senior''s dowry. However, at this moment, an image of Rose popped into Jonathan''s mind. He opened the box, realizing the bracelet was a perfect fit for Rose.


    "I''m leaving," Jonathan said as he was eager to see Rose.


    Anastasia''s heart tightened as she saw the gleam in his eyes. It was as if he was thinking of someone he loved. As he turned to leave, she hurriedly caught up. She stumbled in her haste.


    Ah-


    She was about to fall to the ground, but in her panic, she grabbed Jonathan''s arm. Her whole body. collided with his embrace.


    Not far away, Kelly, full of resentment, witnessed this scene and immediately took out her phone to snap a picture.


    "If you won''te to see it, I''ll make you see it!"


    She maliciously sent the photo to Rose. When Rose left the bank, she saw the picture that Kelly had sent. In the photo, a woman was leaning on her star escort husband''s chest. They seemed particrly close. The woman was elegantly dressed and exuded an otherworldly aura, like a high-borndy. She furrowed her brow, wondering if her star escort husband was up to his business again. Feeling something clogging in her heart, she found her star escort husband''s number. In the next moment, she suddenly came to her senses. Should she call and confront him?


    They were only in a contractual marriage, a business deal. What right did she have to question him? She took a deep breath and suppressed the unwarranted emotions in her heart as she put away her phone.


    If he was back to his business, then the agreement should being to an end soon. On her way, she kept picturing her star escort husband''s image in her mind, and her mood plummeted.


    At the entrance of Century Tower, she had just gotten out of the car when she saw her husband approaching.


    rescon


    His handsome face drew the attention of people around, but his eyes seemed to be focused solely on her. During this period, he had been particrly attentive to her, just like today. "Come, I''ll take you somewhere," Jonathan said as he took her hand with a natural motion, leaving her somewhat dazed.


    Until she snapped back to reality, her star escort husband had already brought her to the rooftop of the


    building.


    Thinking of the photo she had seen earlier, she almost instinctively let go of his hand and said coldly. "H need to talk to you.


    0

 Billionire 107

    Ipatibility


    "I have something to tell you as well," Jonathan said as he fixed his eager gaze upon her causing her cheeks to blush slightly.


    Rose averted her gaze from his intense stare and focused on his pants leg.


    "You go first."


    "First, close your eyes," he said, wanting to surprise her


    She furrowed her brows, unsure of his intentions but closed her eyes nheless. After a while of silence, her star escort husband suddenly took her hand. Just as she was about to open her eyes, he warned, "Don''t open your eyes."


    Soon, she felt something cool wrapped around her wrist. With years of knowledge about jewelry, she recognized it as a bracelet. He had given her a bracelet? Her mind momentarily went nk, and she couldn''t fathom what he was up to.


    Then, her star escort husband''s low, captivating voice sounded in her ear, "My grandmother used to say that if I meet someone I like, I should give her this. Rose, I''m giving it to you now." Rose''s head was momentarily empty, but she remembered the photo that Kelly had sent her earlier. Countless questions flooded her mind. What did he mean by this?


    He had been with another woman just moments ago. Her thoughts were in disarray, and she had forgotten to breathe. Jonathan noticed her blushing face and promptly tapped her cheek. "Breathe!"


    As if awakened from a trance, Rose opened her eyes. She gazed at her star escort husband as if trying to see through him. Under her intense scrutiny, Jonathan raised an eyebrow, exuding confidence. Indeed, Rose was infatuated with his face. He had even given her her grandmother''s dowry, and he had made his intentions so clear. How could she not be moved?


    She was so moved that she had forgotten to breathe, clearly unprepared for his sudden confession.


    "You..." she spoke.


    Jonathan then looked at her with anticipation.


    "Are you out of your mind?"


    Her face darkened. After thinking it through, she concluded that he was ying with her feelings. After saying this, she attempted to remove the bracelet from her wrist but failed several times. Regardless, considering the intimate scene from the photo, she feltpelled to return the bracelet to him. She turned and went downstairs to retrieve the bracelet, leaving Jonathan standing in ce.


    His smile froze on his face as if he had not yet grasped what had just happened. Was he out of his mind? -He must have misheard her.


    He took a deep breath, quickly reced his smile, and followed Rose downstairs. Once in the office, Rose sought Sherlyn''s assistance to remove the bracelet.


    It was made of high-quality gem, and she could tell from the touch that it was quite valuable. If she hadn''t seen the photo earlier, she would have thought that he had just confessed to her.


    However, the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She couldn''t ept him flirting with someone else and thening to her.


    She took the bracelet and prepared to return it to her star escort husband on the top floor. However, as she reached the staircase, she ran into him.


    Noticing that she had taken off the bracelet, Jonathan furrowed his brow.


    "Rose..."


    "We are notpatible, Rose cut him off.


    His handsome face darkened. She handed the bracelet to him and turned to leave, but he grabbed her


    wrist.


    "What do you mean by we''re notpatible?"


    They''re physicallypatible, and he had feelings for her. How could they not bepatible?

 Billionire 108

    No Feelings for You


    "I don''t have feelings for you. Our agreement should end!"


    Rose dropped these words and returned to her office. Jonathan''s face turned ominously dark. How could she have no feelings for him? She had been Infatuated with his face. He had never felt such defeat.


    He stared at the bracelet in his hand, utterly puzzled as to where he had gone wrong. In the afternoon, Rose went to the bank to withdraw one million in cash.


    If her credit limit had allowed, she would have taken out all the money she owed her star escort husband. When she returned to Zenwood Gardens, her star escort husband was not there.


    She piled the cash in the bedroom. That night, her star escort husband did note back. For the following days, she brought back one million in cash each day.


    After a few days, she had finally moved all the four million back home. Early one morning, she called her star escort husband. The phone rang for a while. Just as she thought he wouldn''t pick up, he answered.


    "Hello?"


    A woman''s voice came from the other end.


    Rose paused for a moment, and the woman spoke again, "Are you looking for Jonathan? He''s in the shower right now and can''t take calls. May I ask who''s calling? I''ll have him call you back..." Before the woman could finish, Rose hung up. She couldn''t stop thinking about what she had just heard. He was in the shower... It was early in the morning, and he had someone with him.... She was the woman in the photo, wasn''t she? Her voice was so pleasant. Rose suddenly felt suffocated.


    At the same time, in the hotel, Anastasia''s gaze deepened as she looked at the word "wifey" on the phone. She hadn''t expected that Jonathan would use such a nickname for someone. She knew him well, even if he were to get married one day, he wouldn''t call his wife that way. She bit her lip, deleted the call history, and put the phone back in ce.


    "Why are you here?" Jonathan asked as he came out of the bathroom.


    Upon seeing Anastasia, a displeased look crossed his eyes. He instinctively adjusted his bathrobe. Anastasia regained herposure as if nothing had happened earlier.


    She looked at him and said, ¡°I''m staying at this hotel too. I heard you were here, so I came over..."


    Jonathan nced at the door. Ignoring her, he went to change into clothes before leaving the room. -Anastasia followed him.


    As they reached the door, Jonathan nced at the bodyguard on duty and instructed, "You don''t need to guard here anymore. Go back to Regalia, and we''ll send someone else here." There was no need for him to guard here when he couldn''t guard the door. The bodyguard looked frightened. Anastasia felt a stab of pain in her heart.


    She caught up


    un with Jonathan and apologized, "Jonathan, I''m sorry. I just really wanted to see you."


    "Ms. Young..."


    He suddenly stopped and interrupted her.


    "You shouldn''t want to see me. Don''t forget, you''re someone else''s wife. Does the Young family allow you to follow me like this?"


    His tone was full of disdain. Anastasia looked helpless. She had indeed given up on him and chosen someone else in the past.


    "I had no choice!"


    She could only exin this way. However, Jonathan curled his lips with a cold smile, as if he wanted to say something more. Just then, he received a message from Rose. "Come back when you''re free,"


    Just moments ago, Jonathan had a dark and brooding expression, but a smile blossomed on his face now. The anticipation in his eyes made Anastasia''s heartache. He eagerly called Rose. "Alright, I''ll be back soon. Wait for me."


    The enthusiasm in his voice left Rose on the other end of the line feeling dazed. However, she didn''t say anything


    Today, she was not nning to go to thepany. She needed to sort out her matters with her star escort husband first.


    D

 Billionire 109

    The Money Counting Machine Is Ready


    As Anastasia saw the name of the person Jonathan was calling, she immediately knew who was on the other end of the call. She had never seen such a passionate expression on his face. Jonathan promptly drove back to Zenwood Gardens. Anastasia wanted to follow him but stopped in her tracks. In the hotel lobby, she gazed nkly in the direction he had disappeared. After all, had she arrived toote? She touched the bruise on her cheek. She hade to Aquastead to participate in the National Jewelry Design Award.


    Just an hour before she was supposed to leave, Anthony, who was drunk, found her and began to harass her. In their altercation, he ended up striking her. She deeply regretted her actions. If it hadn''t been for everyone''s belief that Jonathan would fail in the power struggle within the Finches, she wouldn''t have turned to someone else.


    If she had stayed steadfastly by his side back then, she would be Mrs. Finch by now. She wouldn''t have had to go through the trouble of seeking a divorce to make a new choice.


    Now, even if she had a choice, it might be toote. A touch of mncholy filled her eyes. Her thoughts were in disarray, and she didn''t even notice when Miles approached her. "Now that you''re here, why don''t you go after him?" he suddenly spoke.


    He sat on the sofa next to her with his long legs crossed, radiating an air of detachment. Upon seeing him, Anastasia''s eyes showed a touch of respect. "Miles."


    Both of them were adopted by Mr. Young Senior, but their statuses in the Youngs were quite different.


    Miles said in displeasure, "Jonathan falls for a woman, but as the daughter of the Youngs, you have to fight for whatever you want."


    "Miles... What did he mean?


    He clearly didn''t like her getting close to Jonathan. Why the sudden change in attitude?


    Miles didn''t acknowledge her and continued, "You can fight for Jonathan, but one thing you must


    remember, under no circumstances can you harm that woman."


    After speaking, he nced at her and stood up to leave. Anastasia felt somewhat dazed. She had the feeling that Miles was intentionally warning her not to harm that woman.


    Who was this woman? Her sense of crisis escted. When Jonathan returned to Zenwood Gardens, he immediately looked for Rose in the house.


    Rose had just finished her yoga session and wasing out of the bathroom when her star escort husband entered.


    Their eyes met, and Jonathan''s gaze was inexplicably drawn down, inch by inch, as he took in the scene before him. Sensing his gaze, Rose, whose face had been slightly flushed, remembered what she had heard on the phone earlier. Her expression suddenly turned cold as she snapped, "What are you looking at?"


    Jonathan raised the corners of his mouth, wearing an appeasing expression as he replied, "You look good.


    His sincerity seemed genuine in his eyes. Annoyed, Rosepushed him out. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, she opened the door.


    Her star escort husband had been waiting by the door the whole time and hadn''t left.


    "Come in," she said, casting him a nce with an unfriendly attitude.


    But even so, the fact that she invited him into the room already made him happy. He wanted to seize this opportunity to show his charm.


    Even if Rose didn''t like him now, she would gradually fall for him in the future.


    However, when he entered, he saw her lifting a white cloth in the room, revealing a pile of banknotes stacked like a mountain. He was momentarily dumbfounded. "This..."


    "This is the money I owe you, over four million. Here''s a money-counting machine. Count it yourself. If the total is correct, then our agreement is considered fulfilled." Jonathan had only uttered one word before Rose interrupted him. After hearing her words, his face. darkened abruptly.


    D

 Billionire 110

    Mrs. Finch


    So, she sent a message asking him toe back just to repay him the money?


    The neat stacks of cash in front of him meant she was resorting to getting cash because he had asked the bank to prevent her from transferring money to his ount. Transporting this much cash back home would take time and effort. As Jonathan''s gaze fell on the money -counting machine, he couldn''t help but let out a self-mocking smile.


    "Ms. Shaffer is considerate."


    She had everything prepared for him, all just to distance herself from him as soon as possible. What kind of look and tone was this?


    It was as if she was an irresponsible, unfaithful woman who wounded his heart. In reality, he already had a new "sugar mommy". His gaze made her inexplicably guilty. She instinctively averted her eyes and urged him, "You can start counting now."


    "No need."


    Jonathan withdrew his gaze coldly and continued, "I''ll have someone take care of this money. As for our agreement, you should sign the divorce agreement, and I''ll arrange the procedures." After speaking, he left withrge strides. His departing figure seemed to be filled with countless emotions. As Rose watched it, her heart ached slightly.


    She even wanted to call him back. However, the next moment, she tightened her fists as she remembered the photo. Not even ten minutes after Jonathan left, someone arrived at her door. Finley had just received a call from him, instructing him toe and collect the money. He didn''t dare dy and rushed over. When he reached the building, he saw Jonathan smoking a cigarette. He hadn''t smoked in years, and Finley could tell that the reason he was smoking was because of the fight between him and Rose.


    However, when he knocked on the door, he was puzzled to see the piles of cash.


    "Ms. Shaffer, what is this?"


    Rose, aware that he was a friend of her star escort husband, said, "This is the money towe him. Please count it and collect it on his behalf,"


    Finley thought back to Jonathan instructing him not to ept any money transferred from Rose''s bank -ount. He didn''t expect that she had prepared cash instead.


    No wonder Jonathan was displeased. He didn''t count the money but just ced it into a bag. Before Jeaving, Rose had already prepared a divorce agreement.


    She signed and handed it to Finley as she said, "Please deliver this to him."


    The agreement was ced in a file folder. Finley couldn''t help ncing at the divorce agreement. He was stunned for a moment.


    psir?"


    Rose waved her hand in front of his face. He finally snapped out of it. He looked at her in surprise before. he quickly left with the file folder. As he entered the elevator, he was still in shock. "So, it''s not Ms. Shaffer but Mrs. Finch!"


    He couldn''t believe that Jonathan and Rose were married. When did this happen?


    He tried to remember the first time he had seen Rose. It became clear that Jonathan had treated her


    differently from the beginning. Could it be that they were already married back then?


    Then, what was the meaning of this divorce agreement? He didn''t have time to feel happy for Jonathan; instead, he let out a sigh. It seemed this was the real reason for Jonathan''s anger. After leaving the building, he put the bag of cash into his car and approached Jonathan with the file folder.


    He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mr. Finch, Mrs..."


    He thought about calling her "Mrs. Finch", but she had just signed the divorce agreement, changing the address might be toote.


    He quickly corrected himself, "Ms. Shaffer asked me to give this to you,"


    Jonathan furrowed his brow as he nced at the file folder. His eyes seemed to reveal a glimmer of hope. He reached out, took the file folder, and opened it.


    When he saw the words "divorce agreement", his movements froze.


    "Ha..." He felt a surge of frustration.


    The fact that the divorce agreement was prepared so quickly was rather irritating. He forcefully stuffed the document back into the file folder and got into his car. Finley cautiously followed. Before starting the car, he looked at the bag of cash on the front passenger seat.


    Then, he watched Jonathan through the rearview mirror and asked, "Mr. Finch, should I take you back to the hotel first and go to the bank with the cash?"


    In the rearview mirror, Jonathan''s brow furrowed as he replied coldly, "No need."


    Finley shivered, wondering if he meant he shouldn''t go back to the hotel or he shouldn''t take the cash to the bank. He didn''t dare to ask further.


    He was afraid of saying the wrong thing at this moment, as it might provoke him. He nervously drove the car back to the hotel.


    When they arrived, Jonathan opened the front passenger door and picked up the cash. Then, he walked into the hotel himself. Finley was left in disbelief.


    He hesitated for a moment before trying to reach for the bag of cash: However, Jonathan, seemingly out of stubbornness, gave him a stern look as he didn''t let him touch the bag at all. Finley felt that he was acting strangely. As they went upstairs, he watched in astonishment as Jonathan meticulously arranged the pile of cash in the room.


    He couldn''t help but be amazed by the disy.


    "Mr. Finch... are you okay?"


    He even contemted reaching out to check if he had a fever but ultimately didn''t dare. Just then, his phone rang. It was Zac who was calling. He picked up the call with a sense of relief. my calls?" Zac


    "Finley, where''s Mr. Finch? Why isn''t he answering my calls? Is he too busy to even pick up my ca sounded quite frustrated.


    After all, he had provided advice to Jonathan. He could be considered a marital strategist. Had Jonathan truly refused to take advice on how to win back his wife?


    Finley nced at Jonathan. He was understanding that Jonathan was not picking up calls. Jonathan was probably unwilling to answer anyone''s calls right now. The only call he might ept was from Rose. Finley hesitated for a moment and suggested to Zac, "Mr. Gibson, why don''t youe to the hotel?"

 Billionire 111

    Jonathan Was Rejected


    Zac nonchntly agreed before hanging up the phone. As Jonathan sat on the couch in front of a stack of cash, his face darkened. Standing by the doorway, Finley dared not make a sound. Half an hourter, Zac arrived.


    "Jonathan, you''re quite impolite, not even answering my call. No wonder the little beauty..."


    His voice reached them even before he stepped inside the room. As he mentioned the "little beauty", Finley immediately stuck his head out and signaled with his eyes for him to hush. Zac was puzzled. As he entered, he saw Jonathan sitting before a stack of cash and scrutinizing it seriously. He couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow.


    "Since when did the dignified Mr. Finch develop an interest in money? Isn''t Finch Group''s wealth sufficient? Are you trying to stimte your desire for more money by gazing at cash like this?"


    Without paying attention to Finley, who was making frantic gestures at him, Zac casually took a seat on the couch beside Jonathan. When his gaze fell on the document file, he nonchntly reached for it. However, Jonathan snatched it away as soon as his hand touched it. He wondered if he was concerned


    about this. His action made him even more curious about what was inside the document file.


    He took a nce at the document file which was put aside by Jonathan. Then, while pretending not to care, he rose from the couch. Jonathan, about you and the little beauty


    He circled Jonathan, not noticing that when he mentioned the "little beauty", Jonathan''s expression grew even darker.


    Suddenly, he grabbed the document bag without being noticed by Jonathan. Jonathan wanted to stop but was a step too slow.


    With a curious look as if he wanted to discover a secret, Zac pulled out the documents.


    He scanned the contents and read them aloud nonchntly, "Divorce agreement. Oh, so it''s a divorce..."


    Suddenly, he seemed to realize something as his tone escted abruptly.


    "A divorce agreement!"


    His gaze quickly swept to the signatures at the end-It was Rose''s signature. As he looked at Jonathan, he was frightened by his cold aura.


    At this moment, he finally understood the severity of the situation. He knew he shouldn''t be causing any more trouble. He immediately ced the document into the file and handed it back to Jonathan.


    For a moment, the room fell silent. Zac took a deep breath, linking what Jonathan had said about the agreement that night. Then, he gazed at the stack of cash.


    The fact before him was evident-Jonathan, the heir of Finch Group, was rejected by Rose. He couldn''t help but click his tongue in admiration of Rose''s determination. However, he had to do something when his friend was dumped.


    After a moment of contemtion, he tentatively asked, "Shall we go for a drink?"


    He thought Jonathan refused, but he suddenly stood up and replied, "Alright."


    With that, he left the room. Zac was stunned for a moment before he immediately caught up. He had not expected Jonathan would drive to Nightfall Lounge. It was alreadyte, and the bar was in full operation.


    hvone


    Jonathan found the most secluded corner, ordered a lot of drinks, and started drinking them one by without saying a word.


    At first, Zac considered striking up a conversation. However, in this situation, he dared not speak


    na


    casually. He could only apany him and keep drinking silently.


    In another corner of the bar, Kelly observed everything. She had followed them here. She had seen Jonathan''s displeased face while smoking alone outside Zenwood Gardens.


    She had also seen his bodyguarding and bringing arge bag from upstairs. It appeared that he had fallen with Rose. Afterward, she followed them to the hotel and came here.


    She was certain that Rose and Jonathan had parted ways. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be drinking so recklessly.


    She felt a sense of triumph. Concealed in the darkness, she observed their every move without blinking


    an eye.


    Even when Nixon called several times, she unhesitatingly hung up each time and focused all her attention on Jonathan. Finally,te into the night, there was amotion in Jonathan''s corner. He was drunk. Seeing the situation, Zac helped him out of the bar.


    He intended to take him back to the Aquastead Hotel. However, just as they were about to get into the car, Jonathan pushed him away and stumbled in the direction of a certain ce. "Jonathan, where are you going?"


    Zac caught up with him. It wasn''t until they reached the entrance of Elysian Hotel that he suddenly understood what was happening.


    He had found Jonathan lying alone without wearing any clothes in a room here that early morning.


    "Room 602," Jonathan gave a room number.


    After that day, he had kept this room reserved for a long time. He didn''t want anyone else to stay there. The hotel front desk seemed to recognize him and promptly checked him in. Before going upstairs, he told Zac not to follow. Zac hesitated for a moment. Thinking that nothing


    significant would happen at the hotel, he watched Jonathan go upstairs and left.


    However, he didn''t notice that Kelly had also arrived at the hotel. She had been following them all along, seemingly searching for an opportunity. Now, it was the perfect opportunity.

 Billionire 112

    You Have No Right to Call Me Husband Elysian Hotel, Room 602.


    As soon as Jonathan entered, memories of that night came rushing back into his mind. Rose, in a fiery alluring red dress, seemed to be right in front of him now. Soon, his hazy, intoxicated eyes cleared up.


    The empty room held only him. His lips curved into a bitter smile. That night, it seemed like Rose had nted a curse on him, which had been deepened with each passing day.


    Meanwhile, she had left, carefree and untouched. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he felt the sobriety was making it even more unbearable.


    He decided to call the front desk for a bottle of alcohol. The front desk then prepared the drink and sent it up to his room.


    Kelly, who had been waiting for the right moment, seemed to sense something and followed him to the sixth floor.


    "Ah..."


    She suddenly let out a painful cry, as if she had stumbled and fallen, kneeling on the floor.


    "Miss, are you alright?" the staff inquired cautiously.


    Kelly gazed at the staff in pain and replied, "It seems like I''ve sprained my leg. Can you please help me to get up?"


    The staff looked at the tray with the drink. After hesitating for a moment, he came over to assist her.


    As he helped her walk forward, he failed to notice that an unknown substance had dropped into the empty ss.


    As the scheme worked, Kelly said with a smile, "Thank you, I can walk now."


    She appeared to be polite but was secretly nning her next steps. Soon, the staff delivered the wine to Room 602. The room remained dimly lit.


    Jonathan opened the bottle. He was so thirsty that he quickly downed the first ss. After drinking several more sses, the alcohol''s effects kicked in.


    His head became even dizzier than before. He also felt a surge of heat, a fire burning within him, heading. straight to his throat. He swallowed hard and unbuttoned his shirt.


    However, he couldn''t dissipate the heat. At this moment, images of Rose kept appearing in his mind, as if the alluring scene from Room 62 that night was constantly shing before his eyes. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. It seemed as if the knocking had disrupted those images, causing them to disappear, His eyes revealed a hint of displeasure as he got up to open the door. Outside the door, a woman in a red dress looked at him pitifully.


    Rose...


    He instinctively called out her name. Kelly was taken aback. She didn''t like him calling Rose''s name. However, it might be more advantageous if Jonathan mistook her for Rose.


    "You look good in a red dress."


    He still believed this was his illusion. Rose had nned to distance herself from him, she couldn''t have actively sought him out. Since it was an illusion, there was no need to hide his true feelings. Kelly was drawn in his misty, alluring gaze. She almost called out "Mr. Finch". However, she realized that Jonathan didn''t her identity.


    After some thought, she softly called, "Hubby


    Jonathan froze for a moment, thinking the illusion felt surprisingly real.


    "Don''t you want to let me in?"


    Kelly seemed worried about missing out and decided to move on quickly. Jonathan turned to the side and let her in. The dimly lit room made her feel more at ease.


    In the dim light, she noticed an empty wine bottle on the table, making her mission even easier.


    "Hubby,e here."


    She imitated Rose''s tone, beckoning seductively to him. Jonathan''s eyes showed a glimmer of interest, but it quickly disappeared.


    As he approached her, his face had a slight flush. As he reached Kelly, she almost reached out for him. However, before she could make contact with his body, he gripped the back of her head with significant force.


    Before she could react, she was pushed against the wall. Her face pressed against it and contorted the pressure.


    "Ah... Hubby..." she cried out in pain.


    She thought it was one of Jonathan''s tricks, but what she expected did not happen. He viciously grabbed her hair, as if he was displeased to hear her calling him husband.


    He said in a stern, displeased tone, "Hubby? You don''t have the right to call me that!"


    With that, he raised her by her hair. As she screamed in pain, he mercilessly dragged her along, opening the door and forcefully kicking her out.


    D

 Billionire 113

    He Did Not Want to Mistreat Her


    "Ah


    If it weren''t for the wall in front of her, Kelly would have undoubtedly fallen t on her face. Behind her,


    the door mmed shut.


    She couldn''t fathom why the effects of the drug in Jonathan''s body seemed to have taken hold. Furthermore, he had mistaken her as Rose, hadn''t he?


    She had no idea how things could go like this. Gritting her teeth, she stomped her foot vehemently as she looked at the closed door.


    Inside the room, Jonathan was leaning against the door. He realized that the sensations in his body weren''t simply the result of intoxication.


    The heat coursing through his body was reminiscent of that night with Rose. Had he been drugged? Thinking about the woman, his eyesnded on the wine bottle on the table, solidifying his suspicions.


    "Damn it!" he cursed under his breath.


    Then, he entered the bathroom, intending to cool down his fiery sensations with cold water. Meanwhile, at Zenwood Gardens, Rose was busy packing her belongings.


    She had handed the divorce agreement to her star escort husband. Although they were sharing the house and she had paid the rental, it still felt awkward to keep living under the same roof.


    She had been searching for a new ce to live. Thankfully, there had been no news from Jonathan during this period. It seemed like he had forgotten her.


    Hence, she felt that finding a new ce shouldn''t pose any obstacles. As she was packing her clothes, her phone rang. It was her star escort husband calling. For some reason, seeing the word "hubby" made her feel uneasy. After answering the call, she edited the


    contact name from ''star escort husband" to "star escort ex-husband".


    "Hello?" she cautiously asked as there was no response for a while.


    However, no answer came. She was certain that the call was connected. Just as she was about to speak, the man''s voice sounded from the other end of the line.


    "Rose..."


    "Yes?"


    -Upon hearing her voice, the mes that had been extinguished in his body earlier ignited again, even


    more fiercely than before.


    He said in a husky voice, "Come over."


    Rose was puzzled.


    Elysian."


    Jonathan had only uttered a word before abruptly hanging up. In the darkness, he couldn''t help but self- mockingly smile. He had briefly considered asking her toe here.


    However, he soon realized that she had wanted to distance herself from him, there''s no way for her to


    Moreover, given his current condition, her return would only lead to him mistreating her, in which he refused to do so.


    He took a deep breath and returned to the bathroom to douse himself with cold water to cool off his overheated body. On the other side, Rose sat lost in thought as she stared at the hung-up phone.


    She knew where Jonathan was even if he didn''t tell her the full address. They had spent their first night at Elysian Hotel.


    What was he doing there? His voice earlier seemed to suggest that something had happened. She called him back, but there was no answer. Her worry grew.


    After some hesitation, she decided to go to Elysian Hotel.


    Room 602. Jonathan emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a towel around his waist. The cold water had somewhat alleviated the heat in his body.


    Perhaps the noise from the bathroom had drowned out the ringing of his phone earlier. Seeing Rose''s missed call on his phone, he immediately answered it.


    "Hello?"


    Before he could continue, Rose''s voice came through on the other end.


    "Open the door!"


    Her voice was breathless, causing Jonathan to be taken aback.


    "Open the door!" she repeated.


    Jonathan snapped back to reality. He approached the door and opened it. At the door, Rose looked anxious. As if she had rushed there, her hair slightly disheveled.


    Their eyes met. Jonathan stood there, momentarily stunned. Rose approached him, concerned.


    "Are you okay? Your voice on the phone sounded strange. I called you multiple times, and you didn''t


    answer..."


    Her worry was palpable, and her hands were gripping him, one checking for injuries on his body Every touch was a deadly temptation for Jonathan. "Rose..." he stared at her and suddenly spoke.


    "Yes?"


    Rose raised her head to meet his gaze. She was startled by the fiery intensity in his eyes. It was as if he wanted to devour her

 Billionire 114

    Don''t Leave Me In This Lifetime


    Suddenly, a hint of amusement graced the corner of Jonathan''s lips. He had originally contemted. asking her if she understood the consequences ofing here.


    In an instant, he decided not to. She cared for him-this alone sufficed. As for everything else... He tightly grasped her wrist and pulled her into his embrace. Then, he descended to kiss her lips.


    The door to the room closed. Rose felt dazed, her head spinning from the kisses. It wasn''t until she regained her senses that she noticed something peculiar about her star escort husband.


    He appeared to be experiencing reactions simr to those two times when she had been drugged.


    "Rose..." he murmured in her ear as he held her, wishing to engulf her in his body.


    Inside the room, the temperature surged. Rose was certain that he had been drugged. She wanted to push him away, but considering his previous heroic sacrifices, it didn''t seem right not to help him now. Jonathan didn''t even allow her to think too much either. Amidst each kiss, Rose seemed to ignite as well.


    Outside the room, Kelly red at the door. Her eyes filled with envy, and her face contorted in anger. Ever since being kicked out by Jonathan, she hadn''t left.


    She remained reluctant, waiting for an opportunity. After all, the drug she had administered to him was potent, and simply diluting it with water couldn''t resolve the issue.


    Soon orter, the drug would torment him into opening the door again. Now, he had indeed opened the door, and Rose had arrived.


    "Damn it!"


    She gnashed her teeth. Weren''t they already estranged? How could shee here? Listening to the faint soundsing from the room, she wished she could kill Rose.


    Inside the room, after some time, the effects of Jonathan''s drug finally dissipated. Rosey on the bed, her body feeling weak. After this, she didn''t know how to face her star escort... ex-husband. Their marital rtionship was about to end, but what was happening? She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep to avoid the truth.


    Jonathan''s hand caressed her long hair. He felt immediately content after the gloomy day he had. He knew she was pretending to sleep but had no intention of revealing it. It had exhausted her. "Don''t leave me, don''t ever leave me in this lifetime," he whispered in her ear


    While holding her hands, he finally drifted into a peaceful sleep.


    It wasn''t until she noticed that her star escort husband was already asleep next to her that Rose opened. her eyes, gingerly got out of bed, and left.


    Last time, she had sneaked away from this room; this time, to avoid embarrassment, she could only slip away silently. She left the room and ran out of the hote


    Upon seeing her leave, Kelly formted another n. However, thinking about the kick she had received from Jonathan earlier, she felt a little fearful.


    What if he had been sober and recognized Rose, not to mention the consequences if she was found out


    to fake Rose? Grinding her teeth, she ultimately didn''t dare to walk a dead-end path.


    She could only pray that when he mistook her for Rose earlier, he only noticed that she wasn''t Rose, rather than recognizing her. She then left with a reluctant heart.


    After her departure, she paid someone to erase the hotel''s surveince footage, as if she had never been. there. Early the next morning, when Jonathan woke up, he expected to see Rose. However, he was surprised to see Anastasia. She sat on a chair by the bed and stared intently at him.


    Having been married before, she could easily tell what had transpired in the roomst night as soon as she entered. She could have left, but she soon changed her mind and decided to stay.


    "Get out!"


    Upon seeing her, Jonathan was immediately annoyed. Anastasia rose, her eyes filled with grievances. She knew best how to evoke pity in this man before her. However, Jonathan''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    "Do you want to see me rise from bed undressed? Doesn''t the Young family care, and your husband either?"


    His words were dripping with sarcasm. Anastasia''s bottled-up emotions seemed to burst in an instant. She wanted to grab his hand but ended up with nothing. "Jonathan, can we stop being petty? I was wrong back then. I shouldn''t have married Anthony. I''m in the process of getting a divorce from him. You..."


    She nced at the disheveled room and continued, "You''ve already taken your revenge. We both..."


    "Get lost!"


    Jonathan couldn''t be bothered with her any longer. His gaze was icy. If he had been wearing anything under the sheets, he would have kicked her out for good. How had she managed to enter his room? Under his piercing gaze, Anastasia''s eyes trembled. She didn''t dare to provoke him any further and could only leave. Outside the room, she bit her lip. Her face filled with sadness as she silently wept. Zac saw her wiping away her tears and couldn''t help but ask, "What''s wrong?"


    Upon a nce into the room, he knew that his friend had made Anastasia cry. When she shook her head, he had entered the room.


    "Jonathan, what''s wrong? Anastasia hade over to see you, what did you...


    When he mentioned it, he was met with a cold, disdainful look from Jonathan, which made him instinctively close his mouth,


    D

 Billionire 115

    It''s Her


    Joanthan''s eyes turned icy.


    "How did she get here?"


    Apart from Rose, only Zac knew he was here. Zac hesitated, his confidence waning in the face of Jonathan''s hidden anger.


    "She had been looking for you, so I brought her here. After all, we''re still friends."


    Jonathan furrowed his brows.


    Zac''s heart skipped a beat as he continued, "I was originallying up with her, but I received a phone call at thest minute, so I let here up first. Is everything okay?"


    He nced at the room and felt a sense of familiarity. Suddenly, he caught something, and his pupils widened.


    "Last night... Who was it? Were you set up by someone? Which woman?"


    His gaze took on an usatory tone as he continued, "Behaving recklessly like this after being drugged, how will you face your little beauty?"


    Jonathan knew he had misunderstood. He didn''t want to exin, but his reproachful gaze seemed to genuinely favor Rose. His chilliness eased slightly.


    "It''s her."


    With that, he left the room. As he passed by Anastasia, he didn''t even spare her a nce and headed downstairs. However, Zac was left puzzled in the room. Which "her"? He was momentarily unable to react, but suddenly his eyes lit up as if a lightbulb had gone off in his head.


    "It''s the little beauty!"


    He had always believed that even if Jonathan was careless under the influence, he wouldn''t fall for just any woman. He breathed a sigh of relief and followed suit, leaving the room. His attention was now fully absorbed in understanding what had happenedst night,pletely forgetting about Anastasia''s presence.


    Anastasia was rarely ignored in such a way in Regalia. Her face darkened slightly. Just now, she had vaguely overheard the words "little beauty", which made her aware of it.


    Her intuition told her that the "little beauty" Zac was referring to was the "wife" in Jonathan''s phone.


    "Anastasia, aren''t you leaving?"


    Zac suddenly turned around when she seemed lost. She immediately put on a smile, quickening her pace to catch up. In the hotel lobby, Jonathan had the manager check the surveince footage. However, the remaining footage only showed a staff delivering wine to the room. It didn''t capture the suspicious woman. Even the footage of Roseing and going had disappeared.


    The manager then brought the wine-delivery staff in.


    "When I went up, I met a youngdy in a red dress. She sprained her ankle, and I helped her. Nothing happened afterward..."


    As Jonathan listened to her description, he was certain that someone had tampered with the wine. With a hint of coldness in his eyes, he made a straightforward decision. "Dismiss the staff who leaked the guest room numbersst night and this morning."


    Then, he turned and left. The hotel manager knew that he had long-term booked room 602 and was an important guest. However, even for an important guest, they couldn''t decide the hotel''s staffing. He didn''t take it seriously. Just a few minutester, the hotel manager received a phone call from the top-level boss himself.


    His face turned grave, and he even felt a bit frightened as he listened to the instructions. He promptly arranged for the staff members to resign. He wiped the sweat off his forehead.


    Who could have thought it was Mr. Finch? Moreover, Finch Group had decided to acquire Elysian Hotel on such short notice. Jonathan had been lenient in not firing him along with the others.


    As Zac drove up, Jonathan and Anastasia waited by the roadside. The two stood side by side, appearing like a perfect couple.


    Just as Rose stepped out of the car, she immediately spotted the conspicuously eye-catching couple and recognized the woman from the photo. Had shee after she leftst night?


    She felt something constricting her chest, making her anxious. After she leftst night, her mind was filled with her star escort husband''s urge not to let her leave.


    Those words were like a spell, even making her feel as though his feelings for her were not as simple as a business deal. If she hadn''t left something behind the room, she wouldn''t have turned back. While she stood there, her heart ached. She watched as the two of them got into the car. She didn''t even feel like going back inside to retrieve her belongings.


    the car.


    "Please take me home," she said nkly as she got back into the


    On the way, her mind was in a daze. Suddenly, her star escort husband''s call came through.


    Seeing the words "star escort ex-husband" on the screen, she shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel those feelings. He was already her ex-husband, what was she thinking?


    Exhaling deeply, she pressed the end call button without hesitation. In Zac''s luxury car, Jonathan furrowed his brows. She hung up on him?

 Billionire 116

    Waiting For You


    Initially, he felt a bit displeased, but soon his lips curved into an indulgent smile. She must. have been exhaustedst night.


    Maybe she was catching up on sleep just now, heard her phone ringing, and casually hung up without checking who was calling. She probably continued to sleep.


    A satisfying image shed in his mind, his handsome face lit up with contentment. ncing at the time, he decided to wait until she was awake to bring her some lunch. On their way, he was in a good mood.


    On the other hand, Anastasia felt something was amiss. She noticed how concerned he was about that woman. She knew that things wouldn''t be easy if he cared so much.


    She didn''t persist and had Zac drop her off at Aquatead Hotel.


    Jonathan received an unexpected call from thepany. He had been spending most of his time at Celeste Jewels and rarely visited Finch Building.


    Some documents had been delivered by Finley for his signature at Century Tower downstairs. Since he was in a good mood today, he decided to visit Finch Building. Meanwhile, Rose didn''t return to Zenwood Gardens. She had intended to go to thepany, but as soon as she arrived at the building, she spotted a familiar figure. Miles was dressed casually, waiting for someone.


    "Mr. Miles, are you waiting for someone?" She greeted him.


    Miles smiled elegantly.


    "Yes, I''m waiting for you."


    Rose was taken aback.


    Miles took two tickets from his pocket and said, "There''s an antique exhibition at Aquastead Museum today. Are you interested?"


    "Yes, I''m very interested."


    The antique exhibition at Aquastead Museum featured several items that were recently retrieved as national treasures from abroad, and it was their first public disy. People from various industries were very interested, and tickets were hard toe by.


    She had nned to get tickets weeks ago but was caught up in dealing with Celeste Jewels''s problems, which caused her to miss out on buying tickets When she remembered it two days ago, the tickets were sold out.


    "The exhibition is tonight, and I just happened to have an extra ticket. Since I''m giving it to you, would you like to treat me to lunch?


    Miles leaned in with a charming smile, making it impossible to refuse. Feeling guilty about not being able to treat him to lunch the other day, Rose hesitated.


    "Mr. Young, I''m sorry for not being able to treat you to lunch that day


    "It was my fault the other day," he said, his eyes showing a hint of unusual emotions.


    It onlysted for an instant, disappearing so quickly that it couldn''t be detected. He looked at her sincerely.


    "Let''s go for lunch today; be prepared, I won''t feel reluctant to let you pay."


    "Alright."


    Lunchtime was a bit away, so Rose went upstairs to handle a few documents. Miles followed her. His exceptional appearance and refined demeanor drew countless envious nces in the


    office.


    Many employees at thepany had previously worked at Young''s House of Jewels, but even so, few had seen the big boss in person.


    "Who''s that? Another handsome guy! What kind of charm does Ms. Shaffer hold that even


    attracts him?"


    Miles was in the meeting area, but his gaze was always fixed on Rose. It was obvious that it wasn''t a mere friendship.


    "I still think that the guy the other day is more handsome; he''s even more handsome than Ezra. They all want to Ms. Shaffer, I''m in his stand!" "Regarding looks, Mr. Finch slightly outshines. I think ites down to financial strength; I''ll stand with the wealthier one!"


    For a moment, many people couldn''t resist discussing the matter during breaks.


    Suddenly, one employee, who had briefly seen Miles in person during the National Jewelry Design Award, recognized him as their big boss,


    He immediately searched through the inte and showed the page to others on theputer screen. As they saw it, they were taken aback. "Mr. Young


    Was he pursuing Ms. Shaffer? No wonder they were sent to Celeste Jewels for an Interview They had been Instructed to assist in the pursuit


    For a moment, people began looking at Rose as if she were the future Mrs. Young. One


    person, after seeing Miles''s photo on the inte, rushed to the restroom.


    Inside the restroom, he carefully dialed Finley''s number.


    "Mr. Willis, Mr. Young is here at Celeste Jewels. It seems like he''s waiting for Ms. Shaffer for a date."


    He was one of the employees sent by Finch Group. He was the only one who knew they hade to assist at Jonathan''smand.


    Although he hadn''t met Jonathan in person, he believed it was time to report the situation to the big boss. Finley answered the call, acknowledged the information, and promptly hung up.


    It was already 11:00 am. After signing thest document, Jonathan left his office hastily. He found a restaurant that served several of Rose''s favorite dishes. They were all prepared quite


    well.


    He looked at the time and figured that, by the time he had the food packed and delivered to Zenwood Gardens, Rose would likely have had enough sleep.


    Humming a tune with joy, he left the office and was promptly stopped by Finley.


    "Mr. Finch, there''s something important..."

 Billionire 117

    Let''s Meet Tonight


    Before he could finish his words, Jonathan gave him a cold look..


    "We can talk about it tomorrow."


    He swiftly walked away. There could be nothing more important than delivering lunch to Rose,


    "But..."


    It would be toote to wait until tomorrow. Finley watched his joyful figure disappear and was left puzzled.


    He remembered that justst night, Jonathan was downcast and seemed heartbroken. He was in no mood forpany.


    How was it possible that he had transformed sopletely overnight? What had happenedst night?


    He thought Rose was not that important to Jonathan. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been released from the pain after falling out of love. As for the message he had just received He contemted it for a moment and decided to push it aside. At the same time, when Rose finished her work, it was 11:15 am. It was the perfect time for lunch.


    She quickly freshened up and picked up her bag before heading to the meeting room to meet/ Miles. Miles was driving, and the two of them went to a restaurant.


    As it was still early for lunch, the ce wasn''t too crowded. They didn''t choose a private room and instead found a corner seat, ordered their meals, and chatted. Suddenly, a figure caught Rose''s attention.


    "What''s going on?"


    Miles followed her line of sight and turned to look, but he didn''t see anything unusual.


    "Nothing... it''s just that I thought I saw someone know, but I must have been mistaken," Rose replied, retracting her gaze.


    However, that figure kept hovering in her mind. The person was wearing a ck cap, a ck mask, and a ck leather jacket. He appeared to blend into the darknesspletely. His figure felt simr to hers.


    Then, she had a sudden realization, That person looked like the driver who hade to pick her up from the celebration dinner of the Nation Jewelry Design Award.


    They didn''t exactly know each other, but it was still strange to see him here. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Just a whileter, the man walked over and took a seat behind


    Miles.


    He sat facing away from them, seemingly removing his mask. Rose took another curious nce but then turned her attention back to her conversation with Miles.


    They conversed about the antique exhibition at the museum in the evening. Ezra had no intention of eavesdropping, but he had just encountered Rose as soon as he settled down in Aquastead,


    It was truly fate. She was not even with Jonathan and instead, she was going to the museum It was truly fate. She was not even exhibition with Miles. He raised an intrigued eyebrow.


    Thest time he took Rose for a shopping trip, he unintentionally provoked Jonathan, who shamelessly used his authority to have him forcibly sent back to Regalia by the Azure n of the Finches. Did Jonathan care that much about her? As a younger brother, he had to understand the woman his brother was interested in.


    Therefore, he hade to Aquastead secretly, with no one aware of his presence. If he hadn''te, he wouldn''t have known that Rose had such a close rtionship with Miles.


    He casually ordered some food. After finishing the meal, he left the restaurant ahead of them, Once outside the restaurant, he made a call to a local Aquastead brand that was seeking his endorsement. "I''d like a ticket for tonight''s antique exhibition at Aqaustead Museum. If you have one we can finalize the endorsement contract tomorrow."


    The brand was a major enterprise in Aquastead. Obtaining tickets for the antique exhibition was not a difficult task. Conveniently, the chairman of thepany had procured two tickets for his daughter, which he had yet to give out.


    He readily agreed, "Very well, Mr. Turner. Where are you right now? I''ll have the ticket sent to you immediately."


    Ezra then provided an address. Half an hourter, the ticket was in his possession.


    ncing back at the two people who were dining and conversing with smiles in the restaurant, he raised an eyebrow and smiled.


    "Rose, let''s meet tonight!"


    Inside the restaurant, for some reason, Rose had a fleeting sensation of an eerie presence passing through her body. It was as if someone was watching her.


    Almost instinctively, she scanned her surroundings but found nothing out of the ordinary. However, when her gaze settled on the booth behind Miles, she couldn''t help but furrow her


    brow.


    When did the person with the ck cap leave? Meanwhile, in Zenwood Gardens, Jonathan was fixated on the empty room. He had searched the entire house, but there was no sign of Rose.


    Her belongings were already packed, suggesting she was nning to move out. After a moment of disappointment, he reminded himself that these items were probably packed beforest night. He had resolved afterst night that he would not let Rose leave him under any


    circumstances.


    Furrowing his brows, he called Finley and asked, "Ask someone working at Celeste Jewels if Rose is still in thepany."


    If she was at thepany, he could still deliver her lunch to her.


    After giving Finley some time to inquire, he was surprised when he promptly replied, "Ms. Shaffer was at thepany in the morning, but she should no longer be there."


    At lunchtime, she must have gone out for a meal with Miles.

 Billionire 118

    It''s His Turn to Counterattack


    "What do you mean she was at thepany in the morning and should no longer be there?" Jonathan asked.


    Wasn''t Rose supposed to be sleeping in the morning?


    Finely was taken aback by his low growl and responded resentfully, "I told you when you left that there was something important, but you said we could discuss it tomorrow." Even over the phone, he could sense a chilling atmosphere.


    "Speak!" Jonathan coldly demanded.


    "Mr. Young has been waiting for Ms. Shaffer in the guest area of Celeste Jewels all morning. It seems like they''re going out together at this time.."


    They were supposed to be enjoying a meal together. He didn''t dare to finish his sentence. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.


    Finley almost thought the call had been disconnected when a voice finally came through, Immediately find out where they are. Additionally, from now on, address as ''Mrs. Finch."


    With that, Jonathan hung up the phone. Finley was left bewildered, wondering why he would call Rose "Mrs. Finch" when they were already divorced.


    He didn''t dare to dy in executing his orders. He promptly instructed his subordinates to locate Rose. Ten minutester, he sent Jonathan the location. Jonathan looked at the


    address of the restaurant.


    His gaze darkened slightly, and he left inrge strides, taking the meal he had prepared for Rose with him.


    Half an hourter, outside the restaurant, Jonathan sat in his car and watched as two people exited the restaurant. There was a burning me in his eyes.


    ''Cause some trouble for the Young''spany, and lure Miles away," he instructed Finley with


    a cold tone.


    Not long after, Miles received a call. Outside the restaurant, he listened to his assistant''s urgent report, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.


    Just as he was about to apologize to Rose and step away for a moment, he suddenly sensed something unusual around him..


    Several burly men, despite their casual attire, had an imposing aura that immediately told him they were from the Azure n of the Finches. He looked in one direction, wondering if Jonathan was there. Even though the car was far, he could recognize the person in the car was Jonathan. He had


    just eaten a meal with Rose, and it had caused him toe over impatiently.


    His assistant mentioned something about an "incident", which was probably orchestrated by him as well. A faint smile appeared in his eyes.


    He hadn''t fully shaken off the frustration from Jonatha''s men hounding himst time. This time, he would not allow himself to be toyed with by him. It''s his+


    to counterattack.


    "Rose, there''s an amusement park over there. I finally managed to take a day off. Will you apany me for a visit?"


    He politely extended the invitation.


    "Well..."


    Rose hesitated. She and Miles were not close enough to go to an amusement park together. In her mind, that was a ce for couples in love.


    However, when she looked in the direction of the amusement park, she saw a trace of sadness in his eyes.


    "My sister used to love going there, but it''s been a long time since she visited."


    She couldn''t understand why Anastasia couldn''t go to the amusement park when she was in Regalia. Furthermore, Miles''s tone sounded as if she wanted to go but couldn''t. She couldn''t bear to see him unhappy, so she quickly agreed.


    "Sure, let''s go."


    "Great."


    Miles''s n seeded, and he immediately led her in the direction of the amusement park. The park was not far away, so they decided to walk there.


    Jonathan noticed that Miles didn''t leave after receiving the call, instead, he walked to the amusement park with Rose. he felt a surge of jealousy.


    He wished to rush over and take Rose away. However, he couldn''t risk exposing his identity as Mr. Finch, especially with Miles''s presence. Rose didn''t like Mr. Finch, so he couldn''t take any chances. "Have your people follow them," he ordered Finley.


    Meanwhile, Finley had already rushed over from Finch Building and directed the Azure n of the Finches to follow Rose. Inside the amusement park, Rose remained oblivious to the situation. When her mother was alive, they used to visit amusement parks frequently, but she hadn''t been to one in a long time,


    She soon immersed herself in the various attractions, from the carousel to the roller coaster,


    thoroughly enjoying herself. Miles watched her smiling happily.


    Initially, he only intended to show off to Jonathan, who was not far away. However, he began to lose himself in the moment.


    It was as if he saw Anastasia waving at him from the carousel. Yet, when he snapped out, he


    knew it was not her.


    "Mr. Young..."


    Rose stepped down from the carousel and ran toward him. However, she stumbled just before reaching him. Miles''s quick reflexes allowed him to catch her by the shoulder and prevent her from falling. COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus


    Support


    GET IT

 Billionire 119

    Are You Tired Following Personally This Time


    "Thank you, Mr. Young..."


    Rose''s heart rate slowed as she quickly expressed her gratitude. Miles''s smile was gentle. "I''ve been calling you Rose, and you''re still calling me Mr. Young. Isn''t that a bit too formal?"


    Rose hesitated. If not Mr. Young, what should she call him? It wasn''t polite for her to call him by his name.


    "How about you call me Miles?"


    A hint of indulgence appeared in Miles''s eyes.


    "Alright, Miles."


    This title felt neither too formal nor too distant. Not far away, Jonathan had entered the amusement park as well. Watching the two of them chatting andughing, his gaze was filled with murderous intent.


    Mr. Finch, who had once been ruthless when reorganizing the various branches of the Finches, found himself powerless when facing Rose.


    By his side, Finley didn''t dare to breathe, fearing that he might unwittingly incur his wrath.


    At 5:00 pm, as he watched Rose and Miles leave the amusement park and get into the same car, he couldn''t contain himself any longer. He then called Miles.


    Inside the car, Rose leaned against the seat''s backrest. She had just noticed numerous missed calls from her star escort husband in her bag.


    However, the memory of theirst night''s deal and this morning''s scene with Anastasia made her feel ufortable. Deciding to dismiss everything from her mind, she closed her eyes to


    rest.


    Miles drove the car while his phone continued to receive calls from Jonathan. He chose to ignore them until he noticed Rose seemed to be asleep. Finally, he answered the calls.


    A silence hung between them, but both of them could sense each other''s emotions. Jonathan''s eyes were as sharp as a de. Meanwhile, Miles''s lips curled slightly.


    After half a minute, he broke the silence.


    "Do you find it tiring to follow us in person this time?"


    With this sentence, he made it clear to him that he was still upset about theirst confrontation. Jonathan clenched his teeth. As triumphant as he had beenst time, he now felt suffocated.


    Despite his frustration, he couldn''t allow Miles to have any designs on Rose


    "Where''s Rose?"


    Miles nced at the peacefully sleeping Rose beside him and answered, "She might have been tired from all the fun. She''s fast asleep. Don''t worry, she''s sleeping soundly."


    It was a tant show of boasting and provocation. Jonathan wished to dismantle the entire Young family. However, both the Young family and the Finch family were part of the Three Greatest Families of Regalia


    Even he couldn''t easily dismantle the Young family quickly.


    His eyes were filled with deep determination as she asked, "Where are you taking her?"


    With a faint smile on his lips, Miles looked at his rearview mirror. He saw Jonathan''s car closely following him from behind.


    He hadn''t answered Jonathan''s question for a while, and it seemed that he couldn''t sit any longer. The car elerated and moved to his left.


    He turned his head, his eyes meeting Jonathan''s sharp gaze through the window.


    "Aren''t you following us? If you''re following, you should already know where I''m taking her," he said, feeling more and more amused.


    He had known Jonathan since childhood. Even when Jonathan was at a low point, there wa little that could hold him back. As for Rose. He retrieved his gaze and looked at Rose.


    It seemed Jonathan had truly fallen for her. Rose had taken the ce of Anastasia in


    Jonathan''s heart. He should have resented her, but he couldn''t do so.


    He seemed to feel guilty toward Anastasia. He drove faster, feeling increasingly irritated. At 7:00 pm, Aquastead Museum began ticket inspections and admission.


    Rose woke up and opened her eyes to see Miles''s refined smile.


    "Have we arrived?" she asked while ncing ahead.


    The car had indeed stopped, and they were right in front of the Aquastead Museum. She had fallen asleep during the ride.


    Under Miles''s gaze, she instinctively touched her chin to check if she had drooled in her sleep. Satisfied that she hadn''t, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    However, she couldn''t be sure if she had snored or talked in her sleep.


    She asked tentatively, "Did anything happen while I was asleep?"


    "Nothing at all," Miles replied, his smile deepening


    As they got out of the car, he looked around. The bodyguards of the Azure n of the Finches were still present, and Jonathan was in a car not far away. His intense gaze locked onto him.


    D

 Billionire 120

    Such a Coincidence


    Miles found it weird that Jonathan had been observing from the side without approaching. However, he found it somewhat interesting. He led Rose into the museum.


    Jonathan got out of the car and followed in hasty steps. He was about to enter when the ticket inspector stopped him.


    "I''m sorry, Sir. You can''t enter without a ticket. Please make let others enter first.


    r way a


    The ticket inspector was a young man. He had a standardized and friendly smile on his face. However, the nce at Jonathan gave away the thoughts in his heart.


    He was so handsome and dressed decently, yet he was a man who wanted to mix up the tickets. With him guarding the entrance, no one could enter without a ticket. Jonathan retreated to the side with a darkened face. No one had ever left him aside in this way. At the side, Finley couldn''t help but give a thumbs up for the ticket inspector.


    The expression that was inadvertently leaked was captured by Jonathan. He immediately gave him a cold nce.


    "What are you doing? Purchase the ticket!"


    Nevertheless, the ticket had long been sold out.


    "Mr. Finch, the tickets are sold out."


    Finley felt that he was going to be suspected of work ability.


    Seeing Jonathan frowned, he exined, "The exhibition at Aquastead Museum is very popr, and the tickets on sale are limited. If I know that you want toe, I must have long been ready. However, isn''t your recent mind on Mrs. Finch?"


    "Shut up!"


    Jonathan was filled with displeasure. Then, he dialed a number. Finley had no idea who was on the other end of the phone. He could only hear Jonathan''s cold demand.


    "I want to donate a sum of money to Aquastead Museum for the restoration and maintenance of antiques. Well, just ask the curator toe and find me. Yes, I''m outside the museum now."


    With that, he hung up the phone. Finley was left bewildered. After ten minutes, an old man in a suit walked out of the museum. It was the curator of the museum.


    He was followed by a few staff members. Aftering out, he hurriedly looked around. Suddenly, he saw the man with an extraordinary demeanor over here.


    He immediately stepped forward and cautiously asked, "Are you Mr. Finch?"


    He had heard that Jonathan hade to Aquastead, but he hadn''t had the chance to see him in person. At this moment, Jonathan''s mind was full of images of Rose and Miles watching the exhibition together. He couldn''t wait to go in and stare at it immediately.


    "Yes, I''m Jonathan."


    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Finch. The mayor is on his way over. We..."


    "Tell him not toe. This is the amount of my donation."


    Jonathan wrote a check and handed it to the curator. The curator was shocked on the spot when he saw the number on it.


    Jonathan''s voice rang out with a bit of urgency, "Can I go in for a tour?"


    The curator snapped back to his senses.


    "Of course. Wee, Mr. Finch. This way please."


    Under his lead, Jonathan entered the museum through a special passage.


    "Mr. Finch, we have an antique exhibition at the museum today. There are a few pieces of collectibles that are newly found back from abroad. This is the first time they are exhibited, I will surely introduce them to you properly in a while..."


    The curator was thrilled in his heart.


    With the money donated by Jonathan just now, even if the museum didn''t conduct business in these few years, it would be able to maintain the collections of the whole museum.


    Jonathan was not interested in the exhibition at all. He went all the way while looking for Rose. Suddenly, he finally saw the figure not far away.


    Miles was standing beside Rose, and the two were talking to each other in front of an ancient


    Queen''s crown. Even from a distance, he felt the eagerness in Rose''s eyes.


    Rose designed jewelry, naturally, she would be interested in these. Miles was cunning enough to precisely utilize this to please her. Jonathan frowned, eagerly stepping forward to separate the two.


    The curator seemed to sense his displeasure. He looked at the exhibition area which was full of people, thinking Jonathan didn''t like to be disturbed.


    However, the tickets had been sold for the exhibition. It would cause dissatisfaction if the museum temporarily announced the closure.


    As Jonathan saw Rose and Miles continue to walk forward, he strode to follow subconsciously. The curator was about to catch up when his icy voice rang out.


    "You don''t need to follow, none of your people need to follow."


    Then, he jogged as if he was afraid of losing someone. The curator was confused as he sweated profusely. Was he not serving him well, so it upset him? As for the check just now...


    Finely sensed his uneasiness andforted, "Don''t worry. Mr. Finch will not retrieve any checks that have been given out. Just keep it well; Mr. Finch simply wants to visit the exhibition alone without being disturbed. Just ignore his presence; even if you see him, there''s no need to greet him. Do you understand?"


    The curator seemed somewhat confused.


    "Alright."


    In the exhibition room, each collection amazed Rose. Except for some copper collections, there were several ancient women''s jewelry, each one was full of exquisite details.


    She was so focused that Miles was distracted. It wasn''t until a voice rang behind him that his thoughts were drawn back.


    "You''re here too. Such a coincidence."


    COIN BUNDLE: get

 Billionire 121

    121 The Situation Worsens


    person


    Rose and Miles turned back at the same time. Upon seeing the behind them, their expressions changed. The person who came was Anastasia.


    Miles frowned deeply as if he didn''t want to be disturbed by her at this time. Meanwhile, it was rare for Anastasia to see Miles with any woman, and this woman... Her eyes wandered on Rose''s face. When Rose saw her, her whole body froze. Even though she was wearing sunsses, she could recognize her at a nce-she was her star escort husband''s new investor.


    She didn''t expect to see her at this ce. Where was her star escort husband? Did hee. as well?


    Almost subconsciously, she nced around and breathed a sigh of relief when she didn''t see her star escort husband''s figure.


    The next moment, she realized that she was a little afraid of facing the two of them standing together again. Especially afterst night, she felt a little stuffy.


    Miles noticed that her face was a little pale. He asked with concern, "Rose, are you okay?"


    ording to the information he had, Anastasia did not find out that the person Jonathan. was interested in was Rose. However, Rose''s reaction seemed like she had met Anastasia before. Rose raised her lips in aforting manner as she replied, "Miles, I''m fine. Thisdy..."


    She immediately regretted it after asking. Why was she going to find out about her star escort husband''s new investor? Anastasia also saw her unusual expression.


    She didn''t know that Rose had seen her and Jonathan together. She just felt that her eyes were very simr to hers.


    She smiled deeply at Miles and asked, "Miles, don''t you introduce me?"


    Ever since someone disappeared, Miles wouldn''t even look at a woman in the entire Regalia. It''s the same when that person was around. His eyes would only follow her.


    Rose was a recement. She took another nce at Rose and came to a conclusion-she was much prettier than someone else.


    Miles''s face darkened slightly. He didn''t like the way Anastasia looked at Rose. Rose looked at Miles with some confusion. Was she his sister?


    It was clear that before going to the amusement park just now, his eyes were gentle and sad when he mentioned his sister. However, why was he looking at Anastasia with disgust right now? She seemed to have heard Anastasia''s name somewhere.


    +15 BONIUS


    Before she could think much, Miles grabbed her wrist and said, "She likes to make a fuss. Just ignore her, let''s continue watching the exhibition."


    That protective gesture shocked Anastasia''s jaw. It was only in the past when that person was still alive that he had such an attitude toward someone.


    Anastasia looked at the people''s backs and thought of Miles''s attitude toward her that day at Aquastead Hotel. She raised her eyebrows and followed them leisurely.


    Not far away, Jonathan was hiding with a gloomy face. Fortunately, he hid quickly. Otherwise, Rose would have seen him.


    He stuck his head out and nced at the three people not far away. Rose and Miles walked in front, and Anastasia was not too close but not too far away. The situation seemed to be


    worse.


    "Damn it!"


    He gritted his teeth and cursed. Finley understood what he was thinking.


    He carefully confronted him, "Mr. Finch, from another perspective, if Ms. Young is following, it''ll be even harder for Mr. Young to do anything to Mrs. Finch..."


    However, these words seemed to ignite Jonathan instantly.


    He stared at Finley fiercely and roared in a low voice, "What can he do?!"


    His fists became hard. Finley felt sad in his heart, but he dared not say it. Since Miles couldn''t do anything or dared not do anything, there was no point for Jonathan to be so


    anxious.


    He looked around and felt that he was probably the most aggrieved person in the entire museum exhibition area. Besides him, there was another person who felt aggrieved.


    Ezra hade in a long time ago. At this time, he was in the washroom of the exhibition hall with a displeased face.


    He used the endorsement in exchange for a ticket, wanting to get to know Rose through Miles. However, he didn''t expect to see Jonathan.


    Jonathan followed step by step as if monitoring his daughter''s date with her boyfriend. He couldn''t do anything about Miles, but he had a way about himself.


    In order not to be taken back to Regalia again, he decided to endure it for the time being.


    After preparing himself mentally, he put on the mask and the cap. After leaving the washroom, he carefully blended into the crowd in the exhibition area and followed somewhere with his eyes.


    Throughout the exhibition area, everyone admired the antique collections on disy, as if there was nothing unusual about them.


    Finally, Rose and Miles finished looking at all the collections. She intended to go to the washroom. There was a distance between the men''s and women''s washrooms, making it difficult for Miles to follow. He could only watch her go to the women''s washroom.


    "Miles, I''m going to the washroom too."


    Miles realized her intention and immediately warned, "You..."


    Before he could finish speaking, Anastasia turned back and smiled triumphantly at him.


    "Miles, why are you so worried? I wish you could find a sister-inw. Don''t worry, I''ll put in a good word for you."

 Billionire 122

    You Think She Will Like You


    Miles''s face could not be darker. Jonathan, who was not far away, also heard this.


    He strode up to Miles and said, "It''s impossible for Rose to like you."


    Miles cast a nce at him. A moment ago, he was worried that Anastasia would say something she shouldn''t say in front of Rose and cause a misunderstanding.


    However, at this moment, he hoped that she would expose his good impression of Rose.


    "Do you think she will like you?"


    He smiled nonchntly.


    "Of course. She and I..."


    Jonathan almost revealed the fact that he and Rose were married, but he soon stopped. The divorce agreement was still in his hands, and Rose had a very bad impression of "Mr. Finch".


    He couldn''t let Miles know that Rose didn''t know his identity. Otherwise, he would choose to expose it. He suddenly felt a headache.


    Meanwhile, in the washroom, Anastasia looked at Rose in a trance through the huge mirror in front of her. Rose raised her eyes and met her gaze in the mirror.


    At that moment, both of them were stunned. Anastasia first stretched out her hand to Rose.


    "Hello, I''m Anastasia. My brother rarely dates women. If I hadn''t seen the way he looked at you just now, I would have thought that he likes men."


    Realizing that what she said seemed to be a misunderstanding, Rose immediately exined," Ms. Young, you misunderstood. Miles and I are just friends, so..."


    "I understand."


    However, it was


    Anastasia was full of interest. It''s not difficult to go from friends to lovers obvious that Rose had no other intentions toward Miles. She was a little disappointed. It seemed that Rose looked a little unnatural when facing her, but she didn''t think much about it. For a moment, the two looked at each other in silence.


    Rose smiled awkwardly. She was about to go out when three acquaintances suddenly came In and blocked her way.


    The visitors were none other than Maya and Mandy, as well as Kelly, who looked like an innocent person standing behind them. Jamie had gotten two tickets for today''s antique exhibition. He intended to let Kelly bring Nixon with her, but after she got the tickets, she did not invite


    him. Although Nixon was lifted by Hayden in the past two days, his bank card had been frozen.


    He called Kelly several times to urge her to get married as soon as possible, but now Kelly''s thoughts were on Jonathan. She was unwilling to marry Nixon like this.


    Just now, they saw Rose and Miles watching the exhibition together from a distance. Kelly felt jealous. Especially when she thought aboutst night, Rose took advantage of her n.


    It made her angry just thinking about it. Hence, she provoked Maya and Mandy toe over and prepare to teach Rose some lessons.


    Rose saw that these people came with bad intentions. She didn''t want to get involved with


    them.


    However, several times when she wanted to go out of the washroom, Maya and Mandy deliberately blocked her.


    She became a little angry and said, "Get out of the way!"


    Maya smiled disdainfully as she said, "What if we don''t want to? Rose, you are really capable. How did you seduce Mr. Young?"


    Rose frowned. She and Miles werepletely innocent.


    "If you can''t speak, I can teach you."


    There was a hint of warning in her tone. Maya seemed to have been stepped on. She suddenly rushed forward to hit Rose. Just as she was about to get closer to her, Rose grabbed her hair. "Ah..." she grimaced in pain.


    The strength in Rose''s hand didn''t weaken at all.


    "Maya, you seem to be very forgetful of beatings. Did you forget about thest time we were in the Nightfall Bar?"


    Maya got angry when she mentioned Nightfall Bar. Suddenly, she seemed to be going crazy, waving her hands widely, calling Mandy and Kelly behind her to help.


    "Mandy, Kelly,e and help me. I don''t believe that the three of us can''t cure her."


    Mandy, who was on the side, failed to set Rose up at the celebration banquetst time. When she left, she found that Evan had already left without even calling her.


    After that, Evan left Aquastead temporarily because of work. He became even more indifferent to her than before. Mandy med all this on Rose.


    At this moment, as Maya called, she stepped forward to help without hesitation. However, even the two of them were no match for Rose. Soon, she grabbed their hair with both hands.


    Outside the washroom, Kelly saw the situation in front of her. She knew Rose had learned Taekwondo, and the next few people might not be her opponents.


    Nevertheless, she suddenly thought of something. Her eyes lit up. She touched her belly subconsciously, feeling that she could make good use of the chaos in front of her.


    Ever since she saw a little hope from Jonathan, she no longer wanted to marry Nixon. Hence, there''s no need to keep the child in her stomach.


    She could use Rose''s hand and have a miscarriage. When the time came, the Lane family would make trouble for Rose.


    With this in mind, she stepped forward without hesitation and joined the battle.

 Billionire 123

    Bleeding


    The three people pulled Rose together at the same time. Rose felt that Maya and Kelly were indeed pestering. At the antique exhibition, she didn''t want to get into a fight and affect the atmosphere.


    As she was about to push the three of them away and ask the museum security guards to subdue them, Maya suddenly stumbled on her foot.


    "Ah..." she cried out in pain and failed to stabilize her body.


    As she fell, she tried to make a final struggle to stabilize her body. Hence, she let go of her hand on Rose''s clothes, but it was obvious that she became even more unstable as she lost


    her fulcrum.


    She could only grab the hair of someone next to her.


    "Ah... Kelly''s hair was grabbed, and her scalp hurt.


    She also couldn''t bear the weight of one person. The moment Maya fell to the ground, Kelly alsonded heavily.


    "Ah... It hurts..."


    She held her lower abdomen with her hand. Soon, a pool of blood flowed out from under her body, staining her white skirt red.


    For a moment, Maya also panicked. She was the one who grabbed Kelly and made her fall.


    She knew that she was pregnant. If anything happened to her and the child in her belly, not to mention that Kelly and Jamie would not let her go, the Lane family would probably pursue the


    case.


    "Kelly, I..."


    She looked panicked as she wanted to say that she didn''t mean it.


    However, Kelly suddenly looked at Rose and used sternly, "Rose, why did you push me?!" Not only Rose, but Maya, Mandy, and Anastasia who were watching all this not far away were surprised by her usation. Rose frowned. It was Maya who was holding Kelly and causing her to fall.


    Was she going to me her? A sneer appeared at the corner of her mouth.


    After taking a look at the blood flowing out from Kelly''s body, the most important thing to do in this situation was to call an ambnce. She took out the phone without saying anything.


    Sensing her intention, Kelly crawled toward her and grabbed her feet. Under that touch, Rose''s body trembled. Her phone suddenly fell to the ground.


    Kelly''s face was full of tears as she continued, Rose, why did you push me? I''m your sister after all. I know you hate me for marrying Nixon. You can take revenge on me any way you want, but you hurt my child. Rose, how can you be so cruel..."


    She simply used Rose. Even though she was good-tempered, Rose was angry at this time.


    "I don''t care at all whether you have a baby in your belly. I didn''t push you just now."


    Kelly sneered as if she was determined to me Rose.


    "Whether you push or not, they are all watching. Maya, Mandy..."


    She called the two of them. Suddenly, she saw Anastasia standing by the sink.


    She was slightly startled, but ignored her and continued, "You all saw it; did Rose push me?"


    Maya was stunned and didn''t react for a long time. Meanwhile, Mandy instantly understood Kelly''s intention.


    "Yes, I saw it. It was Rose who pushed Kelly."


    Kelly''s eyes shed triumphant.


    She nced sideways at Maya and asked, "Maya, what about you?"


    Maya was startled. "Yes, it''s Rose..."


    She soon calmed down a lot. As if she had figured it out, she med Rose.


    "Rose, you pushed Kelly. You did push her!"


    Rose smiled bitterly looking at them targeting her. What could she do? Could she attack back? She was reluctant to do that. However, Kelly came here for her.


    She nced around. There was no surveince in the washroom, so the scene just now couldn''t be retrieved. She turned around and saw Anastasia behind her.


    Their eyes met, and Anastasia smiled slightly at her. Knowing Rose''s situation at this time, she didn''t say anything. Rose was not sure whether she would help her. Themotion here attracted people from the other side of the exhibition area.


    Noticing the crowd approaching, Kelly immediately screamed and cried, "My baby. I''m sorry for you. Rose, why did you push me ..."


    She seemed incoherent at the situation before her. Every word conveyed the message she wanted to convey.


    Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "Call an ambnce... With a situation like this, why don''t you call the ambnce?"


    However, Maya and Mandy didn''t call an ambnce. Maya stepped forward and pushed


    Rose hard.


    "Rose, you hurt her like this and you''re not calling an ambnce. You are killing someone!"


    Rose was pushed by her and staggered. Just when she was about to hit the wall behind her, two figures suddenly rushed up and blocked her behind.

 Billionire 124

    The Child Was Not Saved


    As the two people broke in, everyone was stunned for a long time. Especially when Kelly saw Jonathan, a sh of panic shed in her eyes. She wondered why he was there.


    Didn''t Rosee with Miles? At this time, she couldn''t care much anymore. She tried her best to keep her head down so that Jonathan wouldn''t see her.


    When Rose saw her star escort husband, a sh of surprise shed in her eyes. She thought he should havee with Anastasia,


    His investor was behind him, and Rose suddenly felt that the atmosphere was extremely strange. However, she didn''t have the chance to think too much about the situation in front of her. Kelly gritted her teeth and told Maya, "Call the police, and call Mr. Lane..."


    Maya was stunned for a moment before she nodded.


    "Alright."


    She and Mandy made a phone call together. The ambnce and the police arrived at the same time. The ambnce took Kelly away. The police had no choice but to take Rose for investigation. An hourter, the doctor announced that Kelly had miscarried. In the hospital, Kelly cried so hard that her heart broke out. When Nixon arrived, he felt extremely distressed when he saw her appearance.


    "Maya said that Rose pushed you. What happened?"


    He clenched his fists, looking as if he wanted to kill someone. Lying in his arms, Kelly cried as if she was going to faint.


    "Nixon, I''m sorry, I couldn''t save the child... but don''t me Rose. She didn''t push me on purpose. It was all me... Because of what happened between the two of us, she has never let go. Even if I got engaged that day and I apologized to her in private, she still wouldn''t forgive me. It''s my fault..."


    "It''s not your fault, it''s hers."


    Nixon gritted his teeth. As much as he felt sorry for Kelly, he hated Rose at that moment for killing his child. He would never let her have an easy time with this matter.


    "Wait for me here. I''ll make Rose pay the price."


    He put Kelly on the bed andy down. As he was about to leave, Kelly suddenly grabbed his hand.


    "Nixon...


    She choked with sobs. She was a little worried that Jonathan was still with Rose. If Nixon had seen Jonathan, his identity might have been exposed.


    She had calcted everything, but she never expected Jonathan was also present. However, she was unwilling to stop Nixon from causing trouble to Rose.


    After hesitating for a moment, she released her hand and said, "Nixon, I saw Mr. Finch. He seemed to be protecting Rose. If he''s still there, you just don''t go and don''t conflict with him. I don''t want you to provoke him and affect the Lane family because of this matter


    Nixon frowned, then noddedfortingly to her before he turned and left. When he heard that Jonathan was also there, he was looking forward to it.


    It would be best for Jonathan to see Rose''s true colors clearly so that he would no longer be interested in her. He wanted to cut off any chance Rose had of hooking up with Jonathan.


    As soon as he left, Kelly sent a message to Maya.


    "Is Rose''s husband still there?"


    Maya and Mandy were also taken to the police station as witnesses who also used Rose of wounding. Maya had juste out of the interrogation room after recording her statement. After receiving the message from Kelly, she looked up and saw Rose''s husband and Miles not far away. He was talking to a police officer.


    "He''s still here. What''s wrong, Kelly? How is the situation over there?"


    Kelly''s face changed slightly when she received the news.


    However, she had no way to get rid of Jonathan at this time. She could only pray secretly that when Nixon rushed over, Jonathan had left because of something.


    Then, she told Maya, "Don''t think that I don''t know that you grabbed me and made me fall, Now my child has been lost. You either have to bite Rose to death, otherwise, I definitely won''t let you go." Maya''s face turned pale as she looked at her phone. Kelly had been using Rose. In the interrogation room earlier, she and Mandy kept using Rose as well.


    She even had the illusion that the person who truly caused Kelly to fall was Rose. Now that Kelly mentioned the truth, she was panicked.


    She swallowed and edited the text before sending it out.


    "Kelly, don''t worry. I''ll make sure Rose pays the price for pushing you today and causing you to miscarry."


    After sending it, she deleted the conversation record. Taking a deep breath, she was thinking of how to use Rose until the end. Just then, she was startled to see a certain figure.


    That was the woman in the washroom. At this time, she was outside the police station and looking inside, as if she was hesitating toe in. She must have seen what happened.


    Did shee here to tell the truth and testify for Rose? This guess popped into Maya''s mind. She suddenly lost herposure.


    Not caring about anything else, she quietly walked out of the police station and walked quietly to Anastasia.


    "Come with me, I have money for you," she said directly.


    When she came here just now, she had already thought about it. It was just a matter of spending some money to shut her mouth.


    There was no surveince anyway. If she helped them speak, Rose would not be able to testify herself. Anastasia nced at her in surprise.


    Suddenly, she said with great interest, "Can you tell me what kind of money you can make?"


    Maya hooked her fingers and motioned for her to follow. Anastasia followed her to a secluded ce.


    Maya then said, "Did you see what happened in the washroom just now? I''ll give you a sum of money, so just pretend you didn''t see it." COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus

 Billionire 125

    How Do You Repay Me


    Anastasia found it funny. She was the daughter of the Lane family in Regalia. Since that person disappeared, she was the only princess in the family.


    This was the first time someone wanted to use money to buy her over.


    "How much do you give?"


    Maya looked her over. Although she wanted to bribe her with money, it hurt her heart to give too much.


    "20 thousand. Just don''t go in. If someonees to ask you, just say that you also saw Kelly being pushed by that woman. It''s just a matter of words, and you''ll make 20 thousand." Anastasia listened silently without saying anything. Seeing that she didn''t refuse, Maya naturally understood that she agreed. After all, who would refuse 20 thousand given for free? "This is for yo When you do what I just said, I''ll naturally give you the money."


    Maya wrote her a phone number. She was afraid that the other party would not do as agreed if she gave her money in advance. She then entered the police station. There was a hint of disdain in the smile on Anastasia''s face. 20 thousand... that''s a lot! However, she was also considering whether to do what the woman just suggested. After all, Rose seemed to not only know Miles deeply but also probably had a close rtionship with Jonathan. She looked at Jonathan from a distance. Even from a long distance, she could see the anxiety and worry on his face. Who was Rose?


    Suddenly, she thought of the word "wife" that she saw on Jonathan''s phone that day. Her face. suddenly darkened and gradually turned pale. Was it her? She unconsciously clenched the phone number in her hand. In the police station, Jonathan and Miles both had gloomy expressions.


    Since there was no surveince in the washroom, everyone present used Rose of pushing Kelly. The current situation was unfavorable to Rose. Ten minutes ago, the police received a call that Kelly had miscarried at the hospital. If pursued, Rose would at least face detention.


    None of them believed that Rose pushed Kelly, but there was no evidence to prove her innocence. Suddenly, Miles thought of someone. "Anastasia!"


    "She was in the toilet just now, maybe she saw it. He looked excited.


    Jonathan frowned. When he rushed over just now, he only had eyes for Rose, so he didn''t notice anyone else was there. If Anastasia was there, there would be witnesses. The two


    looked at each other.


    As members of the Young family, the rtionship between Miles and Anastasia was only superficially harmonious. In recent years, the two had been in apetitive rtionship due to their family business. However, Jonathan was different. Anastasia liked him, which was a secret known to the


    entire Regalia.


    Even she made such a big fuss about getting divorced this time because she couldn''t forget her old love for him. Miles looked deeply at Jonathan, his meaning was self-evident. Jonathan gritted his teeth as he took out his phone to call Anastasia. When the call was connected, he only asked for her location.


    The next moment, he hung up the phone and walked out of the police station. In the night, seeing Jonathan approaching, Anastasia felt an unprecedented sense of crisis in her heart.. Rose was indeed extraordinary to him. She knew the reason why he was looking for her.


    Sure enough, he walked up to her and asked, "You saw it, right?"


    "Yes, I saw it."


    She didn''t hide it.


    "Rose didn''t push her," Jonathan said firmly.


    Indeed not, but....


    She met his gaze.


    "Are you looking for me because you want me to testify? Are you begging me?"


    Jonathan frowned. If she needed him to beg her to testify for Rose, he could do so. Just as he was about to speak, a hint of guilt shed in Anastasia''s eyes.


    Before he spoke, she suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Don''t worry, I''ll help her testify, but you owe me a favor. How are you going to repay me?"


    She looked at him yfully and expectantly. At this moment, in the police station, Nixon arrived just in time when Rose came out of the interrogation room.


    He was filled with anger as he rushed toward Rose, raising his hand to hit her. Rose reacted and tilted her head slightly, but his fingertips still messed up her hair. Just as he was about to raise his hand again, Miles stepped forward and grabbed his hand.


    Nixon couldn''t struggle, so he could only short at Rose, "Rose, you bitch! You murderer! I''ll tear you apart!"

 Billionire 126

    Three of Them Cannot Beat One


    As Nixon finished roaring, Miles''s fist hit him hard in the face. His mouth was bleeding and his eyes were burning red. However, he didn''t dare to make a mistake with Miles.


    "Mr. Young, don''t be deceived by her. She must have seduced you. As I told you, she and Mr. Finch ...


    "Nixon ..."


    Even though he was used to being refined, Miles was also angry. It was too much for him to humiliate Rose like this.


    Just as he was about to tell him to shut up, Rose stepped forward and pped Nixon on the face before he finished speaking. With a snap, everyone around was startled. "Rose, you ..."


    Nixon gritted his teeth and wanted to step forward, but Miles held him deeply, unable to move.


    Rose met his fierce gaze and said, "Nixon, when you say I''m the murderer, you must have found the wrong person. Do you believe Kelly when she told you that I pushed her? Although hate her, I also disdain to do such a vicious thing.


    "Rose, you''re just making excuses. You just hate Kelly for snatching me from you..."


    Rose suddenlyughed.


    "Where do you get your confidence? You don''t have a mirror and you don''t pee? Try to pee and look at yourself. I should have thanked her for taking a scumbag like you from me."


    "You..."


    Nixon''s face turned pale. He felt a little guilty when she mentioned the past.


    Suddenly, he saw Maya on the side and seemed to have caught something as he said, "Maya, you were there, right? You saw Rose push Kelly and told the police that she hurt her intentionally. I''ll have the bestwyer to send her into the prison."


    When he mentioned the word "prison", Maya''s heart trembled. Then, she immediately nodded firmly.


    "Yes, it was her. I saw it with my own eyes. She pushed Kelly. Mr. Lane, I''ve told the police. Don''t worry.


    Mandy, who was watching the show, quickly agreed..


    "Yes, I also witnessed it. I''ve also told the police what I saw."


    "Then, who can tell me what the crime of perjury is?"


    A voice suddenly came from outside. As Rose looked over, her heart trembled when she saw her star escort husband.


    However, her heart tightened even more when she saw Anastasiaing in behind him. When Nixon saw Jonathan, his eyes became even more eager.


    "Mr. Finch...


    Just as he was about to speak, Jonathan nced at Rose with a guilty look in his eyes. He hurriedly interrupted his greeting.


    "I also have someone here who saw what happened just now."


    He let Anastasia behind him to step forward. When Maya saw her, she couldn''t help but sneer at the corner of her mouth.


    She had bought her over with money. She knew that Rose''s husband would do the same. As a . host in a bar, he would be an unemployed vagrant after following Rose.


    Even if he paid, he couldn''t pay more than her. She was full of confidence. Anastasia nced at Maya, then looked at Rose,


    Looking at Rose, there was a hint of gloominess in her eyes, which shed away.


    "Sir, I did see it. However, this youngdy was the one who pushed the victim instead of Ms.


    Shaffer.


    "She pulled the victim, causing her to fall. Not only does this matter have nothing to do wit Ms. Shaffer, but she is also the one being bullied,"


    She finished speaking slowly. The expressions of several people changed instantly. Maya couldn''t help but step forward and grab her.


    "What nonsense are you talking about? You just clearly..."


    She red at her fiercely, seeming to me her for taking the money and not doing anything.


    However, Anastasia met her gaze calmly and asked, "Did something happen just now?"


    A purchase of 20 thousand-an unpaid credit. Maya understood Anastasia''s attitude. Rose''s husband must have paid a higher price.


    At this time, she didn''t dare to talk about the bribery.


    She threw away her hand in displeasure as she said, "You''re talking nonsense. We both saw Rose pushing Kelly. That''s the truth. Do you think the police believe the two of us or you alone?" "The truth? Is it true that the three of you beat Ms. Shaffer together?*


    Anastasia nced at Rose. None of the three could defeat her, she was truly someone who couldn''t be underestimated.


    "You''re talking nonsense!"


    Maya''s face darkened. Suddenly, she felt a line of sight and looked over subconsciously, meeting the cold eyes of Rose''s husband. Her heart trembled as she felt a trace of fear.


    At this time, Nixon also recovered from what he just heard. He nced at Maya, still believing that it was Rose who pushed Kelly.


    "Yes. You haven''t witnessed the scene, please don''t talk nonsense.


    He felt Anastasia was not an ordinary person, so he didn''t dare to speak too offensively. Today, he wanted to send Rose to prison no matter what.


    He didn''t believe that Rose could make Jonathan and Miles treat her differently if she had a criminal record. Just as he was about to speak, a museum staff member ran out from outside the police station. He took a phone and handed it to Rose.


    "Ms. Shaffer, a man asked me to give this to you, He said it was a small gift for you."


    Not only Rose but also Jonathan and Miles couldn''t help but take a second look at the phone, wondering what gift it was.

 Billionire 127

    The Truth


    As Rose turned on the phone, a video came into view. The video started when Maya stepped forward to block her. In addition to the picture, even the sound was recorded very clearly. "Mandy, Kelly,e and help me. I don''t believe the three of us can''t cure her!"


    As the voice came out, Maya''s expression changed even more. Rose realized that this video. recorded what happened just now.


    After taking a look at Jonathan, he immediately understood her meaning. He called the two police to the side to watch the video together.


    At the same time, Miles also grabbed Nixon and walked to Rose to let him see clearly what happened.


    In the video, the three of them attacked Rose together, while she only defended. Suddenly, Maya sprained her foot. When she fell, she grabbed Kelly beside her, and they fell to the ground together.


    The truth came to light. Nixon was stunned on the spot. Kelly had clearly said that Rose pushed her and caused her to miscarry.


    However, in the video, it was obvious that Maya was the one who caused her to fall. He also noticed her guilty conscience and panic.


    However, the look in Kelly''s eyes when she used Rose was so determined. He suddenly felt angry. He was angry that he couldn''t me Rose for death because of this incident and


    teach her a lesson.


    Feeling uneasy, he stared fiercely at Maya. Not only he, but the two police also looked at her


    and walked toward her.


    "Ms. Maya, you are suspected of hurting someone andmitting perjury. You may not be able to leave for the time being."


    Maya was flustered as she tried to exin, "It''s not me; it''s Rose. I didn''tmit perjury."


    However, the video was clear. It was useless for her to quibble. The police directly detained Maya and Mandy.


    Then, one of the police told Rose, "Ms. Shaffer, now that the matter is clear and has nothing to do with you, you can leave. You can pursue them for provoking trouble if you want."


    Rose had no intention of pursuing those people for provoking trouble. She knew that someone would pursue it. She looked at Nixon, who had an awful look on his face.


    He came in such a hurry because Kelly must have said something to him. She just wanted to frame her and encourage him to teach her a lesson.


    Thinking of Kelly, Rose frowned and told the police, "Thank you. I won''t pursue charges for provoking trouble. However, if someone wrongly uses me of killing someone and damaging my reputation, it should be reasonable and legal for me to demand an apology from the other party, right?"


    "Of course, you can even ask the other party topensate for the loss," the police said.


    Rose raised an eyebrow and smiled at Nixon, whose face turned red with anger.


    There was nowhere to vent the anger in his heart. He could only stare fiercely in the direction. where -Maya was taken away, clenching his fists. He left not long after.


    As soon as he left the police station, he called Kelly. Kelly was lying on the hospital bed. Jamie temporarily left the ward, leaving Chelsea sitting in front of the hospital bed.


    "You''re doing fine, but why didn''t you protect your belly? Why did you get involved when you knew you were pregnant? It''s enough to teach Rose a lesson and let Maya take action!" Chelsea looked distressed. However, Kelly didn''t take it seriously. She was not sad at all about losing her child. Instead, she was extremely happy.


    "If I don''t get involved, how can I me Rose?"


    Chelsea paused while peeling the apple.


    "You..."


    Kelly looked at her and smiled strangely.


    "Yes, it''s what you think. I did it on purpose. I purposely didn''t want this child and med Rose. I also purposely made Nixon go to Rose angrily to get rification."


    "But without the child, if the Lane family regrets the engagement..."


    Kelly snorted disdainfully.


    "It would be better for him to regret it. He is the eldest son of the Lane family, but he''s just an


    idiot.


    "In the past, I only knew that I would snatch Rose''s things, but I didn''t see if Nixon was really capable.


    "I didn''t know there were problems with several of his projects before, let alone that Hayden was supporting an illegitimate child. Everyone regarded Nixon as Mr. Lane, but he may be kicked out any day. How can I marry such a man?"


    She looked disgusted when she mentioned Nixon.


    Chelsea was still frowning as she said, "The Lane family has some wealth after all


    Kelly wanted to say the Lane family wouldn''t have as much wealth as Jonathan. One day, she would be able to capture this richest and most powerful man and take the position of Mrs. Finch.


    However, she didn''t say much. Just then, her phone rang. It was Nixon. She thought he must. have taught Rose a lesson, and now he came over to report to her andfort her.


    She couldn''t wait to answer the phone. As soon as she spoke, she changed her indifferent attitude. Every voice and every tone was full of weakness.


    "Nixon..."


    On the other end, Nixon was filled with anger and questions. He wanted to know why Kelly wrongly used Rose of pushing her. However, when he heard her voice, his heart softened. "Kelly, was it Rose who pushed you just now?" he still asked.

 Billionire 128

    She Will Not Apologize


    Kelly was stunned for a moment.


    Then, she asked innocently, "Nixon, what do you mean?"


    A bad premonition emerged in her heart.


    Nixon hesitated for a moment and said what happened just now, "Someone sent a video. In the video, Maya pulled you, causing you to fall."


    The more Kelly listened, the paler her face turned. Nixon still had too many questions in his mind.


    "Kelly, why did you try to pull Rose away? And you said she pushed you, but it''s obvious


    Kelly was extremely upset. She interrupted him.


    "Nixon..."


    After the words came out of her mouth, she felt that her tone seemed cold. Although Nixon didn''t have much ability, she still needed someone like him to protect her.


    Taking a deep breath, she pretended to be pitiful again.


    "Nixon, as your


    Rose has learned Taekwondo. Maya and her had a conflict. I was afraid


    that Maya would suffer, so I went up, but who knows..."


    She sobbed and continued, "I didn''t know Maya caught me and caused me to fall. It was so chaotic at the time. My stomach hurt and I was bleeding again. In the panic, I thought it was Rose. I wronged her... what should I do?"


    She was crying, as if she was filled with guilt because she had wronged Rose. She was furious. There was no surveince in the washroom, so she dared to frame Rose.


    She couldn''t figure out where the video came from. Now that she failed to me Rose and her child was gone, she could only me Maya to divert Nixon''s attention. With that in mind, she cried even harder.


    "Nixon, it''s my fault. Maya and Rose had a conflict. I should have persuaded them instead of helping Maya and hurting our child..."


    Only Maya could bear this matter. Sure enough, Nixon''s anger was directed at Maya.


    "Kelly, it''s not your fault. You''re the victim; you''re too kind and can''t bear to be bullied by Rose. However, our children cannot die without reason. Maya caused you to miscarry, she must pay the price." He spoke firmly. A sneer shed in Kelly''s eyes as her n seeded. She thought that as


    long as his attention was diverted, he wouldn''t continue to ask questions.


    However, he said worriedly, "Kelly, Rose... she said she was wrongly used of killing and wounding others, and her reputation would be damaged. Considering her attitude, she seemed to want us to apologize."


    The smile that Kelly was about to raise suddenly froze.


    "What?"


    She seemed to think she heard wrongly.


    Nixon thought she didn''t hear clearly and said again, "You said Rose pushed you, so I


    used her of being the murderer as soon as I arrived at the police station. Now she wants. us to apologize."


    Kelly''s originally pale face suddenly showed a twisted expression.


    "Kelly..."


    Nixon was about to say something else when Kelly hung up the phone.


    Chelsea was frightened by the look on her face as she asked, "Kelly, what''s wrong?"


    She knew that Nixon had called just now. However, Kelly looked pitiful and aggrieved just now, as if she was considering everything; why did she suddenly look like this?


    Kelly seemed not to hear what she said. Nixon''s words kept echoing in her mind. She felt unwilling for not being able to me Rose. However, Rose wanted her to apologize. "It''s impossible!"


    Her eyes


    shed with madness. She couldn''t apologize.


    As if to escape, she pulled the quilt and covered herself tightly. She wanted to have a good sleep and think about how to deal with Rose tomorrow morning.


    The next day, when Kelly just woke up, there was a slight noise outside the ward.


    "What are you doing? Rose, I was looking for you...


    Jamie had just answered a work call and was about to enter the ward when he saw several police officers walking toward Kelly''s ward with Rose.


    They were followed by a man with an extraordinary temperament.


    ''Rose, you caused Kelly to miscarry, I just


    Jamie stared at Rose. Last time, he suffered a big loss at the hands of Rose, which made him very angry. Even if Kelly didn''t pursue the case this time, he would take action against Rose, Before he finished speaking, Rose looked over with strange eyes. Immediately, a sneer


    appeared on her face.


    "What must you do? Because of our rtionship, I need to remind you that before doing. anything, you must first take a look at the situation. Don''t be too aggressive."


    With that, she retracted her smile. The change in her expression showed full domineering power. Even Jamie was stunned by the momentum.


    Just when he was stunned, Rose had already passed him and walked toward the ward, with the police following behind her.


    In the ward, Kelly was lying on the bed. When she heard the noise outside, she panicked. At this moment, her nce met with Rose''s. She clenched her fists tightly under the quilt.


    Chelsea on the side saw her and said, "Rose, don''t you feel embarrassed toe here? Are you here to apologize to Kelly? Let me tell you, you caused Kelly to have a miscarriage. This matter is not easy to resolve. Don''t even think about just apologizing. She won''t ept it."


    QUE: get


    COIN BUNDLE:


    more free bonus

 Billionire 129

    Exposing Her Trick


    Rose just smiled faintly without saying anything. It seemed that they deliberately said harsh. words to her. The harsher the words were spoken now, the more fun it would be to apologizeter.


    Chelsea looked at the smile on her face and suddenly felt a little numb. She knew that Jamie. hated Rose as well. Hence, she let him in to join the battle.


    "Jamie, you have to speak for Kelly..."


    Jamie stepped forward aggressively. Before he could say anything, Miles, who was following. stood in front of him.


    He was dressed in a casual outfit, looked like a refined nobleman, and had the natural attitude of a high-ranking person. Jamie felt a little guilty. Rose walked directly to the sofa in the ward and sat down.


    This move stimted Jamie and Chelsea even more.


    "You don''t even have the attitude to apologize. Sir, we don''t ept her apology. We will take legal channels to resolve this matter."


    The police officers were also confused. They nced at Chelsea, and their eyes fell on Kelly on the hospital bed. One of the female police officers walked up to Kelly holding a document.


    "Ms. Kelly, we have investigated clearly what happened at the museum yesterday. The person who caused your miscarriage has been identified and is currently detained at the police station. However, the cause of the matter was that the three of you took the initiative to entangle Ms. Rose. She was also a victim. You used her of causing your miscarriage, which is inconsistent with the facts and has damaged her reputation. Therefore, she requires you to apologize, which is legal and reasonable. If you have no objection, please sign it."


    She handed the documents to Kelly. Kelly''s face turned pale as she looked at the document. The matter was a foregone conclusion. She knew that if she didn''t apologize, Rose wouldn''t give up. She came to beat her purposely. She was extremely angry. She clenched her fists tightly, feeling very reluctant to kill Rose. However, facing the police, she had to pretend to be an aggrieved victim. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know. I''ll apologize..."


    As soon as she opened her mouth, tears kept flowing out, as if a floodgate had been opened. It made several police officers feel pity.


    However, Rose knew too well the methods and true face of Kelly.


    "Apologize? Aren''t you supposed to apologize to me? You''re looking for the wrong person;


    .15 BONUS


    you shouldn''t apologize to the police."


    She smiled and exposed her trick. She couldn''t let her get away by getting sympathy with ambiguity and confusion. Kelly was extremely angry. She bit her lip, her eyes aggrieved, she looked pitiful. Chelsea didn''t realize what was going on after listening to what the police said.


    Aftering back to her senses, she immediately walked up to the police and asked, "What''s going on? Isn''t it Rose who should apologize?"


    The female police officer exined patiently, "No. It was Maya who caused your daughter''s miscarriage. However, your daughter indiscriminately wronged Ms. Rose and damaged her reputation. She deserves an apology."


    Chelsea was startled when she understood. Thinking of what she had just said to Rose, her face turned pale. She nced at Rose angrily. When she was about to say something, Kelly''s voice rang out.


    "Mom


    She looked over. A smile appeared on Kelly''s pale face. She was full of brokenness.


    "Mom, I don''t have the strength, can you help me?"


    When she spoke, she struggled to


    get out of bed. It seemed that as she said, she didn''t have, the strength. Her efforts failed several times.


    Chelsea remembered that she was able to get out of bedst night. Soon, she understoo what she meant. She immediately stepped forward, pretending to support her.


    *Just apologize. Otherwise, you won''t get out of bed," she said with concern.


    "No, I wronged Rose. It was my fault. If I apologize, I should do it sincerely."


    Kelly looked sincere as if she was truly sorry for Rose. Rose saw through these tricks at a nce. The apology must be sincere. Otherwise, she would feel sorry for making herself such a trip.


    Seeing her still pretending to be unable to get out of bed, a sudden glint appeared in Rose''s


    eyes.


    "Snake! Why is there a snake in the hospital?"


    She suddenly jumped up in shock and pointed behind Kelly with a look of horror. Kelly was


    most afraid of snakes. When Roseted, she was filled with instinctive fear.


    She didn''t even realize whether it was Rose''s trick, let alone whether there was a real snake. She immediately jumped off the bed.


    "Snake... Mom, snake


    She panicked and looked for a sense of security. Apart from her voice, the ward remained quiet. Everyone''s eyes were on her. Their expressions changed several times. "Can''t you get out of bed?" Rose''s voice sounded again, breaking the weirdness in the ward..

 Billionire 130

    Assistance from Miles


    Kelly realized something and her body stiffened suddenly. The police on the side also saw through her trick. One of them couldn''t hold back hisughter.


    Although theughter stopped in the next second, it was a huge shame to Kelly. Her face. instantly turned red. For a moment, all the resentment in her heart was concentrated on Rose.


    It was Rose who made her look embarrassed.


    "Ms. Rose said that an apology must be sincere. I agree with this point. In this case, then kneel and apologize."


    Miles, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. He came because he was afraid that Rose would be bullied. However, it was obvious that she was not easy to bully.


    He took a deep look at Rose with a doting look in his eyes. Rose met his gaze and was very surprised that he would assist her. She smiled and nodded to express her gratitude. Then, she looked at Kelly. "Kneel and apologize."


    She raised her eyebrows and smiled brightly. Kelly was filled with hatred. She knew that person was the eldest son of the Youngs. Since he supported Rose, it was inevitable that shel


    would kneel.


    Although she felt unwilling to do so, she still knelt on the ground.


    "Kelly..."


    Jamie and Chelsea stepped forward, trying to pull her up. Kelly had knelt, thinking that since she couldn''t avoid the humiliation, she would let Jamie and Chelsea hate Rose even more.


    She shook off Chelsea''s hand. Jamie and Chelsea both stared at Rose fiercely.


    "Rose, don''t go too far."


    However, Rose seemed not to hear it and still smiled. Kelly deliberately framed her. If she seeded, they would already be attacking her. She was just giving her a little counterattack, was she going too far? "Kelly, I''m sorry. I was too panicked and confused at the time. I wronged you before I figured it out. Please forgive me, okay?"


    Kelly looked at Rose sincerely. Nevertheless, the resentment in her heart had reached its


    extreme.


    Rose knew that even if she apologized, she wouldn''t be sincere. She probably wanted to kill her at this moment. Therefore, she walked up to her nonchntly and leaned down, without any intention of helping her up.


    She looked directly into her eyes as she said, "I ept your apology, but next time, it''ll be more than just an apology."


    a


    There was a limit to human patience. When she couldn''t bear it anymore, she didn''t mind tearing Kellypletely.


    With that, she smiled at her and straightened up. Then, she turned around and strode out of the ward. Not long after her departure, Nixon arrived.


    As soon as he entered the ward, he saw Kelly kneeling on the ground.


    "Kelly, what''s going on? Why are you kneeling?" His face was full of concern.


    Kelly burst into tears as she saw him. However, she simply cried without saying anything.


    Nixon became even more anxious as he asked, "Kelly, tell me what happened."


    Suddenly, he seemed to think of something and asked, "Has Rose been here?"


    Kelly cried even more aggrieved. On the side, Chelsea sighed.


    "Rose doesn''t care about sisterhood at all. She forced Kelly to kneel and apologize to her in such a weak condition."


    Nixon gritted his teeth as he picked up Kelly and put her on the bed.


    "Kelly, don''t worry. I won''t let her bully you like this in vain," he said firmly.


    This was exactly what Kelly wanted. She disdained marrying Nixon, but he could be a good tool to be used. She would make Rose regret today''s humiliation.


    Thinking of this, she suddenly hugged Nixon and cried even more pitifully. After leaving the hospital, a car stopped in front of Rose and Miles.


    The car window was lowered, and the person in the car was Anastasia.


    "Miles, Ms. Shaffer,e up quickly."


    She waved at them. Miles and Rose came in a police car just now. When they left the -hospital, Miles had notified his assistant to pick them up, but he hadn''t arrived yet. They originally refused to get in the car, but Anastasia got out of the car in person and took Rose''s arm affectionately.


    "Ms. Shaffer, I testified for you yesterday. We can be considered friends after all. I just like you and want to be friends with you. You won''t refuse, right?"


    Her face was full of sincerity. However, Rose felt a bit awkward.


    She should be grateful to Anastasia for testifying for her, but being friends with her star


    escort husband''s new investor was a bit awkward when she thought about it.


    It would be too ungrateful for her to reject her directly.


    "Of course not. You have helped me. I should thank you properly. In this way, can I treat your to lunch?" she invited.


    "Alright, but don''t call me Ms. Young; it sounds so unfamiliar. You can call me Harriette." Rose had heard this name before. Miles said that her eyes resembled hers, and she seemed to be Mr. Finch''s favorite. It''s just that they often referred to her as "Anastasia" before.


    She met the person today. However, Anastasia was wearing sunsses, and she didn''t know if her eyes looked like hers. While she was thinking, Miles''s face looked particrly dark.


    He even ignored Rose''s presence as he warned Anastasia sternly, "You don''t have the right to use this name."

 Billionire 131

    The Real Heiress to the Young Family


    Miles''s reaction shocked Rose. He was always elegant and polite. This was the first time she saw him lose his temper. The atmosphere was strange for a moment.


    However, her reaction was already expected by Anastasia. She pursed her lips in grievance and looked at Miles coquettishly.


    "Isn''t it just a name? If you don''t like it, then I won''t say it."


    Then, she told Rose, "Ms. Shaffer, my brother doesn''t like it. You can only call me Anastasia."


    Her tone was full of disappointment. It was as if she desperately wished she could use the name Harriette", but she didn''t have the qualifications.


    Rose was puzzled. She thought Harriette was Anastasia. It seemed like Harriette was someone else. She was suddenly filled with curiosity about "Harriette" but she didn''t know how to ask about other people''s privacy. They got into Anastasia''s car and found a ce for lunch.


    During this period, Jonathan followed quietly. For two consecutive days, he followed Rose like a stalker. Unfortunately, Miles kept pestering Rose and had no intention of leaving.


    Rose was his wife, and it should be him who stayed with her. Now it looked like he was the outsider. He had nowhere to vent his frustration.


    "Mr. Finch, I just received news from the Azure n of the Finches that Mr. Turner has run away." Finley/ conveyed the news.


    Jonathan frowned. At this time, his thoughts were all on Rose, and he didn''t care about Ezra. Suddenly, he saw Rose and the others leaving the restaurant. He immediately followed them. Finely, who had been following aside, couldn''t help but roll his eyes.


    He wanted to tell Jonathan that with the way he looked now if he had another camera in his hand, he would look like a paparazzi who kept tabs on celebrity gossip.


    However, he dared not to say this, unless he wanted to die. In the afternoon, Anastasia drove Rose to thepany. After Rose got out of the car, Miles and Anastasia were left in the car. Without Rose, the atmosphere just now disappeared in an instant, reced by a car full of depression.


    After a while, Miles finally said, "Don''t do anything you shouldn''t do to Rose."


    This was the second time he had warned her today. She found it even more interesting. He had never been so interested in any woman except Harritte since he was a child.


    She suddenly didn''t believe that Rose was a recement.


    "What could I do to her? Why should I do anything to her?" she asked while holding the steering wheel.


    She had a faint smile on her face. That smile made people feel dangerous. She thought of Jonathan always caring about Rose in his mind.


    She was curious about the charm Rose had in him, and she was even more confused. The situation at this time was so simr to that of before. It''s just that the protagonist was reced by Rose +15 BONUS


    Every expression in her eyes fell into Miles''s eyes through the rearview mirror. They were all the grandchildren adopted by Oliver. They had been trained together and knew each other too well. Anastasia had never been a good person. Jonathan was both at the museum and the police stationst night. He didn''t believe that Anastasia didn''t see anything.


    Her thoughts about Jonathan were no secret in the entire Regalia.


    "You have the freedom to fight for the man you want, but if you don''t listen to what I say, I don''t mind losing a sister.


    "Don''t forget, Grandpa has been looking for Henrietta''s whereabouts all these years. She had given birth to a daughter that year and the granddaughter who never appeared is the real heiress of the Young family.


    After he finished speaking, the car stopped. He opened the car door and got out of the car without hesitation. In the car, Anastasia''s eyes darkened slightly.


    She didn''t take the "granddaughter'' in Miles''s mind seriously.


    Oliver had been looking for Henrietta a long time ago, but after so many years, even if he used the power of the Young family, he had not been able to find her whereabouts.


    Perhaps she was gone long ago. As for her daughter, it''s not easy to find her without any clues. Thinking of the past events, a hint of sarcasm curled up in the corner of her mouth. "When did you ever treat me like a sister?"


    In Miles''s eyes, Harriette had always been the only sister. When she was around, no one could see her/ existence. She took a deep breath, and the bright smile returned to her face.


    She took out her phone and called Jonathan. At Celeste Jewels, Rose had just sat in the office for a while when there was a slightmotion outside the office.


    Jonathan walked toward Rose''s office. Miles came yesterday while Jonathan came today; two handsome guys immediately continued the gossipy atmosphere in the office from yesterday. Rose was finalizing a design n. The door suddenly opened. She thought it was William.


    Without raising her head, she said, "William, I''ve signed all the documents on the table. You can go and implement them...*


    William had a lively personality, but he had not spoken since entering the office today. Rose frowned and raised her eyes in surprise. When she saw the person standing at the door, her heart suddenly trembled.


    BIG GALE: 3500 bonus free fou you

 Billionire 132

    New Investor


    Jonathan stood at the door, his eyes locked on Rose. There seemed to be too many things umted in those dark eyes.


    Those things were thick and intense. They swept toward Rose through his eyes, giving her an inexplicable illusion that instantly reminded her of the night before. Her face turned red. "What are you doing here?"


    She looked a little unnatural. Thinking of his new investor, Anastasia, her eyes turned cold.


    Jonathan frowned. He had seen shyness on her face just now, but she became cold in an instant as if she didn''t wee him. He was a little frustrated. However, he soon figured it out. Even if she didn''t wee him, he wouldn''t leave easily. A smile appeared on his face as he walked toward Rose.


    Rose didn''t understand. He was obviously a host in a nightclub, how could he have such a natural nobility? He was like the kind of noble son who came from a wealthy family and had a lot of money. Even the way he walked made people blush and their heartbeat. Was it because of his face? It was indeed a disaster.


    Rose cursed secretly in her heart, avoiding looking at the charm exuding from his body. However, he just wanted to make her uneasy.


    "I miss you


    Jonathan walked to the desk. His voice was low, and he looked directly at Rose. Rose furrowed her brows. If she hadn''t seen his new investor with her own eyes, she would have almost believed him. Taking a deep breath, she looked at her star escort husband''s eyes, which were staring straight at her! and examined them carefully. His eyes were naturally seductive. They can seduce people''s souls. Rose looked at him seriously. Jonathan felt a hint of pride in his heart. The frustration he felt in the past two days disappeared instantly.


    He had been following her for such a long time, he had never seen her staring at Miles so seriously. It had


    to be him.


    "Rose"


    He nned to express his infatuation and stepped on Miles so that Rose would stay away from him in the future.


    However, just as he called out her name, she interrupted him, "I''ve signed the divorce agreement and given it to you. We have nothing to do with each other now. Finch..."


    She frowned as she realized that for so long, she only knew hisst name. After all, it was just a business deal,


    She paused for a moment and continued, "Mr. Finch, if you have nothing to do, please leave first. I still have to work." Jonathan froze on the spot, his expression getting increasingly dark. What did she mean? She had signed


    13


    the divorce document, but he didn''t. What did she mean by they had no rtionship?


    "The divorce agreement


    He was about to speak when he suddenly realized that if Rose knew that he didn''t sign, she''d probably force him to do so. After calming down a little, he stopped.


    Seeing that he was still staring at her with no intention of leaving. Rose simply stood up. As soon as she got behind her star escort husband, a big hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her hard.


    She was caught off guard and crashed into a strong chest the next moment. Hearing the stirring in his heart, she subconsciously wanted to retreat, but her entire body was wrapped in his long arms. The more she broke free, the tighter he restrained her. They seemed to be wrestling, pulling to the


    extreme.


    "Mr. Finch!"


    She gritted her teeth. Jonathan was slightly startled. She used to call him "hubby", but now she was calling him "Mr. Finch".


    Feeling like something was tugging at his heart, he slid his throat and whispered in her ear, "You obviously didn''t resist me like this the night before yesterday


    There was a bang in Rose''s head, and a surge of hot air surged up. The night before yesterday, it was her star escort husband who was under the control of drugs at first.


    She was just repaying his help the previous two times and passively acting as his antidote. Later, she had to admit that she was also taking the initiative to cater to and even ask for...


    For a moment, she felt a little embarrassed. She suddenly raised her head and red at him bitterly.


    "What do you mean now? What else do you want?"


    He obviously had a new investor, but he still chatted with her about their old rtionships here. Her rtionship was not that cheap. The look in her eyes made Jonathan stunned for a moment. When he came back to senses and wanted to explore the meaning of her words, his phone suddenly rang. He was so irritated that he didn''t care.


    However, the phone kept ringing. When it finally stopped, it started ringing again the next second. He took out his phone angrily and tried to turn it off, but Rose saw the caller name.


    It was Anastasia, his new investor.


    "Just pick it up."


    She smiled coldly. While he was dazed, she broke free from his grasp, turned around, and walked out of the office without looking back. Jonathan stood there, still immersed in her sneer just now. For some reason, he actually felt that the look in her eyes just now seemed as if he had hurt her. However, she was the one who clearly ignored him and didn''t want him.


    He hung up Anastasia''s call irritably.

 Billionire 133

    Who Said He Was Pitiful


    Rose gathered her emotions along the way and fled to the roof. There was no one around. She realized that her heart was aching.


    The wind blew and hit her on the face. The faint pain in her heart lingered for a long time.


    She had no idea how long she stood on the roof of the building. It wasn''t until an unfamiliar phone rang that she came back to his senses. It wasn''t her phone ringtone, but the sound came from her pocket. Thinking of the video sent by the museum staffst night, she immediately took out the phone and answered it.


    "Hello?"


    Her voice was urgent. She wanted to know whose phone it belonged to and who had silently helped her yesterday.


    "Hello." -


    There was a man''s voice on the other side, which was particrly nice.


    Rose was stunned for a moment before she replied, "Are you looking for the owner of this phone? I''m sorry, I picked up this phone, please


    She didn''t know how to bring up what happened at the museum yesterday. She originally nned to lie and im that she had picked up the phone and found the owner of the phone from the other party. As soon as she said this, the man on the other side of the phoneughed softly.


    Rose was stunned for a moment. She immediately realized that the person on the other end of the phone was the person who helped him yesterday.


    "So it''s you. Thank you for helping me yesterday. What should I call you?" Rose said respectfully.


    On the other end of the phone, Ezra was sitting in the car and nced at Century Tower. He saw Jonathan entering the building just now. He must have gone to find her.


    "Myst name is Turner. It''s a simple effort, so you don''t need to take it to heart. It''s just my phone. You may have to return it to me," Ezra said with a smile.


    "Of course. Mr. Turner, where are you? Can you give me your address and I can deliver it to you?"


    This was exactly what Ezra wanted. He gave Rose an address and time, and a phone number. He told her to call her when she arrived. After Rose agreed, he hung up the phone.


    Rose stood on the roof for a long time. When she came downstairs, her star escort husband was still there. He was sitting in the reception area. His slender legs and good looks made him stand out. Staff members passing by would always take a casual look and be amazed. Upon seeing Rose, he didn''t


    chase after her.


    He rested his elbows on his legs and held his forehead with his hands as if he were thinking about something difficult.


    When he was reorganizing the other rooms in the Finches, he didn''t have such difficulties when facing those people. However, when it came to Rose, he had to be careful.


    After what had just happened, he realized that he couldn''t push too hard. However, what did Rose''s sneer and attitude mean just now?


    He couldn''t figure it out, so he sat in the reception area all afternoon. He didn''t get up until Rose was about to leave after getting off work.


    She happened to see him get up, wondering if he was going to follow her. She took a deep breath, deliberately not looking at him, and strode out of thepany.


    Sure enough, her star escort husband soon followed. As she got on the elevator, he also followed. In the elevator, besides the two of them, there were also some staff members of Celeste Jewels. They had been watching the scene between Rose and Jonathan for a whole day. They had concluded that the two had quarreled and were having an awkward moment. Jonathan was obviously seeking peace. There was an inexplicable sense of suspense as he followed her, which made everyone watching the excitement unable to stop. "Ms. Shaffer, please forgive him, considering how pitiful he is."


    In the elevator, someone suddenly spoke. Everyone in the elevator then nodded expectantly. At the same time, Rose and Jonathan frowned. Pitiful?


    His new investor was the heiress to the Young family in Regalia. He even wanted to be a two-timer. Who said he was pitiful? She looked at him in displeasure.


    Meanwhile, Jonathan also wondered how he appeared to be pitiful. After all, he was the heir of Finch


    Group. However, as he saw Rose looking over, he immediately looked at her with a pitiful smile


    "Ms. Shaffer, please forgive him."


    "That''s right. Ms. Shaffer, don''t be angry with him."


    "Ms. Shaffer ..."


    For a moment, everyone in the elevator couldn''t help but speak for Jonathan. It seemed that if Rose didn''t forgive him, they would help her tofort him. Rose rolled her eyes.


    As the elevator reached the first floor, she strode out as if running away. Jonathan immediately followed behind. The two of them walked out one after another. This scene happened to fall into Ezra''s eyes.


    His eyes seemed to shine with light. If he hadn''t seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that the arrogant Mr. Finch was following the woman like this.


    In his sight, Rose suddenly stopped and turned around to re at Jonathan.

 Billionire 134

    Is He the Star Escort Husband


    At the same time, Jonathan also stopped.


    "Rose..."


    He raised a smile. Not only did he ignore the fact that Rose was ring at him, but he was just happy that she was finally going to talk to him. The next moment, Rose dampened his spirit. "Stop following me. Otherwise, I''ll call the police."


    After saying such harsh words, she turned around and hailed a taxi. Jonathan''s smile froze on his face. After a moment of recovery, the taxi had already left.


    Not far away, Ezra in the car looked away from Jonathan with a look of gloating on his face. The car started and drove toward the ce agreed upon by him and Rose.


    A few minutester, Finley, who came to pick up Jonathan, stopped the car in front of him.


    "Mr. Finch, what''s wrong with you?"


    Finley got out of the car. When he saw Jonathan''s expression, he knew that he must have been exhausted by Rose. Jonathan''s face was cold as he got into the car without saying a word. Finley returned to the driver''s seat and cautiously asked, "Mr. Finch, shall we go to the hotel?"


    He thought he wouldn''t get a response, but after a while, Jonathan said, "Go home."


    That was Zenwood Gardens. Finely suddenly felt that Jonatha was a great lover. He was frustrated by Rose, yet he still couldn''t help but lean on her.


    If he were Rose, it would be great to stay in his arms peacefully. At 8:00 pm, Rose came to the ce and agreed with the phone owner. It was a famous bar in the bustling area of Aquastead.


    It was only 8:00 pm, and there were already many people in the bar. In the bar, the lights were dim. Rose took out her phone and dialed the number given to her by the owner of the phone. The phone was connected. The sound was very noisy.


    "Mr. Turner, I''m here. Where are you?" Rose shouted as if worried that the other party couldn''t hear clearly. Ezra arrived a little before her. He had reserved the seat early in the morning. It''s the most secluded corner of the bar. He saw Rose from a distance.


    He could have gone to her directly, but he still held back and told her the booth number. Under the lead of a waiter, Rose arrived quickly.


    As she saw the person sitting in the booth, she couldn''t help but be stunned. He was wearing a ck cap. a ck mask, and a ck leather jacket.


    "It''s you!"


    She recognized him at a nce. He was the one she saw when she was in the restaurant with Miles. Her reaction made Ezra''s eyes twitch slightly. "Do you know me?"


    Rose kept nodding and told him what happened that day in the restaurant.


    "That''s fate."


    A smile appeared on Ezra''s face. They knew many people inmon, and she seemed to have forgotten. that they were in the shopping center that day.


    As he immersed himself in his thoughts, Rose asked, "Where''s Evan? I also wanted to thank you for helping me carry my bag at the shopping center that day.


    Ezra was startled that she still remembered.


    "I''m sorry, I don''t know Evan."


    He met her eyes. This time, Rose was surprised.


    "Aren''t you the driver of the Spencer family?"


    As soon as the words came out, she quickly apologized upon realizing that she was too direct. However, the smile on Ezra''s face became even deeper. He guessed that she thought he was a driver that day.


    He suddenly nced around and realized that the people next to him were immersed in their circle of friends. They paid no attention to them. Hence, he took off the mask.


    Rose''s mind went nk for a moment when she saw his face. His face was popr throughout the entertainment industry. Although she paid little attention to it, she recognized it.


    She had already seen it at the National Jewelry Design Awardst time, especially the face that looked very simr to her star escort husband.


    "You..."


    She waspletely surprised. As if afraid that she would react too fiercely, Ezra suddenly grabbed her


    wrist.


    "Shh."


    He made a silent gesture. Rose immediately covered her mouth.


    "I ran out secretly and cannot be seen."


    Ezra winked at her. The freshness of the young guy overflowed instantly. Rose felt that Ezra was famous in the entertainment industry for a reason. She nodded hurriedly.


    "I know."


    His face was too ostentatious.


    "You''d better put on a mask," she reminded kindly.


    Her words made Ezra frown as he asked, "You don''t want to see my face? Apart from you, there is one person who dislikes my face too."


    There was a hint of sadness in his eyes. That kind of mncholy could best arouse a woman''s maternal


    nature.


    Rose hurriedly exined, "How could it be? You have such a handsome face, why wouldn''t I want to see it? If someone doesn''t like it, it must be because he''s ignorant and blind."


    Her words didn''t seem tofort Ezra. He picked up the wine ss in front of him and took a sip.


    There was a hint of bitterness in the smile at the corner of his mouth as he said, "But my brother has a good taste."


    Rose suddenly remembered that she seemed to have asked him at the National Jewelry Design Award if he had an older brother. Did he have a brother?


    The image of her star escort husband appeared in her mind.


    "What''s your brother''s name?"


    Could it be that his brother was her star escort husband?


    P

 Billionire 135

    Looking Forward to the Day He Regrets It


    "My brother..."


    Ezra met Rose''s gaze. He was sure that the person she was thinking about at this time was Jonathan. However, he didn''t want to expose the rtionship immediately. After a pause, he sighed under Rose''s expectant eyes.


    "My brother doesn''t like me, and he doesn''t like me being a star. He also doesn''t like me mentioning my rtionship with him."


    He frowned slightly, and his tone was sad, like a wounded little beast. As he spoke, he even raised his head to drink from his wine ss. Rose put aside the curiosity in her heart. She couldn''t help butfort him, "You have so many fans and a good heart to help others. Your brother will see your excellence one day."


    Ezra was stunned. Would Jonathan see his excellence one day? Ever since he was young have been fighting for his attention, including being in the entertainment industry.


    he seemed to


    He knew that Jonathan didn''t like him being in the entertainment industry, so he had to do things that he didn''t like. He thought he would educate him and control him like he did when they were children.


    He ignored him. He felt a trace of bitterness in his heart. If he was just acting to fool Rose just now, at this moment, the sadness in his heart was real.


    He said nothing more and kept drinking. While looking at him, Rose thought of Jamie.


    "Do you know why they wanted to trouble me that day at the museum?" she suddenly asked.


    Ezra was stunned. He looked at her and asked, "Why?"


    "Because I''m not a likable person. After my mother passed away, my father married a stepmother, who brought back a daughter. In fact, that daughter was born to my father and stepmother. She''s only a few months younger than me. Where do you think she came from?"


    The answer.


    ready toe out.


    "Your father had an affair?


    Ezra looked at her.


    "Yes. I didn''t know why I always worked hard to be outstanding, but my father''s eyes were always on my sister. I thought it was just my sister who was weak and it was normal for my father to take more care of her. It wasn''t until I learned about their true rtionship that I understood why my father liked her so much."


    Rose never mentioned this to anyone. Thinking of Jamie''s indifference toward her, her eyes were still bitter.


    "But I''m also his daughter, right? In his eyes, it''s as if I''m not his daughter."


    Who would empty thepany and leave a mess to their daughter? Who would deliberately design a fake jewelry scam to ckmail her for 100 million? Ezra stared at her with deep eyes "Your father will regret it one day," he suddenly said.


    Rose was startled for a moment, then smiled. She never thought that Jamie would regret it. However, she was looking forward to seeing him regret that day.


    "Your brother will also see you."


    She met his eyes and responded sincerely. They smiled as they looked at each other. Nevertheless, Ezra felt a little guilty for no reason.


    If she knew that he was going to use her to win Jonathan''s attention, would she wish him such sincere blessings? At the same time, at Zenwood Gardens, Jonathan was sitting on the balcony.


    He had drunk half of a bottle of wine. The whole room behind him was pitch ck. He had been waiting for Rose for a long time, but she never came back. An hourter, the door finally opened.


    He suddenly stood up, his drunken head feeling dizzy. However, he still staggered toward the entrance. His steps were light and almost silent.


    Before Rose could turn on the light, a tall body fell on her.


    "Rose..."


    If it weren''t for his familiar voice, Rose would have kicked him. Sensing the smell of alcohol, she realized that he was drunk.


    She patted his back and asked, "Why did you drink so much?"


    Most importantly, why did hee back here today? The only answer she received was his mutter.


    "Rose... Rose...*


    Every sound seemed to be filled with endless nostalgia. Rose felt strange in her heart. She couldn''t let him alone in this drunk state. She then supported him and took him to his room. Fortunately, he was still conscious. Although he was leaning on her, he still supported the weight of his body. It didn''t take much effort to get him over.


    Finally putting him on the bed, Rose covered him with a quilt. When she was about to leave, he suddenly grabbed her wrist.


    "Rose, don''t go."


    The hand exerted a slight force, and her body became unstable as she fell on him. His firm chest hit her


    nose.


    Just as she was about to hold his chest up, he suddenly turned over. Half of his body and slender arms firmly pressed her down.


    P


    Support got it

 Billionire 136

    Pretending To Be Drunk


    "Hey, wake up


    Rose nudged Jonathan''s arm, trying to push away the arm and body pressing on her. However, each attempt failed.


    For a second, she suspected that he was doing it intentionally, but his eyes were closed, and the alcoholic scent lingered in his breath. He seemed genuinely drunk.


    After a few more attempts, Rose gave up. Instead, she closed her eyes, and it wasn''t long before she fell asleep. When her breathing evened out, Jonathan finally dared to open his eyes.


    His eyes were clear and bright, showing no signs of insobriety. He was just pretending to be drunk. It seemed like this was the only way he could stay by her side.


    Early next morning, Rose woke up to find Jonathanying next to her, with her pillow on his arm. For a moment, she imagined that they were just a normal, happy couple.


    However, Rose was jolted to reality when her phone rang. Worried about waking Jonathan, she quickly grabbed her phone from her bag and answered it, tiptoeing out of the room cautiously. She returned to her room before putting the phone to her ear with peace of mind.


    "Rose, why aren''t you speaking?! Have you gone mute?


    The impatient roar from the other end of the phone stunned Rose. She had been so anxious that she didn''t pay attention to who the caller was. It turned out to be Jamie.


    He must be up to something! Rose''s eyes shed coldly. Just as she was about to hang up, Jamie''s words stopped her.


    "Even if you''ve gone mute, you must be here in an hour. Otherwise, I''ll make sure your mother doesn''t rest peacefully on her death anniversary!"


    Jamie hung up the call and Rose clenched her fists. Her body trembled slightly as she held back her


    anger.


    Her mother''s death anniversary was only three days away, she didn''t expect Jamie to use that against her! She knew that if she didn''t do what Jamie said, he would attempt something on the death anniversary. "One hour..." Rose muttered, didn''t dare to waste time, and quickly packed up.


    As she reached the entrance, Jonathan''s voice came from behind her.


    "Where are you going?"


    When Rose left the bed, he was already awake. Jonathan felt the warmth left by Rose on his bed and was particrly satisfied.


    Mornings like these should be apanied by a home-cooked breakfast, so he had nned to cook it for them.


    However, seeing Rose rushing to leave, he thought she was trying to run away again, and a surge of


    disappointment rushed through him.


    Jonathan stepped toward Rose, grabbing her wrist.


    "Have breakfast with me before you go."


    "I don''t have time."


    The only thing she could think of was Jamie''s warning. At this time, Jamie should be at Scenic Gardens. She had to hurry if she wanted to get from Zenwood Gardens to Scenic Gardens in an hour. Rose shook off Jonathan''s hand and left quickly. Jonathan stood there, staring at his empty hand, feeling a little hurt. Forty minutester, Rose arrived at the Scenic Gardens.


    She could feel the tension even before stepping through the door. Rose rang the doorbell, and a maid quickly came to open the door.


    As soon as the door opened, she noticed the group of people in the living room. Besides Jamie and


    Chelsea, Amelia, Nixon, and Chloe were all there.


    They sat in the living room as if conducting an interrogation. Rose immediately knew this was about Kelly''s miscarriage. Did they still me Rose for it? "Come in!" Jamie''s cold voice rang out.


    Rose walked into the living room, a cold look shed in her eyes. She acted indifferently. She found an empty spot on the sofa and sat down.


    As soon as she


    sat down, the re from everyone in the room turned sharper.


    "Huh, as I expected. With no mother to discipline you, it''s no wonder you have no manners. No wonder Mr. Lane chose Kelly over you," Amelia remarked sarcastically.


    After learning about Maya''s arrest, she went to find out what happened. The police told her that if Amelia wanted to bail Maya out, she needed to get the victim''s forgiveness.


    She begged Kelly all day yesterday, and Kelly reluctantly agreed to not press charges. Kelly also had convinced the Lanes to drop the charges as well.


    However, when Amelia brought the proof of forgiveness, she was told that Maya still couldn''t be released. When Amelia came back, she told Kelly about the matter. Kelly immediately suspected that someone was pressuring the police to stop Maya''s release. Amelia suspected that Rose was behind this.


    The thought of what Maya was going through in jail made Amelia wish to tear Rose apart. Amelia''s eyes were full of anger. Rose smiled and met Amelia''s eyes.


    "You''re right, Aunt Amelia. It''s no wonder that Jackson Cadwell, you were so proud of, dumped Maya."


    "You..."


    Amelia was taken aback. Rose continued to stare at her, the smile on her face growing bigger.


    "What about me?".


    Her words further agitated Amelia.


    As she was about to say something in her anger, Rose interrupted her calmly, "Aunt Amelia, you''re wrong. It''s not that Mr. Lane doesn''t want me, it''s that I don''t want him. As for Kelly... she just likes picking up my trash, what can I do? All I can do is me it on her poor upbringing!"

 Billionire 137

    Truth About The Affair


    When Rose entered the room, she immediately knew that they called her here to gang up on her. She only had two choices; stand there and take it, or fight back. And she chose to fight back!


    Since she chose to fight back, there wasn''t a need to hold back. As expected, her words left everyone in the room furious. Nixon was the first to break the tension,


    "Rose, who are you calling trash?!"


    Chelsea clenched her fists and tugged on Jamie''s sleeve.


    "Jamie, look at her. Kelly is so kind, but she just said that about her! Kelly is just upstairs, and if she hears others belittling her like this, she would be even more upset."


    Jamie couldn''t stand to see his precious Kelly hurt. He wished he could p Rose''s face. However, considering today''s purpose, Jamie held himself back.


    "Rose, we all know what happened that day in the museum. Even though Maya identally pushed Kelly.. you were the cause of the incident. So, you have to be held ountable for Kelly''s miscarriage." Rose didn''t respond.


    "I''m the cause of the incident?" she thought to herself.


    "Are you sure you all know what happened?" Roseughed sarcastically.


    A hint of guilt shed in Jamie''s eyes, then he red at Rose angrily.


    "In the end, Kelly was the one who got hurt, so you must be held ountable!"


    Rose raised an eyebrow. Well, today was all about holding her ountable after all!


    "So, tell me, how should I take responsibility?" Rose wanted to know why Jamie called her here.


    Jamie nced upstairs at Kelly''s room.


    He said, "Apologize to Kelly."


    Apologize? Rose was a little surprised.


    Just then, a voice called out, "Dad..."


    Rose looked over and saw that Kelly''s door had opened. Kelly was wearing white and her face was pale, looking like a fragile little rabbit.


    As she was about toe downstairs, Nixon rushed to her and held her. "Kelly, you''re still weak. I told you to stay in bed, why did you get up again?" Nixon''s soft and caring demeanor made Rose feel envious. However, Rose instinctively became wary. Kelly most definitely had tricks up her sleeves.


    Sure enough, with Kelly''s insistence, Nixon carried her down. He ced Kelly on the sofa, but she didn''t even sit down. She fell to her knees with a resounding thud. "Kelly..."


    "Kelly, what are you doing?"


    Her actions


    surprised everyone. Nixon tried to help her up, but she repeatedly refused.


    *Rose..."


    Kelly looked at Rose, her previously pale face showed a hint of pain from kneeling on the ground. Rose furrowed her brows and said nothing as Kelly knelt at her feet. "Rose, will you please forgive me? We both have our differences, but we are still sisters after all. Let''s set those differences aside so we can start over as sisters and a family." Kelly''s words surprised Rose. However, Chloe''s praises showed Kelly''s true intentions.


    Chloe said, "Kelly is always so understanding.


    Rose let out a sarcasticugh. Was she putting on an act to gain sympathy? If Rose refused to forgive her and start over, wouldn''t she be the unreasonable one? "Kelly."


    Rose crouched down and took Kelly''s hand. She felt Kelly''s hand tremble, and a trace of wariness shed in her eyes. Rose saw this, and her acting became even more convincing.


    "What forgiveness? We''re sisters by blood. Even if we have misunderstandings, all we need to do is clear it up. Of course, we''re still sisters and a family."


    As Rose spoke, Jamie and Chelsea''s expressions changed. Chloe furrowed her brows and nced at


    them.


    "I thought that Chelsea brought Kelly into the Shaffer family. How could there be any blood rtions?" Chloe asked.


    A hint of panic shed through Kelly''s eyes.


    Before she could exin, Jamie retorted, "Rose, what nonsense are you saying? Kelly and you don''t have the same parents, how could you be blood-rted?"


    Kelly''s history was a secret Jamie had always kept hidden. Celeste Jewelry was founded by Celeste herself. Before Jamie''s marriage to her, he had nothing. He lived a luxurious life thanks to Celeste.


    If the truth of his affair, the existence of an illegitimate daughter, and the fact that he married the woman he cheated on Celeste with after her death came to light, his reputation in Aquastead would be ruined. "Rose, you better take back what you said," Jamie threatened Rose, ring at her intimidatingly.


    Rose shrugged helplessly and raised her hands.


    "Alright, fine. If you say that we''re not rted, then we''re not rted!"


    Her words left Jamie speechless. A sh of understanding shed across Chloe''s face, and she looked at Kelly differently.


    "Kelly..


    Chloe suddenly stood up and walked over to her.

 Billionire 138

    The Shamelessness Of A Thieving Family


    "Mrs. Lane Senior..."


    Kelly looked at Chloe delicately. However, when she noticed the disdain in Chloe''s eyes, she suddenly regretted her actions.


    Chloe and Nixon came to visit her earlier in the morning. After learning about Kelly''s miscarriage, Chloe''s attitude grew even colder.


    When Kelly thought of Chloe''s condescending attitude in the past, she felt somewhat bitter. Even if she didn''t want to marry Nixon, she wanted to show Chloe how great she was.


    So, Kelly had Jamie bring Rose over. She was just using Rose to make herself look good. But Kelly didn''t expect Rose to say such nonsense! It was truly Infuriating!


    "Kelly, you just lost your child, you should take care of your health. You''re still young, and you''ll have many more chances to have children in the future," Chloe sald, her words full of hidden meanings.


    Everyone in the room knew what she meant with those words, except for Nixon. Just because she had more chances to have children, it didn''t mean that the children would be Nixon''s!


    Kelly''s expression changed. Nixon thought she was thinking about the recently miscarried child and couldn''t help but console her.


    He cooed, "Yes, Grandma is right. We''ll have more chances to have children in the future."


    Rose remained silent, smiling faintly.


    Chloe looked displeased, ncing at Nixon before saying, "Nixon, it''s time to go."


    "Grandma..."


    Nixon wanted to stay longer to care for Kelly, but he sensed Chloe''s displeasure and quickly changed his


    tone.


    "Okay."


    Before leaving, Nixon reminded Kelly to rest well. However, when his eyes moved to Rose, it turned threatening.


    "Rose, if you hurt Kelly again, I would never let you off easily."


    "Alright, I''ll be waiting," Rose replied nonchntly.


    Never let her off easy? She wanted to see what he would do to make her life difficult! Shortly after Chloe and Nixon left, Amelia left too.


    Rose thought the issue was over, but Jamie suddenly spoke up. "Your mother''s death anniversary is just three days away."


    As soon as he mentioned her mother''s death, Rose became wary.


    Sure enough, Jamie pulled out a document and said, "If you sign this, your mother''s death anniversary will go as nned, and I won''t interfere with it."


    Rose nced at the document. It required her to give sum of money to Kelly without any


    It was the same five hundred million she was initially supposed to give Kelly as her dowry, but now it had be a gift to her.


    "Does the Shaffer family need the money this desperately?" Rose looked around.


    Jamie had emptied Celeste Jewelry and made a lot of profit, yet he was still fixated on this five hundred million.


    "No, we''re not desperate for money. It''s just that, that five hundred million was initially meant for me. But you suddenly came, destroying everything and taking what belonged to me. So by right, you should be giving it all back to me, right?"


    With no one else present, Kelly didn''t bother to keep up the innocent act. Rose suddenly felt as if she just heard a joke.


    They took her inheritance andpeted with it. When Rose exposed them, they used her of stealing from them? Rose looked at Kelly. How shameless was this woman? It was quite astonishing! The sarcastic look on Rose''s face stung Kelly''s pride. Kelly''s face darkened, and a hint of cruelty shed


    in her eyes.


    "Five hundred million for the peace for your mother, so she can rest peacefully in her grave. Isn''t that a great deal?"


    Rose''s eyes turned cold.


    "What are you trying? Try it if you dare!"


    "Well... same to you!"


    Kelly smiled smugly. Kelly knew that she had hit a sensitive spot with Rose. When she thought about how she knelt in the hospital yesterday, Kelly itched with hatred.


    Now that Kelly knew Rose''s weakness, she was overjoyed. As if she had gained the upper hand, Kelly stood up and walked to her room.


    Before entering her room, Kelly turned back and looked at Rose downstairs.


    "Well, there''s still a few more days left before the death anniversary. You can consider it, but on the day of the anniversary, I want to see not a single cent below five hundred million!"


    With that, Kelly went into her room. Rose stood in the living room, trembling slightly


    She turned to look at Jamie, saying sarcastically, "Is that your kind and innocent daughter?"


    Jamie frowned. Chelsea realized something and immediately piped up, "Kelly is still recovering from her miscarriage, that''s why


    "Yes, Kelly is kind. If it wasn''t for the miscarriage and getting humiliated by you yesterday, she wouldn''t have reacted like this. It''s all stress. Besides, the five hundred million was my idea. It can be seen as yourpensation for hurting Kelly!"


    Compensation for Kelly? When were thieves so bold to justify their actions like this? Rose found her family''s behavior utterly disgusting.


    She left the Shaffer family vi in a rush, feeling frustrated. They used the anniversary of her mother''s death as a threat, so she didn''t dare to underestimate them.


    The money wasn''t her main concern, but getting tantly robbed like that left Rose feeling frustrated. For two days straight, Rose didn''t return to the Zenwood Gardens.


    Every day after leaving her office, she went to the cemetery in the suburbs and stayed by Celeste''s tombstone untilte at night before going to the nearest hotel to rest.


    When Rose left thepany that day, Jonathan''s car was discreetly following behind her taxi. At the same time, Miles and Anastasia escorted an elderly man at Aquastead Airport from the VIP lounge. It was Henrietta''s birthday tomorrow.


    Oliver couldn''t find his daughter. Maybe he had missed her too much. But he decided to visit Aquastead,


    Fit a ce where Henrietta once lived, to celebrate her birthday tomorrow, as if it was a way tofort himself.


    P

 Billionire 139

    Prey


    At the cemetery, Rose stood in front of the gravestone. It started to drizzle just after dark. Jonathan, who waited outside the cemetery, immediately entered without a care with an umbre.


    The rain fell on Rose, but before her hair could get wet an umbre shielded her. Rose turned around and saw Jonathan. Although she was surprised, she didn''t say a word. The rain gradually grew heavier, making a pattering sound as it fell on the umbre. The only sound in the air was the pattering of the rain.


    It wasn''t untilte at night when the rain stopped that Rose decided to leave. However, she didn''t return to the city. Instead, she booked two rooms at the nearest hotel. Jonathan followed behind her like a lost puppy. But Rose entered the room silently, and without a word, she closed the door. When they parted, Jonathan called Finley.


    "Tell the Azure n of the Finches to investigate Celeste Young''s death..." Jonathan almost forgot about


    1. it.


    But Rose''s actions today made him want to help her find out. After instructing Finley, Jonathan didn''t rest; instead, he went out to buy a case of beer.


    Rose had just finished taking a shower when there was a knock on the door. She looked through the peephole and was taken aback. After hesitating for a moment, Rose opened the door.


    Before she could say anything, Jonathan walked in with the case of beer.


    Rose followed closely behind him. Just as she was about to tell him off, Jonathan turned around and handed her an open bottle of beer.


    "Here."


    Jonathan smiled at Rose sweetly. She took the bottle in a daze. He pulled her down and opened a bottle for himself. Before Rose could drink from the bottle, Jonathan tilted his head back and started drinking. Roseughed. She knew that Jonathan saw that she was upset, so he invited her to drown her sorrows. She appreciated the kind gesture and epted it.


    "Thank you," Rose said as she took a sip.


    The smell of alcohol began to fill the air of the room. Both of them remained silent, each sipping their beer. Rose stared at the dark sky outside, while Jonathan''s eyes remained fixated on her. "Tomorrow is my mother''s death anniversary," Rose said suddenly.


    Her cheeks were flushed, and she was already tipsy. Jonathan froze and stiffened. The death anniversary. of Celeste Young... He didn''t know that she could be so sentimental.


    Just as Jonathan was about tofort her, Rose said softly, "Tomorrow is also my mom''s birthday. "Every year, my mom used to celebrate her birthday with me. But that year, she was out of town. She was rushing toe back, but on the way, her car was totaled by arge truck. Her car fell into a river.."


    Rose tilted her head back and drank. Jonathan saw tears welling up in her eyes.


    She seemed like she didn''t want to let her tears fall, but eventually, they trickled down from the corners of


    her eyes to her ears. She med herself!


    Jonathan felt a pang of sympathy and moved closer to her. He ced his arm around her shoulders.


    "It was an ident, it''s not your fault."


    "It wasn''t an ident... Rose suddenly became emotional. "It wasn''t an ident! It wasn''t, it wasn''t an ident....


    Jonathan held her tightly, gently patting her back tofort her. Rose finally calmed down. After two days of emotional distress, she finally found peace in Jonathan''s arms.


    The exhaustion began to wash over her. Before falling asleep, she looked at Jonathan.


    "Can you lend me some money again? I will pay you back."


    Tomorrow was the deadline given by Kelly, and she finally decided toply.


    However, she had invested part of the five hundred million into Celeste Jewelry, so she didn''t have that amount on hand. Without waiting for Jonathan''s response, Rose fell asleep. Jonathan didn''t know how much money she needed or what she needed it for. But he suddenly thought of something, and a strange look appeared in his eyes. This was his chance! "You don''t have to pay it back, but..."


    Jonathan stared at Rose like a predator stalking its prey.


    The next morning, Rose woke up alone in her hotel room. She wondered if she had said something inappropriate to Jonathan while she was tipsyst night.


    Rose tried to recall what happenedst night, but couldn''t remember anything specific. There was a knock on the door, and she opened it to find Jonathan, looking particrly happy. "Get up, let''s go for breakfast," Jonathan said happily.


    Rose felt uneasy about his smile. After closing the door and freshening up, Rose joined Jonathan outside. They left the hotel together and found a breakfast spot nearby. Rose ordered a ss of soy milk and toast. Just as she took a sip of the soy milk, she received a message on her phone.


    "Your ount ending in 6287 has received 1,000,000,000 dors, bnce


    Her eyes lingered on the numerous zeros as if she was misreading the amount. She ced her toast


    down and counted the zeros one by one, making sure not to miss a single one.


    When she finally confirmed the sum, Rose stood up abruptly letting out an exmation, "Oh!"

 Billionire 140

    She Sold Herself Out


    Everyone around looked at her. But Rose couldn''t be bothered by the crowd''s gaze at that moment. She carefully recounted the strings of zeros and covered her mouth in astonishment. Ten billion...


    It was ten billion! But where did all this moneye from? Rose''s astonished look quickly turned into a horrified look.


    "Shit! Something''s wrong!" Rose kept her cell phone. She then informed Jonathan who was opposite her, I have matters to attend to, I''ll be leaving first."


    She needed to go to the bank and find out what''s the issue with this fund. But Jonathan pulled her back just as she was about to leave.


    Jonathan had seen every reaction of hers earlier. He smiled with his eyes crinkling.


    He made sure Rose had sat back down before he asked, "What''s gotten you into a hurry? Isn''t today our Mom''s death anniversary? Let''s have breakfast first. Then we can go get a nice bouquet for our Mom." Rose was speechless. Our Mom? What was her mother''s rtionship with him? Why would it be ''our Mom'' now? But Rose couldn''t care less about the title at that moment.


    It was as if her mind was still reeling in the numerous zeros from earlier.


    "Say, if there was a lot of money appearing in your card out of nowhere. The bank wouldn''te after the cardholder if it was due to a banking error right?"


    Rose stared at Jonathan. She was nervously waiting for his answer. Suddenly, she saw Jonathan frown.


    Rose''s heart leaped as she became more alert.


    She swallowed her saliva and was about to get up to head to the bank to exin herself when Jonathan. spoke, "No."


    Rose was confused. What did he mean by ''no''?


    Jonathan replied, "It wasn''t out of nowhere."


    Rose got even more confused. It was the first time for her to have such a hard time understanding a mere


    sentence.


    It was until Jonathan continued to exin, "The zeros in your ount didn''t appear out of nowhere. I was the one who transferred them."


    Rose was speechless. Her mind went nk for a moment. She reyed Jonathan''s words in her mind... It didn''t appear out of nowhere. He was the one who transferred them....


    He was the one who transferred them?


    "You... you''re joking, right?" Roseughed dryly. She couldn''t believe it. "Why would you give me money?" Besides, where did he get so much money from? It was ten billion! Not ten dors! Jonathan frowned. Her reaction was what he expected. She couldn''t remember anything after all. Just what he needed!


    Jonathan took out two pieces of folded paper from his pocket.


    He replied casually as he opened them up, "You told me that you needed moneyst night. I asked how


    much you need, you told me this amount."


    "At first I didn''t want to give it to you. It was such a huge sum after all. Who would I look for if you didn''t pay me back?"


    "But you promised that you would do anything as long as I give you that money. You even offered to draft an agreement. Look at this..."


    Jonathan passed the opened-up papers to Rose. Rose hurriedly took over the alleged agreement and checked the content. The more she read, the darker her expression looked. "What... what is this? To live together as husband and wife?"


    Even if she asked him for money, she would pay him back. But why would they need to live together as husband and wife before she finished paying him back the money?


    Rose stared at Jonathan in hopes of getting a reasonable exnation. But Jonathan had already prepared for this.


    He looked innocent as he said, "This was what you suggested, have you forgotten about it?


    Rose was speechless. She had suggested this?


    "You said it was to make me worry less. We could live together as husband and wife so that I get to see you every day. I''ve given it some thought and figured it was reasonable as well. That''s why I agreed to it.


    Rose was speechless. Reasonable? How was this even reasonable! Rose calmed herself down and tried to negotiate with Jonathan.


    "We don''t even need to do that as husband and wife. For example, we could still rent a ce together. promise to show myself before you every day, just to make sure you can see me daily. How about this Jonathan frowned.


    "I told this to you as wellst night, but you didn''t agree to it. You''re the one who said that we have to live together as husband and wife. That was the only way to show your sincerity and gratitude."


    He looked innocent, as if his resistance had been futile and he only epted it out of necessity. Rose pursed her lips.


    She tried her best to recall the previous night. She could only remember Jonathan walking into her room- with a beer in his hands.


    After that, they drank together. There wasn''t much talking in the first ce. But she couldn''t recall what had happened or what was said after she was drunk.


    Rose thought until her head hurt. Jonathan''s eyes shed with a victorious glint. He gulped water as if


    ose found something fishy. celebrating something in advance. Suddenly,


    "Wait..."


    Jonathan looked curiously at her. Her gaze flickered between the two agreements. As if she was confirming that she had found the loophole to nullify the agreement.


    Rose soon squinted her eyes as she stared at Jonathan


    Saving that I was the one who offered to draft this agreement?¡±


    "Yes."


    "But this wasn''t my handwriting!"


    Even the signatory part had no signature but only her thumbprint. She suspected that this agreement was forged by Jonathan! Rose stared right at Jonathan. She was waiting to hear his exnation.


    P

 Billionire 141

    There Is a Price to Pay For Making His Woman Unhappy


    "You''re the one dictating while I wrote it. You were the one putting your thumbprint on it. Are your suspecting that I forged the agreement?"


    Jonathan said as the light in his eyes dimmed.


    "I did mention to wait until you''re sober to talk about the agreement. You still suspected me anyway. Never mind, we can just tear this agreement apart since you''re not admitting it. I will still help you out even if there''s no agreement..."


    Jonathan took the agreement out of Rose''s hands. There was a hurtful look on his handsome face. As if Rose had used him wrongly.


    The more Rose looked at him, the more she felt guilty deep down. It was as if she had done a heinous thing. He only wanted to help her, but she had even suspected him....


    Besides, she needed the money to deal with the five billion that Kelly had requested. Perhaps it was really what he''d said. She had insisted on drafting that agreement.


    Just as Jonathan was about to tear the agreement apart, Rose called out to him.


    "Wait..."


    Jonathan''s eyes shed with a hint of eagerness. However, it was soon reced with a hurtful look of


    confusion.


    Rose quickly took back the agreement that was almost torn apart by Jonathan. She had an unnatural look on her face.


    "That... I wasn''t suspecting you on purpose. It''s just... too sudden."


    She felt uneasy and afraid deep down if they were to live together as husband and wife. She was afraid that she would care for him more and more, and she might even fall for him as time went by.


    He already has a new investor now. It wouldn''t do good to anyone if she ended up falling for him. The light in Rose''s eyes dimmed.


    Jonathan saw the way her expression fell. He thought that she still wasn''t willing to live together with him. It wouldn''t matter to him.


    As long as he was by her side, someday she would fall in love with him. She could never live without him. Jonathan took out one of the agreements. He neatly folded it before carefully keeping it in his pocket. Rose was stunned upon seeing his action. At that moment, her cell phone rang. Rose frowned when she saw that the caller was Jamie.


    She could hear Jamie''s voice as soon as she epted the call.


    "Today is the deadline. Have you considered it yet?"


    Rose involuntarily fisted her hands. Jamie continued to threaten her but he did not hear Rose''s answer.


    "I know you''re busy going to the cemetery these couple of days, but do you think you''d be able to avoid it for good? Besides, unearthing the grave was not the only way to disturb your deceased mother. There''s


    your mother''s birth chart.." Comment by Deborah Lim: I''m not sure what does she have to


    "Shut up!"


    Rose couldn''t take it anymore. She gritted her teeth. Even if she was not superstitious, she still harbored a deep reverence for things that were beyond the natural realm.


    She wouldn''t let Jamie do all those things to her mother''s grave. Rose hung up the call angrily.


    Without further ado, she made some arrangements with her phone. Soon the five billion was transferred out in separate installments. The other party of the phone call was in the Shaffer residence. Jamie couldn''t contain his excitement as he saw the continuous transactionsing into his ount.


    "What''s gotten you so happy, Dad?"


    Kelly had been beside Jamie when he made the call. She already knew that Rose''s money had been transferred upon seeing him so excitedly watching his phone.


    Though she acted as if she didn''t care about it. Jamie let out a bark ofughter.


    "Rose has transferred the money over. Five billion, not a penny less. Never have I thought that Rose hast


    So much money hidden up her sleeves."


    Kelly was also surprised. Rose obtained five billion after Jonathan had secured the jewelry. With how Celeste Jewels had been previously, Rose should''ve used up a portion of the money for that.


    But she could still take five billion out. Could it be that Jonathan gave her the money? Kelly wasn''t pleased deep down with what she had guessed.


    "This five billion is for your wedding. Kelly. You should be the one keeping it."


    Jamie had always been generous toward Kelly. In Kelly''s eyes, that five billion was hers in the first ce anyway. Of course, she should be the one keeping it.


    But she still acted as if she didn''t care about it, and declined it.


    "It''s fine, Dad. I rarely use as much money anyway. I had told Rose that the five billion was mine in the first ce, just to make her return this money to you. You were the one who brought her up anyway. She should treat you better."


    Jamie''s mood was lifted upon seeing how understanding she was to think of him.


    "Everything that is Dad''s will be yours. You can keep the five billion."


    Jamie immediately transferred the money. He did not notice Kelly''s smirk as she seeded in her n.


    At the same time, Rose was relieved after she finished the transfer. But she was equally angry and frustrated deep down. Jonathan saw everything that had happened earlier.


    He was curious about the reason Rose had needed the money. He''d then called Finley and instructed him as Rose was transferring the money.


    "Investigate where the funds in Rose''s ount have flowed to."


    After a few minutes, he got a call back from Finley.


    "Mr. Finch, the five billion funds in Mrs. Finch''s ount have been transferred to Jamie Shaffer''s card." Comment by Deborah Lim: i used the full name to make it seem more formal since Finley is reporting to


    ML


    Jamie Jonathan''s gaze went cold. He nced at the look of resentment on Rose''s face. He felt heartbroken for her.


    "Watch Jamie for me. I want to see him tonight!"


    He didn''t know what Jamie did to make Rose transfer the five billion despite being unwilling. But the conclusion was that Jamie made Rose unhappy.


    There would be a price to pay for making his woman unhappy!

 Billionire 142

    Meeting Mr. Young Senlor


    After Jonathan had finished instructing Finley, he was back smiling when he walked towards Rose.


    "Let''s go and get


    r Mom some flowers."


    Jonathan took Rose''s hand in his. She was stunned. Our Mom?


    "That''s my Mom!" Rose corrected him seriously.


    Jonathan did not take her seriously but only smiled.


    "Yes, it''s your Mom


    Wouldn''t her mother also be his mother? So he wasn''t wrong in addressing her as ''our Mom''!


    The two of them arrived at the cemetery. Jonathan ced the bouquet in front of the gravestone. There was a beautifuldy in the picture of the gravestone. Rose had the same eyes as her.


    To be more exact, besides Rose''s, he had seen many others with the same eyes as thedy in the photo. But Jonathan did not overthink about it.


    Both of them stayed at the graveyard for a long time. They only returned to the city in the evening. Once Jonathan had sent Rose back to Zenwood Gardens, he received a call from Finley. "I''ve invited him over, Mr. Finch."


    Jonathan hummed a reply and cut the call. He then found a random excuse to leave the house. A while


    after Jonathan had left, Rose too, went out.


    Her mind was still filled with memories of her mother. Suddenly, she felt like going to the ces where she had always gone with her mother.


    Her mother spent most of her time in thepany when she was still alive. Rose called for a cab and headed to somewhere near the Century Tower.


    She did not go up the building but instead walked aimlessly on the streets. There were many people on the streets as it was still early. She couldn''t help but walk into a cake shop when she saw one. "Hello miss, are you looking to get a birthday cake? We have thest one left."


    The shopkeeper was warm and attentive. Rose was stunned.


    Before she could even speak, an elderly voice spoke, "Excuse me, are there any birthday cakes left?"


    Rose and the shopkeeper turned toward the voice.


    it was an elderly man with a walking stick. He was wearing a gray cardigan and a white cap. He looked around the age of 70 with his slightly hunched back.


    "Hello sir, we only have one birthday cake left in the shop." The shopkeeper looked at Rose. "But I''m not sure if thisdy here..."


    The elderly man turned to look at Rose as well. Upon seeing Rose, he was stunned.


    "I don''t need it. You can have it, sir."


    Rose smiled and nodded at the elderly man. She then walked out of the cake shop. The elderly man was


    .15 BONUS


    in a daze watching her back.


    "Sir?"


    It was the shopkeeper''s voice that pulled Oliver Young back from his reverie.


    "Do you still need the cake?"


    "Yes please, thank you."


    Oliver paid for the cake and took it over. He couldn''t help but look toward the direction where Rose had


    left.


    Rose sat on a bench at a nearby park. She was reminiscing about her mother with her eyes closed. Suddenly, a voice rang out. "Missy..."


    Rose opened her eyes. She could immediately recognize the elderly man in front of him.


    "It''s you. Hello, sir."


    Rose stood up. Oliver looked at the bench.


    "Do you mind if I sit beside you?¡±


    Rose was stunned.


    She quickly replied, "I don''t mind it. Please have a seat, sir."


    Oliver sat down on the bench. He saw that Rose was still standing and waved a hand at her.


    "Come sit with me."


    Rose sat down beside him. Oliver ced the cake between the both of them. He thanked Rose as he unboxed the cake.


    "Thank you for letting me have the cake. Is today your birthday as well?"


    The old man was exceptionally friendly. Rose naturally developed a liking for him in her heart.


    "It''s not my birthday today. So this cake should''ve been yours anyway. Happy birthday!"


    Oliver looked at Rose and smiled.


    "It''s also not my birthday today."


    Rose was speechless. It''s not his birthday, but he still went to buy a birthday cake?


    Today''s my daughter''s birthday."


    Oliver continued, "My daughter is not with me. I wanted to celebrate with her but I couldn''t find her. That''s


    why I can only buy a cake and pretend that I''m celebrating with her now."


    Oliver''s tone sounded bitter. Rose couldn''t help butfort him.


    "If your daughter knew you missed her so much, she woulde and visit you, sir."


    000


    Oliver let out a sigh.


    "She wouldn''t know that I miss her. I can''t me her, since I was the one who Now that I''m old, I start to think of her more. This... I guess I deserved this." hurt her in the first ce.


    Oliver felt remorseful upon thinking about the past. It triggered a coughing fit. Rose immediately got up and rubbed his back.


    She didn''t know what caused the rift between the old man and his daughter. It wasn''t her ce to say any


    further.


    "Sir, even though today is not my birthday, it''s my mother''s birthday."


    Oliver was mildly stunned.


    He then looked at Rose, "Really? Your mother''s birthday is today?"


    "Yes."


    Rose nodded. The look in her eyes reminded Oliver of someone else. Suddenly, Oliver got up excitedly and clutched at Rose''s hands. His eyes were full of anticipation. "What''s your mother''s name?"


    Ros¨¦ was surprised by the old man''s reaction. But the anticipated look in his eyes was genuine. Rose replied to him anyway.


    "My mother''s name is Celeste Young."


    "Celeste..."


    P

 Billionire 143

    She Could Never Be Her


    Oliver was muttering to himself.


    "Young. Herst name is Young.


    The anticipation in Oliver''s eyes slowly dimmed down. It wasn''t her. She had sworn that she would never have hisst name. She would forever remain as Henrietta Willis. That


    was why she could never be her. Oliver took a deep breath and pushed away his disappointment. He looked at Rose.


    "Where''s your mother now?"


    Rose gave him a grim smile..


    "She passed."


    Oliver was stunned. He never thought that it would be like this. He was heartbroken for Rose. He looked at her and tugged at her wrist.


    "Come, have a seat."


    "My daughter and your mother have the same birthday. Perhaps we were fated to meet like this. How about we celebrate their birthdays together then? We have a cake here anyway," Oliver suggested.


    "Sure."


    Rose did not reject the idea. She had also wanted to celebrate her mother''s birthday. Truly fate had brought her to meet this old man. Rose opened the cake together with Oliver. They then lit the candle. The flickering me lit up an old and a young face. It was as if they were both thinking of their respective loved ones while watching the me.


    Meanwhile, Miles and Anastasia were instructing the Young family members to look for Oliver in the Aquastead Hotel.


    Oliver had said that he wanted to stay in his room alone for a bit. That was two hours ago. Never had they thought he would then send the bodyguards away and leave the hotel without anyone noticing. Oliver''s health was no longer as fit as before. Miles had brought his men to look for him but they were futile. His usually elegant face was looking fierce at the moment.


    "Shouldn''t you be happy if something happened to Grandpa, Miles? I suspect you''re the one that let Grandpa wander off."


    Anastasia sneered. Though a p came from Miles even before she had finished her words. Her face was swollen after the p.


    "Miles, you...


    Anastasia gritted her teeth as she red at him. Miles'' gaze was piercing as he stared at her.


    He warned, "I never had any selfish motives toward Grandpa. I also wouldn''t let anything happen to Grandpa! You! If you don''t want to look for Grandpa, then you can just stay here. I won''t let you off the hook if I caught you doing something you shouldn''t be doing!"


    As soon as he was done talking, Miles walked out of the hotel. He got even more worried as they still couldn''t find Oliver.


    He couldn''t sit still just to wait for news. Miles drove his car to look for him on the road as soon as he left


    the hotel.


    At the same time, Jamie''s head was covered with a hood. He was then poured out from a bup sack into a dark room. His body hit the corner of a table when he was poured out. Jamie cried out in pain. "Shut up!"


    A rough voice sounded from above him. Jamie was scared shitless and immediately kept quiet. But he couldn''t help but probe around after a while.


    "Can I know who''s this, my friend? Have you got the wrong person? I''ve never offended anyone nor did


    anything wrong.


    Jamie was afraid deep down. He was supposed to be in thepany right now. Never would he expect to be knocked unconscious while he was in the washroom.


    The security was very tight in Lavier Jewel''s building. But they had avoided the tight security and gotten him out of the building. Who on earth could be so capable?


    Jamie''s mind filtered through all those who he''d offended in the business field. But he still couldn''t find anyone suspicious.


    "Got the wrong person? Don''t worry, we can''t get the wrong person. But you should think carefully if you''ve offended anyone or done anything bad. You might not have the time to think when my boss is here!" That rough voice spoke coldly. Rose''s face suddenly shed before Jamie''s mind. But he was quick to dismiss that thought. He knew better than anyone else the kind of person Rose was.


    Rose had no connections even if she wanted to get someone from the criminal underworld to represent her. With his head still hooded, Jamie got even more afraid deep down.


    Suddenly he heard the opening of the door. That previous rough voice had turned respectful soon after.


    Sir...


    The neer did not speak. The sound of footsteps walking toward Jamie echoed in the room.


    "Sir, can I know what I have done to offend you..."


    Jamie spoke hastily as he pleaded, "Please forgive me if I had done something to offend you. I promise I''ll address you by ''sir'' whenever I see you in the future Finley, who was at the side, snorted in disdain.


    "Address him as ''sir''? Are you even worthy to do that?"


    Jamie immediately corrected his words.


    "I''m not worthy. I''m not worthy. I''ll send my regards from afar if I see you next time


    Jonathan spared a cold nce at Jamie and smirked. This father-inw'' of his was such a gutless man! Such a gutless man still dared to make Rose unhappy


    Jonathan''s gaze turned colder. He squatted down all of a sudden and patted Jamie''s face through the hood. Jamie was shivering. He didn''t dare to move.


    He recalled the words of the man with a rough voice. Surely the man before him was going to interrogate him now. How should he answer him? He was afraid that a bad answer would invite a good beating.


    He didn''t want to get beaten up. But the man before him had just patted his face for a bit after a long wait. He said nothing at all. Jamie felt even more panicked.


    Jonathan then got back up. He gave Finley a look. Finley immediately understood what he meant.


    He then instructed the bodyguards, "Beat him up until Sir was satisfied!"

 Billionire 144

    Finding Rose


    The sound of punches and kicks apanied Jamie''s screams and continued for a long time. Had Jonathan not begun to miss Rose, he would have been willing to continue beating him. Jonathan waved his hand.


    "That''s enough," Finley told the bodyguards to stop.


    Then he followed Jonathan out of the room.


    "Sir, how should we deal with this guy?" Finley cautiously inquired.


    Jonathan adjusted his cuff and smiled casually.


    "Leave him in some remote corner. He''ll find his way home. By the way.


    Jonathan thought of the five billion that Rose had transferred to Jamie.


    In any case, Azure n had plenty of ways to make Jamie cough up that money. He won''t allow Jamie to know that tonight''s beating was rted to Rose. He furrowed his brows and quickly came up with a n.


    "Throw out some bait in the name of Mr. Finch and lure Jamie into the stock market."


    He will retrieve every single penny Jamie had acquired from Rose. Shortly after, Jamie was ced back into a sack, and then loaded into a vehicle in ten minutes.


    After half an hour, the car stopped in a remote, deserted alley. Finley forcefully kicked the sack out of the vehicle. Jamie rolled around a few times.


    By this point, he was so numb from the pain that he could hardly speak, and his voice was hoarse.


    After hearing the vehicle had driven away, he tried to whimper in the hope of attracting help from any passersby nearby. However, the alley was so isted that no one passed by for a long time.


    He could only struggle incessantly. Finally, he managed to free his tied hands and crawl out of the sack, removing the ck cloth covering his head.


    His unattractive face was already swollen like a pig''s head. Yet, this physical difort paled inparison to the intense anger he struggled to suppress. "Who... who was it?" Jamie shouted incoherently.


    He had wanted to swear to make whoever had beaten him pay, but the imposing aura of that person had made him think otherwise.


    The person just now didn''t say a word, but the intimidating aura they exuded was unforgettable. He realized he couldn''t afford to provoke someone like that.


    Jamie yelled twice. Eventually, he still had no choice but to swallow his pride and surrender. Meanwhile, Jonathan had returned to Zenwood Gardens.


    "Rose..."


    Jonathan eagerly called out for Rose as soon as he entered, but the entire house was enveloped inplete darkness. As he called out, he opened Rose''s bedroom door. She wasn''t there.


    "Where could she have gone?"


    Jonathan took out his phone and dialed Susan''s number. The phone rang for an extended period until it eventually auto-disconnected, with no response from Rose. He wondered what had happened. Jonathan felt a sense of panic and immediately left the house.


    He called Finley and ordered, "Track Rose''s phone and find her location."


    Jonathan tried calling Rose several more times, but she never answered any of the calls. At that moment, Rose was in an ambnce.


    Her hand was tightly gripped by Oliver, and her heart was entirely focused on him. Just over ten minutes ago, she had been sharing a cake with Oliver. He had once again mentioned his daughter to her. His daughter had gone missing at a young age, and after she was found, they had a significant falling out. Following a heated argument, the daughter left without a word and never returned.


    Rose could feel the remorse in his tone, but all of a sudden, his face twisted in pain. In her haste, Rose immediately dialed 911.


    When they were in the ambnce, Oliver had already lost his unconsciousness. Yet, he had still clung onto Rose''s hand, and she found herself unable to let go.


    With no other options, Rose had to apany him in the ambnce. As she sat outside the emergency room, Rose could only pray in silence.


    Jonathan immediately rushed to the hospital upon learning the location provided by Finley. He searched through all the patient information but couldn''t find Rose''s name.


    While he breathed a sigh of relief, he didn''t pause for a moment until he spotted the woman sitting outside the emergency room. The previous worry turned into a surge of anger in his heart.


    He strode forward with determination, eager to question Rose. He wanted to know why she hadn''t answered her phone and why she had caused him so much worry.


    But when he reached Rose, he came to a sudden halt. Rose kept her head down, and a pair of shoes. came into view.


    When she lifted her head and saw her star escort husband, she was stunned for a moment.


    The tension she had felt before, along with her concern for Oliver in the emergency room, became overwhelming.


    "Hubby..."


    Rose gazed at him. Her expression was like that of a wounded little animal. This made Jonathan furrow his brow. The anger he had felt moments ago vanished in an instant. "Why didn''t you answer the phone?"


    He intended to question her, but his tone was gentle and far from usatory. Before Rose could respond, Jonathan reached out and gently cradled the back of her head, drawing her closer to him. "Never ignore my calls from now on."


    Despite sounding like amand, his tone carried a hint of entreaty. Something deep within Rose''s heart


    was stirred.


    Nestled against her star escort husband, she felt an but reach out and cling to his waist, yearning for this


    0


    was stirred.


    Nestled against her star escort husband, she felt an unprecedented sense of security. She couldn''t help but reach out and cling to his waist, yearning for this newfound support and care.

 Billionire 145

    Keeping Miles in the Dark of Rose''s Rescue


    "Alright."


    It took a while, but Rose responded to Jonathan as if making a promise. The lights in the ICU were still on. Jonathan inquired about the situation and called a renowned doctor from Harmony Hospital. After medical treatment, Oliver regained consciousness. He was transferred to the ICU, and Rose went toplete the admission formalities. Soon after, Miles arrived.


    Inside the ward, Jonathan looked at the figure on the bed. He immediately recognized who it was. He hadn''t expected Oliver to visit Aquastead.


    What''s more, he hadn''t anticipated that the person Rose had talked about, the one who shared a birthday cake with her to celebrate their daughter''s birthday, was none other than Oliver. "Grandpa..."


    Miles entered the room in haste and saw the person on the bed with their eyes closed. He called out softly several times but received no response.


    It wasn''t until he confirmed that all the instruments in the vicinity disyed normal status that he started to rx slightly. He then noticed Jonathan in the ward and couldn''t help but be a little surprised. "Jonathan? What are you doing here?"


    Facing Jonathan, Miles instinctively remained on guard.


    The Finches and the Youngs were both prominent families in Regalia, with a web of intricate rtionships and aplex history.


    It was aplex rtionship, more like frenemies than friends and not quite enemies. In that moment, Miles'' mind raced through countless possibilities.


    They were both shrewd individuals. In the instant Miles cast his gaze, Jonathan already understood what was on his mind.


    "Oliver suddenly fell ill," Jonathan stated. "If you don''t believe me, you can ask the doctor or wait until he wakes up and inquire directly."


    With that, he left the ward without further exnation. Miles didn''t follow him. Right now, his grandfather''s health was the top priority.


    Miles promptly got in touch with the specialist in charge of his grandfather''s condition at Regalia. He requested the specialist to rush to Aquastead overnight. Meanwhile, Jonathan found Rose in the hospital lobby. Rose had the payment receipt in her hand when her star escort husband suddenly grabbed her wrist. Without saying a word, he pulled her out of the hospital


    "Wait, wait..."


    Rose held him back with a firm grip.


    "The elderly gentleman hasn''t woken up yet. Isn''t it a bi improper to leave like this?!


    Jonathan furrowed his brows.


    "What? Aren''t you afraid he''ll wake up and try to extort you?"


    Extort her?


    "Don''t make baseless usations. That elderly gentleman is kind, he doesn''t seem like the kind of person who would extort someone." Rose''s tone conveyed confidence.


    She gave her star escort husband an eye that carried a hint of disdain, as if to suggest, "Judging a gentleman by the standards of a scoundrel".


    "No, you go if you have something to do. I''ll wait a bit longer. I want to make sure he wakes up and contacts his family.


    Only this way could she feel at ease. She wasn''t one to easily sympathize. Yet, there was something inside her that couldn''t bear to leave the elderly gentleman alone in the hospital.


    Rose freed herself from the grip of her star escort husband and turned to head back to the ward. But just as she took a couple of steps, her star escort husband grabbed her by the cor from behind. "Ah..."


    Rose was pulled back. Her clothes were disheveled, and she furrowed her brows, ring at him.


    "What are you doing?"


    Jonathan took her hand again and walked briskly towards the exit.


    He said nonchntly as he walked, "The elderly gentleman''s family has arrived. You can rest assured and go home with me."


    Oliver wouldn''t extort Rose, but Miles might. Rose and Jonathan returned to Zenwood Gardens. Miles stayed at the hospital throughout the night.


    The next day, when Oliver woke up, he opened his eyes and instinctively called out, "Rietta."


    That was Henrietta''s nickname. Yesterday was Aunt Henrietta''s birthday. Miles believed that his grandfather fell ill due to his deep longing for Aunt Henrietta.


    "Grandpa, would you like something to eat? I''ll go prepare it for you," Miles asked with concern.


    Oliver didn''t respond but looked at his hand. His gaze roamed around the room. Then he nced towards the door as if searching for someone or waiting for someone. "Grandpa, what are you looking for?" Miles asked.


    "Missy, about this tall, with long hair and beautiful eyes


    Oliver remembered the girl fromst night. He recalled that he had held her hand before passing out.


    Her eyes resembled those of Henrietta, and for a moment, he felt as if he had seen Henrietta in front of him. Miles became more certain that his grandfather had fallen ill due to missing his aunt.


    This wasn''t the first time something like this had happened. The doctor had mentioned that Oliver had recently been experiencing hallucinations.


    Perhaps the "Missy" he mentioned was one of his hallucinations. Miles was about to reassure his grandfather, but Anastasia hastily entered the room. Grandpa..."


    As soon as she heard about Oliver''s condition, Anastasia rushed to the hospital.


    "Missy..."


    Oliver saw her and a smile lit up his face. The way he addressed her left Anastasia a bit bewildered. Oliver beckoned to her.


    "Comee here, sit here."


    Anastasia regained herposure and quickly sat down beside the hospital bed.


    As soon as she sat down, Oliver began speaking, "Missy, if it weren''t for you, I might not be alive now. Do you think we''re destined to meet? Your mother and my daughter share the same birthday, and you''ve also be my lifesaver. How about you consider being my granddaughter?"

 Billionire 146

    Who Is the Lucky One


    Miles and Anastasia were both puzzled. They exchanged a nce, and Anastasia hadn''t quite grasped what was happening yet. She was about to tell Oliver that she was his granddaughter. Oliver seemed quite agitated, saying, "What? You don''t want to? Being my granddaughter has many benefits, you know.


    Oliver dangled an enticement.


    "Alright, I''ll be your granddaughter!" Anastasia thought her grandfather was still not in his right mind, so she went along with his request.


    Oliver was overjoyed and immediately instructed Miles, "Good, good! Miles, prepare for a grand-banquet. I want everyone to know that I''ve found her."


    Miles and Anastasia immediately grasped the reference in his mention of "her". It was undoubtedly Henrietta.


    Whether it was Harriette or Anastasia, their chance to enter the Young family was solely due to the striking resemnce of their eyes to Henrietta''s.


    Mr. Young had been using those eyes as a form of repentance towards Henrietta. He was aware that his time was running out, and he might never find his daughter in his/ lifetime.


    But the appearance of that "Missy"st night seemed to offer him a glimmer of hope. Unable to find his daughter, he opted to find a surrogate to providefort as if he had truly found her.


    "But," Miles was somewhat reluctant, "Grandfather, this is Aquastead. Wouldn''t it be better if we returned to Regalia for the ceremony?"


    Maybe when Grandfather regained his rity, the idea of acknowledging a new granddaughter and hosting a grand ceremony wouldn''t matter anymore. Oliver''s expression immediately turned serious. "My granddaughter as a part of the Young family deserves the grandest celebration. Whether it''s in Aquastead or Regalia!"


    His tone was resolute. Miles realized he couldn''t sway his grandfather''s decision and proceeded to prepare for the ceremony.


    After Miles left, Mr. Young spent quite some time conversing with Anastasia, whom he still mistook for the "Missy" from the previous night.


    During their conversation, he mentioned things like birthday cakes and park benches.


    Eventually, he grew tired and closed his eyes to rest. Anastasia listened quietly, but her mind was already strategizing.


    When her grandfather adopted her and Harriette, there were no extravagant banquets or


    celebrations.


    If he was going to host avish celebration in her honor, her status within the Young family would transform significantly.


    With a glimmer of expectation in her eyes, Anastasia told her grandfather, "Grandfather, I will be a good granddaughter for you. Even if we can''t find Aunt Henrietta, I will make sure to protect the Young family well."


    Only three days had passed. The news of Mr. Young Senior from Regalia City nning a banquet in Aquastead to celebrate his newly acknowledged granddaughter became the talk of the entire city. Invitations began to arrive at the residences of Aquastead''s prominent figures.


    Lane Residences.


    Hayden received an invitation. He had nned to attend with his illegitimate son. Yet, Chloe issued an ultimatum, insisting that Hayden retrieve the invitation. She intended to attend the event with Nixon. Jamie managed to obtain an invitation somehow. In the Shaffer residence at Scenic Garden, the family of three was filled with excitement.


    "Why is the Young family hosting this granddaughter recognition celebration in


    Aquastead? Could it be that the chosen granddaughter by Mr. Young is from Aquastead? "Kelly expressed her envy, her face showing it clearly.


    She couldn''t help but sigh in her heart, wondering why she didn''t have the luck to be chosen by Mr. Young Senior. A hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes, but she swiftly brushed away those feelings. Not only did she want to attend, but she also aimed to take this opportunity to get to know the young woman chosen by Mr. Young Senior.


    If they could establish a connection or be friends, it would undoubtedly benefit her future visits to Regalia. Kelly''s mind was racing with calctions, and her excitement grew by the minute.


    She decided to prepare avish gift for that exceptional youngdy to leave asting impression. Thinking about the five billion provided by Kelly, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of pride. With her substantial fortune now in hand, she was a woman of means. As for Rose


    Mr. Finch was reluctant to reveal his true identity. In such a gathering, it wouldn''t be easy to keep his identity hidden, especially with Mr. Young Senior in attendance.


    Therefore, even if Kelly received an invitation, Mr. Finch was unlikely to allow her to attend. If Mr. Finch did appear at the event, she wondered if there was a way to use this opportunity to her advantage. Kelly''s mind was abuzz with schemes and strategies.


    Meanwhile, in Zenwood Gardens, Jonathan had already got back before Rose returned from her office.


    After taking a shower, Jonathan stepped out of the bathroom. He immediately noticed an invitation Rose left on her desk. He had received an identical one so he recognized it right away.


    Yet, he feigned curiosity and asked, "What''s this about?"


    "Oh, this? Mr. Miles gave this to me. I heard that Mr. Young Senior came to Aquastea and is nning a grand celebration to acknowledge his granddaughter. I wonder which lucky girl the Young family has chosen."


    Rose ced her bag down and tied up her tousled hair. She dedicated an entire day to crafting the uing season''s jewelry collection designs.


    Her eyes felt strained from the extended hours ofputer work. In an attempt to ease the strain, she opted to shut her eyes and unwind.


    It was clear to Jonathan that it must have been given to her by Miles.


    "Are you envious of the lucky one?"


    Jonathan sat beside Rose while drying his damp hair with a towel. The couple exuded a sense offort and familiarity at home like a long-married pair. Right after he asked, Rose suddenly jolted upright.

 Billionire 147

    I''ll Take You Somewhere


    "Envious, of course, I''m envious! It''s the Young family from Regalia. Whoever that lucky. one is must be thrilled for days and nights," Rose remarked with a gleam in her eyes.


    Just the thought of the Young family seemed to conjure endless wealth in her mind. Seeing her avid interest in the Young family, Jonathan couldn''t help but roll his eyes.


    He wanted to tell her that no matter who the lucky one was, she had no reason to be jealous. She possessed far more than the fortunate individual.


    After all, the Finch family was the wealthiest in the entire nation.


    Are you goin


    Jonathan asked cautiously.


    "Of course, I have to go. I promised Mr. Miles, and I can''t break my word," Rose responded.


    Jonathan''s eyebrows furrowed. She can go, and he can choose not to attend, avoiding any encounters to protect his identity. But the fact that the invitation came from Miles made him uneasy.


    He couldn''t trust Miles when it came to Rose. Without a doubt, he couldn''t allow Miles to have this opportunity. Jonathan nced at Rose but decided not to say more.


    In the days that followed, Rose devoted all her attention to creating jewelry pieces for the uing season. The thought of the event invite rarely crossed her mind.


    It wasn''t until the day before the event that Kelly visited her.


    "Rose, I heard you''ve designed a few sets of jewelry. I''d like to buy one as a gift, and your should make a deal, right?"


    The meeting room at Celeste Jewels.


    Kelly, wearing a white dress, gave off an impression of youthful innocence. Yet, Rose couldn''t ignore the subtle trace of ill intentions lurking beneath her facade of innocence.


    "Of course, but it''s a bit pricey," Rose responded. She couldn''t help but feel a surge of anger when she thought about the five billion she conned out.


    The money was already in someone else''s hands, and getting it back would be challenging. But she knew she needed to earn some of it back.


    "Why worry about the price?" Kelly gloated. "I can afford it."


    Rose''s eyes concealed a hint of a cold smirk and she had Sherlyn disy several sets of jewelry for Kelly. Soon, these jewelry sets were ced in front of Kelly.


    When Kelly''s eyes fell on the pieces, she was captivated by their beauty. She didn''t want


    to acknowledge Rose''s talent. While jealousy brewed within her, a touch of disdain also lingered within her.


    What use was talent?


    She believed that once she established a connection with the Young family''s newly recognized granddaughter, given the Young family''s influence in the jewelry industry, it would be effortless to sideline Rose and her Celeste Jewels.


    She believed they could even go as far as closing down the business.


    "Ms. Kelly, feel free to choose. While these jewelry pieces haven''t hit the market, they are all registered designs."


    In other words, it will be best for her to drop any thoughts of giarizing. Kelly scoffed but refrained from arguing with Rose this time.


    She took her time inspecting the jewelry pieces. In the end, her attention was captured by a tinum bracelet glistening with sparkling diamonds. "This is the one I want," Kelly dered with determination.


    Rose raised her eyebrow and said, "Very well, it''s one hundred and seventy-eight thousand. Please make your payment over here, Ms. Kelly."


    When Rose stated the price, Sherlyn, who had been observing the situation, was in shock. Just an hour earlier, Rose had met with her and the others to discuss the pricing of these pieces.


    This starlight bracelet was in the high-end category, but the price would not exceed a hundred thousand. Yet Rose casually asked for one hundred and seventy-eight


    thousand.


    "Okay," Kelly said with a raised eyebrow and then left the meeting room.


    Seeing that Kelly had epted the price without any objections, Sherlyn was-left speechless and in disbelief. Rose was astonished by how readily Kelly epted the price without a second thought.


    She felt that 178,000 was too low of a price. This conniving bitch had swindled her out of five billion, and she only charged 178,000 for the bracelet.


    Rose clenched her teeth in frustration. She still couldn''t swallow her pride. After finishing her transaction, as she was about to leave, Kelly suddenly turned to Rose.


    "Oh, by the way, Rose, did you also receive an invitation from the Young family? It''s such a coincidence, Dad received one too, and I''m going. I heard many people from Aquastead are attending. I wonder if your husband will let you join the fun."


    Kelly chuckled and then walked away. She purchased a bracelet from Rose, not because she deemed the other jewelry designs unsuitable.


    Instead, she intended to deliberately remind Rose about the Young family''s banquet. scheduled for the next day. She intended to trigger Rose''spetitiveness.


    The best oue for her is that Rose insists on going, and Mr. Finch opposes it, leading to an argument. Ideally, this would rile up Mr. Finch and make him see just how headstrong Rose can be.. Seeing Kelly walk away, Rose couldn''t help but smirk. Why wouldn''t her star escort husband let her attend this event? There was no reason, right?


    The next morning, before heading out, Rose informed Jonathan that she would be going to the event in the evening. She expected to return homete. As she was about to leave, Jonathan stopped her.


    "Rose..."


    "Yes?" Rose replied while changing her shoes, curious about what he wanted to say. After a moment of silence, Jonathan finally spoke, "Don''t go to the event tonight. I''ll take you somewhere else, just the two of us."


    Rose was surprised by this unexpected offer. She turned to look at him, but before she could react, she bumped into his firm chest.


    Jonathan had moved behind her without her noticing, and now they were standing very close to each other.


    She felt his warmth, her eyes shimmered, and she was about to step back when he reached out and held her waist.

 Billionire 148

    To Murder Your Husband


    Rose was startled. Then she heard her star escort husband say lovingly, "Could you not go to the party tonight?"


    His seductive voice was enough to make her overthink. Rose started blushing. He was asking her to not go to the party tonight. Could it be because he wanted to...


    Rose''s imagination started to run wild. She could feel her ears getting hot. She lowered her head, not daring to look into his eyes.


    She said, "I can''t do that...


    "Why can''t you do that? What''s so special about the party anyway? Why don''t you stay


    here with me and..."


    Seeing that the star escort husband was starting to get ahead of himself, Rose quickly pressed her hand on his lips.


    Jonathan was surprised. His lips touched her palm. He was confused about her


    reaction. Looking at Rose avoiding eye contact and her blushing cheeks, he suddenly realized what she was thinking.


    Jonathan chuckled. Rose was bewildered by his giggling. She raised her head and


    looked right into Jonathan''s teasing eyes.


    "What are you thinking?"


    Jonathan smiled gently as if he had read her mind. Rose finally came to her senses. She knew that not only had she had a dirty mind, but she had also been exposed. In an instant, her cheeks turned red.


    "You...


    Rose tried to argue with Jonathan, but the shameful look in her eyes gave it away. It was not convincing at all and had only made Jonathan want to tease her more.


    "Yes, what did I do?" Jonathan teased her purposely.


    "Lwasn''t thinking about anything. Please don''t overthink," Rose stood firm on her ground.


    Jonathan inched closer to her and said, "Oh, is it? If you can tell that I''m overthinking, then tell me what it is that I''m overthinking about?"


    Rose didn''t know how to answer that. If she told him what he was thinking, it would be the same as revealing her dirty thoughts. Rose waspletely floored. Silence hung in the air.


    Rose''s-cheeks got even more red. She could feel it getting warmer and warmer.


    Jonathan was still looking at her, and his gaze became even more intense. There was an awkwardly loving air in the room.


    Without her noticing, Jonatha had moved her hand from his lips and held it tightly in his hand, and his body was moving closer toward her. He was going to kiss her.


    Rose became nervous. She didn''t know where she should look. Slowly and slowly, a sense of anticipation reced the nervousness. But at that exact moment, a face appeared in her mind. It was Anastasia.


    All her anticipation and imagination burst into bubbles. Rose looked at the pretty face in front of her, lifted her leg, and stepped on the back of Jonathan''s foot.


    "Ouch!"


    her bisk


    Rose had already changed into heels, but Jonathan was still wearing home. slippers. It was not hard to imagine how painful it was when the heel hit his foot.


    When Jonathan was screaming in pain, Rose took the opportunity to step away from him.


    "Rose..."


    Jonathan looked at her in awe. Rose was ashamed. She apologized before she turned around and left the room. After closing the door, she ran into the lift. The door of the room opened again.


    Star escort husband screamed out, "Are you trying to murder your husband?!"


    As soon as Jonathan finished the sentence, the lift closed. Inside the lift, Rose soothed


    herself down and let out a sigh of relief.


    Who said she was trying to murder him. She simply didn''t want to fall into his trap again. She was protecting herself. Outside the lift, Jonathan was hurt emotionally and physically. Not only did Rose reject his kiss, she even stepped on him!


    "Nice. Very nice."


    Jonathan smiled coldly. He was still going to keep persuading Rose to not go to the party hosted by the Youngs. It was a party where the Youngs would reunite with a long-lost granddaughter. All day long, Rose received several calls from her star escort husband. All these calls were to ask her to not go to the party.


    "You seem to be afraid that something will happen to me if I go to the party. Are you hiding something from me?"


    After a few calls, Rose became suspicious. On the other side of the phone, Jonathan. was caught off guard.


    "What could I be hiding from you? Never mind, you should go if you want to go."


    Jonathan was scared that Rose would find out what happened if he kept on pressing her. He ended the call and decided that he shoulde up with another n.


    "Mr. Finch, perhaps you should pick up those calls from Ms. Young. She has called for a few times," Finleyined.


    Jonathan had his attention on Rose, but Anastasia had her attention on Jonathan.


    Jonathan could choose to ignore Anastasia, but Finley was only a bodyguard and an assistant. How could he dare to ignore Anastasia?


    Anastasia had been asking about Jonathan''s schedule for tonight. He didn''t dare to tell her, but he didn''t want to offend her either, so he only gave her some vague information. "Mr. Finch, are you not going to the party at the Youngs tonight? Finley asked again. "Yes, I''m going," Jonathan said reluctantly.


    If Rose was going, then he was going too. He couldn''t let Rose have more chances to be alone with Miles. That was why he was going to prevent it himself. Finley was confused.


    Didn''t Jonathan say he wouldn''t go to the party? He had even asked Finley to book


    table for dinner with Rose.


    Finley noticed Jonatha''s eyebrows as if he was thinking about something important, so he didn''t raise his doubt to him and instead left the office without asking another question. Jonathan was thinking of a way to hide his identity tonight. Suddenly, as if something clicked, he called Zac.


    As soon as Zac answered, he said, "Please throw away whatever n you have tonight ande with me to the party at the Youngs, I need your help."


    BIO SALE: 3600 bonus free fou you

 Billionire 149

    Rted to Rose


    Jonathan needed my help? Was it rted to little beauty? Zac could tell right away. He knew Jonathan too well. Jonathan didn''t give care about anyone else, but he had a soft spot for little beauty. Jonathan needed his help? Did it mean he would finally get to meet little beauty in person?


    "Sure, of course. I didn''t n to go, but since you ask, I will make sure that I''m there," Zac excitedly promised.


    The agenda for the party tonight is for Oliver to reunite with his long-lost granddaughter. Miles arranged for the party to take ce in a resort vi that the Youngs owned in Aquasted.


    A day before, Oliver checked out of the hospital and was sent to the vi. Anastasia had been taking care of Oliver ever since.


    The party was approaching, and Anastasia and Oliver were choosing the dress and suit they would wear for the partyter. Miles was standing outside the room, looking at Oliver with a musing gaze. He then summoned the doctor to his room.


    He asked the doctor, "Did it take longer than before for my Grandpa to recover this time? Since he woke up at the hospital that day, he''s been talking about ady he saw.


    Oliver had even thought that Anastasia was thatdy. The doctor struggled to look for words to exin Oliver''s condition.


    "In the past, when he was sick, he often mistook people as someone else. But itsted for only a few days. The symptoms indeedst for a little longer this time."


    The doctor had been paying attention to Oliver''s health condition. Oliver was still-pretty healthy overall, but the tumor in his brain had beenpressing one of his nerves. The doctor looked at Miles and said, "Mr. Young, my advice is to undergo craniotomy at a hospital overseas. If his condition worsened, he might not wake up one day." Miles kept quiet. Two years ago when Oliver was diagnosed, the doctor had already advised that the best treatment is to undergo craniotomy. However, craniotomy was a risky procedure. Even if the procedure seeded, it would leave behind many side effects.


    Miles had attempted to persuade Oliver to undergo the procedure, but he rejected it


    y time Miles brought it up. M


    knew what Oliver was thinking.


    If the procedure failed, Oliver would never get to reunite with his daughter - Celeste.


    Oliver also couldn''t ept the side effects that came with the procedure. If he managed to stay alive, he couldn''t bear losing the memory of his past. Celeste was Oliver''s biggest regret. Oliver would not agree to undergo the procedure before he found Celeste. Thinking of this, Miles took a deep breath.


    At this moment, the butler called Miles, "Mr. Young, Mr. Young Senior is calling for you."


    "I''ming," said Miles.


    Miles greeted the doctor and left the room. When Miles arrived at Oliver''s room, Anastasia had already left.


    "Miles, you are here. There is something I want to tell you," said Oliver.


    The guests started arriving at the vi one after one. Ever since Kelly stepped foot in the vi, she had been looking for the lucky "granddaughter" who had been chosen by Oliver. "Who exactly is she? She must have saved the whole Milky Way in herst life to be Mr. Young Senior''s granddaughter in this life. Does it mean that there will be twodies at the Youngs in the future?"


    "I''m so jealous. Why is it not me? Why can''t I be Mr. Young Senior''s granddaughter?"


    "Who doesn''t want to be the granddaughter of the Youngs family? I want to know who this lucky girl is."


    "Let''s take a guess. Who do you think she is?


    Thedies of some of the most prominent families in Aquasted started looking around the hall. Every otherdy of their age was the suspect, but this method was proven to be


    futile.


    Finally, someone interjected, "If she is the granddaughter of the Youngs, then she will also be the new host of the v. Why would she be amongst the guests? I think the lucky one must be in a room right now, getting ready and preparing herself for the evening."


    This reminder convinced Kelly. She thought it made a lot of sense.


    Instead of guessing about the lucky girl with otherdies, she should look around inside the vi. Who knows, maybe she would bump into that lucky girl and be friends with her.


    Kelly quickly left the crowd and entered the main hall. Anastasia was dressed in a white gown. She was standing at the stairwell and looking at her phone. Jonathan hadn''t


    returned any of her calls.


    He must have blocked her! Anastasia was flustered. She turned around and at this moment, she saw ady creep in from the main hall.


    "Who are you?" Anastasia questioned.


    Anastasia thought it was just some random guest who lost their direction.


    Without waiting for thatdy to respond, she reminded her, "Deardy, this is the main hall where the host family stays. The venue of the party tonight isn''t here."


    Kelly looked up from the first floor. She recognized Anastasia right away. Wasn''t she the one who was with Jonathan that day? It must be her.


    Kelly even took a picture of the two and sent it to Rose.


    She quickly took her phone out and looked at the picture. In the picture, Anastasia was wearing a pair of sunsses, but she was sure that it was the same person. It was her! ¡°Hello, I''m Kelly. Are you the granddaughter who will be reuniting with Mr. Young Senior?


    Kelly wasn''t deterred, instead, she excitedly advanced a few steps up the stairs.


    Anastasia frowned, as if being reminded of something else, "Kelly, are you in any way rted to Rose?"


    D

 Billionire 150

    It''s You


    Kelly was surprised to hear Rose''s name. Before she could react, Anastasia recognized Rose as well.


    "Oh, it''s you."


    She smiled slightly. She almost couldn''t recognize her today, what with her kindly and ingratiating attitude. It turned out that she was the woman who had miscarried that day at the museum!


    She and Rose were enemies!


    "Are you her sister?"


    Anastasia knew that the woman who had bailed out Rose at the police station was her sister. However, Kelly looked confused. Seeing this, Anastasia smiled.


    "Are v


    you feeling better after your miscarriage, Ms. Shaffer?"


    Kelly was taken aback. She immediately remembered Anastasia: she was the woman the toilet that day!


    She had been so focused on getting Rose in trouble that she hadn''t paid any attention to anyone else.


    ording to Nixon, another woman had been present as a witness when Rose had produced the surveince footage. It was her! Kelly was flustered.


    "It was all a misunderstanding," she exined hastily. "I was just too anxious about my unborn baby, so I just used the closest person without thinking...''


    Anastasia wasn''t sure how this woman was rted to Rose, but either way, she couldn''t befriend her, especially since Jonathan was a point of contention between them.


    "I understand. Thank goodness everything was cleared up properly," sheughed. "


    protective my brother is of Rose, he would be upset if she were to


    Otherwise, with how


    be used of something she hadn''t done.?"


    Kelly was even more convinced that Anastasia was Oliver''s granddaughter. She had


    referred to Miles as her brother, after all.


    There went her hopes of leaving a good impression on the luckydy tonight. Anastasia had seen her at her worst back at the museum. At a loss for words, Kally couldn''t do anything butugh awkwardly. Even so, she was stillmitted to her mission, especially now that she had met Oliver''s future granddaughter. She wasn''t going to let the opportunity slip away.


    She took out an exquisite box from her bag.


    "Congrattions on bing Mr. Young Senior''s granddaughter."


    She smiled ingratiatingly at Anastasia. Anastasia knew exactly what she was doing.


    "Come upstairs," she said suddenly. "I''ll show you my room."


    Kelly was shocked. She hadn''t expected Anastasia to ept her gift. A surprised smile spread across her face.


    "Sure!"


    Happily, she ran upstairs and followed Anastasia into her room. When she entered the room, she was amazed by the decor.


    The room was huge and filled with antiques of all sorts. There was a whole wall dedicated to just handbags. The closet was filled with the most trendy and in-season clothes from luxury brands. Her eyes shone with greed and envy. At that moment, Anastasia saw through the modest farce that Kelly had put up in front of other people.


    "Do you like it?" she asked, staring at Kelly.


    Kelly snapped back to her senses. She looked guilty.


    "Yeah... Yeah, I like it."


    Anastasia sat down on the sofa and said magnanimously.


    "What do you like? You can pick anything to keep for yourself."


    Everything in this room was expensive.


    "Really?"


    Kelly was visibly excited.


    It wasn''t just the price that she was excited about; a gift from Oliver''s new granddaughter would mean that she was different in Anastasia''s eyes. That meant that she still had a chance. "Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Young," she said.


    She didn''t dare to choose any of the antiques. She just pointed at a limited-edition bag and asked, "Can I have that?"


    "Of course you can!" Anastasia stood up and grabbed the bag.


    When she handed it to Kelly, she gave her a long look and said, "To be honest, I like you


    much more than I like Rose. Sadly, my brother treats her differently. I do not doubt that Rose will end up as my sister-inw sooner rather thanter. I think the position of Miles wife would attract much envy, wouldn''t it?"


    Just like that, Kelly was jealous of Rose once again. Even though the Youngs weren''t as powerful as the Finches, it was still a position of envy.


    "My sister has always been lucky," she said, trying and failing to suppress her jealousy.


    Anastasia patted her on the shoulderfortingly.


    "If I were Miles, I would''ve chosen you. You''re kind and sensible. You''d fit in our family." Kelly was stunned. She stared at Anastasia. What did she mean by that?


    Kelly didn''t have the time to figure it out, as Anastasia had already shifted her attention to the box she was holding.


    "Is this my gift? That''s great! Now that we''ve exchanged presents, we can be friends!" With that, she took the box, opened it, and took out the bracelet. She put it on her wrist. "It''s so pretty!"


    She looked enamored by the bracelet.


    After checking herself in the mirror, she added, "It''s a perfect match for my gown tonight.


    Kelly felt a little guilty. She did not dare to mention that Rose had designed the bracelet Anastasia''s earlier words kept repeating in her mind.


    Thinking about the convoluted rtionship between Rose and Jonathan, she gathered her courage and asked Anastasia, "Do you not like my sister, Ms. Young?"


    P


    Support


    get it

 Billionire 151

    Who Is Mr. Young Senior''s New Granddaughter


    Silence hung in the air. Kelly stared at Anastasia, awaiting her answer anxiously. Anastasiaughed suddenly and turned to look at Kelly.


    "Who said I didn''t like her? She''s pretty enough. There''s nothing not to like about her, as long as Miles likes her too."


    Kelly could see the insincerity in her words. She truly did not like Rose. That was great news for her!


    Kelly felt vindicated. She did not continue to press the question.


    After a moment''s pause, she said, "If you need anything, Ms. Young, you can just let me know."


    The meaning behind her words was clear.


    "Thank you for that," Anastasia replied with a smile.


    She and Rose could never be friends, especially since Jonathan seemed to care so much about thetter. Even so, some things were easier if she had a helping hand.


    After Kelly left her room, still buzzing with excitement, Anastasia changed into her gown. When Rose arrived, the sky was dark. However, the Young Estate was zing with lights. Miles spotted her as soon as she arrived. He excused himself from his guests and walked over to her.


    Rose was dressed in a long ck dress with spaghetti straps, which entuated her figure. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders and her perfect features. Her appearance attracted a lot of attention.


    "It''s Ms. Shaffer ..."


    "Mr. Miles is going over to her."


    "Hey, why is Mr. Giibson approaching her too?"


    People were starting to stare at her. Zac reached Rose before Miles did.


    "Hello, Ms. Shaffer," he said, smiling yfully at her.


    Rose had heard of Zac before and had seen him in the news, but they hadn''t had any contact before this. However, Zac was looking at her like they knew each other well. Taken aback, she said, "Mr. Gibson, do we... know each other?"


    "Of course we do."


    Zac wanted to tell her that he was her husband''s best friend, but he held himself back on ount of his mission tonight andughed drily.


    "We just met, remember?"


    Rose was at a loss for words. Zac was a known yboy, but his pick-up skills left a lot to be desired.


    "Rose."


    Just then, Miles'' voice sounded. Rose turned and saw that Miles was behind her.


    "Miles," she greeted.


    Their familiarity surprised Zac. No wonder Jonathan had told him to stay by Rose''s side and not let anyone near her. He was trying to keep her away from Miles! "Come with me, Rose," Miles said, determined to keep her by his side.


    Hepletely ignored Zac''s presence. That did not sit well with Zac.


    As Rose made to follow Miles, he stepped up and cut between them.


    "Miles? Old friend, did you not see me standing right here?"


    He waved a hand at Miles'' face. Jonathan, Miles, and Zac used to be best friends.


    However, Jonathan and Miles fell apart after Ana disappeared. Zac was unable to repair their rtionship, and they ended up drifting apart. Seeing this, Zac shook his head inwardly.


    "Old friends indeed," Miles smiled stiffly and gestured for him to get out of the way. "Feel free to make yourself at home."


    Zac''s smile froze. He watched as Miles led Rose into the crowd. From the back, they looked like the perfect pair: Rose in her ck dress and Miles in his white suit.


    Just as the thought floated in his mind, a cold re fixed him to the spot.


    Zac jumped and looked over. He could almost see Jonathan''s dark re. He wasted no time in following Rose and Miles into the crowd.


    "Mr. Miles, who is Mr. Young Senior adopting as his granddaughter?*


    Suddenly, a question emerged from amongst the crowd. Everyone looked over immediately, their gazes rife with curiosity. Rose looked at Miles as well. She was also wondering who the lucky woman would be.


    Her identity would be revealed today. Rose was looking forward to it. However, Miles only kept smiling without answering.


    Just then, the butler appeared by his side and whispered something in his ear. Miles straightened and nodded at the guests.


    "Excuse me, I have to go and wee my grandfather.


    Then, he pulled Rose to a secluded corner.


    "Wait here, Rose. Don''t go anywhere. I''ll be back soon."


    "Okay," Rose replied.


    She thought that Miles was being a little too overprotective. This was the Young Estate, and all the people here were guests of the Young family; who would cause trouble here? Just as she was thinking that, a person stomped over to her.


    "How dare you show your face here? You may be able to deceive Mr. Miles but aren''t you afraid that Mr. Young Senior would see through your disguise immediately?"


    It was Nixon. Rose felt disgusted when she saw him. Nixon was like that gross, annoying fly that wouldn''t leave her alone.


    Rolling her eyes, she turned to walk away. However, Nixon stepped up and blocked her


    way.


    D

 Billionire 152

    Send Her Your Way


    "Nixon Lane, what on earth do you want to do?"


    Rose did not bother to disguise her disgust for him. Nixon couldn''t help but recall his grandma''s words. Ever since leaving the Shaffer residence that day, she kept cautioning him to stay away from Kelly.


    If not for Rose''s influence, his grandmother would never have harbored such ill feelings toward Kelly. Nixon felt that Rose was to me. With that in mind, he shot her a stern look.


    "I''m here to warn you not to try anything funny on Kelly. By the way, Oliver is weing his new granddaughter today, so behave yourself."


    She was surprised by his attitude. People might have thought that Nixon was an altruistic man had they not seen his expression. Did he seriously tell her not to harm Kelly and stop flirting around? "Fuck off. Does your mom know how busybody you are?" she snapped, staring straight at him.


    She would have kicked him if they were not at an event.


    "You-"


    "What?" she retorted.


    She couldn''t physically get back at him, but she could insult him. She smirked, not giving him a chance to speak.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll teach your dear Kelly a lesson whenever I have the chance to. You''d better keep her right by your side and stop her from creating trouble, or I might just tear her apart one day." Rose could not get over the humiliation of the five billion dors she lost.


    "You-"


    Nixon red at her, thinking that she was a crude woman, unlike the kind-hearted Kelly. Feeling bullied, he stormed away.


    Rose rolled her eyes at him and spat, "Hmph! He''d better stay out of my sight! He disgusts me."


    As she spun around, she was met with a mischievous gaze from Zac Gibson.


    When had he appeared? Just moments ago, he had been with Miles Young. From the look on his face, it seemed he had witnessed her exchange with Nixon.


    She chuckled and ignored him, but Zac had no intention of letting her slip away. Realizing she was leaving, he ran after her.


    "Ms. Shaffer, do you need any help?"


    Rose was speechless. Why would she need any help?


    Noticing her confusion, Zac exined, "While the Lane Family may run a significant. business in Aquastead, Nixon Lane doesn''t hold much sway within the family, despite being his grandmother''s favorite. Getting rid of Nixon Lane is a piece of cake for me."


    Then, he fawned over Rose. After all, she was Jonathan''s love and married into the Lane Family. He would like to curry favor with her by offering help.


    Rose was


    dumbfounded. What was Zac getting at? She eyed him skeptically, sensing there might be ulterior motives behind his overly enthusiastic demeanor.


    With a wry smile, she teased, "Zac, you''ll only end up in jail for murder."


    Now, it was his turn to be speechless. Rose was ying dumb. He was about to reply when his phone buzzed. He nced at the text from Jonathan and raised a brow, looking helpless. Then, he nced at Rose, sending a shiver down her spine. She immediately grew wary


    of him.


    Zac continued staring for a minute before enthusiastically saying, "Ms. Schaffer, wait for me. I''ll get you a ss of wine." With that, he wandered into the crowds, leaving Rose frozen on the spot. Given Zac''s yboy reputation, she wondered if he might spike her drink. Her wariness of him intensified, and she instinctively veered in the opposite direction.


    Zac watched her retreat with a triumphant glint in


    Seves.


    He sent a voice message to Jonathan, "Bro, I''ve done enough to help you. I''ve sacrificed my image with Rose to send her your way."


    Elsewhere in the vi, Jonathan grinned from behind a wall of flowers. The surroundings were dimly lit.


    He scoffed and thought, "Bold of you to assume that I care about Rose''s impression of


    you."


    When he tucked his phone away, he heard approaching footsteps. Rose was headed in his direction. He silently hid behind the wall and waited for her arrival. Rose had fled to avoid Zac but grew uneasy when she noticed the darkness around her. She considered turning back, but that meant running into Zac again.


    After some hesitation, she steeled herself and continued onward.


    "I should be safe within the Young Family''s vi grounds," she murmured, attempting to


    bolster her courage.


    As she passed by a wall of flowers, a hand reached out and grasped her wrist.


    She let out a startled gasp, "Ah-"

 Billionire 153

    Nice To Meet You, Mr. Finch


    The hand immediately covered Rose''s mouth, stifling her scream. She caught a whiff of strong alcohol and heard a man''s voice close to her ear.


    In a low, deliberate tone, Jonathan spoke, "Keep quiet. If someone sees us together, it''ll make headlines tomorrow. That''d be interesting." Somehow, he wished that someone would take photos of them, but he had to stay patient when he recalled Rose''s disgust for "Mr. Finch". Tonight, he intended to spend quality time with Rose, hoping to change her opinion of him.


    Rose calmed down after hearing his warning. The man''s alcohol scent reminded her of the Lane residence and "Mr. Finch."


    "W-Who are you?" she cautiously probed. "Y-You won''t hurt me, will you?"


    Jonathan did not answer.


    She gulped and reasoned, "C-Calm down. We''re on the Young Family''s property. If you hurt me, they won''t let it slide."


    Jonathan chuckled and let go of her.


    "Don''t worry. I could never bring myself to harm you."


    After Rose was freed, she took a few steps forward and spun around to stare warily at the man under the wall of flowers.


    She could make out the mask even in the dark, and she was immediately reminded of


    someone.


    "M-Mr. Finch?"


    The thought made her curse in silence. Fuck! Was he here? She had nearly forgotten about him. If she had known he''d be present, she might have skipped the event altogether. Swallowing hard, she asked with anticipation, "You''re not Mr. Finch, are you?"


    Staring intently, she hoped he''d deny it, saying, "No, I''m not. How could I be him?"


    But to her disappointment, he confirmed, "Yes, I am."


    Her expression froze.


    He stared at her in amusement and remarked, "You seemed to be hoping I wasn''t Mr. Finch."


    She snapped back to reality and hurriedly exined with awkward chuckles, "No, that''s not the case! Nice to meet you, Mr. Finch. It''s my honor... Hahaha..." Why did she have to run into him? What rotten luck.


    "Um, if there''s nothing else, I''ll leave," she said and made a move in the direction she came from.


    In the darkness, he suddenly asked, "Have you made progress in investigating your mother''s death?"


    She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around.


    "What did you just say?"


    "That night at the Lane residence, you mentioned that you''d do anything to uncover the truth about your mother''s death," Jonathan recalled.


    After a pause, he continued, "With the resources at the Finch Family''s disposal, it''s not hard to find out the truth behind a car crash, even if it happened years ago." Rose was taken aback. She understood what he was implying. Perhaps enlisting the Finch Family''s help in investigating her mom''s car crash would be a wise choice. However, she knew Jonathan''s help came with conditions. She remembered his previous proposition, where he had asked if she''d be willing to be his woman. After a moment of thought, she inhaled deeply and asked, "So, what do you want in


    return?"


    Jonathan knew what she meant. All he wanted was a chance, but he couldn''t express it outright for fear of rming her. Instead, he frowned and gestured for her to sit beside him on a nearby bench. He said, "Take a seat and keep mepany for a while. I need time to consider what I want from you."


    She bit her lips. Even in the dark, he was intimidating.


    "Are you scared?" he wondered, turning around to nce at her when she didn''t budge.


    Was she scared? Yes, a little. Still, she toughened up and took a seat on the bench. The scent of flowers lingered in the air.


    Jonathan did not say a word. They sat in silence as time ticked by. She thought he was thinking of a condition, so she kept quiet.


    "Am I intimidating?" he suddenly asked.


    She paused. She had wanted to deny it, but she didn''t feel like lying.


    "Well..: A little," she admitted.


    She still felt scared when she thought of how she nearly lost her life because of him.


    Even if he wasn''t a dangerous person, he was always involved in perilous situations. He might be protected by the bodyguards, but he couldn''t guarantee the safety of the people around him. Jonathan was momentarily taken aback by her reply before casting an affectionate gaze at her.


    He chuckled and said, "You don''t seem all that scared of me."


    Rose was taken aback. Hisugh sounded familiar. Jonathan noticed her reaction as well. Feeling self-conscious, he stood up when he felt her eyes on him.

 Billionire 154

    She''s Rose, Not Harriette


    "You may leave," Jonathan sounded icy.


    It seemed like a deliberate attempt at masking some truth. His abrupt behavior change. was suspicious to Rose.


    She mumbled, "You-"


    "Don''t you want to leave? If so..." Jonathan''s voice faded.


    He suddenly nced at her with a predatory look in his eyes, causing her to tremble.


    She chuckled dryly and said, "I''ll leave."


    She was afraid that he might change his mind and refused to release her. She made her way back to the crowds.


    Anastasia Young slowly appeared from the intersection next to Rose. She heard that Jonathan was around, so she made her way here, only to run into Rose. Was Rose with Jonathan just now?


    Frowning, Anastasia continued deeper into the gardens and eventually found Jonathan by the wall of flowers, confirming her suspicions.


    Nevertheless, she maintained her pretense of ignorance and asked, "Jon, why are you here alone? I was looking everywhere for you. Why didn''t you take my calls?"


    He sat on the bench without so much as looking at her or even listening to her. She looked a little dejected because of the cold shoulder but maintained a smile.


    "Jon, would you like to know who''s Grandpa''s new granddaughter? Let''s take a look, shall we?"


    "I''m not going," he replied tly, for he was uninterested in the identity of Oliver Young''s granddaughter. He was only at the event for Rose,


    Of course, Anastasia could guess the reason behind Jonathan''s attendance, but as the star of the night, she hoped that he could see her in her glory. s, Jonathan was way more interested in Rose than her. Feeling disappointed, Anastasia nheless decided to use Jonathan''s affection for Rose to her advantage.


    She remarked, "Miles said that he wanted to introduce a young woman to Grandpa. Aren''t you curious? I am so curious about it."


    She put on a look of anticipation. Indeed, Jonathan frowned.


    Noticing that, she added, "Miles has never brought any woman home, so I assume this


    lucky woman must be important to him. Otherwise, he wouldn''t introduce her to Grandpa. A few days ago, I overheard Grandpa discussing speeding up Miles'' marriage..."


    Jonathan''s scowl deepened. He stood up before Anastasia was done.


    She muttered, "Jon."


    He left in great strides, leaving Anastasia biting her lips. Jonathan had joined the party as she wanted, but only because of Rose.


    As he was about to vanish from her sight, Anastasia set aside her disappointment and chased after him.


    Zac immediately spotted Rose when she returned to the crowd.


    He grumbled, "Ms. Schaffer, I thought you''d wait for me. You disappeared after I came back with the wine. Were you hiding from me?" He was stating the obvious.


    She chuckled and replied, "No, of course not. I went on a stroll for some fresh air."


    "Looks like you enjoyed it," Zac remarked with a smirk.


    It was not enjoyable at all. Rose recalled the run-in with Jonathan. If she knew that would happen, she would''ve stayed with Zac and drank instead.


    Upon second thought, Jonathan had offered to help her investigate her mother''s death, so it wasn''t too bad at all. But what was Jonathan after?


    She felt nervous once more as she tried to guess his intention. She was too distracted to even care about the drink that Zac handed her. She instinctively down the contents,


    until Miles wheeled Oliver out.


    All eyes were on Oliver, who seemed high-spirited in his wheelchair. Miles wheeled him. around to greet the guests.


    Amid the crowd, Chloe stared in Olvier''s direction and attempted a few times to drag Nixon along and chat with Oliver. However, Nixon''s gaze was busy searching for Kelly in the crowd.


    He finally spotted her, but Chlose called out to him, "Nixon


    "Grandma, Kelly is here tonight. I''ll bring her over to greet you," said Nixon, who wanted to change Chloe''s impression of Kelly.


    He believed that Chloe would discover Kelly''s good qualities with more interaction. Just


    as he was about to approach Kelly, Chloe grabbed his wrist unhappily.


    "Grandma..."


    "Can you man up for once? You keep thinking about Kelly, but she''s not as good as you described," Chloeined with a disdainful look.


    If Rose were to be trusted, Kelly was just a child born out of wedlock. Jamie Shaffer, a spineless man who married up, had a daughter who was the same age as his wife.


    If the news spread in the high society, the Schaffers would be aughingstock. The Lane Family wouldn''t want to be associated with Kelly.


    Chloe shot Nixon a disappointed look and nagged, "You should take an interest in other women, for example, the new granddaughter that Oliver is taking in today. She might not be rted to him by blood, but the same goes for a few of his grandchildren. It''s no different than being adopted by him."


    She added, "If you can win the heart of his new granddaughter, I''ll make your dad hand


    over the family assets to you."


    Nixon furrowed his brows. He couldn''t deny the attractiveness of Chloe''s proposal. He wanted power in the family, but the thought of Kelly held him back.


    He reasoned, "But I am engaged to Kelly...


    Chloe cut him off with a dismissive scoff.


    "If you win the heart of Oliver''s new granddaughter, I will help you to call off the engagement."


    Nixon fell silent. Chloe reminded him, "Let''s greet Oliver. You have to be your best selfter to leave a good impression."


    When they turned around, they saw Miles wheeling Oliver over to Rose.


    Rose was surprised by Oliver and gasped, "Sir?"


    She couldn''t contain her surprise, for she had not expected to run into him at this event. Oliver calmly waved at her. "Come here. Come to my side."


    Rose paused. Even Miles and Zac looked taken aback by Oliver''s behavior.


    "Come on!" Oliver urged and waved his hand again.


    Rose gathered herself and approached him.


    He turned to Miles and said, "Miles, move. Your sister will assist me.


    and Miles exchanged looks. Miles thought that Oliver had mistaken Rose for Harriette because of their simr


    eyes.


    He quickly exined, "Grandpa, she''s Rose, not Harriette. She has the same eyes as Harriette. That''s all.


    "By the way, Rose is the woman I said I wanted to introduce to you."

 Billionire 155

    She Bes the Lucky One Unexpectedly


    Miles smiled at Rose after he finished talking. But Rose was at a loss. Grandpa? The old man was Miles'' grandfather? Wouldn''t he be Mr. Young Senior of Reg then? Also...


    She was the person he had wanted his grandfather to meet? Did she misunderstand something? It''s not like a meeting with her lover''s parents, right?


    Rose took a deep breath and avoided Miles'' gaze. She told herself that it wasn''t like a meeting with her lover''s parents.


    Miles and her were friends. It was normal for someone to bring their friends to meet their older family members. But as a bystander, Zac was quite surprised,


    The way Miles had looked at Rose was suspicious. Suddenly, he realized something. Had Miles fallen for Rose now? Fuck!


    The rtionship between Jonathan and Miles would never be restored now. That was Zac''s first reaction.


    This time, Rose wasn''t Harriette like before.


    Back then Miles developed feelings for Harriette that went beyond sibling affection. But he had always had reservations due to their identities as the Young siblings. But it was different with Rose! Miles might not lose to Jonathan if they were to fight against each other for her.


    With this sudden development, Zac felt that he wouldn''t be able toplete his mission tonight. He quickly turned to look at a corner. He wanted Jonathan himself toe and protect his wife. He then saw someoneing in his direction from outside of the crowd. Zac felt a joy in his heart. Finally!


    At the same file


    time, Oliver spoke once again, "I know she''s not Harriette. Harriette is one person, she is another. Her eyes don''t look like Harriette''s...


    But Rietta''s. Just like his daughter Henrietta! Oliver held onto Rose''s hand.


    "So your name is Rose? Why didn''t you tell me your name after so many days? It''s my fault for always


    calling you Missy instead. I didn''t even think of asking you. I''m getting senile now."


    Oliver smiled. His gaze toward Rose was extraordinarily kind.


    "Can I call you Rosie then?"


    Rose was speechless. She couldn''t even reject him upon seeing his sincere gaze.


    "Of course, Sir."


    Rose nodded. The word ''Sir'' made Oliver frown.


    "Shouldn''t you be calling me Grandpa instead?"


    She was again rendered speechless. Oliver looked at her expectantly. Rose thought it wouldn''t do any harm to address a friend''s grandfather as ''Grandpa'' anyway. Rose then corrected her words, "Grandpa."


    "Good..." Oliver nodded in satisfaction. He then instructed Rose, "Come, push my wheelchair to that


    ce. I have something to tell everyone."


    Rose wrapped her hands around the handles of Oliver''s wheelchair. Miles had recalled Oliver''s earlier words. He had a bad feeling deep down.


    Rose had just pushed Oliver for a of couple steps when Miles unconsciously called out for her, "Rose..."


    Rose turned and looked at him confused. But Miles didn''t know what to say. He had made a guess deep down. That thought made him fearful and resistant. "Come on, Rosie." Oliver gently rushed.


    He couldn''t wait to introduce his new granddaughter to everyone else. Rose turned back and continued to push Oliver''s wheelchair forward.


    "Greetings. Thank you for attending this banquet, where I''ll be introducing my new granddaughter to everyone."


    Oliver''s voice rang out. Everyone looked over at once.


    Anastasia''s lips curled into a smile. She knew of today''s event flow. After her grandfather was done introducing her, she would go up and kiss her grandfather''s cheek.


    There weren''t any ceremonies like this back when Oliver had brought them back to the Young family when they were younger.


    But Oliver had said that today was a banquet held solely for introducing his granddaughter. It would certainly be ceremonious


    Anastasia saw that Rose was pushing her grandfather''s wheelchair behind. She only frowned but did not take it to heart. She walked in stride toward Oliver.


    As she passed by where Kelly was standing, Kelly took the chance excitedly to mutter, "Congrattions, Miss! I''ve already checked for you, everyone in this ce was extremely envious of you." She couldn''t help but look at Rose after she was done talking.


    "You should be the one standing beside Mr. Young Senior at this moment. My sister was rather immature, I hope you don''t me her."


    Anastasia nced at Kelly. She understood what she meant.


    Anastasia said nothing in reply. She unconsciously looked back at Jonathan, who was standing outside of the crowd. She then continued walking forward.


    "This is my granddaughter. Her name is Rose. Please look forward to seeing her around more in the future."


    Oliver''s voice rang out once again.


    Everyone in the venue heard the name ''Rose''. It garnered everyone''s surprise.


    Miles'' clenched his fists. His pupils shook slightly as if he was seeing the one thing he had been afraid of happening. Anastasia had halted her steps in shock


    The smile on her face dispersed. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Rose? How could it be Rose? She was the only one present besides Oliver since the day he had decided to get a new granddaughter in the hospital.


    Oliver had called her ''Missy before this. She had also suspected the existence of this ''Missy''. However, the doctor had said that Oliver had been hallucinating due to the pressure caused by his brain tumor. "Grandpa."


    Anastasia was almost running for thest few steps. She ran toward Oliver.


    "Look at me, Grandpa..."


    She had wanted Oliver to have a good look at her. She wanted him to see that she was the ''Missy in his hallucination for the past few days. But Oliver only smiled.


    "Move aside, Anastasia. Come, Rosie, you cane over here..."


    Oliver only spared Anastasia a nce. He then turned his body to face Rose. Rose was still stunned. She was on edge feeling everyone''s gazes on her. What did Oliver just say? His granddaughter... Her? She had be the lucky one unexpectedly. Huh... How could that be? It must be a mistake. Rose looked at Oliver''s kind gaze.


    "You... must be joking, right?"


    Did he randomly pick someone to be his granddaughter? Oliver must''ve mistaken her for someone else.


    That thought made Rose even more restless. She didn''t want to impersonate someone else and took over their ce.


    She quickly insisted, "Look at me, I''m Rose!"


    Not his granddaughter! Oliver looked at Rose for a good moment. The more he looked at her the fonder his gaze had be.


    "Yes, Rose, it''s you. Who else would it be if it wasn''t you? You brat!"


    Oliver''s eyes were full of love. It was as if he saw Henrietta when he looked into Rose''s eyes.


    It was like the night when he had suffered from his illness. She was there right beside him while they waited for the ambnce.


    The worried look on her face looked exactly like how Henrietta had looked when she was younger. He knew that he might not live until the day Henrietta came back.


    But at that moment, he decided to love Missy as if she was her daughter. He would fulfill her wishes no matter what she wanted in the future.


    "Don''t reject me, Rosie. Please be my granddaughter."


    Oliver''s gaze turned pleading when he looked at Rose. It was as if he was worried that she would go back


    on her words. Everyone was stunned by the current situation. What''s going on now?


    Did this Rose not want to be Oliver''s granddaughter? He even had to plead to her for it now?


    "Oh my god, what''s wrong with this Rose?"


    "Yeah, this is such a good opportunity. She even looked like she was unwilling."


    "If she didn''t want this opportunity, she should give it to me...


    The crowd started to whisper among themselves. Thelf gaze toward Rose was fur


    of envy.

 Billionire 156

    A Gift from Grandpa


    Kelly listened to the noises around her and found herself clenching her fists. How could it be Rose? Why was she the one?


    Not too far away, Nixon watched Rose with a shocked expression on his face. He would have given anything for it not to be Rose at that moment.. However, Oliver seemed to be cing a lot of his hope on Rose.


    "I guess I underestimated Rose."


    Chloe never thought that Oliver would end up asking Rose to be his granddaughter. This was such a huge opportunity, and Rose just walked right into it.


    If only Nixon had managed to control Rose back then, the Lane family and the Young family would have been inws by now!


    Everyone''s eyes were on Rose. Rose, on the other hand, didn''t know what to do or how to react. Suddenly, Oliver sighed heavily and a single tear slid down his cheek.


    Rose suddenly recalled how much Oliver missed his daughter when they were at the park. Eventually, her resolve crumbled.


    "Alright," she said.


    Almost immediately, the light returned to Oliver''s eyes


    day onwards wo


    "That''s good, that''s good. Here, Rosie, let''s make a toast to this. From part of the/ Young family now."


    Oliver then looked at Miles and gave him a look. The elegant smile on Miles'' face was long gone. However, under Oliver''s watchful eyes, he still took a step forward and handed a ss of juice to Rose Just as Rose was about to ept the ss of juice, Miles suddenly called out her name.


    "Rose..."


    Rose met his eyes and looked at him in confusion. She didn''t know why, but she thought she detected a hurt look in his eyes. She didn''t think much of it, however, and raised her ss at Oliver. She took a step forward and made a toast to him. Oliver clinked his ss with Rose''s and finished everything in it. Then, he took out a ck card and ced it in Rose''s hand.


    He said, "Here you go, Rosie. This is a little gift from me to you. Take good care of it."


    Rose was speechless. The ck card felt incredibly heavy in her hands.


    "Um..."


    Everyone was astonished when they saw the ck card. As expected-only the biggest families would call a ck card a "little gift".


    Rose held the card in her hands. Her mind had gone nk. It wasn''t until she suddenly caught sight of a familiar face standing away from the crowd that she snapped back to reality. Jonathan Finch? What was he doing here? And why did it look like he was looking at her? Nheless, Rose followed his


    line of sight and noticed Anastasia standing right next to her. It dawned on her instantly.


    +IS BONUS


    Anastasia was his new sugar mommy, wasn''t she? He must be here because Anastasia wanted him to attend.


    No wonder he kept telling her to avoid this ce. Was he worried that things would get awkward if they happened to meet? The more Rose thought about it, the heavier her heart felt.


    "Congrats, Rose," Anastasia suddenly spoke up next to her.


    Anastasia collected her emotions and extended her hand toward Rose with a face full of smiles. Rose smiled back at her and shook her hand.


    "Thank you," she answered.


    "You''re the star of the event tonight. Go ahead and have your fun. I''ve got some matters to attend to, so I''ll be taking my leave. We''re going to be a family now, so there''s plenty of time ahead for us to get to know each other," she relied cheekily.


    After saying that, she looked at Miles and said, "Miles, take good care of our new little sister,


    Right after turning around, the smile on Anastasia''s face vanished.


    After Anastasia left, Rose subconsciously started looking for Jonathan. She thought she''d just seen him standing away from the crowd. However, she couldn''t find him anywhere anymore.


    She let out a bitter smile when she thought of something. Of course, his new sugar mommy had just left. Why would he stick around anyway?


    "I''ve got some matters to attend to, so I''ll be taking my leave."


    Anastasia''s words kept resurfacing in Rose''s mind. It felt like something was stabbing her in the heart.


    "She had ''some matters'' to attend to, huh? I wonder what it is, sote at night," Rose mumbled.


    She couldn''t stop thinking about Anastasia rolling in the sheets with her star escort husband after that.


    It affected her so much that she lost all interest in mingling with other peopleing up to congratte her. She just wanted to go home.


    "Miles, I wanna go home," Rose said in a rather tipsy manner, despite not having had much to drink.


    Oliver had retired to bed a while ago. Meanwhile, Miles had been feeling glum, so he had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol as well.


    However, he didn''t want his driver to send her back like this. He was worried.


    "Let me send you home."


    Miles arranged for a car and climbed into the backseat with Rose. As soon as Rose left, Kelly suddenly ran out after them. She noticed the both of them getting into the car together. Her eyes turned hard. "Kelly...


    She heard Nixon calling her name from the back. Kelly softened her gaze and put a cute, innocent smile on her face.


    "Nixon, that was Rose! Did you see her? It was Rose all along!"


    Kelly sounded excited about it. It was like she genuinely felt happy for Rose. When she caught sight of Nixon''s glinting eyes, however, Kelly''s excitement turned into worry. The smile on her face disappeared. you''re not regretting it now, are you?"


    Nixon frowned. Did he regret it? Maybe, just a little.


    He regretted not being more discreet about his affair with Kelly in the past. If only Rose hadn''t found out about Kelly, he would have already married Rose by now.


    And if Rose was his wife, then, Celeste Jewels would belong to him. He would even get to be Oliver''s grandson-inw.


    "Kelly, Grandma wants me to get back together with Rose," Nixon said, remembering what Chloe told him just now. He felt guilty toward Kelly.


    Kelly''s hands clenched into fists. A split secondter, there was a sad look in her eyes as she smiled bitterly at him.


    ¡°I understand where Mrs. Lane Senior ising from, I had never been able to measure up to my sister


    anyway.


    "Now that she''s officially part of the Young family, her worth would have raised even more."


    The hurt was evident in Kelly''s eyes. Nixon immediately felt bad for her.


    He grabbed her hands and said, "Don''t worry. You''re still the one I love the most. It''s just that I can''t exactly go against my granma''s wishes either."


    "I know that," Kelly answered.


    Nixon wasn''t part of her n anymore anyway, but it would still hurt if he were to get back with Rose again. She didn''t think it was fair.


    On the other hand, maybe Nixon getting back with Rose would prove advantageous for her after all. Kelly thought about Jonathan and started to smirk, but it quickly disappeared from her face. Instead, she looked at Nixon and said in a kind and understanding manner, "Nixon, no matter what you do, I''ll always support you. If you want to get back together with my sister, I can help you." For a moment, Nixon felt even worse about the whole situation. He was sorry for Kelly.


    He held her hands and said, "Kelly, I swear to the moon that I''ve never loved Rose, Ljust want her fame, position, and identity. Once I''m done with her, I will return to you and treat you well for the rest of my life."


    At the same time, Miles had just sent Rose home. Back then, he never said a single word. But when Rose was about to leave the car, he grabbed her wrist and called out her name.


    "Rose

 Billionire 157

    Star Escort Husband is Home!


    Rose turned around. Miles'' gaze made her freeze in ce


    "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"


    Rose recalled the incident earlier when she admitted she was Oliver''s granddaughter.


    Feeling like she should give Miles an exnation, she said, "I didn''t know he was Mr. Young Senior, Miles. We met purely out of coincidence the other day-


    She exined what happened the other day, including how she sent Oliver to the hospital.


    "But I''m still not sure why he''s taken me on as his granddaughter."


    As if recalling something. Rose then took out the card Oliver had given her during the event before.


    "Could you help me return this to Mr. Young Senior, Miles?"


    It was too precious a gift. Miles remained staring right at Rose, not epting the card she handed him. Silence fell in the air between them.


    Rose began feeling ufortable with his staring. She was about to exin herself further when Miles smiled. It was an exasperated, bitter one.


    *If Grandpa hears you calling him Mr. Young Senior, he''s going to get upset," Miles teased.


    He nced at the card in Rose''s hand. "Keep Grandpa''s gift to you. You can buy whatever you like with it. Don''t hold back"


    Rose was taken aback by this


    "Hurry back inside now


    Miles let go of her hand, his smile now serene and calm. Rose stepped out of the car and it quickly drove


    out of sight


    When she went into the house, the lights were off. Disappointment surfaced within her. Looks like she''d been hoping her star escort husband would be home. Rose heaved a long sigh. "Why so upset? You''ve already been so lucky"


    A voice rang out from the darkness.


    "Ah!" Rose shrieked


    She quickly switched on the lights in the room. Her star escort husband was standing out on the balcony, arms crossed over his chest as he beamed at her.


    Rose''s mind grew nk for a moment before she asked. "What are you doing here?"


    eyes never


    "Where else do you think I''d be?" Jonathan cocked his eyebrow, sitting down on the couch. His ey


    once left Rose


    He was feeling ecstatic right now. Now that Oliver had taken in Rose as his granddaughter, Miles would officially be her brother. That meant Miles wouldn''t be able to pursue Rose anymore Hence Jonathan had left even before the event ended. When he''d seen Miles drive Rose back just now,


    he even sent a friendly text message to Miles.


    Rose''s scalp prickled at the sight of Jonathan''s possessive gaze. Where did Rose think he would be? At the Young Estate, of course, with his new love interest


    Rose met Jonathan''s gaze with a roll of her eyes. She then went back to her room to wash Miles'' expression darkened upon reading the text message Jonathan had sent him. *Congrattions on having a new sister, Mr. Young."


    1. up. Meanwhile,


    Even through the screen, Miles could imagine just how pleased Jonathan was when he sent this text message. Miles no longer had a chance to retaliate, however.


    His heart bunched into knots as he tossed his phone to the side.


    "Drive me to somece where I can get a drink


    he ordered the driver.


    Miles ended up drunk off his ass.


    Jamie hadn''t attended the event hosted by the Young family due to his face injury. The moment Kelly returned home, Jamie and Chelsea immediately asked her who was the one the Young family chose. Envy boiled in Kelly''s heart when she thought about Rose.


    "I... I didn''t go."


    Kelly didn''t want to tell Jamie it was Rose who got chosen.


    "Why not?" Jamie could see the disappointment on Kelly''s face. "Did something happen?"


    One look at Jamie and Kelly immediately started crying. Jamie''s and Chelsea''s hearts ached at the sight. They instantly went to console her. After some more questioning, Kelly finally croaked out. "The Lane. The Lane family might call off the wedding engagement."


    "Why...?"


    Jamie was in disbelief at first. But when he saw how upset Kelly was, he flew into a rage.


    "How could the Lane family push you around like this? I''m going to go over there right now and demand


    an answer!"


    Jamie was about to rush out the door when Kelly stopped him.


    She put on a pitiful act and said, "Don''t go, Dad. What if Mrs. Lane Senior questions you about my background? How would you answer?" Jamie froze on the spot, suddenly realizing the Lane family was calling off the engagement because of what Rose said the other day. "Damn you, Rose!" Jamie snarled to himself.


    Kelly recalled Nixon''s words from earlier, what he said about being unable to keep this news silent as they needed to appease Rose.


    They needed to make sure this news was spread far and wide, making Kelly appear as if she was suffering. But why did Kelly have to suffer? She angrily ground her teeth, feeling upset.


    "Dad, the Lane family has decided to announce that the wedding is over at the Aquastead Hotel tomorrow, where it was announcedst time. We have to be there," Kelly said, a tear falling down her


    cheek.


    Jamie got so furious he flung the sses on the table to the floor, shattering them.


    "We''ll be there! We''re not going to just let them humiliate us!"


    Kelly sobbed harder, gnawing on her lip. Chelsea cried along with her by her side. The three harbored anger for a time.


    In the end, Kelly said with a bitter sigh, "Let''s just go, Dad. I don''t want to make things difficult for Nixon."


    "Silly girl," Chelsea said weakly.


    She quickly helped Kelly back to her room, thetter already pale from how much she''d been crying. The moment they shut the door, Kelly''s expression turned to one of sheer hatred. "What happened exactly that made the Lane family call the engagement off?" Chelsea asked, wiping her


    tears away.


    She knew her daughter like the back of her hand.


    If the Lane family called the engagement off only because of what Rose said the other day, Kelly could''ve turned the situation to her benefit instead of being pushed around like this. "Hmph. Rose happened, of course. She''s always so lucky. The new granddaughter Mr. Young Senior took in was Rose," Kelly gritted out.


    If it was anyone else, Kelly would''ve only felt admiration for them. But since it was Rose, she felt nothing


    but envy.


    "What did you say?" Chelsea gasped.


    "Rose is now Mr. Young Senior''s granddaughter, which makes her part of their family. Now that she has them backing her up, I''m doomed to always be the losing party. I don''t ept this, Mom. Even the Lane family is humiliating me just so they can kiss her ass!" Kelly cried angrily.


    If she wasn''t trying to prevent Jamie from suspecting anything, she would''ve smashed everything in her room to the floor by now to vent her anger.


    But Chelsea had a feeling something was off.


    "Why would Mr. Young Senior choose Rose for no reason?"


    Chelsea didn''t believe in luck. There must be some reason why Oliver chose Rose.


    As If realizing this, Kelly met her mother''s gaze, saying, "There must be some reason behind it. I need to find out what it is."

 Billionire 158

    Who''s Rose Married To


    Kelly''s eyes sparkled with anticipation. She was determined to find out why Oliver had chosen Rose. If possible, she would stop at nothing to shatter Rose''s dream of bing a part of the Youngs. But where should she start? Suddenly, Kelly remembered the woman she had seen in the main hall of Young Estate today.


    She recalled that when Oliver announced Rose as his new granddaughter, that youngdy had appeared surprised. Oliver called her Anastasia.


    Kelly''s eyes lit up as she hastily took out her phone and searched for the name "Anastasia". Anastasia Young, the heiress to the Young family. It turned out she was originally a member of the Youngs! Since Anastasia didn''t like Rose, perhaps Kelly could start with Anastasia. With this thought in mind, Kelly''s excitement gradually grew.


    She silently vowed, "Mom, I know what to do now. Don''t worry. If the Lane family wants to use me to please Rose, I''ll make them regret it someday."


    The next day, Rose went to the office as usual. Upon arriving, she found numerous people waiting in the meeting room. William hurried to Rose when he saw her.


    "Ms. Shaffer, I don''t know what''s going on. But when I arrived at the office today, these people were already here, saying they wanted to work with Celeste Jewels."


    These potential coborators included suppliers of various jewelry materials and invitations fromrge designer studios for joint designs with Celeste Jewels. Rose, of course, knew the reason behind this.


    Last night, Oliver had announced her as his new granddaughter, and these people had already discovered herpany overnight. The Young family''s reputation was indeed influential.


    Since business was knocking on her door, Rose had no reason to decline. For the whole morning, she dealt with these people. Around noon, Anastasia unexpectedly arrived.


    "Rosie, are you finished with your work? If you are, let me take you out for lunch."


    Anastasia was dressed in luxury, exuding the air of a youngdy from a prestigious family. She walked directly into Rose''s office as if they were well-acquainted. The sudden familiarity caught Rose off guard.


    "Do you n


    need something from me, Ms. Young?"


    Sensing Rose''s slightly distant attitude, Anastasia immediately looked at Rose coquettishly.


    "Rosie, have you already forgotten in just one night? I''m your sister now. If you continue to be this reserved, I might have toin to Grandpa."


    Anastasia reached for Rose''s wrist and said, "Come on, I''m taking you out for lunch. Miles entrusted this task to me. If he hadn''t been so drunkst night, he would have picked you up himself."


    -Miles get drunk? When he had parted ways with Rosest night, he had beenpletely sober. Not


    dwelling on it, Rose allowed Anastasia to take her out of the office.


    Anastasia drove them to Aquastead Hotel, and once they arrived at the rooftop garden restaurant, Nixon


    173


    called. Rose only checked the caller ID and promptly declined the call. However, the caller seemed relentless, continuously calling her number.


    "Who


    t? Why aren''t you answering?" Anastasia asked, frowning.


    Rose smirked.


    "A disgusting person. Let me take the call."


    Even if he was disgusting, she had no choice but to answer. Rose walked to the restroom while taking the call.


    "Nixon, are you trying to inform me of your death in advance?" She spoke without any courtesy.


    Every pore on her body exuded disgust toward Nixon. On the other end of the call, Nixon gritted his teeth and thought that Rose was despicable and was nothing like Kelly. However, considering Rose''s current rtionship with the Young family, he had no other choice but to endure. He immediately put on a smiling face.


    "Don''t be angry, Rose. I called to ask you out for a meal."


    Hearing that, Rose was speechless for a moment. Why was he asking her out for a meal? Didn''t he disdainfully issue a warning to her at the Young Estatest night?


    His attitude had changed in just one night? Of course, Rose knew the reason behind it, but she remainedposed.


    "Tell me. Why are you asking me out for a meal?"


    Nixon replied, "Because I want to apologize to you. We had some misunderstandings before, and I hope you won''t hold it against me. We were so good together back then.


    "As long as we both let go, everything can go back to the way it was."


    Rose felt like she had just heard a huge joke.


    "Why do you think we were ever good together? If we were so good, why did you cheat on me with Kelly?"


    She chuckled coldly.


    Before hanging up the phone, Rose addressed Nixon on the other end firmly, "Go back to the way it was. In your dreams!"


    She hung up the phone, feeling satisfied. Nixon would go wherever there were benefits. He was truly disgusting. In the hallway of Aquastead Hotel''s rooftop garden restaurant, Nixon frowned. Kelly was standing next to him, and she had heard the entire phone conversation between Rose and Nixon. She bit her lip, looking upset.


    "Rose minds that we were together behind her back. It''s all my fault. I''m a burden to


    you,


    Nixon."


    "Don''t say that, Kelly. It''s not your fault. We love each other, and neither of us is to me," Nixonforted Kelly gently as he held her hand.


    It was Rose''s fault for finding out about them and suddenly getting married, which had ruined his engagement with Kelly.


    Now, he had to deal with Rose. Not only did he need to hurt Kelly, but he also had to find a way to locate Rose''s husband.


    "Kelly, who''s Rose married to?" Nixon asked in confusion.


    He had been searching for a long time but couldn''t find any information about Rose''s husband. The county clerk''s office system repeatedly showed "unknown".


    "Have you met him?" Nixon asked, staring at Kelly.


    A fleeting sense of guilt passed through Kelly''s eyes.


    "No, I haven''t."


    She couldn''t tell him that the man Rose had married was none other than Jonathan. Kelly didn''t want him to investigate Rose''s husband''s identity, so she immediately tried to divert his attention. "What should we do if Rose doesn''t show up?"


    Although she said that, she knew Rose had already arrived. She thought back to her encounter with Anastasia outside Century Tower.


    Anastasia''s appearance at Rose''spany building early in the morning showed that the former had a keen interest in Rose.


    Kelly had approached her and mentioned Aquastead Hotel, but she hadn''t expected that Anastasia had brought Rose here with her.


    "I''ll think of a way. Kelly, if I hurt youter, don''t be mad at me. I promise to make it up to you."


    Nixon held Kelly''s hand. As they made their way back to the private room, Rose wasing out of the restroom. The moment Rose passed by one of the private rooms, she heard a voice calling her.


    "Rosie?"


    When she saw the person who had called her, she instinctively frowned.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior?"


    Chloe came forward with great enthusiasm, shaking Rose''s hand.


    "Rosie, you''re finally here. Come on in. We''ve been waiting for you.

 Billionire 159

    My Hubby Misses Me


    Rose felt dumbfounded, and she found the world quite amusing. Even when she was engaged to Nixon, Chloe always called her "Rose" and maintained an air of superiority.


    Rose had never seen Chloe act so warmly.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior, I have something else to do. I''ll take my leave," Rose said calmly, brushing Chloe''s hand away.


    This stunned Chloe, but immediately, her expression changed slightly as she seemed to notice something. Following her line of sight, Rose saw Nixon and Kelly hand in hand as they approached.


    It appeared that before Rose and Chloe noticed them, Nixon had whispered some flirtatious words to Kelly, making her blush.


    "Ahem, ahem."


    Chloe cleared her throat, finally catching the attention of Nixon and Kelly. The two of them were momentarily stunned and quickly released each other''s hands.


    Nixon even gave Kelly a little push, which made her lose her bnce and fall to the ground.


    "Ah!" she cried out in pain.


    Just as Nixon wanted to help her up, Chloe cleared her throat again, and he immediately retracted his hand. The series of events left Rosepletely bbergasted.


    Then she remembered the phone call Nixon had made earlier, and suddenly everything seemed clear to her. She cast a mocking look at the few people.


    "Mr. Lane, you shouldn''t treat your fianc¨¦e like this. You im to love her so much, but you don''t seem to cherish her at all," Rose said gleefully.


    She hadn''t forgotten Kelly''s triumphant expression at their engagement party here at Aquastead Hotel. Didn''t she im that Nixon loved her? Was this what love looked like? + Kelly knew Rose was mocking her, but at this moment, she had no choice but to endure it.


    Then she heard Chloe exining to Rose anxiously, "What fianc¨¦e? You''ve misunderstood, Rosie. Come inside. We''ve all been waiting for you."


    As Chloe said that, she pulled Rose into the private room, which was filled with many people. While Rose was still pondering Chloe''s words, she sensed a strong undercurrent of gossip. Before she could investigate further, Chloe signaled Nixon. Nixon nced at Kelly and eventually kneeled in front of Rose. Seeing that, Rose was taken aback and instinctively took a step back. Nixon''s voice was nauseating as he said, "Rosie, I was wrong. I shouldn''t have betrayed you back then, but it wasn''t intentional. I was seduced and blinded


    His confession left her speechless. Was he admitting that he cheated on her? Interesting!


    After a nce at Kelly, Rose grew more intrigued. She wanted to see how shameless Nixon could be and, at the same time, gauge Kelly''s reaction. Rose remained silent, making Nixon uneasy. Since he had already spoken up, he had to win Rose over today. Or else, he would be at


    Nixon seemed determined as he continued, "Rosie, as long as you can forgive me, I''m willing to do anything. I''ve decided to call off my engagement with Kelly, and I promise not to have any further contact


    with her."


    Yet Rose stayed silent. Frowning, he appeared somewhat impatient, and he nced at Kelly.


    Kelly was clenching her fists tightly, feeling deeply humiliated. But knowing she still needed to use Nixon to deal with Rose, she endured the humiliation and kneeled beside Nixon.


    "Wow!"


    Rose couldn''t help but exim in astonishment. That exmation sounded unbearable in Kelly''s ears. Gritting her teeth, she spoke in a tone that blended sincerity and aggrievement.


    "Rose, it''s my fault for seducing Nixon. Please forgive him. It was just a mistake. I''m sorry for what I''ve done to both of you."


    If Rose didn''t know Kelly well, she might have believed her sincerity. But she knew Kelly was self-conscious, proud, and self-assured.


    Rose was well aware that Kelly''s confession of seducing Nixon was far moreplex than it appeared.


    At this thought, she grew more vignt Puzzled, she looked at Nixon and Kelly and asked, "What are you two trying to do?"


    Her question stunned Nixon. He couldn''t believe Rose was still clueless, despite everything he had done. Just then, Chloe exined softly, "Rosie, starting today, the engagement between Nixon and Kelly is called off. You and Nixon have had a long-standing engagement, and he genuinely loves you."


    "Haha."


    Rose couldn''t hold back herughter any longer. Everything was clear to her now.


    When Nixon had called her to ask her out for a meal, it was to officially call off his engagement with Kelly in front of her.


    He expected that after she vented her anger, she would forgive him and be with him again. Ha! Rose rolled her eyes. Why did he think that she''d spare him another nce?


    After a deep breath, Rose felt disgusted looking at their faces for a moment longer, so she decisively walked out the door.


    "Rosie."


    Chloe urgently caught up to her and didn''t forget to urge Nixon. At once, Nixon stood up and blocked Rose''s path as she attempted to exit the room. His action finally provoked Rose. She nced back at Chloe and asked, "What are you doing? Are you trying to stop me from leaving?"


    Before, Chloe wouldn''t have been so patient.


    But thinking about the Young family, she wore a loving smile and said, "You''ve misunderstood, Rosie. Why would we stop you from leaving? Both Nixon and I just want to talk to you sincerely." Rose sneered. Their sincerity was probably directed at the Young family. Since they were pestering her,


    23


    she didn''t n to be polite anymore. She looked at the group and spoke coldly.


    "Nixon, when you got engaged to Kellyst time, she told me that you loved her. I''ve always remembered. that, and I truly appreciate her for seducing you.


    "I also genuinely believe that you two are a match made in heaven. So whether or not your engagement is called off has nothing to do with me. I don''t care whatever you do."


    When Rose saw Nixon''s expression turn ugly, she rolled her eyes at him. Suddenly, her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID disying "star escort husband'', she smiled and looked into Nixon''s eyes. "My hubby misses me. You guys can continue with what you''re doing."

 Billionire 160

    His Sudden Appearance


    Smiling, Rose left the room. Nixon noticed the word husband" on her phone. Then he heard her answer the call from behind.


    "Hubby."


    Her voice was sweet and affectionate. It was as if she wanted to tell Nixon and the others that she was happy in her married life and that they should all keep their distance.


    Frowning, Nixon looked to Chloe for help. Yet Chloe had a dark expression and didn''t say a word. She looked at Kelly with disdain, as if she were channeling all her resentment toward thetter. Once Rose was far away, Chloe pointed fingers and voiced her contempt.


    "If it weren''t for some woman back then, Nixon and Rose would have been married a long time ago. If that person had any self-awareness, she should have stayed far away and not appeared in our sight."


    She


    She seemed to have forgotten her original n of sending Rose to Jonathan to secure a better future for the Lane family.


    Hearing that, Kelly felt a sharp pain in her heart, and she couldn''t bear to stay any longer. She quickly ran out of the room. *Kelly."


    "Do you want to lose everything, Nixon?"


    Nixon wanted to go after her, but he reconsidered when Chloe threatened him. Chloe gave him a stern warning.


    "You''re not allowed to have any further contact with Kelly. Otherwise, you know the consequences."


    Nixon clenched his teeth.


    "I know, Grandma."


    After Rose called him "hubby", Jonathan was stunned for a moment. It had been a long time since he had heard her use that term. But soon, he realized that she wouldn''t say that without a reason. "What happened?" he asked with concern.


    Without beating around the bush, Rose replied, "Nothing. I just needed your name to fend off some disgusting people."


    Jonathan was left speechless. He wondered if he should be grateful that he was still useful to her.


    Do you need me to intervene?"


    He was more than willing.


    However, Rose immediately declined, saying, "No, no.


    While they were speaking, she had already walked into the restaurant lobby and spotted Anastasia waving


    at her.


    She muttered to Jonathan, "I have something to take care of. I''ll talk to youter."


    Rose hung up, leaving Jonathan eager to see her.


    "Where are you?"


    He sent her a text. Rose had just returned to her seat and noticed Jonathan''s message. Yet she didn''t respond to it. After waiting for a while and receiving no reply, Jonathan decided to call her. When Rose saw his call, she was startled, and her body trembled.


    "Rosie, what''s wrong? You''ve been away for a while. Has something happened?"


    Anastasia nced at Rose''s phone and, from her reaction, deduced that it was Jonathan calling. Without hesitation, she redirected Rose''s attention.


    As expected, Rose hurriedly hung up the call. Somewhat absentmindedly, she replied, "I ran into a few familiar faces and chatted with them. Sorry to keep you waiting, Ms. Young."


    She subconsciously used "Ms. Young", which triggered another protest from Anastasia.


    "Did you forget again? I''m your sister now. Just call me Ana."


    Yet Rose couldn''t bring herself to address Anatasia so intimately, so she just smiled politely. Anastasia sensed Rose''s caution and didn''t press any further.


    However, after just a minute, Jonathan''s call came again.


    Remembering her promise to him that she would answer his calls at any time, Rose felt a bit uneasy. But the fact that his new sponsor was sitting across from her made the situation extremely weird. Just as Rose was grappling with her thoughts, Anastasia said with a smile, ''Go ahead and take the call. We''re all family here."


    The word "family" further weirded Rose out, but she didn''t dwell on it and answered the call.


    "Hello?"


    "I want to see you." Jonathan''s voice was deep and seductive.


    Rose had just taken a sip of water to disguise her unease. But his unexpected words caught her off guard. She was so surprised that she spat out the water in her mouth.


    The water dampened the table in front of her and her dress.


    "Rosie, your clothes are wet."


    Anastasia immediately rose to her feet and came closer. At the other end of the call, Jonathan heard themotion. He was about to inquire about what was happening when the call abruptly ended. "Sorry, it was an ident."


    Rose held her phone tightly, afraid that Anastasia might notice that the caller was Jonathan. s, Anastasia still caught a glimpse of the contact name on her phone-star escort husband. When she recalled Jonathan using "wifey" as Rose''s contact name, she couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed.


    Smiling-she said, "Rosie, something came up. I need to go now. You can take a cab backter." Before Rose could respond, Anastasia had already turned away. As she turned, her smile disappeared. Rose was left perplexed. She wasn''t dumb. Anastasia''s im that something came up was an excuse. Did Anastasia discover something?


    At this thought, Rose frowned. She wondered what was wrong with herself. Why did she act like at homewrecker? After all, she and Jonathan were husband and wife in name.


    With a deep breath, Rose cleared her mind and prepared to continue her meal. However, Jonathan''s phone call interrupted her once again.


    "Where are you?" he asked directly.


    By this time, he had already left Finch Building and was on his way to find Rose.


    Since Anastasia had left, Rose responded without any reservations, "Garden restaurant in Aquastead


    Hotel."


    "Wait for me," Jonathan instructed, and then hung up the phone.


    Rose nced at her phone but didn''t think much of his words.


    After a busy morning of work and the earliermotion, she was indeed quite hungry. So she asked for a waiter and ced her order to satisfy her hunger.


    20 minutester, Rose was enjoying her meal when a familiar figure walked past her and took a seat across from her. She looked up and almost spat out the juice in her mouth when she saw the man. Thankfully, she managed to regain herposure and swallow the juice.


    "Why.. Why are you here?"


    "I told you, I wanted to see you. I also told you to wait for me."


    Jonathan stared at Rose with a tinge of sadness. Did she not take his words seriously, or did she have no expectations of him at all? Knowing that it was thetter, Jonathan sighed inwardly.


    His gaze toward Rose gradually carried a hint of grievance.


    "I''m hungry."


    Rose didn''t know what to say, and the corner of her lips twitched. Hungry? Couldn''t he order food for himself? However, Jonathan stared at her and then at the food in front of her, as if saying, "Feed me!" Rose instinctively refused in her mind and was about to call a waiter over for him.


    But as she was about to speak, Jonathan seemed to see through her thoughts. He didn''t give her a chance and bluntly made his request.


    "I want to eat yours. Feed me

 Billionire 161

    They Got Married


    They Got Married


    "It''s not necessary."


    Rose smiled. She wished she had covered his mouth earlier. How did he make such a request?


    She nced around, intending to remind him that this was a public ce. Wouldn''t he feel embarrassed to be fed in public. However, she didn''t understand Jonathan''s thoughts at all.


    For him, there''s no problem being fed by his wife in public. After all, he was not being fed by others.


    He lowered his eyebrows sadly as he said, "I''m kind enough to help you. I don''t even ask for interest on the one billion..."


    Rose almost wanted to ask him to ask for interest instead of asking to be fed.


    However, as she realized the amount of interest of one billion, she immediately felt that feeding him didn''t seem to be difficult.


    Taking a deep breath, she quickly cut a piece of steak and stuffed it into his mouth. As she did this, she looked around cautiously, making sure that no one would notice.


    Even so, she didn''t dare to dy for a moment. After feeding him the steak, she quickly withdrew her hand, as if nothing had happened. Jonathan looked satisfied after eating. As one bite was not enough for him, he requested, "I want more."


    Rose was doing some mental preparation. After the first time, it was easier the second time. She cut the steak and stuffed it into his mouth.


    When Nixon and Chloe came out of the private room and were about to leave the restaurant, he saw Rose and a man sitting opposite each other.


    From this angle, he could only see Rose and the man''s back. Rose was feeding the man. The two of them seemed very sweet. Nixon''s eyes froze when he thought of Rose''s husband.


    Could the man be her husband? He wanted to go up and find out what was going on. However, Chloe saw through his intentions and grabbed him.


    "You still want to provoke Rose?" she asked as she frowned.


    She knew that Rose''s marriage was a fact. If she wanted to win her over, her husband would be an obstacle. However, it was nothing difficult for her.


    As long as she had the will, she could spend some money. If money didn''t work, there were other ways. As long as she could achieve her goal. Nixon was a little dazed as he looked at the man''s back. "Grandma, do you feel like you''ve seen the man''s back somewhere?"


    He felt familiar, but he couldn''t recognize it. Chloe didn''t take it seriously. She nced at him impatiently, turned around, and left.


    Nixon nced at Rose and the man again. Then, he quickly followed Chloe without thinking much.


    apter 161 They Got Mamed


    Meanwhile, in the hotel''s luxurious suite, Anastasia was smoking irritably.


    After entering the room for a long time, she stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, with a chill all over her body. She remained silent. Behind her, Kelly furrowed her brows.


    Just now, they saw Jonathan going to find Rose. Since then, Anastasia''s expression remained dark. She must have hated Rose to death.


    "My sister won first ce in the National Jewelry Design Award held by the Young family. Her work was bought by Mr. Finch," Kelly suddenly said.


    Anastasia turned and looked at her.


    Kelly paused for a moment before continuing. "Mr. Finch''s novelty toward my sister might just be temporary. In my opinion, you and him are a match made in heaven."


    Kelly had investigated before. She had seen all the news. Anastasia loved Jonathan so much that she must not be able to tolerate Rose''s existence.


    However, Anastasia could see through her thoughts at a nce.


    "Don''t talk nonsense. I''m married," she sneered.


    Kelly seemed to throw caution to the wind as she said, "You''re getting divorced, aren''t you? There must be a reason why you got married back then. As long as you are divorced, there are still many possibilities with Mr. Finch."


    Her words pleased Anastasia. However, she was still wary of Kelly.


    After a long silence, she asked, "What do you want?"


    Kelly''s eyes lit up. She knew that Anastasia was examining whether she was qualified to be her ally.


    "I hate Rose; no, I resent her. I don''t want her to get anything good. How can she be worthy of Mr. Finch''s status?" she said fiercely, not concealing her jealousy toward Rose.


    Anastasia stared at her. A figure suddenly appeared in her mind. She also hated Harriette back then. She was jealous of everything she had until she disappeared


    Seeing that she didn''t speak for a long time, Kelly thought that her confession was not


    Hence, she looked even more excited.


    enough.


    "I hate her, so I snatched away her fiance. I also want to snatch away anything from her. However, I don''t know where she got her good luck, but Mr. Young Senior took a fancy to her and epted her as his granddaughter. As soon as she got into the Young family, the Lane family immediately broke off the engagement with me and humiliated me in front of Rose. I must avenge this."


    She almost yelled out thest (e


    words through gritted teeth. As Anastasia met her jealous eyes, she was certain that she was a good helper in dealing with Rose. However "What can you do?" she sneered.


    She stared at Kelly, asking for her usefulness. Kelly''s eyes shed.


    They ?


    She met Anastasia''s gaze and raised a smile as she said, "Mr. Finch and Rose are getting married."


    The sneer on Anastasia''s face froze instantly. They were getting married?


    "How is that possible? I haven''t heard anything."


    Her eyes shed with disbelief. How could Jonathan get married so easily? Even Harriette''s attempt to force him to get married was unsessful.


    He had juste to Aquastead not long ago, and he had only just met Rose. How could he possibly get married?


    "Nixon once investigated Rose''s marital status. It showed that she was married, and her spouse was unknown. I think with the Young family''s ability, they can find out whether Rose''s spouse is Mr. Finch. I also know that Rose doesn''t know Mr. Finch''s identity."


    Kelly knew that the information she gave was enough to make Anastasia feel that she was a useful person. Hence, she didn''t stay any longer.


    After she left, Anastasia immediately called a senior official who was close to the Young family in Aquastead. It didn''t take long for her to get the answer she wanted. Rose''s spouse was Jonathan. Besides, Jonathan seemed to have made it clear that the information would not be leaked out.


    "What tricks did she use on him?"


    She was extremely angry. There was Harriette in the past, and now there was Rose. They were all blocking her way. She angrily threw the cup on the table and strode out of the room.


    When she arrived downstairs at the hotel, she saw Jonathan and Rose getting into the car. His considerate look stung her eyes.


    As if to confirm something, she immediately drove and followed.

 Billionire 162

    Staying Out All Night


    When Rose returned to thepany, Jonathan stayed in the reception room of Celeste Jewels all afternoon like an unemployed vagrant


    Anastasia followed to Century tower. She stared at the exit of the building. As everyone got off work, Rose and Jonathan walked out hand in hand Jonathan''s eyes se d to be fixed on Rose Seeing the two of them getting into the car, Anastasia''s hand holding the steering wheel was trembling She followed the two of them all the way to Zenwood Gardens.


    They went home like an ordinary couple.


    If she hadn''t seen it with her own eyes, she would have never believed that Jonathan, who always gave cold eyes to other women approaching, seemed to take the initiative to stick to Rose. Anastasia then went back to Young Estate.


    Upon seeing her, Oliver frowned and asked, "Where''s Rosie?"


    Anastasia clenched her fists. However, as if nothing happened, she soon put on a smile.


    "Grandpa, have you forgotten? She doesn''t live here.


    "She''s the granddaughter of the Young family, of course she''ll live here."


    Oliver truly wanted to see Rose.


    Frowning, he ordered Patrick, the old butler, "Prepare a room for Rosie. I''ll pick her up personally


    tomorrow."


    Patrick immediately made the preparation. Oliver''s attitude toward Rose made Anastasia jealous Back then, she was not brought back to the Young family by Oliver.


    He simply walked around the orphanage and finally pointed at her. Later Patrick came forward to handle the adoption procedures and brought her back to Young Estate Oliver''s joy and attention were obviously much more toward Rose. However, she was happy to see him take Rose over to live with him.


    The next afternoon, the Young family''s car was parked downstairs at Century Tower. Oliver did not go up but waited downstairs.


    As soon as Rose went downstairs, Patrick led a row of bodyguards to greet her.


    "Ms. Rose..." He bowed to her.


    Rose was shocked by the spectacle. If she hadn''t recognized who Patrick was, she would have turned. around and run away. Fortunately, she remained steady.


    "Is there something wrong?" she asked politely.


    With a smile all over his face, Patrick answered, "Ms. Rose, I''m here to take y


    you home."


    Staying Out All Night


    Rose was stunned for a moment. She followed Patrick''s gaze and saw Oliver waving to her. Even from a certain distance, she could feel his kindness and joy. She trotted forward.


    "Mr. Young...


    When she just called out, she saw a hint of disappointment in Oliver''s eyes.


    "Grandpa.."


    She immediately changed the address.


    Oliver instantly beamed with joy.


    "Remember, I''m your grandpa!"


    He looked at her as if he really took her as his granddaughter. Rose had never felt such sincere love and pampering since her mother passed away.


    She was stunned for a moment before calling out again, "Grandpa.


    Oliver was extremely satisfied as he said, "Get in the car. I''ll take you home."


    At that moment, Rose thought of her mother. When she was in kindergarten, her mother would pick her up no matter how busy she was.


    Every time she would hold her hand and tell her, "I''ll take you home."


    Rose was in a daze. She couldn''t resist but get in the car. The car drove smoothly. In the spacious carriage, Oliver never took his eyes off her for a moment.


    Until they arrived at Young Estate, he kept holding her hands. As soon as she entered the door, all the


    servants bowed.


    "Ms. Rose."


    She was a little ufortable with such a grand spectacle. However, she held her breath and smiled politely. Entering the dining room, Anastasia had been waiting for a long time.


    When she saw Rose, she immediately greeted her, "Rosie,e and sit here. Miles knows what you like to eat. The chef has cooked everything you liked today."


    She enthusiastically pulled her to sit down opposite Miles.


    "Miles."


    Rose was slightly startled when she saw Miles. Every time she saw Miles in the past, he always had an elegant smile on his face. However, even though he put on a smile today, he didn''t give her a look. Anastasia nced at Miles and said deliberately, "Since you call me Ana, you should call him something else too."


    Miles''s frown deepened. He stood up abruptly.


    "Grandpa, I still have some things to deal with. I''m going back to my room first."


    Shaving Out All ND?N


    Then, he turned around and left the dining room, disappearing from everyone''s sight.


    "What''s wrong with him today? He seems sulky."


    Anastasia knew the reason, but she deliberately pretended to be confused. There was a hint of sadne


    in Rose''s eyes. She wondered if Miles was unhappy because of her.


    Just then, Oliver said, "Leave him alone. Rosie, you must be hungry. Patrick, please serve the food."


    Soon, Patrick arranged for the food to be served, Rose was indeed hungry. During the meal, Oliver was very enthusiastic in letting her try the dishes.


    After dinner, the doctor came to do Oliver''s daily physical examination. Anastasia then took Rose to the room prepared by Patrick.


    "Rosie, this is your room. I''m staying over there, and Miles''s room is right next to yours," she introduced in detail.


    Rose nced at Miles''s closed door. The expression on his face just now still lingered in her mind. She didn''t even pay attention to Anastasia''s words after entering the room.


    After Anastasia left, she closed the door. Just then, her phone rang. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the word "star escort husband". She seemed to have forgotten to inform him. She immediately picked up the phone.


    "I probably won''t be back tonight


    There was a moment of silence on the other side of the phone. She seemed to see his frown across the phone.


    After a while, Jonathan spat out a few words, "Staying outside all night?"


    Rose frowned as she strode to the balcony. She was preparing to have a good talk with him.


    Just hen, she turned her head and saw Miles leaning on the railing on the balcony next door, staring at her with aplicated expression.


    "Hello..." she greeted subconsciously.


    On the other end of the phone, Jonathan''s eyes darkened. He wondered whom she was greeting.

 Billionire 163

    His Feelings for Rose


    Just as Jonathan was about to inquire, Rose hurriedly hung up the phone. He stared at the phone in confusion. Who was she greeting in thiste night?


    He suddenly thought of someone. To confirm his suspicions, he called Miles. The phone rang twice before it was answered.


    "Hello?"


    Miles''s voice was full ofziness. Even through the phone, the slight smile on his face seemed to reach Jonathan.


    "Where''s Rose?"


    Jonathan''s voice was urgent and cold. Miles took a deep look at Rose. He thought she was talking to her husband just now, but he didn''t expect it was Jonathan,


    Calling Rose sote at night, it seemed Jonathan didn''t take her husband seriously.


    "She''s Grandpa''s new granddaughter, so she belongs to the Young family. It makes sense for her back to Young Estate at night.


    10


    The smile at the corner of Miles''s mouth became even thicker, Jonathan''s face became even more dark, Jonathan hung up the phone with gloomy eyes,


    When they talked on the phone, Miles''s voice was very low, Rose, who was on the balcony next door, only saw him nce at her while talking on the phone before looking away.


    She originally nned to take the opportunity to find out whether the reason he was unhappy in the dining room just now was because of her,


    However, she couldn''t disturb his conversation with others. Just as she was giving up her thoughts and preparing to go back to her room, Miles stopped her.


    "Rose..."


    She turned and met his eyes.


    "Yes?"


    A subtle strangeness appeared in Miles''s eyes for a moment before disappearing.


    "You can just call me Miles."


    This was what Rose wanted.


    "Want to have a drink?" Miles asked as he shook the wine ss in his hand.


    Rose had no reason to refuse his warm invitation. Upon seeing her nod, Miles turned around and went back to his room. When he came back soon, he had a wine ss in his hand.


    He poured the wine and handed it to Rose from the balcony. Afterward, they leaned against the


    a Hs Feelings for Ro


    middle partition on the balcony, back to back.


    After a few sips, Rose took advantage of the drunkenness and asked, "You don''t like me entering the Young family?"


    She felt that his attitude toward her had changed since Oliver recognized her as his granddaughter. The depression in Miles''s heart resurfaced again.


    He couldn''t tell whether he was disappointed that he couldn''t approach Rose as a man to prevent Jonathan from approaching her and keeping his promise to Harriette, or he was disappointed in other things. When he saw Oliver introduce everyone that Rose belonged to the Young family and was his sister, his heart seemed to be suddenly hollowed out. After a long silence, he took a sip of wine. "It''s not that I don''t like it."


    He lied deliberately, not wanting to burden Rose.


    "Really?"


    She turned to look at him. The look in her eyes indicated that she didn''t believe in his words. Miles turned around and caught her eyes. He was stunned for a moment and suddenlyughed. He touched her head indulgently as he said, "Howe I don''t like you?"


    He was stunned by his own words. However, Rose didn''t notice his reaction. She finally felt relieved as she raised her wine ss and touched it with his.


    "That''s good. Don''t worry, Grandpa recognizes me as his granddaughter, but I just met him by chance. Nothing in the Young family belongs to me, and I won''t think about it at all. Rest assured, I''m just his granddaughter. There''s nothing to do with the Young family. I just can''t bear to let him down..."


    Every time she saw Oliver, she felt reluctant. She felt that it must be that night when she knew that Oliver''s daughter and her mother had the same birthday, so she subconsciously felt pity.


    She thought Oliver felt the same. She was paying homage to her mother through Oliver. Meanwhile, Oliver was also yearning for his daughter through her


    Thinking of her mother, she took another big sip of wine. As she raised her head, she met Miles''s deep andplicated eyes.


    "What''s wrong with you?" she asked.


    He was smiling just now, but he was frowning and looking at her with a strange look now. Miles was slightly startled. He looked away in panic as if trying to hide something. "Miles..." she continued to inquire.


    However, Miles suddenly turned around and went back to his room. Rose watched his figure disappear. The light in the next room quickly went out. As she frowned, she heard his calm voice. "Rose, I''m a little drunk."


    His Feelings for Ro


    She quickly replied, "Then rest early."


    "Alright."


    His sound disappeared. However, he felt very uneasy in the room. At this moment, his own words were still echoing in his mind..


    "Howe I don''t like you?"


    Thinking of it, his heart was pounding hard. How could he fall in love with her?


    He admired her talent very much. Later, he learned that Jonathan was interested in her, and his admiration for her was mixed with other feelings.


    He approached her with purpose. Everything he did was to help Jonathan keep his promise to Harriette. He took a deep breath, deliberately not thinking deeply about his feelings for Rose.


    That night, his dreams were filled with Rose. He woke up before dawn the next day. He walked to the balcony where they drankst night and stood there until dawn.


    Early in the morning, Rose walked out of the room after washing up. Miles also happened toe out


    of the room.


    "Miles, good morning."


    She smiled brightly. She was wearing a white long house dress, her hair was slightly messy. Her charming look fell into Miles''s eyes. He was slightly startled.


    The dreams full of Rose fromst night appeared in his mind. He quickly turned his eyes away and hurried downstairs.


    "Mr. Young, breakfast is ready. You..."


    Patrick''s voice came from downstairs.


    "I won''t eat," Miles said before hurrying out of the door.


    Rose watched his back disappear in a puzzle.


    "He''s weird today. He usually has breakfast with Grandpa before leaving. Why is he in such a hurry today?" Anastasia asked as she looked at Rose, whose frown deepened.


    A hint of coldness shed in Anastasia''s eyes. She then walked to Rose and held her hand affectionately as they walked downstairs.


    "Rosie, did you sleep wellst night? Today is the weekend, I''ll take you somewhere."


    Rose couldn''t refuse her invitation. After having breakfast with Oliver, Anastasia couldn''t wait to bring Rose out. An hourter, they arrived at their destination.


    Looking at the cruise at the port, Rose looked at Anastasia in confusion.

 Billionire 164

    Teasing


    "I have a few college friends in Aquastead. They knew that I came here and chartered a cruise to


    wee me. I''ll introduce you to themter."


    After finishing her words, Anastasia was brought to the cruise. It was still morning, and people on the cruise were already having fun. Someone saw Anastasia and immediately gathered around. "Anastasia, I''ve asked you out for many days, but you''re not free. Today I finally got to meet you."


    The person who spoke was called Laurence Gibson. He was from the coteral of the Gibsons. The Gibsons were the wealthiest family in Aquastead. Its coteral was wealthy and noble too. Laurence loved to have fun. He was the famous big-spending son in Aquastead. The people he yed with were also the sons and daughters of some entrepreneurs in Aquastead who liked to have fun too. The gathering today involved many friends. In the crowd, Rose saw Mandy in one nce. Mandy also


    her.


    "Isn''t this our Ms. Shaffer?"


    Mandy was detained for half a monthst time, not long after she was released. After she was released, her father froze her bank card and cut off her source of ie to teach her a lesson.


    If it hadn''t been for Rose, how could she have endured this?


    "Do you know each other?" Laurence looked at Mandy.


    The people present were all idle and did not have much contact with their family''s business.


    Even if they heard that Oliver from the Youngs had a new granddaughter in Aquastead, they wouldn''t


    know that she was Rose,


    "Of course, we know each other." Mandy sneered.


    With so many people here, she was happy to see Rose make a fool of herself. Hence, she revealed her history without hesitation.


    "She''s even better at having fun than most of us. She''s married. Do you know who her husband is?"


    She smiled mysteriously, which immediately aroused the interest of everyone present.


    Anastasia frowned. As if she was afraid that Mandy would mention "Mr. Finch", she looked at her with guarded eyes. However, Mandy''s next words made her brows release.


    "He''s a host at Nightfall Lounge, a male escort! Hahaha!"


    Herughter was full of sarcasm. Everyone was stunned for a moment. They burst intoughter after understanding her meaning.


    "Anastasia, why did you bring her here? She even favors a male escort; her taste is not on the same level as ours." Laurence couldn''t help but tease.


    He looked at Rose with a hint of frivolity. Her taste was not very good, but her face and figure were beyondparison. His eyes wandered back and forth over Rose, not hiding his interest at all. "Miss, you and your husband don''t mind having fun separately, right?"


    His meaning couldn''t be more obvious. Rose felt a hint of displeasure in her heart. She was


    spleased with the frivolity of the man in front of her and their tease toward her star escort husband


    Theughter around her continued as they were involved in discussion.


    "Why do you think she married a male escort?"


    "Probably because he has good skills, and she doesn''t want to pay for it."


    I think so. Hahaha!"


    It seemed like Rose was their fun today. Rose nced at Anastasia, who had no intention of stopping these people.


    Suddenly, she smiled and looked into Laurence''s eyes as she asked, "Do you want to know?


    Laurence was stunned by her question.


    "Of course, I want to know." He became more and more interested.


    Rose raised her finger at his and said, "Come here."


    Laurence raised his eyebrows and looked back at everyone. He patted his chest as if to show off he was invited by a woman, His friends started to make noises.


    "Mr. Gibson! Mr. Gibson!"


    Everyone''s eyes fell on Rose and Laurence. They were all excited to watch the scene. Rose smiled faintly.


    Laurence walked up to her and said, "Little beauty, what are you going to tell me?"


    "How should I tell you?" Rose said as she touched his chest.


    Under the thinyer of clothes, there was all fat, which was far worse than her star escort husband. Her touch made Laurence''s heart flutter.


    Just as he started to feel excited, the smile on Rose''s face disappeared. Before he could react, she grabbed his cor and pulled him in front of her,


    Then, she raised her leg and kicked him hard below the abdomen.


    "Ah!" Laurence groaned in pain.


    Rose knew that her strength was enough to inflict pain on him for a while. She released his cor. The next moment, Laurence was hunched over, lying on the ground and rolling in pain.


    The booing around him suddenly stopped. There was only his cry of pain in the air. Everyone looked at him and then at Rose. No one dared to speak.


    Anastasia didn''t expect Rose would take action diredily. She originally nned to wait for Rose to suffer some lossen from Laurence before stepping it to save her. However, the current situation....


    "You bitch!"


    Laurence''s face turned pale in pain. He gritted his teeth and stared at fiercely. She dared to kick his lifeblood. He wouldn''t make it easy for her.


    "Why are you standing still? Tie her up and throw her into the seal"


    He looked back at his friends,


    Mandy came to her senses first and urged the people around her excitedly, "Mr. Gibson has spoken. Why don''t you hurry up?¡±


    Immediately, all the men present walked toward Rose, who was on quard.


    Just as she was ready to fight, Anastasia, who had remained silent, said, "Mr. Gibson, if you want to throw her into the sea, you have to ask my grandpa if he allows you to do so." Because of her status as the heiress to the Young family, everyone present would have to pay attention to her every word.


    "Anastasia, what do you mean by this?"


    The person who spoke was another big-spending son. Anastasia raised her eyebrows and stepped forward to hold Rose''s arm.


    "Nothing much. I brought her here today to introduce you to my grandpa''s new granddaughter. But Laurence, what have you been doing?"


    She looked at Laurence unhappily. Her words echoed in the minds of everyone present. Could it be that Rose was the lucky one who became Oliver''s new granddaughter?


    Those people who had just wanted to the Rose up and throw her into the sea suddenly stepped back. At this moment, there was a hint of fear in Laurence''s eyes.


    The person he had just teased was Oliver''s new granddaughter. If his family knew about it, he would have severe consequences.


    "I''m sorry."


    He changed his arrogance and apologized hastily.


    Rose raised her eyebrows and replied, "It''s alright. I''ve caused you pain, so I should be the one who apologizes."


    With that, she took her hand out from Anastasia and strode out of the cruise. She didn''t want to stay In this kind of ce any longer.


    "You''ve provoked my sister. We''re no longer friends. Rosie, wait for me; let''s go together," Anastasia said coldly before she chased after Rose.  Teasing


    As they went outside, Rose couldn''t help but frown when she saw the endless water.


    ENJOYING THE BOOK?


    Give it a rating to show your support!


    +2


    GET IT NO!

 Billionire 165

    Rose Is In Danger


    The cruise had left the port.


    "What should we do?" Anastasia apologized. "I just wanted to take you here to rx. I didn''t expect them to be so virtuous. They weren''t like this in college... Wait for me, I''ll ask them to take the cruise back." She hurriedly turned back. A few minutester, she came back.


    With an apologetic look on her face, she held Rose''s hand and said, "Rosie, the cruise has set up automatic cruise and has started it. It won''t return until tomorrow, so there''s no way to go back for the time being. You


    She seemed to not know what to do. Looking at the endless water, Rose furrowed her brows.


    "Rosie, the cruise is very big. Why don''t we stay here for the time being? Let''s enjoy ourselves and not meet them. I promise to warn them not to provoke you again. Otherwise, I''ll let the Young family diminish their family''s business."


    She looked at Rose, waiting for her to express her stance. Rose was in a daze.


    At this moment, Anastasia was defending her. It was as if her cold shoulders when she was teased by Laurence and Mandy earlier were just her imagination.


    "Rosie?"


    Rose came back to her senses and shook off the thoughts in her mind. She could only ept the current situation.


    "I''m a little tired. I''m going to take a rest."


    After finishing her words, she got on the top floor of the cruise.


    Behind her, Anastasia assured again, "Rosie, I''ll tell them that no one can go to the top floor. You have a good rest."


    However, Rose didn''t look back. Anastasia''s eyes gradually turned cold. After a while, she took out her phone and dialed a number.


    "It''s your turn to take action. There''s some conflict between Laurence from the Gibsons and Rose. Your can take advantage of it."


    The person on the other end of the phone was Kelly. It was not a coincidence that Mandy got on this cruise. It was the result of the joint efforts of Kelly and Anastasia. "Okay."


    Malice appeared in Kelly''s eyes.


    She suddenly thought of something and said, "As for Mr. Finch .."


    "You don''t have to worry. I checked his schedule today. Several major decision-making meetings in


    -5 Perse ti to Banger


    Regalia require him to make decisions remotely. Even if he spares time and thinks of Rose, he''s beyond his reach to us."


    Anastasia''s eyes were cold. After hanging up the phone, she nced at the top of the cruise. Rose was standing at the railing. The wind blew her hair and skirt.


    Even she, as a woman, found her extremely beautiful, Rose was indeed a beauty. No wonder


    Jonathan and Miles both liked her.


    Thinking of the other main event tonight, a meaningful smile appeared on her lips. As Anastasia promised, no one came up to the top floor all day except the attendants who brought her meals. Rose feltfortable blowing the sea breeze and enjoying the delicious food.


    After going out early in the morning. Miles''s dream fromst night still appeared in his mind. He was not in the mood for work all morning. It was Saturday, Rose would not go to thepany. He wondered if Jonathan took her away from Young Estate. Thinking of this, he couldn''t hold himself back. However, he didn''t dare to call Rose to inquire.


    After hesitating for a moment, he dialed the number of Young Estate.


    "Mr. Young...


    Patrick was a little surprised. Miles rarely called home during work. It was a little unusual today.


    "Do you have anything to tell me?" he asked.


    A trace of uneasiness shed in Miles''s eyes as he asked, "How''s Grandpa today?"


    Patrick was in a daze. Usually, he would ask the doctor directly about Oliver''s condition. As for today


    "Mr. Young Senior is in a good mood today. It must be because of Ms. Rose..."


    "Rose is with Grandpa?" Miles asked without showing any trace. His expression rxed slightly.


    The next moment, Patrick replied, "Ms. Rose is not at home."


    Miles instantly sat up straight.


    Then, Patrick continued, "This morning, Ms. Young and Ms. Rose went out together. They said they''re going to y together. As for where they went


    Patrick thought for a while and suddenly remembered something as he continued, "Last night, I heard


    from Ms. Young that she has an appointment with some friends today, and they''re going to s heard


    together. She should take Ms. Rose with her."


    Miles instantly became alert. Anastasia had never been a good person. All her focus was on


    Jonatha


    if she caused harm to Rose because of him


    His expression suddenly changed as he immediately hung up the phone. An hourter, he arrived at the port. On the way there, he had asked his assistant to prepare a small cruise. Without much dy, he boarded the cruise and let it leave the port. In the evening, the scenery on the


    Rose Is In Danger


    sea was particrly beautiful.


    Rose was blowing the sea breeze on the top deck, while others were having a good time in a bar on a certain floor below. After the morning episode, Laurence had been gloomy.


    He was still in pain from Rose''s kick. He was filled with anger, but he could only hold back due to his fear of the Young family.


    After taking a look at the other people gathered around Anastasia, his expression darkened.


    "Mr. Gibson, still not happy?"


    Mandy came to his side with a ss of wine.


    Following his gaze to Anastasia, she said deliberately, "It''s hard to offend people from the Youngs. However, Rose was too disrespectful to you just now. Even if she didn''t like our joke, she could just say it, but she wanted to be violent."


    The more Laurence thought about it, the angrier he became. Didn''t Rose just want to teach him a lesson and embarrass him? That was abominable.


    "Mr. Gibson, I heard them all talking about the incident just now. They said that after the kick by Ms. Shaffer, you might not be able to show off your talents in the future..." Mandy said as she poured a ss of wine for Laurence.


    Laurence picked up the ss and drank it down angrily.


    "Damn!" he cursed through gritted teeth.


    These people were all his friends. However, upon seeing him offended Oliver''s new granddaughter, they immediately made fun of him. They were trying to please Rose.


    He took a deep breath and pressed it to his heart. His eyes burned red with anger.


    "If I were you, I wouldn''t be embarrassed because of this." Mandy continued to pour him wine.


    Laurence drank ss by ss. Soon, he felt drunk. His drunkenness and anger were exactly what Mandy wanted.


    Seeing that she had instigated him, she whispered in his ear, "Rose is alone on the top floor. If you want to teach her a lesson, why don''t you ...''


    Chapter Top How Ca

 Billionire 166

    How Can You Sleep Alone


    Mandy''s words seemed to ignite a fire in Laurence''s heart.


    "Okay, I''m going to teach her a lesson."


    After ncing at the people having fun around him, he left the bar quietly. Mandy was pleased that she had seeded. She sent a message to Kelly.


    "The matter is done. Let''s wait and watch the show. By the way, how effective is the thing you gave "me?"


    When pouring the wine just now, she added some drugs without leaving any trace. Soon, she received a reply from Kelly.


    "Wait and see, you''ll find it out."


    She sneered and took a sip of wine, feeling very excited. The surroundings were noisy, with people drinking and dancing. Anastasia was surrounded by people, and she was already half drunk. When Mandy approached Laurence, she could clearly see everything that happened after that. Thinking of Rose on the top floor, she put down her wine ss and pretended to be worried.


    "I can''t drink anymore. My sister is alone. If I''m drunk, I can''t take care of her," she said.


    She stumbled as soon as she stood up.


    One of her friends quickly held her and said, "You''re so kind to your sister, but there''s nothing to worry about. She''s an adult, can''t she take care of herself? Besides, the entire cruise is ours, nothing will happen to her."


    "That''s right. How about we drink for a while before you go and see her?"


    Anastasia frowned. As if struggling for a moment, she agreed.


    "Alright, just a little while."


    The bar was still lively. On the top floor, Rose was ready to sleep. As soon as shey down, she suddenly heard someone open the door.


    "Who?"


    She immediately turned on the light vigntly. As the light illuminated the room, she could clearly see the person standing at the door. It was Laurence.


    "Hey, Ms. Shaffer, are you going to sleep? The night is long, how can you sleep alone?"


    In a drunk state, Laurence spotted Rose''s pretty face. Mist suddenly appeared in his eyes, and he felt a surge of heat in his heart. After locking the door, he couldn''t wait to walk toward her. Rose had jumped out of bed. She picked up her phone on the bedside and dialed a number randomly while watching him defensively.


    At Finch Building at video conference


    Bo her phone came


    unched his eyews When he was thinking of


    He raised his lips slightly, and couldn''t wait to answer the phone Head to held her that he would sick her up at Young Estate


    However, as soon as the cal was connected, Rose''s angry warming came from the other and


    Don''te we


    Jonathan frowned as the stond voi


    Th


    She don''t respent On the cue Lauren who had hayatimwa and med dettale


    "hayng too and The harpp? Me the pros want to save you? cat mu feel pole pine cach run away tonight,


    Die vured at Nan Nandling the heat at that more when he bought that such a


    ei


    when plinging with wines, had always know how to show many


    tower door bad sukat han just now, which hut fon and caused then great ons af dignity. He had


    mu made a theme, atbps toward Hose Samnings whack wait any longer, he mallest toward her


    (to pan, for grannast all fan with humang ayas Etun, nagritted ter phone and tow ¨¤ l¨´ the ground: ?n Bar aftur and set the ne, darulian wakand our jr Foam Buildng with a grzany faci ka ter zal gibt, hy wil writed Faisy with a dar tace. ''Chuck Hosura


    "??? ??? ???????? psl Quote


    dengtang an the peas, meeting was wrong but by hig


    #


    How Can You Sei? Alone


    He didn''t hide anything. Ten minutes ago, he called Rose. She was all fine as she was about to sleep. He thought he was overthinking it. Perhaps they were just going out to sea normally. Hence, he continued to look for the cruise on the sea without saying much.


    "Mr. Young, there''s a cruise signal in that direction," the helm next to him said excitedly.


    He looked at the direction, but didn''t see any ship as far as he could see. Frowning, he wanted to tell Jonathan something, but he had hung up the phone.


    "Prepare a cruise to go to sea... Jonathan ordered Finley again.


    With that, he got into the car and drove to the port as quickly as possible. Miles called Rose again, but the call was no longer avable.


    Realizing that something must have happened, he couldn''t sit still anymore.


    "Increase the speed to the maximum," he ordered the helm.


    Then, he dialed Anastasia''s number. However, no one answered. Meanwhile, on the cruise, Anastasia''s phone turned on and off several times in her bag.


    She knew that Miles must be very anxious. The more anxious he was, the more he could understand his own heart. This was what she wanted.


    In Rose''s room on the top floor, if Rose hadn''t learned Taekwondo for several years, she would have been unable to resist at this time.


    She stepped on Laurence''s back. Her eyes were cold as she said, "Mr. Gibson, you''ve vited thew and attempted infringement. How about I take you to the police station tomorrow?" Laurence, who was lying on the ground, didn''t expect that she knew self-defense. His head was bleeding. On his swollen face, his eyes were red. A wave of humiliation came over him. "Rose, I have to teach you some lessons tonight!" he shouted,


    Rose sneered. He couldn''t even teach her a lesson with his ability. She nced at the phone on the ground and picked it up. It could no longer be turned on.


    She needed the phone to contact the police and Anastasia to reveal his deed. Hence, she looked at


    Laurence.


    Then, she knelt down and groped his pocket. When she touched the phone, he suddenly pushed her hard. She was caught off guard and sat on the ground.


    As she raised her eyes, he had already grabbed her neck.


    "Damn, you bitch! Fuck thew! I said I''m going to teach you some lessons!"


    He lifted her up. Just as he was about to kiss her, Rose grabbed his neck in desperation. His eyes. became increasingly sinister. He kept exerting force with his hands, as if he wanted to kill her. Rose felt increasingly suffocated. The two of them then reached a stalemate on the balcony.


    How Can You Sleep Alone


    Looking at the vast expanse of water, a fierce look shed in Laurence''s eyes. He suddenly released his hand and pushed Rose hard.

 Billionire 167

    Do Not Die


    Rose''s body hit the railing, but she failed to stabilize her center of gravity. The moment she fell out of


    the railing, she thought she was going to die.


    She fell into the sea with a ssh. As the cold water hit, countless figures shed through her mind. Celeste - Yvonne


    She hadn''t found the cause of her mother''s death yet, and she hadn''t seen Yvonne for such a long time. Besides, if she dies. Oliver would not be able to find sce in yearning for his daughter from her.


    And Miles. Atst, a handsome face appeared in her mind. The agreement between her and her star escort husband was still in effect, and she still owed him one billion.


    If she died, he would suffer a loss. She suddenly wondered what he was doing. However, it seemed she had no chance to see his handsome face.


    A feeling of helplessness came over her as she slowly closed her eyes. At this time, Anastasia seemed to finally notice Miles''s call. Pretending to be anxious, she called back. "Hello, Miles? What''s so urgent?"


    On the other end of the phone, Miles frowned deeply. Looking at the cruise in front, he was about to ask Anastasia regarding Rose


    The helm suddenly said, "Mr. Young, there seems to be someone in the water."


    Miles threw away his phone and immediately rushed out of the cabin. Then, he jumped in without hesitation after taking off his coat.


    "Hello?" Anastasia called a few times.


    Wondering if Rose fell into the water, a hint of coldness shed across her eyes.


    She immediately seemed to be sober as she said, "Something''s wrong. My sister


    She was so anxious that she rushed out of the bar before finishing her sentence. Most of the people around were drunk, including Mandy.


    However, even if she was drunk, she knew that Laurence should have achieved his n at this point.


    If she hadn''t wanted to exclude herself from being suspected, she would have chosen to stay sober to


    witness Rose''s miserable condition.


    When Anastasia rushed to Rose''s room, Laurence was already gone. She immediately summoned the crew to search for Rose throughout the ship.


    Standing on the deck, she saw a vague figure pushing Rose onto the deck on a small cruise not far away. It turned out that she fell into the water and was rescued again.


    Miles arrived just in time. Even though she knew that Miles had rescued Rose, she immediately asked the crew to search in the water. She had to act well to not be suspected  Do Not Die


    As Rosey on the deck, Miles''s eyes were full of panic.


    "Rose?"


    He patted her pale cheek. She closed her eyes and was quiet as death. After he patted her several times, she still didn''t respond. His eyes became more panicked. "Rose, please don''t die!"


    He kept pressing her chest. However, she gave no response.


    "Rose


    He took a look at her lips. There was a hint of hesitation in his eyes. The next moment, he aimed at her lips. He repeated the artificial respiration again and again. Suddenly, Rose''s hand moved slightly. "Cough!"


    The sound of coughing made him slightly startled. Rose was extremely ufortable. She kept coughing while her heart ached. However, the pain made her feel like she had been reborn.


    She was rescued, but she wondered who had rescued her. Her eyes were blurry. Before she could see the person, she fell into a broad embrace.


    Miles was so agitated that he almost rubbed her into his body.


    "Rosie, I''m d that you''re awake... Rosie..." he murmured over and over again, not realizing that he had changed his address.


    Rose''s mind went nk for a moment. However, she could recognize Miles''s voice.


    "Miles, you saved me. I thought I was going to die."


    Surviving from the disaster, she felt relieved. She twitched the corner of her mouth and forced a weak smile. Fortunately, she didn''t die, but she felt extremely tired.


    Miles could feel her weakness in his arms. He distanced himself from her and saw her tired face.


    "Take a nap. When you wake up, we''ll be home," he said softly.


    When she closed her eyes, he picked her up and retumed to the cabin. When the cruise returned to the port, Rose was not awake.


    Miles carried her off the cruise. An hourter, they arrived at Young Estate. It was not yet dawn. As Patrick heard themotion, he immediately got dressed and came out.


    Upon seeing them, he hurried forward and asked, "Ms. Rose? What happened to her?"


    Miles kept walking as he said, "Ask May to change Ms. Rose''s clothes. Also, ask the doctor toe


    over.


    "Alright, I''ll go right away."


    After changing her clothes, Rose was still asleep. The doctor came and did a simple examination on


    Do Not Die


    her. Except for the strangtion mark on her neck, there were no other injurie


    Miles breathed a deep sigh of relief, but his face was still dark. He didn''t want Rose to recall what happened. However, he had to find out who hurt her.


    He took a look at her before walking out of the room and calling Jonathan. Listening to the sound of the sea breeze, Jonathan knew that Miles had gone to sea. He truly cared about Rose.


    Before he could ask, Miles said, "I found Rosie, and I''ve taken her home. She fell into the water, and there was a strangtion mark on her neck. Don''t worry, she''s sleeping. You can do whatever your want." With that, he hung up the phone. What Jonathan wanted to do must be the same as him-to find the person who hurt Rose and make him pay the price. The dawn arrived.


    Anastasia had searched all night but couldn''t find Rose. Inside the bar, many people were sober.


    "How could a living person be missing? Anastasia, isn''t your sister unhappy due to Mr. Gibson yesterday, so he hid herself on purpose?"


    "Isn''t this too stingy? It was just a joke. Besides, she kicked Mr. Gibson''s lifeblood. It should be Mr. Gibson who suffered a loss."


    "Where''s Mr. Gibson?" someone suddenly asked.


    Everyone looked around. No one was absent except Rose and Laurence. A sneer shed across Mandy''s eyes. She wondered what kind of drug Kelly gave that Laurence still hadn''t finished his deal. It seemed he didn''t want to be disturbed that he hid Rose somewhere and had fun. At this moment, she hoped to find Rose quickly. She couldn''t help to see how badly she was tortured.


    Just then, there were some noises from machines outside. Anastasia frowned as she first walked out of the bar, followed by others. On the deck, they saw helicopters hovering above.. As they were surprised, the helicopter''sdder was lowered. Then, a group of men in ck came down.


    "What''s going on? Who are they?"


    Everyone realized that something was unusual. At this moment, they all looked at Anastasia. She managed to recognize these men at first nce.

 Billionire 168

    Not Worthy of My Woman


    It was the Azure n of the Finches. Why were they here? Dozens of people from the Azure n of the Finches appeared together, which was a huge scene.


    Anastasia suddenly thought of something and immediately looked around. Sure enough, she saw a white cruise not far away. He arrived so quickly and even dispatched the Azure n of the Finches. She bit her lip. Soon, a sneer shed across her eyes. Rose had been taken away by Miles. There''s no point in finding her. Even if he wanted to act as a hero and save a damsel in distress, it was toote. However, she didn''t know that Jonathan was not looking for Rose, but the person who hurt her.


    "Tie them up," Finley ordered.


    The people behind him immediately rushed toward the people present. Soon, everyone was tied up, including Anastasia. Anastasia recognized Finley.


    She said angrily, "Finley, don''t you know who I am?"


    "Ms. Young, I''m sorry. I''m just following orders. As long as you and your friends tell us who hurt Ms. Shafferst night and find that person, I''ll let someone loosen your restraints." Finley nced at her. Upon listening to his words, Anastasia seemed shocked.


    Then, she asked with concern, "Is Rosie injured? I searched all night but couldn''t find her. Did something happen to her?"


    Finley furrowed his brows but didn''t answer. Everyone present was frightened of his darkened face.


    Suddenly, someone said, "We were drinking with Anastasiast night, but Ms. Shaffer was not here. Besides her, Mr. Gibson was not here either."


    When Finley heard this, he immediately ordered people to find the so-called Mr. Gibson. In just half an hour, he was found. Laurence was trembling as he was pushed to the deck.


    He pushed Rose into the seast night. When he woke up, he suddenly became frightened. He found a ce to hide and nned to leave Aquastead once the cruise returned. However, he was caught by some men in ck just now. At this moment, he was extremely nervous. Finley knelt and patted his cheek. Before he could speak, he copsedpletely. "I didn''t mean it. She didn''t stand firm and fell..."


    Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief after hearing his confession.


    Mandy was stunned for a moment. It wasn''t until the men in ck untied them and took Laurence


    away


    that she came back to her senses and immediately sent a message to Kelly.


    "Rose fell into the waterst night. She was probably dead."


    She felt weird as she nced at the men in ck who took Laurence away. She wondered who these men were, and why they stood up for Rose. However, she didn''t think much about it.  Not Worthy of My Woman


    Meanwhile, Kelly was having breakfast. When she saw the message from Mandy, sheughed happily. It would be great if Rose died.


    "Kelly, why are you so happy?" Jamie asked curiously


    Kelly deleted the conversation records with Mandy as she replied, "I just saw a funny joke. Dad, I want to go shopping today. I have to leave first."


    She took a sip of milk before going out. When she went out, she disassembled her phone, took off the calling card, and threw it in the trash can.


    As Laurence was brought to Jonathan, he exined what happened. Jonathan''s face darkened. His heart couldn''t stop trembling when he thought that Rose almost died in the seast night. As for the culprit... He lifted Laurence''s chin with his toes.


    Laurence didn''t dare to look at the person in front of him. When he was forced to look into his eyes, he felt that he had offended someone he shouldn''t have.


    "Do you know who she is?" Jonathan said coldly.


    Laurence replied in a trembling voice, "Rose..." "Anything else?"


    He swallowed as he struggled with the answer.


    Then, Jonathan said again, "She''s my woman. Are you worthy of my woman?"


    Laurence was slightly startled. Last night, he heard Mandy mention that Rose''s husband was a host in


    a bar. How could a male escort deliver such a strong sense of oppression as the person in front of


    him?


    Who was he?


    "Keep hitting," Jonathan ordered coldly while retracting his foot.


    Finley gestured at the bodyguard beside him to beat Laurence. By the time the cruise docked, Laurence had almost been beaten to death. Jonathan''s mind was filled with Rose at this time. He quickly got off the cruise. Before getting in the car, Zac hurried over.


    Jonathan..."


    He looked erious. When he received Finley''s call, he rushed here immediately.


    "Is he from your family?" Jonathan''s eyes were cold.


    Zac nodded guiltily.


    "Yes, he''s a cousin of a coteral of Gibsons."


    Jonathan sneered and said, "Handle it yourself."


    Not Worthy of My Woman


    With that, he got in the car and left. Laurence was carried off the cruise. When Zac saw his injuries, he instantly understood the situation.


    He walked to his side and said, "Why do you want to provoke his woman? You don''t want your life anymore?"


    Laurence''s eyes became more frightened. He grabbed Zac''s sleeve and asked, "Zac, who is he?"


    His face was swollen, and his speech was unclear. However, Zac managed to figure out his question.


    "Who is he? He''s the Mr. Finch from the Finches in Regalia. The person you provoke is his wife. What do you think I should do with you?" Zac knew that leaving Laurence alive was a sign of Jonathan''s respect for him.


    "Mr. Finch


    Laurence never expected that Rose''s husband was Jonathan. However, Mandy said clearly that Rose''s husband was a male escort.


    Suddenly, he seemed to have thought of something as he said eagerly, "Zac, I... I was used. Mandy


    He told him what happened when Mandy encouraged him by his sidest night. Zac furrowed his brows. Even if Laurence was used, he had hurt Rose. He couldn''t let go of it easily.


    Soon, he issued an order to eliminate all of Laurence''s father''s positions in Gibson Group to cut off the ties. Miles stayed by Rose''s side all morning.


    At first, Rose had a peaceful sleep. Gradually, she began to frown and mutter something. Miles touched her forehead deeply. It was so hot that he retracted his hand. She was having a fever. He asked the doctor to give her an injection to reduce fever, but she was still talking in her sleep.


    "Rosie?"


    He patted her cheek, worried that she was trapped in a nightmare, and wanted to wake her up.


    "Rosie..." he called again.


    Suddenly, Rose seemed to be frightened by something in her dream.


    She grabbed his hand and said, "Hubby, save me!"

 Billionire 169

    She Still Likes Him


    Rose grabbed Miles''s hand very hard. He originally leaned slightly, but he lost his stability under the force. He almost fell on her.


    At the critical moment, he put his other hand on the edge of the bed to steady his body. Rose''s face was very close.


    His eyshes trembled as his heartbeat elerated. He didn''t even pay attention to what she said when she grabbed his hand.


    Just then, Rose babbled again, "Hubby, save mel"


    She looked calmer this time, but she still furrowed her brows. She held his hand with more force. Hubby... As Miles lowered his eyes, a hint of sadness shed across his eyes.


    Soon, he pursed his lips and raised his hand to gently stroke her eyebrows, trying to smooth her frown.


    "Rosie, it''s alright," heforted her softly.


    Rose''s eyebrows gradually rxed, as if she was out of danger in her dream. However, she didn''t let go of Miles''s hand. Miles just let her hold him like this. Just then, Patrick''s voice came from downstairs. "Mr. Finch, you''re here. Are you looking for Ms. Young or Mr. Young?"


    "I''m looking for Rose."


    Patrick was stunned for a moment as if he didn''t expect that Jonathan knew Rose. He subconsciously nced in the direction of the second floor.


    Jonathan followed his gaze and strode up to the second floor. Pushing open the door, he saw Miles sitting by the bed. His hand was grabbed by Rose. His eyes shed with displeasure as he stepped forward to break Rose''s hand from Miles''s. As soon as he exerted force, Rose''s brows furrowed. "Don''t move!" she said with a sense ofmand and coquettish.


    Jonathan and Miles looked at each other, then looked at Rose together.


    Rose, who was originally lying on her back, was now lying on her side. She took Miles''s hand to the pillow and leaned against it as if it was a doll.


    After a while, Jonathan''s face turned dark after confirming that Rose was still asleep.


    As he reached out to separate their hands, Miles lowered his eyebrows and said, "She had a high fever just now, and she had not slept well. Now the fever has subsided, just let her sleep a little longer." His tone was full of indulgence. A trace of pride was seen in his lowered eyes. Jonathan wanted to st him out, but Rose held on to him. His heart was filled with jealousy.


    Suddenly, Rose murmured again, "Hubby, you''re so kind."


    A smile appeared on her face. It was clear that she was very happy in her dream. Miles was in a daze Jonathan finally reacted and smiled with satisfaction as if he had regained a victory. She still liked


    him


    000


    He didn''t hide the affection in his eyes. Miles gave him a confused look


    After a long silence, he casually reminded him, "Rose has a husband


    He was telling Jonathan that no matter what thoughts he had about Rose, he should get as far away


    as possible


    Jonathan raised his eyebrows and said, "Yes, she had a husband, and she even calls her husband in her dreams. She''s thinking about him, and no one else can interrupt."


    If it weren''t for hisck of confidence in his identity as Mr. Finch, he would have wanted to tell Miles that he was Rose''s husband. They looked at each other, and neither of them showed a great expression


    The atmosphere in the room was strange. As soon as Anastasia returned to Young Estate, she almost ran to Rose''s room. As she entered the door, she saw a strange scene.


    Rose was lying on the bed and holding Miles''s hand. Meanwhile, Jonathan was sitting by the bed, holding Rose''s other hand. They looked gloomy and seemed to bepeting with each other. Nevertheless, Rose was sleeping peacefully. Anastasia was stunned for a moment. Jealousy emerged in her heart. As she appeared at the door, Jonathan and Miles both looked at her.


    She realized something and immediately stepped forward with a worried look on her face.


    She looked at Rose with concern and guilt in her eyes as she asked, "Rosie ... Is she okay?"


    "Go out


    "Go out!"


    Jonathan and Miles said in unison. Anastasia bit her lip with a grievance, but the concern and


    guiltiness for Rose on her face did not dissipate.


    However, as soon as she walked out of the room, her expression changed instantly. Just then, she


    received a message from Kelly.


    Theard t 1 Rose''s dead. Is that true?"


    She looked back at Rose''s room and replied, "Maybe it''d be better if she died."


    She was extremely disappointed. She didn''t intend to take Rose''s life. She just wanted Miles to understand his feelings for Rose. However, the scene just now made her wish Rose was dead. As Kelly received her message, she also couldn''t hide her disappointment. She couldn''t believe that Rose could survive after falling into the sea.


    Chapiri 169 Kiu THI


    "Kelly, what are you thinking about? Why are you unhappy? Are you still angr with me? Kelly, believe me. I just listened to Grandma and only wanted to use Rose."


    Nixon hugged her from behind. The two of them had just had a revelry in his apartment. As he hugged her, his inner side was stirring up. Kelly could feel his body''s reaction.


    At first, she was happy to hear from Mandy that Rose had fallen into the water and might have been dead. Hence, she wanted to celebrate with Nixon. However, she seemed to have lost interest. "I''m tired," she said coldly.


    "Kelly..." Nixon was a little anxious.


    As he was about to say something, Kelly received another message from Anastasia. Seeing the content, her eyes immediately showed a hint of excitement.


    "I got it!"


    She suddenly turned around excitedly and kissed Nixon. He felt her enthusiasm and excitedly put his hands into her clothes.


    This time, Kelly didn''t refuse. The room heated up again, with another round of intense lovemaking. Young Estate.


    As it got dark, Rose was still asleep. In order not to worry Oliver, they hid what happenedst night. After dinner, in another building of Young Estate, Jonathan and Miles listened to Finley''s report. "After having the conflict with Laurence, Ms. Shaffer intended to leave. However, the cruise had already set sail and couldn''t return. She was alone on the top floor of the cruise, only the service staff came to deliver meals during the journey. At night, it was Laurence..."


    Laurence had been handed over to Zac. However....


    "Mr. Finch, Mr. Gibson asked me to tell you that there''s a person called Mandy on the cruise. There''s no surveince in the cruise, but from the video recorded by people present, Mandy did drink with Laurence for a while."


    Finley looked at Jonathan and waited for his instructions.


    However, Mil suddenly asked, "How about Anastasia? What did she do?"

 Billionire 170

    Sharing A Bed


    "Ms. Young?"


    Finley was stunned for a moment.


    Seeing Jonthan''s expression, he instantly reported, "In the video they recorded, Ms. Young was going to look for Ms. Shaffer in the middle of drinking with them. However, they forced her to continue drinking.


    "After that, Ms. Young seemed to be drunk. From the surveince on the top floor, Ms. Young hurried up after 12:00 am. She looked anxious as if she was looking for Ms. Shaffer."


    Jonathan stared at Miles deeply and asked, "Are you suspecting her?"


    Just then, there was amotion outside the door.


    "Who?"


    Finley went out immediately. He saw the panicked Anastasia.


    "Ms. Young..."


    Anastasia nced at Jonathan and Miles in the room. As if risking everything, she entered the room.


    As soon as she walked in, she couldn''t wait to exin. "It''s not me. I didn''t do anything. I just wanted to take Rosie out to sea to rx. I didn''t expect that she would conflict with Laurence, let alone that he would try to hurt herter."


    She looked agitated, and her eyes were sincere. As if she wanted to prove her innocence, she suddenly swore.


    "If I dare to hurt Rosie, I''ll be cursed to death!"


    She looked at Jonathan and Miles, who were scrutinizing her without saying anything. Suddenly, Jonathan stood up and walked out of the room. Anastasia was stunned for a moment. She subconsciously called, "Jonathan...


    However, he left without looking back, as if he didn''t hear her. At the main building of Young Estate, Rose felt thirsty as soon as she waked up. She turned on the light and went downstairs to drink. There was only a faint light in the building. She went to the dining room and poured a ss of water. After drinking it in one go, she no longer felt thirsty.


    As she was about to go back to her room, she suddenly turned and saw a tall figure. The light was dim, but at first nce, she felt that the figure looked very much like Mr. Finch. Perhaps due to the fear toward Mr. Finch, she instinctively wanted to shout out. As soon as she opened her mouth, the figure suddenly came up to her and covered her mouth.


    "Hmm..."


    Sharing A Bed


    In desperation, she was about to lift her leg and kick his lifeblood.


    Just then, Jonathan said in a low voice, "Don''t move, It''s me."


    Rose found his sound familiar-it sounded like her star escort husband''s voice. She could finally see him.


    "It''s you. Why are you here?"


    She subconsciously thought of Anastasia. She felt as if her heart was stabbed by something. Just then, she heard the intive voice of her star escort husband.


    "I came here because of you. I could onlye here since you''re here."


    Rose couldn''t believe what she heard. She thought he came here because of Anastasia.


    "Miles, wait for me. I just wanted to take Rosie out to sea to rx...


    Just then, she heard Anastasia''s voice from a distance.


    She subconsciously didn''t want to face the two of them as she grabbed Jonathan''s hand and said," Keep your voice down and follow me."


    Jonathan followed her to the second floor and entered her room without saying anything.


    Seeing her carefully close the door, a smile appeared in his eyes as he asked, "Do you want to hide me?"


    He had seen through her.


    "Who wants to hide you? You can go out if you want to." Rose''s eyes flickered.


    He said he came here because of her, but she felt that he wanted to go out to greet his new investor.


    "Do whatever you want."


    She red at him and jumped on the bed. Then, she pulled the quilt to cover herself, deliberately turned her back to him. Jonathan smiled with satisfaction at her actions.


    He was happy that she wanted to hide her. There''s no way for him to go out. She locked the door and walked to the bed. As Rose felt him sitting by her side, the lights in the room went out. She turned around and met his ck eyes in the darkness.


    "You..."


    As she was about to say something, someone turned the door handle.


    "Shh...


    Jonathan gestured to her to remain silent. The person outside gave up after trying to open the door


    several times.


    Realizing the person outside seemed to have left, Rose protested, "What are you doing? This is my bed.


    She kept her voice low as she didn''t want to make too much noise


    Jonathan didn''t take it seriously as he said, "You said I can do what I want. I just want to share a bed with you. You can''t be so stingy, right? I even lent you one billion without station_


    They were a couple. It was normal to sleep in the same bed. Rose couldn''t refute his words as he was her creditor. They were a couple in name, and they had done everything they should and shouldn''t. However, she separated them with a pillow


    "I can share my bed with you, but you''re not allowed to cross the line. Otherwise."


    She gritted her teeth in warning before turning around and ignoring him. Jonathan didn''t take it seriously


    When he thought of the danger she experiencedst night, his face instantly became serious in the darkness. He couldn''t imagine what would have happened if Miles hadn''t arrived.


    It was fortunate that he had arrived.


    "Rose"


    He stared at the back of her head. Rose opened her eyes but didn''t respond. In the dining room just now, she was happy when he said he came here because of her. However, when she calmed down, she felt a little bit of fear because of that happiness.


    Especially when she felt like she was going to die in the sea, she felt reluctant when she thought of her star escort husband. It made her even more inexplicably uneasy.


    In her heart, he meant something different to her. That feeling made her afraid to delve deeper. She exhaled silently and closed her eyes, preventing herself from thinking about it anymore.


    After r


    returning to the main building, Anastasia couldn''t find Jonathan after searching the guest room. She knew that he must be in Rose''s room.


    If she hadn''t been afraid that he wouldn''t want to see her, she would have wanted to break in, but she managed to endure it


    ncing at Miles who pushed the door several times without managing to open it, she sneered. Miles stayed up all night


    He knew that Jonathan and Rose were in the same room. He didn''t break in because he believed in his character. Even if he was interested in Rose, he wouldn''t take advantage of her. Miles went out early the next morning. As he closed the door, Rose''s next door also opened. Jonathan then walked out.


    They were both stunned as they looked at each other, After a moment, the two of them straightened their suit jackets and turned to go downstairs.


    Capde 1/6 Sharing A Bed


    "Thank you," Jonathan suddenly said.


    Miles looked over in confusion.


    Jonathan continued, "If it weren''t for you, Rose would have been in trouble. Thank you for saving her."


    Miles understood his meaning, but he didn''t take it seriously,


    "I saved Rosie not because of you. Besides, she has already thanked me."


    After finishing his words, he went out. Meanwhile, Jonathan frowned deeply. Rosie? When could he call Rose so affectionately? He hadn''t even called her Rosie.


    He strode to catch up with him in displeasure and walked side by side with him.


    "You saved the most important person to me. Of course, I want to thank you."

 Billionire 171

    Not A Gentleman


    Miles halted his steps. Jonathan raised his eyebrows and smiled. He gave him a victorious look before driving away.


    "Mr. Young..."


    The driver of the Youngs opened the car door. Miles came to his senses. After getting in the car, Jonathan''s words lingered in his mind.


    He regarded Rose as the most important person in his life. If it had been in the past, he would be angry at Jonathan for not keeping his promise to Harriette.


    However, he felt more of a sense of crisis in his heart now. He didn''t want Jonathan and Rose to be together.


    When he arrived at thepany, the first thing he did was to have someone send him information about Mandy. Meanwhile, at Finch Building, Jonathan was also looking at the information of Mandy. The Walts family was a local real estatepany in Aquastead. It had a good development in recent years. Mandy was the only daughter in the family. She was Rose''s high school ssmate.


    She also participated in the events at Nightfall Lounge and Aquastead Museumst time. She happened to be there this time. Jonathan didn''t believe it was just a coincidence.


    *Check the whereabouts of Mandy. I want to know what role she yed in the event on the cruise."


    "Alright."


    Finley then left. When Rose woke up, her star escort husband had left. There was a note left by him on


    the bedside.


    "I''ll take you home tonight."


    Going home.... A touch of warmth flowed through her heart. After putting the note away, she went


    downstairs.


    Oliver had already had breakfast, while Patrick was pushing him for a walk around Young Estate. Anastasia had just sent a message.


    When she looked back and saw Rose, she immediately put away her phone and exined, "Rosie, you finally woke up. I''m worried about you. It''s all my fault, I just wanted to have fun with you, but "Rosie, you won''t me me, will you? I almost killed you."


    Her face was full of self-me, and she almost cried at the end. Although Rose despised Anastasia in her heart, she knew that it was only because of her star escort husband.


    She took her out with good intentions. Laurence was the main culprit who caused her to fall into the


    -water.


    "Ms. Young..."


    Cheri 121 Nat & Gentleman


    As soon as she called out, Anastasia became anxious as she said, "Rosie, you''re ming me, right?"


    "No," Rose replied.


    However, Anastasia didn''t believe in her.


    "Then why did you call me Ms. Young?"


    Rose twitched her lips and said, "Anastasio, what happened the night before was caused by Laurence. Even though he''s your friend, I want to tell you that I''m going to make a report." Anastasia quickly said, "Of course, you have to make a report. Rosie, I''ve made a report after getting off the cruise yesterday. The incident on the cruise has been investigated, and Laurence has admitted his fault. He was now detained at the police station.


    Rose was surprised that things progressed so quickly. She soon thought that it was Miles who was doing all these. She didn''t say much, but Anastasia suddenly hugged her.


    "Rosie, thank you for believing in me. You don''t know how much I me myself. If something happened to you, Miles would kill me. Besides Harriette, I''ve never seen him care so much about


    someone."


    "Harriette...


    Rose was curious as she once again heard this name.


    "Yes, you''ve never seen her. She disappeared a long time ago, but there are photos of her in the vi. I''ll take you there..."


    Before Rose could react, she led her out of the main building. Young Estate was very big. Besides the main building, several auxiliary buildings were not upied.


    Rose followed Anastasia through the garden. When passing a flower wall, she remembered that she met Mr. Finch here during the banquet that day. His figure only stayed in her mind for a few seconds. Passing through the flower wall and a small forest, they came to a small building.


    "This is the ce where Harriette stayed in the vi before. She didn''t like the noise, so her room was arranged there. Follow me..."


    Anastasia took Rose into a room. The moment she entered the room, she felt somewhat familiar.


    She suddenly remembered that at the celebration banquet, when her clothes got wet, Miles asked her to wear his sister''s clothes. The room was the same as the one in front of her. "Look, this is Harriette."


    Anastasia took an album and flipped through it. Rose observed the photos. Almost every photo showed three people, with their heads covered with ck ink. She couldn''t recognize the people. "It''s a pity that the photos were originally clear. Once Miles made Harritte angry, she ended up destroying these photos," Anastasia exined.


    20


    Not A Gentle


    Even though the photos were unclear, she was still introduced to Rose.


    "This is Miles," She pointed to one of the boys, and then pointed to the other one, "and this is Mr. Finch.


    Rose furrowed her brows. She couldn''t help but take another look at the person in the photo. However,


    it was covered in ink. She couldn''t see his face,


    "What kind of person is Mr. Finch?"


    She was a little curious.


    Anastasia nced at her and said, "Mr. Finch and Miles used to be good friends. After Harriette disappeared, they fought. After that, their rtionship worsened. They both care about Harriette. If she hadn''t disappeared, she would have married Mr. Finch."


    Then, she continued, "Rosie, your eyes are very simr to Harriette. The first time I saw you, I was stunned for a long time as I thought Harriette was back."


    Rose remembered the conversation between Miles and Mr. Finch at the celebration banquet that day.


    Since her eyes resembled Harritte''s, Mr. Finch regarded her as a stand-in and he was slightly attracted. to her.


    She couldn''t help but frown when she thought that he had prevented her from staying in a hotel and renting a house.


    "Mr. Finch doesn''t look like a gentleman," she said.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment.


    Then, she pretended to ask casually, "Rosie, why do you say so? Have you met Mr. Finch before?"


    "Of course, I''ve met her," Rose replied.


    It was just the first time they met at Lane residence that she still had a vivid memory. Anastasia''s eyes trembled slightly. Kelly had clearly said that Rose didn''t know Jonathan''s identity.


    As she wanted to inquire es called.


    "Where''s Rosie?" he asked impatiently as soon as the call was connected.


    His tone was full of defensiveness toward her. She felt extremely ufortable.


    However, she smiled and handed the phone to Rose as she said, "Rosie, look, Miles has only been out for not long, and he had missed you."


    You


    while. Then, she went to a cafe in a shopping mall not far away, waiting for him to finish his work.


    As soon as she sat down, she heard the voices of several women behind her.


    "I heard that Mr. Young Senior from the Youngs has a new granddaughter in Aquastead, Rose."


    "I heard about it too. Why is it her?"


    "Isn''t she lucky? Or did she confuse Mr. Young Senior?"


    "She almost became a part of the Young family. Will she have the opportunity to inherit the Youngs''s property in the future?"


    "That''s annoying!"


    Even though she was not familiar with several voices, Rose could recognize each one. They were her toxic friends once upon a time. She didn''t want to meet them. Hence, she nned to go to another


    cafe.


    As she stood up, she heard another voice.


    "It''s hard to say whether she has fate. I heard that if a person has no fate, even if good luckes, be taken away by God. What if something happens to her-perhaps she falls into the water..."


    Rose was much more familiar with Mandy''s voice than the toxic friends next to her. When Mandy mentioned falling into the water, Rose subconsciously became vignt. She gave up the idea of leaving.


    "You also said it was just in case. Who can be sure about it?"


    it''ll


    Someone among the toxic friends said nonchntly, "If I had known, I''d have had a better rtionship with her. We evenughed at her at Nightfall Loungest time. It''s all Maya''s fault. I don''t know if I''m toote to show my kindness to Rose now."


    "Whether it''ste or not, you should give it a try."


    "That''s right. If she ignores the past, you can be friends with her, the potential heiress to the Young family. People will envy you...


    For a moment, the toxic friends showed their admiration for Rose, which caused Mandy to frown.


    She thought Rose might have been swallowed by the fish in the sea. There''s no point for them to show their kindness to Rose. Someone called Rose, but no one answered.


    "Why is the phone turned off?"


    The person furrowed her brows. Mandy sneered triumphantly.


    "She''s gone. Of course, her phone is turned off."


    "What do you mean?" The toxic friends looked at her.


    Before going out today, Mandy found out that Miles''s people were looking for Rose in the sea outside


    the port. If she was still alive, why did they need to look for her?

 Billionire 172

    Why Are You Maidat Mie


    Meanwhile, Laurence had been sent to the police station. She didn''t do anything that night, so no one would suspect her as long as she remained silent.


    A triumphant smile appeared on her face as she said, "It''s nothing. If you want to show kindness to her, just go ahead."


    With that, she left the cafe. She was in a good mood today, so she went shopping.


    After that, she shopped at various luxury brand stores in the shopping center without noticing anyone following her from a distance. Rose specially bought a cap and followed her all the time.


    As Mandy entered the toilet, she walked in without hesitation. Mandy was about toe out after going to the toilet when she heard the phone in her bag ring.


    She didn''t answer the phone immediately but nned to wash her hands first. The ringtone stopped for a moment and started ringing again.


    The ringtone echoed throughout the washroom. However, Mandy was not in a hurry as she took out her lipstick and did her makeup.


    Rose couldn''t help but remind her, "The call is so urgent, there must be something important. Are you not going to answer it?"


    Mandy frowned as she found the voice familiar. However, she didn''t think about Rose at all. ncing at the person in the mirror who was wearing a cap with her head slightly lowered, she sneered. "It''s none of your business..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, Rose raised her head slightly. Even though half of her face was covered with the cap, Mandy managed to recognize her.


    "You...".


    She stared at her, not believing that she was Rose. The next moment, Rose took off her cap to let her see her face. Then, she straightened her long ck hair and turned to look at Mandy. "What''s wrong with me?" She had a smile on her face, but her eyes were sharp.


    "Ah..


    Mandy seemed to have seen a ghost as she subconsciously took a step back. However, she falled to steady her body as she retreated too quickly. She then fell to the ground.


    Rose kindly reached out as she tried to help her up, but she was so frightened that her face turned pale.


    "Don''te over. You... You should find Laurence... It has nothing to do with me..."


    Rose found her reaction even more unusual.


    "I''m not a ghost. Mandy, why are you so afraid of me?" she asked as she knelt.


    Mandy was stunned. She found it impossible that she was not a ghost. While she was in a daze, Rose


    Why Are You Afraid of Me


    suddenly grabbed her wrist. She was so frightened that her body trembled as she let out a scream.


    Feeling the coldness from Rose''s palm, she was terrified. She wanted to break free, but Rose held on tighter.


    Her face suddenly darkened as she asked coldly, "You said it has nothing to do with you? What do you mean by that?"

 Billionire 173

    Take You Home


    At this question, Mandy suddenly froze..


    "What has nothing to do with you?" Rose asked again.


    Mandy''s eyes shed as she hid her panic and said, "What did I say? I said nothing."


    "I remember you were on the cruise that day," Rose said calmly. "Did you get in touch with Laurence?"


    As if she had been caught, Mandy pushed her away with an unexpected force.


    "Get in touch? Even though I was there, I had no interaction with him at all."


    "Is that so?" Rose didn''t believe in her.


    With such a big reaction, she was guilty. However, she couldn''t force her to tell the truth in this way.


    She raised her eyebrows slightly as she said, "Okay. Since you said you didn''t have interaction with him, I''ll believe in you. Goodbye."


    With that, she waved to her and left with a smile. Meanwhile, Mandy was still in a daze. She thought Rose would press for more questions, but she simply left. Thinking of something, she hurriedly took out her phone and saw several unfamiliar numbers on it. Knowing that it was Kelly, she soon called back.


    As soon as the call was connected, she hurriedly said, "Rose is not dead!"


    Not only was she not dead, she didn''t seem to have been vited by Laurence. Kelly was not surprised.


    "I just wanted to tell you that your spection is wrong. Someone is investigating the incident that night. You should be careful."


    After finishing her words, she hung up the phone. Mandy felt extremely guilty while holding her phone. She gradually began to feel uneasy.


    With a sh in her eyes, she quickly tidied up herself and left the washroom in a panic. When Rose returned to Young''s House of Jewels, Miles hade back. "Miles, are you looking for me?"


    After Miles saved her that night, she no longer felt awkward toward him. To him, she felt an extraordinary gratitude for her savior.


    Miles wouldn''t tell her that he was worried about Anastasia approaching her.


    "I need your help with something. You won''t refuse, right?" He simply made an excuse.


    Of course not. As long as I can help, I''m obligated."


    Rose had just wondered how to repay him. His request gave her the opportunity.


    "What''s the matter?" she asked


    Follow me"


    Miles took a look at her and brought her to the office


    "It''s my Grandpa''s birthday in three months. I want to customize a suit for him. It would be perfect if you designed it."


    "Grandpa''s birthday?"


    Rose couldn''t hide her surprise. If it was Oliver''s birthday, she had to prepare a gift. As for Miles''s


    request...


    "Don''t worry. I''ll design a unique suit for Grandpa."


    She nodded.


    Miles took a look at theputer and said, "Then, shall we start now?"


    Rose was shocked that he was in a hurry. Nevertheless, since she wouldn''t go to Celeste Jewels today, she found it good to design the suit here. After that, she stayed in the office. Meanwhile, Miles was in another office, personally nning the liquidation of the Walts''s real estate


    "Mr. Young, someone is still eyeing the Walts family''s business," his assistant reported.


    Miles furrowed his brows, but soon a hint of understanding shed in his eyes.


    "Don''t worry, we just do our thing."


    Besides himself, Jonathan must also be keeping an eye on the Walts family.


    Once it was confirmed that Mandy was rted to the incident on the cruise that night, both he and Jonathan would take action.


    The Walts family would be destroyed in just one night to face the Finches and the Youngs.


    "Where''s Mandy?" he asked.


    "Mr. Young, please listen to this..."


    The assistant took out a voice recorder. In the voice recorder, it was the conversation between Mandy and her friends in the coffee shop just now.


    At the same time, the same recording reached Jonathan''s ears.


    After the recording was yed, he found that the information Mandy revealed only created suspicion that she was rted to the incident. She didn''t say exactly what she had done.


    "Mr. Finch, do you want to use some means?" Finley suggested.


    Sitting on a chair, Jonathan was flipping a coin on his fingertips.


    Take You Home


    After a long silence, he said calmly, "Will do."


    "Alright."


    Finley immediately understood what to do. On the other hand, Mandy hurried home after leaving the shopping center. As she drove, she kept thinking about what happened on the cruise that night.


    She kept telling herself that even if someone saw her drinking and talking to Laurence that night, it wouldn''t prove anything. No one could do anything to her without concrete evidence.


    Even if Laurence identified her, she didn''t have to admit it. However, the uneasiness in her heart didn''t disappear. Due to her absent-mindedness, she didn''t notice that a car suddenly drove up in front of her.


    1


    When she came back to her senses, she instinctively turned the steering wheel. The car I


    ar lost control and hit the guardrail on the roadside. She hit her head on the steering wheel, bleeding profusely.


    Meanwhile, the car that drove over just now quietly left without anyone noticing.


    In the car behind, the person sent by Finley to follow Mandy immediately reported, "Mandy is involved. in a car ident."


    "How''s her condition?"


    Finley frowned at this coincidence. At the same time, Miles''s assistant received the same report.


    "Mr. Young, Mandy was in a car ident and has been sent to the hospital. Her injuries are unknown," he reported to Miles.


    Miles didn''t know whether the car ident had something to do with Jonathan. He nced at Rose, who was designing in the office next door.


    "Since he''s taking action, let''s just wait for news," he said.


    He would just stay with Rose. As it was getting dark, he prepared to take Rose home. As they left the building and were about to get in the car, Miles received a call from Jonathan.


    After hesitating for a moment, he picked up the call.


    As soon as the call was connected, Jonathan said, "I have something important to tell you..."


    Miles thought it was about Mandy. He nced at Rose. Not wanting to get her involved, he signaled to her and walked aside.


    "What''s the matter?"


    He turned his back to Rose. He didn''t notice a person walking toward Rose. He also didn''t know that Jonathan was smiling on the other end of the phone.


    "You''re believing in me," Jonathan said before hanging up the phone.


    At this moment, a hand suddenly grabbed Rose''s wrist. She was startled.


    Take You Home


    As she saw the owner of the hand, she asked, "Why are you here?"


    "I''m here to take you home."


    Jonathan''s eyes were very gentle. Before she could react, he pulled her into the crowd speedily, as if


    he was avoiding someone. As Miles turned around, Rose had disappeared.


    Realizing that he had been fooled, he cursed in a low voice before chasing after him

 Billionire 174

    How Could It Be Him


    He looked everywhere but couldn''t find Rose.


    "Jonathan!" he cursed through gritted teeth as he called Jonathan back, but no one answered.


    At this moment, Jonathan had driven Rose to Zenwood Gardens with satisfaction.


    As his phone kept ringing with calls, Rose couldn''t help but remind him, "Aren''t you going to answer it?"


    Jonathan knew who was calling without looking.


    "Ignore irrelevant people and irrelevant things."


    He didn''t even look at his phone as he turned the volume down to the lowest level and allowed the other party to continue calling.


    After returning to Zenwood Gardens, Jonathan waited until Rose fell asleep before going out again. In the hospital, Mandy suffered a broken leg and underwent surgery.


    Shortly after she was sent to the ward, she was moved out. As the anesthetic had just worn off, she opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by darkness.


    The pain in her legs made her scream out subconsciously. Just then, the lights in the room turned on with a snap. A hugemp was above her head, shining directly into her eyes.


    "Ah...


    She was extremely frightened. She wanted to see clearly where she was, but the strong light prevented her from opening her eyes.


    "Ms. Walts, do you remember what you did?"


    A man''s voice suddenly sounded.


    She was startled and subconsciously said, "I did nothing. Who are you? Let me go now. I''m the daughter of the Walts family. If my father knows that you''ve kidnapped me, he definitely won''t let you


    go."


    Finley had seen this kind of bluff many times. He smiled indifferently, which made Mandy swallow in fear. She began to beg for mercy.


    "I don''t care who you are. Do you want money? I can give you money. My family is wealthy....


    "We don''t need money. You just have to tell me honestly what you did on the cruise that night." After Finley finished speaking. Mandy looked slightly startled.


    "I did nothing!"


    ing of Rose, she gritted her teeth as she said, "You''re Rose''s people? Or the Young family?"


    None of them," Finley said coldly.


    How Could It Be Fi


    Just then, Jonathan walked in.


    "Mr. Finch...


    Finley respectfully stepped aside. His address made Mandy finally open her eyes. She was stunned for a moment when she saw the personing. Then, she smiled disdainfully.


    "You''re Rose''s husband."


    She had seen this man both at Aquastead Museum and at the police station that day. With a handsome face, there was no doubt Rose had fallen for him. At this moment, Mandy was even more unafraid.


    If it was the Young family, she would be a little scared. However, he was just a host in a bar with no background who hooked up with the investor to make some money.


    He wanted to vent his anger on Rose.


    "How much do you want?" she asked again.


    She took a look at the man in front of him. He had a nice appearance and a top-notch figure. If her target wasn''t Evan and she couldn''t be too over, she almost wanted to keep this man.


    The look in her eyes made Jonathan feel disgusted.


    "What did you do on the cruise?"


    His tone was full of displeasure. It seemed that his patience was running out. Mandy was surprised


    by his aura.


    However, she didn''t take it seriously as she said, "I said I didn''t do anything. Rose was pushed into the water by Laurence. What does it have to do with me? 1


    Jonathan had expected her answer. However, he had prepared himself.


    "Finley..."


    He gestured to Finley and sat down on the sofa. Finley took out aputer and projected it on the wall. Theputer disyed the assets of the Walts family and the stock market details. Mandy couldn''t understand this. She only knew the red and green curves were constantly changing.


    "What kind of trick is this?" she said disdainfully while enduring the pain.


    If her legs hadn''t been in severe pain, she would have sat up andughed at the other party most elegantly. However, ten minutester, her phone rang.


    She couldn''t hold the phone as her hands were also injured. A man in ck then connected the phone


    and put it to her ear.


    She hadn''t noticed the man in ck in the room just now. She suddenly remembered those people who got off the helicopter on the cruise that day.


    ( How Could It Be Th


    Before she had time to explore more, she heard a roaring from the phone.


    "Mandy, what did you do? Do you want to destroy the Walt family?"


    It was her father, Emmanuel Walts. She was slightly startled.


    "Dad, what happened?"


    "The Finches threatened to bankrupt the Walts family. In the past ten minutes, all our partners have stopped their coboration with us. The stock price of our real estatepany has dropped all the way. Now it has stopped in half


    Mandy was confused. She looked at the huge screen in front of her.


    At this time, even if she didn''t understand the stock market, she understood that Rose''s husband was manipting the stock market, causing a cease in the Walts family''s assets.


    However, what did it have to do with the Finches?


    She swallowed and replied, "I didn''t offend the Finches."


    How could she afford such a family?


    "But I found out that you had something important to hide from Mr. Finch, that''s why the Finches would take action against us. What did you hide from him?"


    Mandy found it incredible. She didn''t have any connection with the Finches, so she had nothing to


    hide.


    She was just hiding something from Rose, who wouldn''t have any connection with the Finches. She wanted to console Emmanuel, but the man in ck hung up the phone.


    She looked at the person sitting on the sofa, wondering if he knew someone from the Finches. Then, he wanted to use the Finches to pry words out of her mouth.


    "Have you thought about what to say?" Jonathan asked coldly.


    Mandy was curious as she asked, "Who do you know from the Finches?"


    "Mr. Finch," Jonathan replied.


    Mandy was stunned.


    "You know Mr. Finch? You''re just a ..."


    He was just a male escort, he couldn''t know Mr. Finch.


    As she was about to reveal him, Jonathan continued. "I don''t know Mr. Finch. I''m Mr. Finch."


    y''s head was buzzing. She didn''te back to her senses for a long time. She couldn''t believe what she had just heard-he said he was Mr. Finch. "Haha..."


    How Could It Be Fir


    How was that possible? How could Rose''s husband be Mr. Finch?


    1

 Billionire 175

    Want Her to Suffer


    Mandy didn''t want to believe it, but she had to believe it. If Rose''s husband was Mr. Finch, what she did on the cruise...


    A hint of quilt shed in her eyes as she said, "I did nothing."


    Not only were her words not convincing, she also sounded unthoughtful.


    Jonathan nced at Finley, who quickly dialed the phone and uttered, "Continue."


    In just a few minutes, the curve on the screen went down. Just then, Mandy mother called.


    "It''s gone, it''s all gone. Our family is finished. Your dad couldn''t bear the situation and suffered a heart attack. He was sent to the hospital. Mandy, you killed the Walts family."


    Her tone was full of usations. Mandy''s face ashened. The stubborn insistence just now had broken down. She suddenly looked at the man on the sofa with agitation.


    "Mr. Finch, I''ll say it. I saw Mr. Gibson drinking unhappily because of the conflict with Rose, so deliberately went to provoke him. I...


    She almost told him she added the drug to Laurence''s wine. However, she immediately shut up after realizing something.


    Jonathan cared so much about Rose. If he knew she had done such a thing, he would not let her go.


    "I was wrong...


    She struggled and fell off the bed. The ster broke instantly when it fell on the ground. The pain in her leg was piercing, but she could only endure it. "Mr. Finch, please spare the Walts family and me..."


    Jonathan was filled with anger. How could he spare someone who hurt Rose? Without saying a word, he strode out.


    Before leaving, Finley nced at Mandy on the ground and said, "Ms. Walts, there''ll be no Walts family in Aquastead from now on. I wish you good luck."


    When the room became empty, his words still echoed in Mandy''s mind. She was regretful of hurting Rose, which caused misery to the Walts family. As for Kelly


    Thinking of Kelly, she gritted her teeth. A trace of hatred emerged in her eyes. When Jonathan returned home, it was still dark. He immediately went to the room to see Rose.


    After making sure that she was sleeping peacefully, he went back to his room to rest.


    Early the next morning, Rose woke up and saw her star escort husband making breakfast as soon as she walked out of the room. He was wearing ck home clothes and sitting at the bar drinking coffee. Even the way he had breakfast was pleasing to the eye. While eating breakfast, Rose secretly looked at him. Jonathan felt her gaze but deliberately did not expose it. He was feeling very satisfied.


    "This is for you


    Before Rose went out, he handed her a phone. Her phone broke that night, and she was nning to buy a new one today. She didn''t expect him to give


    However, no reward for no merit. She decided to give him something in return.


    "Thank you." She raised the phone in her hand.


    After getting the phone, she logged into Facebook. Countless messages poured in She randomly. clicked on the chat room of her high school ssmates.


    The Watts family is bankrupt


    "Howe? Itspany had just announced its financial report at noon yesterday. Why did it go bankrupt overnight? Could it be that it offended people who shouldn''t be offended?" "Mandy, what happened to your family?"


    Someone kept tagging Mandy in the chat room, but she didn''t respond. Rose just nced at it and put


    away the phone without thinking much.


    When it was almost noon, there was amotion outside thepany.


    "Ms. Shaffer."


    Sherlyn hurried into the office. When the door opened, Rose heard a voice.


    "Where''s Rose? I want to see her!"


    Although the voice was hoarse, she could still recognize it as Mandy.


    "Let her in," she told Sherlyn before continuing to design the suit for Oliver.


    When Mandy entered the office and called her, she looked up. She was stunned for a moment.


    "Rose, I was wrong. Please forgive me


    She was sitting in a wheelchair. She wanted to push it forward, but she was too hurried that she leaned forward and fell to the ground. Rose was surprised. "What happened to you?" she asked.


    Her head was bandaged with gauze and her legs were in ster. She had just gone shopping yesterday. In just one night, she had be like this.


    "Arise..."


    She didn''t care about what happened the day before yesterday.


    She crawled in front of Rose and continued, "I''m wrong for being ignorant. Please let Mr. Finch be merciful and spare the Walts family.


    Upon hearing the name, Rose was in a daze. Thinking of the discussion in the high school chat room,


    Want Her to Buffer"


    she quickly understood the situation. Mr. Finch was the cause of the W


    family''s bankruptcy.


    However, there''s no use begging her. She should beg Mr. Finch instead.


    "I''m sorry, I don''t have any connection with Mr. Finch. I can''t help you," she said.


    Mandy was stunned for a moment. Thinking that Rose was not helping on purpose, she became even


    more anxious.


    "Rose, you and Mr. Finch are


    Just as she was about to say the words "husband and wife", a voice interrupted her. Rose looked up and saw the personing.


    Jonathan was in a ck suit. His breathing was hurried, and there was a slight panic in his eyes.


    "Why are you here?"


    Rose noticed something strange. Jonathan nced at the situation in the office. His expression quickly returned to normal as he strode forward and took Rose''s hand. "I''m here to take you to lunch."


    He looked at her with affectionate eyes. When he nced at Mandy on the ground, there was a hint of coldness.


    It was as if he was warning her that if she came to Rose next time, he would make her life even more. difficult. Mandy felt a chill running through her body.


    As she watched Jonathan take Rose away, she wondered if he cared so much about her. In a daze, her phone rang. Upon seeing the caller, she frowned slightly. After hesitating for a while, she answered the call.


    "Mandy, I''m out. We agreed to take revenge on Rose together. Don''t forget it." Maya was on the other end of the phone.


    As soon as Maya got out of the detention center, the first thing she did was contact Mandy.


    She suffered a lot during her time in the detention center. She had to return all the suffering to Rose no matter what.


    Mandy''s eyes trembled as she asked, "Do you know who Rose''s husband is?"


    "Her husband?" Maya said disdainfully. "Didn''t I tell you? He''s a host in a bar. If Rose hadn''t been lucky enough to get a video from somewhere, we wouldn''t have..."


    §¯§Ñ


    Before she could finish speaking, Mandy interrupted her with a sneer.


    "Why are youughing?"


    Maya was filled with anger.


    Want Her to Suffer


    "Nothing."


    Mandy hung up the phone. She wouldn''t tell Maya that Rose''s husband was Mr. Finch. He had caused trouble for her, and she wanted Maya to suffer too.


    She is Missing Yout


    She Is Missing You


    As she and her star escort husband were sitting in the restaurant, the weirdness within Rose''s heart didn''t dissipate.


    She stared at him for a long time and suddenly said, "Did you bring me out on purpose?"


    Jonathan''s eyshes trembled. He did it on purposes he was worried that Mandy would say something she shouldn''t say. That''s why he came in a hurry. However, he couldn''t let her know that he


    meant it.


    "What?"


    He rarely acted ignorant.


    Without looking at her, he cut the steak in front of him and continued, "Besides, why should I do it on purpose?"


    This was what Rose couldn''t figure out. Thinking of what Mandy said just now, she found it funny.


    "I don''t know what happened to Mandy. She asked me to beg Mr. Finch to spare the Walts family. Mr. Finch wants to destroy the Walt family. What does it have to do with me? How can I say anything?" She told it to him like a joke. A hint of guilt shed across Jonathan''s eyes.


    His impression of Mr. Finch in Rose''s heart had never improved. Hence, he couldn''t help but say good things for himself.


    "Mr. Finch should also be an enthusiastic person."


    "Enthusiastic?"


    Rose couldn''t help butugh. Jonathan''s face suddenly stiffened. What''s her reaction? It seemed like she didn''t agree with his words. He was irritable, but he knew that some things should not be rushed. Rose''s prejudice against him had gone deep. To change, words alone wouldn''t work. He had to prove it with real actions. He stared at her, thinking about how to change his image.


    When Rose returned to thepany, Mandy was no longer there, but she received her message.


    "Do you know why Mr. Finch is dealing with the Walts family? It''s because of you. That night on the cruise, I encouraged Laurence while he was drunk. Mr. Finch dealt with the Walts family just to vent his anger for you."


    Rose was stunned for a long time after looking at the message. Rather than knowing what Mandy had done, what surprised her more was that Mr. Finch took revenge for her.


    How could that be possible?


    She subconsciously didn''t believe it. However, thinking about the night Mr. Finch was at Young Estate and he promised to help her investigate her mother''s car ident that year, she was no longer certain. Could he have regarded her as Harriette''s stand-in and still missed her? She swallowed as if she was

 Billionire 176

    She is Masing Yout


    frightened.


    "For God''s sake, please bless Mr. Finch to find the one he likes soon. Please." She couldn''t help but


    pray.


    She believed that if Mr. Finch found someone he liked, he would never look at her again. A stand-in could neverpare with true love.


    At the same time, Jonathan, who was in the office on the top floor of Finch Building, suddenly sneezed.


    "Mrs. Finch must be thinking about you."


    Finley never missed any opportunity to tter him. Sure enough, a smile bloomed on Jonathan''s face, which had been cold just now.


    Thinking of the previous order, he asked, "Have you told everything to Mandy?"


    "Mr. Finch, don''t worry. I called her personally to warn her. She wouldn''t dare to mention your identity to Mrs. Finch. Besides, I also asked her to reveal to Mrs. Finch the news that you''re dealing with the Walts family. After she knows about it, she''ll feel that you''re a mighty person.¡±


    "That''s good."


    Jonathan was pleased. This was what he wanted. As it continued, Rose would change her impression of him.


    He yed with the coin in his hand. Then, he suddenly sneezed again, which made him even happier.


    "She''s missing me again," he talked to himself while smiling heartily.


    Nevertheless, he didn''t know that Rose was getting more and more uneasy thinking about Mr. Finch, worried that God had missed her prayer. She could only pray and prayed again.


    At the Shaffer residence, after learning the news of the Walts family''s bankruptcy, Kelly didn''t have much feelings.


    She had thrown the contact card she had with Mandy and had someone hack her phone to delete the conversation between them.


    Even if Mandy and Laurence testified against her, she was still unjustly used without evidence.


    It''s just that on the cruise that night, Laurence didn''t seed in viting Rose even if he was drugged which made her feel pity.


    She drank a ss of milk in disappointment, thinking about the message Anastasia sent her that day.


    "Did Mr. Young Senior choose Rose because her eyes looked like his daughter''s?"


    She held Rose''s photo and stared into those eyes. Her eyes were indeed beautiful. They were somewhat simr to Anastasia''s eyes.


    While looking at the photo, she looked at herself in the mirror, as ifparing how simr her eyes


    the


    were to Rose''s. Soon, a trace of disappointment appeared in her eyes.


    "Damn it! Why does it have to be Rose?"


    She threw the photo away angrily. Chelsea saw this scene as soon as she entered Kelly''s room.


    She picked up the photo that she threw on the ground. When she saw that it was Rose in the photo, her eyes showed a hint of indifference.


    "What are you doing with her photo?"


    She threw the photo into the trash can. In front of Chelsea, Kelly didn''t hide anything.


    "Mom, do you know why Mr. Young Senior chose Rose to be his granddaughter?"


    "Why?"


    "Because of her eyes. She happened to have a pair of eyes simr to his missing daughter. That''s


    awful!*


    Kelly was extremely jealous. She took another look at her eyes in the mirror. However, no often many times she observed, she couldn''t find any resemnce to Rose and Anastasia. Chelsea on the side was stunned. After a while, she seemed toe to her senses and grabbed Kelly''s hand.


    *Kelly, can you exin clearly? Does Rose''s eyes look like Mr. Young Senior''s daughter''s?"


    Kelly nodded.


    "Yes."


    "How simr is it?" Chelsea continued to ask.


    Kelly was irritated.


    "I''ve never met Mr. Young Senior''s daughter, how do I know about that? But since he can ept her as his granddaughter, there should be more than just a slight resemnce." Chelsea''s eyes shed slightly. Rose''s face didn''t look like Celeste''s, but eyes were the same as hers.


    "Mom, what''s wrong with you?" Kelly noticed something strange about Chelsea.


    Chelsea frowned and turned slightly pale. She guessed in her heart, but she refused to believe it.


    However, she murmured subconsciously, "Celeste Young. Herst name is Young..."


    Kelly looked at her in shock.


    "You mean... Celeste is from the Young family?"


    As soon as she finished her words, she sneered.


    "How could it be such a coincidence? There are many people with thest name Young in the world. Even if Celeste''sst name is Young, she doesn''t necessarily belong to the Young family."  She Is Missing You


    "But are the eyes a coincidence?" Chelsea''s hands clenched unconsciously.


    She didn''t hope that Celeste was from the Youngs. However, their eyes were simr. Besides, Celeste was particrly talented in jewelry. It was she who founded Celeste Jewels bit by bit and grew.


    Her reaction fell in Kelly''s eyes. Although she was repulsed by this possibility in her heart, when she calmed down, she had to rationally explore how likely this possibility was.


    Suddenly, she seemed to think of something as she asked, "Mom, do you have a photo of Celeste?"


    NatFr

 Billionire 177

    Not Fit


    Celeste''s photo... Chelsea hurriedly ran out of Kelly''s room. After a few minutes, she turned back. F


    "Have you found it?" Kelly asked impatiently.


    Chelsea looked solemn as she said, "No. When Celeste died, I made excuses to ask your dad to burn her photos. I thought he would secretly keep one or two of them, but I went to look for them just now, and there''s not even one left."


    Kelly''s eyes darkened slightly. It would be fine if Rose just had eyes that looked like Oliver''s daughter. If his daughter was Celeste, Rose would be the only bloodline of the Young family.


    In that case... She didn''t want to think about the result. Taking a deep breath, she gritted her teeth unwillingly. Suddenly, Chelsea seemed to have thought of something as her eyes lit up. "There''s someone... There''s someone who must know whether Celeste belongs to the Young family."


    "Who?"


    "Angelica."


    Although Chelsea didn''t know what the rtionship between Angelica and Celeste was, she had heard Jamie mention several times that they grew up together.


    Since they grew up together, they should know more about Celeste''s past.


    Early the next morning, Chelsea and Kelly left Aquastead on the pretext of going out to rx. They went to Cheriton to look for Angelica.


    At the same time, some documents regarding Celeste''s car ident were sent to Jonathan. In a few days, Rose had finished the design for Oliver''s suit.


    After that, she decided to design another set for her star escort husband, as a return gift for him giving.


    her a phone.


    Just as the design was halfwaypleted, she suddenly remembered that day at Young Estate, when Mr. Finch promised to help her find out the truth about her mother''s car ident. After so long, he didn''t contact her again. She didn''t know if he had forgotten about this. She felt extremelyplicated. She didn''t want to have any contact with Mr. Finch. However, she wanted to find out whether her mother''s car ident was an ident. After struggling in her heart for a long time, she decided to go all out and find Mr. Finch. Since she didn''t have his contact, she had no choice but to go to Finch Building. As soon as she reached Finch Building, she met someone she didn''t want to see. As she was about to take a detour to avoid that person, he saw her.


    "Rose..."


    Nixon''s phone number was blocked by Rose. Ever since he broke off his engagement with Kelly in


    front of Nose, he had been trying to contact her but


    avai


    He was nning to find her at Celeste Jewels after meeting Jonathan today He didn''t expect to meet


    Ha her here Seeing that she was trying to hide, he immediately chased after her and grabbed her wrist


    As soon as he touched her wrist, Rose looked over with a tham gare


    "Ler po


    She was filled with disgust Nixon didn''t want to let go.


    "Rose, why are you like this? I''ve admitted my mistake. Our rtionship for so ma


    "Shut up. Nixon, are you shameless?"


    years


    Rose felt sick looking at his face now. Since he didn''t want to let go, she tried to use force. As if aware of her intention, he suddenly let go of her hand.


    The next moment, he knelt on the ground with a thud. Rose subconsciously took a step back Since it was lunchtime, people wereing and going outside Finch Building.


    Nixon''s kneeling immediately attracted countless people to watch. They surrounded him in circles, even blocking Rose''s path. Upon seeing the situation, Nixon took the opportunity to attack "Rosie, I can do anything for you. Please don''t leave me."


    As he spoke, he seemed to have thought of something and took out a box from his arms.


    He opened it and said, "Rosie, I bought it especially for you.


    His face was full of ttery as if he was an infatuated man. Rose felt extremely sick. However, the


    people around began to boo


    "Such a big diamond ring..."


    "This is worth a lot of money. Miss, with his sincerity, even if he makes any mistakes, just forgive him and don''t leave him."


    Rose wanted to roll her eyes in front of everyone. What the hell did they know?! Taking a deep breath, she wished she could kick the man in front of her away.


    However, with so many people watching, if she used force, Nixon would probably take advantage of


    her. She looked at the diamond ring.


    It was indeed big. However, she wouldn''t believe that he bought it, especially for her. After all, Nixon only had Kelly in her heart. Her eyes narrowed slightly She suddenly said, "Alright, I ept it."


    nt of surprise shed in Nixon''s eyes. He thought it would take some effort, but he didn''t expect that she would ept it


    From the corner of his eyes, he saw someone next to him take out his phone, preparing to record this


    scene.


    He was filled with triumph as he started nning to spend some money to get the videoter and publish it to that Roer''s Husband could see it.


    Put it on quickly he urged impatiently


    Some people started to boo


    "have to put it on?"


    Rose looked at him as if giving him a chance to stop


    Put it on. Put it on


    The people around couldn''t wait to watch the fun.


    "Alright"


    Rose reached out and took out the diamond ring from the box. Then, she put it on in front of everyone. Although the diamond ring sparkled dazzlingly, its extra size was also particrly eye-catching.


    As Rose shook her hand slightly, the ring fell from her fingers and dropped right in front of Nixon. For a moment, something seemed to be exposed. Everyone was stunned. Rose looked panicked


    "I''m sorry. My fingers are too small to fit this ring


    Nevertheless, everyone around was as clear as a mirror.


    "It''s not that her fingers don''t fit the ring, it''s the ring that doesn''t fit the fingers."


    "I thought he was so sincere. Could he be buying the ring for someone else?"


    Someone saw the clues. Nixon''s eyes shed with clear panic.


    He hurriedly picked up the ring and exined, "No, I don''t know the size of her finger


    "Not knowing the finger size? If the ring is just a little bit bigger, I can still believe it. However, it''s so much bigger. Even if you estimate with your eyes, there won''t be so much difference." "Tsk, just part way. Miss, this ring is not necessarily bought just for you."


    Someone kindly reminded Rose. Of course, she knew that he didn''t buy it specifically for her. The size of the ring belonged to Kelly


    She thought she would have to p Nixon in the face on her own, but the onlookers either. She smiled with satisfaction. The people around quickly dispersed.


    s were not fools


    Not far away, Jonathan was looking at Rose. He had been standing for a long time, and he had just vaguely heard her words. He immediately recognized her voice.

 Billionire 178

    He Wants Her Heart


    After the crowd dispersed, he saw Rose''s profile. He originally wanted to look for her at noon. Unexpectedly, she came over. She was wearing avender dress, her hair was shawl-length.


    Right now, she folded her arms in front of her chest, as if she had won a fight as she looked at Nixon disdainfully. Then, she suddenly turned around.


    The smile on Jonathan''s face froze slightly. He turned his back almost subconsciously.


    After making sure that Rose didn''t see him, he ordered Finley, "Have someone ask Rose toe up."


    With that, he turned around and got on the elevator. Nixon was about to explode with anger. Upon seeing that Rose was about to leave, he chased after him unwillingly.


    *Rose, you


    As he was about to call her, someone walked up to Rose and said, "Ms. Shaffer, Mr. Finch asked you. toe up."


    Nixon recognized him as a well-respected executive of Finch Group. Did hee to pick up Rose in person? He nced at Rose, not daring to make a fuss.


    It was the second time Rose came to Finch Group. She was brought to the reception room with the screen again.


    Unlikest time, she felt a strong sense of oppression when she entered the reception room, she felt peaceful this time. She couldn''t help but wonder if the person behind the screen was Mr. Finch.


    "Mr. Finch?" she called out as if to confirm.


    Behind the screen, Jonathan narrowed his eyes.


    "Are you looking for me for something?"


    He lowered his voice, trying to cease the coldness so that Rose didn''t reject it. As soon as he spoke, Rose was certain that he was Mr. Finch.


    With that indifference and condescension, his image appeared vividly before her eyes even through the screen. Rose got straight to the point.


    "Last time at Young Estate, you promised to help me investigate the matter. Has there been any progress?"


    "Yes."


    "Really?"


    Rose stood up abruptly and strode into the screen. She was so excited that when she came back to her senses, she was stunned for a moment when she saw the back of his head. She felt that he turned around on purpose as if hiding from her.


    14


    He Wants Her Heat


    "Cough..."


    Jonathan coughed lightly as if to hide something.


    Then, he said, "You don''t have to be excited. In the car ident that year, the driver who caused the ident was sentenced to ten years. He was released half a year ago. I''ve let my people investigate the whereabouts of that person."


    Rose''s head was buzzing. She couldn''t help but rey his words in her mind-that person was released half a year ago.


    Back then, Jamie and Louie told her that it was raining heavily on the day of the car ident. The collision between the two cars was just an ident.


    She didn''t even think about the other party in the car ident after that, even though he might have the answer she wanted.


    "How long will it take to find it?"


    Her voice trembled slightly. She suddenly felt cold. Even with his back to her, Jonathan felt something strange about her.


    "You go back first. I''ll contact you if there''s more news."


    Jonathan wanted tofort her, but he found that it was inconvenient for him to do so with the identity of Mr. Finch. The only way was to let her leave. He couldfort her with the identity of her husband. However, Rose misunderstood. She remembered their conversation at Young Estate that day.


    She stared at the back of his head and asked subconsciously, "What do you want?"


    He wouldn''t help her for no reason. If he regarded her as Harriette''s stand-in, his aim must be her. Her eyes trembled as she clenched her fists.


    After a long silence, she said, "If you want me


    "Rosel" Jonathan interrupted her.


    He knew what she wanted to say. He did want her, but not in the way she thought.


    "What I want is not you."


    What he wanted was her heart. However, he couldn''t make it clear. Rose was stunned for a moment, then she breathed a sigh of relief. Then what do you want me to do?"


    She always felt that since it was an exchange, she would always feel uneasy if he didn''t make it clear what was going to be exchanged.


    Only by knowing what he wanted could she be sure that he would investigate it for her.


    Understanding her thoughts, Jonathan fell silent for a moment before he said, "I request that when I want to see you, I can see you immediately."


    Rose was stunned for a moment. This was what he wanted? She stared at the back of his head. Soon, she figured out what he wanted.


    He regarded her as Harriette''s stand-in. Perhaps he wanted to see her as afort wh he missed Harriette.


    He had said that what he wanted was not her. Hence, he simply soughtfort due to his longing for Harriette. She was d that he didn''t have any undue thoughts about her. "Okay. I''ll wait for your call at any time."


    She breathed out. After leaving the reception room, her wariness toward Mr. Finch dissipated instantly. However, what he said about her mother''s car ident lingered in her mind. As soon as she left, Jonathan couldn''t stay still anymore. He immediately went to Aquastead Hotel as he had something to give to Rose.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia, who originally stayed at Young Estate, deliberately waited in the Aquastead Hotel for several days. She wanted to greet Jonathan who returned to the hotel. However, he was in a hurry. After going upstairs, he quickly turned back and got into the car without stopping at all. That car was not a luxury car belonging to the Finches.


    She was certain that he was going to see Rose. Although she was unhappy, she took out her phone and wanted to make an appointment with Rose. However, Rose didn''t answer the call. She cursed in a low voice as she had no choice but to follow Jonathan in her car. On the way back to thepany, Rose kept thinking about the car ident.


    Even when she was sitting in the office, she was still distracted, not even noticing the missed calls on her phone.


    "Mr. Finch..."


    Outside the office, as Sherlyn was about to enter the office, she saw Jonathan walking toward her.


    He had a tall figure and a handsome appearance. Sherlyn had secretly admired this couple for a long


    time.


    When she saw him going to the office to see Rose, she immediately took a step back and let him go first. Jonathan then pushed open the door.


    Aft entering, he grabbed Rose''s wrist before she could react.


    "I''ll take you somewhere?"


    In high spirits, his handsome face seemed to be born with a bright smile. Rose had no resistance at


    all.


    It wasn''t until they got downstairs and got into the car that she asker Where are we going?"


    "You''ll knowter," Jonathan said mysteriously as he helped her to fasten her seat belt.


    As his tall body approached, Rose felt suffocated. His face was leaning against her chest. Locking at his side face from her angle, her heartbeat instantly elerated.


    It was pounding so much that it was about to jump out. That was terrible! She held her breath and tried to calm her heartbeat.


    However, the harder she tried, the faster her heart beat. Her face even turned red. Jonathan watched with a smile on his face.


    He deliberately slowed down. Then, he suddenly approached her and whispered in her ear.

 Billionire 179

    Do Not Leave Me


    "Breathe!" Jonathan reminded kindly..


    There was a hint of tease in his tone. Rose took a long breath. When she realized that she had been caught, her face turned even redder.


    She pushed her star escort husband away and averted her eyes. She wanted to let this matter go, but Jonathanughed as he realized her intentions to escape.


    Rose immediately looked over with a fierce gaze as heughed at her. Even though she didn''t say a word, the look in her eyes was full of warning, as if she was going to hit him if he keptughing. "Okay, okay. I didn''t realize anything," Jonathan said as if surrendering.


    Rose was sulky. What did he mean by he didn''t realize anything? What did he realize? Just as she was about to say something, Jonathan held her hand.


    The warmth of his palm made her startled slightly.


    He looked at her seriously as he said, "The ce we are going is a bit far, so you can sleep for a while."


    His tone was gentle, and his eyes gave a slight illusion as if he only had her in his eyes. She blinked, trying to see something.


    Just then, her star escort husband''s voice sounded again, "If you like to look at me, you can continue


    to do so."


    He was satisfied with her obsession with his face. Rose was stunned for a moment. Then, she broke


    free from his hand.


    "Who wants to look at you?!"


    As if she didn''t want to admit that she liked his looks she paused for a moment before continuing." Actually, you look..."


    She wanted to say that he was ugly, but she couldn''t go too far with the facts.


    Hence, she said, "You just look like that."


    Jonathan smiled in silence. The ce he wanted to take her to was indeed far away. They were still on the road when Rose woke up after a nap. They seemed to have entered a mountain. The car kept going up the winding mountain road. The beautiful scenery along the way was left behind.


    It wasn''t until dark that they reached a small town on the top of the mountain. The town was not big,


    was a small vi a few inches away from the town.


    b


    No one stayed in the vi, but it was kept clean and tidy. Jonathan seemed to be very familiar with this ce.


    "Is this your house?"


    Do Not I have Me


    Rose couldn''t help but guess. Nevertheless, the furnishings in the vi looked like a ce where a woman lived.


    Jonathan was startled. He looked around and said, "This is where my mother lived."


    It was the first time Rose heard him mention his family.


    Thinking of the Visualist Ezra, she asked tentatively, "Who are the people in your family?"


    Jonathan suddenly looked over. As their eyes met, Rose subconsciously looked away. Jonathan smiled faintly. Since she wanted to know his family members, he had to report to her properly. He poured two sses of wine and handed one to her.


    "Theposition of my family is quiteplicated. have two older brothers and one younger brother. We don''t have a good rtionship. When my mother married my father, she didn''t know that my father had illegitimate children. She thought she was marrying for love. Butter when she was pregnant with my brother, the illegitimate children came to the door. My grandfather couldn''t bear them wandering outside, so he let theme home.


    His tone was calm. However, what he said was uneptable.


    "After giving birth to my brother, my mother was depressed for several years. Shemitted suicide several times but was saved. Then she seemed to have figured it out and divorced my father desperately. After that, my father remarried..."


    As he said this, he drank a ss of wine. Rose looked at the sneer on the corner of his mouth. He was talking about his parents'' past, but what she saw was the hurt he suffered as a child.


    Almost subconsciously, she grabbed his hand. Feeling the warmth from her palm, Jonathan''s eyes trembled slightly.


    "Rose, please don''t leave me," he said while staring at her.


    What did he mean?


    "We''re just a couple with a contractual marriage..."


    "Not in my heart," Jonathan interrupted her eagerly as he looked at her with possessive eyes.


    Rose was a little confused. If they were more than just an agreement couple, who did Anastasia mean to him?


    I''m a bit drunk."


    She held her forehead. She was afraid that if she stayed with him for a little longer, she would be unable to control herself and expose the affair between him and Anastasia. Her sudden coldness made Jonathan frown.


    30


    "I''m going to take a nap. Can I have a room here?" Rose interrupted him.


    Do No? Lenn


    A smile appeared on her face as if nothing happened just now.


    "Alright."


    As soon as Jonathan finished speaking, she turned around and entered the room. When the door closed, Jonathan looked disappointed. He couldn''t figure out why she suddenly became so cold. She liked him, didn''t she? He didn''t sleep all night. Before dawn the next day, Rose was woken up by Jonathan.


    She opened her eyes and saw his handsome face approaching. She thought she was dreaming and couldn''t help but pat his cheek.


    "Don''t disturb me."


    With that, she closed her eyes and prepared to continue sleeping. Jonathan smiled helplessly. Upon seeing that it was getting bright outside, he picked her up and walked out of the room.


    As he settled her in the car, she still didn''t wake up. He continued to drive up the mountain. In a car not far away, Anastasia waited in the car all night.


    She had heard that Mrs. Finch came to Aquastead to rest for a while, on an inconspicuous mountain. Was this actually where it was? Jonathan brought Rose here.


    Recalling the way he held Rose just now, she couldn''t help but tighten her grip on the steering wheel. She wanted to follow him in her car, but she was worried that she would be discovered. After hesitating for a moment, she gave up the idea and turned the car around to go down the mountain. Along the way, she was thinking about how to deal with Rose. Soon, a n came into her mind. Jonathan drove to the top of the mountain. On the t ground at the top of the mountain, the surrounding peaks could be seen at a nce. Not far away, the sea met the sky, and a faint yellow light gradually shined over. Rose still had her eyes closed, sleeping deeply.


    Her hand was on Jonathan''s, and his fingertips were rubbing her ring finger. He looked at the intersection between the sea and the sky. In his vision, a delicate box stood out.


    Inside was a pair of couple rings. She designed it, and he made it with his own hands. It was a work theypleted together. He originally wanted to wait until their wedding to wear it for her. However, when she threw Nixon''s ring on the ground yesterday, he felt that there should be a ring on -hr hand to make some people retreat. T

 Billionire 180

    A Ring for Her


    Jonathan smiled fondly as he stared at Rose''s sleeping face. Worried that she would refuse when she was awake, he took out the ring the put it on her finger while she was asleep.


    When Rose woke up, the sun had just risen from the horizon. As soon as she opened her eyes, she was stunned by the scenery in front of her.


    Time seemed to freeze. After a long while, she looked at her star escort husband beside her. In the dim light, his handsome profile seemed to blend into the beautiful scenery.


    Her heartbeat was pounding. As if she was afraid that her star escort husband would find her peeking at her, she turned her head guiltily.


    However, her heartbeat couldn''t stop. Suddenly, she seemed to have touched something. She was stunned for a moment, then she lowered her head.


    Upon seeing the ring on her ring finger, she recognized it immediately.


    "This..."


    Her eyes widened in surprise. She checked the ring repeatedly and made sure it was the one she designed for the National Jewelry Design Award.


    Hadn''t the pair of rings been auctioned by Mr. Finch?


    She looked at her star escort husband and asked, "Did you put it on me?"


    Since there was no one else here, it could only be him.


    Before he could answer, she couldn''t wait to ask, "Why is the ring here? What''s your rtionship with Mr. Finch?''


    "Mr. Finch and 1..."


    Jonathan met her gaze. He wanted to tell her that he was Mr. Finch. He stared into her eyes, seeming to explore how she would react if he confessed at this time.


    A trace of fear gradually emerged in his heart.


    He suddenly raised his eyebrows and asked, "What rtionship do you think we have?"


    Rose stared at him with a curious look.


    After a long while, she slowly said, "You both have the samest name ...''


    Rose still stared at him. After a moment, she sat up while furrowing her brows.


    "Could it be that you are rtives?"


    than frowned at her spection.


    hat if we are?"


    A fing


    His eyes never left her face. He didn''t want to miss any of her reactions. In his vision, Rose furrowed her brows. Then, she seemed to suddenly realize something as she showed an understanding expression. Soon, her brows frowned again.


    She looked at him doubtfully as she asked, "Even if you''re rtives, he couldn''t have given this to you. After all, it''s so expensive..."


    Mr. Finch spent 500 million on this ring. Could her star escort husband spend another 500 million


    "I remember you said that Mr. Finch wanted to give the ring to a very important person. Why would he sell it to you?"


    The more she thought about it, the more she felt conflicted. In the end, it became even more unclear. Jonathan couldn''t help but smile at her frowning face.


    "I didn''t buy this from him."


    He reached out to smooth her frown. He didn''t buy it from him? Then...


    Rose suddenly grabbed his hand agitatedly as she said, "Did you steal it? How dare you? Mr. Finch will cut off your hand for stealing such a valuable thing. Come on, find a chance to give it back to him."


    She quickly took the ring off her ring finger and stuffed it into his hand. There was a concerned look on her face as if she was very worried that his hand would be gone.


    In her eyes, Mr. Finch was a cruel person who could chop off people''s hands.


    Jonathan didn''t know whether to be happy because she cared so much about him, or to be sad because Mr. Finch still had a bad impression in her heart.


    "Let''s go back to Aquastead."


    Rose had no intention of watching the beautiful sunrise anymore. The safety of her star escort husband was more important.


    She quickly fastened her seat belt. Suddenly, her hand was grabbed by a big palm. She slowly turned her head and met Jonathan''s smiling eyes.


    "Why are you smiling? I''m in such a hurry!" she said in displeasure.


    "I''m just happy."


    Jonathan''s voice was charming. At this moment, he seemed unable to suppress his happiness as the slight vibration in his chest made his voice even more alluring.


    Rose was stunned for a moment, wondering what was there to be happy about. As she came back to her senses, she found her star escort husband looking at her with deeper eyes.


    "You''re worrying about me," he said.


    apter 180 A. Ming he


    The depression caused by her sudden coldnessst night disappeared in an instant. He even seemed to have forgotten Rose''s rejection of Mr. Finch. Why did he have to care about Mr. Finch?


    Rose was


    worried about him. This was the most important thing. Rose couldn''t help but roll her eyes.


    "I''m not worried about you. We''re a couple in name, if Mr. Finch discovers that something is missing and knows that you stole it, I will be implicated..."


    Even though at Finch Group today, she found Mr. Finch less oppressive than before. However, when she heard that he used ruthless methods to rectify the other houses of the Finches... She couldn''t help but shudder.


    Just as she was about to urge her star escort husband to drive back to Aquastead to find a solution, he said, "Mr. Finch will never hurt you."


    His tone was sincere.


    Seeing Rose frowning, he immediately continued, "Besides, I didn''t steal this. I made this ring myself. You can wear it without worry. I promise Mr. Finch won''t chop off my hand."


    As he said, he put the ring back on her hand. His movements were gentle, his eyes were sincere and firm. His words still echoed in Rose''s mind. Did he make it himself?


    She remembered the ring taken by Mr. Finch was also made by her star escort husband. It seemed easy for him to make another one.


    "Did you make it yourself?" she confirmed again.


    "Yes."


    Jonathan nodded firmly. Toplete her design, he had the red diamond newly produced from the gem mine delivered to Aquastead overnight. Then, he stayed up overnight toplete the pair of rings. This ring meant a lot to him. Rose stared at him for a while before finally believing him. "Fortunately, it has nothing to do with Mr. Finch."


    She breathed a sigh of relief. As she looked at the ring on her hand, she became more and more


    satisfied with it.


    "Do you like it?" Jonathan suddenly asked.


    "Of course I like it. Where did you get this diamond? It''s such a big one and it looks so good. It looks


    genuine."


    Rose smiled brightly. The light of the sunrise shone on her, making Jonathan entranced. On the way back to Aquastead, Rose kept looking at the ring in her hand. Jonathan left after sending her to the


    pany.


    As she sat down at the desk, Miles called.


    A Ring for Her


    "Rosie, can you go home for dinner tonight? You''ve been away for the past few days. Grandpa has mentioned several times that if you don''te back, he''ll ask Patrick to pick you up."


    Miles didn''t tell her that he also wanted to meet her. Rose hesitated for a moment. Oliver''s suit had


    already been designed. She happened to n to take measurements, so she agreed.


    In the evening, when she left thepany, a car stopped in front of her. She was stunned for a moment when she saw the personing.


    "Rosie..."

 Billionire 181

    She Was Angry


    in the luxury car, Anastasia waved to her.


    "Rosie, get in the car quickly."


    Rose responded to her enthusiasm with a smile. After getting in the car, Anastasia saw the rig on her hand. After just one nce, she looked away without exploring too much.


    She knew that the ring must have been given to Rose by Jonathan. As Oliver saw Rose, he couldn''t hide the smile on his face. After the dinner, Rose and Miles took Oliver''s measurements together. Miles discovered the ring on her hand. He recognized it at a nce as the one that Jonathan had taken at the National Jewelry Design Award. A hint of unusualness shed in his eyes. When they were taking Oliver''s measurements, Anastasia also found the origin of the ring on Rose''s hand.


    *500 million...


    She had heard that Jonathan tok the pair of rings designed by Rose. However, she didn''t expect that the ring was in Rose''s hand now. She has seen the red diamond before.


    After the Finches got the red diamond, several female rtives wanted to take it. Even she once imagined that she could use the red diamond to make jewelry.


    In the end, Rose was the one who got it. With a cold look in her eyes, she carefully observed the design. After a while, a smile appeared on her lips. She called her assistant in Regalia.


    "I remember that Lerain Group released a top-quality red diamond three years ago?"


    "Yes, Ms. Young. That red diamond has not been released to the market since then. I guess they collected it themselves."


    After confirming her spection, Anastasia ordered, "Contact Lerain Group for me. I want to buy the red diamond at any price. However, the transaction must be secret and I cannot be revealed." "Alright, Ms. Young. I''ll do it right away."


    After hanging up the phone, she nced at the design coldly. Jonathan gave the ring to Rose. It gave her the opportunity to use the ring to separate the two.


    Early the next morning, as soon as Rose woke up and walked out of the room, she met Anastasia going out dressed very delicately.


    "Ms. Young, do you have a date today?" Patrick asked with concern.


    Anastasia responded with a bright smile, "I need to meet a very important person."


    After finishing her words, she looked at Rose at the top of the stairs and continued, "Rosie, I might not be back tonight. You and Miles don''t miss me too much." She winked at her yfully. Rose twitched the corner of her lips. A guess emerged in her mind, but


    5hm Wan Arign


    she quickly put the thoughts away.


    "What is your n for today?" Miles asked as he walked out of the


    om and saw Rose.


    "I don''t have any ns,"


    Rose was a little absent-minded. Looking at her twirling the ring on her finger, Miles knew that she must be thinking of Jonathan at this time.


    As a hint of annoyance shed in his heart, he raised a smile and said, "I''m going to attend a birthday party today. Why don''t you apany me?"


    Rose didn''t like that kind of asion. However, she couldn''t refuse him.


    "Sure."


    The two of them went out after having breakfast. Miles particrly brought her to choose a dress.


    On the way to the birthday party, Rose learned that she was going to attend the birthday party twins of the Chambers family.


    the


    The Chambers family had been involved in politics for several generations. It was considered family friends with the Youngs.


    The twin siblings of the Chambers family had just returned from studying abroad. The Chambers held this birthday party to create an opportunity for Madeline, who had a crush on Miles to meet him. When they arrived at Chambers Residence, Rose went to the washroom.


    When she came back, she saw Miles chatting happily with several people. She didn''t disturb him but went to the side and found a seat to sit. As soon as she sat down, she heard a familiar voice


    "Rose?"


    Maya didn''t expect to meet Rose here. The atmosphere became tense as the enemies met. She looked at Rose and sneered disdainfully.


    "Why are you here? This is the Chambers family''s birthday party. No outsiders were invited. How did you get in?"


    Her attitude made her seem to be very close with the Chambers family. Rose didn''t want to bother her. She looked away, as if she didn''t exist. Her reaction stimted Maya.


    "Rose, who do you think you are, that you dare to show your face to me here?"


    She was furious. Suddenly, she seemed to think of something.


    She stared at her for a while and changed her attitude as she said, "Fine, Rose, have fun."


    With that, she turned and left. Rose finally found peace. She got a ss of wine from the waiter and drank alone. Thinking of the date Anastasia mentioned this morning, she looked at the ring on her finger. She couldn''t suppress the strange feeling in her heart. She took out her phone and called her star


    She Was Angry


    escort husband. The phone rang for a long time with no one answered. In the end, it was


    disconnected.


    Rose was stunned for a moment. She dialed again, but this time the call went through.


    "Hello?"


    A woman''s voice came. Her hand shook and she hung up the phone subconously. She recognized the voice. It was Anastasia. A trace of anger emerged in her heart.


    He had just given her the ring yesterday, yet he was having fun with his investor today. What''s his attitude? She felt that she was acting too cowardly to hang up the phone just now,


    Taking a deep breath, she decided to call again. If Anastasia picked up the phone again, she would bravely ask her to hand the phone to her star escort husband and scold him. However, when she called again this time, the phone had been turned off.


    "Shut down the phone? Ha


    She stared at the phone and wanted to curse, but she held back. She angrily took off the ring in her hand and threw it into the wine ss before leaving. As soon as she took a few steps, someone stopped her.


    "Hey, Miss..."


    She paused and turned around to see the owner of the voice. He was wearing a white suit. There was a sinister aura about him. Upon seeing the ring in the wine ss he was holding, Rose frowned. Howard followed her gaze and stared at the ring in the wine ss. Then, he handed the wine ss to


    her.


    "Are you reluctant to throw away such a big diamond? Let me guess, the person who gave you the ring. must have made you angry, right?"


    "It''s more than just making me angry," she replied through gritted teeth.


    Then, she looked at him and continued, "If you like it, I''ll give it to you, but only if you don''t mind if it''s


    fake."


    With that, she turned around and prepared to find a secluded ce to take a nap. Howard was a knowledgeable person. He knew that the diamond was genuine.


    However, he didn''t reveal her. Instead, she was full of interest in the beautiful youngdy in front of him. Upon seeing that she was going to leave, he immediately chased after her.


    "As a man, what do I do with a woman''s ring? I think this ring looks good on your hand. Why don''t you just keep wearing it?"


    While talking, he had already taken out the ring from the wine ss and handed it to Rose.


    +

 Billionire 182

    Better to Forget Him


    Rose stared at the ring. It was rare to see such a big diamond that looked so genuine. It would be a pity to throw it away. She would just wear it. She took the ring and put it back in her hand angrily.


    However, she ignored Howard as she walked forward. The smile on Howard''s face froze. He had brought the ring to her. Did she forget to say something to him?


    Nevertheless, from her angry expression, she seemed to be filled with thoughts of the person who made her angry. He immediately chased after her and walked side by side with her.


    "Since he made you angry, why are you still thinking about him? Why don''t you forget about him?"


    Forgot about him?


    Before Rose could say anything, he continued, "If you forget about him, I''ll introduce you to a better


    one?"


    Rose wondered what he was talking about. Upon seeing Rose frowning in confusion, Howard smiled evilly as he stood in front of her.


    "How about me? Am I on par with the man who made you angry?"


    He winked at her. Rose halted her steps. She was amused by him. She scanned him for a while as if to confirm whether he waspatible with her star escort husband. Soon, she concluded.


    "You''re not as handsome as him."


    The smile on Howard''s face froze. He wondered if he was not as handsome as the man.


    Try to have a better look."


    As if refusing to admit defeat, he opened his arms and circled in front of Rose. Then, she stared at Rose again to confirm.


    "How about it now?"


    Rose suddenly found him interesting. She held her chin as her eyes were much more serious than before.


    She looked at him for a while before replying, "You''re not as handsome as him."


    Upon seeing that his expression was about to change, she immediately reassured him, "But you''re more interesting than him.¡±


    Interesting? It wasn''t a pleasant word for a man.


    As he wanted to ask how handsome the man was, Rose reached out to him first and she said, "My name is Rose Shaffer, Nice to meet you, and thank you for helping me get rid of my bad mood." Howard raised his brows. He was d that his efforts were not a waste.


    ) fatter to forget 10%.


    He patted her palm like a buddy as he said, "My name is Howard Chambers. Now that we know each other, we''ll be friends from now on, right? You''re my first friend in Aquastend. You must cherish it."


    "Yourst name is Chambers? You''re..."


    Rose suddenly remembered that she was at Chambers Residence. Could he be


    She almost asked to prove her guess when Howard sold, "Today''s birthday party''s my sister''s idea. It has nothing to do with me."


    He was indeed the twin brother of the Chambers family. Rose hade as Miles''s femalepanion. She didn''t prepare a gift alone.


    "Um..." She raised a smile as she tried to fool around. "Happy birthday."


    However, Howard blocked her way.


    "Where''s my present?"


    He spread his hands toward her. There was a trace of embarrassment in Rose''s smile as her flickered. She didn''t have a way toe up with a temporary gift for this new friend. After racking her brains, she still couldn''t figure it out.


    She could only look at him and say, "Is it okay if I owe the gift?"


    Upon seeing Howard''s frown, she quickly raised her hand and swore, "Don''t worry, I''ll prepare gifts when I get back today and have someone deliver them to you."


    Howard stared at her. He came from a wealthy family, and he had received different kinds of gifts. He could get whatever he wanted. Hence, gifts were not something important to him. However, he wanted to receive a gift from her now.


    After a while, he sighed and said generously, "Alright. You owe me a birthday


    ay gift."


    Not far away, Maya''s face turned dark as she saw the two of them. She wondered how Rose got to talk to Howard. They even chatted happily.


    She red at Rose fiercely. Suddenly, she heard a waiter''s voiceing from behind, "Ms. Maya, you''re here. Ms. Chambers is looking for you. She said she wanted to introduce some friends to you. Maya frowned. She quickly calmed down her emotions and turned around.


    "Alright, please take me to find Madeline.


    Madeline was the twin sister of the Chambers family She was the protagonist of today''s birthday party. She knew Madeline by chance.


    When she was released from the detention center a few days ago, she was feeling extremely depressed. As she couldn''t contact Kelly, she went shopping at a shopping center to relieve her depression.  Better to Foresti


    When she was taking a break, she found a coffee shop and happened to meet Madeline, who had no money or cards and was unfamiliar with electronic payments.


    At first, she didn''t know she was the daughter of the Chambers family. She thought she had a good temperament and must have a good background. Hence, she paid the bill for her.


    She didn''t expect that she was the daughter of the Chambers family.


    The Chambers family was involved in politics. Madeline''s father was the second fiddle in Aquastead, while her uncle was taking a position in Regalia.


    In Aquastead, the Chambers family''s status wasparable to that of the Gibson family. Maya was excited. She realized that Madeline was righteous and kind.


    When she saw Roseing here just now, she nned to badmouth her in front of Madeline so that she could drive Rose out. However, she had changed her mind. Rose dared to hook up with Howard.


    She clenched her fists as she followed the waiter to the second floor, where she saw several girls secretly looking somewhere downstairs.


    Is he Miles? Madeline, you have a good taste."


    "Look at his temperament, only he is worthy of Madeline."


    "That''s right. Madeline, you and Mr. Young have a tacit understanding. He''s in a ck suit while you''re in a white dress. People might think it''s your wedding today."


    The girls gathered around Madeline, coaxing her into blushing with just a few words. Maya walked over and spotted Miles surrounded by several people downstairs.


    As she took a look at the shy Madeline, she immediately understood the situation. Madeline was interested in Miles. That was great.


    "Madeline....


    She walked up. The girls immediately looked over. Madeline then greeted her and held her hand affectionately.


    "Let me introduce you to her. Her name is Maya Lawson, and she''s my new friend. She''s a very kind person. If it weren''t for her, I wouldn''t have been in a dilemma that day." After saying that, she introduced the names of the girls to Maya one to one.


    "Maya, what do you think about him?"


    She looked at Miles downstairs, waiting for Maya''s admiration.


    However, after looking at him for a while, Maya suddenly frowned as she said, "He''s handsome and elegant, but..


    Madeline''s expression changed slightly as she asked, "But?"


    Not only her, but the other girls also looked at Maya. Under their gaze, Maya bit her lips as she looked


    embarrassed


    Then, she seemed to give up as she said, "I know Mr. Young. He seems to be pursuing my cousin

 Billionire 183

    Deliberately Causing Trouble for Her


    Upon seeing that their expression darkened, Maya immediately said, "Madeline, today''s your birthday I shouldn''t say this to affect your mood. But we are friends, and I can''t hide some things from you. Madeline''s face finally softened


    Then, she twitched the corner of her mouth as she said, "It''s alright. I know you are doing it for my good. It''s just that."


    She had liked Miles since she was a child. It hadn''t changed in all the years. As the other girls noticed her sudden depression, they immediately targeted the cousin mentioned by Maya.


    "Who is your cousin? Is she prettier than Madeline? Does she have a better family background?"


    "Madeline, don''t worry. Maya, tell me your cousin''s name. I''ll teach her a lesson and let her know that she couldn''t just seduce any man."


    They were filled with indignation. This yed into Maya''s wish.


    She frowned as she said, "She''s my cousin. Even though she has a good appearance, she''s good ying tricks. She''s already married, but she can still seduce Mr. Young


    Her statement startled the crowd.


    at


    "What? She''s still seducing someone after she''s married? This kind of woman only relied on her pretty What''s her name?"


    The girls asked for her cousin''s name again. Maya hesitated for a moment.


    Her eyes flickered as she replied, "She''s called Rose. I just saw her here."


    "She even came here!"


    "Madeline, don''t worry. Since she dares to seduce the person you like, we must teach her a lesson. today


    They couldn''t wait to stand up for Madeline. This was exactly what Maya wanted.


    However, she pretended to be worried as she said, "Don''t mess with her. She learned Taekwondo before. I''m afraid she will hurt you..."


    The girls were stunned. What''s the matter if she learned Taekwondo before? They might suffer losses if they fight alone, but no one restrained them from finding helpers. "Madeline, today''s your birthday. We''ll give you another big gift."


    "Yes, you just watch the show."


    The girls grabbed Madeline''s hand and went downstairs. Madeline didn''t say anything. After the girls


    ft, Bonnie came to inform her that the party was going to begin.


    The first dance of the party was originally presented by a twin. However, Bonnie knew Madeline''s


    thoughts and had long nned for her to invite Miles,


    It was an opportunity for intimate contact as they danced together.


    "Go ahead."


    Bonnie took Madeline downstairs and pushed her over. Standing so close in front of someone she liked after so many years, Madeline''s heart beat like a drum.


    When Miles looked over, she blushed so much that she even forgot what to do. Looking at her daughter''s behavior, Bonnie could onlye over.


    "Miles, this is my daughter, Madeline. You have met her when you were young. She just returned from abroad and doesn''t have many friends. You can lead her for the first dance, can''t you?" Miles instinctively wanted to refuse. He looked around, trying to find Rose, but he couldn''t see her anywhere


    "I''m sorry...."


    I


    There was a trace of worry in his eyes.


    Before he could refuse, Thomas also came up and said, "Miles, if you refuse, both Madeline and I will be sad." Even the Young family must be wary of the Chambers family.


    "How could I refuse?"


    Miles forced a smile as he agreed. Madeline excitedly took his arm and walked to the center of the dance floor.


    The music then started. Even though they were dancing together, Miles was absent-minded.


    His reaction fell into Madeline''s eyes. Thinking about Rose, whom Maya mentioned just now, her eyes. narrowed slightly. By this time, it was already dark.


    Ten minutes ago, Howard was called away, leaving Rose alone. As she heard the music ying in the room, she knew that the dance had started.


    She was about to go in, but before she reached the door, a waitress hurriedly came to deliver a message. "Ms. Shaffer, Mr. Chambers invites you toe over."


    Mr. Chambers... Was he referring to Howard? She had no doubt and followed the waitress.


    She was not familiar with the environment of this vi. After walking for a while, she found that she seemed to be going further and further.


    She began to be doubtful as she asked, "Where''s Howard?"


    Just as she asked, someone suddenly appeared from behind and pushed her hard. There was a swimming pool next to her. She was caught off guard and fell into the pool.


    The


    er sshed everywhere. Being choked by water, she emerged from the swimming pool.


    several people came out beside the swimming prot


    There were both mains arst wentner, and everyone hadevi istennons on their faces. The person who pushed her just now was a boy dressed in punk clothes. "You must be fore


    "You


    The boy squatted by the swimming pool.


    He stared directly at Rose''s wet body and said. "You have a good figure. I have my eyes for you t


    He had an eye for her, so he pushed her into the water? She didn''t think it was a new way to strike up a conversation. Feeling the visions on her, she only allowed her head to show


    is Chambers Residence. Is it good for you to make trouble like this?"


    "You also know that it is Chambers Residence? You even seduce people here!"


    One of the girls sneered Rose found it funny. She guessed that it was probably because her conversation with Howard had provoked someone. She found those men from wealthy families disaster "I''m not interested in Howard."


    She didn''t want to get involved with these people. She wanted to get up quickly as the water was very cold


    As soon as she finished speaking, someone said, "Who said it''s because of Howard?"


    If it wasn''t because of Howard, then who would it be? She felt a little angry. No matter who it was, she had no interest at all


    ncing coldly at the people around the pool, she slowly swam toward the edge of the pool. However, as soon as she reached the edge of the pool, a pair of feet appeared in front of her.


    As she raised her head, the foot was lifted to deliberately step on her head. There was a sharp look in Rose''s eyes. When the foot was about to step down, she grabbed the man''s ankle without hesitation. The man was slightly startled. As Rose exerted the force, the man fell into the swimming pool with pop in the next second


    "Damn it!" he cursed angrily


    When the other girls noticed that Rose was going to go ashore, they quickly urged several men to go over and try to stop her. Nevertheless, Rose pushed all of them to the water. "Grab her and push her into the pool," a girl said.


    The men in the pool immediately surrounded Rose. For a moment, Rose seemed like a prey surrounded by wild beasts. The eyes of those people looking at her became more and more unpleasant. "Are you sure you want to cause trouble for me?"


    Deliberately Causing Trouble for Her


    Rose remembered Anastasia mentioned that she would not being home tonight. She wondered if her star escort husband was going to stay with her. Thinking about it, she was irritated. Now with these people causing trouble for her, she couldn''t hold back her anger.


    "We''re not looking for trouble. We just want to have fun with you."


    In the pool, someone looked at Rose with an increasingly evil look.


    A hint of disgust shed in Rose''s eyes as she said coldly, "Alright, let''s have fun."


    Secounty

 Billionire 184

    Not Taking Her Serlously


    The group of people plunged toward Rose. She took a deep breath and quickly got into the water. Ast the men plunged for nothing, the girls on the shore were anxious.


    After searching around, someone suddenly pointed to a ce and said, "Hurry up, she''s there."


    Everyone in the pool looked in the direction the girl painted. Just then, Rose had swam behind one of


    them.


    When those people turned around, she suddenly emerged from the water, clenching her fists, and punched the nearest person in the face.


    "Ah..." he screamed.


    As everyone was stunned, Rose took the opportunity to dive into the water.


    "What are you doing? Don''t let her run away!" the girls on the shore urged.


    At their words, someone in the pool eximed. The next moment, he sank into the water. In a he kept trying to push away the hand holding his ankle, but every foot fell on hispanion.


    panic.


    There was chaos in the pool for a moment. The girls around were furious. However, Rose had left the pool without everyone knowing.


    She casually took a bath towel beside her and put it on her body as she was ready to love. As she was about to leave, someone saw her.


    "Is she there? She wants to leave, stop her!"


    Several people at the pool immediately rushed toward her. Themotion soon alerted the people at the party outside. As Miles heard themotion, he immediately thought of Rose. "I''m sorry, Ms. Chambers. Pardon me


    He let go of Madeline and walked out in a hurry. The others immediately followed. Howard hurriedly came downstairs. He walked out curiously after hearing themotion.


    In the crowd, Maya''s lips curled up into a sneer. She knew it must be those women trying to please Madeline. She wondered how they were having fun with Rose this time.


    She was excited to see how Rose was being tortured and being miserable. As everyone walked toward the pool, the screams became louder. Finally, they saw the scene in front of them.


    In the huge swimming pool, men and women were either struggling or swimming to the edge. They


    ere all submerged in the water, except for one person standing by the pool.


    She was wearing a bath towel. Her hair and body were wet, but she didn''t look embarrassed at all.


    "Rosie..."


    Miles hurriedly stepped forward as he saw Rose


    #


    "What''s going on? Is someone bullying you?" he asked with concern.


    Rose frowned and said nothing. She nced at the people in the pool. Miles followed her sight and looked over. His elegant face was now gloomy and dark


    Those in the swimming pool and those who came over had a change in their expression.


    With the scene in front of them, anyone could tell that the two parties had gone through a battle, with the people in the pool being one party and the person standing beside the pool being another one It was obvious that they were bullying the person.


    As the owner, Thomas didn''t have a good expression as he said, "Why don''t you get out and tell us what happened?"


    No one in the pool dared to disobey his words and immediately climbed up. As if wanting to shirk responsibility, some med Rose.


    "It''s not us, it''s her. She took the initiative to provoke us. That''s why we had a conflict. Mr. Chambers, who is she? Why is she here? We should kick her out!


    "Yes, she ruined Madeline''s birthday party. She should be kicked out!"


    Thinking of how they had just been thrown into the pool one by one by Rose, they felt aggrieved and wished someone could take revenge for them.


    Thomas looked at Miles. He guessed that Rose should be his femalepanion. His daughter had a deep affection for Miles. Naturally, he didn''t want to be kind to his femalepanion. However, he was polite toward Miles as he said, "Miles, she''s


    Miles held Rose''s hand tightly as he said, "Mr. Chambers, I brought her here. If you don''t wee her, we''ll leave immediately. But before we leave, we must find out what happened just now. She can''t take the initiative to provoke others!"


    Rose looked at him in a daze. She hadn''t defended herself yet, but he believed in him. A warm feeling emerged in her heart.


    As the wind blew, she sneezed. Miles immediately took off his suit jacket and put it on her. His action made Madeline bite her lip subconsciously.


    Upon seeing the situation, Bonnie tried to smooth things over as she said, "Miles, let Madeline take this youngdy to change clothes first. Madeline Madeline came to her senses and stepped forward, but Miles protected Rose behind him.


    "It''s alright. Let''s find out what''s going on and we''ll leave immediately."


    After finishing his words, Miles nced around, seemingly looking for surveince. However, there was no surveince near the swimming pool.


    Ruse knew that she couldn''tpete with those people just by words. As she was thinking about


    what to do, she saw a shrinking figure behind the crowd.


    It was the waitress who brought her over. As the waitress saw her gaze, she was about to leave in a hurry.


    Rose immediately shouted, "Stop!"


    As she shouted, she strode toward the waitress. The waitress was startled. In a panic, she lost her stability and fell to the ground. Rose stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. "What are you afraid of? Are you worried that I''ll expose the fact you brought me here just now?" she said fiercely.


    A hint of guilt shed in the waitress''s eyes.


    Then, Rose continued, "Tell me, who asked you to bring me here? You said Mr. Chambers was looking for me just now. Where''s he?" Howard''s eyes darkened as he had just arrived.


    "When did I ask you to convey the message? Don''t use me. If you don''t tell the truth, don''t me me for being rude."


    As he spoke, he nced at the people standing by the swimming pool without leaving any trace. A sh of guilt shed in the girls'' eyes." Howard saw their reaction. The others present, including Thomas and Bonnie, also saw it. They immediately understood the whole story. The waitress was extremely frightened. She quickly told the truth.


    "It was these fewdies who asked me to deceive her in the name of Mr. Chambers..."


    For a moment, the girls looked even more panicked.


    Rose''s eyes shed with understanding as she asked, "Why did you do this?"


    Silence filled the air. The girls bit their lips and looked at Bonnie. They didn''t dare to say that they were trying to teach Rose a lesson.


    Although they were guilty and panicked, they knew that even if they bullied Rose, Thomas would not me them for their parents'' sake. At this moment, Thomas indeed didn''t want to me them.


    Even though Rose was brought by Miles, she was just his femalepanion. What he was thinking about now was to appease Miles.


    "Miles, young people like to y around. Everyone went into the water; it''s okay as long as nothing happened."


    He had a smile on his face.


    Then, he told the people by the pool, "Come over and apologize to Mr. Young, and I''ll let this matter go."

 Billionire 185

    Punish Them for Her


    #


    The men and women in the wet walked up to Miles. An they were about to apologize, Miles stopped


    them


    "It''s fine"


    His voice was cold. The people felt happy as they thought he was letting them go for their parents" sake


    However, Miles continued, "You should apologize to her, not me.


    He didn''t even look at them. His eyes swept across Thomas andnded on Rose.


    "Her?"


    The girls'' faces were full of disdain. Rose was just Miles''s femalepanion, why did they need to apologize to her? Thomas nced at Rose, not intending to speak.


    A sheer shed in Rose''s eyes.


    Suddenly, she met Miles''s gaze and said, "Miles, I''m cold. If there''s nothing else, I''ll go back first."


    With that, she turned around. As soon as she took a step, Miles strode after her. At the same time, Howard also followed her.


    "I''ll go with you together....."


    "I''ll send you.


    The two of them spoke almost in unison and arrived at Rose''s side at the same time. Rose''s address to Miles was still echoing in everyone''s minds. They couldn''t hide their surprise as they saw this


    scene.


    As the three of them walked away, Bonnie came to her senses first. However, she did not bother with Rose''s address.


    "Miles is gone now. As for the matter of attracting investment..." she told Thomas in a low voice with a hint of worry.


    Besides making a match between Miles and Madeline, they also nned to finalize the You family''s investment. Thomas frowned slightly but soon rxed.


    Young


    "It''s alright. Although Miles is angry, investment is a win-win situation for both parties. He''s a businessman, he won''t ignore the overall situation because of a woman." Nevertheless, Bonnie was not optimistic. Thomas announced that the birthday party would continue.


    The people who bullied Rose just now thought they had won as Rose had run away.


    they were about to im credit from Madeline, Howard returned.


    You alle here," he called to them.


    Punah Them for ar


    Several girls admired him very much. Even if he had a cold face at this moment, they didn''t dare to disobey him with his status


    Howard stood by the swimming pool. A group of men and women immediately trotted forward.


    A girl who arrived in front of him sweetly called, "Howard..."


    As soon as she spoke, Howard kicked her into the water mercilessly.


    "Ah..." the girl eximed.


    Herpanions immediately became indignant.


    "Howard, what are you doing?"


    "Mr. Chambers, we''re all guests today."


    Howard didn''t care about their identities. They had just bullied his guest. If Rose had not left, he would deal with these people in front of her. Rose left as she didn''t want to make things worse. However, he wouldn''t let these people go easily.


    "You guys go into the water yourself, or I do it?"


    He moved his wrists as if he was about to fight. Everyone present was suddenly afraid.


    They had no hesitation in hitting Rose. However, if they fought with Howard, they would suffer a loss regardless of the consequences.


    "Howard, are you venting your anger for that woman''s sake, right? Do you know that she''s married and she even seduced Mr. Young?" another girl told Howard as she remembered what Maya said. She wanted to reveal Rose''s true colors. However, Howard didn''t care. His affection for Rose was not fixed with any impure thoughts. It didn''t matter whether she was married or not.


    As for seducing Miles, he felt that Rose was an upright person and wouldn''t do such a thing.


    "Do you see her seducing Mr. Young? If not, I''ll tear your mouth apart if you use my friend."


    As he said the words, several people were shocked. He regarded Rose as his friend.


    However, Madeline once mentioned that he was haughty, and he had a strange personality as no one could catch his eye. In a daze, Howard kicked another person into the pool.


    Wi


    up, everyone came back to their senses. They found Howard''s eye getting colder. Even though he didn''t speak, his eyes seemed to ask them to jump into the pool on their own. Although they felt aggrieved, they knew that he wouldn''t give up if they didn''t jump into the pool.


    After a moment of hesitation, one of them took the lead and jumped into the pool, followed by others. one after another. A bunch of people were in the swimming pool. Howard looked at them and said, "Whenever the party ends tonight, you''lle out at that time. After youe out, get lost!"


    Pinesh Thems for Ts


    With that, he didn''t bother to pay attention to these people and strode away. As his figure disappeared, everyone finally vented their anger and grievances. "Rose''s indeed good at ying tricks."


    "Yes, it''s all her fault. She had just met Howard, and he''s willing to embarrass us for her."


    "If I meet her in the future, I''ll cause her trouble."


    After Miles left the party, Madeline also lost interest. She witnessed Miles''s defense of Rose just now, which made her feel particrly ufortable. On the side, Maya was extremely angry. She thought Madeline''s friends were good at fighting, but she didn''t expect them to call for help. However, not only did Rose not suffer too much loss, they even made themselves miserable. And Howard... Her eyes shed.


    As she looked at Madeline, who was sitting on the sofa in a bad mood, she bit her lips and apologized, "I''m sorry Madeline. If it weren''t for what I said, they wouldn''t have gone to find my cousin, and they wouldn''t have been in such a mess."


    Madeline pursed her lips andforted, "How could it be your fault? They also did it for me. However, Miles seems to care about your cousin. I heard her calling his name just now


    Maya also found it weird that Rose and Miles seemed close. At most, Rose might just use tricks to deliberately make them look intimate. She pretended to be worried and grabbed Madeline''s hand. "Madeline, my cousin is good at ying tricks. She can call Mr. Young in such an intimate way. If she intervenes in the affairs between you and Mr. Young


    Madeline bit her lip. She had admired Miles since childhood. Even if someone intervened, she wouldn''t give up easily.


    "Maya, can


    you help me make an appointment with your cousin?" she suddenly asked.


    Maya was a bit surprised.


    "Why day


    "Why do you want to meet her? What if she hurts you


    "Just help me to ask her out. I''ll let her give up Mr. Young.


    Madeline''s eyes were firm. However, Maya knew that she had no reasonable reason to ask Rose out. She would not agree. Soon, she thought of a way. "Alright, I''ll help you to ask her out." she agreed confidently.

 Billionire 186

    Rose at Home


    Rose and Miles returned to Young Estate. They left the ball early. Upon returning to Young Estate, they found Oliver hadn''t rested yet.


    Oliver personally approached Rose. He noticed sheing in wrapped in a towel, wearing Miles'' suit jacket, and with soaking wet hair.


    "Rose, what happened? How did you end up like this?"


    Rose sneezed immediately after Oliver''s words.


    Oliver''s expression tumed grimmer. He immediately directed the butler, "Hurry, have May set up the bath. Rose, go take a shower first, don''t catch a cold."


    Rose did need a soak in a hot bath. She gave Oliver a reassuring nce but didn''t say much, then proceeded upstairs to her room.


    Oliver''s expression grew even more grim.


    He nced at Miles and asked in a cold tone, "If I recall correctly, tonight was the Chambers twins birthday ball. You take Rose out, and this is how you bothe back? What went wrong?"


    Filled with self-condemnation, Miles said, "It''s my fault for not protecting her. We faced some unpleasant incidents at the ball. But Grandpa, rest assured, I''ll ensure they all exin. Oliver finally eased up on Miles.


    His cane struck the ground forcefully as he said coldly, "Hmph, the Chambers family? Warren Chambers should have shown proper respect to Rose. Who does Warren think he is? My granddaughter visits their house, and he dares to mistreat her!"


    After a moment''s contemtion, Oliver decisively opted to take matters into his own hands and instructed, "Bring me the phone, I''m calling Warren."


    Patrick swiftly fetched the phone and dialed a number. The call connected in just a second. Warren was home, ready to retire for the night.


    The ring of the phone prompted him to swiftly rise from his bed, a smile gracing his face as he greeted, "Mr. Young, it''s ratherte. What can I do for you?"


    "What can you do for me? How can I trust someone from your Chambers family?"


    Oliver''s tone remained even, yet his simmering rage remained thinly veiled.


    Warren was immediately on alert. He was more shrew than Thomas and understood that Oliver had visited Aquastead.


    He immediately spected, "Mr. Young, did Thomas Chambers make a mistake?"


    You''re good at guessing. Since you''ve figured it out, ask him yourself." Oliver hung up the phone immediately after saying that.


    I


    Warren didn''t waste a moment and immediately dialet Thomas'' phone.


    When Thomas heard that Oliver was angry, he was romentarily stunned. He swiftly concluded the ball, bid farewell to everyone, and immediately sought out Bonnie to discuss the events of the evening "What''s Mr. Young angry about? The only incident today was the girl falling into the pool


    Bonnie wore a puzzled expression as she nced at Thomas. They still couldn''t grasp any connection between the girl brought by Miles and Oliver''s anger.


    Meanwhile, Rose had just finished her hot bath. She knew there must be a reason behind why those people would team up to bully her today.


    However, she retaliated in kind, so she soon let go of the matter. The moment she walked out of the bathroom, she saw May delivering a bowl of hot soup to her.


    "Ms. Rose, I''ve prepared a hot soup for you. Mr. Young and Mr. Miles instructed that you must drink this soup. Please don''t catch a cold."


    May ced the hot soup on the table and was about to leave when Rose called out to her.


    "Do you need anything else, Ms. Rose?" May turned and inquired.


    Rose''s eyes glimmered slightly as she asked, "Has Anastasia back?"


    "Ms. Young hasn''t returned yet. She mentioned before leaving today that she had an important appointment tonight and wouldn''t be back," May answered as she noticed Rose''s subtle change of expression.


    "Is there a matter you wish to discuss with Ms. Young, Ms. Rose? If it''s urgent, you can contact her by phone," she continued asking.


    "No, it''s okay, nothing serious," Rose shed a smile,


    Following May''s left, Rose''s heart remained in a state of deep unrest.


    She couldn''t shake off the image of her star escort husband from her mind. She attempted to dial his number several times but hesitated every time.


    She eventually went ahead and called her star escort husband, but she was still met with a switched- off phone.


    Rose felt suffocated and restless. She longed to drift into sleep, hoping to evade the tumultuous thoughts.


    Yet, her mind remained engulfed in an endless whirlwind of thoughts, refusing to grant her the sce of sleep.


    Opting for a change of attire and a stroll, she stepped out of her room, coincidentally encountering Miles walking out of his room.


    "Miles?" Rose said in surprise.


    Ever since that night when Miles saved her life, she got into the habit of calling him "Miles." It felt a bit awkward at first, but now she viewed Miles as her brother. However, Miles found himself increasingly disliking this address.


    After assessing Rose for a moment and observing her with a bag, he frowned and asked, "Are y going out? You just fell into the pool, what if you catch a cold


    you


    "Don''t worry, I''m quite strong. I just want to make a quick trip to Zenwood Gardens... to pick something up," Rose said with a glint in her eyes.


    Miles understood her going to Zenwood Gardens wasn''t merely about picking something. It immediately brought her husband to his mind


    Miles didn''t inquire further and he said, "I''ll fetch you there."


    As Rose remained hesitated, Miles had already gone back to his room. When he came out again, he was already dressed differently. Rose realized his concern and chose not to refuse him. Upon arriving at Zenwood Gardens, Rose got out of the car and entered the house by herself.


    Miles watched as her figure gradually disappeared into the distance, yet he didn''t immediately drive back to Young Estate.


    Miles looked at a building where previously dark rooms now had lights on. He wasn''t sure if Rose was in that room, but he continued to stare at the illuminated lights, lost in thought. When Rose entered, she foundplete darkness around her. The expectation she had kept in her heart fell instantly to rock bottom. Her star escort husband wasn''t at home... Rose took a deep breath and switched on all the lights in the room. She nced at every familiar corner, feeling as though her star escort husband''s presence lingered in each ce. She felt as if she was cursed as she even regretted returning from the Young Estate.


    Rose didn''t want to dwell on any upsetting matters. She fetched several bottles of white wine, red wine, and beer from the fridge.


    Sitting on the sofa, she kept drinking, seemingly intent on getting herself drunk. Meanwhile, a luxury car raced through the intersection of Zenwood Gardens.


    Jonathan gritted his teeth, beads of sweat cascading down his striking face. The bullet wound on his shoulder de had been bandaged, his ck shirt casually draped over it.


    "Mr. Finch, this is undoubtedly Jack''s doing again. He arranged for his brother-inw to meet you while orchestrating an ambush. Even though his brother-inw took a bullet for you, I believe it''s a ploy to deflect responsibility, and then there''s Ms. Young..."


    The recent incident left Finley feeling discontented and aggrieved. There was a certain level of personal acquaintance between Mr. Finch and Lucas Caldwell, who was Jack''s brother-inw.


    He arrived at Aquastead today and arranged to meet up with Mr. Finch and Ms. Young. Due to their


    previous acquaintance, Mr. Finch epted the invitation.


    Unexpectedly, someone barged into the dining room and fired at Mr. Finch. Both Lucas and Mr. Finch were struck by a gunshot.


    "Mr. Finch, shall we return to the hospital? If Mrs. Finch sees you looking like this, she might start questioning," Finley said, ncing at Jonathan with concern through the rearview mirror. Jonathan leaned against the car window, seemingly oblivious to what was said and his gaze fixed on the outside.


    Just as the car was about to pass by Zenwood Gardens, he immediately rolled down the window. With a mere nce, he fixed his gaze on the house belonging to him and Rose. The lights were on, Rose was at home!

 Billionire 187

    Am Your Husband


    Jonathan''s face brightened with a smile.


    As the car was about to enter the underground parking, he suddenly said, "Stop the car."


    Finley was momentarily stunned, wondering if there was an issue with his wound.


    He swiftly stopped the car and inquired, "Mr. Finch, is it your wound...."


    "I''m fine," Jonathan said, his gaze still fixed on the area where the light was shining.


    Despite iming to be okay, more sweat appeared on his forehead.


    Tracing his gaze, Finley observed a ce lit up by lights. It suddenly dawned on him that Jonathan wasn''t heading home but trying to ascertain if Rose was at home. "Let''s go!"


    Jonathan feared someone might be tracking them and didn''t want to stay around for too long. Finley grasped his order and immediately drove off.


    At this moment, Anastasia hurriedly got out of the car at the lobby of Aquastead Hotel.


    While she remained at the hospital, the news of Jonathan''s discreet departure reached her. She knew he must have gone to find Rose. She ced a call to Young Estate to ask about Rose''s location. "Ms. Rose must be asleep by now. She fell into the water earlier today. After returning, she took a bath and hasn''t been seen leaving her room since," May was the one answering the phone. Anastasia finally rxed,pletely unaware that Rose and Miles had already taken off.


    She didn''t dare to visit Zenwood Gardens, opting to test her luck at the Aquastead Hotel instead, hoping for Jonathan''s possible visit here.


    As expected, she only waited for a short while before a car parked at the hotel entrance. Finley supported Jonathan as he disembarked from the vehicle.


    Anastasia rushed up immediately, asking with concern, "Jonathan, the doctor said you need proper rest. Why did you run out?"


    She was brimming with concern, yet Jonathan didn''t spare her a single nce. He walked past her. and entered the hotel, taking the elevator straight up to the presidential suite on the top floor. She was discontented due to being ignored, yet she didn''t dare show it..


    Anastasia followed Jonathan all the way, but as they reached the door, Finley extended a hand to stop her. T Young, and Mr. Finch need rest. Please, you may go back."


    She came to a halt, feeling displeased by Finley''s meddling as she truly couldn''t ept leaving like


    this.


    Anastasia looked at Jonathan''s retreating figure and urgently pleaded, "Jonathan, let me take care of


    you Your Intury is severe, you need someone to look after you


    Jonathan had res Intention of bothering her at first


    no


    Yet suddenly, as if struck by a thought he turned to Anastasia and uttered. Phoner


    14is reaction left her speechless


    She also suddenly remembered something, a hint of guilt shing in her eyes She swiftly took out Jonathan''s phone from her bag wanting to hand it to him herself.


    However, as she was about to walk through the door, Jonathan coldly stated, "Finley."


    Merely calling out the name was enough for Finley to grasp his meaning. He once again extended his hand, stopping Anastasia, and said. "Ms. Young, just hand over the phone to me."


    As Finley spoke, he had already grabbed the phone. She gritted her teeth, still refusing to let go.


    However, she caught Jonathan''s icy, disdainful gaze. She hesitated briefly, eventually relenting and releasing her grip


    Jonathan took the phone from Finley and then issued a cold dismissal, "Ms. Young, you may leave now. Furthermore, my personal belongings will naturally be taken care of by someone else. Please, show some restraint in the future"


    His implication was clear-to mind her own business. Anastasia looked utterly forlorn, biting her lip. tears on the brink of falling from her eyes


    She wanted to say more, but Jonathan had already turned away, not deigning to spare her even a nce. Jonathan''s door closed shut, and she slowly clenched her fists.


    Anastasia murmured in her heart, "Jonathan''s growing colder toward me, all because of Rose!"


    "Damn it!" she muttered angrily through gritted teeth.


    She now saw Rose as an even bigger thorn in her side. However, when Lucas and Jonathan went to


    the restroom together today, she happened to answer the two calls Rose made to Jonathan.


    She purposely made a sound at that moment, hoping Rose would recognize her voice


    Coupled with the ambiguous words she intentionally spoke in the morning, she refused to believe that Rose wouldn''t misunderstand. And what she desired most was precisely Rose''s misunderstanding! Rose was drinking alone in Zenwood Gardens. She had already consumed most of the alcohol she brought out and was already feeling quite drunk.


    "Damn, nasty man!" she muttered with a slight flush on her cheeks.


    The phone ced on the side table was lit up, its screen disying the wallpaper of her star escort husband


    a divorce!"


    Rose suddenly called out and tilted her head back for a sip of her drink. She decided to return the billion-dor debt soon and instructed him to roll away as far as possible.


    In a drunken haze, she grabbed her phone and checked the bnce in her ount. The savings. showed over eight hundred million, leaving a gap of over one hundred million Given Celeste Jewels'' current revenue, it seems unattainable to raise over a hundred million within a


    year.


    Argh...


    Rose felt a bit frantic. But as her emotions surged, the alcohol she had just swallowed suddenly surged back up, causing a wave of nausea.


    Her expression shifted, and she quickly got up and dashed to the bathroom, vomiting for a while until she felt a bit better.


    She didn''t notice that as she hurried into the bathroom, her phone rang. She had the water running and couldn''t hear anything at that moment.


    Meanwhile, Jonathan looked ghastly pale at the Aquastead Hotel. The phone in his hand was dialing Rose. Even if they couldn''t meet, he longed to hear her voice. But even after dialing for some time, there was still no response.


    Jonathan furrowed his brow, thinking she might have already fallen asleep. Just as he was about to disappointedly hang up the call, the phone suddenly connected. "Hello!" An enraged shout came through the phone.


    Jonathan was startled, then immediately heard Rose fiercely speaking on the other end, "Hmph, thinking your handsome face gives you the right to do as you please? Let me make it clear, I have no interest in you whatsoever. Noting home? Fine by me. You can go wherever, be with whomever you like, I''m not here to cater to you..."


    trong smell of


    At this point in her usation, she suddenly hupped. Jonathan could sense the strong alcohol even through the phone.


    He suppressed the pain from his wound and asked with concern, "Are you drinking right now?"


    "Whether I''ve had a drink or not... hic... what... what''s it to you? Who are you to me? You''re nobody to me!"


    With her phone clutched in hand, Rose had been at a seven on the drunkenness scale moments ago, but now she had skyrocketed to a perfect ten.


    She couldn''t even discern who was calling on her phone''s screen.


    Who are you to me?"


    ie caught the ringing of her phone after leaving the bathroom. She didn''t care who was on the other


    end at all.


    All she knew was that she was feeling restless and needed to vent. Therefore, she picked up the call, treating the other person as a target for her outburst, Jonathan''s brows furrowed even deeper, and he said sternly, ''Rose Shaffer, I am your husband!"

 Billionire 188

    Hallucination Or Reality


    Rose''s cheeks flushed, visibly pausing for a moment.


    But then, she felt extremely dizzy and asked, "Husband? What husband?"


    Rose nced at her phone, yet her vision remained hazy. Weariness washed over her, and she settled into the couch, her breathing gradually calming. The phone screen remained on the call. Jonathan''s expression turned serious.


    "Rose?"


    He called out multiple times but received no reply. He knew Rose must have passed out from being drunk!


    He was genuinely concerned that she had no one to care for her. Jonathan eventually endured the pain and called for Finley.


    "Mr. Finch?" Finley stepped into the bedroom, greeted by the sight of Jonathan bare-chested. Then came Jonathan''s instructions, "Fetch me the bodyguard''s attire."


    His sudden request left Finley momentarily speechless.


    He hesitated for a second and promptly inquired, "Mr. Finch, why do you need the bodyguard''s attire?"


    "I asked you to fetch it, so just do it. Hurry up, why so much unnecessary talk?" Jonathan''s mind was filled with concern for Rose being drunk and unattended. He wished he could be by her side right


    away.


    He suddenly recalled the assassination attempt earlier today, his eyes darkening slightly as he instructed, ''Proceed with discretion."


    Finley didn''t dare to dy at all, quickly searching for the bodyguard''s attire. Shortly after, a set consisting of a white shirt and a ck suit was presented before Jonathan.


    Jonathan dressed and issued instructions to Finley. Subsequently, Finley arranged for a handful of bodyguards to escort Jonathan to the underground parking lot.


    Every bodyguard took their respective car and left the parking lot. Anastasia didn''t return to Young Estate and instead stayed at the hotel.


    "Ms. Young, a few bodyguards have just headed to the parking lot and left in their cars."


    She intentionally bribed the hotel staff to receive Jonathan''s real-time updates. This exins why she received a call when Jonathan left the presidential suite. Anastasia didn''t pay much attention upon hearing it was just a few bodyguards leaving. The same news also reached Lucas at the hospital.


    "Was it just the bodyguards who left?"


    d in hospital attire, Lucas, having been shot alongside Jonathan by the assassin''s two bullets, fell


    into the exact scenario Finley had predicted-the gunshot wound was merely a ploy to evade responsibility


    After the assassination attempt a few months ago, the Sutton family''s influence has beenpletely uprooted by Jonathan.


    Regalia dared not make any further moves, but they never relented in their intent to kill Jonathan The reason for Lucasing to Aquastead was also to deal with Jonathan.


    "Yes, just the bodyguards," the assistant said, and right after, a message pinged on his phone. He immediately reported, "And several vehicles returned to Aquastead of just a minute ago." "Understood," the assistantplied


    Meanwhile, they were unaware that Jonathan had returned to his residence in Zenwood Gardens. The moment he pushed the door open, the room was engulfed in the scent of alcohol. Bottles littered the floor as Rosiey sprawled on the couch Her tousled hair covered her entire head, devoid of any sense of beauty


    Jonathan furrowed his brow walking over to the couch and crouching down. He swept aside her tousled hair, uncovering her slightly hushed cheeks


    turbed her fummeed


    It seems like Rose was disturbed, she furrowed her bow and murmured, "Hmm


    Lying on her stomach, she felt ufortable. She attempted to turn over, but her body felt weak and


    unresponsive


    She barely raised her upper body before sumbing to weakness, copsing once more. But in the next moment, someone gripped her shoulder


    Rose turned dazedly. A handsome face entered her burred vision, resembling her star escort husband


    However, her star escort husband was currently with a new client and couldn''t possibly be here


    She was drunk, this must be her hallucination


    Rose managed to roll over and lie down with that support, but the figure in her hallucination didn''t vanish. She furrowed her brow and instinctively reached out to pat his cheek


    Rose and Jonathan fell into silence the found it odd that despite being a hallucination, the tactile sensation felt incredibly real Rose smiled and yfully pinched the handsome face again Jonathan remained silent Had she turned his face into a ything? He was reaching for Roses hand when she suddenly furrowed her brow


    Your face feels so hat......."


    Her fingers brushed against his forehead, as though sensing her touch couldn''t quite assess his temperature urately


    She swiftly sat upright, cupping Jonathan''s face and bringing her forehead close to his. Rose waspletely unaware of how enticing being in such proximity to Jonathan could be


    A brief emptiness filled Jonathan''s mind. She carefully sensed his temperature but failed to notice the deepening intensity in his gaze, akin to a dark abyss "You are fever"


    Just as Rose was about to move back, arge palm suddenly gripped the back of her head.


    She hadn''t processed it yet when the attractive face in front of her leaned in, and their lips touched. The words she intended to speak were immediately stifled.


    Her mind went nk for a moment. Rose snapped out of it, initially wanting to push away, but she suddenly changed her mind.


    It was her hallucination, and if it was her hallucination, then she should be the one in control of everything!


    She suddenly took the lead, and Jonathan was momentarily taken aback. In the next instant, she seemed almost angry as she fiercely bit his lip.


    "Erm..."


    Jonathan winced in pain, a faint taste of blood spreading in his mouth. The smile on his face was filled with indulgence, faint yet apparent.


    Rose woke up early the next day with a splitting headache.


    She realized she was in her room. Her brow furrowed involuntarily as she recollected getting drunk in the living roomst night and falling onto the couch. She couldn''t grasp how she found herself back in bed.


    Rose made an effort to recall. When a few hazy glimpses appeared in her mind, her body stiffened for


    a moment.


    She quickly got out of bed and ran to the room of the star escort husband. The room was so tidy as if nobody had ever lived there.


    "This must be a dream!"


    Rose shook her head, swiftly heading to the bathroom to freshen up. She attempted to wash away the fragments ofst night from her mind.


    Meanwhile, in the presidential suite at Aquastead Hotel... The moment Zac heard about Jonathan''s injury, he swiftly arrived with his doctor through the night.


    However, Jonathan hadn''t returned yet when he arrived. Two hours earlier, Jonathan finally returned. He copsed unconscious just at the moment he walked in. Fortely, the doctor present immediately provided emergency aid upon confirming he fainted due


    344


    doctor administered a cooling injection and changed the bandages after applying medication to the wound Jonathan finally regained consciousnes just a few minutes ago


    Zac stood in front of the bed, looking at him strang


    Jonathan felt his gaze, furrowing his brows and coldly stating. You can get lost now.


    Get lost? How could Zac be willing to leave?


    Zac still fixed his gaze on Jonathan. He was extremely worried about his friend''s health and remarked. "How would you still act so recklessly with your body in such a state? Do you not care about your life?" Jonathan wore a puzzled expression, not understanding what he was saying. What was meant by "act so recklessly? What did he do?


    Thinking aboutst night''s kiss, Jonathan said somewhat guiltily, "I didn''t do anything!"


    Zac gave a meaningful smile. He knew that the evidence spoke louder than words, so he tumed and walked out of the room.


    When he came back in, he had a mirror in his hand and tossed it to Jonathan.


    "Take a look at yourself and see if you''ve done anything!"

 Billionire 189

    Take It Easy


    Reflected in the mirror, Jonathan''splexion appeared pallid, and his lips mirrored the same pallor Nevertheless, the evident marks of the cracked lips were hard to miss. Jonathan remembered Rose''s bitest night and noticed Zac''s gaze bing more


    mocking


    "What are you looking at?" Jonathan threw the mirror back in Zac''s direction


    and more


    Zac swiftly caught it and couldn''t help but tease, "Mr. Finch, you''re ured, you ought to go easy on yourself!"


    "Get lost" Jonathan closed his eyes and issued the order to leave.


    He was aware of his injury. Without the injury,st night would have been more than a kiss. He had never had self-control when it came to Rose.


    Zac sneered and turned to leave, but Jonathan suddenly stopped him, "Zac..."


    Zac turned back.


    "Mr. Finch, do you have any instructions?"


    "Take care of Rose for me."


    Jonathan stared into Zac''s eyes and spoke seriously, "I''m being followed. I need to keep a low profile around Rose for a while. If those from Regalia discover that Rose is a vulnerability for me, they might exploit her to control me. I can''t risk putting Rose in harm''s way."


    Zac understood his meaning.


    "No need to fret, I''ll handle things with beauty. I''m skilled at it!"


    Rose went to Celeste Jewels early in the morning. As soon as she entered Century Tower, a voice


    called out to her.


    "Rose..."


    The voice was unfamiliar to Rose.


    She turned around in confusion and saw a girl walking towards her. When the girl reached her, Rose looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked, "Are you looking for me?''


    "I am." The girl extended her hand, "My name is Madeline Chambers. Can I take up a bit of your time?"


    Amid the bustling ballst night, Rose found herself oblivious to Madeline Chambers. Yet, amidst the chaos, thest name Chambers lingered in Rose''s memory.


    Rose quickly identified that the woman before her was one of the main figures from the ballst night. She was the elder sister of the Chambers twins.


    SHEELER


    She came prepared I was clear that Rose couldn''t avoid her


    "Of course "Rose nced around and smiled, "if it''s eptable to Ms. Chambers, shall we proceed to my office?


    Madeline didn''t expect Rose to invite her to her territory. After a moment of contemtion, Madeline agreed. The two headed to Celeste Jewels. Inside the office, the staff were busy at work. Rose guided Madeline into her office.


    Once Sherlyn served them coffee and exited the room, Rose directly asked, "Ms. Chambers, how may I assist you? Please feelfortable expressing yourself."


    Madeline thought of Miles and frowned.


    She stared at Rose and asked, "You''re indeed beautiful, but I heard you''re married?"


    Rose found herself speechless at Madeline''s inquiry. Both her looks and her marital status appeared unrted to Madeline.


    Nheless, she promptly responded, "Yes, I am married."


    "Then what is your rtionship with Miles?"


    Madeline didn''t like beating around the bush. She wanted to address this matter directly and resolve it as soon as possible. Rose frowned.


    "Miles and 1..."


    While Rose spoke, she fixed her gaze on Madeline. Madeline seemed very nervous about Rose''s


    answer.


    Suddenly, a guess formed in her mind. Connecting it to those who caused her troublesst night, Rose quickly grasped that Madeline had misunderstood her rtionship with Miles "Ms. Chambers, did you arrange the troublemakers fromst night who targeted me?'' Rose asked with a calm tone.


    Madeline was stunned. While it wasn''t her arrangement, they intended to help her. Seeing Madeline''s reaction, Rose couldn''t help but sneer. At that moment, Rose''s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID showing "Miles", she couldn''t help but feel that it was the perfect timing.


    "Ms. Chambers, do you mind if I take this call?"


    Rose raised her phone. Madeline was taken aback. Before she could respond, Rose had already answered the call on speakerphone.


    "Rose, you


    into the waterst night. Are you feeling okay?"


    The voice on the other end was full of concern. Madeline instantly recognized the voice. It was Miles.


    "I''m fine, jumping around lively," Rose replied.


    "Are you at thepany?"


    "Yes.


    "I''lle to pick you upter. The Chambers family wille to the estate tonight." "Why are theying?"


    Puzzled, Rose cast a nce at Madeline. Madeline appeared more and more anxious.


    On the phone, Miles simply stated, "You''ll find out in due time," and then ender the call.


    Rose nced at her phone, feeling perplexed, but decided not to dwell on it. Meanwhile, Madeline became increasingly anxious and uncertain about what to do. Rose looked at her and smiled.


    "What... Why are you smiling?"


    Madeline was a little embarrassed. She came to talk to Rose, asking her not to get involved with Miles. But with Rose''s smile, she found herself at a disadvantage. Furthermore, Rose and Miles'' conversation felt casual and ordinary, as if they shared the same living


    space.


    "I''mughing at how much you care about my brother. He''s really lucky!"


    If it weren''t for the events ofst night, Rose would have liked Madeline. Rose, as Miles'' adopted sister, didn''t have the right to interfere in his love life. Madeline was on the verge of anger and embarrassment. But, she froze upon hearing Rose''s unexpected words.


    "You... What did you say?"


    Rose deliberately yed dumb, "Did I say something?"


    Madeline rose from her seat in excitement.


    "You said, your brother..."


    Last night, she observed Rose''s way of referring to Miles. Now, it appeared as if she had grasped. something and was resolute in seeking rification.


    "You''re not Anastasia....


    What prompted her to address Miles as "brother"? Not wanting Madeline to continue misunderstanding, Rose reached out to her.


    "Let me introduce myself. I''m Rose. Recently, I had a stroke of luck, and Mr. Young Senior felt a connection with me, so he adopted me as his granddaughter. It turns out, by chance, I became Miles'' adopted sister. Introducing it this way, is Ms. Chambers satisfied?"


    hgnized as Mr. Young Senior''s adopted granddaughter? Madeline concluded, of course, she would


    Ables,


    besisht in one sweep Madeline''s jealousy at annosity towarts Rose disampated.


    Shediately grabbed Rose''s hand


    Satisfied Of course, I''m satisfied Rose, can I call you that


    Rose did not reject her request


    "Feel free"


    Despite Rose''s somewhat indifferent attitude, it dicht diminish Madeline''s enthusiasm.


    "Rose,st night was a misunderstanding I apologize to you. Rest assured, I promise they won''t darn to disrespect you the next time they see you."


    Madeline felt profound regret


    Had she been aware of Rose and Miles'' connection sooner, she would have endeavored to win Rose''s favor. How could she have allowed a few girls to mistreat her


    At this moment, Madeline was filled with apprehension. What if Rose refused to forgive her?


    "It''s all Maya''s fault! Madeline muttered under her breath.

 Billionire 190

    Every man for himself


    The voice was soft, but Rose still heard it.


    "You said, Madeline..."


    Rose remembered that Madeline was also present at yesterday''s ball.


    Madeline''s eyes flickered. She hesitated to betray Maya but eventually shared, "Maya mentioned you''re her cousin and have a close bond with Mr. Miles."


    Oh?" Rose didn''t believe Maya would only say that.


    But Rose didn''t press for more details. After Madeline left, she got a call and then left Celeste Jewels with a pair of earrings she designed.


    Since the morning, Maya had been waiting for Madeline''s call.


    After befriending the daughter of the Chambers family, she felt she had a chance for a leap forward. -She intended to use her connections with Madeline to get close to Howard.


    If she tied the knot with Howard, even Kelly would have to show her some respect. Upon learning that Howard had gone to the shooting range, Maya followed suit.


    As Howard exited the shooting range, she quickly closed the distance, seizing the moment as Howard''s car drew near. With an apparentck of fear, Maya entered the road as the car approached. With a screech of brakes, the car came to a stop inches away from Maya. Luckily, it was a close call. Maya saw Howard hastily open the car door and get out. Her body went limp, and she fainted on the ground. "Miss? Wake up..." Howard called out several times with no response.


    He then picked her up and ced her in the car, heading straight to the hospital. After a thorough examination, there was no sign of injury.


    "Perhaps she fainted from the shock," the doctor concluded.


    Howard frowned. Since she hadn''t awakened, he could only wait at the hospital.


    Considering the nned coffee shop rendezvous with Rose, he had to alter the venue and forward a new address to her.


    After a while, Maya woke up. Seeing Howard sitting on a chair, she immediately began acting. She made a slight sound to attract Howard''s attention.


    ose confirmed her arrival with a message, and Howard looked up, as he heard a noise from the ospital bed.


    Maya, supporting her head and pretending to have a headache, spoke, "Where am I?"


    +25 BONU


    Maya held her head, furrowing her brows as if experiencing a headache.


    "Where am I?"


    Before Howard could respond, a woman''s voice chimed in, "You''re at the hospital!¡±


    The familiar voice stunned Maya. At that moment, she forgot she was acting as a just-awakened, fragile patient. She sharply turned her gaze toward the source of the voice. The owner of the voice was none other than Rose. Rose noticed Maya''s sharp gaze and raised an


    eyebrow.


    "Maya, so it''s you after all."


    Rose smiled, the irony of fate evident. Howard had informed her about the car ident and the doctor''s diagnosis.


    Initially, Rose hadn''t considered the possibility of Maya scheming. However, with the situation unfolding and Maya''s reaction, Rose easily saw through her act. Maya was ying a role. Was Maya trying to extort Howard? Knowing Maya well, Rose suspected that Maya wasn''t after money but something more personal. She wanted a connection!


    "Maya, do you know each other?" Howard asked in surprise.


    "We know each other, of course! Maya and I..


    Rose smiled mysteriously. Seemingly afraid that Madeline would speak ill of her in front of Howard, Maya immediately got off the hospital bed and hugged Madeline. "Rose, I was so scared just now..


    She used a crying tone.


    But when she leaned into Rose''s ear, she lowered her voice, "Rose, don''t say anything reckless. I''m begging you..."


    Begging her? What about the events fromst night? Rose distanced herself from Maya while carrying a subtle smile on her face.


    "Why are you crying? You''re fine, right? Maya, since you''re fine, go handle the discharge yourself. It just so happens that Howard and I have some matters to attend to, we''ll leave first."


    Maya wants to extort Howard, but Rose won''t give her the chance. Maya hesitated, reluctant to let go of this hard-earned opportunity and let Rose ruin it.


    However, with her moment of hesitation, Rose immediately furrowed her brow.


    "Maya


    okay?"


    Despite Hose''s smiling demeanor, Maya felt an unmistakable underlying threat


    It was as if Rose was warning her, "If it''s not okay, don''t me her for speaking out of turn!"


    192 Even man


    Taking a deep breath, Maya could onlypromise. It''s okay, of course. You two go ahead, I can handle the discharge on my own."


    Maya bit her lip, showcasing a helpless and wronged image. Even if she waspromising, she wanted to leave Howard with a pitiable impression.


    Rose watched, a disdainful smile ying on her lips. She exchanged a nce with Howard, and the two exited the hospital room. Maya clenched her fists, ring fiercely at Pse''s retreating figure. However, Rose suddenly stopped. She turned around, capturing Maya''s menacing expression before it could fade.


    Rose said with a cynical smile on her face, "Maya, in two hours, meet me at the wishing well in the garden square. Don''t bete."


    In a state of bewilderment, Maya pondered the reason behind Rose''s request for a meeting.


    Yet, given the burgeoning connection between Rose and Howard, not following Rose''s instructions might jeopardize her prospects with Howard.


    "Ugh!"


    Maya gritted her teeth but had no choice but to follow Rose''s orders.


    Rose led Howard out of the hospital. Observing her, Howard couldn''t help but ask, "Were you threatening her?"


    Rose was speechless, not thinking that Howard would figure that out.


    "No, I was saving you!" Rose retrieved a box from her bag and tossed it to Howard. "Consider it a good deed. Saving a life is more important than building a seven-story pagoda." Howard caught the box and curiously opened it. Inside was a pair of men''s earrings.


    "These are for me?" he furrowed his brow.


    "Yep, your birthday gift, finally delivered."


    This was personally designed by her,


    "You... giving me essories?"


    Howard stared at Rose with a puzzled expression. He wondered if he had misunderstood something.


    Unfazed, Rose responded, "Don''t like them?"


    In a brief moment of silence, Rose opened her hands.


    don''t like them, give them back. Anyway, I''ve already delivered it."


    Coward quickly tightened his grip on the box.


    "Taking back something you''ve given away is embarrassing, you know?"


    Seemingly afraid that one might take it bacHoward swiftly pocketed the box with the gift


    ato delivered Rose had no indian of Ungerang


    Yang Take came," she cant ncing at the hospital with a meaningful look


    Seth hade can and depart two hours to sat on a bench not far from the wishing well an the gardiem acquarre


    manding a cup of coffee, he wasonly nced exi?e diction of the wall. Unbeknownst to her. someone Sefund The healy times was culonaly v¨§carving her,


    Sutherly in one''s ine of sight, Maya approached the wanting pool Was she her Rose rased an eyebrow a simatur gps in her eyes. She wound up, takingnge strides toward the wishing post hatayy bioun Citior

 Billionire 191

    Settling Scores


    As Rose walked over, Maya looked around but didn''t spot Rose


    "Damn it! Why did she ask me toe here? What does she want?"


    If it weren''t for the concern that Rose might say something inappropriate in front of Howard, Maya wouldn''t have kept the appointment.


    But after waiting for just two minutes, Maya became impatient.


    "Wait one more minute. If she doesn''t show up, it''s not my fault!"


    Maya stared at the time on her phone.


    Just as she said that a voice suddenly sounded from behind, "I''m here!"


    Rose had a smile on her face. As she spoke, she lifted her foot and kicked Maya''s buttocks forcefully.


    "Ah...


    Maya


    va didn''t react in time. Her body staggered forward, and with a ssh, she tumbled into the wishing pool in a sprawled position.


    Coughing and soaked, Maya stood up embarrassed in the pool after being kicked.


    ring at Rose, she asked, "Rose, what are you doing?"


    "What am I doing? Think about what you did yesterday, and you''ll know what I''m doing." Rose sneered.


    Her gaze remained fixed on Maya. A trace of guilt shed in Maya''s eyes. She knew that yesterday at the Chambers residence, she had yed a part in the whole incident.


    But quickly, Maya dismissed it, "Don''t wrongly use people. They dislike you, Rose. That''s why they''re trying to mess with you."


    "Is that so? Disliked?" Rose interrupted.


    "Maya, you can go and incite them again. If they still dislike me, they cane find me!"


    She nned to confront those who came and offended her. With that, Rose left without looking back. The scene caught Howard''s eye from a short distance.


    In just a few minutes, Howard''s face disyed a myriad of expressions. When Rose left, Howard finally snapped out of it.


    He wasn''t foolish. Although he couldn''t hear their conversation, he managed to piece together that ''aya was linked to Rose''s fall into the waterst night. So, just now, was Rose... settling scores? Heh..." Miles chuckled. T


    Maya was furious. She attracted the attention of onlookers around the wishing well in the park.


    Afraid of embarrassment, she hastily emerged from the pool and headed to a nearby mall. There, she


    125 BONUM


    bought new clothes to change into


    Despite cleaning up her appearance, the frustration her heart continued to build.


    Rose, just you with


    Maya gritted her teeth, realizing her phone was waterlogged and unusable. Left with no choice, she


    took a taxi to the Shaffer residence.


    She didn''t expect to find Kelly there again. To her surprise, as soon as she entered, she spotted Kellying downstairs Overjoyed, Maya greeted Kelly with a smile "Kelly, you''re back! You''re finally back!


    Maya hugged Kelly in excitement and began sharing her frustrations about Rose, detailing the events. fromst night and today. She hoped to incite Kelly to confront Rose. Kelly listened quietly, but her mind seemingly elsewhere.


    "Kelly, what''s wrong with you today? You seem a bit off."


    Maya noticed her friend''s unusual behavior.


    "It''s nothing Rose, she..."


    Kelly mentioned Rose, her eyes revealing a hint of unease. In the past few days, she and her mother had visited Chereton and found Angelica Willis.


    While the results weren''t definite, there was a strong likelihood that Celeste Young was the daughter of the Young family.


    if Celeste Young was the daughter of the Young family, Rose would not be an adopted granddaughter" but the legitimate youngdy of the Young family. This was uneptable to Kelly. She couldn''t share this discovery with anyone. She even needed to ensure that the secret remained hidden at all costs. Kelly looked at Maya, concealing a scheme in her eyes.


    "Maya, don''t confront Rose directly. She''s the pride of heaven. Everything about her is superior to you. Everyone''s attention will always be on her, and that''s something no one can change." Kelly''s words were strategic, a result of her deep understanding of Maya. Raised in Rose''s shadow, Maya had felt envy even in their better moments.


    Since the night at the bar when Maya spiked Rose''s drink, their bond had crumbled, and any harmony between them vanished.


    Compared to before, Maya would only be more Intolerant of Rose''s sess. Maya sneered.


    "What''s so great about her, Kelly? You excel in every aspectpared to her. Otherwise, why would Mr. Lane choose you over her?"


    H


    off the


    ver, these words struck a nerve with Kelly. Recalling the humiliation of the day she called off jement, Kelly felt a sharp pang in her heart.


    She was reluctant to be trays know shech har sagarapen from Nixon, fagring it would jeopardize her meritoit rover her busily, fuck by shaned at Maya


    "Much,


    vent


    Mach 1 understand past swallow the resentmat. But there and ways to want your frustration"


    "What methods" Maye eagerly asked


    Kelly gestured with her finger, and Maya leaned in to hear Kelly''s whispered tacticster eyes grachually revealed a malicious glint


    At night, Miles escorted Rose back to the Young Estate Tonight, the Young Estate was still brightly lit But as soon as they entered the main gate, Rose felt that the atmosphere was unusual When Rose passed by, the housekeepers and servants stopped and greeted her, showing respectful smiles. It seemed that there were many people in the main building.


    "Are there guests at home?" Rose asked while looking at Miles


    Miles smiled without saying a word. He intentionally walked behind Rose. When the two entered, Rose felt countless gazes turning towards her


    The owners of those gazes, men, and women, were the ones who had bullied her togetherst night.


    Not only them but also several middle-aged people were present. Even Mr. and Mrs. Chambers, as well as Madeline, were here, "Rose,e, sit here"


    Mr. Young Senior waved to Rose Rose was stunned for a moment


    There were so many people here, yet only Mr. Young Senior was sitting. Everyone else stood respectfully as if listening to a superior''s instructions


    "What are you standing there for? Come over quickly! Mr. Young Senior urged.


    Before Rose entered, Mr. Young Senior wore a gloomy and slightly angry expression. But as soon as Rose appeared, his demeanor softened, and he showed indulgence towards her. Rose couldn''t help but smile as she approached and took a seat beside Mr. Young Senior


    "Grandpa, what are they doing here?" Rose inquired.


    The moment Rose addressed him as "Grandpa", everyone present, including Madeline, felt a palpable shift. Their faces turned even paler.


    Before Mr. Young Senior could respond, Madeline was quick to offer an apologetic smile.


    "Ms


    Ro


    left speechless. So, they were here to apologize? Was it because they knew she was Mr. Your Senior''s new granddaughter?


    had Mr. Young Senior done something on her behalf? The sense of protection warmed Rose''s heart


    Looking at Mr. Young Senior, Rose spoke again, "Grandpa.

 Billionire 192

    Who Is That Man


    "Hmph, my granddaughter is not someone you can just bully at will


    He nced disapprovingly at Thomas, but in the next moment, when he looked at Rose, his gaze became exceptionally doting


    He patted Rose''s hand and said. "Rosie, they are all here to apologize today. But even if you don''t forgive them, it''s okay. Your happiness is all that matters." Upon hearing Oliver''s words, Thomas and Bonnie''s faces filled with panic.


    They once believed Rose couldn''t be linked to Oliver, but today Madeline informed them that Oliver had recognized Rose as his granddaughter.


    Moreover, the Young family issued a statement canceling the nned investment in Aquastead, which made Thomas realize the gravity of the situation.


    Without dy, he brought those who had troubled Rose the day before, including their parents, to apologize to her.


    Before Rose''s return, Oliver had made his stance clear: everything was negotiable, but it all depended on Rose''s mood.


    "Ms. Rose, we were wrong about what happened yesterday. To make it up to you, we have prepared some gifts..."


    Bonnie''s face was stered with a smile as she signaled to her assistant.


    The assistant quickly directed several people to bring in a series of items-limited edition handbags, jewelry, everything one could think of, and in such abundance that even Madeline and the otherdies were dazzled


    However, Rose merely nced at the items before looking away.


    Bonnie hastily added, "Ms. Rose, please take another look


    Thomas, do you think the Young family couldn''t afford to buy them if my granddaughter wanted them?"


    Oliver didn''t mince words. Bonnie''s face stiffened, and a flicker of panic crossed Thomas''s eyes.


    If he doesn''t handle today''s matter well, it could not only jeopardize his future but also potentially implicate Warren in Regalia and even the entire Chambers family. Thomas now regretted not being fair in his actions the previous night.


    He


    those who had troubled Rose andmanded sternly, "Why aren''t you all kneeling, begging. Rose for mercy?"


    Several people, both men and women, looked at Rose and reluctantly knelt.


    "We''re sorry, Ms. Rose... they apologized in unison.


    Rose cast a disdainful nce at the group. She had no interest in settling scores or unting her strength, but afterst night''s incident, she felt she deserved some justice.


    "Who was itst night that said I was the one who provoked you and ruined Ms. Cha Ders''s birthday party?"


    Rose''s voice was calm but camed an invisible pressure that made them tremble inside


    Immediately, they all looked toward a girl named Jane Carter. Her father was a minor director under Thomas''smand, and she had grown up attending school with Madeline, iming to be her best


    sister


    In reality, she had used Madeline''s name to dominate the social circle during the years Madeline was abroad. Rose followed their gaze to Jane.


    "The one who pushed me into the water was you, right?"


    Rose remembered her face. A flicker of guilt shed in Jane''s eyes. She wanted to deny it, but the situation made it impossible


    She could only tremble as she admitted, "It was... me


    "And the truth? Please repeat it."


    Jane nced at Madeline. She dared not expose Madeline''s crush on Miles, nor did she dare to say that they had troubled Rose on behalf of Madeline. She had to take the me herself.


    "I was jealous of her getting close to Howard, so I had the other girls trouble her. I''m sorry, Ms. Rose. I was wrong. Please forgive me..."


    "Howard?"


    Surprise shed across Thomas and Bonnie''s faces, as well as Miles''s and Oliver''s. The way they all stared at her made Rose feel extremely ufortable.


    She didn''t want to dwell on this matter any longer. Since she had already received an apology and her innocence had been cleared, Rose looked at Oliver and said, "Grandpa, let''s forget about this matter." However, Oliver''s expression remained solemn.


    The entire room was tense, and finally, Oliver spoke coldly, "Rosie, I won''t pursue this matter any further, but I''m not easily fooled. Miles, let''s put the investment on hold for now and revisit it in a while. While Oliver didn''t outright reject the investment, Thomas was already quite satisfied with this oue. After apologizing repeatedly to Rose, Thomas led everyone out of the room.


    In the car, both Thomas and Bonnie remained silent. After a while, they both spoke at the same time:


    Howard


    "Howard..."


    They exchanged nces, both thinking along the sathe lines


    "I didn''t expect Howard to get close to Rose. If Howard and Rose can be together..


    Both of them had the same thought


    If Howard and Rose became a couple,bined with Madeline and Miles''s rtionship, the Chambers family and Young family would be deeply connected


    This would be highly beneficial for the Chambers family''s development in Regalia. Both of them were Tilled with excitement with this thought


    Meanwhile, Rose was about to go upstairs to her room but was stopped by Oliver


    "Rosie *


    "Yes, Grandpa? Do you have something else to discuss


    Oliver fixed his gaze on Rose''s eyes and asked, "Who is Howard?"


    "He is the younger brother of the Chambers family''s twins. Why do you ask?"


    "You and him. "Oliver furrowed his brows, and his curious expression made Rose realize that he had misunderstood.


    Rose humedly exined, "Grandpa, you''re misunderstanding. I just met Howard for the first time yesterday"


    "Just met?" Oliver smiled. "Meeting him for the first time is not a problem. Miles, check what kind of person Howard is..."


    Miles''s brow had remained furrowed. Just as he was about to say something, Rose, with a wry smile on her face, grabbed Oliver''s arm.


    "Grandpa, you''ve got it all wrong I don''t have any feelings for him."


    "No feelings? You should consider finding a partner...


    Oliver said seriously as if he were considering which outstanding young man would be a suitable. match for Rose Rose had no choice but to be honest. "Grandpa, I''m already married"


    Rose had wanted to show her wedding ring, but she suddenly remembered that it was toorge and often fit inconvenient, so she had stopped wearing it


    "Ma


    To whom?"


    was visibly surprised.


    He hadn''t conducted much investigation into her background. He had instantly recognized Rose, and any investigation would have been disrespectful to her.


    But she had gotten married? It was such a significant matter, he had to know!


    Who is That Man


    Oliver immediately gave an order, "Who is that man? No, you must call him now and have hime to


    see me!


    Rose smiled wryly, thinking of her ''star escort husband'', who had been out of touch for a day. She was about to speak when a voice came from outside the door.


    "Grandpa, it''s quitete. Even if you want to meet, you should let Rose prepare properly and meet another day!"


    As the words fell, Anastasia had already entered the room. Rosie looked over, and their eyes met.

 Billionire 193

    I Miss You


    Rose thought about that phone call and was momentarily taken aback. On the other hand, Anastasia smiled gently at Rose, walked over to her, and affectionately took her hand. "Grandpa, you seem quite anxious. You might scare Rose and her husband too, right, Pose?"


    Rose''s remained silent as she heard Anastasia''s words. Her face stiffened considerably. However, Oliver thought she was just being shy.


    "What Anastasia said makes sense. We can do it another day. Just let me know in advance so I can prepare!"


    Oliver seemed to hold Rose''s husband in high regard. But Rose was in a dilemma. She was lost in thought about her ''star escort husband and hadn''t been paying attention to Anastasia.


    It wasn''t until Anastasia suddenly said, "Rose, I''m sorry, I won''t be able toe home and spend time with you for a while. I''ll have to stay outside for a while. Don''t miss me too much!" that Rose snapped back to reality.


    After saying this, Anastasia smiled at Rose and went upstairs to her room, leaving Rose furrowed in frustration. Anastasia had only returned for a short visit and left again after half an hour.


    Before leaving, she had said some ambiguous and misleading things to May, but those words were meant for Rose to hear.


    Rose felt a sense of loss in her eyes. After she went back to her room, Miles received a phone call. It was from Zac!


    Miles hesitated for a moment before answering the call. As he spoke, his brow furrowed more and more, and when he hung up the phone, he also left the house.


    When he returned, he was supporting someone who was stumbling.


    "Mr. Miles, Isn''t this Mr. Gibson...?"


    Patrick recognized Zac as soon as he saw him. Zac was reeking of alcohol, and half of his body was leaning on Miles.


    When he heard Patrick''s voice, Zac lifted his head and greeted him, "Hey..."


    As soon as he opened his mouth, the alcohol surged up, and he immediately covered his mouth as if he was about to vomit. "Quick, someone,e and take Mr. Gibson to the bathroom..."


    Patrick quickly arranged for someone to help him. Miles had a frowning expression from start to finish and looked gloomy. "Mr. Miles, what''s going on..."


    Patrick was about to ask more questions, but Zac stumbled out of the bathroom again.


    Miss You


    "Miles, do you think they''re being too much? I only messed up one project, and the old man kicked me out. My mother and grandmother didn''t even try to stop him... They don''t love me at all, Miles..." Zac walked up to Miles, grabbing and shaking the sleeve of his clothes.


    "I only have you now. I have nowhere else to go, you, you have to take me in!"


    Zac looked at Miles pitifully, like a young wife. Patrick was taken aback, wondering if he had hit his head and gone mad from drinking.


    Miles, who had been keeping a stem look, shook off Zac.


    But the next instant, Zac grabbed him again, even leaning on Miles''s shoulder, adopting an attitude as if he hadtched onto him firmly.


    "I don''t care, you are my friend, and you have to take me in..."


    Rose came out of her room to pour some water, and as soon as she stepped out, she saw such a scene. She was shocked on the spot. What... what is going on?


    Miles looked up just in time to meet Rose''s puzzled gaze.


    Not wanting to get entangled with Zac any further, Miles pushed Zac onto the nearby sofa, instructing Patrick, "Prepare a guest room for him.


    After speaking, Miles returned to his room. Though Zac was drunk, he had seeded in securing a ce to stay, and he smiled triumphantly.


    Seeing Rose upstairs, he originally wanted to say hello, but fearing that Miles would not be pleased and might throw him out, he had to give up the idea.


    The next day, Rose had to go to thepany. When she came out, Miles''s car was already waiting.


    "Rosie, I''ll take you."


    Miles opened the car door for her, and just as she got in, another person squeezed in as well. Miles nced at Zac in the back seat with a displeased expression. "Miles, please take me to thepany.


    Zac looked at Miles momentarily and then greeted Rose as if he considered Miles a driver. Miles rolled his eyes secretly, resisting the urge to kick Zac out of the car. Following the route, Miles first dropped off Rose and then Zac. After Miles drove away, Zac finally called Jonathan.


    "Jonathan, I''ve gone to great lengths to get into the Young family, don''t worry, I''ll take good care of the little beauty for you, but there''s something..."


    Last night he wandered out and overheard the servants discussing preparing to serve Rose''s


    husba


    He pretended to ask casually and discovered that Oliver wanted to meet Rose''s husband.


    "If you meet him, your identity will be exposed," Zac couldn''t help worrying.


    -  Miss You


    On the other end of the phone, Jonathan had an Intense look in his eyes, and at this moment, he wasn''t thinking about being exposed but about Rosa,


    Would Rose arrange a meeting for him with Oliver? Throughout the entire day, Jonathan was waiting for Rose''s call. But until the afternoon, Rose''s call still hadn''te.


    His mood was visibly bing irritable, and finally, he couldn''t stand it anymore and took the Initiative to call Rose. Seeing the caller ID "star escort husband," Rose''s heartbeat seemed to stop for a moment She didn''t pick up no matter how long the phone rang.


    Jonathan''s brows furrowed tighter and tighter, and just as the phone was about to disconnect automatically, he heard the voice he had been longing for.


    "Hello?"


    The voice was somewhat cold. Jonathan didn''t care at all; a smile appeared on his pale face, and he even forgot to speak. On the other end of the phone, Rose was waiting for a reply.


    Not speaking, what does that mean?


    "Is there something you want to say?" Rose asked impatiently, ready to hang up if he remained silent.


    But just as she thought this, the man''s deep voice came through, "I miss you."


    His voice was a bit hoarse. Jonathan had been feverish all day and felt heavy-headed, lying in bed with a bandage around his shoulder de, slightly soaked with fresh blood.


    But at that moment, his mind was full of Rose, utterly unaware of his physical difort. These three words left Rose stunned for a moment. Had she heard wrong? Did he miss her?


    An unusual feeling surged in her heart, but Rose''s displeasure deepened when she thought of Anastasia.


    "Mr. Finch, you miss me when you think of me. But what about the times when


    you don''t?"


    Jonathan was speechless. Mr. Finch? What kind of title was that?


    But the jealousy and dissatisfaction in her tone were evident to him, and he couldn''t help butugh softly, "Never."


    Rose didn''t understand his meaning. "What never?"


    ''s never been a time when I didn''t think of you.


    Rose was left without words


    Rose felt slightly confused internally, but she quickly steadied her emotions, scoffing disdainfully," Who believes that? Mr. Finch, you''re so elusive, I''ve never seen you around, and you say you miss me? Mr. Finch, I''m not a three-year-old child, not easy to coax or deceive!"


    As soon as Rose finished speaking, theughter on the other side grew louder, and then the man''s


    I Miss You


    voice came again, mercilessly revealing a fact, "You miss me?"

 Billionire 194

    Bold Words


    Rose''s face turned crimson all of a sudden. Just moments ago, she had been eloquent, but now shel


    was at a loss for words.


    "You...you...you....


    What kind of bold words were these? She nervously touched her flushed cheek and took a deep breath, trying to regain herposure. She spoke with determination.


    "Who said I missed you?"


    "You..."


    Jonathan couldn''t stop grinning. With one word, he brought Rose back to her original state.


    Rose, embarrassed and wanting to hang up the phone, suddenly heard Jonathan emit a low, stifled groan as he clutched his injured shoulder.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Rose asked in surprise.


    Jonathan lowered his head to nce at his wound, which had started bleeding again.


    He didn''t want to worry Rose, but the pain from the wound was bing increasingly intense. He tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over him. Despite his efforts to steady himself, he identally knocked over a nearby water ss. Hearing themotion, Finley rushed into the room.


    "Mister..."


    Upon hearing the word "Mister," Rose also heard it. He hung up the phone before she could ask for


    more details about the situation.


    Rose stared at her phone in a daze, unable to hide her concern.


    "Ms. Shaffer, tonight..." Sherlyn began to say, but Rose had already hurriedly walked past her, disappearing from her line of sight.


    Rose hurriedly made her way, desperately wanting to find Jonathan. However, when she redialed the number, there was no response.


    As soon as Miles reached Century Tower, he spotted Rose looking concerned. He promptly parked his car in front of her.


    "Rosie, what''s going on?" Miles asked with genuine concern.


    While speaking, he exited the car and opened the door for her.


    Wher


    "Okay


    ou want to go? I''ll take you.


    Rose got into the car, but where did she need to go? Where was Jonathan? She had no idea.


    Bald werde


    25 BORUS


    Rose clutched her phone with trembling hands, contemting calling Anastasia. Nevertheless, she couldn''t summon the courage to dial the number.


    Miles unintentionally noticed that her phone was on the contact screen for "Anastasia," but he didn''tment on it. Instead, he proceeded to dial Anastasia''s number on his phone Meanwhile, Anastasia had just received the news that Jonathan had been hospitalized. She didn''t want to miss any opportunity, so she rushed over as soon as she received the news. When Miles''s call came in, she was in her car.


    "Where are you?"


    Miles got straight to the point. When Anastasia answered the call, she felt something was amiss Even though they were nominally siblings, their rtionship in private was far from good. Miles rarely called her and never cared about her whereabouts. The only possibility...


    Anastasia tentatively asked, ''Is Rosie with you?"


    Miles furrowed his brows slightly, not answering her question directly, and asked again, "Where are


    you?"


    This reaction confirmed Anastasia''s suspicion. It wasn''t that Miles wanted to know where she was; it


    was Rose.


    Thinking of Jonathan, a glint of cunning shed in Anastasia''s eyes as she replied softly, "Harmony Hospital"


    Hospital? Was Jonathan hurt or sick? Rose''s heart felt like it was being weighed down, making it hard for her to breathe.


    Her voice quivered as she asked, "Can you take me there?"


    "Sure," Miles started the car.


    Half an hourter, they stopped outside Harmony Hospital. She was too impatient to wait for the car to enter the underground parking lot


    She asked Miles to drop her off at the hospital entrance and humedly got out of the car and ran into the hospital.


    In the hospital room, Jonathan''s face was pale. He had fainted just now and woke up in the hospital


    room. After a medical examination, it was determined that his wound had be infected


    hen Jonathan regained consciousness, his first thought was of Rose. He wanted to ask Finley, but


    then Lucas walked in.


    "Mr. Finch, what happened to you? I heard you fainted earlier. Are you okay now? You shouldn''t have left the hospital. You should stay here until your wound heals, with a doctor to look after you." Thapter 194 Bold Wards


    Lucas had an injured leg and was using crutches. Two nurses were supporting him.


    Seeing that Jonathan didn''t respond, Lucas anxiously asked, "Did you find out who was behind the attack that day? Did they reveal the mastermind?"


    Jonathan''s eyes deepened. Those people were tough and wouldn''t reveal anything even if caught. But even without questioning them, he knew who the mastermind was.


    Jonathan nced at Lucas and didn''t hide the truth.


    I know who it is."


    Lucas was taken aback. After a moment of hesitation, Lucas suppressed his anxiety and forced a smile.


    "Who is it?"


    Jonathan didn''t answer him but turned to Finley and said, "Those people injuring me don''t matter, but dragging Mr. Caldwell into this is uneptable. This matter cannot be easily resolved. I''ve entrusted you with handling it. How is the progress?"


    Finley immediately understood his meaning.


    "Mr. Finch, rest assured, it''s been arranged properly."


    "Good, then I can rest easy." After saying that, Jonathan looked at Lucas with sincerity in his eyes." Lucas, rest assured, I will give you an exnation."


    Lucas''s heart trembled. He had never personally witnessed Jonathan''s methods but had heard of them.


    He wouldn''t have dared to face Jonathan if his sister had not agreed to transfer 20% of the Caldwell family''s shares.


    But that 20% was too tempting, and with his sister''s support, the Caldwell family would be under his control.


    So he had taken the risk toe to Aquastead, pretending to meet Jonathan as friends. In reality, he was here to create an opportunity for an assassination.


    But if Jonathan truly discovered that he was involved. The consequences were... Lucas felt a sense of fear. He could only decide that the second assassination must be arranged immediately if necessary. "Jonathan... Lucas? Are you both here?"


    In the


    strange atmosphere of the hospital room, Anastasia''s voice suddenly rang out.


    Seeing Lucas there, Anastasia felt somewhat relieved. She knew that if she and Jonathan were left alone, Jonathan would certainly not hesitate to kick her out.


    However, with a mutual friend present, Jonathan would have to show her some courtesy. Anastasia only nced at Lucas and then focused all her attention on Jonathan.  Bold Words


    "Jonathan," she said as she poured a ss of water and handed it to him.


    She didn''t dare to be too forward with him, fearing it might backfire and annoy him. But offering a ss of water was just right.


    Jonathan didn''t initially want to ept, but after waking up, he was indeed thirsty. He reached out to take the ss, but Anastasia let go of it before he could grab it securely.


    "Ah..."


    The ss fell onto Jonathan, sshing water all over him, causing Anastasia to panic and exim.

 Billionire 195

    ''a All a Misunderstanding


    In the charm, Annelusin c


    w.


    Ouch donathan..."


    Anastasia winced in pain as Jonathan gripped her wrist, looking at him with a face full of aggrievement. Luens watched the two of them with dient interest.


    great


    Jonathan won about to let go of Armstasia''s hand, but suddenly, his gaze froze as he spotted familiar figure at the hospital room door Hose Why was she here?


    During Jonathan''s moment of shook, Lucas''s teasing voice rang in his ear


    She didn''t mean it. She''s just concerned about you Look, you''ve hurt her"


    Jonathan''s eyes flickered, seemingly afraid that Locan would notice Pose, and he quickly averted tus


    "Are you okay?"


    Jonathan released his grip on Anastasin''s wrist, showing rare concem Anastasia was surprised by this sudden show of care from him, but she quickly realized what was happening


    She shook her head and said, "I''m fine."


    She had noticed Rose''s arrival when Jonathan hesitated earlier


    A faint smile appeared on Anastasia''s face. She reached out to continue helping him dry his wet clothon, but this time, Jonathan raised his hand to stop her.


    "Finley"


    Jonathan nced at Finley. He intentionally avoided looking at Rose, hoping that she would leave quickly


    However, when he nced at the door and didn''t see Rose, his heart seemed to be gripped by an Invisible force, making it difficult to breathe.


    "Me Finch? Finley noticed Jonathan''s unusual behavior and asked concemedly, "is your wound burting again?"


    Jonathan took a deep breath and shook his head. He desperately wanted to catch up with Rose, but his rationality told him not to make any impulsive moves. He had to wait for the right moment. Meanwhile, in the hospitalidor, Rose seemed lost and unaware of her surroundings. Everything around her was a blur, and she couldn''t hear any sounds.


    Her mind kept reying the scene she had just witnessed, and a bitter smile gradually formed on her lips. She knew that Anastasia was here, but still, she headed over


    But she couldn''t bring herself to walk into the hospital room after seeing them together. Miles, who


    had humedly arrived, found Rose looking dazed


    Mites gently tugged on her arm, but as soon as he touched her, Rose''s body went limp. She was about to copse, but Miles quickly supported her


    "Rosie, what''s wrong with you? Miles was deeply concerned about her condition. He wanted to know what had happened earlier


    Rose weakly raised her head, struggling to regain heposure.


    "Miles, I may not be able to keep my promise to Grandoa. But Grandpa can still meet him....


    It was just that Rose wasn''t the one who brought her to him, it was Anastasia. Miles didn''t quite understand her words, and he wanted to ask for more details, but Rose didn''t want to exin further "I want to drink"


    Rose wanted to get drunk, to numb herself, and to put an end to the past. She took a deep breath and pulled Miles along in an instant, she seemed to have emerged from her previous state of despair "Come on, let''s go have a drink. I treat your


    Rose decided to get thoroughly intoxicated tonight. She chose a lively bar


    Inside the bar, the raucous music was deafening a type of ce Rose never liked. But tonight, she wanted to get drunk


    Maya, who had spotted a figure resembling Rose from afar, initially couldn''t believe her eyes. However, after confirming it several times, she was convinced it was indeed Rose


    She recalled what Kelly had told her earlier, and a trace of malice shed in her eyes


    "Enemies often cross paths Maya muttered to herself


    Earlier in the morning, she visited Madeline, and Madeline scolded her


    She said that it was the things Maya had said that day that had caused her friends to misunderstand Rose, ultimately leading to their conflict with the Young family.


    She had repeatedly asked for more details and finally learned that Rose was recognized as Oliver''s granddaughter. Thats why Kelly had warned her not to provoke Rose


    But what had she done to provoke her? She had merely taught her a lessont Even if she had married into the Young family, so what? She could do many things discreetly


    Maya nced at Miles, who was with Rose, and then dialed Kelly''s number


    Kelly, I just saw Rose She''s drunk. It might be a good opportunity tonight


    On the other end of the phone, Kelly''s eyes lit up


    "Really? Where is she?


    Mava prowaded the bar''s name and continued, Tut Milles is with her."


    Kelly wasn''t concerned about that She was confident she could distract Miles, allowing Rose to fall into then tap At the Harmony Hospital


    After Mose''s figure disappeared, it took a while for Jonathan to use the excuse of resting to ask Lucas and Anastasia to leave the hospital room. Now, only Jonathan and Finley remained in the room "Just now, Mrs. Finch was here," Finley mentioned


    He had also seen Rose''s presence, and when she had been in the room earlier, he was afraid that she might misunderstand the situation.


    "Do you want me to send someone to exin to her? Finley asked, concerned about Jonathan''s. image in Rose''s eyes.


    Jonathan knew what Finley meant. He had avoided looking at Rose earlier to prevent Lucas from noticing her presence.


    He knew that Jack''s people were monitoring him, so at this moment, even if he wanted to exin to Rose, he couldn''t act rashly.


    After contemting, Jonathan issued amand, Jack hasn''t learned his lesson from thest time. This time, let him leam it even better. How''s everything set up in Regalia?"


    "Everything is in order," Finley replied.


    "What about here? Jonathan was referring to Lucas,


    Anyone who plotted against him would not go unpunished, Finley wore a troubled expression.


    "It might take a bit longer. Mr. Caldwell hasn''t made any moves yet, and we haven''t found any evidence against him. He''s still in the hospital, and the people outside haven''t had direct contact with


    him


    "Even if you press him, he may deny everything. If this matter is used against you by Mr. Jack in Regalia, it might not be in your favor."


    Jonathan understood the importance of weighing the pros and cons. If it were a normal situation, he would patiently wait for the other side to reveal their intentions


    However, Rose''s presence had made it impossible for him to remain calm and wait any longer. "Keep a close watch on Lucas. If he doesn''t slip up, create an opportunity for him," Jonathan ordered. "Mr. Finch... Are you nning to use yourself as bait? Finley quessed Jonathan''s intention. Jonathan didn''t answer directly but took out his phone and dialed Zac''s number. After a few rings, he


    1. up.


    Zac, who had pretended to leave his things at the Young Estate, wanted an excuse to continue staying there. However, when he received Jonathan''s call, he nced at the lobby.  it''s


    "Where''s Rose? Did she go back to her room?" Zac asked the butler.


    The butler hesitated for a moment and replied, "Ms. Rose hasn''t returned yet. She should be with Mr. Miles. Mr. Miles called earlier and asked the kitchen not to prepare dinner for him and Ms Rose Zac muttered to himself that Miles had grasped the essence of "the pavilion closest to the water enjoys the moonlight first."


    After some contemtion, Zac came up with an excuse and called Miles.


    As soon as the call was connected, he hadn''t had a chance to say anything when Miles''s voice came through, "Ster Lounge, go find Rose!"  Rose Went Missings

 Billionire 196

    Rose Went Missing


    With those words, Miles hung up the phone. Zac had no chance to ask more questions, but he didn''t dare dy. He immediately drove toward Ster Lounge.


    Just as he left, Anastasia returned to Young Estate. From behind, she recognized Zac''s figure.


    "Why is Mr. Gibson here?"


    She was somewhat surprised. Zac, Jonathan, and Miles used to be good friends who could talk about anything.


    However, with Harriette missing, Jonathan and Miles severed ties, and Miles also distanced himself from Zac. They hadn''t been in much contact for many years, so why would he suddenlye to visit?


    "Last night, Mr. Gibson got drunk. Mr. Miles brought him back and let him stay overnight. Mr. Gibson just came to find something he left behind, but I don''t know what it was.


    "He seems a bit strange. He asked about Ms. Rose. But it''s not that surprising. Being in Aquastead, Mr. Gibson might know Ms. Rose."


    The butler finished speaking and went about his business. However, Anastasia stood motionless in ce for a long time without any action. Zac, Rose, and Jonathan.


    Suddenly, her eyes widened, as if she had figured something out. What followed was a displeased expression filling her heart.


    "Hah


    Anastasia let out a cold chuckle that could send shivers down one''s spine. She then took out her phone and dialed a number.


    In Ster Lounge, Rose was already somewhat intoxicated. About ten minutes ago, Miles received a call. He had intended to leave with Rose, but she clutched the wine bottle and refused to leave.


    Luckily, this bar was owned by a young entrepreneur with ties to the Youngs, So Miles instructed someone to take care of Rose.


    When he saw several waiters stationed outside her booth and not letting anyone approach, he finally left. When Zac called, Miles sought his help again.


    Before Zac arrived, Rose was drinking quietly in the booth. Maya watched from a distance but didn''t dare to act recklessly. Suddenly, she saw Nixon''s figure and couldn''t help but be startled. Why did hee?


    Before she could get to a conclusion, Nixon had already walked toward Rose.


    "Rosie."


    He tried to approach the booth but was blocked by several waiters.


    Suppressing his displeasure, Nixon politely said to the waiters, "I know her. We''re good friends."


    Chauter 1916se Virat Missil


    His words reached Rose''s ears, and she raised her eyes slightly.


    "I don''t know him."


    With a single sentence, she blocked Nixon from entering the booth. Even though she was drunk, she didn''t want to be bothered by him. Moreover, seeing him instantly killed her mood for drinking. After Rose gave Nixon a cold nce, she stood up to leave. Miles had already settled the bill before leaving.


    Seeing that Rose was leaving, the waiter wanted to stop her as per the instructions from above. But as he was about to speak, Nixon spoke.


    "Alright, now that she''s leaving, I can take this seat, right?"


    "Of course, sir. This way."


    1. d. Rose was nowhere to


    The waiter weed Nixon into the booth. When he turned be seen.


    As Rose left the bar, a cool breeze brushed against her, sending a shiver down her spine. She became sober instantly. The night in Aquastead was lively, with many pedestrians around. Rose called a taxi and was about to get in when arge hand grabbed her arm from behind. When she turned around, she met Nixon''s eyes.


    "I''ll give you a ride, Rose."


    His smile was sinister as if he were looking at prey about to be caught.


    Disgusted, Rose coldly uttered, "Get lost!"


    "Get lost?" Nixon sneered.


    Seeing Rose trying to shake him off, he suddenly exerted force to pull her into his arms. Then, he helped her into his car which was parked just beside them. When Zac arrived at the bar, he searched around but couldn''t find Rose. He immediately called Miles, but thetter''s phone was already switched off.


    Zac felt increasingly uneasy and, in his urgency, dialed Jonathan''s number.


    In the ward, Jonathan heard that Rose was missing and didn''t care about anything else. He pulled out -the still-inserted needle for the IV. "What happened, Mr. Finch?


    Finley had just inspected the hospital. As soon as he entered the room, he saw Jonathan getting out


    of bed.


    "Rose is missing."


    Jonathan reached for the door. When Finley knew what Jonathan was about to do, he quickly blocked.


    Jonathan.


    "Mr. Finch, there are still people outside. If you found Mrs. Finch, it could endanger her."


    Jonathan naturally understood this. But at this moment, all he could think about wine Rose''s safety After a moment of contemtion, Jonathan made his decision. "Arrange for people to find Rose immediately."


    "Mr. Finch, you"


    Finley frowned, vaguely guessing what Jonathan intended to do. Without a word, Jonathan turned back and put on a coat before striding out of the room.


    As he intentionally passed by Lucas'' room, his anxious figure caught Lucan'' eyes. Lucas find just answered Anastasia''s call and was pondering the credibility of her words. Instantly, he became alert. Anastasia mentioned a woman in Aquastead whom Jonathan cared deeply about Lucas tately saw Jonathan so anxious. Could his hasty departure be ted to that woman?


    Without much thought, Lucas immediately changed into a different set of clothes.


    As he walked out of the hospital, he informed the people on Jack''s side to follow Jonathan He prepared to take action again.


    Half an hourter, Rose woke up in an unfamiliar room.


    When she recalled that she was drugged by Nixon when they got into the car, she immediately. became alert. She looked around, but there was no sign of Nixon, Rose hastily tried to get up, but her body felt weak. She struggled to move forward, but before reaching the door, it opened from the outside. Nixon walked in. Seeing Rose, he smiled.


    "You''re awake. I went to get something What? Are you nning to leave?"


    "Nixon, what do you want?"


    Rose''s gaze at him was filled with disgust. After locking the door, Nixon grabbed her wrist without any mercy and pushed her. With no strength left in her body, Rose sat on the floor. Knowing that she harbored no good feelings toward him, he didn''t bother pretending. He coldly looked at her and then ced the camera he was holding on a table in the room


    The red indicator light on the camera was blinking. Having been rejected by Rose multiple times, Nixon was filled with resentment and needed an outlet


    "Hmpose, I don''t know where your good luckes from. Mr. Finch favors you, and Oliver takes


    granddaughter. Do you know that I love Kelly? Kelly is a thousand times better than you Buty by marrying you can I climb up the Young familydder and make my dad hand over the Lane


    you


    M


    Rose


    Group to me."


    issing

 Billionire 197

    They Had All Come


    Rose found it amusing.


    "You love Kelly, and I''ve granted your wish to be with her. Aren''t you two already together? Besides, I have a husband. What nonsense are you talking about marrying me?"


    She nced at the blinking red indicator light on the camera and had a bad feeling. Nixon noticed her gaze. As he thought about his arrangements, a smug and crazed expression appeared on his face. "It''s been so long. Who''s your husband after all? I haven''t had the chance to meet him yet, but it doesn''t matter."


    Smiling, he tapped the camera.


    "Do you think he''ll divorce you after he sees your scandal?"


    Rose understood his implication.


    "Don''t even think about it, Nixon."


    Rose struggled to get up. If it were a normal situation, Nixon wouldn''t be able to touch her. But now, she had been drugged. She felt weak and found it extremely difficult even to stand.


    Seeing her like this, Nixon was at ease. In his eyes, Rose was under his control now. He wanted to enjoy the pleasure of humiliating her and make up for the frustration he had endured during this time. *Rose, it seems we''re destined. Just ept it."


    Nixon continued, "You''re indeed very hot, but you know nothing about men. We''ve dated for a few


    years but only held hands a few times. It''s only because Grandma saw your coction with the Youngs and Mr. Finch...


    "Let me tell you. After we get married, if Mr. Finch continues to be interested in you, I don''t mind sending you to his bed."


    Nixon didn''t hide his scheme at all. Marrying Rose meant squeezing every bit of her value. He wasn''t afraid of Rose resisting. After he slept with her today, he would release the video tomorrow. Even if Rose despised him, the Youngs would consider their reputation, and the matter would be downyed. The best way to downy it was for the two of them to get married.


    Rose red at Nixon, spitting out a mouthful of saliva in disgust.


    "You make me sick, Nixon."


    "Sick?"


    N


    ing his eyes, he suddenly reached out to grab her cor. In those crazed eyes, there was anger.


    "So what if I make you sick? You''ll need to endure it!"


    Rose spat on Nixon''s face. At once, he struck her face with a loud p. Though her face was burning


    10


    " They Had All Com


    with pain, her hands were weak, and she couldn''t fight back.


    Nixon pulled her up and forcefully pushed her onto the bed. The next second, he lunged at Rose.


    A sudden fear arose in her heart as Nixon''s hand touched her. She felt nothing but disgust, wishing she could tear this man apart.


    Just then, images of Jonathan shed in her mind. She realized that, apart from Jonathan, any man''s


    touch made her resist.


    In the previous incidents, whenever she was in danger, Jonathan woulde to her rescue. What about this time? As she recalled what she had seen in the hospital, all she could feel was despair. He was injured, and Anastasia was taking care of him in the hospital. He couldn''t possibly appear in front of her now. Rose closed her eyes in despair, realizing that she couldn''t escape this time. She even wished for death. Even if it meant death, she didn''t want to feel Nixon''s touch. However, she didn''t even have the strength to seek death now.


    Suddenly, she seemed to think of something. She tried to bite her tongue, and the taste of blood spread in her mouth. She continued to exert force. s, Nixon sensed her intention and grabbed her


    chin.


    "Trying to die?"


    He sneered with disdain. He didn''t believe Rose would really kill herself. This was just a tactic for her to scare him, so he wasn''t afraid at all.


    If it weren''t for the video that needed to be released, he would have considered stuffing something into her mouth to shut her up.


    But to create the illusion of a perfect match, Nixon could only use one hand to pinch her chin while trying to tear her dress with the other.


    "Nixon, if you dare to continue, I won''t let you off the hook!" Rose red at Nixon with bloodshot eyes.


    Heughed wickedly.


    "Not let me off the hook? Rose, get this straight. Right now, it''s me not letting you off the hook!"


    Nixon firmly gripped Rose''s jaw, almost distorting her face with the pressure. Noticing that she couldn''t resist, he felt a triumphant satisfaction.


    It seemed that all the frustration and setbacks in this period were now beingpensated for.


    His n was to sleep with Rose, release the video, manipte public opinion, force Rose''s husband to leave her, and then marry her.


    With at, Nixon could leverage his connection with the Youngs and seize control of the Lane family. ious ascent would then begin. The more Nixon thought about it, the more insane he became.


    H


    Suddenly, there was a loud bang behind him, and the door was kicked open. He turned around, only to see a figure. The next moment, he was kicked away.


    They Had All Coma


    "Who are you?"


    Nixon fell to the ground. As Finley saw Rose, he was startled by the blood at the corner of her mouth. He instinctively clenched his fists.


    When he heard the sound of footsteps behind him, he quickly grabbed a towel to cover Rose''s body.


    "Mrs." Finley''s voice trembled slightly.


    He almost uttered the words "Mrs. Finch", but quickly corrected himself.


    "Ms. Shaffer, don''t worry. No one can harm you."


    "You-"


    Nixon hadn''t seen Finley clearly yet and thought he was just someone from the Youngs protecting Rose. He was about to exin that Rose had invited him. But suddenly, Finley looked over. When Nixon saw Finley''s face clearly, he trembled.


    "You... You are..."


    Although Nixon hadn''t seen Jonathan, he had seen Finley several times when he went to the Finch Building. The people in the Finch Building always treated Finley with utmost respect.


    Nixon had privately inquired about Finley''s identity and knew he was Jonathan''s personal bodyguard. Just then, Zac hurriedly arrived. When he saw Rose lying nkly on the bed, his heart wrenched. "Ms. Shaffer," he called out softly.


    Rose''s eyelids twitched slightly.


    "I''ll get you out of here, Ms. Shaffer,"


    Zac stepped forward, intending to lift Rose into his arms. However, as he reached out his hand, her body flinched, and her eyes were filled with resistance. Seeing that, he didn''t dare touch her. After a while, Rose struggled to try to get up. She didn''t want to stay here. Despite her body still feeling weak, she persisted, wrapped in a towel. Each step was a considerable challenge for her. When she reached the table, she suddenly stopped.


    "Rosie, tell them that you invited me."


    Nixon''s bad premonition intensified. Finley represented Jonathan, and Zac had a good rtionship. with Jonathan. They had alle. What did this mean?


    re the Youngs, he could fool them. But considering Jonathan''s methods, even if he wanted to fonim, he wouldn''t dare.


    Noticing Rose remaining silent, Nixon crawled up from the ground and tried to pull Rose. But as soon as he made a move, Finley kicked him away again.

 Billionire 198

    Mrs. Finch Is in Your Hands


    The kick sent a sharp pain through Nixon''s chest, almost making him spit out blood.


    "Rose, you-


    Even so, he still wanted to convince Rose to take responsibility.


    However, this time, before he could finish his sentence, Finley stomped down on his chest. Finley''s features were already rugged, and his darkened face looked even more fierce. With just a nce, Nixon was scared into silence.


    Rose''s gaze lingered on the camera for a long time. Eventually, she reached out and grabbed the camera, as if ending the humiliation she had just experienced.


    Only then did Finley and Zac notice the presence of the camera. With their intelligence, they quickly understood its purpose.


    When Rose walked out of the room, having already put some distance between them, Finleynded a fierce punch on Nixon''s face.


    Instantly, Nixon saw stars, and a buzzing sound echoed in his ears.


    "Nixon, you beast!"


    Finley''s gaze was fierce as if he wanted to end Nixon right there. However, he had to leave this man to Jonathan for disposal.


    "Mr. Gibson, Mrs. Finch is in your hands now. I''ll take care of this scum first."


    Finley nced at Zac and signaled to his men in Azure n outside the door. Two strong men quickly entered and lifted Nixon, dragging him out of the room.


    The blow had left Nixon bewildered. Even as he was being dragged away, echoes of Finley''s words continued to ring in his head. Mrs. Finch?


    He hadn''t misheard Finley. But who was the Mrs. Finch he referred to?


    In an attempt to seek answers, Nixon anxiously questioned the two bodyguards restraining him.


    "Who''s Mrs. Finch? Tell me, hurry."


    He hoped to hear a name other than "Rose" from their mouths. However, no matter how much he shouted and demanded, the two bodyguards didn''t even look at him, let alone provide an answer. The more they ignored him, the more uneasy Nixon felt. He could only console himself continuously.


    "It can''t be Rose. How could it be her? It''s surely not her."


    Jonathan wasn''t married, so where would a Mrs. Finche from? It must be that the blow from Finley was too severe, causing Nixon to have auditory hallucinations.


    He continuously told himself that Rose couldn''t be Mrs. Finch.


    On the other hand, Rose walked out of the hotel. Her body was still weak, but she forcibly endured it.


    Zac humedly caught up with her. As he recalled her resistance when he reached out to her earlier, he tactfully kept a distance and cautiously followed her, "Ms. Shaffer, let me go get the car.


    Zac tentatively spoke when they reached the roadside. However, Rose seemed as if she hadn''t heard him. Her eyes were vacant as she mechanically moved forward. After a moment of hesitation, Zac gave up on the idea of driving. He maintained the same distance, following Rose step by step.


    At the Shaffer residence, Maya recalled the scene where Nixon took Rose away outside the bar. 1


    She thought that Kelly would have arranged for someone else to deal with Rose. However, she was surprised to find that it was Nixon who had taken action.


    So she rushed to the Shaffer residence. It was alreadyte, and Chelsea and Jamie were already asleep. In Kelly''s room, Kelly was celebrating with red wine. "Kelly, why Mr. Lane?"


    Maya couldn''t understand Kelly''s choices. Kelly had finally gotten Nixon from Rose, and logically, she should have loved him. But why


    Kelly nced at Maya indifferently, understanding thetter''s confusion.


    Thinking about Rose''s current situation, Kelly couldn''t help but smile coldly, reveling in her perceived victory. She didn''t mind hiding anything in front of Maya. "Do you think I like Nixon?"


    Her tone was full of disdain.


    "Do you ... not?"


    Maya was puzzled.


    "What do you think? I liked the old Nixon. After all, he was Rose''s fianc¨¦ and the heir to the Lane family. Marrying him would have meant a life of wealth. Unfortunately-


    Kelly took a sip of her wine. Gradually, disdain could be seen in her eyes.


    "Later, I found out that this Mr. Lane is all show. Despite having taken on several projects, he ended up losing money. His father intends to support that illegitimate son, so whether Nixon can inherit the Lane family is uncertain. An heir without real power is worse than a dog, let alonepared to


    someone.


    Kelly thought of Jonathan and smiled with longing. Nixon wasn''t even fit to shine Jonathan''s shoes.


    Mrs Fach le in YOUR Hand


    Catching the term "someone" and seeing the hint of greed in Kelly''s eyes, sensed that Kelly had


    target in mind. She sneered at Kelly''s fickleness but was curious about the new target.


    "Who''s this ''someone," Kelly?"


    Maya thought through all the prominent families in Aquastead that Kelly could interact with but didn''t find anyone suspicious.


    "Do you want to know?" Kelly teased.


    "Yes, yes, yes.


    Maya nodded eagerly. If she found out who this person was, maybe she could use some means to attract his attention first. Although her focus had been on Howard, Madeline hadn''t treated her well these days.


    She realized it might be challenging to capture Howard''s attention. So it might be better to cast a wider and see what woulde her way. The gleam in Maya''s eyes didn''t escape Kelly''s notice. "You''ve met this person before."


    "I''ve met him? Who?"


    "You guess."


    Kelly''s eyes revealed a touch of disdain. Even if she told Maya that that "someone" was Jonathan, Maya wouldn''t dare have any ideas about him.


    Moreover, it was a secret that Jonathan was Rose''s husband. After thinking it over, Maya wanted to inquire further, but Kelly dismissed her.


    "I''m going to bed. Rest well and be prepared for good news and a good show tomorrow."


    With her words, Maya didn''t dare to stay. She left Kelly''s room feeling dejected, but she didn''t leave the Shaffer residence. Instead, she decided to stay there.


    Kelly was right. There will be good news and a good show tomorrow. Hah, Rose!


    Deep in the night, there were almost no vehicles on the road. After leaving the hospital, Jonathan had been driving. He seemed to be headed somewhere with determination.


    After two hours, he still hadn''t stopped. He was aware of Lucas'' car and the people tailing him. Ten minutes ago, he received a call from Zac about Rose returning to Zenwood Gardens Jonan, Rose-*


    Zac tended to say something, but in the end, the words didn''te out.


    He just urged Jonathan, "Come back quickly."


    From there, Jonathan knew something must have happened to Rose. So he couldn''t afford any


    dys he couldnter Lucas and Jack''s men fine Zetwood Sentendre teeded to peace and deal


    Trose wat for me Jonathan spoke with determinarlon


    Medforinters he suddenly tumed the car around. With a screeching brake ne


    te

 Billionire 199

    Don''t Touch Me


    #


    Jonathan stepped out of the car. Startled, Lucas banged into the steering wheel. Just as Lucas regained hisposure, Jonathan knocked on his car window.


    Lucas felt a twinge of guilt and lowered the window. Jonathan said coldly, "I thought who it might be. So, it''s you. Why are you following me?"


    "! ..." Lucas began to exin that he hadn''t been tailing Jonathan.


    However, the roar of engines filled the air before he could rify.


    Several vans quickly surrounded them, and people armed with clubs poured out. These were Lucas''s people. Lucas knew that Jonathan might have deliberately lured him out.


    Even if he exined, Jonathan wouldn''t believe him at this moment. Instead of trying to justify himself, Lucas decided to deal with Jonathan tonight. With that, his mission would beplete. "Why?"


    Jonathan''s gaze swept across the group surrounding them, his eyes growing darker. Lucas nonchntly smirked.


    "Jonathan, someone hired me. Otherwise, I wouldn''t do this to you considering our friendship. Look, I got injured for you!"


    He gestured towards the bandaged wound on his leg.


    "What did he offer you?"


    Jonathan''s expression carried a hint of cold amusement. Lucas didn''t hide anything.


    "My sister promised me 20 percent of Caldwell Group''s shares. With that 20 percent, I can control it."


    He continued, "You know, I have several brothers in my family. Even if they don''t ask me, they''ll find someone else. I can''t let that 20 percent fall into my other brother''s hands. I''m sorry!" Jonathan understood. After the failed assassination by Jack''s peoplest time, they lost the Sutton family in Aquastead. Jack even hired a hitman to kill him to seamlessly take over the Finch family. "Do you think these people take my life?" Jonathan gazed at Lucas. Lucas''s face was pale, and a fresh streak of red appeared at the wound on his shoulder.


    Lucas replied confidently. "Jonathan, it all depends on them."


    With those words, Lucas suddenly mmed on the elerator and crashed into the car Jonathan had parked in front of them,


    Lucas''s men kept closing in on Jonathan while Lucas eagerly awaited Jonathan''s fate in his car. He stopped the car and casually watched.


    As the crowd closed in on Jonathan, the imminent threat of the clubs loomed. Suddenly, a dozen or so


    cars sped towards them.


    Don''t Touch Me


    Lucas was taken aback as numerous people jumped out from the cars and easily subdued his men. What was happening?


    Lucas had meticulously ensured Jonathan evaded the Finch family''s Azure n bodyguards and drove here alone. Yet, how... It was a trap!


    Lucas realized the situation toote. He saw Jonathan''s gaze turning towards him. Almost instinctively, fear gripped Lucas''s heart. Without daring to linger, he swiftly elerated and raced


    away.


    However, Jonathan wouldn''t let him escape.


    "Intercept him! Cut off one of his fingers and send it to Jack! Jonathan coldly ordered the arriving Finley.


    Finley promptlyplied and drove off to pursue Lucas.


    Before leaving, Finley said to Jonathan, "Mr. Finch, Mrs. Finch... you should go see her first."


    Though he didn''t borate, Jonathan had a vague sense of what was happening. Without at moment''s dy, Jonathan drove straight to Zenwood Gardens.


    Zac was waiting at the door as he exited the elevator,


    "Jonathan, Rose... Zac quickly recounted the events after they arrived at the hotel.


    Jonathan''s hands gradually clenched into fists. With no time to spare, he unlocked the door using his fingerprint and entered the pitch-dark house.


    He didn''t turn on the lights and headed straight for Rose''s room, However, Rose''s door was tightly locked, and the sound of water emanated from inside.


    In the bathroom, Rose continued to cleanse her body with water. Nixon hadn''t vited her, but she


    still felt nauseated.


    She wished she could scrub off every inch of her skin, and rid herself of the entire body''s humiliation. If Zac and the others had arrived a bitter, she might have truly suffered at the hands of that beast Nixon. "Damn it!" Rose gritted her teeth, but the pain from her bitten tongue made her teeth tremble.


    A bloody taste spread in her mouth due to the curse she uttered just now. But the injuries needed


    attention!


    About


    hesit


    hourter, Rose finally turned off the shower. As Jonathan heard the water stop, he


    He wanted to raise his hand to knock but feared he might startle Rose.


    Just as he debated, the door suddenly swung open. As Rose saw Jonathan at the door, she was momentarily surprised. Their eyes met, and Rose was somewhat astonished to see him here. However, she quickly understood. Finley was close to Jonathan, so he must have informed him.


    konathan began. Howe


    [B]


    Buchdenly, they both spoke at the same time Jonathan stepped forward as if he wanted to hug Pose,


    After a brief allence Janathan took a step back and made way for Hose She didn''t spare him a nce and promptly fetched a first aid ki


    Though they just talked tiefly, the faste of blood in her mouth had spread She didn''t want to go to the hospital Her fust and bit contained hemostatic agents, wound dressings, and various other


    She efficiently relieved the first and kit and returned to the room Just as fose was about to close the door, Jonathan quickly squeezed into the room.


    Rose nced at him, initially intending to usher spew out violently if she spoke.


    But However, the blood in her mouth would likely


    Hase turned her head in silence and went to the ballroom to spit the mouthful of blood into the toilet


    Seeing that vivid red, Jonathan rushed in Hose coldly looked over before he could say anything Don''t touch me. It''s just a bite on my tongue, no need to make a fuss!"


    Jonathan''s hands trembled, but he didn''t know what to do. He could only watch as Rose applied medication to her tongue. He could almost feel her pain


    After treating the wound, Rose was covered in awent he walked out of the bathroom, bypassing Jonathan an if he didn''t exist.


    Rose turned off the lights and got into bed. She acted as if nothing had happened, and it was just an ordinary night. As the room darkened, their breathing became particrly clear.


    Jonathan approached cautiously Hose knew he wanted tofort her, but images of what she had soon at the hospital shed in her mind. In the darkness, a cold smile appeared on Rose''s lips.


    Turning away from the door, Rosey down Jonathan''s breath seemed to draw near the bed. auddenly, Rose apoke, "I want to sleep"

 Billionire 200

    Lucas''s Reckless Valor


    In other words, she implied that he should not disturb her and it would be best if he left. Jonathan abruptly halted, his hand trembling slightly. It felt like something was tearing at his heart.


    He didn''t want to leave. He wanted to stay with her, but he was afraid that it might upset her.


    "You sleep. I''ll be right outside," Jonathan took a deep breath as his gaze lingered on Rose in the bed.


    After a while, he walked lightly to the door. He didn''t leave. Instead, he sat on a nearby chair. Rose didn''t say anything more.


    If he didn''t leave, then so be it. She needed to sleep. She didn''t want a clear mind, recalling those. unbearable scenes. Perhaps exhausted, Rose fell asleep not long after.


    Hearing her even breathing, Jonathan stayed in the room for a long time. He only left when dawn was approaching.


    Despite a sleepless night, Jonathan showed no signs of tiredness. As he exited the room, he noticed a camera on the dining table.


    It wasn''t something from their house. Jonathan took the camera and turned the volume to the lowest. After viewing its contents, his face darkened.


    "Nixon!"


    Jonathan clenched his teeth, restraining the impulse to smash the camera. He ced it back where it was and made it seem as if no one had touched it. Then, he left the room.


    Jonathan swiftly walked downstairs, Zac waited in the car. He immediately got out of the car as Jonathan approached.


    "Jonathan, Rose..."


    ''Take me somewhere, Jonathan said, cutting off Zac before he could finish.


    Zac didn''t ask more. He knew where Jonathan wanted to go. So, he simply drove them to their destination.


    After half an hour, the car stopped at a shipyard in the harbor. This shipyard belonged to Gibson Holdings.


    At this moment, Nixon was on a ship, blindfolded, hands tied, and hanging halfway in the sea. Several hours had passed sincest night. Nixon had been yelling for hours, but no one paid him any attention. "Help, help, let me down..."


    Nixon''s voice gradually became weak. He thought there would be no response just like before.


    his time, besides the sound of water beneath him, he could vaguely hear footsteps approaching. on''s spirit lifted.


    He urgently shouted, "Let me down, please! I''m Nixon, I know Mr. Finch, I call him Uncle Jonathan.


    Lucas''s Reckless Vlor


    We''re close. Call Uncle Jonathan. I''ll talk to him. He''ll surely let me go!"


    Nixon didn''t know who the approaching person was. He strained to see but the blindfold blocked all light. The footsteps drew closer, and Nixon became more anxious. "Release me... please release me!" Zac couldn''t tolerate Nixon''s shouting any longer. If Nixon wanted to be let down, then so be it! He walked up, took a knife from the table, and cut the rope suspending Nixon.


    Nixon heard a sudden noise above him, and then he plunged into the water. Bound and unable to struggle, he sank further down.


    Breathing became difficult, and Nixon felt like he was about to die. The fear of death overwhelmed him, but suddenly a caught him, pulling him back to the surface. Nixon took a breath and felt he had narrowly escaped death. However, the joy of a new lease on lifested only a few seconds. His body was harshly thrown onto a hard surface. "Ah..."


    Ah


    Nixon felt like his bones were dislocated. Despite the pain, he immediately knelt on the ground,


    "Please, release me. Help me deliver a message. I have something to tell Uncle Jonathan."


    Despite the fear, Nixon knew it must be Jonathan. A cold voice abruptly cut in, "What do you want to say?"


    Even after several months, Nixon still remembered that it was Jonathan''s voice.


    "Uncle Jonathan..." Nixon crawled toward Jonathan on his knees. However, Jonathan stepped on Nixon''s hand as soon as he reached his feet.


    Despite the pain in his hand, Nixon dared not even flinch. Jonathan stared down at Nixon beneath his feet. In that camera, Nixon was holding Rose''s chin with his right hand... Jonathan''s eyes darkened, and he stepped harder on Nixon''s hand.


    Sweating from the pain, Nixon pleaded, "Uncle Jonathan, I was wrong. It''s Rose... It was Rose who set me up. She''s always been a lecherous woman...


    Observing Jonathan''s increasingly displeased expression, Zac silently mourned Nixon. Nixon''s brain seemed to be malfunctioning as he dared to tarnish Rose''s reputation. "Lecherous woman?" Jonathan suddenly spoke.


    His voice made Nixon tremble.


    However, Nixon ignored the ominous feeling and hastily said, "Yes, Rose is a lecherous woman, Uncle Jonathan. You were deceived by her. She''s already married, yet she still tried to seduce you. It''s just outrageous."


    in wished to shame Rose. This way, Jonathan wouldn''t stand up for her. He had considered that Finley''s "Mrs. Finch" was probably not addressing Rose in the hotel.


    Lucas''s Reckless?


    Even if it was, Rose might have seduced Jonathan to obtain such a title. But its just a title. Jonathan''s wife couldn''t possibly be Rose!


    "Have you met her husband?" Jonathan suddenly asked.


    Nixon hesitated for a moment, "No, I haven''t." He had only seen his back once and didn''t see his face.


    But before he could continue, Jonathan''s voice rang out again, "You have!"


    Nixon remained silent. He searched his memories again and concluded once more. He hadn''t seen him!


    He was about to say something when Jonathan continued, "I am her husband. So, how many lives do you think you have to dare to nder her in front of me?"


    He had a death wish! Jonathan lifted his foot from Nixon''s hand and kicked fiercely at his chin. Nixon, who had his mouth open, bit his tongue as a result of the kick.


    The taste of blood instantly filled his mouth, but the pain and fear couldn''tpare to the shock he felt at that moment. 1


    What did he just hear? Rose''s husband... was Jonathan? How could that be?


    "Heh... Uncle Jonathan, you must be joking, right?"

 Billionire 201

    Begging for Forgiveness


    Even now, Nixon clung to a sense of luck, but reality offered him no room for such illusions. With a cold scoff, Jonathan kept Nixon blindfolded.


    Even though Nixon couldn''t see Jonathan''s expression, the silence that followed the sneer intensified his


    fear.


    Suddenly, he remembered the county clerk''s office system, whore Rose''s spouse information remained undisclosed. Who else but Jonathan could manipte a system to hide such information? Realizing his grave mistake, Nixon began to plead.


    "Uncle Jonathan, I was wrong. I shouldn''t have harbored any thoughts towards Aunt Rose."


    Nixon changed his address to "Aunt Rose" in hope to emphasize the connection between the Lane family and the Finch family.


    However, Jonathan recalled the image from the camera and mercilessly pressed his foot onto Nixon''s


    face.


    "If you know you shouldn''t harbor such thoughts, why do you continue to linger on her?"


    Jonathan''s voice cut through the air like icy des.


    Terrified, Nixon pleaded, "I won''t dare again. I promise.


    "Won''t dare? I see you still haven''t learned your lesson. How about...


    Jonathan''s gaze swept over Nixon''s hand, finding it ringly offensive.


    Jonathan asked after a brief pause, "How about we just chop it off?" Chop it off?


    "No, no..."


    Nixon nearly wailed in his plea. Losing his hand would ruin his life!


    "Uncle Jonathan, I''ll remember. I swear, believe me... Please, spare me. I''ll avoid Aunt Rose forever. I promise I''ll remember..." Nixon pleaded as snot and tears streamed down his face. A contemptuous glint shed in Jonathan''s eyes.


    "Nixon, don''t worry, I''ll find you a good ce. As for the Lane family, I''ll take care of them too...


    Jonathan seemed uninterested to look at Nixon any longer. ncing at his watch, it was already 7:00 am. He had to hurry back to be with Rose.


    Jonathan coldly withdrew his foot and turned to leave. Zac quickly followed him. The eerie silence returned to the boat, disrupted only by the sounds of water below.


    Curled up in pain, Nixon expected Jonathan to beat him mercilessly, but aside from injuring his hand and -stepping on his face, Jonathan did nothing more.


    Jonathan''s parting words lingered in Nixon''s mind. Now, Nixon had no time to worry about the Lane family. He only wondered, what kind of ce did Jonathan mean by a good ce?


    After a while, more people entered.


    "Who''s there?"


    Nixon suddenly became alert. No one answered as they lifted him from the floor and dragged him. outside.


    "Are you Uncle Jonathan''s people? Where are you taking me?" Nixon anxiously asked.


    Still, no one answered. He was dragged into a car that sped off.


    It seemed like an eternity before the car stopped. Throughout the journey, Nixon dared not rx. As the car came to a halt, he was pulled out and dragged into some unknown ce. As he was perplexed, a surge of electricity coursed through him. The next moment, he was knocked


    unconscious.


    Jonathan returned to Zenwood Gardens, finding Rose still asleep. At the Shaffer residence, Maya woke up early. After freshening up, she went to Kelly''s room "Kelly, any news from Mr. Lane?"


    Maya shook Kelly awake. Initially, Kelly wanted to continue sleeping, but the anticipation of the uing drama kept her too excited to sleep.


    She grabbed the phone from the bedside and called Nixon. The phone in the hotel rang persistently, but no one answered for a long time. "What''s going on?"


    Kelly frowned slightly. Soon, she chuckled, thinking Nixon overworked himselfst night and was probably still asleep.


    "Kelly? Is something wrong?"


    Maya showed a hint of concern. Rose was usually smart and lucky, but just in case...


    Before she could finish her thought, Kelly dismissed it casually, "Why rush? Besides, what could go wrong? You saw Nixon take Rose awayst night, didn''t you?"


    If Nixon wanted to pursue Rose and establish a connection with the Young family, he would spare no


    effort.


    Even if Rose was somewhat clever, she wouldn''t gain much advantage in such a situation. Unless Miles


    and Jonathan interfere.


    Thinking of these two, Kelly''s eyes narrowed slightly. She immediately called Anastasia to inquire about Miles'' whereabouts.


    Anastasia nced at Miles, who had just been rescued by Oliver''s medicine.


    "He''s with me, What''s the matter?"


    Miles was no longer a threat, leaving only Jonathan. She was about to ask Anastasia if she knew where Jonathan was when amotion downstairs caught her attention. "Nothing, Ms. Young. I have something to attend to. I''ll hang up.


    Kelly quickly ended the call and rushed out of bed. Without time to change, Chelsea burst into the room.


    "Kelly!" Chelsea called out. "Where is he? Tell Kelly to hand him over!"


    The voice downstairs was familiar. It was Jacyntha Green, Nixon''s grandmother. 1


    What was she doing here? Hand over who? Kelly had strong resentment toward Jacyntha. Jacyntha looked down on her and pushed her into the dust. One day, she would make her regret it.


    But for now, she had to maintain the appearance of a refineddy. Kelly nced reassuringly at Maya, then stepped out of the room.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior, what brought you here so early in the morning?"


    Kelly descended from upstairs, wearing a white nightgown. Her innocent appearance seemed genuine. Jacyntha despised this facade. Kelly pretending to be pure in front of her was nauseating. Despite Nixon being taken in by it, Kelly''s true identity never impressed her.


    "Where''s Nixon? Where are you hiding him?" Jacyntha asked coldly.


    If not for the search for Nixon, she wouldn''t even bother looking at Kelly. Jacyntha''s disdain was obvious to Kelly, and for some reason, she didn''t want to endure Jacyntha''s attitude.


    "Don''t speak nonsense, Mrs. Lane Senior. Why would I hide Nixon? If you want to find him, go to Rose, go to the Youngs. Whye to me? I''m not someone from the Young family!"


    The humiliation of that divorce day remained etched in her memory. A sharp pnded on her face as/ she spoke. A crisp sound echoed, apanied by Kelly''s pained cry. 1


    D

 Billionire 202

    Rece Rose


    The force even caused Kelly to stagger. If Chelsea hadn''t quickly caught her, Kelly would have fallen to the ground.


    Kelly had never expected that Chloe would resort to physical force. Itpletely caught her off guard.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior, how could you..."


    Chelsea felt sorry for her daughter. Chloe, thinking about the news brought by Hayden early in the morning, couldn''t care less about anyone''s feelings.


    She saw Kelly in a daze and immediately reached out to grab her wrist.


    "Kelly, where is Nixon?"


    Kelly''s face was burning with pain. She shook off Chloe''s hand indignantly.


    "I don''t know!"


    Those cold, indifferent words were Kelly''s polite response to Chloe.


    But in the next moment, Chloe stared at her for a full thirty seconds. Under that gaze, Kelly felt a tingling on her scalp. Suddenly, Chloe knelt in front of her. Kelly, Maya, and Chelsea couldn''t conceal their astonishment.


    Chelsea was about to ask Chloe when she cried out, "Kelly, please tell me where Nixon is! We must find him immediately, or the Lanes will be in trouble!"


    Kelly was quiet. What did Chloe mean? She had wanted to say that she had nothing to do with what would happen to the Lanes. Perhaps no one could bring down the Lanes.


    Suddenly, she thought of Jonathan and shivered. A bad premonition suddenly emerged in her mind.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior, what do you mean?" Kelly cautiously asked.


    Chloe softened her expression. Under immense pressure, her appearance revealed her age.


    "The Finches suddenly announced sanctions against all of the Lanes'' industries. We know how powerful the Finches are. With a single word from the Finches, the entire Lanes'' businesses will disappear overnight."


    "But the Finches and the Lanes had some rtionship before. How could they suddenly impose sanctions


    for no reason?"


    "Lonly heard that it''s because of Nixon..."


    Chloe said and suddenly grabbed Kelly''s hand again.


    "Kelly, please tell me where Nixon is! Did he cause any trouble? Perhaps we could only save the Lanes by finding him!"


    -At this point, Kelly and Maya finally realized something Last night, Nixon took Rose away. Things


    probably didn''t turn out as nned.


    However, Chelsea couldn''t understand. If it was because of Rose, the Finches'' sanctions against the


    Lanes would be a joke. That was simply impossible.


    Looking at Chloe''s miserable appearance, Maya wanted to tell her about Nixon''s whereabouts. But as soon as she opened her mouth, Kelly nced at her. That warning gaze made her stop herself. Kelly pursed her lips, looking helpless, "Mrs. Lane Senior, I don''t know where Nixon is. I haven''t been in contact with him for a long time."


    Beforest night, Kelly had intentionally distanced herself from Nixon.


    Chloe had also sensed this from Nixon''s recent behavior. Hayden had asked all of Nixon''s friends but none of them knew where Nixon had gone. They could only think of Kelly .... "Do you not know?"


    Chloe stared into Kelly''s eyes. The ''sincerity'' in Kelly''s eyes didn''t seem fake. Chloe instantly deted.


    Since Kelly didn''t know, there was no need for Chloe to continue pretending to be pitiful. Wiping away the tears on her face, she didn''t even nce at Kelly.


    Chloe just turned around and walked out of the Shaffer residence. She walked with her back straight, that high and mighty olddy who was still full of disdain for Kelly.


    Once she disappeared from view, Kelly immediately pulled Maya upstairs to her room.


    After closing the door, Kelly warned Maya, "Remember, what happenedst night has nothing to do with us. If we''re discovered, the consequences would be unimaginable."


    If Jonathan had found out aboutst night, even if Nixon didn''t seed, the consequences would be dire


    Fortunately, Kelly had thought that Jonathan might find out the truth. Therefore, even when she contacted Nixon yesterday, she didn''t use her phone number.


    Even if Nixon used her, she could deny it. As for Maya...


    Kelly stared at the bbergasted Maya and said, "Maya, if you were caught on the surveince camera at the barst night, everything might be exposed. Go abroad and hide for a while." Maya''s head buzzed with too many questions.


    "Kelly, is it really necessary?"


    "If you don''t want to die then it''s necessary!"


    Kelly''s gaze was sharp. Under that gaze, Maya also felt a trace of fear. After hesitating for a while, Maya decided to follow Kelly''s advice.


    "Okay, I''ll go abroad for a vacation."


    As soon as Maya left, Chelsea hurriedly went upstairs and entered Kelly''s room.


    "Kelly, what''s going on? Chelsea asked anxiously.


    Kelly sat on the sofa expressionlessly. At that moment, she was thinking if Nixon had seededst night. If he had seeded, even if Jonathan found out it would have been toote for Rose. That was enough for her. She believed that Jonathan would not want a woman who, had been tarnished.


    Seeing that Kelly was quiet, Chelsea asked again, "I am asking you what happened to Nixon?"


    As Kelly came back to her senses, she smiled.


    "It doesn''t matter, does it? Even if something happened to him, it had nothing to do with me. By the way, had Angelica agreed to our proposal?"


    When they met with Angelicast time, they had managed to find out about Celeste. Kelly had another n in mind.


    If Angelica would cooperate with her, she would be able to rece Rose. By then, she would be part of the Youngs. Even Anastasia would have to listen to her.


    Angelica said she would think about the n, but her motive was just about the money.


    "Angelica wanted arge sum of money, I''m afraid..." Chelsea said with a frown.


    "How much?"


    "One billion..."


    Chelsea felt that Angelica was asking for too much. Kelly was shocked. However,paring one billion to the Youngs, she felt that it was worth it.


    She decided that this transaction had to be done.


    "You can tell her, we will pay the one billion. But I want to discuss the matter further with her."


    Even if she didn''t have one billion now, she would find a way. Thinking about being part of the Youngs, Kelly felt excited.


    Meanwhile, at Zenwood Gardens... Rose woke up and felt the wet pillow. She had a dreamless night, but when she opened her eyes, Nixon pinched her chin. A wave of fear overcame her. Her heart was beating rapidly.


    "It was nothing," she calmed herself.


    The pain in her mouth was piercing. So Rose got off the bed and went to the bathroom to reapply some medicine. When her gaze fell on the chair by the door, she was stunned slightly.


    Last night, before falling asleep, she knew that her star escort husband was sitting in the chair even if he didn''t make a sound. But now, the chair was empty.


    Rose smiled at herself mockingly, "It''s good that he left."

 Billionire 203

    Do Not Let Him Go So Easily


    Rose shook off the thoughts in her mind.


    After applying medicine in the bathroom, she felt a sense of oppression in her heart. As she was about to leave the room for some fresh air, a tall figure came into view as she opened the door.


    Star escort husband?


    He was still inst night''s clothes. His hair was disheveled probably due to not sleeping all night. His beard had grown as well. For a moment, Rose thought she might be seeing things. "Rose, you''re awake. I applied medicine to your mouthst night. Let me take you to the hospital to get it treated."


    Jonathan spoke cautiously while looking at Rose with eager eyes, as if a dog waiting for its owner''s


    response.


    Rose didn''t want to speak because of the pain. Any movements in her mouth would trigger the pain. She gestured for Jonathan to step aside.


    Heplied quickly and followed her around for the entire morning. At noon, Rose received a call from


    an unknown number.


    When she answered, a voice on the other end asked, "Rose, do you know where Nixon is?"


    It was none other than Chloe.


    "Nixon..."


    Rose spoke but the pain on her tongue felt like a stabbing sensation. Memories fromst night rushed into her mind and she couldn''t help but tremble as she held her phone.


    As soon as the word ''Nixon'' came out of Rose''s mouth, Jonathan swiftly took over her phone.


    Even without the phone, Rose''s body still trembled. Jonathan reached out, wanting to embrace her. But he was afraid that his touch might trigger her trauma, so he could only cautiously hold on to her hand. "It''s okay, Rose... It''s okay....


    Rose knew that it was okay. But thinking of Nixon, she couldn''t suppress her anger. That scum... Rose-


    clenched her fists.


    After a while, she uttered a few words, "Don''t let him go... so easily!"


    She knew that person who saved herst night. Although she didn''t know the rtionship between that -person and her husband, she knew that Nixon should be in his hands now.


    She wished that she could throw that scum, Nixon Lane, into the sea. But suddenly, she thought of


    something else and stopped herself.


    "Forget about it..."


    In a society governed by thew, it wouldn''t be worth it to get into trouble for a scum like him, even if he deserved it! Rose suddenly had a migraine. She passed by her husband and went back to her room. Jonathan just stood in ce, his eyes darkening. Forget about it? He couldn''t just let it go! The phone in


    his hand hadn''t hung up. So the conversation between Rose and him had been heard by the other party.


    When Chloe heard Jonathan''s voice, she was stunned. She thought for a long time but still wasn''t sure if it was indeed Jonathan''s voice.


    When she regained her senses, Chloe tentatively talked into the phone, "Mr. Finch?


    "Is that you, Mr. Finch?"


    Even though she was a generation older than Jonathan, Chloe still didn''t dare to call him by his name.


    "Yes."


    After a long while, Jonathan picked up the phone and said coldly.


    Just one word and Jonathan hung up the phone. However, that one word was all it took to shatter Chloe''s hopes instantly. She recalled that Rose had said not to let Nixon go so easily.


    At that moment, Jonathan and Rose were together. Rose was the reason Jonathan was dealing with the Lanes! But how could the Lanes withstand the sanctions of the Finches?


    Chloe called Rose''s number again. At this point, she had no time to care about Nixon''s safety. She just wanted to beg for mercy. It didn''t matter whether it was Rose or Jonathan, she had to save the Lanes. However, this time, nobody answered the phone. For a while, Chloe was as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof. She tried to use all her connections to get to Jonathan and Rose but it was to no avail. Kelly was paying close attention to the news about the Youngs, After a whole day, there was no news about the video that she anticipated. Nixon must have messed things up


    "What a useless man!"


    Kelly was filled with disgust. At this time, Nixon was locked up in an unfamiliar room for the whole day! He didn''t know how much time had passed before someone finally entered the room.


    "Uncle Jonathan?"


    Nixon''s first reaction was to ask if Jonathan woulde back again. He was ready to continue begging for mercy. But the person who came in let out a coldugh.


    "What Uncle Jonathan? Hey, where did you find a guy with a fetish?"


    "Besides the ck market, where else can I find one? I''ve spent a good deal of money on this!" another person said.


    Nixon listened to the footsteps. It seemed like there were several people in the room. Who were they? Nixon was on guard but in the next instant, someone took off the ck cloth covering his head. As the light returned to his eyes, he saw the scowls of several men.


    "Tch, who hit him? What''s with the violence?"


    Someone saw the injury on his face and the tone they were using was as if they were looking at prey. It made Nixon feel extraordinarily ufortable.


    "Who are you guys? What do you want?"


    Nixon nced at them defensively. The men looked at each other and then smiled lewdly. No one. answered him.


    One of the men looked at his messy appearance and suggested, "It''s better to wash and clean him up before we y!"


    y. It was as if he was a toy. Before Nixon could react, he was dragged and thrown into the bathroom. When he came to his senses, Nixon had already been pressed down by several people.


    Three dayster, a ck van stopped outside the Lane residence. A sack was thrown out andnded perfectly at the entrance.


    The maid who was cleaning saw the sack and hurriedly went to check. Opening the sack, she saw a person inside,pletely naked.


    Recognizing the face, the maid was shocked, "Mr. Nixon..."


    She then covered her face and quickly ran into the vi. Two minutester, Chloe walked out while supported by others, followed by Hayden and Scott.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior, look..."


    The maid went to the sack and lifted a corner. She dared not reveal more, just enough for people to see Nixon''s face.


    "Oh my, Nixon.." Chloe cried out.


    She had heard from the maid that Nixon was outside the door but she hadn''t expected this sight.


    "What happened to you?"


    Chloe showered concern on her face. She stepped forward to grab the sack and noticed Nixon''s nakedness. Everyone present was stunned.


    Chloe came back to her senses and immediately let go of the sack, covering Nixon.


    Then she ordered the butler, "Why haven''t you carried Nixon inside yet?"

 Billionire 204

    Serious Injury


    Chloe''s expression looked visibly unpleasant. Half an hourter, Nixon was cleaned up and dressed, but he remained unconscious. In the spacious living room of the Lanes'' residence. Everyone''s expression looked particrly unpleasant, Caleb hurriedly came out of Nixon''s room on the second floor and walked over to Chole. He looked at her, hesitating to speak.


    "How''s Nixon?" Chloe asked.


    Chloe took a quick nce earlier, thinking that Nixon had just been undressed. Caleb, avoiding eye contact, appeared nervous.


    "Tell me!" Chloe urged.


    Caleb lowered his head and honestly reported, "Mr. Nixon had injuries on his body, some bruises. Should I call a doctor?"


    *Just some minor injuries, he''ll be fine," Chloe said without much concern.


    What Caleb said next made her turn pale.


    "Mr. Nixon has a tear in his body, as if it''s been stretched open..."


    Caleb didn''t finish speaking, but everyone there seemed to have understood. Stretched ... open...


    If Chloe didn''t constantly criticize Scott for being an illegitimate child, he wouldn''t want to give her a reason to trouble him. Scott almost burst outughing. What exactly happened to Nixon? Tsk... Hayden sensed something, and even though he didn''t like Nixon as his son, his expression


    "A doctor? Do the Lanes need to be further embarrassed?"


    n soured.


    Chloe''s face disyed a mix of anger and disdain. She knew exactly what happened to Nixon.


    Her sympathy vanished when she recalled that day on the phone, hearing Rose say not to let him off easily. She should have understood that Nixon''s fate was orchestrated by Jonathan. As Nixon''s grandma, she would seek justice for her grandson, no matter who harmed him, except for Jonathan. However, Jonathan was the exact person they were dealing with. Taking a deep breath, she could sense Jonathan''s anger. To salvage the Lane, she had to make quick decisions and distance herself from Nixon.


    "Bring Mr. Nixon down," Chloe calmly instructed.


    Caleb hesitated.


    "Mr. Nixon is still unconscious...


    "No need to wait for him to wake up."


    Chloe preferred not waking up Nixon, as facing him would be more awkward. Caleb followed orders. As he went upstairs, he heard Chloe''s voice again.


    "Hayden, immediately issue a statement on behalf of Lanes Group, announcing the cutting of ties with Nixon. Anything rted to Nixon is no longer associated with the Lunes."


    Chloe''s tone was cold. Not only Hayden but even Scott was also shocked. Chloe had always wanted Nixon to inherit the Lanes'' family business, supporting him extensively. Suddenly setting such a clear boundary feels like abandoning Nixon, as if she''s trying to make her stance clear to someone. Hayden didn''t ask questions.


    He immediately said, "Alright, I''ll personally release the statement!"


    After Hayden and Scott left, Caleb quickly carried Nixon down.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior, where should we ce Mr. Nixon?"


    Caleb didn''t dare to make decisions. Chloe didn''t even look at Nixon.


    "Find a ce with high foot traffic near the Finch Building," she instructed.


    Chloe was aware that everything she did was for Jonathan to see. Hoping he would see the Lanes'' attitude and let them go.


    Nixon was left in a bustling downtown area. Initially, bystanders recorded videos and shared them on social media. The video quickly went viral.


    Someone quickly recognized him as Mr. Nixon, the Lane Group''s son. Later, the Lane Group announced the cutting of ties with Nixon. Kelly''s face darkened when she saw the news. Nixon''s silence for days, followed by this situation, could only mean that Jonathan was very angry. The angrier Jonathan got, the more important Rose was to him,


    "Damn it!"


    Kelly was furious. Thinking about the agreed time with Angelica, Kelly gritted her teeth. This time, she had to convince ANgelica to help her with this act, no matter what.


    At Zenwood Gardens. Rose, who hadn''t been out for days, scrolled through Twitter and came across the news. The Finches were punishing the Lanes


    Rose knew that this was the work of the star escort husband. She didn''t expect that the star escort husband, a distant rtive of the Finches, could make them support her like this.


    Did he go to beg Jonathan? Jonathan seemed to be in Aquastead... Rose became more certain of her guess. The video of Nixon seemed to release the pent-up tension and gloom from the past few days. Rose walked out the door, locking eyes with the star escort''s husband:


    "Here, I''ve made some soup. Now that your tongue is better, you should be able to eat something. Let''s have something light. I cooked this soup for hours, let it cool, and now it''s just the right temperature. Jonathan in casual clothes, wearing a floral apron. Rose looked, feeling a bit dazed.


    Rose


    "You''ve been quite idle these days," said, looking at his shoulders and thinking about Anastasia.


    -Anastasia was supposed to take care of him, but he came to take care of her. She almost had that illusion again, the feeling of being important to him.


    Rose sat down at the dining table, while Jonathan remained momentarily stunned. This was the first time


    ? 15 BONUS


    in the past few days that Rose took the initiative to look at him and talk to him.


    With a hint of joy in his heart, Jonathan, acting like a loyal dog, brought a bowl of soup to Rose.


    "Haven''t I been quite idle all along?"


    In the past few days, with the Finches'' affairs, Finley didn''t want to bother him. Jonathan had a big smile on his face, distracting Rose.


    Noticing her distraction, Rose''s gaze flickered, and she quickly changed the subject to shift her attention.


    "About Nixon, you used your favor with Jonathan to get help. But don''t worry, I understand the worth of Jonathan''s favors, and I won''t let your efforts go to waste," Rose said while sipping soup.


    Jonathan stared at Rose. He wanted to tell her that he was Jonathan. After a moment of silence, he


    hesitated.


    "He''s willing to help. I told him that about Nixon, the Lanes should bear the burden in secret. After this in Aquastead, there might not be the Lanes anymore."


    Rose was briefly stunned. Is he nning topletely destroy the Lanes Group? For the Finches, destroying the Lanes'' Group is like squashing an ant.


    Can the favor from her star escort husband bring the Finches to this height? Rose stared at her star escort husband with curiosity. Suddenly, suspicion arose in her. "Are you and the Finches merely rtives?"


    Families could have different levels of closeness andplexity. Jonathan led the Finches now, but she heard his father has brothers. Could the star escort husband be...? "You''re not Jonathan, are you?"

 Billionire 205

    Warded in a Psychiatric Facility


    Rose''s eyes remained fixed on Jonathan''s face. She wouldn''t want to miss any expression of her start escort ex-husband.


    The mention of Mr. Finch caused Jonathan to nervously hold his breath. At that moment, he contemted confessing the truth if Rose correctly identified his identity.


    He even pondered ways to amend her negative impression of Mr. Finch but was taken aback by her unexpected question.


    "Are you... Mr. Finch''s... cousin?" she said with a frown, seemingly doubtful of her guess.


    She shook her head and mumbled, "No, that''s impossible."


    Mr. Finch''s cousin must have a high social standing as well. Her star escort ex-husband might look aristocratic, but he certainly could not rival the Finch Family. Jonathan found her confusion amusing. When she ceased asking him questions, he fell silent as well.


    However, she soon announced, "I''m going to the Finch Buildingter."


    The Finch Building? Jonathan nearly choked on his soup.


    "Why?"


    "To meet with Jonathan Finch!" she dered, feeling it was only right to personally thank him for seeking justice on her behalf.


    Putting her utensils down, she changed into a T-shirt and jeans before leaving home. Jonathan, seated at the dining table, didn''t hesitate to follow her.


    Meanwhile, a crowd gathered in the bustling area near the Finch Building. Phones in hand, they snapped photos of a man curled on the ground.


    Someonemented, "He''s Nixon Lane! I met him once before this, and he looked quite decent then. But now, he''s unrecognizable."


    "I heard he got onto the bad side of the head of the Finch Group. Why else would the Finches take action against the Lanes?"


    "It seems like the Lanes have given up on Nixon Lane to appease the Finches. No statement from the Finches yet, they''re not going easy on the Lanes, it seems."


    People were murmuring in the crowd and staring at Nixon like he was a joke.


    Nixon had regained consciousness by then. The first thing that shed across his mind was the


    nightmare he had endured in the three full days.


    Despite his best efforts to erase those memories, they haunted him persistently. The crowd''s disdainful looks fueled his sense of humition as though they were reading his memories. G-Get lost!"


    Nixon suddenlyunched an attack on the crowd with fear in his eyes. Dressed in simple pajamas, he entered a slight altercation with someone, and a button popped off the shirt.


    His chest, and his bruises, were exposed to the public. The people around him immediately understood what had happened to Nixon.


    Someone remarked, "Tsk..."


    Everyone regarded Nixon as a yboy with kinks without thinking much about his bruises. However, Nixon was made to feel exposed after hearing the remarks. He instantly covered his face with his shirt. "I am Mr. Lane," he mumbled, hoping to use his social status as a shield against the nightmarish


    memories.


    Instead, the crowdughed louder at his expense.


    An onlooker reminded him, "You''re no longer Mr. Lane after your family kicked you out."


    "Right. Those rich heirs are nothing without their statuses. I heard that Mr. Lane didn''t have anything to show. Without his reputation, I''m afraid there''s only one option left for him ..." Another chimed in, "He''s pretty good-looking and muscr. I bet he''s someone''s type, Perhaps, he could


    sell his ass."


    The crowd erupted inughter at the harsh statement. It was exactly that statement that drove Nixon into madness. He yelled hysterically as fear morphed into insanity. Those who noticed his change immediately called 911. The ambnce arrived to take him to the hospital, but Nixon refused to cooperate and even beat up the staff. Observers couldn''t help but wonder if Nixon Lane had lost his sanity. Another good Samaritan contacted the psychiatric facility.


    The facility sent a fully-equipped vehicle to collect Nixon, and they sessfully hauled him away.


    This incident unfolded on the route to the Finch Building. As Rose''s car passed by the scene, the vehicle containing the restrained Nixon passed her as well.


    In a fleeting moment, she caught wind of someone calling her name, but upon scanning the area, couldn''t discern the source.


    she


    Nixon, bound and struggling, caught sight of Rose and screamed her name, but the nurse quickly stuffed his mouth to prevent him from yelling. Still, he continued speaking in muffled voices and a pleading look


    After Nixon was taken away, the crowds dispersed from the location. One of them was Kelly, who stood there until the vehicle carrying Nixon disappeared from her sight.


    She had her luggage with her, and she wanted to take a look at Nixon before visiting Angelica Willis at Chereton, She witnessed Nixon''s public breakdown but did not feel sorry at all for him.


    Among them was Kelly, who lingered until the vehicle carrying Nixon vanished from her sight.


    Unmoved by his public breakdown, she uttered disdainfully, "Useless thing!"


    To her, Nixon was merely a tool that not only failed to serve her objectives but also tarnished her reputation. The only reason she felt upset for Nixon was because she mourned the loss of a tool.


    It was fine. She cast her gaze toward the Finch Building with the determination to get something. She stood for a while before halling a cab and leaving.


    Upon Rose''s arrival at the Finch Building, an employee immediately approached her in the lobby, stating." Hi, Ms. Schaffer. Please follow me."


    Rose had seen the same employee twice. He was the employee who had brought her to meet Mr. Finch. each time.


    Recognizing the employee from previous encounters, Rose was puzzled by his preparedness, considering she had only informed no one else except for her star escort ex-husband about her visit to the Finch Building.


    She traveled to the top floor and was led to the same meeting room. There, a silhouette in a chair sat behind a screen. Judging from the silhouette, he must be Mr. Finch. Rose cautiously called out, "Mr. ... Finch?"


    He grunted in reply. After a few exchanges, Rose did not fear him as much as before. Therefore, she went straight to the point.


    "Mr. Finch, did you know I nned to visit you?"


    She had wanted to ask him if Jonathan had informed him beforehand, but she didn''t want to be too blunt. "I know you''re here to thank me," he said, lowering his voice.


    He had rushed to the Finch Building from Zenwood Gardens as quickly as possible. He had entered the elevator a minute before Rose stepped foot into the building.


    If he was a stepte, he might have run into Rose. He felt relieved and d. Rose stopped questioning him about his knowledge of her visit. Instead, she expressed her gratitude for Mr. Finch''s assistance. Then, she posed a casual question, "What do you n to do with Nixon Lane?"


    "Are you here to beg him off?" Jonathan pondered with a frown.


    D

 Billionire 206

    He Brought It Upon Himself


    "Go easy on him?" Rose snorted. "Sorry, I''m not a saint.


    Kelly was the saint, not her!


    Jonathan let out a low chuckle before saying darkly, "He brought it upon himself to have the nerve to harm you!"


    Rose was startled. As she stared at the silhouette behind the partition, she got the strange feeling that she was someone important to him.


    But, he only helped her deal with the Lanes because of her husband...


    Rose was still thinking when the voice behind the partition continued, "Nixon has been admitted to at psychiatric facility. The Lanespany shares have taken a nosedive. They can''t hold out much longer. The Lanes'' assets will be put on auction to pay off their bank loans.


    ¡°Once the Lane family has gone bankrupt, they won''t try to mess with you anymore."


    Rose was still fixated on the first part of Jonathan''s sentence.


    "Hang on. Has Nixon gone mad?"


    Jonathan did not reply. Still, Rose got the picture. As long as Nixon had been institutionalized, it did not matter whether he was insane or not. It would not make a difference.


    Recalling the things Nixon had done, Rose thought he deserved it. Now that Nixon had ended up like this. Kelly''s hopes and dreams were probably dashed.


    After saying goodbye to Jonathan, Rose headed toward the elevator to leave. By coincidence, she nced at the meeting room and saw a familiar figure...


    "Finley?" Rose eximed in startlement.


    Who else could that tall and burly figure be, if not Finley? She saw him jogging toward the meeting room. When Finley heard a voice calling out to him, he immediately came to a halt. He turned around, and upon seeing Rose, his mind went nk. She had discovered him. What should he


    do?


    "Ahem..."


    Inside the meeting room, a certain someone cleared his throat as if to warn Finley, Rose was just about to step into the elevator just now, but now that she was certain it was Finley, she turned back. She was drawing near... Finley felt like he had a bomb tied to his chest. If he exposed Jonathan''s identity. it would spell doom for him.


    What should he do? He desperately wanted someone toe along and save him. As Rose continued to approach, Finley hastily walked over to her.


    "Mrs-


    Out of nervousness, he nearly addressed Rose as Mrs. Finch. Thankfully, he stopped himself in time.


    "What a coincidence, Ms. Shaffer. What are you doing here?"


    Finley acted as if he did not know why Rose was there. In reality, he was the one who arranged for someone to head down to receive her.


    Rose studied Finley before asking, "Why are you here? Are you working here?"


    She made that guess based on his attire and ended up giving him the perfect excuse.


    "That''s right. I work here."


    Rose did not doubt Finley. Since her husband was rted to the Finches, and Finley was his good friend, it seemed reasonable that he was working for Finch Group.


    She remembered what happened the other night. If Finley had not arrived in time, that bastard Nixon''s attempt would have seeded. Rose looked at Finley and expressed her sincere gratitude. "Thank you for what you did the other night. You saved me. Are you free tonight? I''d like to treat you to a meal to thank you properly."


    Eating with Rose? Alone?


    Finley was about to refuse because he dared not share a meal with her alone, but Rose added, "I''ll bring my husband along."


    Finley exhaled in relief and nodded quickly.


    "Sure."


    It was an honor for him to be treated to a meal by the boss'' wife. Even as Rose''s silhouette disappeared behind the elevator doors, Finley was still spacing out ''She''s treating you to a meal?"


    A chilly voice rang out behind Finley.


    "Yeah."


    Finley nodded with a grin as he thought about seizing this chance to ingratiate himself to Rose.


    As long as Rose thought highly of him, he would get a pass in the future if he ever made a mistake. If Rose pleaded on his behalf, Jonathan would surely let things slide. Seemingly too engrossed in his fantasies, Finley failed to notice Jonathan who was standing beside him- with his arms crossed. Jonathan was also staring at the elevator. "She''s bringing her husband along?" the voice rang out again.


    Finley nodded.


    "That''s right."


    Jonathan smirked.


    "What will you be having?"


    "How should I know?" Finley said. "Mrs. Finch can decide. I''ll eat anything."


    Just then, Jonathan received a text from Rose.


    "I want to treat Finley and Mr. Gibson to a meal to thank them for saving me. You shoulde along."


    Jonathan frowned. It sounded like Finley and Zac were the main stars of the night while he was merely a tag-along. Rose sent over an address.


    Jonathan wanted to object, but then, he figured it was better to find a way to make things work in his


    favor instead.


    "Got it."


    After responding to Rose, Jonathan nced at Finley and sneered before heading over to the elevator. He was going to the hospital to treat his injury before the date with Rose tonight.


    At the time Rose had set, she arrived at the dinner location. Yet, the only one there was her husband.


    After checking behind Jonathan, Rose asked, "Where are they?"


    "Who?" Jonathan asked.


    "Finley and Mr. Gibson."


    Jonathan frowned.


    "They''re not here yet? I told them to meet us here at this time. Are they too busy with work toe?"


    For some reason, Jonathan reminded Rose of a sly wolf.


    "Let''s wait for a while. Send them a reminder," Rose said.


    Jonathan protested the idea of waiting. They weren''ting, so why wait? Still, he pretended to nod in agreement.


    "We should wait for a bit."


    After ten minutes, Jonathan became restless.


    He took his phone out while saying, "I''ll try to rush them."


    First, he called Finley.


    "Where are you? Rose is treating you to dinner. We''re all here now, so where are you?"


    In an office on the top floor of Finch Building, Finley eyed the stack of documents before him with a sorrowful expression.


    He was a fighter from the Azure n. Even though he took on the role of an assistant once he came to Aquastead, all he did was pass documents around and deliver Jonathan''s instructions to others.


    He did not know how to go through documents. Yet, Jonathan thought so highly of him that the former entrusted him with all of the tasks that required brainwork.


    Finley could still recall the way his colleagues looked at him as they left the office without having to work overtime. Their eyes conveyed their pity for him. They were certain he must have offended Jonathan. -Did he? Certainly not! Finley did not think he had offended Jonathan. Thetter was simply a petty man who used work as an excuse to punish him.


    "S-Sorry about that. Please tell Ms. Shaffer I have other ns tonight, so I won''t be able to make it."


    Jonathan put the call on speakerphone. Rose heard Finley loud and clear.


    Since he could not make it tonight, Rose suggested, "In that case, let''s do it another day-


    Jonathan frowned. Even through the phone, Finley could sense his superior''s displeasure.


    Afraid that Jonathan would once again enact revenge simrly, Finley interrupted Rose, "You don''t have to move it to another day, Ms. Shaffer. You''ve thanked me well enough. I really... don''t have the time..." He had neither the time nor the guts!


    D

 Billionire 207

    A Battle of Wits


    As Finley stared at the mountain of documents in front of him, he felt the urge to ram his head against the desk and end his life. All he could do now was hope that Jonathan would be merciful.


    "Ms. Shaffer, truth be told, I only made it over there in time because of Mr. Finch and your husband... He was the one who told me to go over. He was the one who was most concerned about your safety. Knowing that Jonathan was listening. Finley did his best to cate the former. Rose looked at Jonathan. She could not hide how taken aback she was when she heard Finley''s exnation. Jonathan was in a pretty good mood.


    Seemingly demurring, he cleared his throat and said to Finley, "Since you''re busy, we won''t force you. You should go home and get some rest soon."


    Finley felt like he had been given a second chance at life. He nearly fell on his knees in gratitude.


    Once the call ended, the atmosphere became a little ambiguous. Jonathan had no qualms about looking straight at Rose, but thetter averted her eyes to avoid him.


    "What about Mr. Gibson?" Rose asked as she looked away.


    Jonathan did not even inform Zac about the dinner.


    "I think... he''s probably too busy toe."


    Without them, it would just be him and Rose. A date without two tag-a-longs was a lot more enjoyable. Rose was speechless. Were they both too busy toe? Why was her husband giving her a strange feeling?


    "I''ll go out and take a look."


    Ever since hearing what Finley said over the phone, Rose felt like she was going to suffocate under Jonathan''s gaze. She came up with an excuse to head outside, and Jonathan did not stop her. Even if she took a look outside, Zac would not being, so Jonathan did not mind wasting a little more time. The thought of them sharing a candlelit dinner tonight made Jonathan''s mood soar. Just then, a voice called out...


    "You''re here, Mr. Gibson."


    Just from hearing Rose''s voice, Jonathan could imagine the warm smile she had on her face. His smile froze.


    Afraid of exposing his ruse, Jonathan swiftly got up. In his hurry, he knocked over one of the sses on the table. He swiftly rushed out of the room and came up behind Rose.


    Zac did not expect to run into Rose... and Jonathan at the restaurant. Why did Rose greet him in a way that sounded like she had expected him toe?


    I thought you were too busy toe to dinner, Mr. Gibson. I''m d you''re here. Thank you for giving me a chance..."


    In the past, Rose had a fairly poor impression of Zac. However, he did save her that night. Since he was


    her savior, she no longer found him unlikable. Rose stepped aside and gestured for Zac toe with her.


    Zac was utterly confused. What chance was she talking about?


    Puzzled, Zac nced at Rose before looking at Jonathan who was eyeing him darkly. The look in Jonathan''s eyes seemed to be warning Zac to watch what he said. Zac did not know what to do.


    How was he supposed to react? Since Rose was extending a warm wee to him, he smiled faintly and headed toward the private room. But, as soon as he took a step, he caught Jonathan''s murderous re.


    Zac was speechless. Was he not supposed to go in?


    For a brief second, Zac''s rebellious streak reigned supreme. If Jonathan did not want to let him in, he was going to be even more adamant about joining them for dinner.


    After all, with Rose around, Jonathan would be forced to pretend to be as gentle as amb. Nevertheless, when Zac thought about the consequences..


    No matter how bold he was, he dared not disturb Jonathan on a date.


    "Ms. Shaffer... Zac began.


    Even though he did not understand what Rose meant by him having given her a chance, he was shrewd enough to know that his wisest choice of action was to leave.


    But before he could bid them goodbye, another voice rang out and drew everyone''s attention.


    "Rosie?"


    The woman who called out sounded surprised. When Rose saw Anastasia, her smile froze.


    She instinctively nced at Jonathan, but he simply frowned as if he found it strange that Anastasia had


    shown up.


    "Zac, J, you two... What a coincidence. Are you here for dinner? You don''t mind letting me join you, right?"


    Anastasia was smiling expectantly as she took Rose''s hand, but her eyes were on Jonathan. She did not hide the lovesick adoration in her gaze.


    Anastasia had addressed Jonathan as J on purpose. She did not know what name Jonathan used with Rose, but she did not want Rose to figure out Jonathan''s identity through his name.


    Since Jonathan wanted to hide his identity, she was going to help him. s, no one answered her question. Feeling a little awkward, Anastasia looked at Rose.


    "Rosie?"


    Rose did know what she could say. How could she say no to the heiress of the Young family? Somehow, Rose found the courage to try andpete against Anastasia. She replied, "We don''t mind, of course..."


    If they were in for a battle of wits, so be it. Even Jonathan did not worry about letting the cat out of the bag, so what was there for her to be afraid of? "That''s wonderful."


    Anastasia happily tugged on Rose''s hand and entered the private room. Jonathan''s frown deepened.


    Noticing his reaction, Zac said tentatively, "I''ll... get going?"


    Without him, the three of them would be left alone. It was no secret that Anastasia liked Jonathan. How could Jonathan ept sitting down to dinner with just the three of them? As soon as Zac finished speaking, Jonathan shot him an icy re..


    "Rose set this up to treat you to a meal. Are you not going to appreciate her gesture?" Jonathan marched


    off.


    Zac was speechless. That was not what Jonathan''s gaze conveyed earlier. Zac cocked an eyebrow and smirked in amusement. The atmosphere in the private room was a little strange. Rose and Jonathan sat together while Anastasia sat across from him. She kept talking to him and addressing him affectionately as J. Still, Rose found it strange.


    Anastasia did not seem at all startled to find that Rose and Jonathan were acquainted. It was as if she had known about it all along


    "How are your injuries, J? I think you should''ve stayed in the hospital for a little longer. I can only rest easy knowing that there are doctors around to take good care of you." Anastasia looked deeply concerned. Rose instinctively recalled what she saw at the hospital the other


    day. Disgruntled, she could not even taste the food she was eating any saw-


    Rose looked at Jonathan. He had a grim expression as he ignored Anastasia. Still, she figured it was because he could not be all lovey-dovey with Anastasia when she was around. "J..." Anastasia called out again.


    Rose wanted to roll her eyes. It was J this and J that. No matter what was going on between Anastasia and Jonathan, Rose was still his wife. She was not a pushover.


    All of a sudden, she cut a piece of the steak in front of her and held it to Jonathan''s mouth. 1


    "Try this, hubby..."


    P

 Billionire 208

    It Was an Engagement Ring


    Rose said the word hubby in the most coquettish voice she could muster.


    As soon as it came out of her mouth, she sensed the way Jonathan stiffened ever so slightly. She caught Zac''s dumbfounded stare as well. Rose''s regret sank in almost instantaneously.


    Still, she had already said it, and she had already brought the fork up to Jonathan''s mouth. There was no use regretting her actions now.


    Thus, she steeled herself and smiled sweetly. She looked at Jonathan with a gentle, expectant gaze. It was as if she would make him pay if he did not help her win this battle by going along with it. Briefly thunderstruck, Jonathan swiftly knew what Rose was trying to do. He was pleased to find that Rose was feeling jealous because of him. It was an excellent turn of events!


    Jonathan opened wide and ate the bite of steak Rose held out to him. He thoroughly enjoyed being fed by her.


    "Does it taste good?" Rose was also satisfied.


    As he had chosen to y along and save her from any possible humiliation, she cut another piece of steak and fed him again.


    "It tast


    tastes great. Everything tastes great if you''re the one feeding me." Jonathan was grinning.


    Witnessing this scene made Zac''s eyes bulge in shock. Right now, Jonathan looked nothing like the domineering Jonathan Finch who struck fear into the hearts of all who mentioned him. Zac wanted to say a few words to ingratiate himself with Rose, but he spotted Anastasia''s clenched hands beneath the table.


    This was a minefield. It was better for him to eat in silence and stay out of it.


    "Rosie, I didn''t expect you and J to be acquainted. Did you know that J used to-"


    Anastasia had abruptly spoken up to disrupt Rose and Jonathan''s sweet moment. But before she could finish her sentence, Jonathan cut her off.


    "Anastasia!"


    Jonathan''s tone was threatening. If Rose were to find out about his identity, he was going to be the one who told her. He was not going to let her discover the truth from anyone else


    The menacing look in Jonathan''s eyes made it clear to Anastasia that if she continued talking, he was going to be pissed. Too scared to continue speaking, she drank from her wine ss instead. Still, what she had said was enough to make Rose feel ufortable. Atst, the meal came to an end.


    Once Anastasia and Zac left, Rose dropped the sweet and coy demeanor she had taken with Jonathan. earlier. As soon as she got into the car, her expression darkened.


    Jonathan knew she was reacting out of jealousy. That meant she cared about him.


    When they got back to Zenwood Gardens, Rose ignored Jonathan. She changed into her indoor slippers and was about to head back to her room.


    But, before she could even take a step forward, a pair of arms hugged her from behind. Rose was vexed. She tried to struggle, but the arms only tightened further. Rose was speechless. What was the meaning of this?


    "Let go!" she ordered icily.


    "I refuse."


    There was a hint of yfulness in his voice. He even nuzzled his face against Rose''s head. Even though Rose continued to try and get away from him, he did not let go.


    They were still at a stalemate when all of a sudden, Jonathan let out a muffled groan. Rose immediately realized she had hit his injury.


    "Let me take a look at your wound


    She was frowning. Jonathan finally released Rose and turned on the lights. When he saw her staring at his shoulder de, he allowed his face to contort even more in pain. Rose took off his jacket and undid his shirt buttons. Focused on checking his injury, she did not notice the way his eyes started to ze over.


    Didn''t she know how bewitching it was when a woman undressed a man? Jonathan''s heart was pounding. On the other hand, Rose became even more focused.


    Despite knowing that he was injured, she never took a proper look at his injury. She did not even know how serious it was.


    Therefore, when she saw the blood-stained bandage, her heart felt like it had been squeezed.


    "How did you get injured?"


    Rose touched the edge of the bandage. After figuring out how long it had been, Rose became even more sympathetic.


    For thest few days, he had been by her side at all times. Even though they did not interact much, he made it clear to her that he was at home waiting for her.


    She had to admit that she felt a sense of security throughout this time.


    Jonathan did not want Rose to know about how dangerous it had been the other day, so he simply brushed it off by saying, "I fell by ident


    Was it just a fall? Rose did not believe him, but since it was all bandaged up, she could not tell what kind of injury it was either. Since she knew he was hiding something, she did not try to dig it out of him. As she stared at the bandage, she found herself agreeing with what Anastasia said earlier.


    "This is a serious injury. You should be resting in the hospital."


    Jonathan should not be running around outside.


    "It''s so boring to stay at the hospital. Plus...


    He felt a lot morefortable being by her side.


    Noticing the worried frown on Rose''s face, Jonathan Immediately assured her, Ive been going to the


    hospital to get my wound checked. It''s just a light injury. It''s not a big deal."


    "You call this a light injury? How much worse does it have to be before you consider it a serious one?" Rose huffed.


    Jonathan had a faraway look in his eyes. It was as if he had recalled something from the past.


    "Only psychological torment counts as a serious injury.."


    Rose stiffened. For a second, it seemed to her that he had gone through what he called psychological torment. She opened her mouth to speak, but he abruptly reached out and hugged her.


    Unlike his earlier back hug that conveyed a sense of stubbornness, this hug made her feel like she had been pulled into a different world. Jonathan wanted to hold Rose as close to his heart as possible.


    "Rose ....


    After a while, Jonathan called out her name.


    "Yeah?"


    Rose thought he wanted to say something, but he simply kept repeating her name.


    At longst, he said, "That ring the other day... I was proposing with it..."


    Rose was speechless. She recalled the sunrise that day. A proposal...


    Rose''s mind was buzzing. Before she could react, Jonathan continued, "Since you epted the engagement ring, you''re not allowed to return it to me. Also, I want to void the agreement."


    A contracted marriage? They were legally married. Even if Rose found one billion to give to him someday, he was not going to ept it. What he wanted was her


    Rose felt a little dizzy. What on earth was Jonathan saying? What was this about an engagement ring that she was not allowed to return? What did he mean by wanting to void the agreement? Was he having a fever? Rose grabbed Jonathan''s hand. It was unusually warm. She felt his forehead and immediately jumped in panic.


    "You have a fever!"


    His forehead was scorching hot. Jonathan clutched Rose''s hand and stared at her with hopeful eyes.


    "Promise me you won''t leave me..."


    Rose did not know what to say. She was certain his fever was making him delirious. It would be a waste for such a handsome man to sustain some kind of brain damage from a fever. Rose took Jonathan by the wrist while saying, "Come. I''m taking you to the hospital."


    "I... don''t want to go!"

 Billionire 209

    A Loving Couple


    Rose was struck dumb.


    ring at Jonathan, she dered, "You have to go!"


    "Fine. I''ll go if you agree. You have to agree to everything I said just now."


    Rose was speechless. What did he want her to agree to?


    All she cared about right now was not wasting any more time, lest the fever ended up damaging his brain. She could not spare any attention for what he said earlier.


    She simply thought he had said those things while feverish and was unlikely to remember what he said.


    "Yes, fine. I agree. I''ll do everything you say. Can we go to the hospital now?"


    Jonathan immediately became docile.


    "Okay."


    Rose dragged him down the building and shoved him into his car before driving to the hospital.


    Once they arrived, someone recognized Jonathan. Before Rose even registered him as a patient, a bunch of doctors and nurses surged over and took Jonathan to the emergency room.


    Even as he was brought to a hospital room and hooked up to an IV drip, she was still a little dazed.


    When she went to settle the hospitalization paperwork, she was told that everything had been sorted out already.


    "Excuse me. Are you Ms. Rose? Mr. Finch... keeps calling out your name


    A nurse approached Rose and addressed her with an unusual amount of courtesy.


    The entire hospital staff knew that the patient in the VIP hospital room was a prominent figure that even the hospital director treated with the utmost deference.


    Meanwhile, that VIP kept calling for someone named Rose. The nurse looked at Rose with an admiring gaze. Rose was dumbfounded.


    Noticing the suggestive look in the nurse''s eyes, Rose quickly averted his eyes and hurried to the hospital


    room.


    "Rose


    Jonathan''s eyes were closed.


    Tmhere," Rose replied.


    When she touched his hand, he immediately clutched hers. It seemed as if he would only feel at ease if he held onto her. The nurse witnessed the whole thing and could not resist marveling in envy. "You two are such a loving couple. I won''t disturb you, Mrs. Finch; If there''s anything, you cane to us at any time. We''re right outside.


    Rose was reminded of the way Finley had called her Mrs. Finch when he saved her the other day.


    "Mrs. Finch..." Rose murmured.


    For some reason, it felt strange. Still, she did not dwell on it. Throughout the night, she kept an eye on Jonathan''s temperature.


    At 4:00 am, his temperature had gone down and stayed that way for some time, so she finally rested her head on the edge of the bed and fell asleep. She woke up at 10:00 am. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the peculiar atmosphere in the hospital room. The doctors and nurses were smiling. Whenever they nced at her, their gazes were slightly teasing. Rose was startled. Was there something on her face?


    Before she could check her face, she spotted Jonathan sitting on the couch. He was still attached to an IV drip, and the doctor had just finished changing his bandage. After nking out for a moment, Rose realized she was lying on the hospital bed.


    The bed in the VIP hospital room was quiterge. Though she was under the nket, it had molded her form. Everyone could see the way she was syed out in bed with her legs open wide. Rose was stunned. She instinctively shot up. As if the bed were on fire, she jumped out at once. In her rush, she ended up losing her bnce. Just as she was about to fall, someone grabbed her. Before Rose snapped out of her shock, she heard a muffled groan.


    It was only then that she realized it was Jonathan who caught her. She was leaning against his injured side, and his freshly changed bandage was beginning to soak with blood again.


    "Doctor! Doctor...


    Rose swiftly stood up straight to let the doctor change Jonathan''s bandage once more. During the process, she saw his wound. It did not look like a knife wound but a bullet wound instead. Why would a normal persone into contact with a gun? Seemingly sensing Rose''s suspicion, Jonathan tapped her on the forehead and tried to distract her.


    "I''m hungry."


    Rose did not speak. Was he hungry?


    "I''ll buy you something for breakfast," she said after snapping out of her thoughts.


    Jonathan must have been the one who carried her onto the bedst night. Since she had taken up his bed, it would have affected his sleep.


    Before leaving, Rose turned around and said to Jonathan, "I didn''t kick out of the bed on purpose. You should try to get some more sleep."


    Jonathan stared at her and openly stated right in front of all the hospital staff in the room, "When did you Kick me out of the bed? It''s a big bed. There''s enough space for both of us."


    Rose was startled. What did he mean by that? Meanwhile, the doctors and nurses began to survey the two with amused looks.


    One of the younger nurses chimed in, "Yes, that''s right it''s a big bed. It''s enough for the two of you to sleep together, Mr. and Mrs. Finch.


    The nurse recalled what she saw this morning. Rose had been sound asleep with her head resting on Jonathan''s shoulders.


    The staff almost thought they had identally barged into the bedroom of a loving couple.


    Later on, to avoid disturbing Rose, Jonathan carefully got out of bed and went over to the couch before he allowed the doctor to check on his injury.


    He moved so gently as if he feared disrupting her dreams.


    Though Rose did not know what happened this morning, the yful looks in the hospital staff''s eyes were enough to make her feel the urge to run and hide.


    "You''re hungry... Right. Breakfast. I''ll buy some breakfast." Rose practically fled from the room.


    Lately, the upper society of Aquastead paid close attention to the sanctions the Finches had imposed against the Lanes.


    In just a few days, the Lanes went from being one of the most prominent elite families in Aquastead to being on the verge of bankruptcy.


    Chloe had pleaded with every single family the Lanes had ties with in the past, but under these circumstances, no one dared to maintain any kind of rtionship with the Lanes. When the Finches began making their move, many other families and corporations got the hint and cut off all ties with the Lanes. Chloe wanted to meet Jonathan and beg for mercy in person. Yet, despite having someone wait at both the Aquastead Hotel and Finch Building, there was still no sign of Jonathan. Chloe had no other choice but to find Rose who was her only hope. She did not know what Nixon had done to Rose, but if Rose did get injured, she would be at the hospital Therefore, Chloe came to Harmony Hospital which belonged to Finch Group. As soon as Rose stepped out of the hospital, Chloe spotted her.


    "Rose... Rose..."


    Chloe stumbled over to Rose and fell on her knees. Rose was taken aback. Wasn''t this Chloe?


    "What are you doing, Mrs. Lane Senior? Please get up.


    Rose tried to help Chloe up, but Chloe refused to get off her knees. There were-a-lot of passersby at the hospital entrance. The scene immediately drew a curious crowd.


    "I''m begging you, Rose. Please ask Mr. Finch to go easy on the Lane family," Chloe begged as she looked at Rose.


    Just a few days ago, Chloe was still a spirited old woman with a scheming mind. But now, everything from her white hair to her fatigued expression conveyed the bitterness of her suffering.


    Rose frowned. Only yesterday, she told Jonathan that she would not ask him to go easy on the Lanes.


    Nixon had indeed plotted against her, but it was the scheming and maniptive Chloe who was behind it all.


    Rose recalled the way Chloe had made Nixon and Kelly break off their engagement while attempting to force her to be with Nixon once more. She could not feel any sympathy for Chloe''s present predicament.


    D

 Billionire 210

    He Does Not Need Money


    "I can''t help you, Mrs. Lane Senior."


    As soon as Rose said that, Chloe''s expression stiffened. Refusing to give up, she wanted to convince Rose to recall all the kindness the Lanes had once shown her.


    s, no matter how hard she cracked her brain, she could not think of a single example. Chloe panicked when she saw that Rose was about to lea


    All of a sudden, she shrieked at Rose, "No matter what, my family gave you the chance to get acquainted with Mr. Finch. If it hadn''t been for my birthday celebration, you wouldn''t have been able to meet him regardless of how hard you tried! Now that you''vetched onto him, Rose, you shouldn''t be so ungrateful!"


    Latched onto him? Rose knew full well what Chloe meant. Chloe was insinuating that Rose had used her wiles to seduce Jonathan,


    Rose sneered. True enough, the Lanes never failed to meet her expectations.


    "I''m afraid I can''t have the honor of being called ungrateful by you, Mrs. Lane Senior. I should be d I didn''t fall into the hellhole that is the Lane family. You people.. truly disgust me!*


    Though Rose did not intend to kick the Lanes when they were down, she was no pushover either. Seeing the vicious look in Chloe''s eyes, Rose took a few steps backward.


    "Mrs. Lane Senior, I heard that Nixon has been admitted to a psychiatric facility. Don''t you n on visiting him?"


    All at once, Chloe''s menacing expression vanished. Lately, she had been so fixated on meeting Jonathan that she paid no attention to Nixon''s whereabouts. A psychiatric facility?


    It was the Lane family''s predicament, not Nixon''s situation, that she was concerned about. Considering what happened to Nixon, it proved that Jonathan would not be going easy on the Lanes.


    The Lanes... were truly done for! In a matter of days, Lane Group dered bankruptcy. Even the Lane residence was sealed off.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was at the Aquastead Hotel. After the dinner with Rose and Jonathan, Anastasia did not return to Young Estate.


    She knew that Rose and Jonathan had been spending thest few days at Harmony Hospital. Though she was displeased, she could not do anything.


    In the morning, she received a call from her assistant.


    "Ms. Young, I''ve contacted the person who owns Lerain Group''s red diamond. He''ll being over to Aquastead-coon, but he doesn''t need money. I''m afraid it won''t be easy to get the red diamond from him."


    Though it would not be easy, Anastasia was going to give it a shot anyway. She needed that red diamond.


    "Alright. Help me set up a meeting with him. I''ll talk to him myself."


    Anastasia was hellbent on getting it. After ending the call, Anastasia finally felt a little better. Over at Chereton, Kelly had been waiting at the inn for several days now, but Angelica refused to see her. If not for the benefits Angelica could provide, Kelly would have left a long time ago. s, Angelica had


    the final say, so Kelly had to be patient and wait until Angelica relented.


    Atst, in the evening. Kelly received a letter from Angelica. It was an invitation to meet at the ss Lake in Chereton. Overjoyed, Kelly wasted on time. She swiftly changed her clothes and headed out. One hourter, Kelly and Angelica met on a boat. Though they were floating above the clearkewater, Kelly''s eyes were filled with nothing but the dirtiest of greed.


    "Madam Angelica, I''m sure my mother has told you what I want. I heard that you''re asking for one billion. I don''t have one billion right now but don''t worry. Once I be the heiress of the Young family, what''s one billion? I can even give you two or three billion."


    Angelica scoffed.


    "That can only happen if you be the heiress of the Young family."


    Without Angelica, it would be nothing but an empty dream for Kelly. Kelly was displeased. But, once she calmed down, she fixed a piercing gaze on Angelica.


    "What you''re truly after isn''t the money, right, Madam Angelica?"


    Angelica frowned without saying anything, but Kelly knew she was right.


    "Previously, my father sought your help to deal with Rose. Even though he gave you money for it, I get the feeling that you only helped him because you don''t like Rose." Angelica nced at Kelly.


    "You sure know how to jump to your conclusions. What reason do I have to dislike Rose?"


    "It''s because of Celeste Young."


    Kelly did not try to avoid the subject. Sure enough, the name made Angelica''s gaze change.


    "You hate Celeste... or rather, you despise her. Let me guess. She was such an aplished woman. She shone so brightly like the stars in the sky. Everyone must''ve liked her, right? Maybe the one who liked her just so happened to be the person you liked, Madam Angelica


    Upon seeing that Angelica was biting her lip, Kelly knew she made the right guess.


    She continued, "In the end, even fate favored Celeste.


    Recalling the past, Angelica bellowed at Kelly.


    "What made her so special?"


    He liked Celeste, and she was even the heiress of the Young family.


    Even after all these years, Angelica could still remember the scene when the Youngs came in a luxury car to take Celeste home.


    s, despite having such a prominent background, she only spent half a year in Regalia before returning with her tail between her legs. From then on, Henrietta changed her name to Celeste. She purposely hid everything about her past.


    Angelica was more than happy to see that. She wanted nothing more than for Celeste to spend her entire life as an ordinary, unimportant person. Yet, Celeste founded Celeste Jewels...


    And, she met him again... Angelica''s gaze went from frenzied to icy.


    Kelly took it all in. If she wanted to be the heiress of the Young family, she needed to know about Celeste''s past. Still, she was not in a hurry. Her priority was to convince Angelica. "My situation is just like yours...


    Kelly lowered her eyes as she schooled her expression into a look of sorrow, Angelica frowned and eyed her in puzzlement.


    "I despise Rose, and it just so happens that the person I like is in love with Rose. Do you know who he is? He''s Jonathan Finch, the one in charge of Finch Group in Regalia..."


    Kelly did not hide anything from Angelica. Even if Angelica did not know much about the upper society, she would have heard of Finch Group before. The Finches were the top elite family in Regalia. "They got married. Doesn''t that grind your gears? Celeste''s daughter became the wife of the top elite family in Regalia. So many people envy her..."


    "Oh, right. There''s something you might not have heard about yet."


    Kelly paused on purpose.


    True enough, Angelica asked impatiently, "What is it?"


    "Oliver Young has epted Rose as his granddaughter... Isn''t it ironic? In a strange twist of fate, he ended up unknowingly acknowledging his real granddaughter. Thankfully, he doesn''t know about her true identity!"


    With each word Kelly said, Angelica''s unwillingness to ept this situation intensified. Back then,


    Celeste seemed to be the most blessed woman in the world, but in the end, she died.


    Angelica thought that as long as the Youngs could not find Celeste, they would never be able to locate Rose. Yet, fate refused to cooperate! A strange twist of fate...


    Angelica loathed fate with every fiber of her being.


    Following a brief silence, Angelica abruptly asked Kelly "What can you do?"


    COIN BUNDLE: get more f


    free bonus


    D

 Billionire 211

    A Coin


    This was what Kelly was waiting for. As long as she asked, half the battle was won.


    "I can let her be kicked out of the Young family. As much glory as Mr. Young Senior brings to her, I can also let him bring as much humiliation to her."


    She was full of confidence when it came to handling an old man, let alone handling that old man as his only bloodline.


    "I can even make Rose be abandoned by Mr. Finch."


    This was her purpose. She knew that this was what Angelica wanted. Sure enough, Angelica stared at her and suddenlyughed.


    "Okay, I''ll help you."


    Looking at Kelly, she seemed to see her former self. Celeste''s figure appeared in her mind.


    Celeste If she knew that her daughter was abandoned by the Young family in the heaven, she might be unwilling even if she was dead. This was what she wanted.


    "Okay, let''s have good cooperation, Madam Angelica."


    Kelly reached out to Angelica. The two shook hands briefly. As their eyes intertwined, many emotions were self-evident.


    "I don''t know what Celeste went through after she returned to Aquastead from Regalia. She wanted to draw a clear line with the Young family. Herice, she changed her name from Henrietta to Celeste. She spent some effort to erase many traces. It''s also strange that she clearly wanted to draw a clear line with the Young family, but when she changed her name, she used thest name Young. She even founded a business rted to jewelry. But these things are not important. If you want to be the real heiress to the Young family, I can help you do it."


    Angelia was full of confidence. In this world, even Jamie didn''t understand Celeste. She was the only one who knew everything about her.


    "Madam Angelica, after I seed, I''ll never forget you. You''re my dearest aunt," Kelly promised.


    Thinking about Rose, a sneer appeared on the corner of her mouth. She would let her live the glorious life of the heiress to the Young family. Then, she would give her a big surprise. Angelica smiled faintly. She was thinking about the n at this time.


    Then, she suddenly thought of something as she said, "There''s one thing which you can get. Once you get it, without any proof, Mr. Young Senior will be convinced that you''re Henrietta''s daughter once he sees it."


    "What?"


    Kelly became interested.


    "A coin."


    A coin?"


    "Yes, a coin. To be more precise, it''s a coin-like badge. Among the things Celeste left, I didn''t see the coin. She wouldn''t throw away such an important thing casually. Maybe she left it at the Shaffer residence,


    or


    maybe she gave it to Rose."


    It was all possible. Kelly became more and more vignt.


    "I''ll look for it when I get back. If it''s in Rose''s hands, I''m afraid it won''t be easy.


    Rose was very wary of her. If it was in her hands, it would be difficult for her to get it. However, she would try her best to get it. Aquastead, Harmony Hospital.


    Perhaps the temperature of the air conditioner in the hospital was too low, Rose sneezed several times. The next moment, a coat was ced on her shoulders.


    She turned around and saw the concern in the eyes of her star escort husband. He had been in the hospital these days. His only requirement was that she must apany him.


    She couldn''t refuse and could only stay in the hospital. She left Celeste Jewels to William and Sherlyn for temporary care. Just then, Miles called her and asked her to meet.


    Before she left, Jonathan was extremely reluctant. Miles had been focusing on Oliver''s medication these days. That night, he left because there was a problem with his medication. Rose came to the agreed coffee shop. Miles had been waiting for a long time. Upon seeing her, he stood up to greet her. When she approached, the guilt in his heart became stronger and stronger.


    "Rosie ..."


    He wanted to apologize. However, as soon as he called her name, Rose knew his meaning.


    She wasn''t sure how much he knew about what happened that night. With his intelligence, he should have guessed something after seeing Finch Group''s big move toward the Lane family. "Miles..." she interrupted him. The smile on her face was still as bright as before as she said, "I''m fine.


    Look....


    She turned around and said, "I''m totally fine."


    She was very happy that the Lane family went bankrupt while Nixon entered the mental hospital. The guilt in Miles''s heart became even stronger.


    During this period, he focused entirely on Oliver''s medication. After a long silence, he told Rose Oliver''s


    situation.


    "Grandpa''s illness won''tst long. The Young family has a dedicated scientific research team in Regalia to develop drugs for his condition. They want to extend his life. That night, I received news that there was something wrong with the medicine. I returned to Regalia overnight and came back and forth between Aquastead and Regalia afterwards. I wonder if Grandpa can insist until the medicine is made."


    Rose knew about Oliver''s illness. When she was at Young Estate, he spent most of the time in his room. Even if he was conscious, he was always asleep. That old man...


    She remembered the scene In the park when the two were nostalgic for the person in their hearts over a cake. She couldn''t help but feel a trace of pity in her heart. Grandpa has a daughter."


    Rose never inquired about the Young family''s privacy. She knew that Oliver''s recognition of her as his granddaughter was just a sign of sustenance. If she found his daughter, would he be happier?


    She hesitated to speak.


    Atst, she said, "She really cannot be found? Are there no clues?"


    "No, my aunt seems to have disappeared from the world. It seems like she has never existed. I suspect that someone deliberately erased her traces. The identity of the person who can do this is probably not simple."


    Miles frowned deeply. Rose didn''t say anything else. Even the Young family couldn''t find her, maybe no one could ever find her. They went to Young Estate after leaving the coffee shop. Oliver was asleep in the room. Patrick couldn''t help but sigh.


    "Mr. Young, Mr. Young Senior''s waking hours are getting less and less these days. I persuaded him to return to Regalia. He said that Rietta is not in Regalia. He still thinks about Ms. Rietta Oliver couldn''t let go of Henrietta in his heart. Hence, the granddaughters adopted from the orphanage all had simr names as hers.


    Henrietta disappeared when she was a child. After she was found back, she only stayed in Young Estate for half a year before breaking up with Oliver and leaving.


    "Ms. Rose, Mr. Young Senior has been calling your name when he has been awake these past two days..." As soon as Patrick mentioned it, Oliver suddenly woke up on the bed. "Rosie... Where''s Rosie? Did she note home again today?"


    His voice was slightly weak. A hint of guilt emerged in Rose''s heart.


    She immediately stepped forward with a smile and said, "Grandpa, I''m here. How about I bring you out for a walk?"


    "That''s good."


    Oliver smiled. Miles and Patrick helped him get into the wheelchair. At Young Estate, Rose brought Oliver out for a walk. At first, he was calling her Rosie. Suddenly, he called out, "Rietta..."

 Billionire 212

    Hate Him So Much


    Rose was slightly startled. She squatted down next to Oliver and said, "Grandpa, I''m Rosie...


    "Rosie is Rietta..."


    Oliver smiled. Seeing his happy expression, Rose stopped correcting him. Just let her be Henrietta.


    She was unable to find Oliver''s missing daughter. He found sustenance for his missing daughter in her, which was her only value.


    "Grandpa, I''m Rietta."


    She smiled.


    However, Oliver suddenly frowned and corrected, "Grandpa? I''m your dad..... I shouldn''t have beaten you that day and I shouldn''t have said such words, which forced you to leave Regalia and leave the Young family. You must hate me..."


    He seemed to regard Rose as his missing daughter. He stroked her head, his eyes full of regret and self- me. Rose felt like something was tugging at her heart.


    She subconsciously said, "I don''t hate you, not at all."


    As if she wanted him to believe it, and to dispel the self-me in his eyes, she emphasized that she didn''t hate him. Oliver was startled for a moment. His eyes gradually became gentle.


    "You should hate me..." He patted her head gently. "Rosie, I''m tired. Push me back."


    Rosie. Rose was confused for a moment. She was unable to tell clearly whether he was Rose or Rietta in his eyes now.


    However, she didn''t think much about it and pushed him back to the room. The scene just now fell into Anastasia''s eyes.


    The scene of Oliver striking Rose''s head made her feel a threat that she had never felt before.


    Oliver recognized Rose as his granddaughter. Once he died, all the members of the Young family would be able to get some property.


    The Young family had a big business. It didn''t matter even if they gave some of the properties to Rose


    Over the years, in addition to her and Miles, as well as Oliver''s adopted daughter, they all formed their power and foundation in Regalia. Rose wouldn''t get much benefit either. However, at that moment, she was a bit worried. If Oliver made a will that gave Rose more benefits... She clenched her fists unconsciously. She absolutely couldn''t let this possibility happen. She suddenly turned around and walked out of the vi. Rose stayed at the vi for one night. The next day, Oliver woke up in the morning.


    When Rose went downstairs, Miles and Oliver were already sitting at the dining table and having breakfast.


    "Rosie,e here."


    Oliver pointed to the ce beside him. Rose walked over. After having breakfast, she wanted to push him


    out for a walk while he was awake, but he refused.


    *Rosie has a jewelrypany, and she''s very talented in design. It just so happens that the Young family has a jewelry industry. Miles, please put other things aside today and take Rosie to the branch of Young''s House of Jewels in Aquastead. Let her get familiar with it.


    Rose was confused. Miles and Patrick got the underlying meaning.


    "Alright, Grandpa. I''ll take Rosie to get familiar with it."


    If Oliver meant that, Miles was happy to see it happen. An hourter, Rose arrived at the branch of Young''s House of Jewels in Aquastead.


    Thest time she came here, she had locked herself in the office to design the suit for Oliver.


    This time, as soon as she entered thepany, Miles took her through every department. He even introduced her to everyone present. Some professional elites immediately sensed something unusual. "What does this mean? Mr. Young is introducing Ms. Shaffer. Could it be that she wants to join ourpany?


    "She''s the granddaughter recognized by Mr. Young Senior. She should have a high position. Even if she wants to join ourpany, it might just be a formality. I heard that Mr. Young Senior''s body..." Some of the people whispered. Upon hearing the statement, Anastasia coughed lightly.


    Upon seeing her gloomy expression, everyone immediately dispersed, each doing their own thing and not daring to discuss anything further. Their words just now had taken root in Anastasia''s ears. Upon seeing Miles and Rose from a distance, she sneered. When Rose went to the washroom, she found, Miles.


    "Miles, Grandpa wants Rosie to get involved in Young''s House of Jewels?" she asked tentatively.


    Miles didn''t answer, nor did he look at her. Having been ignored, Anastasia felt angry.


    "Miles, if it''s Young''s House of Jewels today, who knows what it will be tomorrow? Aren''t you worried that something that should belong to you will be robbed by others?"


    Miles nced at her expressionlessly.


    "What belongs to me? You and I are the same. We were brought back from the orphanage by Grandpa. We have lived with luxurious food and clothing due to Grandpa. Without him, we have nothing.


    "Ha..."


    Anastasia sneered. She looked deeply at Miles. Then, her eyes suddenly turned sharp.


    "What kind of drug did Rose give to you and Grandpa? Mile, she doesn''t like you


    As she wished, Miles was startled. She knew that she had touched his pain.


    After a pause, she continued, "Even if she likes you, she''s just another Harriette for you. If I were you, instead of leading her to familiarize herself with Young''s House of Jewels, I would rather find a way to get rid of her from the Young family. At least in that way, you still have a chance


    Another Harriette. Miles''s eyes gradually darkened.


    After a while, he said, "Rose is Rose, Harriette is Harriette. They''re different individuals."


    Then, he stared at Anastasia.


    "I know what you''re thinking. However, I''ve warned you not to use your thoughts on her."


    Their sharp eyes intertwined. When Rose came back, she saw this scene. Her appearance was like a toggle button that had been pressed.


    In just a moment, the atmosphere between Miles and Anastasia changed from tense to harmonious. Miles looked at Rose with a smile on his face.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia walked toward Rose charmingly. She acted as warm as before.


    "Rosie, wee to Young''s House of Jewels."


    Rose wondered what she meant.


    "I think you misunderstood. I came here just for a visit" she exined.


    Anastasia didn''t believe it.


    "Let''s make a bet. Within three days, you''ll be a part of Young''s House of Jewels."


    Rose didn''t take it seriously. Even though she was Oliver''s granddaughter, she didn''t have much of a rtionship with the Young family.


    How could she be part of Young''s House of Jewels?


    However, on the third day after she left thepany, Young''s House of Jewels announced thetest personnel appointments on social media.


    Rose was appointed as the design director of Young''s House of Jewels. At the same time, it tagged Rose. As the industry leader, Young''s House of Jewels was closely watched by almost everyone in the industry For a time, people in the jewelry industry across the country followed the news and found Rose''s Twitter. The entry #Young''s House of Jewels Director, Rose Shaffer# quickly became a hot search headline.

 Billionire 213

    Rejection


    As the person involved, Rose had no idea at all. However, some people couldn''t sit still. Anastasia expected this, but she didn''t expect that the appointment would be made so quickly.


    She was even appointed as the design director of Young''s House of Jewels. To enter Young''s House of Jewels, she had gone through a lot of effort to get Oliver''s permission. However, Rose.... knew how to win people''s hearts. She felt her heart stuff. She was eager to vent her frustration. Just then, the assistant brought a message


    "Ms. Young, Clover Xanth of Lerain Group, had checked into Aquastead Hotel.¡±


    Clover was the owner of the red diamond that Anastasia was looking for.


    "Make an appointment for me... No, I''ll go find him myself."


    Anastasia took the bag and didn''t dy for a moment. She couldn''t influence Oliver''s decision, so she could only cut off Rose''s upward path in other ways. At this time, at the Shaffer residence, Kelly was watching the discussions about Rose on Twitter. Almost everyone said that Rose was the favored girl.


    Who wouldn''t be jealous of the Young family''s overwhelming wealth? If she was a bloodline of the Young family, all of this belonged to her.


    "Mom, do you have any over there?" she asked Chelsea impatiently.


    After she came back from Chereton that day, she told Chelsea about the coin. They agreed not to let Jamie know their n.


    Hence, they rummaged through almost the entire Shaffer residence on the pretext of cleaning. Nevertheless, they didn''t find the coin-like badge Angelica mentioned. Upon seeing Chelsea shake her head, Kelly became even more irritable.


    "Is it with Rose?"


    This was the only possibility. When Rose left the Shaffer residence, she didn''t even take any clothes with her. To provoke her, she even threw away everything in her room. However, among those things, they were just some clothes. If it was really with her, how should she get close to her? With their current rtionship, she knew that Rose would be on guard against her. Hence, she could only find Angelica and let here forward. At Harmony Hospital, when Rose entered the ward, she saw her star escort husband with a sad look on his face.


    Just for a moment, he saw her, surprise and joy shed in his eyes.


    "I thought you wouldn''te today."


    As Jonathan thought of the news reported by Finley just now, his eyes filled with triumph. She was the newly appointed design director of Young''s House of Jewels, and she would take office today. However, she was here. Did this prove that he was much more important to her than the position?


    Rose was confused as she asked, "Why won''t Ie?"


    "You don''t know?"


    Jonathan stared at her with a guess in his mind. Rose''s face was full of doubts.


    "What should I know about?"


    She was the center of discussion in the entire jewelry industry, even among the upper ss in Regalia. However, she didn''t know that she be the center of everyone''s envy and curiosity. He watched her put the flowers she had brought in a vase. The sun shone on her body.


    She exuded a sense of intelligence, but sometimes she showed a sense of sensitivity, which made him more fascinated.


    As soon as Rose turned around, she met the burning eyes of her star escort husband.


    Ever since he came to the hospital due to a fever that night, he always gazed at her openly, as if his brain had been burned out. Under that gaze, her heartbeat couldn''t be controlled and elerated. With that face, he would have caused a disaster. Now that he was staring at her unscrupulously, he was Inviting her tomit crimes.


    She didn''t dare to stay in the ward for long as she was afraid that he would do something that amused


    the nurse.


    After leaving the hospital, the way her star escort husband looked at her still lingered in her mind. Suddenly, a call interrupted her thoughts. It was Sherlyn.


    She thought there was an emergency at thepany. The moment she hurriedly answered the call, Sherlyn''s excited voice came over.


    "Ms. Shaffer, congrattions..."


    What was there to congratte her on? Rose was a little surprised. Sherlyn was using the speaker on the other side. Besides her, there were also William and others.


    "The design director of Young''s House of Jewels-Ms. Shaffer, I dere that you''re my idol. No, you were my idol before, but I admire you even more now."


    Rose''s frown deepened. The design director of Young''s House of Jewels?


    "Ms. Shaffer, from now on, will Celeste Jewels have its back against the Young''s House of Jewels?"


    "Ms. Shaffer ...".


    They seemed to have countless questions. As they were about to continue asking, Rose interrupted them. "Wait! The design director of Young''s House of Jewels? What does it have to do with me?" There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.


    After a long while, Sherlyn asked tentatively, "You don''t know yet?"


    Rose asked, "What should I know?"


    Sherlyn and William exchanged a look. Rose''s appointment as the design director of Young''s House of Jewels initially only caused a stir in the industry.


    However, due to Young''s House of Jewel''s status, it gradually spread from the industry to the entire social media. Almost everyone was curious about Rose.


    However, as the person involved, she didn''t know about it at all.


    "Ms. Shaffer, please take a look at your Twitter..." William sincerely suggested.


    After hanging up the phone, Rose opened her Twitter with curiosity.


    Over 900 private messages came into view. She clicked on the message list and browsed through a few. messages, they were either sincere congrattions or questions on what tricks she had used... She was confused. Then, she saw the entry on the headline. #Young''s House of Jewels Design Director. # Rose Shaffer. What was the situation?


    Thinking of Anastasia''s words weing her to Young''s House of Jewels that day, she frowned. Then, she called Miles. Miles had been waiting for Rose''s call all morning.


    He wanted to take the initiative to contact her several times, but he thought it would be more surprising if she found out on her own.


    "Miles, what''s going on?"


    Rose''s tone was urgent. Miles pretended to be ignorant.


    "What?"


    Rose said, "The design director of Young''s House of Jewels-what''s that?"


    "Oh, you''re talking about this. You''re Grandpa''s granddaughter, that is, a member of the Young family. Furthermore, you''re the champion of the National Jewelry Design Award. With such good design talent, there''s no doubt that Grandpa wants you to be the design director."


    Miles''s tone was brisk.


    Thinking of Oliver''s instructions, he continued, "Grandpa said that he would hold an entry reception for you."


    Rose didn''t care about the entry reception. She didn''t expect that Oliver had decided on her appointment. However, she never wanted to get anything from the Young family.


    "I can''t be the design director."


    Miles didn''t expect her rejection.


    He frowned and asked, "Why?"


    "Grandpa recognized me as his granddaughter just because of the fate that we met by chance that night. No matter who he regards me as I''ve done nothing. Celeste Jewels has received a lot of resources since I''m his granddaughter. If I get involved in the Young family''s business again, it''ll only cause


    misunderstanding."

 Billionire 214

    For Her


    She didn''t want people to misunderstand that she had bad intentions for the Young family. Miles understood her meaning.


    Even though the Young family had a huge business, Rose had never thought of getting any of it. Thinking of Anastasia''s words that day, he felt that Rose was valuable.


    He would rather have her take the position of design director.


    "Grandpa decided to appoint you as the design director. He''s interested in your design talent."


    He tried to persuade Rose. However, she was full of pressure. Since it was Oliver''s decision, she would go to him to take back the decision. She straight away returned to Young Estate.


    Oliver was awake. Patrick was pushing him in the garden. Oliver seemed to be in particrly good spirits today. Rose walked over.


    Before she spoke, Oliver waved to her and said, "Rosie,e here...


    His face was full of kindness. A smile appeared on Rose''s solemn face. She then stepped forward.


    Before she said anything, Oliver guessed the reason for her visit as he asked, "Are youing over because of the appointment as the design director?"


    Rose was slightly startled and nodded.


    "You don''t like this position?" Oliver said nonchntly. "It doesn''t matter if you don''t like it. What position do


    you like? I''ll ask them to re-issue the appointment announcement."


    Before Rose could react, he added, "How about the CEO? But you''re not familiar with Young''s House of Jewels yet. I''ll ask Miles to guide you more. Once you get familiar with it, I''ll hand over Young''s House of Jewels to you in the future. As for Miles and Anastasia... the Young family has other industries..."


    The Young family''s industries were spread across all walks of life, but they started with the jewelry industry.


    People like Miles and Anastasia, while managing other Industries, also had a nominal position in Young''s House of Jewels, Young''s House of Jewels had extraordinary significance to the Young family.


    At this time, Rose was so shocked that she couldn''t close her mouth. It was even impossible for her to be CEO.


    "Grandpa, I don''t want to enter Young''s House of Jewels..."


    She didn''t want to refuse too harshly.


    "Then how about the other industries


    "No, no. Grandpa, I know you love me, but I still have ttle experience. I don''t want to get involved in the Young family''s industries."


    Oliver understood her meaning.


    "Who said anything to you?"


    His face suddenly darkened.


    "No, Grandpa, It''s my intention. No one said anything to me. I don''t have any intentions toward the Young family, nor do I have any inappropriate delusions."


    She should hold firmly what was hers, such as Celeste Jewels. Therefore, even if she tried her best, she still had to get it back from Jamie. However, she wouldn''t take anything that didn''t belong to her. Oliver frowned and said, "I give it to you. It doesn''t count as your intention."


    "Grandpa..."


    Rose wanted to say something, but Oliver suddenly sighed.


    "I''m not just giving to you. It''s just that I''m an old man who lost my daughter for so many years. Your mother and my daughter have the same birthday. I just treat you as my real granddaughter. I just want topensate for my missing daughter andfort myself."


    As he said, he raised his hand to wipe away his tears. Rose was a bit reluctant.


    "Grandpa..."


    "Rosie, just think of it as I''m asking you for help and fulfilling my wish."


    Oliver looked at Rose sincerely, which made her can''t refuse him. After hesitating for a long time, Rose finally agreed.


    "But the entry reception..."


    She didn''t want to be too ostentatious.


    Before she could finish her words, Oliver sighed heavily as he said, "At first, I want to make it grand. If you don''t like it, I can cancel it."


    There was a hint of loss and loneliness in his eyes. After he came to Aquastead, he spent most of his time in Young Estate. Rose could tell that he was a little bored alone. If he wanted it to be grand "Grandpa, it''s not that I don''t like it. I just want to ask when will the entry reception be held?"


    She couldn''t bear to let him down after all. Let it just be ostentatious. With the poprity on Twitter today. she couldn''t avoid the ostentatiousness.


    "Since you like it, of course, the sooner the better. Don''t worry, I''ll let Miles make good arrangements."


    Oliver was very happy. After Rose left, Patrick, who was behind Oliver, smiled deeply.


    "Ms. Rose has you in her heart. Your efforts are not in vain."


    Oliver snorted.


    "How do you know about my efforts?"


    "Why not? Although Ms. Rose has no interest in any property of the Young family, she has been a member of the family from the day you recognized her as your granddaughter. She''s simple-minded and has no desires. However, others don''t think so."


    In the Young family, in addition to the missing Henrietta, there were also Miles, Anastasia, and Oliver''s


    adopted daughter.


    They each performed their duties in the Young family but the Young family''s business would eventually lead to a bloody fight.


    Rather than letting Rose get involved in the fight for family property one day, it was better to give her a position that everyone respected. Oliver''s eyes were deep.


    "Since I brought her into the Young family. I have to protect her," he murmured.


    He insisted on holding an entry reception because he wanted to take this opportunity to let Rose open up more connections. Patrick knew very well what he was thinking. "Mr. Rose will understand your efforts."


    Rose''s entry reception was scheduled for three dayster. Almost all the prominent figures in the jewelry industry received invitations. The visitors were not limited to Aquastead.


    At Aquastead Hotel, there were two presidential suites, one of which had been reserved for a long time by Jonathan. Meanwhile, Clover of Lerain Group stayed in the other one two days ago. Anastasia had been making appointments with Clover''s assistant for several days. However, she was always told that he was not free. She was very angry.


    After all, she was the heiress to the Young family. Clover was indeed not taking her seriously. However, she could only endure it for that red diamond.


    Not only that, she also had to show the greatest sincerity, hoping that he would see her sincerity and sell her the red diamond. In the hotel room, the assistant put an invitation letter on the coffee table. Clover''s visit to Aquastead was a private trip. He didn''t n to participate in any public activities.


    Hence, the assistant simply said, "Mr. Xanth, this is the invitation to the entry reception for the design director of Young''s House of Jewels."


    Just as she thought, Clover didn''t even look at it.


    After a long while, he said, "Is Jonathan still in Aquastead?"


    He still had a grudge toward Jonathan for failing to keep an appointmentst time. It''s not that he was stingy. It''s just that this was the first time someone had broken the appointment with him. "Yes, but Mr. Finch has not been staying in the hotel recently," the assistant replied.


    One of the reasons why Clover stayed at Aquastead Hotel this time was precisely because Jonathan had a long-term presidential suite here.


    "He has not been staying in the hotel? No wonder!"


    He hadn''t seen him since he''d been here a few days.


    He couldn''t help but ask curiously, "Then where does he stay?"


    "In the hospital."

 Billionire 215

    A Gift from the Sweetheart


    Hospital? Clover became interested.


    "Prepare a gift for me. I''m going to visit him."


    The assistant was a little surprised. However, she didn''t say anything and quickly prepared a gift for him. At Harmony Hospital, before Rose left, she left an invitation letter on the table in the ward.


    At first, she didn''t want to inform him. However, she wanted to introduce him to Oliver at the reception. However, it''d be too embarrassing to take the initiative to invite.


    He should know her meaning as she left the invitation letter. Would he attend? She thought about it and felt that he would go.


    After she left the hospital, Clover got out of a luxury car and happened to pass by Rose. Jonathan was in a daze as he looked at the invitation letter.


    Of course, he knew her meaning-she was inviting him to the entry reception.


    Oliver was being generous for the reception. Even though it was just an entry reception, he even invited some prominent families in Regalia. If he appeared, he might no longer conceal his identity. Should he go? He frowned as he was immersed in his thoughts. Just then, there was a knock on the door. He turned to look at the door.


    When he saw the personing, there was a look of surprise in his eyes. It was Clover of Lerain Group


    They didn''t have much interaction. Even the cooperation they agreed onst time was canceled since he/ broke the appointment. He wondered why he was here. Clover nodded toward him as a greeting. He came alone, with a neat suit and elegant appearance, holding a bouquet in his hand. The way he walked into Jonathan''s ward was as natural as walking into his room.


    He put the flowers on the table and intended to rece the flowers in the vase.


    "Mr. Xanth, did you go to the wrong room?"


    Jonathan smiled, his eyes were cold.


    "No, I just came to see you," Clover said with a smile.


    He reached out to pick up the flowers in the vase. Upon realizing his intentions, Jonathan immediately rushed over to block his hand regardless of his injuries


    His gestures of protecting the flowers made Clover think that he was protecting someone instead. He nced at the flowers in the vase.


    "A gift from your sweetheart?"


    It was unimaginable that the head of Finch Group had a sweetheart. He was Just joking, but Jonathan''s


    defensive eyes proved his guess. He raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    Jonathan didn''t like his thoughts to be spied on.


    He didn''t care who the other party was as he turned away coldly and said, "I don''t care about the cooperation between Finch Group and Lerain Group. You can keep your interest. You can go now.


    The implication was that they wouldn''t have any intersections in the future. Clover''s expressions slightly changed, but soon rxed. Noticing something under his pillow, he was a little startled. Then, he said with a smile, "Goodbye."


    He left as quickly as he came. Even though he only spotted a corner of the thing under his pillow, he knew what it was.


    After getting in the car, he changed his friendly smile as he said, "The entry reception for the design director of Young''s House of Jewels..."


    He shouldn''t have recognized it wrongly. The assistant was a little surprised.


    "Mr. Xanth, are you going to attend the reception which is in three days?"


    "Yes," Clover responded faintly.


    The assistant''s heart skipped a beat. The invitation was still on the table in the hotel. Fortunately, she didn''t throw it away when she left.


    Beforeing to the hospital, he was not interested in the reception. She wondered why his attitude suddenly changed. She nced in the direction of the hospital.


    She guessed that it must be rted to the one staying in the hospital. After leaving the hospital, Rose went directly to the branch of Young''s House of Jewels in Aquastead. However, as soon as she arrived, she heard amotion. A group of people gathered together, seemingly watching something exciting.


    She didn''t intend to join in the fun. However, a voice rang out from the crowd.


    "I''m Rose''s father. If you dare to stop me, aren''t you afraid of getting in trouble?"


    Rose halted her steps. The voice was Jamie''s. She paused for half a second. As she was about to continue walking forward, the voice came again.


    "Rosie... Rose..."


    The sound got closer and closer. Soon, Jamie ran in front of her, blocking her way.


    "Please leave here."


    Rose''s expressions were dark. She instinctively despised Jamie. However, he wouldn''t leave.


    He had only heard that Oliver adopted Rose as his granddaughter. He had always treated this as a rumor and didn''t believe it at all. It''s impossible that Rose would be rted to the Young family. Besides, Kelly also thought that it was a rumor. Hence, he didn''t take it seriously.


    However, since the news regarding the appointment came out yesterday, he suddenly realized that the rumors might be true. When did Rose get involved with Oliver? Young''s House of Jewels was the leader in the industry. Not only that, the Young family''s financial resources were that of a wealthy family in Regalia.


    Oliver had no descendants of his own, but he had an adopted daughter and several adopted grandchildren.


    Now that Rose had be one of the grandchildren, he wondered how much property she would get. He was a bit regretful that he broke up with Rose so early.


    He should keep pretending. After all, Rose had always been easy to fool. He was unwilling to pass by such great wealth. Hence, he came over to try his luck. "Rosie, I''m your father. Isn''t it bad for you to treat me like this?"


    He nced around, trying to use influence and public opinion to suppress her.


    "My father?" Rose said bluntly.


    How could she not know the purpose of Jamie''s appearance? Thinking that he had ckmailed her for a billion, it was a great honor to him that she didn''t p him in the face. She didn''t even want to consider his dignity.


    Seeing that Jamie still stared at her angrily, she immediately called the security guards, "Bring him out!"


    "Rose!"


    Jamie was furious. Soon, the security guards brought him out.


    In front of everyone, Rose told the security guards, "If you see him in the future, just blow him out. If he bothers you unreasonably, call the police directly and ask the police to deal with it." With that, she turned around and got into the elevator gracefully.


    While everyone was left eximing at the domineering demeanor of the new design director of Young''s House of Jewels, Jamie was cursing outside the building. "Rose, wait for me!"


    0


    .0

 Billionire 216

    The Opportunity She Wants


    Jamie was about to explode. Rose didn''t consider his dignity at all. However, he was unwilling to let go of the overwhelming wealth of the Young family.


    "Damn Rose!" He couldn''t help but curse again.


    He shouldn''t give up so quickly. He wanted to turn his mind to Celeste again. He felt that if Rose could give him 500 million for Celeste, she could agree to any other request he made for Celeste again. How was he going to threaten her? As he was thinking, a voice suddenly sounded behind him.


    "You''re cursing my sister!"


    The woman''s voice sounded angry. Jamie turned around and recognized her at a nce.


    "Ms. Young..."


    "Do you know me?" Anastasia was a bit surprised.


    Jamie instantly put on a ttering look on his face as he said, "Of course I know. Young''s House of Jewels is the leader in the jewelry industry. You and Mr. Young are both industry leaders. I''ve seen you in the media."


    Then, he took out his business card.


    "This is my business card."


    Anastasia took a look at the business card.


    "Lavier Jewels? Jamie Shaffer..."


    He turned out to be Kelly and Rose''s father. Lavier Jewels? She nced at Jamie meaningfully. She didn''t want him to know that she and Kelly knew each other. As for Rose...


    She deliberately pretended not to know about his rtionship with Rose.


    She frowned slightly and said, "Just now, I heard you cursing my sister If my Grandpa knows about it, Lavier Jewels might dere bankruptcy


    Jamies was stunned. He quickly realized that the "sister" she mentioned was Rose. Did Oliver favor Rose so much? What kind of delusion did she give to Oliver?


    It would be great if the person that Oliver took a fancy to was Kelly.


    As he thought, there was sincerity and fear on his face as he said, "Ms. Young, I''m not cursing Rosie. She''s my daughter. My love for her is not even enough. It''s just that she has some misunderstandings about me."


    "Misunderstandings?"


    Anastasia was quite curious.


    "Yes, but it''s all over. After all, she''s my daughter. I hope she''s all well. It doesn''t matter how much I''ve been wronged.


    He had not figured out how to make a "misunderstanding" as he said. However, pretending to be a loving father who had been wronged was enough to make people sympathize with him. Sure enough, Anastasiaforted him.


    "Since it''s just a misunderstanding, it''s good to resolve it. There''s no overnight feud for a father and a daughter."


    "But Rosie doesn''t want to see me.....


    "It''s okay. I''ll give you this..."


    Anastasia took out an invitation letter and handed it to Jamie. Looking at it, Jamie was stunned for a while before he reacted.


    "Rosie''s joining Young''s House of Jewels was a major event for the Young family. Grandpa also takes it seriously and especially holds an entry reception to celebrate. If there''s any misunderstanding between you and Rose, it''d be good for both of you if it can be resolved


    here."


    She looked sincere with her smile as if she was a sister who considered Rose


    wholeheartedly. Jamie didn''t react until the invitation letter was thrust into his hand.


    As Anastasia left, he wanted to thank her.


    "Ms. Young..."


    As soon as he spoke, Anastasia suddenly stopped, as if she remembered something.


    Then, she turned around and smiled at him as she said, "Don''t tell her I gave it to you. I don''t want her to have any burden."


    She simply didn''t want Rose to know that she was ying tricks.


    "Okay, I''ll not let her know."


    Jamie was extremely excited. Even though he possessed Lavier Jewels, the reception held by Young''s House of Jewels was beyond his reach.


    All the resources at the reception were considered money for him. Not only that, if he showed up at the reception as Rose''s father, everyone in the industry would admire him.


    He returned home happily with this in his mind. As soon as he got home, he asked Chelsea to prepare a suit for him to wear for the reception. He must be dressed up to attend the


    reception.


    Kelly had juste downstairs. She had been frustrated because of the entry reception. When she saw what Jamie was looking at carefully in his hand, she was startled.


    "What''s this?" she asked as she quickly walked to Jamie''s side.


    Looking at the words on the invitation letter, her eyes lit


    up.


    "Where do you get it from?"


    Thest time she was able to go to the Young family''s banquet was simply because of her rtionship with the Lane family. However, the Lane family had copsed. She couldn''t get help from Nixon. She thought about getting it through Anastasia. Nevertheless, thinking about what she nned to do at the reception, it''d be too deliberate to ask Anastasia for help,


    If Anastasia''s suspicion was aroused, the gain would outweigh the loss. Unexpectedly, Jamie got the invitation letter. Jamie told the story of how he got the invitation letter.


    Kelly was a little surprised, but soon she understood Anastasia''s intention.


    "I didn''t expect Ms. Young would be so kind." Jamie sighed.


    There was a sneer in Kelly''s eyes. Kind? She gave him the invitation letter just to use his hand. to cause trouble for Rose. If he could embarrass Rose at the reception, it would be more to her liking. Kelly didn''t mention it. She also hoped that Jamie would embarrass Rose at the reception. As for herself....


    "Dad, I want to go too. I also want to witness Rose''s glory,"


    She looked at Jamie coquettishly with a hint of envy. Jamie favored her coquettishness the most. He stared at her with deep affection.


    However, he suddenly said, "If Mr. Young Senior had picked you, you can also enjoy the glory.


    It''s a pity that it''s Rose....


    A hint of jealousy shed across Kelly''s eyes. Soon, her eyes lit up again.


    "It''s alright. I''m happy for Rose''s glory."


    Of course, it didn''t matter. Soon, if her identity as the only bloodline of the Young family was discovered, Rose would be nothing.


    It was just a pair of eyes that Oliver took a fancy to, a substitute for his longing for his daughter. What could she be? Not only Rose, but even Anastasia couldn''tpare to


    her.


    She was the real heiress to the Young family. As she thought about it, her blood boiled in her


    heart.


    Thinking of the method Angelica told her, everything was ready now. She just needed an opportunity for Oliver to find out. Rose''s entry reception was the best opportunity. "Dad, can you take me with you?" she asked again after not getting a positive answer from


    Jamie.


    Jamie couldn''t refuse her request.


    "Okay."


    "That''s great. Dad is the best to me."


    Kelly put her arms around Jamie''s neck with satisfaction and gave him a big hug. Three days passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, the day of the entry reception arrived.

 Billionire 217

    Still the Decisive Him


    The reception was scheduled to be held in a vi owned by the Young family in the city. It was the first time Rose came here.


    As the biggest protagonist of the reception, Oliver specially arranged a team to be responsible for her makeup.


    Her dress today was a limited edition of an international high-end luxury brand, and the jewelry that went with it was all specially selected by Oliver from the Young family''s collection in Regalia. Rose looked at the sets of jewelry, which were all antique-level collections.


    "This is too valuable


    She could tell the value of those jewels with just a nce. There were two sets with indescribable values.


    If it got damaged when she wore it, or if something went wrong, she wouldn''t be able to afford thepensation even if she sold herself. Miles couldn''t help but smile when he saw her careful expression. "Grandpa said these sets of jewelry are all gifts for your employment. Even if they are damaged, it''s not a big deal.¡±


    Not a big deal? How could something so valuable be damaged? Gifts for her employment? Wouldn''t it be too generous?


    "Miles, don''t be joking. I can''t afford such an entry gift. You''d better keep it and don''t drop it."


    She waved her hand and asked the staff to put the jewelry sets away. It would be more appropriate for her to wear ordinary jewelry. However, without Mile''s approval, no one took. any action. Seeing her persistence, Miles changed his approach.


    "Grandpa also wants to take advantage of today to show off his collection. You won''t let him down, right?"


    How could she let him down? She frowned in distress. If Oliver wanted to show off, she would


    naturally satisfy him. In the end, she chose the most low-key diamond ne to match her evening dress.


    "How about the rings?"


    Miles took a look at her empty hands. Among the jewelry sent, there were two rings, both of which were rare treasures that Oliver had taken from abroad. They were all worthy of Rose''s dress tonight. However, Rose shook her head.


    "There''s no need for the ring."


    Then, she took out the diamond ring given by her star escort husband, putting it on her hand and raising it with satisfaction.


    "I''ll wear this."


    Miles recognized this ring. It was the one taken by Jonathan at the National Jewelry Design Award. He gave it to Rose.


    Rose''s expression as she touched the ring was like a woman in love thinking about her significant one. He wondered if she had epted Jonathan.


    His eyes trembled slightly. His heart seemed to be blocked by something, and there was a faint pa¨ªn. Meanwhile, Rose was thinking about her star escort husband.


    After she sent him the invitation letter that day, she didn''t mention the reception today. However, he had been discharged from the hospital, so he shoulde. She was full of expectations.


    She was even thinking about how to introduce him to Oliver. Outside the vi, one luxury car after another stopped. One after another the big shots in Aquastead and Regalia got out of


    the car.


    Not far away, an ordinary car parked on the side of the road, looking out of ce with the luxury cars passing by. In the car, Jonathan was wearing a neat suit.


    In the driver''s seat, Finley asionally nced at him through the rearview mirror


    Their car had been parked here for half an hour, from dawn to dusk, but it seemed that he hadn''t decided whether to go in or not. Jonathan sometimes frowned, sometimes sighed.


    He had never been so nervous even when facing a big asion. However, he couldn''t decide for a long time because of the entry reception today.


    Finley wondered if he was still the decisive Mr. Finch he knew.


    "Mr. Finch, how about we go back?"


    He finally couldn''t stand it anymore and made a cautious suggestion. As soon as he finished. speaking, he received a cold nce from Jonathan. What a bad idea going back. If he didn''t show up, Rose would be disappointed. He didn''t want to let her down. Finley swallowed. It seemed that he guessed his thoughts wrongly.


    Taking a deep breath, he felt confident as he said bravely, "Mr. Finch, let''s get out of the car."


    With that, he got out of the car and opened the door for Jonathan thoughtfully.


    "Mr. Finch..."


    He


    put his hand on the top of the car door as if he was a considerate assistant. Once again, Jonathan gave him a cold look.


    "Do you think no one will recognize me if I go in like this?"


    "Yes," Finley replied.


    Not only that, everyone might surround him and try to appease him throughmunication. He wouldn''t even need to tell Rose his identity, and those people would mention it. "What should we do?"


    They were in a dilemma. Jonathan frowned. It was the first time he felt that the identity of Mr. Finch was a shackle. Just as he was in a dilemma, a luxury car drove past his car. In the luxury car, Clover recognized Jonathan with just a nce. However, the car he was in


    "Is that car thetest model from any brand? The design is rather simple," he said with a -smile.


    The assistant on the side looked through the rearview mirror and saw the car he was talking about.


    "Mr. Xanth, the brand of that car focuses on cost-effectiveness and pragmatism."


    "Ha..."


    Clover understood her meaning-it was an affordable, ordinary car.


    "With such a big business in the Finches, it''s interesting that the dignified Mr. Finch has taken a practical route."


    Clover became more and more interested. There was no major work matter as he came to Aquastead this time. Since it was his private schedule, he would rather have some fun. The gossip about Jonathan would only make him want to have more fun. While thinking, the car stopped outside the vi. After getting out of the car, he went directly into the vi. From a distance, Anastasia noticed him. She was surprised as she saw him since she didn''t expect him toe to Rose''s entry reception.


    She had made appointments with him so many times, but he didn''t even pay attention once. It was obvious that he was not interested in the Young family. Now that he was here... She didn''t have time to think too much. This man had what she wanted. Since he was here,


    he had given her an opportunity, and she must seize it.


    "Mr. Xanth," She walked up and stretched out her hand, intending to shake hands with him, "


    wee. I''m Anastasia. It''s great that you''re here."


    She greeted him warmly, but Clover had no intentions to shake hands with her.


    "Anastasia?"


    He was not familiar with this name, or even not interested in it. Moreover, he didn''t hide his feelings at all.


    He originally had his hands outside. Upon seeing Anastasia want to shake hands, he put his hands in his pockets. For a moment, Anastasia was extremely embarrassed.

 Billionire 218

    Who Are You Here For


    If it were anyone else, Anastasia would have been angry. However, even if she was embarrassed, she had to greet him with a smile.


    "Yes, I''m the heiress to the Young family. My grandfather..."


    She didn''t take back her hand but continued to introduce herself.


    It was as if she thought as long as Clover knew she was the heiress to the Young family, he would have to show respect even if he was the CEO of Lerain Group.


    However, before she finished speaking, Clover said, "You''re brought back from an orphanage. Howe you''re the heiress of the Young family?"


    The female assistant on the side was also speechless. Clover was always so venomous when he got into the mood. If it weren''t for Lerain Group''s backing, he would have been beaten to death long ago.


    Upon seeing that Anastasia seemed to lose control due to embarrassment, the female assistant said, "Ms. Young, I''m sorry. Mr. Xanth is in a bad mood today. Please don''t mind


    Clover gave her a cold look. Who said he was not in a good mood today? He was in a very good mood. However, his eyes shed upon seeing the smile on the female assistant''s face.


    He didn''t say anything as he bypassed Anastasia, totally ignoring her. Anastasia was left. clenching her fists.


    The female assistant sensed her displeasure and apologized again before catching up with Clover.


    "Mr. Xanth, the Young family is the master of the house today. What you did just now is not good," the female assistant reminded kindly with a smile on her face.


    "I''m not here for the Young family," Clover said nonchntly.


    He didn''t care about the Finch family, let alone the Young family.


    "Then who are you here for?" the female assistant asked.


    Clover didn''t answer. The female assistant suddenly thought of Jonathan. Could it be him? Clover seemed to have mentioned that Jonathan was an interesting person. She looked at Clover in disbelief. The evil suspicion in her mind could not be shaken off. Meanwhile, Anastasia was once again ignored by Clover, but she didn''t give up.


    For the sake of the red diamond, she kept an eye on Clover from a distance, ready to approach again at any time. At this time, Rose was upstairs. Miles had gone downstairs to greet the guests.


    Standing by the window, Rose was surprised to see a figure downstairs. Then, she carefully avoided everyone''s sight and went downstairs behind the man.


    "Maya hasn''t harassed you anymore, has she?"


    The person who came was Howard. Oliver said that today''s reception only invited people


    from the industry. She didn''t expect that the Chambers family would alsoe.


    As Howard turned and saw Rose, a hint of surprise shed across his eyes.


    "Maya? Oh, that day..."


    He wanted to say that he saw her kick Maya into the pool that day, but he suddenly realized that he had seen that scene secretly. To avoid revealing his secret, he changed his story. "I haven''t seen her since that day in the hospital.


    Rose was surprised. Maya fell in love with Howard, or maybe she fell in love with his status. How could she give up so easily? This was not the usual her.


    It seemed that she hadn''t seen her for a while. For the two of them, Maya was not important. Hence, they soon forgot about her. Rose discovered that Howard had his ears pierced. He wore the earrings she gave himst time. He was already very handsome, but now he looked even mor


    unruly. Rose was about to praise her when she heard Miles''s voice.


    "Rosie, the reception is about to begin."


    Miles was wearing a white suit today, which made him look even more elegant. Upon seeing Howard, he nodded politely. When he turned to look at Rose, his eyes became gentler. "Grandpa has already gone downstairs. Let''s go there too."


    Then, he gestured to her to take his arm. On today''s asion, she was the granddaughter of the Young family, while Miles was his brother.


    Hence, she didn''t shy away. When she took Miles''s arm and turned around, she told Howard, Let''s go."


    Howard nced at Miles and replied with a smile, "I''ll stay for a while."


    Looking at the backs of Miles and Rose, he shrugged. At the Chambers Residence that day, those people embarrassed Rose. He vaguely knew the reason even though they didn''t mention it. They thought Rose and Miles had a close rtionship and were worried that she would block the way of Madeline and Miles. From his perspective, that was not the case.


    Rose was above board with Miles, but Miles... His gentle eyes could tell that he was not


    Innocent.


    "It seems that it''s just a daydream that my


    murmured, habitually raising his handsister wants to get together with Miles," he


    touch the earrings on his ears.


    Suddenly, he seemed to remember something. Earlier, he noticed that Rose was still wearing the same red diamond on his hand. Rose''s husband... Would her husbande to such an


    asion?


    He originally wanted to hide in peace, but a sudden curiosity surged in his heart. Without wasting a moment, he strode toward the grand ce.


    At the reception, Miles was pushing Oliver in the wheelchair, while Rose was standing beside Oliver. Countless people around came forward to toast.


    "Mr. Young Senior is so lucky to have such a beautiful granddaughter and such talent


    "I still remember the two champion works in the National Jewelry Design Award. Young''s House of Jewels has such a powerful design director... Mr. Young Senior has a good vision." Almost everyone who came up to offer a toast was filled withpliments. They praised Oliver and also the newly appointed design director of Young''s House of Jewels.


    They knew in their hearts that Oliver asking her to take over this position meant more than just the position itself.


    The Young family had a great business, and they heard that Oliver was not in good health. If he passed away, there would definitely be a battle for power.


    No one could tell what role this new design director would y and what position she would appear in. Even if they could get a part of the property of the Young family, it''s enough for them to fawn over Oliver. Surrounded by the crowd, Rose smiled brightly and gracefully. Her eyes were looking at the door as if waiting for someone to arrive. However, after a long time, she didn''t see that figure.


    A trace of disappointment gradually appeared in her smile. She didn''t even notice that her hand was caressing the red diamond on her finger. Nevertheless, her actions fell into Clover''s


    eyes.


    As sharp as he was, he captured something in an instant.


    "I heard that the Finch family got a red diamond not long ago."


    He mentioned it seemingly identally.


    The female assistant replied, "Yes. The red diamond is extremely rare. It''s bigger than yours."


    She also noticed the ring on Rose''s hand. Could that ring be the one belonging to the Finch family? This guess made her take another look at Rose.


    Suddenly, Clover seemed to remember something as he said, "You said before that someone


    wanted to buy my red diamond at a high price. Who is it?"

 Billionire 219

    Sold to Her


    As he asked, he thought of another person. At the same time, his eyes caught hers. It was. Anastasia.


    "Yes, that person is in Aquastead. Judging from the emails, that person is very sincere in purchasing. It''s a pity..."


    She wanted to say it''s a pity that Clover wouldn''t sell it. Before she could finish speaking, Clover had walked toward Anastasia who was in the crowd not far away.


    The Young family was the master of the house today. Miles and Rose were standing next to Oliver and being surrounded by people. However, Anastas


    was like a spectator.


    The look in her eyes was not very friendly.


    "You envy Ms. Shaffer."


    His voice suddenly sounded next to Anastasia. Perhaps because she was too focused, she didn''t discover Clover.


    "Envy? Rosie is Grandpa''s granddaughter. What''s there to be envious of?"


    Anastasia didn''t want her thoughts to be seen through. However, she ignored the fact that the person she was facing was Clover.


    Although there were few rumors about him, he''s the head of Lerain Group. He wasn''t an ordinary person. Clover just looked at her with a smile. In just a few seconds, she felt guilty.


    She looked at Rose as she deliberately concealed the jealousy and said, "I''m indeed envious. When I entered Young''s House of Jewels, there was no such grand scene for me However, she had a design talent and should be valued by Grandpa."


    Her tone was sincere as if she wholeheartedly admired Rose. Clover smiled disapprovingly. Anastasia didn''t tell the truthpletely. The sincerity she showed was not enough to


    convince him.


    However, he didn''t have much interest in her. What interested him was whether the person who wanted to buy the red diamond in his hand was Anastasia.


    "I heard from my assistant that you have made appointments with me several times. Is there anything important?" He got straight to the point


    Anastasia didn''t expect that he would take the initiative to bring it up. It was not an easy opportunity, Thinking of his disdain for her just now, she immediately seized the opportunity to show her sincerity. "Mr. Xanth, I heard that you have a tog-grade red diamond. I want to buy it at a high price. I don''t know if you can agree with it."


    She observed his reaction. Upon seeing him frown, she continued, "Mr. Xanth, as long as you''re willing to sell it, I will ept any price."


    "Do you think I''m short of money?" Clover said faintly.


    "Of course, you''re not short of money." Anastasia had already thought of her words. "Mr. Xanth, you know that the Young family started by making jewelry. Grandpa''s birthday ising soon. He has seen too many valuable things, and I want to give him a gift. I need a red diamond to embellish it..." X


    She looked at Oliver like a filial granddaughter. She was using Oliver and family ties as excuses. Clover simply smiled without saying anything.


    Suddenly, he said, "Alright."


    Anastasia was startled as if she didn''t get what he meant.


    She immediately confirmed, "Mr. Xanth, do you agree to sell it to me?"


    "Yes," Clover replied faintly.


    Anastasia was overjoyed. With his attitude toward her just now, she thought he would not sell the red diamond to her. Even if there was a slight possibility, she needed some effort to persuade him. Unexpectedly, he agreed to sell it to her so easily. That was great.


    "Thank you, Mr. Xanth."


    She was excited. Clover cast a nce at her. His eyes then wandered around the reception, as if he was looking for someone.


    "You''re wee. You said it was a high price. I hope you don''t worry about the money."


    He left these words before walking away.


    After returning to the female assistant, she asked, "Are you selling it to her?"


    Anastasia was half a circle away from where they were standing. She shouldn''t have heard the conversation between them. He nced at her.


    "Why? You''re not short of money."


    The female assistant took a sip of wine. At this time, she didn''t talk to him like an assistant, b?t like someone who could stand beside him. Clover always knew that she was smart. "What do you think?" he asked.


    The female assistant was speechless. How could she guess his thoughts? Even if she could guess it, she didn''t want to bother guessing.


    Instead of guessing what he wanted to do, it''s better to look at the beauty on the scene. Looking at tonight''s heroine, her eyes were filled with admiration.


    She hadn''t seen such a bright and majestic-looking woman for a long time. If she were a man, she would be tempted by her. Just then, a middle-aged man''s voice sounded.


    "Rosie!"


    This sound immediately attracted everyone''s attention as they looked over. The moment Rose heard the voice, she couldn''t help but frown. Her body became tense. She turned around and saw Jamie.


    He was specially dressed very grandly today. With so many people''s eyes on him, he felt like he was the center of attraction. He was Rose''s father, so he should be the center of attraction. With this in mind, he raised his chin and walked toward Rose with his chest raised.


    "Rosie, congrattions."


    Although he was congratting her, there was no sincerity within his heart. Rose was instinctively disgusted to see him.


    "Why are you here?"


    Jamie was slightly startled. Rose didn''t want to wee or introduce him in public. However, he had to achieve his purpose ofing tonight.


    Suppressing his displeasure, he wore a smile on his face as he said, "Today is your entry reception. As a father, of course, I have toe to congratte you in person."


    Was he congratting her but not causing trouble to her? He had never had any reelings for


    her.


    As Rose was about to ask him to leave, Oliver suddenly said, "Are you Rosie''s father?" Realizing that Oliver had noticed him, Jamie became excited.


    "Yes, I''m Rosie''s father. My name is Jamie. Rose must have troubled you," he hurriedly


    introduced himself.


    "Fine."


    Oliver nodded slightly. Even though he was old, his eyes were extremely sharp.


    "Rose has never mentioned having a father like you," he said calmly.


    His aura as a superior was frightening. Jamie''s heart skipped a beat.


    He hurriedly exined, "Rosie probably didn''t want to cause trouble to the Young family, so she kept a distance from me. Mr. Young Senior, don''t worry, Rose''s sensible, and so are we.


    Today is a big day for Rosie, that''s why I wanted toe and congratte..."


    He didn''t dare to go against Oliver. If he was provoked, he would get involved in trouble.


    He only wanted the people present to know that he was Rose''s father, which would bring him many benefits afterward.


    However, Oliver asked again, "Did Rosie ask you toe?"


    BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free four you

 Billionire 220

    Apologize to Her in Public


    Jamie was stunned for a moment. As Rose was staring at him, he didn''t dare to lie.


    "No.. no."


    "Then who asked you toe?" Oliver raised his tone slightly.


    At the same time, he nced in a certain direction. His sight made Anastasia''s heart tremble, fearing that he would reveal her.


    T


    He didn''t dare to say Anastasia''s name, so he could only look at Rose for help. "Rosie


    He hoped that Rose could give him a step-down. He believed that as long as Rose spoke, Oliver wouldn''t be aggressive toward him. Instead, he would even show respect toward him. Rose furrowed her brows. She didn''t want to ruin the atmosphere of the reception. However, she knew what Jamie had in mind. She couldn''t let him use the name of the Young family to y tricks in the future. She raised his wine ss and smiled at the people present.


    "I''m sorry. Although myst name is Shaffer, I have nothing to do with Mr. Jamie. Maybe I''m not obedient, so he dislikes me. A few months ago, he drove me out of the Shaffer family.) She was not afraid that these things would make her embarrassed.


    Public opinion was directed toward those who had the right to speak. She was grateful to the Young family for giving her the right to speak. Sure enough, everyone present couldn''t help but whisper. "Ms. Shaffer can be respected by Mr. Young Senior. How can she be an ignorant person?"


    "That''s right. Ms. Shaffer is pretty and kind. Is there something hidden inside?"


    Those present were all big shots in the industry from Aquastead. Some of them even came from Regalia. They didn''t know much about Jamie.


    As these words fell into Jamie''s ears, his expression changed instantly.


    "Rosie, there was some misunderstanding about what happened before."


    He was extremely angry, but the Young family was the master in the house today, and Rose was the protagonist. He could only appease Rose if he wanted to get some benefits. Cursing Rose several times in his heart, he still wore a smile on his face,


    "What happened after that is in the past. I just took this opportunity today to apologize to you


    While talking, he took a ss of wine from the waiter and continued, "Rosie, please forgive what I did before. There''s no overnight feud between a father and a daughter, right? I''ll drink first." He raised his head and gulped down the wine. Rose didn''t expect that he would apologize to her for fawning over the Young family.


    He had been so indifferent to her. In the end, he was aiming for the benefits. She didn''t care about him kicking her out, or she didn''t care about his indifference to her over the years.


    However, he threatened her with Celestest time... Thinking of that incident, she couldn''t hold back her breath.


    After drinking three drinks in session, Jamie looked at her with a smile on his face, as if he was waiting for her to speak and put aside her past grudges with him.


    Everyone also thought they would see a scene of reconciliation between father and daughter. However, Rose suddenly said, "May I know what your apology is for?"


    Jamie was startled. He couldn''t react for a while. Then, she heard Rose''s voice again.


    "Is it because you emptied thepany my mother left behind and left me a mess? Besides, you took the money you obtained and started a newpany? Or is it because you use my mother to threaten me and ask me to give you 500 million?"


    Her tone was calm, but what she said shocked everyone. For a moment, everyone looked at Jamie with disdain. Oliver''s face also darkened.


    "How did he threaten you with your mother?"


    He was angry. It was fate that Rose''s mother and his daughter had the same birthday. When her mother was involved, he naturally wanted to ask clearly. Rose smiled faintly. "He''s just telling me that if I don''t give him 500 million, he''ll attack my mother''s cemetery


    "It''s so shameless. Even the dead people are not spared."


    "Ms. Shaffer, in my opinion, you can''t ept an apology from such a person."


    "Mr. Shaffer, if I were you, I would have no shame to see my daughter."


    The people present knew how to use various tricks, but they still sneered at Jamie''s actions. Jamie''s face was gloomy. If it was in the past, he would have pped Rose on the face. However, with so many people, he wouldn''t be able to gain anything by taking action.


    "Someone please kick him out!"


    Oliver couldn''t bear it anymore.


    Thinking of something, he frowned as he said, "He founded a newpany? What''s the name? Check it out for me


    The implication was that he was going to cklist thepany. Jamie''s heart trembled.


    He subconsciously wanted to beg for mercy. However, the security soon came up and dragged him out of the vi.


    "Damn Rose!"


    He was extremely angry. He never expected that she would not show respect to him. If he had known this, he shouldn''t have apologized with good intentions but ruined her reception. Once he ruined her reputation, she wouldn''t be able to stay in the industry. However, he couldn''t even enter the vi now.


    "Kelly..."


    He thought of Kelly who came with him tonight and realized that she had not been seen since they entered the vi together. He was kicked out. Would she be targeted as well? Thinking of this, he immediately took out his phone and dialed her number. At this moment, Kelly was in the washroom.


    After entering the vi, she hadn''t shown up. She couldn''t let Rose be defensive after seeing her, which would not be conducive to what she was going to do tonight.


    As she saw Jamie''s call, she reluctantly picked it up. Jamie''s urgent voice came through on the other end.


    "Kelly, where are you? I''ve been kicked out. You should find a chance toe out quickly. That ungrateful Rose won''t even show respect to me. If she does anything to you..." Whom he felt sorry for the most was Kelly.


    "Kicked out?"


    Kelly was surprised. She secretly thought that Jamie couldn''t even cause trouble. However, when she thought of something, her eyes gleamed slightly.


    The corner of her mouth raised a smile as she said, "Dad, you''ve been wronged. She dared to kick you out today. In a short while, I''ll have a way to ask her to invite in."


    you


    She didn''t want to vent her anger on Jamie, but rather she wanted to see Rose deted. Jamie didn''t take her words to heart. After all, Rose''s current status was notpatible with before. Thinking that Lavier Jewels would be targeted, he was still unwilling to give in.


    "Kelly, I''m sorry for you. I shouldn''t havee tonight. Not to mention being kicked out, I''m


    afraid I won''t be able to keep Lavier Jewels."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It seems Mr. Young Senior wants to deal with Lavier Jewel


    Upon hearing his reason, Kelly sneered.


    She didn''t take it seriously as she said, "Dad, don''t worry. He''ll be reluctant to deal with Lavier Jewels. Not only that, he might have to butter us up."

 Billionire 221

    Reluctant


    Not only that, she could let Oliver destroy Celeste Jewels. Thinking of this, Kelly was extremely excited. Afterforting Jamie for a while, she hung up the phone.


    As she walked out of the washroom, she heard the bustle of the reception. After a while, she heard Miles''s voice.


    "Grandpa, go to your room and rest for a while. I''ll take care of Rosie."


    "I''m old, and my body... Miles, I always feel that Rose is like your aunt. You must take good care of her for me and don''t let her be bullied," Oliver specifically told Miles.


    of love. The care he


    When he mentioned Rose, his tone was much softer, obviously full mentioned was not just the care tonight. Miles understood his meaning. He promised again, "Grandpa, don''t worry. I''ll take good care of her." "Okay. I feel at ease if you''re by her side."


    Oliver sighed.


    After a moment of silence, he added, "I n to give Young''s House of Jewels to Rosie..."


    Kelly couldn''t quite hear what he saidter. However, his words still echoed in her mind. He nned to give Young''s House of Jewels to Rose.


    Young''s House of Jewels was of great significance to the Young family, how could it be given to Rose. It should belong to her. She seemed to regard herself as the heiress to the Young family.


    Upon seeing Oliver go upstairs, she couldn''t wait any longer. After Miles sent Oliver to the door, he went downstairs and returned to the reception. Kelly avoided everyone and cautiously went upstairs.


    At the reception, Rose was surrounded by guests, chatting about design and jewelry. Many people were trying to be a social climber.


    Oliver was already tired and went upstairs to rest. However, her star escort husband hadn''t shown up yet. Rose was disappointed. She took the ring from her hand without leaving a trace. "The person you''re waiting for is noting?"


    Howard found an opportunity to tease Rose while there was no one around. Her thoughts were seen through, but she refused to admit it.


    "Who said I''m waiting for someone?


    "Aren''t you?"


    14


    Howard didn''t believe it at all.


    He nced at her hand and added, "You even took off the ring. I think your husband is not very good. He has let you down twice. Why don''t you return the ring to him and get a divorce?" Divorce? Her marriage to her star escort husband was an agreement.


    She thought about what her star escort husband said that night. She didn''t take it seriously at the time, but she didn''t realize that she had remembered it in her heart. "You''re reluctant?" Howard guessed based on her reaction.


    Rose frowned and red at him fiercely. Howard raised his eyebrows and smiled.


    *You see..."


    He crossed his arms and leaned against her.


    Then, he nced around at the people at the reception and asked, "Are there any of the young and handsome people here today?"


    "Yes."


    "Are there any talented people?"


    "Yes. So what?"


    Rose didn''t understand what he wanted to say. Howard''s eyes suddenly locked on one person.


    "Look, the man in the suit over there, the one with a capable beauty next to him..."


    He pointed in a direction with the hand holding the wine ss. He didn''t know that the person he was referring to was Clover. Rose followed his hand and looked over.


    "There''re so many people here, just pick anyone. I believe they''ll all admire you. Why do you bother worrying about that guy?"


    Rose understood what he meant. She slowly retracted her gaze and stared at him. After a moment of shock, her eyes suddenly filled with a hint of disgust.


    "What''s your gaze?" Howard asked. "I''m talking about them. Don''t get me wrong, I have no intention of rmending myself."


    He seemed to be afraid that she would misunderstand something, so he immediately exined. However, Rose didn''t think about what he thought.


    He was the heir to the Chambers family, he wouldn''t have any thoughts about a married woman like her. It''s just that...


    "Do you know?" Rose suddenly said with a peculiar look in her eyes.


    Her pause whetted Howard''s curiosity.


    "What?" he asked expectantly.


    "You look like a pimp."


    Howard''s mouth trembled. Seeing the ridicule in Rose''s eyes, he was about to speak when a voice came from behind him. At the same time, Rose''s expression changed instantly. "Ms. Shaffer, someone wants to see you."


    The visitor was none other than Finley. The moment she saw Finley, a lot of things shed through her mind. If Finley was here, was her star escort husband also here?


    She believed that the person Finley was talking about was her star escort husband. Since he was here, why didn''t hee to her instead of asking Finley toe? Could it be that something happened? She suddenly became anxious. She had to admit that she was worried about him after all.


    "Who are you?" Howard asked as he saw Finley.


    He was about to protest that this person interrupted their conversation, Rose said, "Take me there quickly."


    She looked anxious.


    "Ms. Shaffer, please..."


    Finley walked in front. Rose didn''t waste a moment and followed him. As the protagonist of the reception, her every move attracted widespread attention.


    Everyone''s eyes followed her, some even followed behind her.


    "That man looks like


    Not far away, Clover, who was waiting to watch the scene, looked at Rose and the man walking in front of her.


    Before he finished speaking, the female assistant beside him said, "The assistant next to Mr. Finch... No, he''s a bodyguard, the leader of the Azure n of the Finches. His name is Finley."


    When their car passed by Jonathan''s car just now, they saw him and Finley. Clover had been waiting for Jonathan toe to the reception.


    However, the reception wasing to an end, and he didn''t enter even though he had arrived. He almost thought he had left temporarily because of something.


    Unexpectedly, his bodyguard hade and taken away the protagonist of today''s reception.


    "Interesting."


    His intuition told him that Jonathan came to this reception just for the new design director of Young''s House of Jewels. However, he came but didn''t enter. What was he afraid of? Upon seeing that some of the guests followed the direction Rose left, he couldn''t hold himself


    anymore.


    The female assistant on the side looked confused. It seemed Clover was particrly interested in Jonathan''s affairs.


    At this time, Rose didn''t know that someone was following her. She was only thinking about whether something happened to her star escort husband.


    She was so anxious that she almost fell while stepping on her high heels. Fortunately, Finley noticed it in time and stretched out his arm. Rose quickly grabbed it.


    After she calmed down from the shock, a car stopped in front of her. She looked up and saw the handsome face of her star escort husband through the lowered car window.


    D

 Billionire 222

    No Intention to Kiss You


    "Get in the car," her star escort husband said.


    Finley immediately opened the car door, and Rose quickly got into the passenger seat. As soon as the door was closed, the car sped away


    Even though the car was driving fast, Clover could recognize that it was the car owned by


    Jonathan. He wasn''t the only one to see it. Everyone who came here out of curiosity also saw


    1. it.


    "Who''s the person in the car just now?"


    "The car''s going too fast. I didn''t see him clearly, but that person... I seemed to know him."


    Someone looked at Finley, who was still on the roadside.


    "He seems to be the leader of the Azure n of the Finches.


    "The leader of the Azure n? The leader of the Azure n of the Finches has always been the person in power who personally protects Finch Group. Since he''s here, the man in the car Just now. "Mr. Finch..."


    It must be Mr. Finch. However, why did he drive such an ordinary car? He even took away Rose, the new design director of Young''s House of Jewels. What''s their rtionship?


    As the gossip involved Mr. Finch, everyone became more curious. They didn''t know the rtionship between Rose and Jonathan, but Anastasia knew it very clearly.


    Right now, she was standing in an unnoticed corner behind the crowd. Herce was frighteningly gloomy. She expected that Jonathan wouldn''t appear publicly on such an asion.


    However, she had taken Rose away, which made her crazy with jealousy. It would be great if she was the one being taken away. As she thought about it, she felt that Rose was a huge obstacle. After taking a look at Clover, a smile appeared on her face. She had to get the red diamond as soon as possible. Once she got the chance, she would give Rose a fatal blow.


    After sending Oliver back, Miles also saw Rose leaving. He concealed his disappointment and continued to greet the guests.


    At this time, on the second floor, the door to Oliver''s room was slightly open. After sending him to the room, Patrick was going to get medicine for him.


    As soon as he went out, he saw a young woman lying at the door. Her face was pale and her eyes were closed tightly. She seemed to have fainted. #15 BONUS


    Patrick thought she was a guest at today''s reception. He immediately called someone out of fear that something might happen. Themotion rmed Oliver in the room. He pushed his wheelchair out and asked, "What''s going on?"


    "Mr. Young Senior, thisdy fainted," Patrick reported.


    He didn''t want this incident to affect Oliver''s rest. When he was about to send him back to the room, Oliver stared at the woman lying on the ground with shock in his eyes. "Quick, call the doctor to see what''s wrong with her," he said anxiously.


    Patrick noticed his unusual attitude and immediately called the doctor. At the same time, he arranged for someone to help the youngdy to the guest room.


    Before the doctor came, Kelly woke up slowly. When she opened her eyes, she saw a solemn face. She pretended to be shocked and shrank back. Oliver''s face finally rxed. He stared at her and asked calmly, "How did you faint?"


    Kelly had been fully prepared to face Oliver. She wanted him to discover her and trust her at the same time. Hence, she couldn''t act too hastily.


    "I... I was curious about my sister''s new home, so I wanted to look around. However, I suddenly felt dizzy. Then, I didn''t know what happened after that."


    Her eyes were full of sincerity. She had always been good at acting, and she always acted as an innocent person. She wanted to make it look like she had passed out from low blood


    sugar.


    She even put on pale makeup in an attempt to hide it from the truth.


    "Sister?" Oliver frowned.


    Kelly instantly exined, "My sister is Rose. Today is her entry reception. I met you just now. You''re my sister''s grandfather, right?" "Yes, I''m her grandfather."


    Oliver''s eyes became softer when he mentioned Rose. When he looked at Kelly, the softness. in his eyes was full of exploration.


    "I didn''t expect that you and Rosie are sisters."


    Kelly knew that she couldn''t hide her rtionship with Rose. Therefore, she might as well


    take the initiative and at least tell Oliver something before Rose.


    Rose and I are not biological sisters. I was adopted by my mother from an orphanage. Later, my mother married Rose''s father


    2:4


    She knew that Chelsea couldn''t pretend to be Oliver''s daughter. Hence, she could only draw a clear line with her.


    Not only that, she had even spent money to ask the orphanage to make fake documents. Even if Oliver investigated, there would be no surprises. "Orphanage..."


    Oliver frowned. He thought of the pattern he saw on her back just now. While lying on the ground just now, her clothes on her back were pulled up and revealed the pattern.


    He saw it, but since she was a girl, he only took a nce at it. After that, the servant came up and carried her into the guest room. After tidying her clothes, the pattern was covered.


    He wanted to confirm the pattern again, but after all men and women were different. Hence,


    he couldn''t make excessive demands.


    "If you like it here, stay here tonight," he said.


    With that, he motioned to Patrick to push his wheelchair away. Kelly thought he was going to continue asking, but she didn''t expect him to leave.


    It was obvious that she had deliberately exposed the tattoo, and Oliver''s reaction seemed he was full of interest in her. Why did he leave? She couldn''t figure it out.


    Nevertheless, she told herself again not to rush things. At least Oliver asked her to stay. She still had many opportunities to show the simrities between herself and his daughter.


    As for Rose... She would give her some time to get over the addiction as the heiress to the Young family. At this time, Rose had no idea what Kelly was thinking.


    After getting into her star escort husband''s car, the car sped away. She subconsciously reached out and touched the wound on his chest.


    It wasn''t until she was sure that the wound was nothing serious that she breathed a sigh of


    relief.


    "Are


    you caring about me?"


    Jonathan was satisfied with her concern. Rose was slightly stunned.


    "Who cares about you?"


    As she rxed, she said with a hint of coquettishness in her tone. She had given him the invitation letter, and he hade. Why didn''t he go in to find her? She had nned to Introduce him to Oliver. Thinking of this, she felt inexplicably unhappy. Until the car stopped, she didn''t say a word to him. She looked out the window angrily, as if she wouldn''t forgive him.


    As the car suddenly stopped, Jonathan''s body suddenly pressed over her, making her heart.


    tremble.


    "What are you doing?" she asked subconsciously as she covered her mouth.


    Her actions made Jonathan smile as he said, "Don''t worry, I don''t mean to kiss you."


    D

 Billionire 223

    He Is Scared


    Rose was stunned for a moment. Then, her face turned red.


    The handsome face of her star escort husband was very close at hand. Under his narrow gaze, her actions of covering her mouth looked particrly dishonest.


    She coughed lightly and took her hand away.


    She straightened up and said, "Then why do you suddenly lean over?"


    Looking at her bright red lips, Jonathan''s heart was filled with excitement. He couldn''t help but kiss her.


    "Hmm..."


    Rose''s eyes widened in shock. As her mind went nk for a moment, she suddenly realized that he was kissing her. However, he clearly said just now that he didn''t mean to kiss her.


    She forgot to close her eyes, looking at his handsome face with concentration. His face would cause a disaster. Just as she thought this, a big palm covered her eyes.


    She was slightly startled. The next moment, Jonathan finally let go of her and buried his head on her shoulder.


    "You..."


    "You..."


    In the weird atmosphere, the two of them suddenly spoke at the same time.


    Jonathanughed as he said, "You say it first."


    "You clearly said that you didn''t want to kiss..."


    Rose was about to say it, but she suddenly realized that if the topic continued, it would only be more embarrassing. She immediately changed the topic. "Why didn''t youe?"


    Jonathan knew that she was referring to the entry reception. Why didn''t he go?


    His eyes darkened slightly as he said, "I want to go in, but I''m afraid..."


    "Afraid?"


    Rose naturally thought that he was afraid of such an asion. After all, the Young family only invited prominent figures in the industry.


    Although he was a rtive of the Finch family, he worked as a host in a bar. He must have seen too many upper-ss people''s attitudes in making up to someone. She felt a trace of


    pity in her heart.


    Then, she raised her hand and patted his back. Although she didn''t say anything, thefort.


    sympathy revealed in her gentle patting made Jonathan startled.


    He was afraid of being recognized and his identity exposed. Then, Rose would hate him because he was Mr. Finch. She seemed to have misunderstood something.


    He suddenly found her extremely cute. Almost subconsciously, he hugged her tighter. Oliver stayed at the vi at the receptionst night and returned to Young Estate early the next


    morning.


    When he went back, he brought Kelly with him.


    "Will Rose be unhappy to see me?"


    Kelly''s face was full of worry.


    Even though they had arrived at Young Estate, she still told Oliver, "Mr. Young Senior, I''d better go home."


    Last night, the doctor came to check on her. She fainted because of hypoglycemia. However, Oliver was thinking about the pattern on her back. He couldn''t let her go until he figured it out. "You can live here with peace of mind. You and Rosie are sisters, she won''t be unhappy," Oliver said.


    However, Kelly still looked embarrassed.


    "But...


    She lowered her head and hesitated to speak, looking a little lost and sad.


    Her expression fell on Oliver''s eyes as he asked, "But?"


    Kelly nced at him and replied, "Rose dislikes me. She misunderstood me, but I''ve always liked her...


    She knew very well that Oliver liked Rose. Nevertheless, she wanted to make a bet, or it could be a test. She bet a biological granddaughter would be more important than an adopted granddaughter. She also wanted to test how important Rose was in his heart.


    Not only that, she wanted to make a preliminary preparation. Even if Rose badmouthed her and rejected her after seeing her, she would have a way to deal with it.


    However, before Oliver could speak, a voice suddenly sounded.


    "Grandpa, this is...


    The person


    who spoke was Anastasia. She didn''t stay in the vist night. Before the reception was over, she left after seeing Clover leave.


    She stayed in the hotel and went to meet Clover in the morning. He promised to give her the red diamond within three days. She was extremely satisfied.


    She nned to start making the ring herself after getting the red diamond. With her skills and Rose''s manuscript, she would be able to make it the same as the one on Rose''s hand.


    She didn''t expect to see Kelly when she returned to Young Estate. Of course, she knew her, but she pretended not to know her. She looked at her in confusion.


    "This is Kelly, Rosie''s sister. She''ll stay in the vi for a while. You''re both girls. You can help me to take care of her," Oliver ordered.


    Anastasia was extremely surprised. Asking her to take care of Kelly was indeed interesting.


    "Okay, Grandpa."


    She walked up to Kelly with a warm smile and stretched out her hand. "Hello, may I call you Kelly?"


    *Anastasia ... Kelly called affectionately.


    She didn''t notice a sh of disgust in Anastasia''s eyes. The two of them shook hands.


    Anastasia then said with concern," You haven''t chosen a room yet. Grandpa, I''ll take her to see the room. It''s great that our house is getting more and more lively. I also brought Rosie to see her room at that time."


    She took Kelly upstairs. The main building in Young Estate had many rooms. Kelly followed her into a room. She had the intention to please Anastasia.


    "Kelly..." she called affectionately.


    She still regarded Anastasia as her ally, but as soon as the door was closed, the kindness that Anastasia had just pretended no longer existed.


    She nced at Kelly and said, "Don''t call me Kelly. Please call me Ms. Young."


    Kelly was slightly startled. Upon seeing the disdain in Anastasia''s eyes, displeasure emerged in her heart. Soon, she twitched her lips and changed her address. "Ms. Young..."


    However, Anastasia was still not satisfied. In front of her, it was as if Kelly was just a clown who hated Rose. She was somewhat useful to her.


    She stared at her and said, "I don''t know what you used to let Grandpa leave you in the vi, but I know that you want to deal with Rose, right?" Kelly didn''t hide anything.


    Anastasia looked at her with a more profound look.


    "You''re quite obsessed with her."


    Kelly felt extremely humiliated. However, she didn''t say anything but smiled faintly.


    "My method can only add trouble to Rose. If you don''t mind it, you can order me to do anything, just like before..."


    She didn''t intend to reveal her identity at this time.


    Her identity as the heiress to the Young family could only be discovered by someone else. She had thrown out a bait, and all that was left was to wait for Oliver to discover. When the time came, Oliver would reveal her identity to others.


    BIG SALE 3500


    no bonus f


    free fou you

 Billionire 224

    It Must Be Her


    Kelly lowered her eyes as if she didn''t dare to make a mistake in front of Anastasia. Nevertheless, Anastasia was still very disdainful of her suggestions.


    All Kelly could do was add trouble to Rose. It couldn''t hurt Rose at all. What she wanted to do was different. Thinking of this, she was in a very good mood. "Now that you''re staying here, just have fun. Young Estate is not just for anyone toe and stay."


    With that, she nned to leave. However, as she reached the door, she seemed to have thought of something and suddenly turned to look at Kelly. "Do you need me to call Rose back? Let''s give her a surprise."


    She was curious about Rose''s reaction when she saw Kelly stay in Young Estate. Nevertheless, Kelly was worried that Rose''s return would cause trouble for her.


    "It''s fine. She''lle back when she wants to."


    It would be best if she came back after Oliver confirmed her identity. When the time came, she hoped that Rose would cause a scene because of her existence.


    She was also looking forward to Rose and Anastasia''s reaction when they knew her identity. Meanwhile, Rose directly went to Young''s House of Jewels. Some people weed her arrival, while others did not.


    "I envy some people''s luck. Let''s guess how she deals with Mr. Young Senior?"


    "Who knows? Don''t underestimate her. Mr. Young also likes her very much. With the support of two men, she could easily get the position of the design director."


    "Could she be relying on her body..."


    At the lounge, two people were gossiping. Rose was holding the coffee cup. They didn''t mention her name, but she knew that they were referring to her.


    Initially, she just wanted to ignore them, but they started to use insulting words.


    che coughed heavily.


    The two people were shocked, but they didn''t panic. They were just gossiping. Even if someone heard it and agreed, they could join them and gossip together.


    Even if they disagreed, no one would stand up for someone who had juste to thepany.


    However, as the two of them turned around to see who was listening, their expressions instantly changed when they saw Rose.


    "Rose


    It was the focus of their gossip. They turned pale in fright, even forgetting to address Rose. Rose nced at the two of them and walked straight to the coffee machine to make a cup of coffee. Although she didn''t speak, her invisible aura was overwhelming. As Rose was about to leave with the coffee in hand, the two of them were about to breathe a sigh of relief.


    However, Rose suddenly stopped and turned around to look at them. Their hearts trembled. They wanted to exin to her.


    However, before they could speak, Rose said slowly, "Destroying people''s reputation and spreading rumors... What do you think will happen if my brother and Grandpa find out about it?"


    "Ms. Shaffer ....


    The two of them were even more panicked. Oliver didn''t need to know about this matter. If it only reached Miles''s ears, they would be in huge trouble.


    They wanted to plead for mercy, but Rose corrected them coldly, "Call me Director Shaffer."


    There was a strong warning in her tone. Before the two of them came to their senses, she turned around and left. The two left behind were weak.


    "Will she tell Mr. Young?"


    They were extremely frightened. They carefully returned to their workstations and paid attention to Rose''s every move. It wasn''t until they saw Rose leaving thepany that they breathed a sigh of relief. Nevertheless, before they could calm down, they were called into the office by personnel.


    "You two are fired."


    They were stunned. Their first reaction was that Rose had filed aint.


    "Is it Director Shaffer''s decision?"


    The HR manager smiled and shook his head.


    "No."


    "Is it Mr. Young?"


    "No."


    The HR manager didn''t want to say too much. He immediately asked the two to go through the formalities.


    They were very angry. The sry working at Young''s House of Jewels was far higher than that of otherpanies in the industry. They had lost such a good job due to Rose. They felt a sense of unwillingness in their hearts. After they left, the HR manager made a phone call.


    On the other end of the phone, Anastasia raised her lips slightly as she said, "Is it done?"


    "Yes."


    "Good. Spread the news and ban those two people."


    Although Anastasia didn''t go to thepany today, there were many informers in thepany. She was happy to be able to help Rose make enemies.


    Even though they were just small figures, they would be useful one day. She nced at Kelly in the garden downstairs. She had stayed at Young Estate all day without doing anything. It was beyond her expectations. In the evening, Rose and Miles didn''t return to the vi. After


    dinner, Oliver and Anastasia went back to their rooms.


    In the dead of night, Kelly walked out of Rose''s room. She was so cautious that no one paid attention to her. Early the next morning, May carefully opened the door of Kelly''s room.


    While sleeping, the quilt was covered below her waist. Arge part of her back was exposed, to the air. Thinking of what Oliver had told her, she quickly took a photo of her back with her phone. Perhaps she was too panicked, the photo taken was a bit blurry. When she was about to take another photo, Kelly woke up.


    "May, I''m sorry for getting upte.¡±


    Her innocent appearance was particrly pitiful. May was a bit guilty.


    She immediately hid her phone and said, "Ms. Shaffer, you''re a guest, how can you say sorry to me? I''m the one who disturbed you. Please sleep a little longer."


    After finishing speaking, she quickly left the room. The moment the door was closed, a sneer appeared on Kelly''s face. She had already woken up.


    She knew that Oliver wanted to confirm the tattoo on her back.


    However, he was a decent person. Even though he suspected that she might be his


    granddaughter, he wouldn''te and observe her back in person. Therefore; taking pictures was the best way.


    This was just what she wanted. After all, the tattoo had just been done. If someone looked at it carefully, her lie might be exposed in an instant .15 BONUS


    However, one couldn''t tell whether the tattoo was old or new in a blurry photo. It was enough. to have that one photo.


    After that, she just had to protect the tattoo on her back, and everything would go smoothly. After leaving Kelly''s room, May entered Oliver''s room. He was sitting in the wheelchair in front of the window. Patrick had just given him medicine. He couldn''t hide his excitement when he saw the phone in May''s hand. He knew that she aplished what he asked her to do.


    "Mr. Young Senior, this is what you want... May handed over the phone.


    Oliver took the phone with trembling hands and looked at the photo on the phone eagerly. Although the photo was a bit blurry, he recognized the lines on the photo immediately. "It must be her!"

 Billionire 225

    Blood Test


    The tattoo on Kelly''s back was the same as the pattern on the badge. The badge was the only thing left by his wife, Henrietta''s biological mother.


    Back then, he also used that badge to confirm Henrietta''s identity and brought her back to the Young family. Within half a year, the conflict between him and Henrietta broke out. What did the pattern on Kelly''s back mean?


    "It''s her. I found it


    He looked excited.


    Patrick on the side couldn''t hide his joy as he said, "Your efforts have paid off. Mr. Young Senior, judging from Ms. Shaffer''s age, she should be after Ms. Rietta ..." "Yes. She must be Rietta''s daughter..."


    Oliver had already given up. He felt that God''s arrangement for him and Rose to meet was already his salvation. Unexpectedly, God treated him so well..


    He had found Henrietta''s daughter, and he would soon know the whereabouts of Henrietta.


    "Quick, take me to see Kelly," he said happily.


    His eyes were filled with kindness as an elder.


    However, Patrick advised, "Mr. Young Senior, you''re scared Ms. Kelly. Furthermore, this tattoo, alone cannot prove everything. Shouldn''t we do a blood test ..." Oliver calmed down. If Kelly was Henrietta''s daughter, he couldn''t be impatient. He had to bepletely sure about it.


    He took a deep breath and called May in again. He asked her to find a way to get Kelly''s hair.


    Just half an hourter, while Kelly left the room, May went into the guest room. With the excuse of cleaning up the room, she sessfully got the hair from theb.


    This hair was stolen by Kelly from Rose''s room the night before. She expected that the blood test was an inevitable step, so she had nned it earlier. When Miles returned to Young Estate, Oliver called him to the room.


    "I found your aunt''s daughter."


    Oliver suppressed his excitement and handed a document bag to Miles. Miles was surprised, but joy soon followed. Finding his aunt was Oliver''sst wish in this life.


    Finding his aunt''s daughter was equivalent to finding her.


    "Congrattions, Grandpa. Where''s she? I''ll pick her up," he said.


    He was truly happy for Oliver. At the same time, he was curious about who his aunt''s daughter was.


    Oliver smiled faintly and said, "Don''t worry, you go and finish your things first. As for Rietta''s daughter, I know where she is."


    "Alright."


    Miles didn''t dy at all and left the vi in a hurry. When he went out, he saw a figure in the garden.


    He didn''t think much about it. Thinking of what Oliver told him, he opened the document bag as soon as he got in the car. Inside the document bag were two hairs with hair follicles, one long and one short.


    He followed the instructions and sent the hair to the hospital for urgent treatment. Then, he followed a location stated in the document bag and arrived at an orphanage.


    However, he frowned when he saw Kelly''s name. In the next few days, Rose didn''t see Miles at thepany. She just took office, but she was present every day.


    In just a few days, several sets of jewelry that she personally designed were ordered by several rich people in Aquastead at high prices for exclusive customization.


    She knew that this was all because she was Oliver''s granddaughter. Even Madeline found her. As soon as she arrived at thepany, she was looking for Miles, but she didn''t see him.


    As Rose saw it, she understood in her heart and said, "Miles hasn''t been here these past few days."


    As Madeline''s thoughts were seen through, a hint of shyness shed across her face.


    She couldn''t help but be curious about Miles''s whereabouts as she asked, "Is he very busy recently?"


    "Probably."


    Rose hadn''t seen him for several days.


    However, Madeline was not satisfied with her answer and asked eagerly, "What is he busy with?


    "I don''t know."


    Upon seeing the disappointment in her eyes, Rose immediately diverted her attention.


    ''Ms. Chambers, is this what you want?"


    Madeline didn''t have any opinions of her own on jewelry. She was just pursuing famous brands. Coming here today, she used it as an excuse to customize jewelry. She was here for Miles. However, when she saw the brooch designed by Rose, her eyes shed with surprise.


    "This is... tea...


    The brooch was exquisitely designed in the shape of a tea leaf. It was graceful and fresh. Since she liked tea, she had received tea leaf-style jewelry since she was a child. Nevertheless, none of the jewelry surprised her as the brooch. She looked at Rose.


    "No wonder...


    "No wonder?" Rose asked.


    This was the second time they had closemunication. She felt pretty good about her.


    Madeline didn''t hide her admiration as she said, "No wonder you became the design director of Young''s House of Jewels. I just entered the door, and what you drew touched my Rose thought of the rumors she heard from others a few days ago.


    heart."


    "It''s just a coincidence. Everyone shows respect to me on the surface, but they secretly think that I''m in this position because of good luck or some other means." She smiled bitterly.


    "Who dares to say such a thing? You have the ability."


    Madeline felt unfair for her. The indignant look made Rose''s heart warm.


    "It doesn''t matter, I don''t care."


    She agreed to Oliver to be the design director of Young''s House of Jewels with no selfish motives. She simply wanted to make him feel at ease. She didn''t care about the rumors that


    hurt her.


    If she cared about it one day, she would tell Miles and Oliver so that they could deal with those people who were gossiping. Anyway, she wouldn''t make herself feel unhappy.


    Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang. Upon seeing the caller''s name, she subconsciously nced at Madeline.


    "It''s Miles..."


    She blinked at Madeline. Upon seeing Madeline''s eyes suddenly light up, she decided to make a match between the two of them.


    "Miles, are you free tonight? I''ll treat you to dinner."


    As the call was connected, she first extended the invitation. However, there was silence on the other end of the phone. Rose frowned slightly and took a nce at the phone. After making sure that the call was connected, she called out tentatively, "Miles?"


    "Rosie, go back to the vi tonight."


    Miles''s tone was solemn as if something big had happened.


    P

 Billionire 226

    tor 226H


    Her Backer


    Her Backer


    Rose realized that something was unusual when she heard his tone.


    She immediately asked, "What happened? Has something happened to Grandpa?"


    "Youe back first."


    Miles didn''t say much.


    As soon as he finished speaking, he continued worriedly, "I''ll pick you up."


    With that, he hung up the phone. Rose stared at the phone in a daze. What had happened that made Miles so nervous? Madeline noticed her abnormality.


    "Ms. Shaffer, what''s wrong?"


    Rose twitched her lips and replied, "I''m fine, but I can''t keep you here anymore. I''ll have this brooch made for you as soon as possible. I''ll let you know when the timees to pick it up."


    While saying that, she packed the documents on the table.


    "Okay, I''ll leave first."


    Madeline didn''t ask much. Before leaving, she nced at Rose worriedly.


    At this time, Anastasia had obtained the red diamond from Clover. She couldn''t wait to make the red diamond ording to Rose''s manuscript. Halfway through, she received a call from Patrick.


    §¤


    "Ms. Anastasia, pleasee back to the vi tonight


    Patrick rarely called her and asked her to go back. In the past, even when Oliver summoned them for something, Patrick always delivered the message in a consultative manner. Something was different today.


    "Has anything happened to Grandpa?"


    She knew about Oliver''s physical condition. If something happened to him, she didn''t dare to waste any time. Hence, as she asked Patrick, she had taken off her apron.


    After putting away the unfinished red diamond, she took her bag and left. Half an hourter, Miles picked Rose up. In the car, his face was solemn. He didn''t say a word.


    Although Rose wanted to know what happened, she didn''t bear to ask any more questions. As the car stopped outside Young Estate, Miles held her back when she was about to get out of the car.


    "Rosie.


    He stared at her worriedly. Rose also noticed his worry


    "Miles, no matter what happens, I''m fine with it. If Grandpa...


    If something happened to Oliver Rose''s heart throbbed slightly. Miles immediatelyforted her.


    "Grandpa is alright. It''s just that there''s a new member in the family."


    Her Backer


    Rose didn''t care if there was a new member in the family. She was also a new member of the Young family. She didn''t have the right to care about the extra hew member.


    As long as Olvier was fine, nothing would be a problem


    She raised a smile and said, "Miles, let''s go in. It''s getting dark soon."


    During this time, May had already prepared the meal. She hadn''t returned to Young Estate for a few days. It just happened that she could have dinner with Oliver tonight. Thinking of this, she got out of the car happily. Miles followed her in a worry.


    As she entered the living room, Rose saw Oliver sitting on the sofa. He was in a good mood today as he was humming his favorite song.


    "Grandpa..."


    Upon seeing that he was in good spirits, Rose feltpletely relieved. She threw away the bag in her hand.


    Then, she ran toward Oliver like a child and squatted at his feet as she said, "Grandpa, I haven''t seen you for a few days. I miss you so much."


    It''s rare for her to act coquettishly. Oliver looked at her happily. He raised his hand and stroked her head. As she raised her head, her eyes were still very much like the eyes of his daughter in his memory.


    He was in a trance for a while. He thought he was lucky enough to have met Rose. He didn''t expect that he could find Henrietta''s daughter. God treated him well.


    Kelly didn''t look much like Henrietta in his memory, but the blood test report Miles brought back confirmed that they were rted by blood.


    In this world, apart from the missing Henrietta, the only person who had a blood rtionship with her should be her descendants. Kelly was her granddaughter, but he still liked Rose very much.


    "How are you working at Young''s House of Jewels these days? Is there anyone who disobeys you? Tell me if anyone dares to speak against you, I''ll have him fired."


    His expression was fierce but cute at the same time.


    Roseughed and said, "Who dares to disobey me? I''m the design director you appointed. Even if they disobey me, they''ll be afraid of you."


    She put her hands on her waist, acting as if she had a backer, which made Oliverugh even more. Miles felt slightly relieved as he looked at them.


    He had been worried that Olier would abandon Rose after finding his granddaughter. He seemed to be overthinking. Oliver caressed Rose''s head with kindness in his eyes.


    "Don''t worry, as long as I''m here... No, no matter if I''m here or not, you can do anything in the Young family."


    These words touched Rose. As she looked at Oliver''s face, she seemed to feel that she had a backer.


    There''s someone who loved her and cared for her. She had never had this feeling after her mother passed  Her Backer


    away. At this time, the feeling emerged again. It felt so good to have someone to back her up.


    She felt sour and suddenly threw herself into Oliver''s arms.


    "Grandpa, you must always be there..."


    Oliver was slightly startled. How could he always be there? At his age and illness, death might not be far away. He could hear Rose''s subtle nasal voice. She seemed to have cried.


    A strange feeling emerged in his heart. His eyes became more loving as he said, "Okay, I''m here. I''ll always be here."


    Upstairs, a hint of jealousy shed in her eyes as Kelly looked at the scene. Oliver indeed treated Rose very well. She could do anything in the Young family?


    Even after finding his granddaughter, Oliver still loved and cared so much for Rose. Was it because of the blood rtion, or had Rose yed some tricks against him?


    She was a little unwilling. Oliver was her grandfather, and everything in the Young family belonged to her. Why could Rose do anything?


    Taking a deep breath, she hid the viciousness on her face and showed a smile. An hour ago, Patrick call Anastasia toe back to the vi. Miles and Rose had alsoe back.


    she heard


    Oliver might n to introduce her to them. Thinking of the grand meeting that Oliver held for Rose when she was adopted, she was unwilling as she found that there was just a simple introduction for her arrival.


    However, she knew that as long as she was Oliver''s blood-rted granddaughter, she could get anything she wanted. She was nning in her mind.


    She raised the most innocent smile and walked slowly downstairs.


    When she arrived in the living room, before Rose noticed her, she deliberately called out, "Rose."

 Billionire 227

    Will Die


    Will I Die


    "Rose."


    Kelly''s voice was neither loud nor low. Rose almost felt she heard it wrong. Why was Kelly at Young Estate?


    She ignored it, but Kelly called again, "Rose..."


    Rose frowned and turned her head slowly to see Kelly behind the sofa. She felt an instinctive dislike for Jamie and Kelly. When she saw Kelly in Young Estate, she Instinctively became defensive. "Why are you here?" she asked.


    Her voice was too loud and seemed to scare Kelly. Kelly visibly shrank as if she was frightened. Her eyes were full of fear for Rose, but she seemed to desperately want to get close to her.


    "Rose, I missed you so much. I''ve secretly gone to your entry reception that day. I saw you from a distance that day. You''re so beautiful and talented. You can show more talent in Young''s House of Jewels. When she said these words, her eyes were full of admiration for Rose. It was as if Rose was the light, and she was one silently following the light in the shadows, Rose had seen too much of her attitude.. She was always like this-looking innocent and harmless in front of others, but she was best at stabbing people in the back.


    It wasn''t enough for her, Jamie, and Nixon to disgust her. She even came to Young Estate. What did she want to do?


    "Rose..."


    Kelly suddenly strode toward Rose. Almost instinctively, Rose wanted to protect Oliver behind her. When she approached her, she subconsciously reached out her hand. When Kelly came closer, she happened to touch her hand, but she pushed it away. Kelly looked panicked and took a few steps back. Rose''s push wouldn''t cause her to fall.


    However, she wouldn''t let go of such an opportunity. She would pretend to fall due to her push.


    "Ah... Her face was full of horror.


    From the corner of her eyes, she saw worry appearing on Oliver''s face, which made her even more. pleased. With a bang, she fell to the ground hard. Her head even hit the corner of the table. A sharp pain came from her head. She raised her hand and touched the wound. Her hand appeared red.


    "Blood... blood


    The bleeding was unexpected by her. However, she could take advantage of it to me Rose. Her eyes shed with fear, and she instantly looked at Rose and cried pitifully. Rose, why..."


    The sudden incident made everyone present dumbfounded.


    Will Die


    Oliver''s heart trembled and immediately shouted, "Call an ambnce. Miles, hurry up, take your sister to the hospital."


    He quickly made arrangements and ordered Patrick, "Let the doctor get ready first and prepare the car. I''ll go to the hospital together."


    The living room was in chaos. Miles reacted and immediately stepped forward to hug Kelly. Anastasia saw this scene as soon as she came back.


    Miles took Kelly and ran out in front of her. Meanwhile, after contacting the doctor, Patrick pushed Oliver into the wheelchair and followed. Rose was left standing there in shock. Kelly fell and bled. Nevertheless, the push she gave just now was light. She didn''t even use much force, but she still fell. She frowned. She didn''t notice that Oliver used the word "your sister" when he gave Miles instructions However, Anastasia noticed it. Besides her, Rose was the only sister to Miles. As for Kelly...


    She noticed that something was unusual. She wanted to go to the hospital to find out what was going on. Before leaving, she called Rose.


    Rose came back to her senses after hearing her voice. She looked at her.


    "Didn''t you go to the hospital?" Anastasia asked.


    Rose''s eyebrows couldn''t rx. She felt that it was Kelly''s trick. She didn''t even bother. Before she refused, Anastasia stepped forward and pulled her.


    "Let''s go and take a look together. If anything happens, we''ll have a way to deal with it."


    Even if she said so, she never considered herself Rose''s ally. She then took Rose into the car. The car was speeding. The car that Miles and Oliver were in arrived at Harmony Hospital earlier.


    As soon as the car stopped, Miles hurriedly got out of the car with Kelly in his arms. When entering the hospital, Kelly trembled in his arms.


    Her eyes looked frightened as she said, "Mr. Young, will I die?"


    Miles frowned. He had always disliked Kelly. Because of the conflict between her and Rose at the museumst time, he had seen her scheming,


    After all, she was Oliver''s bloodline and the real heiress to the Young family.


    "You won''t die," he said.


    "But I''m so scared!"


    Kelly subconsciously grabbed his shirt. She deliberately got the blood on her hands onto his white clothes. As she looked up at his profile, she felt extremely pleased.


    The dignified Mr. Young was holding her like this. His anxious look was truly satisfying. At this moment, she seemed to feel Rose''s happiness for being cared about by Miles. She was even more determined that she would grab everything that belonged to Rose.


    "You''ll be okay. Harmony Hospital is under the Finches, It has the best equipment and doctors," Miles reassured.


    -2/8


    Will Die


    After entering the hospital, Kelly was sent to the operating room. It was just a slight bruise, but her pale face looked extremely scary. Oliver directly called the director.


    Half an hourter, Kelly received two stitches behind her eyes. Lying on the hospital bed, her tears kept falling, as if she had been disfigured.


    In front of Oliver, she still consoled him sensibly, "I''m fine. It''s all my fault. I don''t me Rose


    Rose heard her sentence as soon as she entered the ward. A trace of sarcasm appeared on the corner of her mouth.


    *Kelly, who are you acting for?" she asked.


    What she hated the most was her innocent face. She went to ask the doctor just now and found out her true condition. Moreover, she never felt that she was the one that caused her to bump into the corner of the table.


    "Rose...


    When Kelly saw her, she immediately shrank in fright. Oliver''s face darkened as he saw her fright. Rose cast a nce at him.


    She was worried that Kelly might hurt Oliver, and she would never allow it. Hence, she showed no mercy to Kelly.


    "Kelly, I''m not your sister. Whatever you want to do,e to me. But if you want to do anything to the Young family, I''ll tear you apart. With that, she walked to Oliver andforted him.


    "Grandpa, I''ll take you home."

 Billionire 228

    She Is the Bloodline of the Young Family


    When Rose stepped forward, Kelly shrank visibly. She was particrly conflicted toward Rose. It seemed that she liked her and wanted to get closer, but was afraid of her at the same time. Even Anastasia, who followed Rose in, couldn''t help but find that Kelly was good at acting. If she hadn''t known that Kelly hated Rose so much, she would have believed what she showed now. She nced at Oliver with interest. Oliver''s face was dark at this moment. Rose didn''t receive a response from him as she stood beside her.


    "Grandpa, let''s go," she said again.


    She was worried about Oliver since he was old and sick.


    When she reached out to push the wheelchair, Oliver suddenly said, "Rose!"


    His tone was cold as he called her "Rose", but not "Rosie". Rose couldn''t adapt to his address, but she didn''t pay attention.


    Then, she heard Oliver say, "Apologize to your sister!"


    Rose nced at him doubtfully. Soon, she understood that he ultimately believed in Kelly''s trick.


    "Grandpa, I wasn''t the one who pushed her just now."


    She didn''t want to take the me. However, as soon as she finished speaking, Oliver looked at her with disappointment.


    Just then, Kelly bit her lip and said with a tearful voice, "Please don''t me Rose. It''s my fault just now. Rose didn''t push me."


    She knew that if she made the im, Oliver would pity her. After all, Rose reached out to touch her just now in Young Estate. Even if she wasn''t the one who pushed her, who would believe it? Not only that, she also knew that she would only irritate Rose with her words. She hoped that she would confront her out of anger. Then, Oliver would pity her more and hale Rose more. "Kelly!"


    Rose wanted to p her. However, she was worried that the chaos would affect Oliver. Hence, she only stared at her with a warning look.


    Nevertheless, Oliver nced at her sternly and ordered, "Rose, apologize to your sister!"


    Rose furrowed her brows. She couldn''t apologize to Kelly. Just then, Miles stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, pulling her behind him. He looked at Kelly and said, "I apologize for Rosie. I''m sorry, Kelly."


    Rose was shocked that he apologized to her. She looked at him in disbelief and wanted to protest.


    Before she could react, Kelly raised an innocent smile and said, "No need to apologize. I''ve said that! don''t me Rose."


    Her harmless smile was filled with ttery, which made Oliver feel even more pity. Over the years, Kelly


    She Is the Blooding of the Young Family


    had suffered so much hardship as a drag on the Shaffer family. That''s why she was careful with others. "Miles, she should be the one who apologizes. Why do you want to apologize to her?" Oliver said displeased.


    He didn''t want to let the matter go easily.


    Henrietta had been missing and he failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a father. Now that Kelly was found back, he wouldn''t be worthy of his daughter if he made Kelly suffer. He stared at Rose.


    Even though he was old and less powerful than before, the pressure in his eyes made people dare not disobey him. Rose''s heart trembled slightly.


    It was the first time Oliver looked at her like she was an enemy. What happened? She looked at Miles questioningly. Miles knew Oliver''s thoughts and Rose''s temper.


    "Grandpa, Rosie, and Anastasia are back. Don''t you want to announce anything? Look


    His hand holding Rose''s wrist gradually tightened. He was a little regretful. If he had expected this incident, he would have told Rose about Kelly''s identity when he met her just now. Rose could feel his nervousness.


    Then, she heard Oliver say, "I called you back today because I have something to announce. I have a daughter who has been missing for many years. Not long ago, I found her bloodline." "Congrattions, Grandpa."


    Rose felt happy from the bottom of her heart.


    She knew that the only person Oliver couldn''t let go of was his unfound daughter. Now that he had found his daughter''s bloodline, it meant that he had found his daughter. However, Anastasia became wary..


    "Grandpa, where''s aunt''s bloodline? I''ll pick her up personally," she volunteered.


    Both Rose and Anastasia didn''t think about Kelly. After all, a shameless woman like her was not possible to be the bloodline of the Young family.


    Nevertheless, Oliver didn''t even look at Anastasia as he said, "It''s fine. She''s already with me. Kelly, I didn''t tell you in advance. I''ve been looking for your mother for many years. I didn''t mean to leave your mother alone outside. You''ve suffered over the years."


    He looked at Kelly, He originally wanted to recognize his real granddaughter in front of all his adopted grandchildren. Unexpectedly, his granddaughter was hurt and she had to be introduced in the hospital. He nced at Rose with a warning look, as if he was telling her that Kelly''s identity was extraordinary, and she had to be polite to her in the future. Rose could feel his gaze. However, her brain was nk. She seemed to have heard a big joke and even suspected that she had a hearing problem. Kelly... Oliver ... How could Chelsea be Oliver''s daughter? Her first reaction was that Oliver had been deceived. She immediately revealed Kelly.


    "Grandpa, don''t be deceived by her. Her mother is Chelsea, Jamie''s second wife. Kelly is their daughter."


    She is the Bloodin of the Young Family


    However, as soon as she finished speaking, Oliver''s face darkened. Kelly also expected that Rose would expose her. Before she did all this, she had madeplete preparations.


    There''s no point Rose knew that she was the illegitimate daughter of Jamie and Chelsea, as she was the only one who knew it. In the eyes of outsiders, she was always a drag on the family.


    As for her mother, Chelsea... She bit her lip and looked at Rose with an aggrieved look. As if she had been greatly hurt, she suddenly started crying.


    "Rose, I know you don''t like me, but where did I lie?"


    She pretended not to know her background and looked at Oliver in surprise.


    "Mr. Young Senior, what did you mean by what you just said?"

 Billionire 229

    Apologize


    Oliver felt even more pity for her when he saw her crying so hard and looking innocent. He held her hand and told her what Miles had found out.


    "Did your name used to be Kelly Willis?"


    Kelly frowned.


    "How do you know? My previous name was Kelly Willis, After my mother married my current father, I followed my current father and changed myst name to Shaffer, but


    She bit her lip and asked Oliver, "How do you know?"


    Of course it was Miles who found out.


    Oliver looked at Kelly with a more loving look as he said, "Do you know why your surname was Willis?"


    "Mom said that when she brought me back from the orphanage, myst name was Willis. She originally wanted me to maintain thest name, but she was worried that others might look down upon me if myst name was different from my father''s. Hence, I changed myst name to Shaffer."


    Oliver sighed.


    "She was also considerate to you. Yourst name used to be Willis because of your mother-which is my daughter. Herst name is Willis."


    Kelly was stunned and asked, "But howe your daughter has the surname Willis?"


    Her been so long that he had forgotten her appearance.


    question brought deep self-me within Oliver''s heart. Henrietta''s figure appeared in his mind. It


    It''s funny to say that Henrietta had disappeared since childhood. She waster found and brought back. He didn''t even have time to leave a photo of her, and the two of them broke out because of a conflict. He still remembered the anger and sarcasm in her eyes when he pped her on the face that night. "In my entire life, I''ll disdain anything of yours, including your property, status, and even the name!" Henrietta left these words before running out. He thought that as soon as her anger subsided, she woulde back and admit her mistake. After all, it was her fault.


    He didn''t expect that he wouldn''t see her again for several days. When he came to his senses, he tried all means to find her. She seemed to have disappeared, from the world.


    "Your mother was stubborn. She really meant it when she said she wanted to abandon herst name," he slowly said.


    His tone was full of guilt for Henrietta. Back then, if he hadn''t been deceived, how could he have misunderstood her? As he misunderstood her, she disdained him and the Young family even more.


    On the hospital bed, Kelly couldn''t help but feel funny when she heard the reason. Angelica was indeed the person who knew Celeste the best.


    For some reason, Celeste changed her full name in order not to be found by the Young family. Perhaps there were other reasons.


    Apologize


    Oliver was so sure that she didn''t want to be rted to the Young family. That was great. She nced at Rose without any trace and sneered in her heart.


    On the surface, she pretended not to understand the situation as she said, "But, Mr. Young Senior and I She looked confused. Oliver understood her meaning.


    He patted her hand lovingly and exined, "You''re the daughter to my daughter. You''re my blood-rted granddaughter..."


    Kelly seemed to understand as she looked shocked.


    After thinking about it for a while, she seemed not to believe it as she said, "How is it possible? How can I be your granddaughter? Are you mistaken? You must be mistaken!" Rose came to her senses. She also felt that Oliver must have been mistaken. Not only her, butAnastasia also hoped that everything was a misunderstanding.


    Someone had suddenly appeared as Oliver''s granddaughter, and this person was Kelly.


    However, Oliver said seriously, "Mistaken? Howe I''m mistaken? I''m sorry that I took your hair and asked Miles to do a blood test without your consent. We are blood-rted. Your mother is my only daughter. Since we are blood-rted, if you''re not my granddaughter, who will it be? Furthermore, Miles had gone to the orphanage to investigate. The result is that you''re the bloodline of the Young family."


    He seemed to havepleted a knot that had been in his heart for so many years. Looking at Kelly, he decided to give her the best things in the world. Kelly pretended to be shocked by the news.


    ?


    Her pupils were slightly dted as if she was at a loss


    "Mr. Young Senior..." she called.


    As soon as she spoke, Oliver corrected her, "You should call me Grandpa."


    "But..."


    Kelly gritted her teeth as she looked awkward. As she met Rose gaze, she looked aggrieved and frightened. Rose secretly rolled her eyes.


    She was good at acting. She was putting the me on her at Young Estate just now, and now she was trying to me her again.


    She didn''t expect Kelly to be Oliver''s granddaughter. However, she found it weird.


    Kelly''s look fell into Oliver''s eyes. He immediately looked at Rose and said, "Rosie, Kelly is my granddaughter. If you care for her, you''ll still be my granddaughter. Apologize to Kelly for what happened earlier, then I''ll let it go."


    The implication was that he wouldn''t pursue her responsibility if she apologized to Kelly. However, she had never had any intention of reviving Oliver of the Young family.


    The reason why she became Oliver''s granddaughter was just because he regarded her as a constion for losing his daughter. Now that he had found his granddaughter, her existence became meaningless. She was not attached to the identity of the heiress to the Young family. However, after getting along with


    Apologize


    him during this time, she developed feelings for him in her heart.


    She met Oliver''s gaze with a smile on her face. That smile made him feel particrly ufortable.


    He looked away and urged, "Apologize!"


    Rose never intended to apologize. Even though Kelly became Oliver''s granddaughter, it wouldn''t change her heartfelt dislike for her.


    She couldn''t apologize since she was not the one who hurt Kelly.


    "Grandpa..." she called.


    Her tone was full of emotion, which made Oliver frown.


    Then, she continued, "Congrattions to Grandpa for finding your biological granddaughter and reuniting with her. Today is a good day. However, I don''t like her, and I can''t go against my will to protect her. It''s even impossible for me to apologize."


    As she said this, not only Oliver, but Miles''s face also darkened. He looked at her in shock and tried to stop her from talking.


    grateful that Grandpa has However, Rose didn''t give him a chance as she continued with a smile, "I''m been supporting me for so long and making me so prosperous. You have to live well in the future. If you want to make a public announcement to expel me from the Young family, please do so. There''s no need to worry about me."


    Her words were beyond everyone''s expectations.

 Billionire 230

    She chose to Step Back


    She Chose to Step Back


    Even Kelly and Anastasia were surprised. Rose... She chose to sever ties with the Young family rather than apologize! Mr. Young Senior''s face darkened and frowned.


    He didn''t want to exile her from the Young family. He merely aimed to stand up for Kelly and assert some authority for his recently found granddaughter. He wanted her to earn their respect But Rose''s words caught him off guard. Mr. Young Senior looked displeased.


    Miles wanted to exin and mediate, but before he could speak, Rose crouched down and gently stroked Mr. Young Senior''s furrowed brow.


    A moment of surprise flickered across Mr. Young Senior''s face. His anger faded.


    "Grandpa, you shouldn''t be angry," Rose whispered as she rested her head on his knee, reminiscent of their time in the Young Estate''s living room.


    Although Rose had decided to cut ties with the Young family, she couldn''t help feeling a twinge of reluctance toward Mr. Young Senior. Yet, it couldn''t be helped. Kelly and she couldn''t coexist.


    She found the idea of lowering herself to Kelly repulsive. Kelly would find ways to drive her away even if she didn''t leave voluntarily. Rose didn''t want Kelly to disrupt the peace of the Young family for her sake.


    Nor did she want Grandpa to be hurt in the process. Therefore, she chose to step back. Rose took a deep breath. Suppressing her reluctance, she raised her head and stood up.


    Then, she bowed to Mr. Young Senior and left the hospital room. Throughout, she wore a smile. Even as her figure disappeared entirely from the room, the others inside remained immersed.


    It was Kelly who snapped out of it first. Kelly nced at the bewildered Mr. Young Senior, fearing he might soften towards Rose. Feeling guilty, she almost cried.


    "Sir, Rose is upset. I don''t want her to apologize. It''s not Rose''s fault. I''ll go bring her back."


    Kelly attempted to get off the bed. With needles in her hand for the IV, the needle identally shifted and caused the tubing on her hand to start bleeding.


    Mr. Young Senior saw this and immediately shifted his attention from Kelly.


    "Kelly, don''t move," he urged. Miles was concerned about him falling and quickly supported him.


    However, Mr. Young Senior was solely focused on Kelly. Hearing Kelly''s painful cry, Mr. Young Senior couldn''t care less about himself.


    He urged Miles, ''Miles, quickly, check on Kelly."


    Although Miles didn''t like Kelly, he couldn''t defy Mr. Young Senior''s words. Miles grabbed Kelly, and Patrick swiftly called a doctor to remove the IV needle from her hand. Kelly''s hand had a swelling spot, but her mind was still on Rose.


    "I need to find Rose. She must have gone far away." Kelly''s apparent concern for Rose made her seem even more immature.


    Mr. Young Senior''s strange feeling towards Rose vanished instantly after Kelly''smotion, only to be


    She chose to Step Back


    reced by displeasure.


    "If she''s left, let her be gone," Mr. Young Senior said sternly.


    "But, Sir..."


    Kelly wanted to say more, but Mr. Young Senior interrupted, "Kelly, I''m your grandfather, so stop calling me Sir. I only have one daughter, and that''s your mother. Call me Grandpa."


    Mr. Young Senior looked at Kelly with anticipation. Kelly hesitated for a moment, her innocent expression tinged with fear.


    She even nced nervously at Miles and Anastasia, as if she hadn''t fully processed the shocking revtion that she was Mr. Young Senior''s biological granddaughter.


    In that fleeting nce at Anastasia, the sneer in Anastasia''s heart couldn''t be concealed. Unexpectedly, Kelly was Mr. Young Senior''s biological granddaughter.


    Even if her begging for Rose was true, the way she acted seemed genuinely deceptive. Anastasia was certain that Kelly deliberately wanted to drive Rose away. "Kelly, what are you waiting for? Grandpa said you''re his granddaughter. Call Grandpa!"


    Anastasia stepped in with a warm smile. Mr. Young Senior wanted them to treat Kelly well. She couldn''t oppose that


    "Gr... Grandpa... Kelly stammered.


    Though Mr. Young Senior hadn''t found his daughter, hearing Kelly call him Grandpa made him happy.


    "Good, good, good," he repeated thrice, seemingly putting Rosepletely out of mind.


    Mr. Young Senior instructed sternly as he looked at Miles and Anastasia, "Kelly has suffered a lot over the years. As her siblings, you must protect her well." "Grandpa, rest assured. Now that Kelly''s back with the Young family, she won''t suffer anymore," Anastasia said as she affectionately held Kelly''s hand. Anastasia''s ttering attitude pleased Kelly. Just days ago, Anastasia had been disdainful, but now, she was trying to please her.


    Kelly felt a hint of disdain toward Anastasia, yet she dared not show it in front of Mr. Young Senior.


    After getting Anastasia''s assurance, Kelly cautiously nced at Miles. Following her gaze, Mr. Young Senior noticed Miles, who seemed lost in thought.


    Miles


    He called out, what about you?"


    Anastasia had expressed her stance, what about him? Miles couldn''t focus as his mind was on Rose. But catching Mr. Young Senior''s gaze, he forced a smile and said against his will. "Grandpa, don''t worry, I''ll take good care of her."


    A smile finally appeared on Kelly''s face. In her mind, Rose had to be eliminated to solidify her current position. Kelly wouldn''t allow Rose a chance to disrupt her life. Moreover, there was also Jonathan. While Kelly was thinking about Jonathan, Anastasia, too, had Jonathan on her mind.


    Chose to Step Back


    In the entire hospital room, except for Mr. Young Senior and Patrick, who were overjoyed, the other three were lost in thought.


    Suddenly, Anastasia loudly suggested, "Grandpa, since Kelly is back, shouldn''t we let everyone know? After all, when you acknowledged Rose as your granddaughter, it caused quite a stir in Aquastead!" Her implication was clear. Just as Rose had her ce, the true Young family heiress should also be recognized. Mr. Young Senior, already happy, found this suggestion very much to his liking. "Good, good, Anastasia, you arrange it! The grander, the better!"


    Mr. Young Senior felt excited as he held Kelly''s hand.


    "Kelly, you don''t have to do anything. Just focus on recovering from your injuries. Oh, and Miles, select a few sets of dresses for Kelly, along with jewelry. Everything must be top-notch!"  He Won''t Let Any Therm Come To Her

 Billionire 231

    He Won''t Let Any Harm Come To Her


    "All right," Miles replied with aplicated expression.


    However, he seemed unhappy. Despite Mr. Young Senior''s joy, he frowned deeply.


    "Miles, I found your aunt''s daughter, and you don''t seem happy?"


    Happy? How could he be happy? He knew Aunt Rietta was Grandpa''s only concern. He witnessed Grandpa''s guilt over Aunt Rietta all these years.


    He wished more than anyone for Grandpa to find Aunt Rietta or someone rted to her. But unexpectedly, they found Kelly.


    Because of Rose, Miles disliked Kelly. Yet, he knew what he had to do.


    "Grandpa, I''m just..."


    Miles v


    -


    was about to speak when Kelly interrupted, "Grandpa, why would Miles be unhappy? I was so scared on the way to the hospital, and it was Miles whoforted me. Thank you, Miles." Kelly''s face was innocent, her smile sweet and obedient. She aimed to earn Miles''s favor by speaking up for him.


    Now that she


    for Rose.


    was part of the Young family, she believed she could make Miles protect her just like he did


    "Yes, Kelly is so obedient. Both Miles and I are happy to have her as family," Anastasia chimed in. With this, Mr. Young Senior''s brows rxed. However, Miles felt a heavy burden in his heart. "Grandpa, I''ll go prepare some clothes for Kelly," Miles said and then left the hospital room.


    Once outside, he searched everywhere for Rose but found no trace of her. He dialed Rose''s number, but she didn''t answer. In the taxi, Rose looked at the iing call on her phone. The smile on her face had not faded since she left the hospita She knew Miles was calling tofort and persuade her. However, the Young family was not something she longed for.


    She just wanted to leave it all behind. Right now, all she wanted was a good night''s sleep. Tomorrow, she would just be Celeste''s daughter, Rose.


    Fortunately, she had Celeste Jewels left by her mother, something she was determined to protect. Now that Kelly was the true Young family heiress, Rose hoped she wouldn''te looking for trouble. Regardless, she nned to sleep first and deal with itter. Even if trouble came, she was ready to face it. Back at Zenwood Gardens, Rose dove into bed and quickly fell asleep. Unable to reach Rose''s phone, Miles grew worried. He considered contacting Rose''s husband but realized he didn''t even know how to reach him, let alone meet film in person. Just then, Patrick called and instructed Miles to prepare clothes for Kelly before returning to Young Estate for dinner with the family. Reluctantly, Miles dialed Jonathan''s number. At the Finch Building, Jonathan fiddled with a coin while listening to Finley''s report about Regalia and the Finches'' activities in the top-floor office.


    He Won''t Let Any Farm Come To Her


    When Miles'' call came in, Finley had just mentioned "Mr. Finch, Mrs. Finch''s mother''s ident," and there was a sudden pause.


    Seeing Miles''s name on the screen, a hint of surprise shed across Jonathan''s handsome face. Miles wouldn''t contact him if it wasn''t something important.


    Jonathan quickly answered the call. Even before he could speak, Miles'' urgent voice came through.


    "Can you... please check on Rose?"


    The mention of "Rose" instantly made Jonathan tense


    "What happened?"


    He sat up straight, even dropping the coin he was ying with onto the table, where it spun a few times beforeing to a stop. Miles didn''t disclose the Young family matter to Jonathan. He simply stated, "Something has happened..."


    Miles sensed Jonathan''s concern for Rose and suddenly regretted making the call.


    He cautiously asked, "Do you know who Rose''s husband is?"


    Jonathan paused. How could he not know?


    Miles continued before Jonathan could respond, "If possible, could you contact him? Make sure he spends some quality time with Rose."


    It meant he didn''t want him to bother Rose. He was just a messenger. Jonathan''s eyes darkened, and he coldly hung up the phone. What difference did it make if he or Rose''s husband apanied her?


    "I''ll head home," Jonathan decided as he grabbed the coin on the table and swiftly left the office. Half an hourter, Jonathan returned to Zenwood Gardens.


    As he entered, silence filled the room. The worry he felt on the way back dissipated when he saw Rose peacefully sleeping. A hint of indulgence appeared in his eyes.


    "Since she''s still asleep, it can''t be too serious."


    Jonathan sat by the bed as he gently caressed Rose''s tousled ck hair.


    He looked at her side profile and said softly, "Even if something happens, I won''t let any harme to you." Seeing Rose asleep, Jonathan felt a deep sense of calm.


    He removed his coat andy down beside her. Night fell, and the room gradually darkened. Only the quiet breaths of the two filled the room. Meanwhile, the atmosphere was lively at Young Estate.


    Kelly didn''t stay in the hospital but returned to Young Estate for recovery. Mr. Young Senior even arranged for the family doctor to stay at Young Estate.


    With her new status announced by Mr. Young Senior, Kelly intended to relish her time at Young Estate. Upon entering Young Estate, Kelly was greeted by the servants and gardeners all lined up in two rows, bowing at ny degrees and addressing her as Ms. Young.


    Unlike Anastasia and Rose, this address indicated her distinct status. Though Kelly enjoyed it, she


    He Won''t Let Any Farm Come To Her


    appeared anxious and seemingly unustomed to such formality.


    Mr. Young Senior showed great care for her during the meal. After dinner, he even had Miles summon managers from luxury clothing brands to bring their uing designs for Kelly to choose from. They even took her measurements for custom outfits. Even Anastasia didn''t receive such treatment. After everything was done, Kelly returned to her room.


    Just as she was about to close the door, Anastasia''s hand pressed against the gap. Through the crack, Anastasia met Kelly''s eyes, and her simile took on a peculiar twist.


    "Kelly, may Ie in?" Anastasia asked, though her posture suggested she would enter regardless of Kelly''s agreement.


    Kelly frowned slightly, but soon, a smile appeared on her face. She released her grip on the door frame and stepped inside the room. Anastasia followed and closed the door behind them.

 Billionire 232

    A Lesson for Rose


    A Lesson for Rose


    Neither of them spoke in the room. Kelly''s lips curved slightly. Her features weren''t as refined as Rose''s or as elegant as Anastasia''s, yet her confidence added a certain radiance to her face. Anastasia stared at Kelly. However, Kelly smiled faintly.


    Finally, Anastasia frowned and said, "I heard Aunt Rietta was a very beautiful woman, but why do I feel like you don''t..."


    Anastasia paused as she tried to choose her words carefully. But her expressions conveyed more than words ever could and revealed her disdain for Kelly''s appearance.


    Kelly didn''t anticipate such a direct attack on her looks. Anastasia''s words immediately struck a nerve as she was already feeling inferior to Rose''s beauty. Kelly''s smile vanished instantly.


    She red at Anastasia, "What do you mean? Do you doubt that I''m a fake? If you have doubts, let''s go ask Grandpa to rify this."


    Kelly grabbed Anastasia''s wrist, attempting to pull her out of the room. Anastasia coldly smiled and forcefully pulled her back. Anastasia coldly smirked.


    "In a rush?"


    Under that gaze, Kelly''s eyes flickered slightly.


    Irritated, she retorted, "Why should I rush? Why should endure your suspicion?"


    F


    Anastasia realized that involving Mr. Young Senior would only favor Kelly. Her probing was meant to test Kelly, but the oue...


    Anastasia frowned and quickly apologized, "Kelly, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have said that. Truth be told, I''ve never seen Aunt Celeste."


    She added, "Whenever Grandpa''s adopted daughter in Regalia mentions Aunt Rietta, Grandpa''s expression changes. I assumed it was because of Aunt Celeste''s beauty."


    I''ve never met her!"


    Kelly bit her lip. ording to Angelica''s orphanage records, she was sent there at birth and hadn''t seen. her biological mother.


    However, she heard that the Young family''s adopted daughter had met Celeste. What if the adopted daughter in Regalia dug up something?


    Anastasia observed Kelly''s reaction. She intentionally mentioned that the Young family''s adopted daughter had met Celeste.


    Though Mr. Young Senior''s memory was fading, the adopted daughter might still remember something. Kelly started to feel anxious. Anastasia lightly chuckled.


    "Kelly, you''re the true heiress of the Young family. You''ll have to look out for me from now on."


    Anastasia held Kelly''s hand and gave her an affectionate hug. This unexpected friendly gesture left Kelly momentarily puzzled. She forced a smile.


    A Lesson for Rose


    "What are you talking about? I don''t know anything. I might need your care in the future." Anastasia suggested, "How about we take care of each other? Her eyes met Kelly''s, Suddenly, she thought of Rose and sighed.


    "Rose is stubborn. I don''t know what she''s thinking. She''d rather leave the Young family than apologize to you. She pushed you and injured you. She should apologize!" Rose... Kelly''s eyes narrowed.


    "Rose has never liked me. No matter what I do, she dislikes it. Maybe she inherently despises me."


    Anastasia said coldly. "If Rose doesn''t like you, it''s her fault. She might need a good lesson."


    A lesson for Rose! Kelly worked so hard to be a part of the Young family.


    How could she feel at ease without a sense of presence around Rose? Kelly stayed silent. Anastasia patted her chest suddenly.


    "Don''t worry, Rose would have liked you. Trust me!"


    Anastasia left the room with a meaningful smile. Once the door closed, her smile vanished as she nced disdainfully at the door. Kelly''s demeanor too turned cold and calcting.


    Although Anastasia was probing and trying to please Kelly, she knew that Anastasia would investigate her. However, what difference would it make?


    Even the results Mr. Young Senior found confirmed she was his granddaughter. Even if Anastasia investigated, she couldn''te up with any different results. Moreover...


    Kelly''s thoughts turned sinister. Rose slept unusually well. She dreamt of childhood moments with her mother. Images of her mother were still vivid in her dreams.


    Upon waking up, she noticed someone sleeping beside her. The bareback surprised her. It was Jonathan. She was about to wake him but hesitated as she didn''t want the awkwardness upon his awakening. She quietly left the room, got ready, and left Zenwood Gardens.oday, she had no ns to visit the Young''s House of Jewels.


    She had spoken harshly to Mr. Young Senior yesterday, and she decided it was better to stay away before being asked to leave. Celeste Jewels was her domain.


    "Mom, I will surely expand Celeste Jewels!" Rose encouraged herself before entering Century Tower.


    However, she found the entire office area in chaos upon arrival. William rushed out of the elevator with a -worried look.


    "Ms. Shaffer, I was just about to call you. There was a break-inst night. Severalpanies lost. valuables from their safes."


    He continued, "Some of the jewelry from ourpany''s safe is missing too. The surveince footage was damaged. No evidence was left behind."


    Rose had her suspicions. Thieves and damaged surveince? It couldn''t be just a coincidence. Someone deliberately created the illusion of more than just herpany being robbed.


    A Lesson for Rose


    This must be meticulously orchestrated. Rose thought Kelly would take some time to stabilize her position. She didn''t expect Kelly to be so eager toe after her.


    "Let''s report this and take inventory of what''s missing." Rose sold calmly.


    William hesitated. He didn''t expect Rose to be soposed. Soon, he calmed down.


    As he went to check the list of missing items, he discovered an influx of resignation emails in thepany''s inbox. Almost half of the employees had resigned.


    This development struck William as peculiar. He promptly reported it to Rose, but Rose remained unruffled as she listened attentively.


    "Ms. Shaffer, what should we do?"


    These people were originally from Young''s House of Jewels, and William had heard the rumors that Miles had sent them to support Rose.


    William gritted his teeth and suggested, "Ms. Shaffer, should we give Mr. Miles a call?"

 Billionire 233

    Troubles


    Rose couldn''t possibly call Miles and put him in a tough spot.


    "No," Rose said instinctively.


    William looked troubled.


    "But, Ms. Shaffer, someone is targeting you. Did you offend someone at the Young''s House of Jewels?"


    William was sharp. If those employees weren''t sent by Miles, then it had to be someone from the Young family. It had to be someone significant enough to challenge Miles and create such chaos. Rose hadn''t been back to Celeste Jewels since she went to the Young''s House of Jewels. William was certain something had happened.


    Seeing Rose''s calm expression, William hesitated and consoled, "Ms. Shaffer, I''ll stand by you no matter what happens. Sherlyn and the others haven''t arrived yet. They don''t know about this." Rose smiled as she understood his unspoken concern. She didn''t want them to worry.


    "It''s okay. If people resign, we''ll keep hiring. You''re doing great." William remained silent.


    As work hours approached, the office felt strange with half-empty desks.


    Sherlyn and William received termination notices from several business partners who had previously approached them because of the Young family.


    William and Sherlyn were concerned. They found Rose again.


    "Ms. Shaffer, should we ask Mr. Miles?"


    Rose interrupted, "Miles won''t be of help. These are partnership issues. If they want to terminate, let them


    These partners came because of the Young family.


    Even without someone pushing this, those business partners would likely terminate contracts when Mr. Young Senior dered her separation from the Young family. After all, the Young family held significant influence in both the jewelry industry and other sectors. Who would have risked offending the Young family for Celeste Jewels?


    "But..."


    William still looked troubled. This time, Sherlyn stopped him. She knew Rose must have had her reasons. for not involving Miles.


    After Sherlyn and William left the office, Rose''s smile faded. It was too soon for this targeting, and she was certain it was Kelly''s doing or at least someone trying to please Kelly.


    If it wasn''t Kelly directly, the only possibility was Anastasia. Suddenly, her phone rang, and she was surprised to see Anastasia''s name on the caller ID.


    Anastasia? Did she dial the wrong number, or did Rose misread it? Despite their time in the Young family, Rose and Anastasia weren''t particrly close. Rose ignored the call and continued with her work.


    1:3


    Troubles


    After a while, the ringing stopped and didn''t resume. Rose dismissed it as a minor incident and paid no further attention.


    However, she saw Anastasia waiting for her at the office building entrance. Anastasia stood by her luxury car, seemingly having waited for a while. Seeing Rose. Anastasia waved and approached her. Rose chose to ignore her, but Anastasia walked up to her anyway. Anastasia went straight to her and even took Rose''s hand like they were the closest of friends.


    Anastasia pouted, "Rosie, why didn''t you answer my call today? Do you know how worried I was about you?" Worried?


    Rose chuckled. Was Anastasia concerned about her troubles being too few?


    "Thank you for asking." Rose said calmly.


    Anastasia thought Rose would be in a flurry today, or at least guessed that she was behind the troubles. But Rose''s reaction was far tooposed. "Rosie, I heard you didn''t go to the office today. Was it because of Kelly?"


    Anastasia observed Rose for a while. Since Rose seemed so calm, she decided to bring up Kelly to provoke Rose''s anger. But Rose smiled.


    "Why would you think that?"


    Anastasia continued, "Grandpa suddenly has an extra granddaughter, and even I haven''t fully grasped it yet. Kelly seemed to have miraculously recovered after you left the hospitalst night, so she went back to Young Estate."


    She continued, "Grandpa truly cherishes her. Blood ties matter. Oh, right, Grandpa said Kelly''s return is a big deal for the Young family. Miles has put aside everything to focus on Kelly''s wee-home banquet.


    Anastasia was deliberately dropping hints to p


    values Kelly more than her,


    She wanted to convey to Rose that Mr. Young Senior


    She also wanted to tell Rose that Miles was busytely, so it would be best not to disturb him unless it was necessary. Rose listened but remained silent. She knew everything. "Rosie, to be honest, the push you gave yesterday didn''t seem that severe. But who would have thought that Kelly suffered such a serious injury?" Anastasia sighed.


    She watched Rose closely. Despite all her revtions, Rose did not react at all. Anastasia couldn''t believe that Rose wasn''t bothered.


    So she continued to provoke Rose, "Rosie, why weren''t you saying anything? Did something happen today?


    Rose frowned. Would Anastasia not know what happened?


    Anastasia''s attempts to rile her up stirred a slight ripple in Rose''s otherwiseposed demeanor. She wanted to roll her eyes at Anastasia, but she couldn''t afford to offend her.


    Just then, a familiar car stopped by the roadside. Rose quessed it was Jonathan. She nced at Anastasia, and her smile suddenly widened.


    Troubles


    "Ms. Anastasia..." Rose suddenly spoke.


    Anastasia pretended to be surprised.


    "Rosie, why are you being so formal? Don''t you usually call me..."


    Before Anastasia could finish, Rose Interrupted her, "Were you thirsty?


    Anastasia was slightly puzzled. What did she mean?


    In her confused gaze, Rose held the hand that rested on her arm. With a twist of her wrist, she released Anastasia''s hand. Then, Rose raised her hand and pointed in a certain direction.

 Billionire 234

    She Wasn''t as Clueless


    She Wasn''t as Clueless


    "There," Rose said slowly.


    Anastasia followed her gaze and saw a supermarket. Anastasia was still puzzled when Rose''s voice sounded again.


    "Go buy some water if you''re thirsty. I won''t apany you."


    With that, Rose smiled at Anastasia and walked away. She reached Jonathan''s car parked by the roadside. Jonathan had rolled down the window. Rose opened the door and got in swiftly. "Let''s go," she said as she fastened her seatbelt.


    Without dy, Jonathan drove off.


    Through the rearview mirror, Rose saw Anastasia''s displeased face outside the building, arms crossed in anger, ring at her.


    Jonathan also noticed Anastasia. He had received news about Mr. Young Senior finding his granddaughter, though it hadn''t been announced publicly.


    He had also learned that some partners had terminated their contracts with Celeste Jewels today. There must be someone from the Young family involved in this.


    Thinking about Anastasia''s furious expression moments ago, Jonathan smirked,


    "What did you do to make Anastasia so upset? Aren''t you afraid she''ll cause trouble for you?"


    Considering Jonathan''s connection with Anastasia, Rose nced at him.


    "Why? Do you pity her?"


    A hint of jealousy lingered in her words. Jonathan was slightly surprised, then chuckled softly.


    "No, but it seems like you are jealous."


    Rose gave


    him an eye roll and denied, "Jealous of what? Besides... She''s already caused trouble for me. Even if I begged her, she might not show mercy. So, what''s there to fear?"


    Jonathan looked at her with slight astonishment. He didn''t expect that she already knew who was behind the events at Celeste Jewels today.


    Rose wasn''t as clueless as he thought. Jonathan''s admiration for her grew stronger. Meanwhile, Anastasia''s expression darkened outside Century Tower.


    Rose had shown her no face. Asking if she was thirsty and telling her to go buy water was a clear mockery that she talked too much. Moreover, Rose left in a car driven by Jonathan!


    "Damn it!"


    Jonathan personally came to pick her up. He truly cared for Rose. Anastasia was consumed with jealousy and frustration. She expected to see Rose in distress, but Rose acted as if nothing had happened. The burry at thepanyst night, the mass resignations this morning, and then the termination of contracts with partners. How could Rose be so calm?


    She Wasn''t as C¨´


    Did she seek help from Jonathan? The idea made Anastasia uneasy. If Rose knew Jonathan''s real identity, it wouldn''t bode well for Anastasia. She needed to act fast, especially regarding that diamond. Anastasia''s gaze turned deep. She didn''t want any more dy. Her actions today were meant to provoke Rose and appease Kelly. Now that she had done her part, she needed to focus on her ns. "Hmph, Rose, just you wait!"


    Anastasia gritted her teeth with a fierce gaze. Without wasting a moment, she got into her car and headed for the workshop.


    At the Young Estate, Kelly had been having a veryfortable time these days. One day, Mr. Young Senior suddenly expressed his desire to meet her adopted parents, Chelsea and Jamie. Kelly didn''t want Mr. Young Senior to meet her adoptive parents, but she knew it was inevitable.


    "Grandpa, my mom... She doesn''t know I''m your granddaughter. She''s timid. After marrying Dad, she''s been at home and rarely seen the world."


    She smiled and continued, "Mom always treated me as her daughter. I''m worried she''ll be scared, and I''m concerned she won''t be able to ept that I''ve found my real family."


    Kelly looked genuinely concerned, and Mr. Young Senior found her kindness endearing.


    "Sorry, I didn''t think it through," Mr. Young Senior said softly.


    Seeing his frown, Kelly hurried to soothe, "Grandpa, could I talk to them first? Let my mom prepare herself mentally. I think she might find it easier to ept that way."


    Mr. Young Senior agreed with a smile.


    "Alright, that sounds good. I''ll arrange for a car to take you there." Kelly nodded, "Thank you, Grandpa."


    In less than an hour, Kelly returned to the Shaffer residence. Jamie wasn''t at home when Kelly arrived, Though Kelly had been staying at the Young Estate these days, she kept in touch with Chelsea. Kelly seemed more radiant than ever in designer clothes.


    "Kelly, where have you been these days? Why didn''t you call?" Chelsea immediately put on a show as she saw Patrick.


    "Mom, I''m fine these days. There''s something I need to tell you..."


    Kelly nced at Patrick. Patrick nodded and excused himself. Now, only Kelly and Chelsea remained in


    the room.


    "Mom, look, being part of the Young family is indeed prestigious."


    Kelly was excited. Chelsea was pleased too.


    "Indeed, it''s excellent. My daughter is now the princess of the Young family. You''ll have a promising future. However, Kelly frowned.


    "Mom, I''m Henrietta''s daughter now. If I want to be the princess of the Young family, I can only be  She Wasn''t as Clueless


    Henrietta''s daughter." Kelly corrected.


    Chelsea understood.


    "Of course, you are Henrietta''s daughter. I''m just your adopted mother. Don''t worry. I''ll keep this secret for you. But, about your dad ..."


    Kelly was Jamie and Celeste''s illegitimate daughter. After Jamie and Celeste married, Jamie secretly maintained a rtionship with Chelsea, resulting in Kelly''s birth.


    Chelsea raised her outside of their family. They kept it a secret from Celeste. Only after her death did they bring Kelly home, iming her as a stepdaughter Celeste brought into the marriage with Jamie. But they both knew Kelly was their biological daughter. They enjoyed everything Celeste left behind, but things were different now.


    "Mom, Grandpa believes in my new identity, but I''m still worried. If he ever bes suspicious and investigates our blood ties, it could be troubling." Kelly expressed her concerns.


    She had secretly obtained Rose''s hair follicles to prove her rtion to Mr. Young Senior. But it Mr. Young Senior ever decided to investigate Jamie and Chelsea, she wouldn''t be able to prepare in advance.

 Billionire 235

    An ident


    Kelly had to meticulously strategize and organize those matters.


    She absolutely couldn''t allow the prestigious identity of the sole bloodline of the Young family, a position that could garner boundless favor, to face even the slightest threat. Kelly fixed her gaze on Chelsea, and the mother-daughter pair had always shared an unbreakable bond. Even though she didn''t finish her words, Chelsea grasped her intention. Chelsea had already pondered this potential threat in her heart long ago. From the start, she chose Jamle for the wealth, for the promise of afortable life.


    Before Celeste''s passing, Jamievishly organized her life, ensuring she lived without any worries about finances.


    After Celeste''s demise, she promptly moved into the Shaffers'' mansion, living the life of an affluentdy.


    She now lived the prosperous life she longed for. However, she was aware that Kelly could continue climbing to greater heights.


    Therefore, she wouldn''t allow herself, and definitely wouldn''t let Jamie, be stumbling blocks hindering Kelly''s ascent.


    Chelsea held Kelly''s hand and smiled, saying, "Kelly, don''t worry, I know what to do. Just focus on your duties at the Youngs, leave your dad''s affairs to me!"


    A trace of fierceness shed in Chelsea''s eyes. Kelly observed silently, refraining from saying too much. Deep inside, she knew her mother would surely prevent any trouble for her. Hence, when there were difficulties, her mother would willingly assist in removing them for her. Kelly stayed for quite a while before leaving, and Chelsea took the initiative to see her off. As Kelly was about to board the car, Chelsea hugged her tightly and said with a reluctant expression, Kelly, I''m happy you''ve found your true family. Don''t worry about me, I have your dad." Patrick, who was nearby, observed and felt that Kelly was a kind and grateful person.


    He confronted, "Ms. Kelly, don''t worry. To show gratitude for Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer''s care for you, Mr. Young has arranged a generous gift, and I believe it will be delivered soon. From now on, the Shaffers and the Youngs are family."


    Patrick''s face beamed with affection, yet he was unaware that the touching scene before him was nothing more than a performance staged by the mother and daughter.


    Shortly after Kelly left, the purported generous gift arrived. The moment Jamie returned to the mansion, he was met with a room brimming with luxury-jewels, handbags, luxury watches, and more. "What is going on?"


    Jamie''s face was full of surprise, thinking that Chelsea had once again splurged on shopping.


    He was nning to purchase some jewelry materials, and thepany''s ounts were already stretched thin.


    An ident


    Jamie had recently advised Chelsea to cut down on expenses, but he hadn''t anticipated her spending sovishly once more.


    He spoke with a touch of displeasure, and Chelsea looked visibly upset, almost as if she were about to cry, saying. "These things were all sent by Kelly." "Kelly?"


    Jamie remembered that since Rose''s wee party, Kelly had been out enjoying time with friends. It had been quite a while, and she hadn''t returned yet. Jamie inquired with concern, "How''s Kelly doing out there?"


    Regarding the matters about the Youngs, Chelsea, and Kelly had an unspoken agreement not to let Jamie know. Kelly''s n had been sessful, and Chelsea was even more resolved to keep Jamie in the dark.


    She poured a cup of tea for Jamie and spoke slowly, "She went through a divorce agreement with the Lane family, and her mood hasn''t been great. Going out for some fresh air has lifted her spirits a lot. Oh, and by the way, has Rose contacted you recently?"


    "Rose?" Jamie couldn''t help but mutter when thinking of Rose. He grumbled, "Why bring her up? She''s enjoying her abundant life now. It would be better if Mr. Young had chosen Kelly."


    A barely discernible peculiarity flickered in Chelsea''s eyes.


    "Kelly has her blessings. Jamie, I''ve been having dreams these past few days. Dreams of Celeste''s ident, and then I hear Rose''s voice in my dreams, shouting for revenge


    [


    Celeste had always been a forbidden topic between them. Chelsea never brought it up on her own. The moment she did, Jamie''s expression instantly turned serious


    He interrupted her, "Revenge for what? Celeste''s ident was purely idental. Who would Rose seek revenge against?"


    His loud voice frightened Chelsea.


    Jamie realized he was getting a bit out of control, immediatel, lowered his voice, and softlyforted," Stop dwelling on these things. It was just an ident, and besides, it''s been so many years since it happened."


    "But..."


    Chelsea was still full of unease. She frowned in worry and fear, and her heart ached in tandem.


    Chelsea covered her chest and said, "But back then... do you forget when Rose shouted, asking us if her mother''s ident was an ident? She has always been suspicious of her mother''s death. I''m worried that if she discovers something, then..."


    Her words stopped here as if she was afraid to continue.


    The car crash seemed like an ident on the surface, but in truth, it was a carefully orchestrated man-made disaster, and they were more aware of it than anyone.


    Chelsea''s words also made Jamie''s eyebrows furrow suddenly. All matters about the car ident from that year have been resolved.  An ident


    After Celeste''s car was struck, it plunged into the water. The rescue efforts were hindered by the ongoing stormy weather. When the car was discovered, Celeste was nowhere to be found. Only the body of the driver remained Inside the vehicle.


    It took several days of salvage operations to find Celeste in the sea, her body grotesquely bloated and unrecognizable.


    Jamie went personally to identify the body. While the face couldn''t be discerned, the attire on the corpse unmistakably belonged to Celeste.


    After that incident, Jamie deliberately avoided dwelling on it. For many years, he immersed himself in everything Celeste left behind, feeling justified and at peace.


    What was truly infuriating is that Celeste left a will at an undisclosed moment. The will explicitly dered that upon Rose''s marriage, she would automatically inherit ownership of Celeste Jewels.


    Jamie was grateful that he had plenty of matters to attend to, enough to the extent that he could drain Celeste Jewels, transforming it into his asset.


    His expression turned fierce as he thought about the past. He didn''t pay much attention to Rose, but at this moment, he also failed to observe the coldness in Chelsea''s eyes.


    Chelsea was scheming internally-Jamie was identified as a potential stumbling block for Kelly, while Rose posed a threat to Kelly.


    If they didn''t exist, Kelly''s identity as the sole bloodline of the Youngs would be firmly established.


    To preemptively address any potential future issues, she needed a strategy that hit two birds with one


    stone.


    Rose made it a routine to go to Celeste Jewels early every morning for several days in a row.


    A significant portion of the staff resigned some time ago, but recent days, they''ve sessfully recruited back about half of the


    Rose didn''t dwell much on the terminated contracts with business partners. Her mind was upied with thetest batch of jewelry designs.


    She only spent two days and managed to design aplete ne set.


    The new design was quickly released, but an hourter, she received a legal letter from Young''s House of Jewels, using her of giarizing their work.


    They presented their case meticulously and convincingly, but Rose only responded with a gentle smile. She knew best whose design it was.


    She withdrew the released design, and the next day, she received termination notices from several material suppliers who had long-term coborations with Celeste Jewels. They were so resolute in terminating the contract that they were even willing to pay the penalty for breach.


    An ident


    The entire industry was well aware that the once-dominant Rose had be the cast-off of the Youngs. 1

 Billionire 236

    Truth Behind the Car ident


    People were all curious, probing into the reasons why Rose and Celeste Jewels had be targets. They were very eager to know what exactly had happened, causing them to fall from the sky to the ground in a single night. But no one knew the specific reason.


    Only a single message circted within the industry-if anyone coborated with Celeste Jewels, it meant severing ties with the Youngs and losing the opportunity to work with them.


    The Young Family wielded such immense influence that no one dared to offend. Therefore, most of Celeste Jewels'' coborators also made their choices.


    The atmosphere in Celeste Jewels'' office was grave at this moment. William and Sherlyn made every effort to quell the gossip in the office. In front of Rose, they both strove to appear calm andposed. Unexpectedly, Rose got a call from Jamie today. Though she had no desire to respond, Jamie''s repeated calls forced her to answer.


    The moment the call connected, Jamie''s taunting voice echoed, "Rose, are you facing any difficulties.tely? If you are, please let me know. After all, we''re father and daughter and I''ll surely support you." Rose knew that Jamie was seeking revenge for the night of the weing party when she didn''t show him any respect.


    She smirked coldly and inquired, "Alright, how do you n to support me?"


    Jamie paused in surprise at her response.


    Afterward, Jamie, as if hearing the most absurd joke, sarcastically taunted, "Support you, Rose? Don''t you have the Youngs? I thought you had truly be a Youngs wife. But it seems you''ve forgotten one thing -you''re a Shaffer, not a Young"


    Despite Rose''s profound disappointment in Jamie as a father, his taunting, as if he wished to see her dragged into the mud like an enemy, still caused a subtle twinge in her heart.


    Bitterness lingering in her heart, Rose suddenly spoke in a subdued voice, "Are you truly my father?"


    She had asked the same question before, but Jamie''s response was as indifferent as usual.


    But perhaps this time, as Chelsea had just mentioned the car ident, he immediately felt a palpable sense of guilt upon hearing the question. He ended the call in a state of disarray. Rose gazed at her phone and smirked ironically. Had Jamie casually admitted just now that he wasn''t her father, maybe she would have felt a bit more at ease.


    Ending the phone in such haste, it seemed as if he were feeling guilty. Guilty


    Rose furrowed her brow, her thoughts on the verge of exploration. But her ringing phone brought her back


    to reality, the call was surprisingly from an unknown number.


    She picked up the call, and a strange voice on the other end asked, "Is this Ms. Rose Shaffer?"


    "Yes, speaking"


    "Hello, Ms. Rose, Mr. Finch would like you toe to the office."


    Mr. Finch? Jonathan Finch? The blurry silhouette of the masked figure appeared in Rose''s mind, and she couldn''t grasp why he was looking for her.


    "Okay, I got it," Rose responded and hung up the phone.


    She briefed William on thepany affairs and then left the office. She hailed a taxi and made her way directly to the Finch Building


    At the lobby of Finch Building, the manager who had previously greeted Rose each time was already waiting there. As soon as he saw Rose, he promptly greeted her and led her to the top floor. She was taken to an aerial garden that connected to the CEO''s office. The garden was abundant with thriving green nts, and there was even a swimming pool


    Rose saw a silhouette by the swimming pool from afar, uncertain whether it was Mr. Finch.


    She stood at one end of the pool, and logically, she should have walked over and asked Mr. Finch why he wanted to meet her. If he specifically called her over, there must have been a reason. But when Rose thought of the danger associated with this man, her feet seemed to weigh a ton. She lifted her legs with difficulty, but after taking a few steps, she abandoned the idea of approaching


    Mr. Finch was leisurely swimming dressed casually. If Rose approached right now, it was sure to be quite an awkward moment. In this case, if he didn''t move, she wouldn''t move either


    Jonathan intentionally turned his back on Rose. He was betting on whether she would approach, but after a while, there was still no sign of movement behind hm. A bitter smile crossed Jonathan''s face. It seemed that Rose had not let go of her guard against Mr. Finch''s identity


    Considering the purpose of asking her over today, Jonathan casually picked up the phone from the floating tray, dialed Finley''s number, and gave a few brief instructions


    Finley quickly arranged for a staff member, who came in with a sealed file bag


    "Ms. Rose, Mr. Finch has instructed that this file bag be handed over to you," the person conveyed wit! great respect.


    The entire staff in the top-floor office had met Rose before.


    The top floor of Finch Building was considered the highest authority within the entire corporation and was strictly not allowed for outsiders to enter.


    Even if Mr. Finch had important guests to meet, the arrangements were made by the office or Mr. Willis elsewhere..


    However, Ms. Rose visited multiple times, and each asion was arranged by Mr. Willis himself, yet he never made an appearance


    This conduct was quite peculiar, and everyone was wondering about Ms. Rose''s rtionship with Mr. Finch. Therefore, everyone appointed to engage with her was especially respectful. "Thank you," Rose took the file bag and expressed her gratitude politely


    Truth Behind the C&r ident


    Her appearance naturally outshone many celebrities, and that brilliantly charming smile immediately made her remarkably stunning.


    W the


    Rose nced at the figure pool once the staff left. She hesitated for a moment and then opened the file bag on the spot.


    To her surprise, the file bag contained an investigation report about Celeste''s car ident over a decade ago.


    At the first sight of those contents, Rose''s demeanor shifted to a serious and nervous state. She practically went through all the investigative files word by word.


    It


    was undeniable that Mr. Finch was exceptionally capable. These pieces of information, some of which she didn''t even know


    The investigation results left Rose standing in silence for a while-the car ident was affirmed to be not idental but a deliberate act.


    The car from Celeste''s ident that fell into the water underwent an appraisal, and the conclusion showed no abnormalities. Afterward, where that car was taken remains unknown. Considering the time that has psed, it should have ceased to exist by now. Mr. Finch found the car, yet the appraisal this time differed greatly from the previous one.


    Reading the line "Brake malfunction, suspected human interference," Rose couldn''t help but watch her hands tremble uncontrobly.


    She softly mused to herself, "If the car was tampered with, it means someone aimed to kill Mom. Who could be so malicious as to want Mom''s life?" Jamie''s image subconsciously appeared in her mind.


    His presence was fleeting, yet she was reluctant to believe it. Jamie''s detachment, the absence of y father-daughter bond-these were things she could ept. She had her suspicions about whether Jamie was involved in Mom''s car ident but faced with the evidence now, her heart hesitated as she couldn''t ept it. Rose bit her lip and continued reading further down.


    Suddenly, she saw a photo of an unfamiliar man. The picture was affixed to a sheet of paper, which, aside from this unknown man''s photo, also contained rows of call logs.


    And one of those numbers belonged specifically to Jamie Shaffer. There was a sense that something was about toe to light, making Rose''s hand holding the document shake uncontrobly.

 Billionire 237

    Is She Not epting You


    There was even a substantial sum of money transferred from Celeste Jewels''pany ount, passing through several hands before finally reaching an ount owned by the unknown man.


    Jamie Shaffer ... Rose bit her lip, her hands trembling so much they could barely hold the documents. Jonathan turned around in the nearby swimming pool.


    He had already gone through these documents before handing them to Rose.


    He had anticipated Rose''s reaction in advance. In that moment, he yearned to step forward, wrap her in aforting embrace, and ease her distress. But Rose abruptly looked up. Almost reflexively, Jonathan turned his body to avoid her gaze. He was still not ready to confront Rose as Mr. Finch.


    He was even a little worried, questioning whether Rose had seen his face when he turned away moments


    ago.


    "Mr. Finch, thank you for finding the truth for me," Rose''s voice unexpectedly broke, trembling as she tried to hold back, yet still carrying a touch of a quivering tone.


    Did she cry? Jonathan didn''t care about much else and abruptly turned around. But as he turned, Rose had already turned as well, heading toward the direction of the office.


    "Rose..." he called out, but it seemed Rose hadn''t heard him.


    Jonathan couldn''t restrain himself anymore. He quickly left the pool, casually dried off, grabbed a shirt, and then hurriedly chased after.


    Rose had already arrived at the top-floor office area, and everyone instinctively nced in her direction. To them, Ms. Rose undoubtedly holds an extraordinary ce in Mr. Finch''s heart.


    Though they didn''t dare to conjecture about Mr. Finch''s thoughts, curiosity was omnipresent where gossip abounds.


    They saw Ms. Rose unexpectedly running out, her face devoid of expression, tears streaking down.


    "Mr.... Mr. Wills, something''s happened to Ms. Rose... someone immediately found Finley to report the


    situation.


    Every time Rose visited, Finley automatically tried to hide, ensuring he was not spotted by her. He was initially in the lounge area, sipping his coffee peacefully


    Upon hearing someone approach to report, even before the person finished speaking, he sensed something amiss from their expression. He immediately set down his coffee and swiftly rushed over. But by the time he reached there, Rose had already entered the elevator.


    As he turned around, he saw Mr. Finching out of the office in a rush. He looked startled, disying deep concern all over his face.


    "Mr. Finch, what happened? Did Mrs. Finch find out about your identity? Is she not epting you?" Finley asked with concern.


    Is She Not epting You


    All Jonathan could think of was Rose struggled with tears moments ago. Finley was right in front of him, truly blocking his way.


    "Mr. Finch... Perhaps we should ask Mr. Gibson for some ideas..."


    "Get lost!"


    Finley momentarily froze, stopping in his tracks. Jonathan hurried past him, swiftly boarding the elevator, leaving behind a dismayed Finley.


    His intention was merely to alleviate Mr. Finch''s concerns, but instead, he was told to get lost, feeling deeply wronged. Rose was inside the elevator, thankful for being alone, tears falling drop by drop. In her mind, she had woven endless scenarios, but when reality stared her in the face, it remained difficult to ept. After all, Jamie was her father, yet he was also the one who caused Mom''s death


    Rose stepped out of the elevator feeling befuddled. She sensed an almost weightless state as if a gentle breeze could whisk her away at any moment. She left the Finch Building in a state of bewilderment. The ring sunlight above her head made her suddenly feel as though all her strength had been drained away. She swayed slightly and lost her bnce, tumbling down. *Please don''t get hurt," Rose prayed softly.


    As Rose braced herself for the impending pain of the fall, a slender arm encircled her waist.


    She only sensed being propelled by a force, embracing her into a familiar chest. Right before her consciousness scattered, she seemed to catch sight of a familiar face. "Star escort... husband..." Rose weakly called out.


    Jonathan''s tightly tense heart slowly eased only when he was sure that Rose was in his embrace.


    However, at the sight of the pale tear trail on her face, Jonathan felt an indescribable ache in his heart. He lifted Rose into his arms, unable to ease the furrowed worry on his brow. "Husband is just husband, what does ''Star escort husband'' mean?" Jonathan muttered with a hit of dissatisfaction.


    He was aware of the nickname she had for him on her phone but never revealed it.


    Jonathan was certain she just couldn''t handle the shock and had fainted. He then carried Rose Into the car, settled her in the passenger seat, and personally drove straight to Zenwood Gardens. When they returned to Zenwood Gardens, Rose remained unconscious. Jonathan was aware of the -hardships Celeste Jewels had been facing during this period.


    He had been waiting for Rose to ask for help, but it seemed that whenever she faced a problem, she always opted to face it alone and never thought of depending on him.


    With his substantial wealth and influence, he was someone she could rely on for anything throughout her life. Yet she chose to face it alone once again.....


    1


    Jonathan felt somewhat uneasy and thus silently observed the Youngs subtle actions toward Celeste Jewels. But when he saw Rose lying in bed looking exhausted, he deeply regretted it,  Is She Not epting You


    He traced her cheek softly with his fingertips and left the room, his gaze profound and intense.


    He closed the door, and walked to the I balcony, ensuring his voice wouldn''t disturb Rose before dialing Finley''s number.


    "Mr. Finch?" Finley called out, sounding a bit hurt.


    Unaware of any emotions, Jonathan went on to instruct him, "Swiftly determine whichpanies ended their partnerships with Celeste Jewels. Then, ce all thesepanies on the Finches'' cklist." The Finch Group''s reach extends through diverse industries. Those navigating the business world couldn''t avoid encounters with the Finches.


    If the Finches intended to sanction anypany, it was just a matter of a phrase, signaling the entire


    industry.


    They might not have even needed to personally get involved. Otherpanies, concerned about potential fallout, voluntarily severed ties with thatpany.


    Just as the Youngs targeted Celeste Jewels during this time. The Finches'' sanctions would hit even harder, akin to a raging storm.


    It was widely known that Mr. Finch, at the helm of the Finch Group, was famous for his shrewd and ruthless ways..


    "Received, I''ll attend to it immediately," Finley said, addressing the matter at hand with a professional


    demeanor.


    Just as Jonathan was about to hang up, Finley suddenly added, "Mr. Finch? Once this matter is resolved, I''ll arrange for someone else toe to Aquastead..."


    Jonathan furrowed his brow. Before Finley could finish, he noticed his subtle change in mood. He recalled the anxious state he was in moments ago with Rose and the sudden shout at Finley.


    Even though he frequently shouted at Finley on regr days, this time, it seemed like he had genuinely hurt Finley.


    "What? Are you nning to head the task to expand business in Frenchaa yourself?" Jonathan calmly interjected, cutting off Finley.


    Finley seemed briefly puzzled, not knowing how to reply. Business expansion in Frenchaa? Was there a need for him to personally oversee business expansion in Frenchaa?


    Before he could react, he heard Jonathan''s voice on the other end of the phone, "Stay by my side, ensure the safety of Mrs. Finch and me, and I''ll double your sry this month."

 Billionire 238

    What Kind of Wedding Ceremony Do You Desire


    What Kind of Wedding Ceremony Do You Desire


    Finley didn''t understand Jonathan''s intentions-why would he double his sry?


    Before he could figure it out, Jonathan coughed lightly on the other end of the phone and said, "I didn''t mean to yell at you earlier. Rose... she fainted."


    Finley took some time to regain hisposure after Jonathan''s surprising exnation. The moment he heard ''Rose fainted," his demeanor immediately turned serious. "Is Mrs. Finch okay?"


    His tone was deeply concerned, without any pretense. Jonathan was surprised by his concern for Rose, a hint of danger flickering in his eyes, tinged with a hint of jealousy.


    But in the next moment, Finley quickly exined, "Mrs. Finch is the person Mr. Finch cares about the most. If anyone harms her, I won''t spare them!"


    Jonathan''s menacing expression eased as he stated, "Well, let''s start with those who took advantage of the situation with Celeste Jewels due to the Youngs." "Understood, Mr. Finch."


    Finley epted the order as if the emotional outburst moments ago had never happened. He felt a surge of passion within. Those who dared to trouble Mrs. Finch wouldn''t receive any mercy from him. Even the Youngs weren''t considered significant by the Finches.


    When Jonathan returned to the room, Rose was lying on the bed, frowning and seemingly murmuring.


    She was murmuring something, but Jonathan couldn''t discern the words, but her demeanor seemed especially troubled.


    He furrowed his brow as he stepped forward, cing his hand on her forehead. Sensing her normal temperature, he eased his concern slightly. However, her murmuring continued.


    Jonathan leaned toward her mouth, just about hearing what she was murmuring.


    "Mom... don''t... danger.


    Her murmurs were indeed due to Celeste''s ident report. Rose was having a dream where it poured rain, soaking everything around.


    She stood alone in the rain, clutching a stuffed toy, surrounded by mist. Unable to see anything, she felt -extreme fear, panicked, and helpless. Suddenly, someone called her name.


    "Rose... Rose...


    As the voice became clearer, Rose followed it and saw a woman.


    "Mom!" she called out in delight.


    The rain and fog in front of her gradually cleared, and she finally saw her surroundings. She stood on one side of the sidewalk, her mother waving at her from across the road,


    EL


    What Kind of Wedding Ceremony Do You Desire


    As her mother was about to run towards her, arge vehicle dashed out from the rain and mist. The car sp¨¦d recklessly, not slowing down in the slightest, seemingly on the verge of hitting her mother. "Mom, watch out!" Rose shouted in horror, and an instant, there was a loud crash as her mom was thrown away by the impact.


    She stared numbly at the corpse lying on the ground, continuously oozing blood, while a man''sughter echoed in her ears.


    Rose followed theughter and nced over to see a familiar figure in the car that had hit her mom. Jamie Shaffer!


    Jamieughed smugly, appearing pleased that her mother had finally died, but also seemed to be mocking her. Witnessing her mother''s death in front of her, Rose couldn''t do anything.


    Rose''s face was drenched, unable to tell if it was from rain or tears. Amidst Jamie''sughter, there gradually appeared a burst of additionalughter.


    It was a woman''sughter, and when Rose nced over, she saw Chelsea''s face twisted expression. The scene suddenly changed, and it looked like Chelsea sped up, instantly reaching her and grabbing her by the neck. Rose struggled to catch her breath, fighting hard, but Chelsea''s hand tightened more.


    Finally, sheughed madly, "Rose, if you''re dead, and everything will belong to Kelly..."


    "Ah!" Rose suddenly shouted, waking up abruptly from her dream surrounded by darkness.


    Rose''s face was beaded with sweat as she recollected the dream''s scenario, feeling deeply shaken. As she felt frightened, arge palm soothed her forehead,


    Rose was startled and almost instinctively flinched, raising her hand to strike. There was a clear and crisp "snap. Jonathan only felt a pang on his face, yet he didn''t feel angry at all.


    Sensing Rose''s fright, he gripped her wrist and quickly spoke to reassure her, "Rose, it''s me."


    The familiar voice caused a slight startle in Rose. Did she just hit her star escort husband?


    "I''m sorry," Rose instinctively apologized, realizing she had acted too forceful and unforgiving


    Recalling the crisp sound, she must have struck hard. In the dark, she reached out to feel Jonathan''s cheek.


    "I didn''t know...


    "I''m fine, it doesn''t hurt," Jonathan said, smoothing Rose''s hair that had fallen around her ears. "You were dreaming, whatever you dreamt, it''s just a dream."


    Rose looked dazed and couldn''t help but ask herself, "Was it just a dream?"


    The feelings in the dream were incredibly vivid, and the dream scenes seemed to match the truth about her mom''s ident.


    How could it possibly be just a dream? Rose thought of the things represented by every word and line In


    that document.


    In front of her Star escort husband at this moment, the emotions she had been holding back finally


    What Kind of Wedding Ceremony Do You Desire


    copsedpletely.


    Rose rushed into the embrace of her Star escort husband, tears falling continuously.


    Jonathan understood the reason behind her tears. He held Rose close, softly caressing her back with hisrge palm, remaining silent.


    He stayed by her side, understanding that if she desired to talk or pour her heart out, she would speak up. The air was tranquil, the atmosphere serene.


    Rose, worn out from tears, had her face against Jonathan''s chest. She suddenly sensed the dampness on Jonathan''s chest, feeling awkward. She thought of getting up to let him change his clothes. Perhaps due to crying until fainted, she swayed as she tried to get up. Suddenly, she fell onto him once more in the next moment.


    Her lips touched his. Rose paused for a moment in the darkness, realizing and sensing the rising ambiguity in the air.


    Roses


    swallowed nervously and attempted to get up again, but this time, Jonathan didn''t give her another


    chance.


    Jonathan held her wrist, their bodies pressing against each other, as the darkness enveloped them, hinting at something intimate. On that night, Jonathan was unusually wild.


    Rose fell tiredly into his embrace, catching his murmurs in her ear, "Rose, what kind of wedding ceremony do you desire?"


    Wedding Ceremony? Rose was taken aback at his words. Once the wedding ceremony is done, their marriage won''t merely be an arrangement.


    "What''s going on in that head of yours? You''re not trying to shirk responsibility, are you?" Jonathan queried, biting Rose''s shoulder with apparent dissatisfaction.


    His words left Rose speechless. That sounded a bit peculiar, didn''t it?


    "I''ve given you the ring and myself. You can''t simply use me up and cast me away!"


    Jonathan''s tone was filled with bitterness. Rose felt a wave of dizziness. What was he talking about?


    "Honey, please don''t leave me hanging, okay? I promise I''ll do everything you say. If you want to go east, won''t go west. I can fulfill all your desires, and I won''t ck off!" Rose blushed with embarrassment, feeling increasingly lost with Jonathan''s out-of-ce words.


    "Honey..."


    Worried that he might say something even more embarrassing, Rose swiftly turned around and bit his lips, stopping any further words from escaping.

 Billionire 239

    Who is the Bride


    Who Is the Bride


    Rose soon regretted using this approach. After everything ended, Rose felt like her bones had turned to jelly.


    Meanwhile, her star escort husband was in excellent spirits, leaving Rose feeling deeply disturbed as she gave him a piercing re. She forcefully drove him out of the room, indifferent to his coaxing outside. While Rose was alone in bed, her mind was filled with echoes of Jonathan''s words.


    *What kind of wedding ceremony do you desire?"


    She had never given thought to the wedding she desired, yet now, a subtle sense of excitement was budding within her.


    Jonathan stood outside the room he''d been ousted from. Had Zac and Finley caught a glimpse of the smile on his face right now, they would''ve been utterly stunned, rendered speechless.


    His mind was filled with the image of Rose''s charming presence moments ago, fueling an earnest desire in his heart to give her a wedding ceremony. She must look stunning in a wedding gown! Jonathan''s thoughts raced, as if not wanting to waste a single moment. He immediately reached out to his trusted assistant at Regalia,pletely disregarding the fact that it was still early morning. "Mr. Finch, you''ve finally recalled my existence."


    On the phone, the groggy Leonard Spencer awakened from his sleep, still wearing a surprised expression.


    Leonard and Finley stood as Jonathan''s closest confidants, one with intellect and the other with strength, serving as his indispensable allies.


    During Jonathan''s visit to Aquastead, he entrusted Leonard with handling the Finch affairs back at Regalia.


    However, Leonard couldn''t help but feel extremely envious of Finley, who had the chance to be with Mr. Finch and explore the world, while Leonard was left alone and lonely at Regalia. "Mr. Finch, everything is running smoothly at Regalia. How about letting Finley and me switch moles? Ie to Aquastead, and he returns?" Leonard asked, brimming with anticipation. Leonard, however, hadn''t expected his anticipation to be so short-lived-Jonathan rejected him Immediately.


    "You must stay back at Regalia..."


    Jonathan''s tone was resolute.


    "Wait, Mr. Finch...


    Leonard instantly considered trying to appeal to emotions, maybe ying the victim a bit, hoping Mr. Finch would concede. But this time, Jonathan interrupted him before he could start. "You''ll be at Rega, arranging a wedding ceremony for me."


    Jonathan was initially visibly disheartened, but the mention of the "wedding ceremony'' rejuvenated him.


    Who Is the Bride


    "A wedding ceremony?"


    Leonard couldn''t believe what he heard.


    "Yes, a wedding ceremony."


    Jonathan didn''t waste time and proceeded with his wedding requests, while Leonard on the other end of the line was already lost.


    Mr. Finch instructed about the wedding gown, and the scene arrangement, with an eager and expectant tone. Leonard was troubled by a slight sense of unease.


    After Mr. Finch enthusiastically issued all the instructions, he finally took the opportunity to ask, "Mr. Finch, may I ask whose wedding ceremony is this?"


    Jonathan wrinkled his brow and queried, "Didn''t I exin clearly just now?"


    Leonard waspletely bewildered; did he exin himself clearly just now?


    "May I ask, Mr. Finch, who is the groom? And who is the bride?"


    With the thought of soon being the groom, Jonathan''s tone carried a bit more pride.


    "The groom, of course, is me. As for the bride..."


    He nced at the tightly closed door, didn''t finish his sentence, and hung up the phone. His bride belonged to him, why should Leonard have been informed? Leonard on the phone had been waiting to hear some big news, but he didn''t expect to be greeted with a hang-up.


    "What the..."


    Leonard''s curiosity was fully awakened. Was Mr. Finch getting married? That was already massive news for him, but who was the bride exactly?


    His curiosity got the better of him, couldn''t wait even for a moment, he got out of bed and dialed Finley.


    Finley y was in a deep slumber when his phone rang. Thinking it might be Mr. Finch with some ment message, he woke up promptly to check.


    Yet, upon


    upon seeing Leonard''s name on the screen, he switched off his phone and went back to bed.


    It wasn''t until dawn the next day when Finley switched on his phone again that Leonard''s call immediately came through.


    Finley furrowed his brow, picked up the call, and Leonard, impatiently asked, "Mr. Finch is getting married. Who''s the bride? You surely know, right? Tell me,e on, tell me now!"


    y was puzzled, what did it mean that Mr. Finch was getting married? He was already married!


    Finley


    This information reached Leonard too tardily, and Finley was a bit triumphant as he was probably the first one to know that Mr. Finch was getting married!


    As expected, inparison to Leonard, Mr. Finch values him more. Leonard was tormented by Finley''s silence, feeling like his heart was being scratched by a cat.  W


    Who Is the Bride


    "Finley, I beg you, tell me who Mr. Finch''s bride is. Otherwise, preparing for this wedding ceremony is too much torture for me. You''re my bosom buddies, please tell me..."


    At first, Finley had no intention of telling him, but suddenly, he seemed to have caught onto something.


    "What did you say? A wedding ceremony? What wedding ceremony? Is Mr. Finch going to have a wedding with Mrs. Finch?


    Leonard started to doubt himself about what he heard.


    "Mrs. Finch? What Mrs. Finch?''


    Meanwhile, the "Mrs. Finch", Rose, was getting up from the bed. After Jonathan leftst night, she fell asleep again and didn''t have any more nightmares for thetter part of the night. She tidied up and left, the room, expecting it to be awkward to encounter her star escort husband, but by that time, Jonathan had already left.


    The prepared breakfast was ced on the dining table, alongside a note.


    As Rose saw the word "wife" written by Jonathan on the note, the scene fromst night popped into her mind, and in an instant, her face turned red, extremely heated. "Thankfully he isn''t around!"


    Rose touched her cheek and let out a long breath. After eating breakfast, she made her way to thepany.


    ?


    The moment she reached thepany, she felt a strange atmosphere. On her way to the office, she met William hastily exiting the meeting room.


    When William saw Rose, he immediately approached her with excitement.


    "Ms. Shaffer, you''re impressive as always, truly remarkable."


    Rose wrinkled her forehead and asked, "What''s happening?"


    At the same moment, Sherlyn came out of the meeting room with a big smile on her face and jogged over to her.


    "Ms. Shaffer, Mr. Miles'' words work. All the partners who terminated contracts before have arrived, and not a single one is missing. They''re interested in working together again. Ms. Shaffer, what do we do? Should we re-sign the contracts?"


    Rose waspletely confused by what she heard. However, there was one thing she grasped exceptionally clearly.


    "Mr. Miles?"


    "Exactly, if it wasn''t for Mr. Lies, how could they have had a change of heart? It must have been Mr. Miles who gave the word, causing them to rush here..."


    Sherlyn recalled the scene when she arrived at thepany. Before thepany even opened, the representatives from those coborating firms were already waiting outside.


    Rose''s brow furrowed deeper. She hadn''t approached Miles, did Miles initiate support for her behind the


    Who Is the Bride


    scenes? Her mind filled with doubts, and she went into the meeting room on her own.


    As soon as Rose arrived, the coborating partners present stood up immediately. She recognized them- these individuals were the top-tier executives from theirpanies.


    "Ms. Shaffer, we sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding in the previous contract termination, but everything has been resolved now. We''re ready to re-sign the contract and continue our coboration, without any impact."


    "Indeed, Ms. Shaffer, we''ve always had faith in Celeste Jewels'' capabilities. No matter whates next, the coboration between our twopanies will stand unshakable."


    "Yes, Ms. Shaffer, would you take a look at this contract? Shall we sign it first?"


    The group wore expressions of eagerness to sign the contract, yet Rose frowned and queried, "Sign?"

 Billionire 240

    Who Is Protecting Her


    "Yes, we''re ready to sign the contract.


    "Everyone smiled and eagerly handed over the prepared contract to Rose.


    Rose nced at the contracts and politely asked with a smile, "What to sign?"


    A momentary stiffness reced the smiles on the faces of the crowd.


    One person hurriedly approached Rose and said, "Ms. Shaffer, might you have forgotten? We''re here to sign our coboration contract. This time, let''s not sign for 2 years but extend it to 10. Within these 10 years, ourpany will be Celeste Jewels'' finest partner."


    Rose remained silent as ever. The person felt a sudden panic, recalling the boss''s instructions-if he couldn''t seal the deal on this contract today, he would have to leave


    It wasn''t just him, they all had just exchanged brief pleasantries outside Celeste Jewels''pany premises a while ago.


    Everyone who showed up today got a brutalmand from the boss- if the contract wasn''t sealed, they were to get lost. As Rose remained silent, someone started to wipe their sweat.


    "Ms. Shaffer, is there anything that seems concerning to you? If there''s an issue, we''ll change it right away, as long as it satisfies you!" someone couldn''t sit still and inquired. "Exactly, Ms. Shaffer, we can certainly negotiate the price."


    The people present were entirely fixated on finalizing the contract to safeguard their jobs. However, Rose remained silent, and their hearts grew even more restless.


    Seeing the scene, William and Sherlyn were both eager to snatch the contracts and sign them themselves


    Celeste Jewels'' current predicament would be instantly resolved as soon as these partnerships were established.


    William couldn''t help but remind her, "Ms. Shaffer..."


    But before he could finish speaking, Rose looked at him and said politely, "William, could you see our guests off, please?"


    After saying that, Rose walked out of the meeting room, leaving everyone there stunned.


    It wasn''t until her figure faded from view that they came to their senses, eager to follow her outside, but were held back by William. "Wait, Ms. Shaffer, please see if there are any other requests. We can discuss....


    "Yes, whatever the request is, we will surely agree."


    The meeting room was in chaos, despair evident on everyone''s faces. Ms. Shaffer''s departure hadpletely severed their jobs.


    It took 10 minutes for William to summon security and finally managed to escort all the business partners


    out.


    Who is Protecting


    The office had finally calmed down, but within merely half an hour, a group of people began arriving, and William identified some as the CEOs of the coboratingpanies. "Ms. Shaffer, the CEOS from thosepanies are here in person. Should we consider...?" William cautiously asked, his eyes slightly puzzled as he looked at Rose.


    Rose looked up from behind herputer, surprised to hear that their CEOS hade in person. Yet, she didn''t reconsider her previous decision.


    "Escort them out, but with a better and favorable attitude," Rose said, shifting her focus back to the


    William had been initially astonished, but soon he understood that Ms. Shaffer''s decision must have had its reason.


    He asked Rose curiously, "Ms. Shaffer, could you tell me why?"


    "There''s no particr reason. I just feel their connection with the Youngs is too deep. They previously terminated cooperation with Celeste Jewels due to pressure from someone else. Now, for some unknown reason, they''re rushing to coborate with us again. What if there''s another instance of pressure?


    Rose replied calmly.


    The Youngs now had Kelly, and there had always been friction between Kelly and her. Who knew what Kelly might have done to her in the future?


    Therefore, regardless of the reason behind their decision, she won''t agree with them to continue coborating with Celeste Jewels.


    F


    Rather than potentially being restrained in the future, it was better topletely cut ties. As for Celeste Jewels'' current difficulties, Rose believed that it would eventually pass.


    "Got it, Ms. Shaffer. I''ll take care of the rest!" William grasped and said.


    He left the office and politely escorted all the CEOs to the door. As they left, each of them looked pale and seemed to have lost their spirit.


    One of the CEOs even fainted right after leaving Century Tower. An ambnce arrived and rushed him to the hospital


    The buzz was substantial. It spread to the Young''s House of Jewels within an hour. A few well-informed individuals were privately discussing.


    "Could it be our Mr. Miles pressuring thosepanies?"


    Rose, the recently appointed Design Director at Young''s House of Jewels, had barely spent a few days in thepany before disappearing. They managed to gather some information.


    They concluded that Rose had fallen out of favor! Therefore, those fewpanies that had rushed to establish a rtionship with Geleste Jewels immediately terminated their contracts with Rose.


    But today''s sudden reversal was going against the norm. There must be someone exerting pressure in this matter, and apart from Mr. Miles, they didn''t make any other spections.


    Everyone in thepany knew that Mr. Miles held a special regard for Rose.


    Who Is Protecting Her


    "It has to be Mr. Miles! Otherwise, who else could it be?"


    "I caught wind of it vaguely yesterday, Mr. Miles had his assistant get in touch with those coborating partners of Celeste Jewels. It''s him."


    Amidst their chatter, they failed to realize that the Mr. Miles they were discussing had just passed by behind them. Miles returned to the office, looking grim.


    He''d barely sat down when Anastasia barged into the office, giving him a cold smile.


    "Miles, you''re quite thepassionate one. Making such a scene for Rose''s sake, aren''t you someone will tell Grandpa?"


    worried


    Anastasia found it utterly ridiculous. She had only leaked the information a few days ago, and before Rose could face any repercussions, Miles couldn''t resist ying the hero.


    It was so hateful how he had spoiled her n! Miles lifted his gaze, his eyes chillingly cold as he met Anastasia''s. He stayed silent for a while, and suddenly Anastasia felt somewhat uneasy.


    "I''m just genuinely concerned about you. I don''t want you to anger Grandpa because of this," Anastasia said, avoiding Miles'' gaze.


    "Oh, concern?"


    A trace of a cold smile shed in Miles'' eyes. His sharp gaze seemed capable of seeing through a person''s heart with just one nce.


    Before Anastasia could retort, he spoke up, "Are you more concerned about me angering Grandpa or angering the person you''re trying to impress?"


    She felt exposed and wore an unnatural expression on her face.


    But she shrugged it off, saying, "Kelly is Grandpa''s biological granddaughter. Miles, after being siblings for so many years, I''m just kindly reminding you about Grandpa''s current health condition. How long he can endure is still unknown.


    "Throughout these years, it''s evident how much Grandpa misses and feels remorseful toward Aunt. His level of remorse toward Aunt might be reflected in the affection and bias he exhibits toward! Kelly. Perhaps, in the future of the Young family, she will have a say."


    Anastasia stared intensely at Miles, unwavering for a moment, as if trying to discern something from his expression. However, Miles only smiled lightly, seemingly unconcerned by what she mentioned. She couldn''t interpret the meaning behind his smile.


    "Miles..." Anastasia spoke again.


    But this time, Miles coldly spat out a word before she could say anything.

 Billionire 241

    Let My Wifey Choose


    Let My Wifey Choose


    "Get out!"


    Anastasia didn''te back to her senses for a while. Miles was elegant and rarely spoke harshly to others. But he drove her away! She gritted her teeth and left his office unwillingly.


    After the office door closed, Miles slowly closed his eyes. Everyone in the office thought he had put pressure on those partners, but that was not the case.


    He was indeed ready to do so, but it was still a step toote. The person who took one step ahead of him would be none other than Jonathan. Jonathan''s care for Rose exceeded his expectations. Anastasia left Celeste Jewels. She felt unwilling, so she drove back to Young Estate. The car stopped outside the estate. In the main hall, Oliver pushed his wheelchair out of the room.


    He looked at the door expectantly as if waiting for someone. In the living room, Kelly noticed his expression. She followed his sight and paid attention to the door.


    A few minutester, Anastasia came in. His expectations instantly dimmed.


    "It''s not Rosie..." he muttered.


    Although his voice was low, Kelly still heard it downstairs. Anastasia also heard it. She felt surprised. She had been making the diamond ring these past few days and hadn''t returned to the estate frequently. She didn''t expect that Oliver was missing Rose.


    While they were stunned, he asked Patrick, "Where''s Miles? Ask him what''s going on with Rosie.


    "Why didn''t shee back to see me?"


    Patrick nodded. After Oliver returned to the room, Anastasia walked up to Patrick.


    "What''s happened to Grandpa?


    "He seems to have forgotten what Rose had said in the hospital that night..."


    She didn''t finish her sentence, but Patrick understood what she meant. He sighed.


    "It started in the past two days. When he has finished something, he''ll do it again after a while. I''ve already asked the doctor to see him. The doctor said that his illness... he has begun to forget things."


    So, Oliver had forgotten that Rose left the Young family that night. What about the matter of his biological granddaughter? Kelly felt panic, but she quickly covered it up.


    She seemed extremely worried about his condition and looked sad.


    *Then what should we do? Has the doctor told you how to cure his disease?"


    Patrick nced at her and shook his head helplessly. After he left, only Anastasia and Kelly were in the iving room. They nced at each other without saying anything and went upstairs. When reaching Kelly''s room, Anastasia stopped and followed Kelly in.


    1/a


    Let My W Wifey Choose


    After closing the door, Anastasia breathed a sigh of relief and said, "To vent your anger, I asked someone to reveal something to Celeste Jewels'' partners.


    "Originally, they all terminated their cooperation with Celeste Jewels. But today, they approached Rose again. I heard they almost knelt to beg for cooperation. I don''t know who was putting pressure on them to protect her. I already put a lot of effort into it. But she''s too good at making people cherish her."


    Her meaning was obvious. She was asking Kelly for credit and was reminding Kelly that someone was protecting Rose. She wanted to arouse Kelly''s hatred for Rose even more.


    When Kelly heard that someone was protecting Rose, she showed her displeasure. The person who could protect Rose should be Miles.


    Kelly took a deep breath. It was okay if it was Miles. She was just afraid that it was Mr. Finch!


    "Thank you. I''ll always remember your help."


    As for Anastasia, Kelly would continue a good rtionship with her.


    "It''s not a big deal. After all, we''re friends."


    They smiled hypocritically. Yet, Anastasia seemed to remember something.


    She reminded Kelly meaningfully, "I didn''t expect Grandpa to want Rose back. He''s getting old. So, he may have forgotten what happened in the hospital that day.


    "It''s okay that he forgot other things, but if he forgets your identity one day


    She stopped speaking. She didn''t need to point out everything. Based on her understanding of Kelly, she only needed to give a hint. Kelly would naturally know what to do.


    Even if Oliver forgot it, Kelly would find a way to make him remember. Maybe she would exaggerate it to make things more exciting.


    Sure enough, Kelly took Oliver for a walk in the garden that afternoon. She mentioned what happened in the hospital that day with aggrievedness.


    After hearing that, he vaguely remembered that that was indeed the case.


    I


    In the evening, Patrick asked him, "Sir, if you miss Ms. Rose, what about I ask Mr. Miles to pick her up tomorrow?"


    When Patrick mentioned it, he became unhappy on the spot.


    "Hmph, since she refused to be my granddaughter, I don''t need to ask her back! Ask Miles to prepare for the press conference! I want to announce that Kelly is the only grandchild of the Young family. I''ll rify that I have nothing to do with Rose!"


    His sudden change made Patrick stun for a while. While Patrick was stunned, Kelly patted Oliver''s backfortingly as if trying to calm him down.


    "Kelly is better."


    Oliver smiled with satisfaction, then asked Kelly to push him upstairs.


    Let My Wifey Choose


    Jonathan got the news that Rose rejected those partners'' requests to cooperate again. Sitting on the sofal in the office, Jonathan was surprised and full of interest.


    "She refused them? She''s truly amazing as my woman


    Jonathan looked proud and satisfied. Finley couldn''t help but twitch his mouth. In Jonathan''s view, Rose was the best in everything she did. But......


    "Sir, thosepanies..." Finley mentioned tentatively.


    When he put pressure on them in the name of Finch Group, he delivered a message to them as requested by Jonathan.


    If they didn''t cooperate with Celeste Jewels again, they wouldn''t be able to continue their business! If Finch Group did so, they would have no ce in the business world!


    "It''s just a fewpanies. Since my wifey doesn''t want to cooperate with them, they have no value anymore," Jonathan said calmly.


    He kept flipping a coin. It became a habit for him to y the coin. If Rose refused to cooperate with thosepanies, he would find her some newpanies she might like. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something.


    He immediately sat up and ordered, "Ask the person in charge of gem mines under Finch Group. Submit letters of intent for cooperation to Celeste Jewels. Let my wifey choose what she likes. And also...

 Billionire 242

    What I Want Is Always You


    Jonathan kept calling Rose "wifey" so smoothly and satisfactorily. Finley couldn''t helpining


    secretly.


    *Wifey ... Mrs. Finch doesn''t even know you''re Mr. Finch. If she knows that, she might drive you away


    Finley sneered in his heart. Jonathan, who originally had a good mood, turned gloomy. He red coldly at Finley. Finley was slightly startled and felt a little flustered. He immediately smiled tteringly. "Sir, you''re so sincere to Mrs. Finch. She''ll feel extremely moved if she knows what you''ve done."


    As soon as he finished speaking. Jonathan said displeasedly, "Mrs. Finch? She still doesn''t know that I''m Mr. Finch. If she knows that ..."


    Jonathan didn''t finish speaking, but he stared at Finley fiercely. Finley suddenly realized. He had unconsciously spoken out what he had justined about in his heart!


    Sensing Jonathan''s sharp and murderous gaze, Finley felt that he would be doomed today. After gulping. he was at a loss when his cell phone rang. The caller ID was Mrs. Finch. Finley seemed to see hope and looked excited.


    "Sir, look! It''s Mrs. Finch..."


    Jonathan frowned. Why did Rose call Finley? He was about to get jealous. But he instantly realized she should be looking for Mr. Finch!


    He immediately sat up straight and ordered Finley, "Answer it!"


    Finley immediately answered the phone.


    "Hello, Ms. Shaffer."


    On the other end of the phone, Rose was in the office with the stack of documents given by Mr. Finch. After thinking for a long time, she decided to call Mr. Finch and ask him for another favor. But she wasn''t sure whether Mr. Finch would help.


    Hearing Finley''s voice, Rose could only bite the bullet and say, "Hello, I would like to find Mr. Finch. Can you..."


    "Yes, of course!" Finley responded tteringly.


    ncing at Jonathan, who had already reached out to take the phone and was even a little impatient, he secretly pursed his lips.


    "Ms. Shaffer, please wait a moment."


    He handed the phone to Jonathan unhurriedly. When Jonathan got the phone, he deliberately lowered his voice as the person Rose was looking for was Mr. Finch.


    "What''s the matter?"


    His voice was low and emotionless. She was startled and almost hung up the phone.


    What I Want Is


    Always You


    Before she did that, he continued saying, "Just say whatever you want."


    She took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Finch, can you provide me the evidence you found out?¡±


    "What do you want to do?"


    He seemed to have guessed her intention.


    "The murderer should pay the price," she answered coldly.


    Celeste''s car ident was a deliberate murder nned by Jamie. She wanted him to pay for what he had done.


    On the other end of the phone, Jonathan was silent for a long time and finally responded, "Okay."


    Rose breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Thank you. You helped me a lot. What can I do for you?"


    She thought about that night at Young Estate. Mr. Finch hadn''t said what he wanted. She felt very uneasy after asking this question. She wasn''t sure what he thought about her. When the image of Jonathan appeared in her mind, she thought it clear. As long as what Mr. Finch wanted wasn''t her, she could do anything to repay him!


    Yet, just as she had that thought, his deep voice came.


    "What I want is always you."


    These were his most sincere words. But when she heard that, she gulped subconsciously and quickly hung up the phone. Jonathan did it on purpose. Finley''s words just now stimted him. Even if Rose liked him, she only loved her star escort husband.


    But he was Jonathan Finch. He wanted to use his identity as Mr. Finch to make her the most distinguished wife of the Finch family. So, he expressed his love to her as Mr. Finch.


    Her reaction was in his expectation. She had to know his feelings. Maybe she would gradually ept Mr. Finch. Jonathan thought like that..


    Meanwhile, Rose''s heart was beating wildly. She even regretted asking Mr. Finch just now. What he wanted was always her!


    Without Jonathan, she could barely ept the dangerous Mr. Finch''s love. But now, she and Jonathan.. Thinking of the wedding he talked aboutst night, she was also looking forward to it. She understood that her feelings for him were no longer the same. But now, she felt inexplicably uneasy.


    The uneasiness stayed with her until the afternoon, It still lingered in her heart and was unable to dissipate.


    At the same time, William ran into her office excitedly without even knocking on the door as if he got a treasure. His eyes sparkled.


    "Ms. Shaffer, something good happened!"


    Rose nced at him.


    +35 SONUS


    What I Want Is Always You


    "What''s it?"


    "Suppliers and partners..."


    He looked excited. He had just received emails from several partners and suppliers requesting cooperation. He could not hold on to his excitement.


    "Ms. Shaffer, today is our lucky day!"


    She frowned. The original partners had invited her to re-sign before morning, but she refused. In the afternoon, other partners came one after another. Someone was helping her.


    Was it Miles? She didn''t want to pay attention to it. But after hearing the news, she still called Miles. At Young''s House of Jewels, Miles was surprised when he saw Rose calling While picking up the phone, his hands were trembling slightly. He took a deep breath, smiled, and answered the phone. Before he could speak, her voice came.


    "Mr. Miles.


    She called him Mr. Miles instead of Miles. He felt disappointed.


    "Rosie, even if you sever ties with the Young family, I''m still your brother. Do you even disown me?"


    Her heart trembled slightly. Miles had always taken great care of her. She found his tone sad and felt inexplicably guilty.


    So, she called him as usual, "Miles..."


    "Hmm. That''s right. Call me Miles," he said softly.


    Rose thought of Oliver and hesitated for a while.


    She couldn''t help but ask, "Grandpa..."


    As soon as she spoke out, she realized something and immediately changed her words.


    "How is Mr. Young Senior? Is he getting well?"


    She still cared about Oliver. Sensing her concern, Miles seemed to see hope.


    "Rosie, Grandpa never said he didn''t want you. If you...


    His tone was urgent, but she seemed to know what he would say.


    She immediately interrupted him, "Miles, even if I don''t leave, someone will ask me to do so!"


    He knew what she meant.

 Billionire 243

    He knew what she meant.


    Treat Him Like a Potato


    Treat Him Like a Hot Potato


    Kelly had never had good intentions toward Rose, but she was Oliver''s granddaughter.


    Thinking of Rose''s dilemma a few days ago, Miles said lowly, "Rosie, I''m sorry


    His apology slightly surprised Rose.


    "Don''t say that. I should thank you for helping me twice, but I don''t want to embarrass you. I''ll find a way to deal with the partners myself."


    She understood his difficulties too well. Oliver raised him from childhood. Oliver was his most important person. So, the granddaughter that Oliver cared about was also important.


    On the other end of the phone, Miles knew that she had misunderstood. His heart ached slightly, and his guilt became stronger.


    Finally, he smiled bitterly and said, "It wasn''t me.


    "I didn''t help you. There was someone else who dealt with the partners."


    Miles was surprised that Jonathan helped Rose without revealing himself. It was not the Mr. Finch he knew!


    "Someone else?" she asked subconsciously, "Who''s it?"


    He hesitated for a moment and answered, "It''s Mr. Finch! Apart from him, no one could do such a big deal. Nobody dares to embarrass the Young family."


    Rose''s mind shed Mr. Finch''s figure in the Finch Building''s swimming pool that day. She felt an inexplicable tremor. What he said that morning sounded in her ears. "What I want is always you."


    She was so flustered that she didn''t even notice that she had hung up the phone. If Mr. Finch had made such efforts for her, she would have found it hard to ept it.


    She would not have the confidence to refuse him if he made unreasonable demands. She took a deep breath. Then, she immediately called William and asked him to reject those new partners. "Ms. Shaffer, you...*


    He thought she was crazy.


    "Ms. Shaffer, a supplier has offered lower prices..."


    He wanted to convince her to reconsider. But he didn''t expect her to panic when she heard that.


    "Refuse it now!"


    He was speechless.


    "Hurry up!" she urged.


    She seemed afraid that if it were toote, Mr. Finch would misunderstand something. Although William felt it was a pity, he could only do it.


    Treat Him Like a Rot Potato


    After leaving the office, he met Sherlyn. He couldn''t help but worry about Rose.


    "Was Ms. Shaffer ill because she was too worried about thepany''s difficulties? That supplier is a savior, but it''s like a hot potato in her eyes."


    That was right. It was a hot potato! Since she knew Mr. Finch was helping her behind the scenes, she even felt he was more dangerous than a hot potato.


    She felt uneasy in the office. After a few minutes, she immediately asked William if he had refused the cooperation invitations. She breathed a sigh of relief when she got a positive answer.


    The less she epted, the more calmly she could deal with Mr. Finch. Yet, when the suppliers and partners received the rejection emails, they reported it to Finley. Then, he quickly told Jonathan. In the top-floor office of Finch Group, the atmosphere was cold.


    "Rejected?" Jonathan kept mumbling.


    Finley felt like his ears were almost off.


    "Yes."


    Jonathan stood up with dissatisfaction.


    "Why?"


    Finley w


    wailed in his heart, "You don''t even know it! How can I know?"


    But he didn''t dare to say that.


    "Why?" Jonathan asked again.


    Finley nced at him cautiously and guessed, "Maybe Mrs. Finch knows you''re helping her."


    "Yet she still refuses my help!"


    He gritted his teeth and looked extremely gloomy. He was already preparing for the wedding. But he still couldn''t win Rose''s heart. He was a little anxious and simply made a decision.


    "Give me that!"


    He reached out toward Finle


    "What?"


    "The phone!" he gritted his teeth and spat out the words.


    Finley didn''t dare to dy. He immediately took out the mobile phone that Rose contacted and handed it to Jonathan respectfully. At Celeste Jewels, it was after hours. The office was empty.


    After Rose packed up, she was about to leave when she received a phone call. It was Finch Group. It was the number she used to contact Mr. Finch. Rose gulped and answered the phone anxiously. She thought it was Mr. Finch''s subordinate. But as soon as she connected the call, she heard the familiar deep voice. "Rose, Shaffer?"


    123


    Treat Him Like a Hot Potato


    It was Mr. Finch! Her hands shook. She almost dropped her phone. But she quickly regained her calmness and smiled.


    "Mr. Finch, what can I do for you?"


    "I''ve asked mywyer to handle your mother''s matter."


    Jonathan couldn''t wait to make a favorable impression of "Mr. Finch" to Rose. She felt happy and quickly thanked him. But what he wanted was more than her thanks.


    He wanted her to open her heart to Mr. Finch. He didn''t want to wait any longer. He had to seize the time and start taking action.


    So, he said, "Let''s meet tonight. I''ll ask someone to pick you up."


    He hung up the phone before she could refuse. She stared at her phone with panic.


    "What should I do?"


    Mr. Finch''s tone frightened her as if he was asking for a reward from her. She was so flustered that she kept pacing on the spot. Should she go to the appointment?


    What should she do if he did something to her? It would be bad if she refused the appointment. After all, he had helped her. Moreover, she still wanted his help on Celeste''s matter! She felt upset. Meanwhile, Jonathan was full of expectations. He hung up the phone and immediately asked Finley to make arrangements.


    "Sir, what kind of ce do you want?" Finley tentatively asked.


    He wanted to achieve the result that Jonathan wanted.


    "A romantic ce without anyone else. The ce that can enhance a couple''s rtionship," Jonathan felt pleased when he thought about Rose.


    "I got it! Just leave it to me!"


    Finley patted his chest. Half an hourter, the person arranged by Jonathan arrived at Celeste Jewels.


    Only Rose''s office was lit in the entirepany. When someone came in, she grabbed the bag defensively.


    The visitors told her about their identities. She became even more panicked when she found out they were Mr. Finch''s subordinates.


    Yet, she followed them downstairs and got into the car even though she had no idea where they would take her. After the car left, Jamie hurried over from the Century Tower opposite.


    He recognized it was Rose who got into the luxury car just now. The men in ck suits were very respectful to her.


    He couldn''t guess their identities. But he had heard about the news about her rejection of those partners. No wonder she had the confidence to refuse. It was because she had a backer! He originally wanted to follow her and see who her backer was. But Chelsea called him at this moment.

 Billionire 244

    Don''t Make Her Misunderstand


    Jamie, something happened at home!"


    Chelsea''s crying and panicked voice made Jamie nervous.


    "What happened? Tell me slowly..."


    He reluctantly nced in the direction where the luxury car was leaving. Soon, he gave up following and hurried back to the Shaffer residence. When he arrived, the police were asking Chelsea about the situation. Seeing him, she immediately ran forward and hugged him while crying He looked at the situation in the residence. Almost everything got smashed. Nothing was intact. After the police left, she gritted her teeth and cried.


    "It must be Rose! Even if they destroyed the surveince, I know she did it!


    *Jamie, did she know something? Was she avenging her mother?"


    He looked at the only captures on the surveince camera. There were a few tall men in ck suits.


    His mind went to the people he had seen downstairs in the Century Tower. He gradually believed that Rose did it. But...


    "It''s been so long since what happened back then. How could she know the truth?"


    Jamie still had doubts.


    But Chelsea said, "There is no absolute secret. If she finds that driver..."


    As she spoke, she suddenly paused and revealed another bit of shocking news, "If I remember correctly, the driver who caused the ident should have been released not long ago." He was shocked,


    "Really?"


    "I think so. You''d better check it. What if Rose follows the driver''s clue? She might discover the truth about Celeste''s car ident!"


    She looked worried while holding his hand tightly and sincerely.


    "If she reveals the truth, you... Kelly and I can''t live without you!"


    She even choked up and started crying. He patted her backfortingly. At this time, his uneasiness became stronger.


    He had never cared about Rose pursuing the truth about Celeste''s car ident. He knew that Rose would not be able to make any trouble. But if she had a backer, it would be different. "Okay, I''ll investigate it. If she knows the truth, I can create another car ident to send her to her mother.


    Jamie was expressionless and stern. He had never had any feelings for Rose. The car ident before the


    Don''t Make Her Misunderstand.


    National Jewelry Design Award didn''t kill her. So, he wouldn''t mind causing another one.


    He held Chelsea in his arms but didn''t notice her sly look. He might not have hugged her so tenderly if he had known that she had directed and acted everything tonight.


    But she would never let him know her true colors in this life. In his eyes, she would always be the gentle Mrs. Shaffer who could only rely on him,


    Rose was sitting in the luxury car and suddenly sneezed.


    "Mrs. Ms. Shaffer, are you okay?" the Finches'' bodyguard in front asked with concern.


    She smiled.


    "I''m fine."


    For some reason, she felt panicked. It was different from the panic she had always felt when thinking about Mr. Finch.


    The bodyguard carefully adjusted the air conditioner''s temperature. Half an hourter, the car stopped outside a hotel. She looked at the hotel and frowned.


    Why did Mr. Finch ask her to meet at the hotel? What did he want to do? She gulped and almost subconsciously wanted to run away


    But the bodyguards were beside her. They bowed slightly toward her respectfully and invited her to enter. She twitched her mouth.


    Those bodyguards were Mr. Finch''s men. They were strong and well-trained, while she was a weak woman. She couldn''t escape at all. She decided to give up running away.


    She stood straight like a fighting hero heading to hell. Then, she strode into the hotel. Jonathan thought of something on the way and got dyed for a while. So, he arrived at the hotel after Rose. When he saw the hotel, he looked gloomy.


    "What do you mean?"


    He red at Finley fiercely. What would she think of him if she knew that the appointment ce was a hotel? Although he was obsessed with her, that was not his purpose today.


    He was so angry that he wanted to p Finley.


    "Tell Rose to move to another ce."


    Finley looked at the report from the bodyguard on the phone. He smiled bitterly at Jonathan.


    "Sir, Mrs. Finch has arrived."


    "You..."


    Jonathan gritted his teeth. Finley sensed his murderous gaze and immediately took a step back.


    "Sir, take it easy! Go in and take a look first!"


    Took a look? To see how defensive Rose was against him or look at her contemptuous eyes? He took a


    Don''t Make Her Misunderstand


    long breath. Since she had arrived, he could only meet with her here.


    "It''s best not to scare Rose. Otherwise..."


    He red at Finley fiercely, then strode into the hotel. On the top floor, Rose breathed a sigh of relief. She thought the bodyguards would take her to a room in the hotel.


    Yet, when she looked at the two private rooms separated by screens in the restaurant with flowers all around, she became nervous again. What exactly was Mr. Finch going to do? There were dim lights and ambiguous music. Everything around Rose was full of romance. She felt a little


    uneasy.


    "Ms. Shaffer, pleasee this way."


    After the bodyguards were away, the waiter came up respectfully. She nodded politely and smiled. Then, she followed the waiter into a private room.


    "Hasn''t Mr. Finche yet?" she asked unnaturally.


    The waiter smiled ambiguously.


    "Ms. Shaffer, please wait a moment. Mr. Finch should be arriving soon."


    The waiter seemed to imply that Rose and Mr. Finch were a super-loving couple. She couldn''t help but twitch her mouth.


    She lowered her head and drank tea silently, not even noticing when the bodyguards left the restaurant. She didn''t even notice a tall figure sitting behind the screen with his back to her. It wasn''t until that deep and oppressive voice sounded


    "Hello, Ms. Shaffer. Nice to meet you."

 Billionire 245

    He Must Be Crazy


    He Must Be Crazy


    Rose was startled by the voice. She stood up and turned around. But there was a screen behind her. She could only vaguely see a man''s back. When she was about to walk over, Mr. Finch''s voice sounded again.


    "Ms. Shaffer, please take the seat."


    His voice was low and oppressive. She frowned after hearing that. Yet, she seemed relieved. It would be best if she didn''t have to face him.


    "Thank you."


    She sat down and thanked him for the arrangement, which rxed her. At least she was at a certain safe distance from him. Even if he wanted to do something bad, she would still have time to react.


    Jonathan didn''t know what she was thinking. He looked satisfied with the surrounding arrangements. Although he didn''t like the colorful flowers, Rose must love them.


    There was also a violinist here. He snapped his fingers to hint the violinist to y the violin. It was melodious and graceful, making the atmosphere more romantic. Rose, who was already relieved, suddenly felt nervous again. What did Mr. Finch mean?


    She felt inexplicably uneasy. Even after the waiters served the dishes, she felt the exquisite and delicious food tasteless. It was as if every bite she took was poison. "Mr. Finch..."


    Finally, she mustered the courage to speak. As soon as she called, he responded from behind her.


    "Yes?"


    Jonathan''s tone softened unconsciously. But to her, it sounded like a big bad wolf smiling broadly at his prey. She shuddered inwardly. She took a deep breath "Mr. Finch, I know you helped me. Without you, I wouldn''t have discovered the truth about my mother''s death.


    "I still need your help to make the murderer pay the price."


    Her tone was serious. He put down his knife and fork.


    "It''s my pleasure to help you. Apart from this matter, I can help you solve everything in the future."


    She felt even more uneasy and responded quickly, "No, thank you. That''s enough."


    He frowned. He wanted to show off, but it was so hurtful that she refused him hurriedly. Yet, her following sentences made him even more sad.


    "Mr. Finch, I can do anything to repay you, but I''m married. I have a good rtionship with my husband. We''ll have a wedding soon."


    Rose spoke very fast. She sat with her back to Mr. Finch behind the screen, but the violin sound had stopped at some point. Apart from her voice, she could only hear her heartbeat.


    He Must Be Crazy


    There was silence on the other side of the screen. She couldn''t figure out his mood. Jonathan didn''t know whether to be disappointed orugh.


    If he couldn''t understand what she meant, he would ruin his reputation as Mr. Finch in the business world.


    He was silent for a while, then asked, "Do you get along well with your husband?"


    "Yes," she answered quickly.


    As if she were a little slower, he could refute her. She believed Mr. Finch would put away those thoughts: when he heard that.


    While she was thinking, he said again, "We can also get along well."


    What did he mean? Was he interested in her? She felt a little panicked.


    "I love my husband very much! I''ll only love him for the rest of my life!" "Oh? Really?"


    Jonathan raised his eyebrows, feeling strange andplicated. It was the first time he heard her say she loved him.


    His heart beat wildly. If he were not Mr. Finch at this moment, he would hug her tightly and kiss her. But now, he was Mr. Finch, whom she didn''t like!


    For the first time, Jonathan felt that the identity of "Mr. Finch" was blocking his way.


    "Yes."


    Rose was firm. The figure of her star escort husband appeared in her mind. She didn''t even notice that


    she smiled.


    "Tell me. What do you love about your husband?"


    He put aside the frustration caused by the identity of "Mr. Finch" and waited for her answer with interest. What did she love about him?


    "He''s handsome."


    Her husband was more handsome than any celebrity. He frowned.


    "Maybe I''m handsome too."


    She recalled the masked face of Mr. Finch when she first saw him. She never saw his true face after that.


    She couldn''t help but mumble, "I''ve never seen your !


    "Hmm?"


    Her voice was so low that Jonathan didn''t hear her.


    before."


    She absolutely wouldn''t repeat it, but she shouted, "No matter how handsome you are, you can''tpare to him!"


    He was speechless. Finley deliberately took everything that could reflect the figure away. It was to prevent her from discovering Jonathan''s identity.


    He Must Be Crazy


    So, Jonathan couldn''t even look in the mirror to see if he couldpare to the husband she mentioned. Could it be that he only had the advantage of being handsome in her heart? "He''s just a toy boy, I can give you everything better," he said deliberately.


    But she didn''t care.


    "Including the title of wife?" she blurted out.


    In her opinion, Mr. Finch only had a temporary interest in her, but she regretted it as soon as she said it. She regretted it even more when he agreed.


    She emphasized subconsciously in a high tone, "Even so, I won''t be with you!"


    "Why not?" he raised his eyebrows, "I can also prepare a grand wedding for you. What kind do you like? Foreign style? Castle? Ind?"


    At first, Jonathan was teasing her on purpose. Butter on, he was sincerely asking about her preferences and opinions.


    He already asked Leonard to prepare for the wedding. The most important thing was that she liked it. His questions made her gulp. She was confused for a moment.


    Then, she quickly stood up, took the bag, and hurried out. As if she was afraid that if she ran toote, she would be caught by Mr. Finch and taken to the wedding venue.


    Her head was buzzing all the way. Why did things be like this? She always thought Mr. Finch only had a temporary interest and treated her as a toy.


    But when he talked about the wedding, he horrified her to think that he was nning a wedding for her!


    "Is he crazy?"


    She ran downstairs. After confirming no one was chasing her, she stopped and looked back at the hotel she had left.


    "He must be crazy!"


    She believed it was the only possibility.

 Billionire 246

    Mr Finch''s Self-Dobr


    Mr. Finch''s Self-Doubt


    If Mr. Finch wasn''t crazy, how would he say that? When her star escort husband talked about the wedding. she looked forward to it.


    Yet, when Mr. Finch mentioned the wedding, she seemed to be targeted by the devil.


    Rose gulped and looked at the hotel. She didn''t even dare to stay for a moment longer. So, she turned around and took a taxi back to Zenwood Gardens. Meanwhile, in the restaurant, Jonathan''s smile froze.


    Rose ran so fast that it made him feel like a devil. He just wanted to give her a wedding as Mr. Finch. Was it so scary for her?


    The flowers around still gave off a romantic atmosphere. But a coldness gradually filled the air, making both the violinist and the service staff shiver.


    After Rose left, Finley quietly stepped forward but didn''t dare to get too close to Jonathan.


    "Sir, do you want to get Mrs. Finch back?"


    Finley wanted to ask Jonathan what he had said as he saw her run away frightenedly. But looking Jonathan, he didn''t dare to ask. It was more important to protect himself.


    at


    Even so, Jonathan still nced over coldly. He shuddered. Jonathan stared at him indifferently but said nothing.


    He smiled bitterly but couldn''t help wailing secretly, "Sir, just tell me what you want! Your silence is more ufortable than killing me!"


    "Sir..."


    "Why?"


    When Finley finally spoke, Jonathan asked lowly. For a moment, he seemed disappointed and was even full of frustration.


    "Am I so unattractive?"


    Finley was stunned. It was too rare to see Jonathan doubt his charm. He was only surprised.


    Soon, he guessed something and quickly ttered, "How could it be? You''re the most handsome, noble, wealthy, and charming man in the world!"


    He said countless words of praise in one go. But Jonathan''s frustration didn''t disappear at all. He immediately thought of the focal point.


    "If you''re unattractive, Mrs. Finch wouldn''t marry you!"


    As soon as Finley said that, Jonathan''s mood changed. He seemed to find his confidence instantly. Rose made it clear that she only loved him in her life! He raised his eyebrows and smiled sweetly again. Finley knew that he found the right way.


    I


    He immediately said, "Sir, I think Mrs. Finch is in awe of your identity as Mr. Finch. You don''t have to force her to ept ''Mr. Finch''."


    Mr. Finch''s Self-Doubt


    "What do you mean?"


    Jonathan nced at him lightly.


    He boldly suggested, "Why don''t you try in another way? Let Mrs. Finch know that the person she married is Mr. Finch. What if she epts it?"


    *Confess my identity?"


    Jonathan frowned. It was too risky. He couldn''t take back his words if she couldn''t ept it. After thinking carefully, he thought this method might be dangerous. But it was also the most profitable


    He was not so cautious when faced with tens of billions of projects. But love issues were another matter. Meanwhile, Rose had already taken a taxi back to Zenwood Gardens.


    Just as she was about to go upstairs, she received a call. It was Jamie. Almost instinctively, she hung up the phone and ignored him. But a few secondster, Jamie called her again.


    She frowned and hesitated. Then, she answered the call. Yet, when she connected the call, it was not Jamie''s voice but Chelsea''s.


    "Rosie, how are you? Tell me if you need help. We are always a family...


    Chelsea''s soft and loving voice made her think she was hallucinating. Even if they lived together before, they rarelymunicated in private. It was even lessmon for Chelsea to call her alone. Their rtionship had always been indifferent. What was more, now she had broken up with the Shaffer family. But Chelsea called herte at night with Jamie''s mobile phone.


    It sounded like a concern. But she knew that Chelsea would never care about her.


    "Ms. Sutton, we have never been family."


    Before Chelsea could finish speaking, Rose interrupted her. Chelsea secretly sneered as if she had expected Rose''s attitude.


    She was toozy to pretend. But for the sake of her n, she continued to be loving.


    "Don''t get angry with your father. He has always been very conflicted about you. So, he pretends to be indifferent to you. And also the matter of Celeste Jewels..."


    When she said this, she suddenly paused and sighed heavily.


    "I shouldn''t mention it, but your real identity has always been a thorn in his heart."


    Rose was stunned. Real identity? What was her real identity? She seemed to have caught something.


    "What do you mean?"


    Chelsea just sighed and hung up. When she called again, Chelsea had turned off the phone. She knew Chelsea did it on purpose.


    Chelsea must have a purpose for saying that. But no matter what, it had already aroused her curiosity. She didn''t close her eyes for almost the whole night. Chelsea''s words kept echoing in her mind. Jamie had always been indifferent to her. She had always felt she was not his daughter but had never


    Mr. Finch''s Self Doubt


    doubted their rtionship.


    Chelsea''s words made her wonder whether she and Jamie were father and daughter! The next morning, she called Jamie again, but his phone was off.


    The phone was still off on the third day. So, she decided to go to the Shaffer residence.


    But when she arrived, the Shaffer residence was closed. She asked the property management and found that the Shaffer family hadn''t been there for two days. Rose went to Lavier Jewels and found Jamie''s whereabouts on the fourth day.


    "Mr. Shaffer''s tripsts for a month. If you have anything to do with him, pleasee afterward," the receptionist of Lavier Jewels said to her.


    A month? She couldn''t wait a month. She wanted to ask Jamie immediately what her real identity was. Why was her identity a thorn in his heart? So she asked the receptionist, "Where did he go?"


    "Uh


    The receptionist hesitated but finally wrote an address to her. It was Chereton.


    There were indeed some fire opal production workshops in Chereton. But it was a one-month trip. Was he going there just for business?

 Billionire 247

    Who Is Her Biological Father


    Her intuition told her Jamie would never go to Chereton only for business.


    Since Rose ran from the restaurant that night, Jonathan had been thinking about Finley''s suggestion. He couldn''t decide. Soon, he received a call from Regalia and rushed back overnight.


    It was five dayster after he settled Regalia''s matter. It waste at night when he returned to Aquastead. After getting off the ne, he rushed back to Zenwood Gardens, hoping to see Rose. In the past few days, he deliberately suppressed missing her.


    Then, bepleted the one-month affair in five days without enough sleep. He wanted to return to Aquastead to see her as soon as possible.


    He returned home with her favorite snack, but the house was dark. She wasn''t even in her room. There was a chill in the air as if no one had been there for several days. Where did she go? He immediately dialed her phone, but her phone was off. After dialing several times, he panicked. He quickly went downstairs but didn''t know where to find her.


    Suddenly, he seemed to think of something. After pondering for a long time, he dialed Miles'' number. In the Young Estate, Miles reported the details of tomorrow''s press conference to Oliver. When he came out of Oliver''s room, he received Jonathan''s call. He felt surprised but turned into worry in a moment. He answered the phone eagerly.


    Before Jonathan could speak, he asked, "Did something happen to Rosie?"


    His tone was full of concern. Jonathan wouldn''t call him unless the matter involved Rose, Jonathan''s frown deepened. It meant that Rose was not with Miles.


    So, he didn''t want to say more and hung up the phone. Miles was anxious and called back several times, but Jonathan ignored him.


    His uneasiness was getting stronger. He was about to go out. But as soon as he went downstairs, Anastasia stopped him.


    "Miles, it''ste. Where are you going?" she stood on the second floor and asked deliberately-


    She heard him mention "Rosie" just now. He nced back at her but ignored her. Then, he walked out the door. She smiled slightly.


    She didn''t care about his indifference to her. She knew she couldn''t stop him from finding Rose.


    But she had to remind him, "Miles, Grandpa values tomorrow very much. Don''t dy."


    He frowned slightly but still didn''t stop walking. The tall figure quickly disappeared. After he left, she nced toward Kelly''s room. The door was slightly opened.


    She believed Kelly also heard Miles'' words about something that might happen to Rose. Her sneer grew thicker.


    She muttered deliberately, "Rose is an adult. What would happen to her? He doesn''t need to leave in such


    Who Is Her Biologic Father


    a hurry."


    Her voice wasn''t loud, just enough for Kelly to hear her. In the room, Kelly was trying the dress she would wear tomorrow. What would happen to Rose? What if it was life-threatening? Thinking of this, she sneered and looked at herself in the mirror. The dress she wore was specially made for her by the world''s most luxurious brand. It was unique, and the jewelry was a priceless collection. On the hanger behind her was a row of dresses, each worth no less than millions.


    She couldn''t even get those dresses when she was in the Shaffer family. She was only qualified to wear them when she was a youngdy from a top wealthy family like the Youngs.


    She recalled the induction dinner that Oliver hosted for Rose. The dress Rose wore then wasn''t as valuable as the one she wore now. It was all because she became his biological granddaughter!


    She looked at herself in the mirror and felt more proud. After tonight, Rose wouldpletely disappear from this world. She would have no worries forever.


    A few days ago, Rose arrived in Chereton and found the hotel where Jamie stayed. But a few hours ago, her phone was stolen.


    At this time, she was standing outside the hotel. She had been suffering for hours. Jamie hadn''te back yet. But he woulde back soon. So, she just needed to wait here.


    She was full of anxiety. She had prepared countless questions while thinking about his possible answers If she was not his daughter, then who was her father? Her mind was full of thoughts.


    A person was looking at her on the roof near the hotel. It was Chelsea. Her coldness and viciousness had reached the extreme.


    She held a telescope to look at Rose. She knew everything she had prepared was going ording to her n. Rose had arrived. Only Jamie was missing.


    She chuckled, then took out her phone to dial his number. Soon, he answered the call. She instantly pretended to be panicked and full of fear. Her voice was full of helpless trembling.


    "Jamie, don''t go back to the hotel! I saw Rose. I don''t know what she is doing here. Could it be that she knew the truth about her mother''s car ident


    "Shut up!" Jamie yelled at Chelsea for the first time.


    But soon, he realized his fault and softened his tone.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to yell at you..."


    "I know, but I''m worried about you. No matter what, you can''t be in danger. Don''t go back to the hotel. She might do something to you. Don''t worry about me. I''ll leave the hotel after Rose leaves. Nothing will happen."


    She seemed to be so scared that she even cried when she spoke. But after hanging up the phone, she showed endless coldness.


    She knew Jamie too well. So, she kept advising him not to confront Rose head-on. He would never let her


    Who is Her Biological Father


    down. She held the telescope and continued to observe the hotel entrance.


    It was alreadyte at night. Only a few people were outside the hotel. After about ten minutes, his car appeared at the corner of the road. Seeing Rose''s figure in the distance, he lit a cigarette.


    His face gradually darkened, then became ruthless. After he finished smoking a cigarette, he seemed to have made a decision. No matter what her purpose was, he must teach her a lesson!


    He held the steering wheel tightly and stepped on the elerator. Then, he rushed to Rose on the roadside.

 Billionire 248

    Where Is He Taking Her


    A loud bang ripped through the night sky. On the rooftop in the distance, Chelsea watched Rose getting hit by a car through a telescope.


    The car didn''t stop. It seemed like it had lost control. After returning to the road crookedly, it continued to move forward. Finally, it broke through the bridge railing and fell into the water.


    Chelsea''s smile became more ruthless. After the car fell into the water, she turned her attention to the hotel. Although it was night, such a big car ident quickly attracted people.


    Rose was lying on the ground, but she couldn''t feel pain. She vaguely heard someone calling an ambnce. Before she lost consciousness, she saw a pair of exquisite leather shoes appearing. A man''s pleasant voice sounded, "Take her away."


    Who was he? Where was he taking her? The figure of her star escort husband appeared in her mind, but she knew it wasn''t Jonathan. Under fatigue, shepletely fainted.


    On the highway, when Jonathan rushed from Aquastead to Chereton, his heartbeat elerated. He felt breathless as if someone squeezed his heart. His uneasiness spread. He felt fear for the first time. "Drive faster," he ordered Finley, even his voice trembled slightly.


    Finley sensed his uneasiness and could only speed up. When they arrived in Chereton, he asked someone to check Rose''s whereabouts. In the car, the atmosphere was solemn.


    Finley answered the phone. Then, he nced at Jonathan in panic. He didn''t dare to tell Jonathan what he just heard on the phone.


    But Jonathan saw his expression and quickly asked, "Did they find her? Where is Rose? Tell me now!"


    The intimidating power of his words made Finley tremble. So, he didn''t dare to hide it anymore.


    "Sir, a car ident happened on the Stanbrook Bridge a few hours ago. Jamie was dead in the car when it got salvaged. And... someone saw that car hit a woman before it flew over the bridge railing and fell


    into the water."


    Jamie?


    "Where is the victim?"


    Jonathan felt pain when he asked that.


    Finley answered, "Someone called an ambnce. She should have been taken to the hospital. But the nearest hospital didn''t have a patient from this car ident."


    "Find her. Search all the hospitals in Chereton. We must find her....


    Jonathan didn''t dare to say Rose''s name. He felt extremely scared. His instinct told him that the person Jamie hit was her. He didn''t dare to think about it if something happened to her.


    -He kept mumbling. "Rose is always lucky. Nothing will happen to her."


    But after Finley''s people searched all the hospitals in Chereton, they still couldn''t find Rose. He used his connections to get surveince of where the car ident urred. But he failed to find it.


    Where is He


    The surveince of surrounding merchants also didn''t have any content about the ident. He sensed something was unusual. That car ident wasn''t an ident.


    While Finley''s people continued to search for her whereabouts, he came to the funeral home.


    But when he arrived, he didn''t see Jamie''s corpse. Instead, he saw Chelsea holding an urn. She walked out of the funeral home with tears and got into a car. As soon as the car door closed, he saw her smile.


    He frowned. He knew about Chelsea.


    Almost subconsciously, he returned to the car and ordered Finley, "Stop that car."


    "Yes, sir."


    Finley received the order and sped the car. Chelsea held the um and sneered. She immediately cremated Jamie''s corpse to prevent anything unexpected from happening.


    Jamie might not know until his death that she had asked someone to do something to his car in advance. She wanted him to die. She aroused his anger toward Rose to make him kill Rose.


    Last night, she saw Rose get hit. Even if going to the hospital, Rose might not survive. She was so pleased that she dialed Kelly''s number.


    "Congrattions, Kelly."


    She didn''t dare to say it too obviously. Kelly would know what she meant. Sure enough, Kelly almost jumped up in shock. Was it sessful?


    She wanted to ask if Rose was dead, but she was in the living room of Young Estate at this time.


    Oliver, Anastasia, Patrick, and the servants were all here. She didn''t dare to be too obvious.


    So, she suppressed her excitement as if she was receiving an ordinary phone call.


    "Mom, will youe today?"


    She was asking if Rose and Jamie coulde


    "I won''te. Today is your important day, but your dad hasn''t settled his work matters. We''ll bless you


    Chelsea touched the urn. Even if Jamie died, she must exin it to the Young family. She had already settled the biggest hindrances for Kelly. She only needed to act afterward. Kelly immediately understood what she meant and pretended to be disappointed.


    "Okay, take care of your safety there."


    When she hung up the phone, everyone looked at her. She met Oliver''s concerned gaze. So, she instantly showed disappointment and grievance.


    *Grandpa, Dad went to Chereton to purchase some fire opal workshops. He hasn''t settled it, so they may not be back today. But for some reason, I feel so scared


    She seemed a little uneasy. Yet, she was paving the way for what woulde


    Sure enough, seeing she was about to cry, heforted her with distress, "What are you afraid of? It''s


    Where Is He


    fine if they


    Taking Her


    can''t catch up today. I''ll hold a banquetter to thank them for raising you over the years."


    "Yes, Ms. Kelly. You still have chances to gather with them."


    With theirfort, it took a while for her to regain her smile. Today was her important day. Although she was acting, she couldn''t miss her main subject. It was a pity that Rose couldn''t see her glory. She was extremely proud. As soon as Chelsea hung up the phone, the car suddenly stopped. Her head hit the back of the seat. Before she could return to her senses, someone opened the car door.


    She looked over and saw two burly bodyguards standing outside the car. Behind the bodyguards was a tall man with an imposing appearance.


    She recognized Jonathan. Yet, his overwhelming sense of oppression was different from the person she remembered.


    "Get her out," his voice was cold.


    She trembled. Before she could resist, the bodyguards dragged her out of the car.

 Billionire 249

    Who I Am


    When Chelsea reacted, she was already in another car. She knew that Jonathan must be here for Rose. So, she suppressed her guilt and took the Initiative to speak.


    "What are you going to do? Let me go! Or I''ll call the police!"


    "I''ve called the police."


    He looked at the urn she was holding.


    "Jamie Shaffer?"


    She was stunned for a moment. Then, she started fake crying.


    "He went out for business and didn''te back. I didn''t expect him to get into a car ident! Jamie, how could you leave me? How should I live..."


    She cried while vaguely rifying her rtionship with the car ident. He stared at her coldly. He had no news about Rose for a long time. His patience was exhausted.


    "Where is Rose?"


    "Rose?" she pretended to be surprised.


    She pretended to be confused as if she didn''t know what he was talking about. His eyes narrowed slightly.


    "Jamie hit Rose with his car. You know it!"


    She was stunned for a long time. Then, she was full of disbelief.


    "Hit Rose? I... I don''t know. Did shee to Chereton too? Why did shee here? Was Jamie''s


    ident rted to her?"


    Shek


    She asked a lot of questions. She was deliberately trying to mess up the whole thing. She knew that he would only find one result even if he checked.


    Jamie dated Rose and deliberately caused a car ident to kill Rose. Suddenly, she seemed to think of


    something.


    She murmured, "A few nights ago, I heard Jamie calling Rose. He said that he had something to tell her... "What is he going to say?" he asked eagerly.


    She was startled by his sharp gaze and shook her head.


    "I don''t know... I just know that Jamie has been unable to sleep at night as if he had something on his mind.


    She seemed to be thinking of Jamie, holding the urn and crying even more sadly. He was thinking deeply about what she said.


    He would naturally find out what happened in this car ident, but the top priority was Rose.


    "Sir..."


    Suddenly, Finley knocked on the car door. After lowering the car window, he handed the phone to


    13


    Who I Am


    Jonathan.


    "It''s Mr. Xanth from Lerain Group."


    Jonathan frowned. At this moment, all he could think about was Rose. Mr. Xanth from Lerain Group? He didn''t have time to pay attention to anyone else.


    He was about to let Finley hang up the phone, but Finley said, "Sir, Mr. Xanth said he saved a person."


    He was slightly stunned and got out of the car quickly. He took the mobile phone from Finley. An arrogant voice came from the other end.


    "I heard you''re looking for someone. I happened to save a person."


    "Where is she?" he asked urgently.


    Clover didn''t answer and asked instead, "What do you mean? I didn''t say that the person I saved was the one you were looking for. By the way, who are you looking for?"


    "Clover Xanth!"


    Jonathan suppressed his anger and spoke politely, "I''m looking for a woman who got into a car ident. Her name is Rose Shaffer. If you see her, please tell me where she is. Is she injured? Does she have any danger..."


    Toward the end, his voice almost trembled uncontrobly. On the other end of the phone, Clover frowned. The rumored Mr. Finch was ruthless. Jonathan''s response surprised him.


    He rolled his eyes secretly and interrupted Jonathan, "I didn''t care who you were looking for. I forgot to mention you. The one I saved was a man.¡±


    Jonathan''s face darkened. He immediately hung up the call. After a moment of solemnity, he gradually rxed.


    "Finley, check Clover''s whereabouts," he ordered.


    Clover said that the person he saved was a man. Yet, he didn''t need to call Jonathan if it was the truth.. The president of Lerain Group wouldn''t do such meaningless things. So, he concluded that Rose was by Clover''s side.


    "Yes, sir." Finley immediately followed the order.


    He nced at Chelsea in the car through the window. He wanted to find out what happened in this car ident. Jamie was dead. She was the only breakthrough.


    "Let her go," he ordered the bodyguard coldly, then strode into another car not far away.


    Until several luxury cars drove away, she stood on the roadside. She still wasn''ting back to her


    senses.


    She thought Rose''s husband would continue to ask questions. She didn''t expect him to let her go. She was also curious about those luxury cars, bodyguards, and how Finley called him. "Sir?" she murmured while frowning.


    Wasn''t he a toy boy who worked in a nightclub? But he showed an outstanding temperament just now.


    WhoAm


    And he seemed to be of noble status. Who was he?


    Her intuition told her that there was something wrong with his identity.


    Suddenly, she thought of something and hurriedly took a taxi back to Aquastead. She wanted to tell Kelly what she saw about Jonathan.


    In a private house in Chereton, Clover stood in front of the window. Rosey on the bed behind him. She hadn''t woken up.


    "Mr. Xanth, Ms. Shaffer is a woman. Why did you say you saved a man?"


    His female assistant, Emily Gill, checked Rose''s body temperature. She looked capable. But when she looked at Rose, she was gentle and caring.


    "Do you think he''ll believe my words?"


    Clover raised his eyebrows and smiled. His keen eyes were full of interest. He believed Jonathan had ordered the Azure n of the Finches to find his whereabouts.. Recalling Jonathan''s worried voice, he turned around and looked at Rose with interest.


    "She does look good."


    Jonathan had seen beautiful women because of his high status. So, Clover didn''t believe that Jonathan was only fascinated by her appearance.


    "It was probably because of her that Jonathan stood me upst time. I didn''t expect him to be an infatuated man, I happen to be just like him!"


    He raised his eyebrows. Emily nced at himplicatedly. She had a bad premonition. At this moment, Rose woke up.


    The moment her consciousness returned, her mind went nk. When she opened her eyes, she saw two blurry figures. Gradually, the two figures became clear


    "You''re finally awake."


    Clover''s voice was gentle and sweet. She slowly focused on him. It was a handsome man who smiled gently. But when she tried to recall, she found that this man had never been in her memory.


    Not only that, she couldn''t recall anyone, not even herself.


    "Who I am?"

 Billionire 250

    She Is Inside


    Clover froze for a moment. Emily also felt surprised, but they soon remembered the doctor''s diagnosis.


    Rose only got a few scratches. Her injury wasn''t serious. But she hit her head, which might cause memory disorders. ording to the current situation, she probably wasn''t a memory disorder but ack of memory. He smiled slightly.


    "Your name is Rose Shaffer."


    Rose Shaffer?


    "Who are you?" she asked,


    as wrapped in


    Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her head. She touched it, only to find that her head was gauze. Before she could ask what happened, he held her hand.


    "I''m your husband, Clover Xanth."


    Her husband? She looked at him in shock. His eyes were gentle and affectionate, but she felt strange, She twitched her mouth and withdrew her hand. Her repulsive response made him a little sad.


    At this moment, someone knocked on the door. The butler, Max Wood, opened the door.


    "Mr. Clover, Mr. Finch is looking for you."


    Jonathan arrived sooner than he expected.


    He nced at Rose meaningfully and said softly, "Rosie, have a good rest. I''m going to meet a friend. I''ll see youter."


    Before he left the room, he nced at Emily warningly. After years of understanding, she naturally knew what he meant. He hinted to her not to ruin his ns.


    "Mr. Finch? You rarely find me. Wee here. I''ll show you around."


    Clover looked warm and hospitable. His house was a century-old house, which was rare in Aquastead. But Jonathan only had Rose in his mind.


    Before he finished speaking, Jonathan interrupted him, "Where is Rose?"


    He frowned unhappily.


    Rose? I already told you. I saved a man, not a woman. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Max."


    Max immediately stepped forward with a respectful smile.


    "Mr. Finch..."


    "I don''t need to ask him! I''ll find her myself!" Jonathan said coldly.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Finley walked out of the room. Soon, the Azure n of the Finches'' bodyguards rushed into the house, Clover''s expression darkened.


    She Is Inside


    "Jonathan, this is my ce. You''re too rude to do so."


    "Sorry, I''ll satisfy you with anything you want in the future."


    After Jonathan said that, he bowed slightly to him and walked out of the room.


    "Mr. Clover..."


    "It doesn''t matter. Jonathan won''t find her."


    He raised his eyebrows. He wanted to make fun of Jonathan. Sure enough, half an hourter, Finley led people to search the entire house but couldn''t find Rose. "Mr. Finch, have you found her?"


    Clover leaned against the door with his hands folded. He smiled as if he were watching a good show Jonathan turned gloomy. The gloomier he looked, the brighter the Clover''s smile. "By the way, I''m curious. You care about Rose so much. Do you have a crush on her? Is she your girlfriend?


    He looked gossipy. Jonathan had no time to answer his questions.


    Finley searched again and reported, ''Sir, we didn''t find her."


    They had searched the house thoroughly but still couldn''t find Rose. Maybe she wasn''t here. Jonathan became nervous again.


    If she was here, at least he could confirm she was safe. If she wasn''t here... He clenched his fists.


    Then, he looked at Clover and spoke humbly, "Mr. Xanth, I''m sorry to offend you. If you need anything in the future, I''ll do my best to fulfill you. Rose..."


    He paused and stared at Clover sincerely.


    "She is important to me."


    When he left, Clover''s smile faded. Jonathan seemed different from the rumors.


    He took the initiative to expose his weaknesses. If it were anyone else, Clover would have thought that person was stupid, but he was Mr. Finch.


    Suddenly, Clover seemed to have figured something out. He raised his eyebrows and smiled.


    After Jonathan''s people left the house, he walked toward the study. Behind the secret door in the study was the room where Rose was. Jonathan left the house and asked other bodyguards to drive away. Finley was in a car with him. He didn''t intend to leave.


    "Sir, Mrs. Finch..."


    "She''s inside," his voice was firm.


    Finley, couldn''t hide his surprise.


    23


    She is inside


    "But we didn''t find her just now..."


    "Did you find the man that Clover saved?"


    He was slightly startled.


    "I didn''t. So..."


    He seemed to understand something


    "There is a ce in this house we haven''t found! I''ll go in now!"


    He was about to get out of the car when Jonathan stopped him.


    "Sir?" He looked confused. "Mrs. Finch is inside!"


    Jonathan had his thoughts.


    "Clover isn''t the enemy."


    Lerain Group had its medical team. Even if Rose were injured, she would receive good treatment. Clover wouldn''t dare to make fun of him if she was in danger.


    Since Clover dared to tell him he had saved someone, it proved that she wasn''t in danger. He didn''t know why Clover was teasing him, but he didn''t care. As long as she was fine, everything was nothing. Taking a deep breath, he finally rxed. He received Miles'' call when he rested. He wanted to ignore it. But after thinking for a moment, he answered the call.


    "Have you found Rose?" Miles asked eagerly.


    He found out that Rose hade to Chereton. He was already in Chereton. But he came alone. So, he wasn''t as efficient as Jonathan. He didn''t know that Rose had been in a car ident. Jonathan could feel his worry.


    "I probably found her."


    "Probably? What do you mean?" he frowned.


    Jonathan didn''t answer his question and hung up the phone,


    He looked gloomy. He was about to dial again when Anastasia''s call came in. Thinking of today''s press conference, he hesitated and hung up on her call.


    At Aquastead, the site of the Young family''s press conference.


    The Young family invited numerous media to the press conference. Oliver took Kelly to the stage and announced that she was the only grandchild of the Young family.


    The news quickly spread across major online media. Almost everyone was talking about the real youngdy of the Young family.


    She looked like an innocent and wless diamond under the shlight of the media. After the press conference, almost all the celebrities from Aquastead attended the banquet.

 Billionire 251

    As if He Is a Fool


    Kelly wore the white dress she selected, which was studded with diamonds. It was sparkling and eye-catching. Surrounded by countless people, she was undoubtedly the shining star. Anastasia looked at Kelly with disdain. She walked forward with a wine ss.


    "Kelly, congrattions. You''re beautiful. It''s a pity that Miles can''t see you today."


    She hinted that Miles was absent. Kelly nced around but didn''t see him. Since he left Young Estatest night, he had never appeared again.


    She didn''t pay much attention to him. But she knew what Anastasia meant. Anastasia was telling her that Rose was more important than her in his heart.


    "Where did he go?"


    She pretended to be confused. Anastasia pursed her lips.


    "I didn''t know either. He didn''t answer my call. He must have something important to do. He left after answering the phonest night. I heard him mention Rose..."


    She sighed deliberately.


    "Apart from Harriette, he is only special to Rosie. Maybe she held him back from attending the banquet!"


    "Harriette ..."


    Kelly captured the name. But Anastasia didn''t intend to tell her who Harriette was. Her purpose was to make Kelly hate Rose even more. Yet, she didn''t expect that Rose no longer posed a threat to Kelly. At Lerain Group''s house in Chereton, Rose recovered a lot after a few days. Other than not remembering a lot of things, she was fine. Clover stayed with her every day and was extremely considerate. She felt close to him as long as he didn''t mention she was his wife. He intimately called her "Rosie" and said they were a legitimate couple. But she always felt weird and even had the urge to run away. In the garden, Clover picked the flowers and gave them to Emily. She put them in the flower basket. One was handsome, and the other was capable and quiet. They cooperated well. "Do you think I''m unattractive?" he suddenly asked.


    He frowned slightly, seeming extremely self-doubt. She had just put a tulip in ce and nced at him in surprise. Then, she regained her calmness.


    "You''re very charming."


    She wasn''t a tterer. She had been his assistant for many years. So, she knew well that many women were fascinated by him and wanted to be with him.


    He furrowed even more tightly.


    "Then why did Rose treat me ..."


    He paused as if thinking of the suitable words to describe. When Rose looked at him, she wasn''t


    fascinated at all. Sometimes, she even looked at him as if he was a fool!


    Yes, that was what it felt like! When he called her wifey, she looked at him like a fool! Emily understood. Thinking of how he had gotten along with Rose these past few days, her smile grew wider.


    "Ms. Shaffer is smart!"


    His eyes narrowed slightly. Rose was indeed clever. Although she couldn''t remember anything, she still wouldn''t believe his lies. It was boring!


    "Mr. Finch has been outside these days. There''s also another car. I checked that the car is under the name of the Young family," Emily reported to him.


    When she mentioned it, he swept away his depression. His eyes glowed with excitement again.


    "Miles Young! Hah! Interesting!"


    Both Jonathan and Miles were here for Rose. He nced at Rose''s room. Then, he picked up the flower basket Emily had decorated and strode into the house. In the room, Rose stood in front of the window and looked out. This ce was enough to see two cars on


    the road outside.


    Since she could get out of bed, those cars had been there. They were just two cars. But when she saw them, her heart would involuntarily beat faster. Was there anyone in that car? If there was someone, who was that person? Why did she feel familiar?


    While she thought, someone opened the door behind her and called her dotingly, "Wifey ..."


    Without looking back, she knew that it was Clover. Her mouth twitched. The next moment, he gave her a


    basket of flowers. He looked at her with affection.


    "I picked some flowers for you."


    The flowers were beautifully arranged in the basket. She could feel the creativity of the flower arranger.


    He picked flowers, and Emily arranged flowers. That scene seemed romantic in her imagination. But was it appropriate to give it to her?


    "Thank you," she hesitated for a moment.


    Then, she epted the flower basket and ced it on the table. Her attention was only on the flower. basket as if he didn''t exist. Her disregard made him feel disappointed. Because of her, he had stayed in the house and hadn''t gone out. Yet, there were two distinguished guests outside. If he didn''t do something, he would feel sorry for them. "Rosie, I''ll take you somewhere."


    He reached out to grab her wrist, but she avoided it. Before he felt disappointed, she looked at him and smiled.


    "Okay."


    She agreed with him. As soon as she went out, she could see if there was anyone in the car. Outside the house, Jonathan and Miles had been waiting for several days.


    Jonathan was sure Rose was inside, but no one came in or out these days. If he hadn''t known that Clover had no bad intentions, he would have asked Finley to search for her again. Sir, it''s Mrs. Finch!" Finley called out.


    Sure enough, he saw her walking out of the house. She was wearing a pure white dress, with her hair hanging casually. When he saw her, he felt like his breath stopped. He was finally relieved when he saw that she was fine. He suppressed his excitement and wanted to appear in front of her. But when he opened the car door, he hesitated.


    Which identity should he use to meet with her? The moment he hesitated, Miles had already gotten out of the car. Seeing Miles walking toward the entrance, he left the car and ran over. They eagerly ran as if they werepeting. Clover looked at them. His amusement became more intense. They wanted to meet with Rose. Yet, he won''t let them get their wish easily! "Rosie,e on," he opened the car door for her and urged her to enter.


    Seeing the two men approaching, he quickly pushed her into the car. As soon as they ran to the entrance, he sped away.

 Billionire 252

    He Is So Lucky


    Jonathan and Miles chased after them but couldn''t match the car''s speed. In a moment, the car was no longer visible.


    "Damn it!" Jonathan cursed through gritted teeth.


    Clover must have done it on purpose. Suddenly, there was the sound of the car engine. Clover drove the car back and whizzed past them.


    He saw Clover''s proud smile, but he also saw the woman in the passenger seat more clearly. That was Rose! Jonathan and Miles looked at each other and drove their cars to chase Clover.


    Meanwhile, Clover whistled excitedly. Rose looked at the two cars catching up in the rearview mirror. She fell in thought.


    Although it was just a nce, she could see their faces. A familiar feeling emerged spontaneously. Two hourster, the car stopped. Clover led her to a secretive private club in Aquastead. Before she could see what the club looked like, he pushed her into a room.


    He nced at her mysteriously and told Emily, "Make her up beautifully!"


    He winked at Rose naughtily, stroked her head, and then left. She was confused and looked at Emily for help.


    "Ms. Shaffer, don''t be afraid. He is just a little yful."


    Emily smiled gently and dotingly.


    "I''m not afraid."


    She twitched her mouth. During these days, she also discovered that he was yful. But he had never been malicious toward her. It might be her illusion. She vaguely felt as if he was treating her as a toy. The way he looked at her just now made her feel numb. She didn''t know what he wanted to do. So, she could only obediently let the makeup team put makeup on her.


    Outside the club, a luxury car stopped. Anastasia got out of the car first. She sneered when she saw Kelly still sitting in the passenger seat.


    She wouldn''t have bothered to apany the hypocritical Kelly without Oliver''s instructions. She rolled her eyes secretly. For just a moment, she smiled again.


    She opened the car door for Kelly andforted her softly, "Kelly, don''t be sad. Grandpa was afraid that you would be depressed to think about your adoptive father. That''s why he asked me to take you out. Let''s be happy. There''s an auction tonight. I''ll buy whatever you like."


    Kelly was disdainful. The entire Young family would belong to her. She didn''t care if Anastasia would pay for her.


    A few days ago, Chelsea came back with Jamie''s ashes and told her about his car ident. She fainted on the spot in front of the Young family.


    Everyone knew she was devastated by Jamie''s sudden death. But they didn''t know that she deliberately acted in front of them.


    Now that Jamie was dead. Chelsea pretended to grieve about his death and didn''t want to stay at Aquastead.


    So, she went abroad. In this way, the risk of her true identity getting exposed was much smaller.


    As for Rose, Chelsea saw Jamie hit her. Even if she survived, she must have lost half of her life. It didn''t pose a threat to Kelly for the time being. Kelly was happy, but she still had to pretend to be sad. Seeing that she was still frowning, Anastasia pulled her out of the car and led her into the club. This club was private. Today''s auction was only for special guests. It was her first time to attend such an asion.


    After passing through several corridors, they came to a hall. The guests were drinking wine. Everyone wore a mask. When they entered, they also got masks.


    Anastasia was a little surprised when she got the mask. She had attended Regalia''s headquarters of this club more than once. But there was no rule about wearing a mask.


    She felt surprised but didn''t think much about it. They put on masks and entered the hall. After a short while, a waiter invited the guests to the auction venue. Except for the auction stage, the venue was dark. Jonathan wore a ck mask. When he came in, Anastasia recognized him at first sight. Before she could be surprised, she saw Miles behind him. She frowned.


    In the past few days, Miles seemed to have disappeared. He only told the Youngs that he had something/ to do and couldn''t go home. She didn''t know what worried him so much.


    She thought maybe it was for Rose. She found out that Rose wasn''t at Aquastead during those days. But then Miles appeared with Jonathan.


    "What are you looking at?"


    Suddenly, Kelly''s voice sounded. She returned to her senses and smiled at Kelly.


    "It''s nothing."


    After a pause, she frowned.


    "I haven''t seen Rosie for a long time."


    During this time, no one took the initiative to mention Rose.


    "She is probably still angry with me. I miss her too, but she misunderstood me. She is too hostile. Even if I apologize to her, she''ll ignore me!"


    Kelly looked disappointed. Suddenly, her sadness faded.


    "Will she forgive me if I show my sincerity? How about pick an expensive gift for her?"


    She seemed to find a good excuse. For a moment, she was in high spirits. Anastasia sneered secretly.


    She didn''t believe Kelly would choose any expensive gift for Rose. It was Kelly who wanted the auction items. But she was also curious. Jonathan and Miles were here. Where was Rose?


    She looked around but couldn''t find a woman who looked like Rose. Meanwhile, Rose looked at herself in


    the mirror. She wore a red dress and felt a strong sense of familiarity.


    As soon as Clover saw her, he felt surprised. Then, he regretted his decision just now.


    He had seen her dressed up before. He met her for the first time at Young''s House of Jewels'' design director''s induction banquet. She was also dazzling that day but not as beautiful as now. She suited red well. This red dress was a simple style. But when she wore it, she still looked beautiful.


    "He is so lucky!" he couldn''t help but mutter while thinking about Jonathan.


    He no longer wanted to tease Jonathan and Miles. Soon, he made a decision again. He looked at her. lovingly and reached out to her in an inviting gesture.


    But she felt her scalp numb. His invitation made her even more nervous. Letting his inviting gesture remain for a moment, she grinned.

 Billionire 253

    He Finds Her "Come here..."


    Clover looked at Rose fondly. He couldn''t wait to hold her and show off to Jonathan and Miles. He was handsome, while she was beautiful. They looked like a perfect match.


    Just when he thought she would hold his hand, she took a few steps back and hugged Emily''s wrist. For a moment, the atmosphere froze. They watched him be stunned, and his hand froze in embarrassment. Emily finally couldn''t helpughing.


    "Stopughing."


    He red at her, then looked at Rose withint.


    Shefortingly held Rose''s hand and joked, "You''re so bold. If someone else treated him like this, that person would be doomed. But he won''t be angry with you."


    Indeed, he wasn''t angry at all. After hearing that, he no longer had a reason toin. Rose leaned toward her and looked at him innocently.


    "Where are we going?"


    It was as if nothing happened just now. He snorted and walked out arrogantly. She nced at Emily and followed him obediently. Outside, his awkward voice came from the front. "I''m hungry! Let''s go find something to eat."


    The owner of this club was Lerain Group. Top chefs were always on call. Although he wasn''t angry at Rose''s actions, her rejection depressed him.


    When she went to the restroom, he was a little drunk. So, he forgot about the two guests he had deliberately attracted.


    Jonathan and Miles didn''t see Clover and Rose when the auction ended. Soon, they realized Clover tricked them. Jonathan asked Finley to make sure Rose hadn''t left the club.


    Then, he separated from Miles and searched in the club. As long as she was here, he would always find her!


    Rose came out of the restroom and went back to the restaurant. But when she saw Clover and Emily from a distance, Emily seemed to say something. Then, he grabbed her hand excitedly. Rose stepped back. After spending a few days together, she had already seen that they had a close rtionship.


    He kept calling her "wifey". But Emily didn''t look jealous as she knew that he was joking on purpose. Moreover, Rose only felt familiar and friendly when she looked at him. She didn''t feel love at all. Even if she couldn''t remember her past, she would feel something special when facing her husband.


    "Rose ..."


    A man''s voice came from behind. She felt like an electric went through her body. She turned around and


    13


    saw a man standing not far away.


    Jonathan ran forward excitedly and hugged her. He seemed to stuff her into his arms. Feeling her presence, he couldn''t stop trembling.


    "I finally found you. It''s good that you''re fine."


    Even though he knew she was safe at Clover''s house, he only felt rxed after seeing her. He couldn''t suppress his excitement and tighten his hug, but he scared her.


    After she pushed against his chest and let out a cry of pain, he finally realized that he had hurt her. He let go of her. He looked excited, and his eyes were even passionate. She stared at him. When he was hugging her, her heart was beating wildly. Her intuition told her that she knew him.


    After observing him, she asked, "Who are you?"


    His excitement suddenly froze. He thought he had heard something wrong.


    "What? I... you don''t recognize me?" he held her hands with a hint of fear.


    He touched her intimately, but she instinctively didn''t resist.


    "I had a car ident. Sorry..."


    As soon as she finished speaking, he hugged her again. Her nose hit his chest. Before she had time to explore the familiar feeling, she heard him whispering.


    "I''m your husband! It doesn''t matter. I''ll take you home. You''ll remember me soon..."


    Before she could react, he pulled her away. Not far away, Miles wanted to catch up but finally gave up the idea.


    He knew that Jonathan wouldn''t hurt Rose. Because of Kelly''s identity in the Young family, he didn''t know how to face Rose. He looked lonely. Then, he walked out of the club in disappointment.


    As soon as he left, Kelly and Anastasia came out from behind the corridor. They saw the scene of Jonathan and Rose hugging each other.


    Kelly was stiff. She never expected that Rose would appear as if nothing had happened. Rose was so beautiful in a red dress.


    Yet, Chelsea said that in that car ident, Rose would be disabled even if she didn''t die. Why was this happening? Rose was so lucky to be alive!


    "I didn''t expect Rosie to be here. I wonder where she went during these days."


    Anastasia saw Kelly''s gloomy expression. She nced at the box in Kelly''s hands.


    Inside was a ne she bought at a high price just now, which Anastasia paid for. She said she wanted to give it to Rose as an apology. But in fact, she chose it for herself. Now, Rose appeared. Anastasia sneered secretly.


    She said meaningfully, "Rosie will forgive you after you give this ne to her. How about I give it to her? Or do you want to make an appointment with Rose?"


    Kelly''s expression turned even darker.


    Even though she knew she couldn''t express her hostility toward Rose, she felt like something was blocking her heart. She took a lot of effort to smile awkwardly. "No, thank you. I''ll give it to her myself. The apology must be sincere."


    She didn''t want to stay for a moment longer. Ignoring Anastasia, she hurriedly left. At this time, her original worries reappeared.


    Rose wasn''t dead. If everyone discovered that Rose was the real grandchild of the Young family, it would be the biggest threat to her. What should she do now?


    She returned to Young Estate full of frustration. As soon as she entered the door, she heard Oliver mention Rose again.


    "Why haven''t I seen Rosie for a long time..." he frowned.


    When he heard movement at the door, he turned around excitedly.


    "Ro..."


    Just as he called out, he realized that it was Kelly. He showed disappointment. His reaction was like a thorn in her heart. Thinking of Rose, she subconsciously clenched her fists. Comments

 Billionire 254

    Your Body Has Not Forgotten Me


    Patrick noticed her displeasure and immediately exined, "Ms. Kelly, don''t get him wrong. Mr. Young Senior has been rpsing during this period. His mind has be more confused. He always forgets that Ms. Rose has left home."


    She realized she had revealed her emotions. She instantly returned to her usual innocent and harmless


    smile.


    "I know it''s natural for Grandpa to miss Rose. I also hope she cane back to see him. But..."


    She sighed. To others, they would just think Rose was thoughtless. Patrick also sighed and looked at Oliver helplessly. He was still thinking about Rose.


    Suddenly, he remembered something and asked Patrick, "Where is Miles? Ask him to tell Rosie that we have made her favorite food. Ask her toe home. Tell Rosie that I miss her. Let here to see me."


    "Sir..."


    Patrick thought about his repeated behavior in the past few days.


    He had asked Patrick to find Rose countless times. But when he remembered her leaving home, he would me her again for hurting Kelly.


    Patrick was in trouble when Kelly suddenly stepped forward. She squatted and held his hands.


    "Grandpa, if you want to see Rose, I can bring her back to see you."


    "Okay," he became happy.


    It wasn''t until Patrick sent him back to the room that her expression darkened. Just now, Patrick''s words reminded her.


    Oliver''s current situation was unstable. His memory and consciousness were also gradually confused.


    If he only remembered Rose and forgot her one day, then her lie as his granddaughter would be meaningless.


    So, she wanted to join the Young family''s business before that and take control of Young''s House of Jewels. She was thinking about that and even showed a trace of cruelty.


    Zenwood Gardens.


    When Rose looked at the surrounding furnishings, she was shocked. She realized that she had followed Jonathan home without vignce.


    She looked around the room. The atmosphere and the familiar feeling made her frown.


    "Have I been here?"


    He was thinking about her memory loss along the way. Seeing her confusion, he suppressed his


    eagerness.


    He answered softly, "Of course, this is our home."


    "Our home?"


    She looked around. Jonathan said he was her husband. It gave her a different feeling than when Clover said he was her husband.


    Facing Clover, she didn''t have any emotion change. But seeing Jonathan, she had a strange feeling that she couldn''t exin.


    She nced at him. His passionate gaze made her blush. She subconsciously looked away. As if to hide her reactions, she continued to look at everything in the room. Suddenly, she frowned. "Why are there no photos?"


    Photos? He suddenly realized that she was talking about wedding photos.


    He said, "We''ve received the certificate. But we haven''t held the wedding yet."


    He paused and continued, "I''m preparing for our wedding. Don''t worry. I''ll prepare for it as soon as possible. ''Let''s take the wedding photos today."


    He was unwilling to wait and even wanted to hold the wedding now.


    He stared at her passionately, which made her blush again. She even felt her head buzzing. Before she could respond to him, he held her hand. Then, he pulled her out of the house.


    An hourter, she was wearing a wedding dress. When she came out of the fitting room, he had already put on a suit and waited for her. Her heart beat faster when she saw his figure.


    When she was stunned, the staff''s voice sounded, "Mr. Finch, your pre-ordered dress is still in progress. We''ll work hard to make it. The dress worn by Mrs. Finch is also a limited edition of our brand. She has a good figure and looks good in any dress."


    Before the staff could finish speaking, Jonathan had already turned around. Seeing Rose, everything seemed to be quiet. There was only her in his world.


    "It''s indeed beautiful," he couldn''t help but walk toward her.


    His eyes were full of love and possessiveness, which made her heart beat wildly. She didn''t know what was wrong with her.


    This man said he was her husband. He took her home and brought her to wear a wedding dress. But it was his one-sided words. He controlled her at will and even disturbed her heart.


    Was she going to follow him and take wedding photos? Even if they were a couple, she had forgotten about him. He was still a stranger to her. Didn''t she need to know about him first?


    She looked at him and thought, "It must be because of his face! He is so handsome andpletely matches my favorite. He fascinates me!"


    After taking a deep breath, she secretly decided not to let him control her. But a few minutester, she was sitting in the car again.


    He held her hand tightly. She tried to break free several times and finally gave up. In the confined space,


    there were two spaces separated from the driver named Finley in front.


    The way Jonathan looked at Rose became more unscrupulous. Ever since he appeared in front of her, he


    disrupted her heartbeat. She blushed frequently.


    She never dared to look at him. Even though she couldn''t remember her past, she always felt that her temper wasn''t gentle. Finally, she turned her head and met his gaze. But before she spoke, he smiled happily.


    "You finally dare to look at me."


    She was speechless. It looked like he could read her mind. After a moment of embarrassment, she raised her chin.


    "Although you said you were my husband and brought me home, you didn''t prove what you said is true."


    As soon as she finished speaking, he suddenly.leaned forward. She subconsciously wanted to stay away from him, but he hugged her. He pulled her to his chest. "Do you hate me?"


    She heard his heartbeat and was stunned for a moment to think about his question. She thought about it carefully and realized that she didn''t hate him.


    Although she didn''t speak, her silence was already the answer. His smile grew wider.


    "I took you home, and you put on a wedding dress. Even if I approached you, you didn''t refuse me. At least your body doesn''t hate me. Do you know why?" "Why?"


    She also wanted to know the reason.


    He held her hands tightly and whispered, "Because your body believes we are a couple. Although you''ve forgotten some things, your body hasn''t."

 Billionire 255

    How Do They Know Each Other?


    Her body hadn''t forgotten him. They sat so close. Rose couldn''t help but think of something intimate.


    She felt hot. She subconsciously wanted to distance herself from Jonathan, but he held the back of her head. When she raised her head, her forehead identally hit his lips. For a moment, they were stunned. Rose felt herself getting hotter. She lowered her forehead and leaned on his chest again. She felt that they were ambiguous.


    She tried her best to divert her attention.


    Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, "How did we know each other?"


    Jonathan''s temperament was no less than Clover''s. His identity might also be unusual. But from what she knew about herself, there should be very few connections between them. Even their encounter might be idental. As soon as she asked, his expression changed. He looked at her meaningfully.


    After pondering for a long time, he said lowly, "Are you sure you want to know?"


    "Can''t I know?"


    She became more curious. She raised her head again. This time, she was more careful not to touch him, But her innocent and harmless eyes almost made him unable to control himself. She noticed that he gulped slightly, but she didn''t think much about it.


    "How did we meet?"


    Although the car separated the space, others would overhear them if they spoke too loud. He stared at


    her.


    "Come here."


    She hesitated and moved forward. His breath hit her ear.


    She felt nervous, then heard him say, "That night at Nightfall Lounge, you took the initiative to find me. You offered to spend a night with me..."


    Her head was buzzing. She couldn''t hear what he said next. She thought she heard it wrong.


    "That night, you were so passionate. You ..."


    As soon as he said this, she realized something and immediately covered his mouth.


    "Stop!"


    He looked at her embarrassed look.


    "Don''t you want to know how we met?"


    She red at him fiercely but softened instantly.


    Then, she begged, "Please! I don''t want to know anymore!"


    Her embarrassment and reluctance made himugh. He stroked her head lovingly.


    "Okay, I won''t say anymore."


    His gaze made her nervous again. She quickly looked away. But even so, she was still in a daze. Her mind constantly echoed what he said and the scene he described.


    Her embarrassment increased. Afterward, they went to a ce to take photos. From beginning to end, Rose felt like she was in the dream.


    They didn''t know that after leaving the bridal boutique, Anastasia arrived. Just now, she watched them enter the car and leave. She was particrly unpleasant when she saw Rose in a wedding dress. "Ms. Young? It''s rare for you toe here. What can I do for you?"


    The bridal boutique was a top brand. It had a long-term cooperation with Young''s House of Jewels. The designer was well-known in Veridian.


    She wouldn''t havee today. But when she heard that Mr. Finch wasing to choose a wedding dress, she immediately put down other matters and came in person.


    After serving him, she was about to go back. She didn''t expect that Ms. Young would alsoe. She couldn''t help but wonder what day it was. The Finches and the Youngs were here.


    "I just happened to pass by. I want to see yourtest wedding design to decide which jewelry to pair with it."


    Anastasia''s thoughts were on Jonathan and Rose. But she still waited until shepleted the business. Then, she pretended to mention it casually.


    "Which wedding dress did Mr. Finch choose? I can give you some jewelry-matching suggestions."


    When the designer heard this, she immediately felt she was lucky. She immediately showed Anastasia the renderings from herputer.


    "Ms. Young, the wedding dress ordered by Mr. Finch is still in progress, but the result is almost the same. What kind of jewelry do you think is suitable for this wedding dress?"


    Her words made Anastasia''s expression change slightly. The wedding dress Jonathan ordered was in progress. That wasn''t what Rose was wearing just now. What was his purpose for this dress?


    "It looks good. Only you can make this design," Anastasiaplimented while trying to get more clues." No wonder Mr. Finch ordered a wedding dress here for his wedding."


    The designer felt pleased with the praise.


    "It''s our honor that Mr. Finch is interested in our brand. He specifically told us that the wedding dress must be the best. After all, it''s his wedding. We must treat it wholeheartedly and not dare to be sloppy. This wedding dress is purely handmade. When Mrs. Finch wears it, she''ll be even more dazzling than the one she wears today."


    "The one she wears today?" she asked in surprise.


    "Yes, today he brought Mrs. Finch to wear a dress. It sounds like they''re going to take wedding photos."


    She felt like something had stabbed her heart. Jonathan put his wedding on the agenda. Did the Finches know about that?


    She had a glimmer of expectation. It would be great if the Finches could object to his wedding. But soon, she sneered bitterly.


    He got the position of the Finches'' leader through means. So what if the Finches disagreed? He wouldn''t take their opinions seriously.


    But she was unwilling to give up. She didn''t want to watch their wedding and let him bring Rose into the public.


    Now, he hid Rose. Only a few people knew about it. This situation was beneficial to her. But once Rose appeared as Mrs. Finch, she had no more chances. She nced at her ring. The big red diamond made her slender hand delicate and noble.


    Back at Young''s House of Jewels, she was still worried. When she walked by Miles'' office, she saw his assistant holding a box and about to enter the office.


    "Wait ..."


    She immediately stopped his assistant.


    The assistant stopped and asked, "Ms. Young, what can I do for you?"


    She nced at the box in his hands.


    "What is this?"


    "This is Mr. Young Senior''s suit. Ms. Rose designed for him when she was here. He might wear it on his/ birthday. The progress has just beenpleted and sent over." After the assistant finished speaking, he saw her walk away and was stunned. Without thinking much, he entered Miles'' office with the box.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was thinking about Oliver''s birthday. His birthday was ten dayster. With such a good opportunity, she must be able to do something.

 Billionire 256

    Do Something Else


    That night, Rose returned to Zenwood Gardens. The familiarity of the room made her rx. She fell asleep quickly. But at midnight, she was woken up by the heat.


    As soon as her consciousness returned, she felt someone hug her waist. Almost subconsciously, she sat up in shock.


    When she turned on the bedsidemp, she saw Jonathan sleeping beside her. She wanted to kick him out of bed. But just as she lifted her leg, he opened his eyes in confusion. Seeing her shocked expression, he hugged her waist again and patted her belly.


    "Why did you wake up? Did you have a nightmare?"


    This guess made him sober up.


    He was about tofort her helplessness and fear, but he heard her ask, "Why are you sleeping here?"


    He woke uppletely and realized that he hade here secretly. He showed a hint of guilt. Yet, they were a couple.


    "We''re husband and wife. Of course, I''ll sleep wherever you sleep," he asked her to lie down again.


    He held her tightly in his arms. He had been sleeping in the car for the past few days. He felt tired. He could only sleep peacefully after holding her and feeling her breath.


    He secretly decided that no matter what happened in the future, he would never leave her. He would always stick to her.


    "Continue sleeping!" he ordered lowly.


    "But..."


    She wanted to protest. She had observed theyout of the house today. This room was full of women''s things, while the other was men''s.


    There was no trace of him in her room. She didn''t believe they had slept together before.


    Before she could speak, his deep voice sounded, "You can''t sleep? How about we do something else?"


    She blushed. What did he mean?


    She subconsciously closed her eyes and said, "Sleep now!"


    He chuckled behind her. She tensed up as if she was afraid he wanted to do something to her. But fortunately, he only held her and leaned against her back.


    After a while, she heard his breath gradually calming down. He seemed to have fallen asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief. Recalling her interactions with him, she felt particrly at ease. Soon, she fell asleep. Behind her, he opened his eyes. He had long been distracted with his beloved woman in his arms, but he couldn''t scare her.


    He couldn''t suppress his desire for her. After sighing, he could only get down from the bed carefully.


    He was even worried that using her bathroom would disturb her. So, he could only go back to his room.


    He used cold water to reduce the heat before going back to sleep with her.


    That night, she slept peacefully. When she woke up, it was already empty beside her.


    She washed up and left the room but didn''t see him. If she hadn''t seen the breakfast, she would have thought that the man who imed to be her husband was from her imagination. Next to breakfast, there was a mobile phone. She turned on her phone. A message popped up.


    "I made your favorite food. I have something to do. I''lle back to you after I handle it."


    He originally wanted to take her with him. But he couldn''t bear to wake her from her deep sleep.


    She was lost in thought while looking at the message. The heat from the breakfast seemed to flow into her heart. Did he make breakfast?


    For some reason, a scene appeared in her mind. A man was wearing an apron and was busy in the kitchen. She only saw his back.


    Just as the man was about to turn around, another message popped on her phone. The notification tone startled her. She clicked on the message and saw the content. "I want to hug you."


    Her head was buzzing. She was stunned for seconds. When she returned to her senses, she blushed. Had he always been so straightforward?


    She took a deep breath. After a while, she calmed down and ate breakfast. She thought it wouldn''t taste that good, but it unexpectedly matched her favorite.


    After breakfast, she wandered around. She tried to remember the past through the information around her. When the phone rang, she saw the name on the caller ID. It was Kelly. Seeing this name, she felt disgusted and didn''t like this person. But she still answered the phone. As soon as she connected the call, a woman''s voice came from the other side.


    "Rose..."


    She remained silent. Kelly wanted to test how much Rose knew about the car ident. She had already prepared her lines before making the call. She cried.


    "Rose, I feel sorry for our dad."


    "What''s wrong with Dad?" Rose asked subconsciously


    She frowned. Rose seemed not to know about Jamie''s car ident.


    She said, "Dad had a car ident. He is dead. Mom was too sad and left Aquastead. I only have you now.


    She sounded as if they were affectionate sisters. But when Rose listened to Kelly, she couldn''t feel anything even though Kelly was sobbing.


    It was as if the father Kelly talked about had nothing to do with her. She remembered Clover mentioned that she had forgotten the previous memories because of the car ident.


    Were these two car idents rted?


    "Rose?" Kelly didn''t hear her response and called out tentatively.


    The more silent she was, the more nervous Kelly felt. After Kelly called out, she still didn''t respond. So, Kelly changed the topic.


    "Rose, Grandpa wants to see you. If you''re free,e and see him."


    Grandpa? It was different from when Kelly mentioned "Dad" before. She felt familiar when she heard " Grandpa" and immediately agreed.


    "Okay."


    After hanging up, Kelly couldn''t hide her surprise. Rose was weird today. She wondered what happened to


    Rose.


    "Kelly, have you made an appointment with Rose?"


    While thinking, Anastasia''s voice came from behind. She looked back. It was obvious that Anastasia had eavesdropped on her phone call. So, she showed her displeasure. Anastasia saw her expression and strode toward her.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to eavesdrop. I''m curious about Rose. I heard that Rose''s disappearance was due to a car ident. Your father was also in a car ident. What a coincidence."


    "Rose was in a car ident? I didn''t know that!"


    She eximed in surprise, but Anastasia still saw her guilt.

 Billionire 257

    Join Young''s House of Jewels


    Anastasia was cleverer and more cunning than Kelly. Kelly''s reaction already told her there must be a connection between the two car idents. She didn''t expect to get the truth from Kelly. She could ask someone to check it out.


    Now, Rose was theirmon enemy. She had to deal with Rose. As the only grandchild of the Young family, Kelly was a good weapon.


    After a moment of confrontation and testing, she immediately softened her manner.


    "I didn''t know it either. Shouldn''t we concern her?"


    "Of course, we should."


    Kelly felt a little guilty. She was afraid that Anastasia would investigate the car ident.


    Even though Anastasia explored the truth, she had already prepared an excuse. But it was better to avoid this situation. But then, she heard Anastasia sigh.


    "I''ll leave it to you. I''ve been busy recently. Please transfer my concern to her."


    She smiled at Kelly, then nced at her watch as if she had something urgent to do. After saying goodbye to Kelly, she left Young Estate in a hurry. Kelly stared at the ce where Anastasia left. Concerned Rose? She wished Rose had died in that car ident, but Rose was too lucky.


    She clenched her phone and went back to the room angrily. Through the window, she saw Oliver sitting in a wheelchair in the garden downstairs. He seemed to give orders to Patrick.


    Oliver thought about Rose more. She needed to act quickly. Taking a deep breath, she nced at the stack of design drafts on her desk.


    She didn''t like drawing designs, but she prepared them for joining Young''s House of Jewels. She deliberately threw the design drafts out the window.


    The drafts flew away. She sneered, then hurriedly ran outside. The servants were already helping her pick up the drafts scattered on the ground.


    "Thank you."


    She picked up the drafts while thanking the servants for help. She looked as if she valued those drafts very much. Soon, her movement attracted Oliver and Patrick. Patrick pushed Oliver over. She cleaned the design drafts and pretended to see Oliver unintentionally.


    "Grandpa."


    He looked at the drafts.


    "What are these?"


    Her eyes flickered, and he became more curious.


    "Bring them to me," he ordered.


    She hesitated before handing him the drafts.


    "Grandpa, I just draw them to pass the time."


    He looked through the design drafts and gradually showed appreciation.


    "They look good. I didn''t expect you to draw... that''s right. You grew up with Rosie. The Shaffer family also has a jewelrypany. It''s normal for you to be able to design jewelry."


    His words made her unhappy. Even if he believed she was his granddaughter, his desire to know her was still not as good as Rose''s. She suppressed her displeasure.


    Then, she said shyly and obediently, "I drew them casually. My drawings aren''t as good as Rose''s."


    She was deliberately modest. But his following words dampened her. He looked at the design drafts carefully. Thinking about Rose''s design he had seen from Miles, he gradually frowned. "It''s indeed not as good as Rosie''s."


    Her expression changed slightly. He also realized he said the wrong words and coughed awkwardly.


    "Kelly, I didn''t mean to belittle you. You''re Rietta''s daughter. The Young family first started with jewelry and then developed other businesses. You have talent. If you develop it properly, you''ll have good achievements."


    She looked excited. She thought he would create conditions for her to develop her talent. But after he finished speaking, he continued to read the design drafts. She secretly cursed. No matter what, she must achieve her purpose today. So, she sighed.


    "I''ve studied design. But I''ve never practiced well or had the opportunity. Mom and you are both excellent, but I''m not. I can develop myself if I have a ce to practice."


    She hinted that she wanted a position. Even Patrick understood what she meant. But Oliver''s expression suddenly darkened.


    She suddenly became nervous. Although she wanted to join Young''s House of Jewels, she might get the loss if she aroused his disgust.


    "Grandpa..." she was about to exin.


    But he stopped her.


    "Kelly, it''s my fault. You''re my granddaughter. I originally wanted you to be a carefree youngdy, but I'' didn''t ask about your opinion."


    He was ming himself. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Instantly, she deliberately smiled aggrievedly. Seeing her expression, he med himself even more. She was indeed a good girl!


    He waved to her.


    "Come here."


    She walked up and squatted beside him. She stared at him. At the same time, the scene of Rose squatting beside him appeared in his mind. Even she noticed him in a daze. She called out, "Grandpa..."


    "Kelly, we have a huge business. If you''re bored and want to practice jewelry design, you can join Young''s House of Jewels. Just tell Miles what position you want," he smiled. His promise was what she was waiting for. What position? Of course, she wanted Rose''s position.


    Yet, his illness recurred, and his memory was often confused. He wouldn''t agree with her to rece Rose if he had forgotten that Rose severed ties with the Young family. "Thank you, Grandpa. It''s already great to allow me to join thepany. I can take any position," she happily leaned on his knee''s.


    He stroked her head. It was a habit when he treated Rose. She suppressed her displeasure. She secretly determined that she would make Rose lose everything.


    Meanwhile, Rose looked at Young''s House of Jewels. For some reason, she sneezed several times. She looked through theputer to learn about everything rted to her. After she saw the information about Young''s House of Jewels, she took a taxi there.

 Billionire 258

    A Woman With Bad Intentions


    Rose had been wandering in front of the building for a long time. She hesitated whether to go up.


    "Rosie?"


    Suddenly, a voice sounded. She turned around and met a "friendly" gaze. Anastasia never expected that she woulde here again.


    She had note since she dered that she severed ties with the Young family. What was she going to do today?


    Anastasia greeted her curiously, "Rosie, what are you doing here?"


    Although she couldn''t remember Anastasia, it seemed like they knew each other. She wondered what their rtionship was.


    She smiled and nodded to Anastasia as a greeting but didn''t answer the question. She didn''t know what she was doing here either. Anastasia was stunned for a moment by her reaction. "It seemed like I asked nonsense. Come on. Let''s go up together."


    Anastasia held her hand affectionately. She was hesitant to go up in the first ce. But in the end, she couldn''t resist her curiosity about her memory. So, she followed Anastasia into the elevator.


    In the elevator, Anastasia answered the phone. It was Patrick calling. He transferred Oliver''s message that Kelly would join Young''s House of Jewels. Oliver asked her to arrange a suitable position for Kelly.


    She smiled sarcastically. Kelly started her actions. She had known for a long time that Kelly would join the Young family''s business. Kelly wanted to control Young''s House of Jewels after Oliver died.


    She had already seen through Kelly''s n. She didn''t take it seriously at all. Thinking of something, she nced at Rose.


    Then, she told Patrick, "Okay, just reassure Grandpa. I''ll make arrangements. I''m in thepany today. She cane and get familiar with the business."


    After receiving his affirmative answer, she hung up the phone. Rose was here, and Kelly woulde. Thepany would have a good show.


    Although Rose didn''t know what Anastasia was thinking, she suddenly felt irritated. Was it because of thispany? She frowned and followed Anastasia out of the elevator.


    The atmosphere in the office area seemed tense. Anastasia nned to know Rose''s purpose, but her assistant suddenly came over..


    "Ms. Young, pleasee and take a look..."


    The assistant pulled her away. Rose became alone and felt uneasy. She looked back at Rose. Suddenly, she sneered and dialed a phone number. She thought of a bad intention. Everyone in the office seemed extremely busy. Rose entered the office and looked at the design director''s office. She seemed to have been in this position before.


    She walked forward. When she was about to enter the office, a sharp voice came.


    "Hey, here is a rare visitor! Director Shaffer is here!"


    The person who came was Serena Lowe. She had bad-mouthed behind Rose and got fired by Anastasia. After Rose severed ties with the Young family, Anastasia recruited her back to thepany. So, she regarded Anastasia as her host and hated Rose. Just now, Anastasia asked her to make trouble for Rose. So, she wanted to embarrass Rose.


    "Who are you?" Rose asked with a frown.


    Rose didn''t remember her! She was even angrier. Her gaze fell on Rose''s hand on the doorknob.


    She took water from the pantry when she received Anastasia''s call. At this moment, she was holding a thermos cup. She suddenly had an idea and strode forward.


    She deliberately stumbled and sshed the boiling water onto Rose''s hand. Rose subconsciously withdrew her hand, but it was still a step toote.


    "Ah!"


    It hurt her! Her delicate skin turned red instantly. She instinctively ran to the toilet. She ran too fast and knocked Serena away. But she couldn''t care much.


    When she got to the toilet, she turned on the cold water and rinsed her reddish hand. Soon, she felt better, but her hand had blisters.


    She took a deep breath and realized something. She seemed to know the location of the toilet for a long time. She was indeed familiar with thispany.


    As for the design director''s office, there might be more information about her in it. While she was thinking, there was already an uproar outside.


    By coincidence, Rose''s collision caused Serena to fall to the ground. She was fine, but her colleagues gathered around her.


    She immediately pretended to have suffered a severe fall. Even though her colleagues helped her up, she still cried out in pain. When Rose came out and saw this scene, she couldn''t help but be stunned. Before she could say anything, Serenained, "Director Shaffer, even if I''ve offended you, you can''t do this to me!"


    Rose thought it was funny. What did she do to that woman? Yet, she got an important fact. There was a feud between them before.


    No wonder Serena looked unfriendly when they met just now. But Serena called her Director Shaffer. Since she dared to confront Rose, she was either stupid or there was someone behind the scenes. Rose thought about it and believed it was thetter. But who was the person behind Serena? Serena''s usation immediately made her presence visible to everyone.


    "Director Shaffer ..."


    It seemed that they didn''t expect her toe back. During her absence, different guesses spread throughout thepany.


    No matter which rumor was the truth, there was only one conclusion. Rose had fallen out of favor! It had only been a short time since she had fallen out of Oliver''s favor. She turned her grand induction


    banquet into a joke.


    They felt she should never return to Young''s House of Jewels. Unexpectedly, she came. What was she here for? Almost everyone present was full of curiosity.


    "Director Shaffer, are you okay?"


    Someone noticed her reddish hand. She nced at that person gratefully. She shook her head to indicate that she was fine.


    Serena couldn''t sit still and yelled, "Director? She''s not the director anymore! She hasn''t been here for a long time. Her position has long been taken by someone else! Also, her hand..." She nced at Rose''s scalded hand and felt happy.


    "Ms. Shaffer, why did you bump into me?"


    After she made the usation, she let out another cry of pain. She held her waist as if Rose had broken it. Rose felt strange.


    "I didn''t mean to bump into you. If you didn''t..."


    P

 Billionire 259

    Her Resistance


    Rose wanted to correct the facts. But before she could finish her words, Serena interrupted her.


    "Ms. Shaffer, are you trying to use me of hurting your hand?"


    She couldn''t help but sneer.


    "Isn''t it the truth?"


    "Of course not! Everyone happens to be here. Let''s exin this matter clearly."


    Serena pretended to be innocent and exined, "I took the water and came out of the pantry. When I saw you, I wanted to apologize for bad-mouthing youst time. But even if you don''t ept my apology, you can''t bump into me on purpose! You pushed me to the ground. That''s why the water sshed on your


    hand!"


    She implied that it was Rose''s fault for hurting her hand. Rose felt speechless to her nder.


    For a moment, everyone looked at Rose strangely. They seemed to believe Serena and regarded her as a sinister viin who took revenge. They thought it was all her fault. Sinister viin? She thought it was time to teach Serena a lesson.


    "Is there surveince in this office?" she calmly asked while looking around.


    There were several surveince cameras in this area. Everyone could see the truth as long as she called up the surveince. She looked at everyone.


    "Who is in charge of surveince?"


    No one answered her. Everyone was thinking about the previous rumors. If she got kicked out of the Young''s House of Jewels, they would offend the Young family by helping her. No one would do a high-risk task. There was silence in the air. Serena''s arrogance rose.


    "Ms. Shaffer, even if you call up the surveince, you can''t change the facts."


    Rose was in trouble. Even Anastasia was on her side. That was why she dared to nder Rose even though there was surveince. Rose couldn''t prove herself without surveince. Rose saw through the situation and smiled sarcastically.


    "Fine. I''ll leave."


    She could only suffer the unjust usation. After she finished speaking, she walked outside. Although she rinsed her scalded hand with cold water, she still had severe pain. Her hand even had blisters. Instead of arguing with someone who was deliberately harming her, it would be better to go to the hospital earlier to treat her injury.


    But before she could leave the office area, Serena blocked her.


    "Stop!"


    She frowned. Then, she heard Serena calling security. It was clear that Serena was unwilling to let her go. She knew she wouldn''t be able to leave for the time being. Sure enough, the security came up soon. +15 BONUS


    Serena ordered the security to stop her. She felt impatience and stared at Serena,


    "What else do you want?"


    "You want to leave after hitting me, huh?"


    Serena red at her. Serena nced at Anastasia''s office just now. Anastasia was looking at her through the blinds'' crack. As Anastasia was watching her deal with Rose, she had to do her best. Rose rolled her eyes.


    "You can hit me back. I''ll also scald you back with boiling water."


    "You!"


    "Or call the police. Let the police handle it!"


    She took out her mobile phone. But before she could make a call, Serena stepped forward and pped her phone hard to the ground. She squatted and wanted to pick it up. But Serena stepped on it.


    She looked up and saw Serena''s arrogant smile. Meanwhile, her phone rang. She couldn''t see the caller ID. After ringing for a long time, it automatically cut off. But the call came in again after seconds. "Get out of the way," she said.


    "Hmph, you have no right to order me!"


    Serena felt proud and looked at Rose condescendingly.


    Rose was once a person that Oliver valued. She was the design director of Young''s House of Jewels. She might even inherit some shares of Young''s House of Jewels after his death.


    But now, even Serena could bully her.


    "Are you sure?"


    She could no longer endure her anger. She believed she wasn''t timid and good-tempered in her past. ncing at Serena coldly, she stood up. She smiled strangely at the arrogant Serena. The next moment, she pped Serena hard.


    "Ah!"


    Serena''s cheek turned red. She never expected that Rose would take action. Rose was so bold to hit her in front of many people! She was furious and red at Rose. "How dare you hit me!"


    She decided to teach Rose a lesson. Yet, before she could figure out how to deal with Rose, Rose pped her other cheek.


    For a moment, the people watching the excitement were so shocked that they didn''t even dare to speak.


    She was stunned. When she returned to her senses, she wanted to tear Rose apart. But Rose wouldn''t give her a chance.


    Although she couldn''t remember the past, her body seemed to have a memory. She didn''t give Serena much chance to react. Instantly, she threw Serena to the ground.


    In everyone''s surprised gaze, Serena fell to the ground hard. She patted the dust on her hands gracefully.


    "This time, I did it on purpose," she smiled.


    Even if she couldn''t call up the surveince, she didn''t want to take the me. She would solve it in her way. As for responsibility... She smiled slightly.


    "I hit you. You can sue me. When you report to the police, ask them to contact mywyer ..."


    She originally wanted to mention her husband. Yet, she suddenly realized that she knew very little about Jonathan. After a pause, she thought of someone.


    "Hmm, it''s better to contact Clover Xanth''swyer."


    Clover Xanth? It was the president of Lerain Group! Only a few people present knew the name of the president of Lerain Group. Anastasia immediately became alert when she heard Clover''s name. How did Rose know Clover? Anastasia hesitated for a moment and then rushed out.


    Serena fell so hard that she felt severe pain. She didn''t hear what Rose said at all. At this moment, she wanted to p Rose. She wanted to stand up and make counterattacks. But she failed to do so. Seeing Rose was about to leave, she shouted to the security, "Don''t be in a daze! Stop her! p her!"

 Billionire 260

    Offends the Wrong Person


    Rose thought there was going to be a fight. But as soon as the security was about to approach her, a voice came.


    "Stop!"


    She looked over and recognized it was the woman who had brought her upstairs. The person who came to take Anastasia away earlier called her Ms. Young. Anastasia nced at the security unpleasantly. They immediately took a few steps back in fear. But Serena became more confident when seeing Anastasia. "Ms. Young! Rose Shaffer hit me! I can''t stand up! I ..."


    "If you can''t stand up, you can lie down," Anastasia interrupted.


    She was stunned.


    She thought she might not have expressed it clearly and continued, "Ms. Young, she is deliberately making trouble..."


    "Shut up!" Anastasia shouted.


    This time, she red at Serena coldly. Serena finally calmed down. But in Serena''s view, Anastasia wasing to trouble Rose. It would be a good show. Unexpectedly, when she looked at Rose, she turned her seriousness into a smile.


    "Rosie, it''s better not to trouble the police andwyer. It was a misunderstanding."


    Rose immediately understood the situation. It was because she mentioned Clover just now! Was Clover''s name so useful?


    She nced at Anastasia. This woman came out just in time to smooth the matter. Anastasia must have been watching from the sidelines. She smiled sarcastically.


    "Whether it was a misunderstanding, it''s better to rify everything. I did p her twice. I should take responsibility for it, but I won''t take the me for the nder. I also want to seek justice for the harm I suffered. Isn''t it reasonable? Sorry to bother you. But I''m always narrow-minded."


    After she finished speaking, she was about to leave. Yet, she seemed to have thought of something and changed her mind.


    She took out her mobile phone and called the police. Soon, the nearest police station epted her report.


    When the police arrived, she immediately asked for an injury examination and called up the surveince. Anastasia didn''t expect that she would make the situation even moreplex.


    Fortunately, Rose hadn''t alerted Clover yet. When the police were investigating, she waited in the reception area for a result. The pain in her hand didn''t subside at all.


    She endured the pain. Suddenly, her phone rang again Almost subconsciously, everyone present looked


    at her.


    She stared at the unfamiliar number. She was irritated because of the pain and didn''t want to answer it. But after a moment of hesitation, she connected the call.


    "Wifey ..."


    A man''s voice sounded on the other end of the phone. She immediately frowned. Without thinking, she knew it was Clover.


    To avoid him saying something that would make her brain numb, she immediately said, "Shut up, Clover!"


    She was upset because of the pain. Her tone wasn''t good. On the side, Anastasia looked at her in shock.


    She had been guessing about the rtionship between Rose and Clover. She thought that they were friends at most. Lerain Group''s international influence was beyond Young''s House of Jewels.


    The Xanth family had always been low profile and mysterious. As the president, Clover was only a spokesman. But he was enough to make people fearful.


    He had never been easy to talk to, but Rose told him to shut up. She frowned and carefully paid attention to Rose''s reaction. She didn''t know what he said, but Rose''s impatience dissipated slightly. "No need: It''s just that my hand hurts. I''m not feeling well."


    Rose didn''t even apologize to Clover for being rude! Her frown deepened. She didn''t know what he said, but Rose seemed impatient.


    "No need!"


    Rose directly hung up the phone. Anastasia suddenly regretted it.


    She asked Serena to make trouble for Rose because Miles was away from thepany. He couldn''t support Rose. But she didn''t expect Rose to be close with Clover.


    Even if Clover wasn''t present, he might find out about this matter afterward. If he made trouble for her, even the Young family wouldn''t be able to resist him.


    "Rosie, the police are watching the surveince. Your hand is injured. Let me take you for treatment first."


    At first, she hoped that Rose''s hand was disabled. But now, she wished to minimize the matter. Blisters appeared on the back of Rose''s hand, which looked shocking. Seeing that Rose was silent, she stepped forward and wanted to take Rose to the hospital. But Rose leaned back slightly to avoid her touch.


    "No need!"


    Even if she wanted to go to the hospital, she didn''t need Anastasia to take her there. Before that, she had no feelings for Anastasia. But after this incident, she instinctively disliked Anastasia. Since that was the case, she didn''t even bother to be polite. She nced at the police, who called up the surveince. After waiting a while, the police brought theplete surveince video. They were supposed to take the person involved back to the police station. But she suggested showing the surveince content in public. Everyone would judge the incident just now. Serena suddenly panicked.


    "Ms. Young, this is against the rules!"


    She thought Anastasia would take her ce and deal with Rose harshly. After she calmed down, she felt


    a little uneasy when she saw Anastasia''s gentle attitude toward Rose.


    Anastasia watched everything happen from beginning to end. She certainly didn''t want the truth exposed in front of all employees.


    But before she could speak, another voice sounded, "Rose isn''t against the rules."


    The man''s deep voice made people feel a strong sense of oppression. Anastasia''s expression changed. She knew who wasing without looking back.


    Everyone followed the voice and looked over. It was a man in a ck trench coat. He had a good figure and looked like a model. But the aura he exuded was beyond the models.


    He seemed in a high position that could determine someone''s life. Who was he? The employees had never met Jonathan, but they were sure that his identity wasn''t simple. "Why are you here?" Rose felt surprised when she saw him. "How did you know I''m here?"


    She didn''t tell anyone where she was, not even when Clover asked her. Maybe he wasn''ting here because of her, but something else.


    She thought she had a misunderstanding and smiled awkwardly at him. But the next moment, he strode up to her. The first thing he saw was her injured hand.


    P


    Support

 Billionire 261

    The Truth Revealed


    "What happened?"


    Jonathan''s face darkened. As he touched Rose''s hand, she let out a cry of pain,


    "Ah..."


    It was painful. It hurt just now, but she could bear the pain just now. When this man came, she couldn''t bear it anymore.


    She raised her eyes and nced at him. He was staring at her hand, serious and focused. Rose''s heart was pounding, and her rhythm was a little messed up. Jonathan didn''t know her thoughts. Upon seeing that she frowned in pain, he nced at the people present.


    "This is a misunderstanding," Anastasia said.


    She didn''t dare to call him Mr. Finch. She never expected that Jonathan would be here. However, Jonathan ignored her. As his face turned dark, he didn''t make a fuss immediately.


    Instead, he made a phone call and hung up just after saying a few words. His expression was still sharp. The atmosphere was frighteningly tense as everyone was specting about his identity. After a while, several medical staff walked out of the elevator. Then, several other elevators opened one after another, and the people who came out were all medical staff.


    The logo of Harmony Hospital was printed on their white coats. They knew that Harmony Hospital was a private hospital owned by Finch Group.


    The staff and equipment inside were all top-notch. Most of the time, it was dedicated to providing medical services to the rich.


    Even if a well-established family in Aquastead could call a private doctor from the hospital, it would only be one person. However, the office was filled with the staff and equipment. It was as if the whole hospital had been moved here,


    "Mr. Finch..."


    The director rushed to Jonathan in person.


    He recognized Rose at first sight. Upon seeing her hand, he arranged for the people behind him to check and apply medicine for her without waiting for Jonathan''s instructions. Every doctor who treated the wound was extremely serious. Several people cooperated.


    It seemed as if they were dealing with an extremely difficult major surgery at this time. Rose couldn''t help but be stunned at this scene. What''s happening here?


    She looked at Jonathan questioningly.


    "I called you just now, but you didn''t answer," Jonathan said.


    What did he mean? Rose felt that she was clever, but it took her some time to understand his


    meaning. He was answering her question as to why he knew she was there.


    She thought she wouldn''t get a response, but he still remembered to answer her. Her heart was filled with warmth.


    As she suddenly thought of something, she frowned and said, "It seems like ... I didn''t answer the phone."


    How did he know she was at Young''s House of Jewels? Did he guess it so urately?


    "The call had been connected. I located this ce," Jonathan answered.


    Rose was stunned again. Was he so aggressive that he even located the ce? While marveling, she couldn''t help but twitch the corner of her mouth as she saw the doctor he called into the office. The scene was even more grand. Her so-called husband was not a simple person.


    As she finally realized something, she nced at Jonathan searchingly. Nevertheless, she didn''t ask any more questions with so many people around.


    After her hand was applied with medicine, it didn''t seem to hurt that much anymore. However, she had to properly exin the matter that happened just now.


    She had to make it clear as to who was right or wrong so that everyone would take responsibility. She was about to ask the police to monitor the surveince. Before she spoke, Jonathan was one step ahead of her.


    "Please."


    With the unclear instruction, the police had understood his meaning. Jonathan''s aura was indeed


    extraordinary. No one protested anymore.


    The police took aputer and started ying surveince content. Serena''s face was already pale when she saw the grand scene just now.


    She relied on Anastasia''s support to deliberately cause trouble for Rose. Naturally, she knew the principle of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.


    She looked at Anastasia for help several times, but she didn''t even give her a look. At that moment, she knew she was in trouble as Anastasia wouldn''t support her anymore.


    If the surveince was released ...


    "Ah..."


    Rose''s exmation in the surveince footage interrupted her thoughts. At this moment, everyone


    present could watch the whole incident on theputer screen.


    Even those who couldn''t see the screen due to the angle could get a general understanding of the matter through the dialogue.


    "It was Serena who permed Ms. Shaffer..." someone in the crowd said.


    Serena wanted to argue, but she had no idea what to say. The fact didn''t allow her to argue.


    "Rosie, it was Serena who started this matter and caused your hands to be burned. You can hold them ountable however you want. In addition, Young''s House of Jewels also has a responsibility ..." Anastasia wanted to use some excuses to cover the incident. However, before she could finish speaking, Jonathan interrupted her.


    "Of course, Young''s House of Jewels has a great responsibility."


    His tone was deep and his eyes were cold. It seemed he wanted to pursue the responsibility until the end. Even if Young''s House of Jewels didn''t have a great responsibility, he wanted to make it serious. Anastasia''s heart trembled. She knew that even if Young''s House of Jewels could escape from legal responsibility, it could not escape from Jonathan.


    "You''re right," she said with a forced smile.


    She suddenly had the idea to use her apology as an excuse to have more interactions with Jonathan.


    As soon as she had this idea, Jonathan said, "I''ll let thewyers handle this."


    His big palm kept holding Rose''s wrist. When he looked at others, his face was cold and his eyes were scary; when he looked at Rose, he became gentle instantly.


    "Do you want to leave?" he asked Rose.


    The strong contrast made others stunned. The matter had been rified, so there was no need for. Rose to stay. Besides, Young''s House of Jewels left a particrly bad impression on her.


    "Yes." She nodded.


    Nevertheless, she had hit Serena just now.


    She looked at the police and asked, "I also hit her, but I acted under private defense in the


    circumstances."


    The police had carefully checked the surveince.


    "There''s indeed a case of private defense. Ms. Lowe had caused intentional harm to you. Given your injury, you can make the statementter."


    It implied that Rose could leave now. As for Serena ...


    The police approached Serena and said, "Ms. Lowe, pleasee with me."


    Serena''s head was buzzing in a mess. Didn''t it mean that she was going to be detected?


    "I ... I''m injured too."


    Her eyes shed as if she had found an extremely appropriate reason. Rose could make the statementter because she was injured, so she might not go to the police station if she was injured


    as well.


    However, as soon as she finished speaking, everyone looked at her strangely. At this time, the surveince footage showed her standing up from the ground quickly. It didn''t seem she was injured.

 Billionire 262

    Disgusted to See Her


    In fact, Rose pped her two times firmly, but it only caused her cheeks to turn red without leaving any substantial injuries.


    When she threw her, she was only hurt at that time. With a little relief, there was no problem for her to move. It had nothing to do with getting injured even though she was indeed in pain at that time.


    As Rose lowered her eyes, a smile rose at the corner of her mouth. Serena''s hope came to an abrupt end. A hint of panic shed in her eyes, and she subconsciously looked at Anastasia. However, she had been abandoned.


    Fearing that she would reveal herself, Anastasia threatened, "Serena, Young''s House of Jewels won''t tolerate what you did today. Please go with the police and cooperate with them."


    She deliberately mentioned Young''s House of Jewels to tell Serena that she would never tolerate her if she revealed her. Serena immediately became dispirited. It was toote to be regretful now. As the police took her away, Jonathan also left with Rose. The whole office was suddenly mostly empty. Anastasia''s face was particrly dark. She remembered the call Patrick had made to her. She called Kelly over as she wanted to stir up some conflicts between her and Rose and use her hands to deal with Rose.


    Nevertheless, Kelly hadn''t arrived yet. Even if she came just now, she couldn''t cause any trouble with Jonathan here. The way Jonathan protected Rose pierced her heart. "Damn!" She gritted her teeth.


    When Kelly got out of the car in front of thepany, she saw a group of doctors in white coats approaching. With such a grand scene, did something happen to thepany?


    Just as she was thinking, she saw two people walking toward her direction from behind the crowd. The man was tall and had a face that made people unable to take their eyes away at just one nce.


    His attention was always on the woman next to him. The woman was Rose. Kelly remembered that when she first met Rose and her husband, she didn''t take him seriously at all. Unexpectedly, Rose was lucky to marry Mr. Finch. Mr. Finch seemed to only have eyes for Rose, which made her extremely jealous.


    She originally wanted to avoid them out of displeasure, but thinking of her current status, she might as well take this opportunity to greet Mr. Finch. She instantly raised a smile and stepped forward.


    "Rose..."


    Aftering out of Young''s House of Jewels, Rose could feel Jonathan''s gaze on her. Just as she wanted to hide herself out of shyness, she felt relieved as she heard someone calling her. When she looked at the person walking toward her, she felt disgusted in an instant. The feeling was


    the same as when she received a certain phone call and heard that voice.


    She instinctively didn''t want to see this face. Hence, she quickly looked away. As she walked past, the smile on Kelly''s facepletely froze.


    She wondered if Rose was showing disgust toward her just now. She was now the heiress to the Young family, how could she show such an expression to her?


    Out of anger, she shouted, "Rose!"


    Rose, who had walked a few inches away, suddenly stopped. She frowned as she slowly turned around and looked at the annoying figure.


    "Are you calling me?"


    It was a real questioning tone. However, when it came to Kelly''s ears, she thought she was implying that she was not worthy of calling her. She secretly clenched her fists. Thinking that Mr. Finch was watching from the side, she suppressed her anger in her heart. When she


    turned around, she had a smile on her face.


    She always put on an innocent smile, and her eyes were pure. Nevertheless, Rose was disgusted every time she saw her expression.


    "Yew..."


    She wanted to hold it back but failed. Kelly''s face stiffened slightly as she wondered what she meant.


    "I''m sorry..."


    Rose immediately apologized after realizing that she was acting impolitely. She even eagerly took a step forward. However, as soon as she finished again, she vomited again. The atmosphere became strange.


    Jonathan patted her back concernedly with a hint of a smile in his eyes. Kelly was extremely embarrassed.


    To save her respect, she put on a smile and pretended to be concerned. "Rose, do you feel ufortable?"


    "No, it''s not..."


    She simply couldn''t help but gag when she saw her. She took a few deep breaths and finally stopped gagging. However, when she raised her eyes and saw Kelly, she couldn''t help but want to vomit again. There was no other way. She could only turn sideways and not look at her.


    "What did you call me?" she asked.


    Kelly was stunned.


    "Rose."


    Rose frowned as she asked, "Who are you?"


    This time, Kelly''s expression changed. She looked at Rose suspiciously.


    Before she had time to figure it out, Jonathan nced at her defensively and put his long arms around Rose as he said, "She''s just an insignificant person."


    With that, he took Rose away, leaving Kelly alone. She didn''t care to keep the smile on her face. As Rose got into the car, she was still in a trance, with countless spections shing through her mind.


    She didn''t even notice a luxury car stopped downstairs. A man with an imposing appearance got out of the car and walked past her briskly.


    In the office of Young''s House of Jewels, Anastasia was still feeling irritable after a long time.


    "Sir, who are you looking for?"


    Outside the office, there was amotion. As Anastasia was about to get angry, the office door was pushed open suddenly.


    Before she could ask the person out, her expression suddenly changed as she saw the personing.


    "Mr. Xanth..."


    She immediately raised a smile and stepped forward to greet Clover.


    "Where''s Rose?"


    Clover directly expressed his intention. Anastasia''s heart skipped a beat. Jonathan had just left with Rose. Not long after that, even Clover also came looking for her.


    She felt depressed, but she remained with a smile on her face as she asked, "Do you know Rosie?"


    She wanted to know how the two met and what Clover thought about Rose. Nevertheless, Clover was smart enough to see through her with just one nce. "Where''s she?" he asked impatiently.


    It was as if he was telling Anastasia that he wouldn''t be polite if she kept beating around the bush.


    Anastasia didn''t dare to dy anymore as she said, "Mr. Finch has left with Rosie just now. Rosie is a kind person, Mr. Finch treats her ..."


    "Ha..."


    Before she could finish speaking, Clover interrupted her with a sneer.

 Billionire 263

    A Warning to Her


    "Ms. Young!"


    Clover lowered his eyes. He didn''t even bother to look at Anastasia. Anastasia felt humiliated, but she didn''t dare to say anything.


    She kept a smile on her face, but Clover''s following words made the smilepletely copse on her


    face.


    "Don''t think that I don''t know what you''re thinking. You have feelings for Jonathan, but I warn you, don''t set your mind on Rose."


    Clover was an excellent leader in the Lerain Group. Even though his uncle was still at the helm of the Xanth family, his abilities had been recognized by him and the family.


    The Xanth family was different from the other wealthy families. It wasmon for other wealthy families topete for power, but the Xanth family always focused on unity. There''s no intrigue among family members, but it doesn''t mean that Clover couldn''t see certain things.


    Anastasia spent a lot of money to buy the red diamond from him. His intuition told him that it was because of the red diamond ring on Rose''s hand.


    Women''s jealousy was either due to vanity andparison, or it was because of men.


    As the heiress to the Young family, Anastasia''s status was much superior to Rose''s. There was no need for her to be jealous because of this.


    Hence, she must be jealous because of a man, which was Jonathan. Anastasia''s expression froze. Clover suddenly raised his eyes and looked at her, which made her heart tremble. It was as if she had been seen through. His warning was the same as Miles''s warning to her not long ago. They were all doing it for Rose. As Clover left the office, her face darkened. What methods did Rose use that even Clover was supporting her? Did he have a crush on Rose? As she thought about it, this was the only conclusion between men and women. "Ms. Young, look at this..."


    The assistant came in with aputer. In just five minutes, Young''s House of Jewels had received several termination letters one after another. They were all from Finch Group and Lerain Group.


    The family members of Finch Group and Lerain Group had high demands for customized jewelry, and they always bought it at high prices.


    Once they announced that they would no longer be customizing jewelry at Young''s House of Jewels, thepany would have a great loss. "Damn it!"


    Anastasia knew it was because of what happened just now. Jonathan and Clover were standing up for Rose. Unable to suppress her anger, she smashed everything on the table to the ground.


    The assistant didn''t dare to say anything. As themotion inside spread outside the office, everyone remained silent. They didn''t even dare to breathe.


    As soon as Kelly arrived at thepany, she felt an abnormal atmosphere. She had been standing in the front desk area for a while, but no one came to greet her.


    Thinking of her status, she had been depressed due to Rose''s attitude earlier.


    She raised her chin slightly and asked, "Where''s Anastasia?"


    She was calling Anastasia by her name directly. Everyone who heard it instantly looked at her.


    The staff had all seen the previous press conference held by the Young family announcing the recovery of Oliver''s granddaughter.


    However, Kelly was now dressed in a white dress. Even though she looked pure, her appearance was too ordinary. No one recognized her at this time.


    "Where''s Anastasia? Let here to see me."


    Kelly felt that she had been neglected. She was going to lead Young''s House of Jewels in the future. It was most effective to use Anastasia to show her status. Everyone had a strange expression. They thought that Kelly was probably looking for trouble as Anastasia was at the peak of anger. However, someone had to bear Anastasia''s anger. They all wondered who would be the unlucky one.


    Someone knocked on the door of Anastasia''s office.


    "Ms. Young, there''s ady outside looking for you. She asked you to go see her."


    Anastasia thought of Kelly. A hint of coldness shed in her eyes. Then, she put on a smile and walked out of the office. As she approached, Kelly wanted to be kind to her.


    However, she wanted to show off her power so that everyone knew her status. Hence, she remained a cold face.


    When Anastasia walked up to her, she said impatiently, "Why do you keep me waiting for so long?"


    After looking at Kelly for a while, Anastasia knew what she was nning. She wanted to step on her to find a sense of existence. If it were a normal situation, she would never let her get what she wanted. However, thinking about the incident just now, she suddenly changed her mind.


    "I''m sorry, Kelly. Something happened just now, so was dyed. Please don''t me me. Come..."


    Her low profile surprised everyone in the office who was quietly watching the scene. They wondered who Kelly was as she could make Anastasia lower her attitude.


    Anastasia even held Kelly''s hand enthusiastically. After reaching the office area, she pped her hands to attract everyone''s attention and introduced Kelly. "Everyone put your work aside. Let me introduce someone to you."


    Only then did everyone look at them openly. Under those gazes, a smile appeared on Kelly''s face,


    which was different from her usual smile.


    She deliberately showed a bit of aloofness and raised her chin slightly to show her condescension.


    "This is Kelly Shaffer or Ms. Shaffer. Even though herst name is Shaffer, she''s Grandpa''s granddaughter, so...


    Before Anastasia finished her words, everyone was shocked.


    Oliver had an adopted daughter and some adopted granddaughters. If she was his biological granddaughter, it meant she was the true heiress to the Young family. "Hello, Ms. Kelly."


    "Ms. Kelly has an extraordinary temperament at first nce..."


    For a time, everyone praised Kelly endlessly. It greatly satisfied her vanity. The status as the heiress to the Young family was enough to make people treat her differently. "Nice to meet you. Please take good care of me in the future," she said with a smile.


    The atmosphere in the entire office suddenly changed. Anastasia just looked on with a smile without talking. If Kelly wanted to enjoy everyone''s fawning, she would let her do so.


    The more she was fawned on, the less able she would be to refuse her requestter.


    After a while, Anastasia said, "Kelly will join Young''s House of Jewels in the future. Her design talent.es from the heritage of the Young family. Kelly, it''s up to you to choose which position you want." She could choose any position in Young''s House of Jewels. Kelly didn''t expect that Anastasia would make such a great offer. Indeed, she wanted to choose the position that she desired the most.


    At the first moment, she thought of Rose''s former position as a design director. Perhaps it belonged to Rose in the past, so she particrly desired it.


    Therefore, she said without any hesitation, "Anastasia, I heard that only the position of design director is vacant. How about I take this position?" COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus

 Billionire 264

    Provocation


    Kelly dared to request the position of design director. Anastasia sneered disdainfully in her heart. Everyone''s expression also changed.


    If Rose didn''te to thepany today they wouldn''t find it strange. However, Rose hade to


    thepany, and something had happened.


    They had no idea of the current situation. Hence, they all looked at Anastasia. Kelly also looked at her while waiting for her response. She smiled as she was quite confident. Since Anastasia gave her the freedom to choose, she had no reason to object to her choice.


    "Of course, you can take it," Anastasia said.


    Kelly was overjoyed, but her joy didn''tst long as Anastasia continued, "But..."


    "What?"


    Kelly frowned. Anastasia-held her hand with a serious expression. She forced out a smile as she looked awkward.


    After a while, she continued, "Lerain Group and Finch Group have canceled their ns to customize jewelry at Young''s House of Jewels. You should also know the status of these twopanies. Even though ourpany is not bad, if their decisions affect the choices of other consumers, or even affect the stock price of ourpany, the consequences are unpredictable. Hence, if you can solve this problem well, you''ll truly deserve the position of design director, and you''ll be able to convince everyone."


    She regarded Kelly high. In her words, she was also deliberately inducing her to ept this glorious mission. If it had been before, Kelly would have thought that Anastasia was setting up a trap. However, she mentioned Finch Group. Bing the granddaughter in the Young family was just the first step for her to climb up to a high position. Her goal was Mr. Finch.


    Regardless of his handsome appearance and appalling family background, she wanted to snatch him away just because he was Rose''s husband. 1


    Thinking of Rose''s humiliation to her downstairs earlier, she strengthened her belief. Finch Group was the best opportunity for her to approach Mr. Finch. "Kelly, please say something. Are you


    Anastasia was about to provok


    deal. Anastasia, don''t worry. deal. Anastasia, don''t worry.


    "Great."


    worried..."


    terrupted her, "What am I worried about? It''s not a big


    her, but she I get this done well."


    Anastasia took the lead in apuding. She would let Kelly make a fuss. Even though she was not the design director yet, Anastasia still her into the design director''s office.


    With only two of them there, Kelly thought of the doubts that had troubled her downstairs.


    "Why do I feel that Rose is weird?*


    "Weird? Why?"


    Anastasia''s face was full of interest when Kelly mentioned Rose. Kelly furrowed her brows as she thought about how weird Rose was.


    After a while, she said, "I met her downstairs. She doesn''t seem to recognize me."


    She was certain after a long consideration.


    "How''s that possible?" Anastasia asked with a smile,


    However, she kept her words in mind. After Kelly left thepany, she asked someone to investigate what happened during Rose''s disappearance. She soon got the result.


    In the office, Anastasia was listening to the report from the other end of the phone.


    "Ms. Shaffer got involved in a car ident in Chereton. Most of the surveince was broken. It''s weird that how the ident happened was still a mystery. No hospital in Chereton has any medical records of Ms. Shaffer, but we got a piece of news following Lerain Group ..."


    Anastasia sat upright as she asked, "What?"


    "Mr. Xanth is consulting about the sequel of amnesia after the car ident ..."


    Did Rose lose her memory? Anastasia was shocked. Considering Rose''s actions in thepany today, she was also inclined to this conclusion.


    She must have lost her memory due to the car ident in Chereton.


    "Ha..."


    Sheughed happily. After thinking for a moment, she delivered the news to Kelly in an indirect way. Kelly was also investigating the cause of Rose''s abnormality. Nevertheless, she just returned to Young Estate, and she didn''t have much resources. Hence, her speed was not that fast.


    When the person she entrusted brought the news that Rose had lost her memory, she was shocked by the facts without paying attention to the source of the news. "Amnesia... Rose, don''t me me for it."


    She had a vicious smile on her face. She thought about Oliver''s yearning for Rose, and she had promised him to take Rose back.


    She originally thought that she would have to continue with her ns when Oliver''s memory became confused and he remembered what Rose said in the hospital that day.


    Now, things were much easier to handle. She realized that Oliver''s birthday wasing soon. She would set it on that day. The top priority now was toplete the task assigned by Anastasia.


    In the afternoon, she made a special trip to Finch Building to meet Mr. Finch in the name of the Young


    family. She knew that Mr. Finch was not there, but she had to go through this formality.


    Jonathan took Rose to Harmony Hospital to re-treat the injury on her hand. In the ward, Jonathan felt heartbroken as he looked at Rose''s hand.


    It was as if he would rather experience the pain for her.


    "Who are those two women?" Rose suddenly asked.


    Jonathan''s expression suddenly changed. He frowned as he asked, "Two women? I only have you as my woman. I don''t have others. Don''t use me wrongly."


    Jonathan showed an innocent look. Rose was stunned for a moment. Then, she burst intoughter.


    "That''s not what I meant."


    "Then what do you mean?"


    "The two women from Young''s House of Jewels-one of them smiled at me and seemed to be very close to me. However, I always feel a little alienated. Meanwhile, whenever I look at the other one, I instinctively hate her."


    After leaving Young''s House of Jewels, she was thinking about Kelly and Anastasia. Even though Serena was the one who caused trouble for her, things wouldn''t be so simple.


    Anastasia appeared in time, which inevitably made her suspect that she was secretly peeking or even manipting.


    Meanwhile, as she thought about Kelly, she started to feel ufortable again.


    "It''s true that you hate her.


    H


    Jonathan didn''t want to discuss other women with her. He hoped that her attention would always be on him.


    However, she couldn''t remember what happened before. He had to let her see their faces clearly so that she wouldn''t suffer a disadvantage next time.


    "The one you''re disgusted with is called Kelly. She''s your


    sister. No ...

 Billionire 265

    Jealousy


    Jonathan said patiently.


    He repeatedly warned, "Neither Kelly nor Anastasia are good people. You should stay away from them in the future. If you can''t avoid them, you must call me. Do you hear me?"


    His attitude was serious as he insisted on receiving Rose''s response. Thinking of the injustice she suffered at Young''s House of Jewels today, he still felt unassured. After thinking for a while, he made a decision.


    "I''ll have to assign you some bodyguards in the future."


    Rose was slightly startled. She wondered what kind of family he was from and that he even had a bodyguard.


    She remembered the medical team that arrived at Young''s House of Jewels today. She still felt shocked now when she thought about the grand scene. The medical team was from Harmony Hospital.


    He could summon such a huge team with just a phone call. What was his identity? Rose stared at him searchingly. Jonathan felt numb under her gaze. After a while, she suddenly came closer to him. Her uninjured hand grabbed the cor of his shirt as she said, "You don''t know the boss behind this hospital, do you?"


    Harmony Hospital was a private hospital. The boss behind this hospital must be very rich. When she came in just now, she noticed the words "Finch Group" next to the sign of the hospital. "Is there any big family in Aquastead with thest name Finch?"


    Rose furrowed her brows. It was the first time she felt particrly inconvenient because of her amnesia. Now, she could only expect her husband to provide her with information. Nevertheless, Jonathan just stared at her nkly without answering. Rose frowned even more tightly. "You don''t know?"


    If he couldn''t get in touch with such a big family with his status, it''s normal that he didn''t know. She raised her eyebrows, not intending to ask any more questions.


    Jonathan was stunned at first because of her sudden approach and his body tensing up. After that, he was thinking about it carefully. It was a great opportunity to confess his identity. He soon came to this conclusion.


    "Rose ..."


    He took a deep breath as he solemnly held her hand on his cor and prepared to tell her his identity. Rose was startled by his formal look.


    The feeling he gave her at this moment reminded her of the solemnity of saying vows at a wedding. "What?"


    For a moment, she was a little nervous.


    "I''m..."


    "Rosie!"


    As Jonathan was about to speak, a voice interrupted. Rose subconsciously looked toward the door. Her eyes suddenly lit up when she saw Clover and Emily. "Emily, Mr. Xanth."


    Clover''s face sank slightly. She pointed at Rose with dissatisfaction as he asked, "What did you call


    me?"


    He had been calling her wifey since she woke up, but she rarely called her.


    "Your name is Clover Xanth. There''s no problem for me to call you Mr. Xanth, right?"


    Rose blinked innocently as she ran to Emily''s side and held her hand.


    "Emily, what do you think?"


    Emily looked at Clover.


    Regardless of his protests, she smiled and expressed her opinion, "I don''t think there''s any problem."


    Clover was displeased.


    "There''s no problem? Am I just Mr. Xanth for you?"


    He looked at Jonathan, who undoubtedly had a dark face. No one would dare to act arrogantly in front of the dignified Mr. Finch. Clover was the exception as he was not afraid of him.


    He even wanted to make him feel defeated through Rose. He deliberately walked to Rose and put his long arm on her shoulders. Rose didn''t reject the physical touch. She found it familiar. Nevertheless, Clover was a head taller than her, and his figure was almost twice that of hers. Leaning almost half of his body on her, he started acting coquettishly. "Rosie, I''m not just Mr. Xanth."


    Rose and Emily exchanged a nce. Both of them had goosebumps all over their bodies. Rose even wanted to ask for help. Emily raised her eyebrows. She wanted to let Rose deal with him herself. Rose forced a smile. She instinctively felt that he was kind as he had saved her. However, her intuition told her that they had not known each other for a long time.


    If it were not Mr. Xanth, what should she call him? Before she coulde up with a result, Jonathan couldn''t sit still anymore.


    "Clover, take your hand away!"


    While talking, he stood up and walked toward the three of them. Before Clover could make a move, he grabbed his wrist and moved it away.


    They were both men in a high position. Clover wouldn''t let his body be controlled by Jonathan. They were in a stalemate for a moment. The invisible battlefield had formed between them.


    As the door was open, a nurse wanted to bring medicine in. After sensing the atmosphere, she took a step back and turned back. Meanwhile, Rose and Emily were almost suffocating under their strong


    auras.


    Finally, Rose slipped out from under their arms. Clover''s arms lost support and fell. The original stalemate suddenly became weird. Rose nced at the two of them.


    In her sight, she saw Jonathan grabbing Clover''s wrist. It looked like holding a hand rather than a confrontation. Both of them seemed to notice something strange and looked at Rose in unison.


    The look in their eyes seemed to indicate that she ignored them while they were fighting over her.


    "Haha..." Rose smiled dryly. "Be peaceful."


    She had to admit that these two men were both extremely handsome. They were a perfect match as they stood together and held hands. Neither Jonathan nor Clover wanted to make up with each other. They looked at each other with disgust and shook off each other''s hands in unison.


    After that, they reached out and grabbed Rose''s wrist. As if they had a tacit understanding, they tried to pull her to their side. The atmosphere was tense again.


    Rose''s wrists seemed to be handcuffed on each side.


    "Emily ..."


    She looked at Emily for help, but she simply watched the show and blinked pitifully. Neither of these two men was easy to mess with.


    Emily shrugged helplessly as she retreated and continued to watch the show.


    "Clover, I''m grateful that you saved my wife. I can satisfy any request you have, as a favor to you. However, my wife is injured, please don''t harass her," Jonathan said coldly. Clover raised his brows and said, "My rescue for Rosie is a business between me and her. Why do you need to repay me?"


    He didn''t bother about Jonathan''s repayments.


    "You..."


    "Alright, alright."


    Seeing that the two of them were about to fight again, Rose had a headache. She suddenly thought of something. Her body went limp and she pretended to faint on the spot.

 Billionire 266

    No Conflicts


    Both men panicked by Rose''s sudden fainting. They immediately gave up the stalemate. Jonathan put her on the hospital bed and called the nurse. After a series of checks, they found no abnormality. However, Jonathan didn''t believe it.


    "It''smon for people to suffer from fainting due to excessive pressure," the nurse said.


    She was the nurse who delivered the medicine just now but retreated as she was frightened by the atmosphere. In the atmosphere just now, it''s impossible for the patient to not faint.


    She looked at the woman on the bed. She knew that she was pretending. Fortunately, the doctor didn''t reveal her.


    Before leaving, the nurse suppressed her instinctive fear of the two men and said, "Don''t let too many people here disturb the patient''s rest. Everyone, please get out."


    When the words fell, the room fell into silence. Even the doctor''s heart skipped a beat. She also considered Mr. Finch to be an excessive person in the room even if he was the boss behind the hospital. Meanwhile, another man had a simr temperament as Mr. Finch. How dare she ask them to go out? The doctor took a breath. He was ready to say some kind words to the nurse when Jonathan got angry. Nevertheless, Jonathan strode away. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Clover, who was still standing by the bed.


    "Why don''t you leave quickly?" he said in a discordant tone.


    Clover snorted softly. With a dissatisfied look, he followed him out of the ward. As the two figures disappeared at the end of the corridor, the doctor and the burse breathed a sigh of relief. Rose also breathed a sigh of relief.


    "You can open your eyes now," Emily said after the doctor and the nurse left.


    Rose was choked for a moment. As she opened her eyes, she saw Emily''s teasing smile. She was awkward as her acting was seen through.


    "Is it so obvious?"


    It shouldn''t be. Her acting skills should be fine. Otherwise, how could she deceive those two smart men?


    As she thought about it, Emily said, "Even I can see through you. Do you think they can''t?"


    Emily continued, "However, they do indulge you. Clover has never treated other women like this..."


    Rose remembered the intimate behavior between Clover and Emily in the club that day.


    She immediately exined, "Emily, don''t get me wrong. I have no wishful thinking about Mr. Xanth. You also know that he liked to have fun ..."


    The word "having fun" was easily misunderstood.


    She paused for a moment and continued exining, "It''s not having fun. It''s just... a naughty y. He just treats me as a toy and jokes to me. He doesn''t...


    She looked agitated as she tried to rify their rtionship. Emily burst outughing.


    "Look how anxious you are. I''m just an assistant. There''s no need for you to tell me so much."


    Just an assistant? Rose was a little stunned when she saw her calm and magnanimous expression. From what she saw that day, their rtionship was more than a superior and assistant. However, Emily was capable of work. It seemed her rtionship with Clover was just a working rtionship. For a moment, Rose couldn''t see through her any more.


    Nevertheless, one thing she was very certain of was that neither Clover nor Emily had any bad intentions toward her. She liked them.


    "I think I''m married," she suddenly said.


    Thinking about Jonathan, she was in a daze. Emily felt envy as she looked at the shyness on her face.


    She believed that Jonathan was sincere toward Rose. As for Clover ...


    The disappointment in her heart onlysted for a moment. Her superb self-control had strangled all the emotions before they spread. There would be no result between her and Clover. Meanwhile, Jonathan came to the top floor of the hospital after leaving the ward. Clover followed him without thinking. The two men were standing far apart.


    "I love Rose very much," Jonathan suddenly said.


    Clover was startled by his sincerity. He knew that he loved Rose, and he wondered how deep his love could be.


    "She''s indeed worthy of love."


    Rose''s figure appeared in Clover''s mind. The smile on his face became gentle. Jonathan''s face suddenly darkened as he looked at him.


    "How long have you known her? Clover, if you want to cause trouble for me, you cane directly to me. Don''t set your mind on Rose."


    Lerain Group''s business territory was in Mablestone. Finch Group also had its business territory there, but it didn''t have much conflict of interest with Lerain Group.


    They once even had a n to cooperate, even though it was discontinued because he breached his promise. Jonathan suddenly realized something.


    He looked at Clover and asked, "Are you targeting me like this because I broke the promisest time?" After thinking about it, this was the only possibility. Clover sneered disdainfully.


    "You regard yourself too highly. It''s just a good thing that you broke the promise. Anyway, the previous cooperation with Finch Group was the intention of the family. I was opposed to it. It happened that my uncle gave up the n after considering that Finch Group didn''t take the cooperation seriously."


    Then why was he targeting him?


    As Jonathan was about to ask, Clover answered, "Who says I''m targeting you? I just simply fell for Rose."


    He showed an unpleasant smile. His love for Rose had no conflict with Jonathan''s love for her. His love for her was like an instinct, and he never had these feelings before.


    He wanted to get closer to her, protect her, and pamper her. On the contrary, Jonathan didn''t think in this way. His original intention was to dispel Clover''s unwanted thoughts about Rose.


    In the end, he knew his feelings for Rose. His face instantly darkened. He wished he could knock the smile off his face.


    As he was about to say something, Clover said first, "There was something fishy about the car ident. Do you know anything?"


    Talking about a serious matter, Clover''s expression became stern. Jonathan nced at himplicatedly. He was indeed investigating Rose''s car ident, but he didn''t intend tomunicate with Clover. However, the seriousness in his eyes made him change his mind.


    "Jamie''s ident happened near. The nearby surveince cameras happened to have the content of that period erased. Everything was so coincidental as if it was carefully arranged." Both of them were looking for the person who arranged all this behind them.


    Clover raised his eyebrows and said, "I know a skillful hacker. He''s certain that the surveince was erased by the intruder, but it''ll take some time to restore the erased content."


    P

 Billionire 267

    The Battlefield


    It was just about the timing. The two of them exchanged nces without making any special statement. However, they had reached a tacit understanding of cooperation in their hearts. Rose only burned her hand, but Jonathan made a fuss and refused to let her leave the hospital.


    She protested, "It''s just a burn. I just have to follow the doctor''s advice ande here on time to apply the medicine. I don''t need to be hospitalized, right?"


    Even though she was reasonable, under Jonathan''s gaze, she gradually lost confidence at the end.


    Jonathan said seriously, "Howe it''s just a burn? There''s such a huge blister at the back of your


    hand. What if there are scars?


    "What if it hurts? And what if it gets wet, the wound worsens, or bes infected...


    "What if ..."


    "Okay, okay, I''ll stay in the hospital," Rose interrupted him helplessly.


    If she followed his words, her leg might even be amputated, or she might even lose her life. She couldn''t help but roll her eyes. Jonathan caressed her head lovingly.


    "Good."


    Rose was not bored staying in the hospital. Clover, Emily, and Clover came every day. They all called Jonathan Mr. Finch. Except for Clover, everyone treated him with great respect. Rose had more and more doubts about him. He didn''t seem to have work, but he asionally got mysterious phone calls.


    "Who are you, Jonathan?" she asked again on the way back to Zenwood Gardens after being discharged from the hospital.


    In the past few days, she had investigated and found that there was no wealthy family in Aquastead with thest name Finch. If it were not Aquastead, could it be Regalia? After investigating, she found that there was indeed a Finch family in Regalia. However, she closed the website page after taking a nce at the information of the Finch family. It showed that the Finch family was the top family in Regalia, and even in the country.


    "1"


    "...


    Jonathan held the steering wheel. He was ready to tell Rose about his identity. Suddenly, he frowned subconsciously when he saw the person standing at the door of the living area.


    "Miles..." Rose blurted out.


    As soon as she finished speaking, Jonathan was startled. The car suddenly startled. He looked at Rose, who was staring at the figure outside in astonishment. Miles... Who was he? Rose knocked her head. She was certain that she knew this person. She had seen him outside


    Clover''s house in Chereton. She blurted out his name just now, but she couldn''t remember who he


    was.


    It was such torture. As if wanting to confirm something, she immediately opened the car door as soon as the car stopped.


    "Rose ..."


    What was she going to do? Jonathan wanted to stop her. However, as soon as he called her name,


    she ran toward Miles. His face darkened.


    Miles, who was waiting anxiously for Rose, immediately came to her and rushed toward him. He didn''t expect such a thing to happen during the time he left Aquastead.


    The moment he ran in front of Rose, he stared at her hand.


    "Does it still hurt?" he asked.


    He wanted to reach out and examine, but he was worried about hurting her. He was genuinely concerned.


    Rose shook her head and replied, "It doesn''t hurt much anymore, and it''s almost healed. You see... it''s no problem to touch it like this. There''s no problem moving as well ..."


    As if she wanted him to believe it, she touched the back of her hand and moved her wrist. The light in her eyes made Miles feel even more guilty.


    "Rosie, I''m sorry. I..."


    Before he could finish speaking, Rose interrupted him, "How do we know each other?"


    Miles was stunned for a moment. He didn''t understand her meaning.


    Rose continued to ask, "What''s our rtionship? Are we close?"


    They should be very close. Otherwise, how would she subconsciously call his name when she saw him?


    "You''re Miles, right?"


    She stared at him with a firm look, eager to get confirmation. However, the look in her eyes and the series of questions she just asked made Miles''s heart sink.


    "Rosie, I know you''re angry with me. I was wrong. Kelly''s Grandpa''s bloodline and I was an orphan. Grandpa brought me back to the Young family... I didn''t protect you because I didn''t want to let Grandpa down


    He med himself. When he heard that Rose was injured at Young''s House of Jewels, he regretted that he had been caught in a dilemma and ignored Rose too much.


    He stared at her as he said aggressively, "I won''t do that anymore!"


    No matter what happened in the future, he wouldn''t let her be mistreated, even if it was against Oliver''s wishes. Rose was stunned by his sudden emotional confession.


    Was it a confession between a man and a woman? Or ... What was her rtionship with him? Before she could figure it out, a sound came from behind. "Wifey ..."


    The tone was mixed with a hint of domineering and coquettish as if he was dering sovereignty to someone. Rose couldn''t help but twitch the corner of her mouth. Jonathan had called her "wifey" before, but not in this sweet way. As she turned around, she saw his intive face.


    He walked toward her. As he came in front of her, he put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his arms.


    Before she could react, his handsome face pressed down and kissed her lips. Rose''s mind went nk for a moment as she wondered what he was doing.


    "Hmm..."


    She wanted to break away from his arms, but he grabbed her wrists as if he deliberately prevented her from getting away.


    His kiss gradually became more possessive, as if he wanted to rub her into his bones. People who were passing by started to gossip as they saw this scene.


    A good-looking couple was kissing passionately on the street. Meanwhile, a handsome man with an elegant temperament stood next to them. The man''s face was dark with a hint of anger.


    It was such a battlefield between two men whopeted for a woman. Passers-by slowed down and some even stopped to watch.


    Finally, Miles strode forward, pushed Jonathan away, and pulled Rose out. Rose''s lipstick was smudged. Her head was buzzing, and her face was red.


    She didn''t care about the people around them and the confrontation between the two men in front of her.


    While grabbing Rose''s wrist, Miles looked at Jonathan fiercely, as if he wanted to tear him apart. However, Jonathan looked satisfied.


    With a demonic and triumphant smile, he stretched out his hand to pull Rose back. Nevertheless, Miles stood in front of Rose andpletely separated him. "Jonathan, know your position well. Rose''s not someone you can y with," he warned coldly.


    If the reason for warning Jonathan not to have any thoughts about Rose was because of Harriette in the past, he was certain that he did it to protect Rose now. How could someone like Jonathan be sincere toward Rose? Jonathan sneered and raised his eyebrows.


    "What''s my position and who am I ying with? Our rtionship is legally recognized byw."

 Billionire 268

    They Are Husband and Wife


    Their rtionship was legally recognized... When Jonathan talked, his expression seemed to be filled with pride. Miles had never seen this kind of expression before.


    He knew Jonathan too well. He was arrogant and never bothered to show off to others. Even if he obtained the position of the leader of Finch Group, he never made any publicity about it. However, he was proud now. It made Miles not able to think about the meaning of his words. After a long while, he came back to his senses and explored the true meaning of his words. He seemed to have thought of something as his expression changed. His first reaction was still disbelief. How could it be possible? How could it be the same as what he thought?


    If their rtionship was legally recognized byw, it meant they were husband and wife. His face suddenly darkened.


    He looked at Jonathan and tried to confirm as he asked, "What do you mean?"


    He had always been a smart person. It was no exaggeration to say that the entire Young''s House of Jewels had been run by him alone in these years.


    Jonathan met his gaze. He shattered his remaining hope as he said, "It''s what believe it, just ask her."


    you think. If you don''t


    Rose suddenly came to her senses as she was called. As she raised her head, she met Miles''s gaze. The gaze contained some forbearance, fear, and a little remaining hope.


    "Rosie..."


    Miles''s voice was trembling when he faced Rose. He couldn''t continue with his inquiry after calling her


    name.


    "Is what Jonathan said true? Are you two a married couple? You may get married, but not Jonathan," Miles screamed in his heart.


    However, he suddenly realized that he never saw her husband. He thought it was not important for him to know who her husband was.


    He even thought that if Rose was married and had a husband, Jonathan wouldn''t have tant thoughts about her. He should always keep his promise to Hariette.


    At this moment, something seemed to be copsing in his eyes. He didn''t even want to ask anymore to avoid knowing the answer.


    "Miles..."


    Rose was frightened by the emotion in his eyes. Although she couldn''t remember what happened before, she felt like she had never seen this kind of emotion in him. "Don''t talk anymore."


    about their rtionship.


    She spoke again, "Miles, I don''t remember you, but I seem to know you."


    Miles frowned deeply. He looked at Rose with a hint of confusion. He seemed to suddenly remember the series of questions she asked him just now.


    Just now, he thought she was angry with him. Nevertheless, he realized that it might not be anger. What had happened?


    Before he could ask, Rose raised a smile and said, "I''ve forgotten everything that happened before."


    She had forgotten everything, including Miles. There was a hint of apology in her smile. She seemed to be guilty of forgetting him. After all, she could feel his affection toward her. "You must have been very nice to me before. I''m sorry."


    Her words seemed to have destroyed something. Miles was dazed as his head was dizzy. He even found it difficult to breathe.


    "Miles, what''s wrong with you?" Rose asked concernedly while supporting him.


    Miles''s expression gradually returned to normal after a moment of stun. Shortly, he forced a smile and looked at Rose with indulgence.


    "I''m fine. It doesn''t matter if you don''t remember what happened before. I''ll tell you slowly during our next meeting. It''s windy outside, you should go home first."


    He urged her to go home. A sh of surprise appeared in Jonathan''s eyes.


    "Alright," Rose replied as she looked at him again. "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    He seemed very weak and almost copsed just now.


    The smile on Miles''s face became bigger as he said, "Of course."


    It was nothing more than self-me and heartbroken. However, these were nothingpared to what Rose had experienced. The car ident caused her to lose her memory. Rose was still worried about Miles. The atmosphere froze for a moment.


    Realizing this situation, Miles told Jonathan, "Take good care of her."


    With that, he turned and walked toward the car parked on the roadside. As he closed the car door and sped away, Rose and Jonathan were still standing there in a trance. Rose was thinking about Miles''s words. He would tell her what happened during their next meeting.


    When was their next meeting? There was a hint of anticipation in her eyes, mixed with a hint of disappointment. Suddenly, a warm palm took her hand and wrapped it tightly in it. As she raised her head, she met her handsome husband''s face.


    "Let''s go home."


    The look in Jonathan''s eyes was as gentle as his tone. Rose shook off her thoughts about Miles.


    Nevertheless, Miles''s reaction kept lingering in Jonathan''s mind.


    He just left after telling him to take good care of Rose. Miles, whom he knew, kept a close eye on him because of his so-called promise to Hariette. He despised him for approaching Rose. Just now... After knowing that he was Rose''s husband, he thought they would fight. He was even prepared for it, but he just left like that.


    As her hand still couldn''t get wet, Rose was hesitating to take a shower when she stood in front of the bathroom in the evening.


    There were nurses in the hospital these days. She was not used to revealing her body to strangers, so she just asked the nurses to give her a towel to wipe her body. She must be stinking after several days. She couldn''t bear it anymore. She wanted to take a good bath tonight. Looking at her hand, she thought that her hand would not get wet as long as she was being careful.


    As soon as she took a step inside, Jonathan, who came in from outside the room, grabbed her.


    "Come."


    He looked mysterious. Out of curiosity, Rose followed him out. On the projection in the living room, wedding photos were scrolling one after another. It was their wedding photos taken that day.


    In every photo, the man''s eyes were on the woman, either pampering or stunning. Recalling what happened that day, a heat lingered in Rose''s heart


    "I''ll give you a task. Choose the one you like best and print it on our wedding invitation."


    Jonathan''s voice was full of charming maism. Rose was stunned for a moment. When she turned around, he had disappeared.


    "Fine, I''ll just choose."


    She was a bit disappointed as he just left it to her without mentioning choosing with her even though it was their wedding. Thinking of this, she was startled. What happened to her?


    There was a glimmer of expectation in her heart for the wedding. However, it was clear that she had forgotten everything in the past. He was the one who took the lead. She touched her burning face.

 Billionire 269

    I Did Not Think About Anything


    Perhaps the photos delivered great vibes, Jonathan looked particrly handsome. His figure and face were in her aesthetic favor,


    Several times, she had turned over a photo. Nevertheless, she couldn''t help but look back at the photo to carefully observe the details. Her heartbeat elerated in the process of choosing. After a while, she finally struggled to choose one. When she was about to confirm, she saw him standing not far behind her when she turned around,


    His tall body was leaning against the wall. His focusing gaze fixed on her. As their eyes met, Rose''s breath tightened for a moment.


    She guiltily averted her eyes and said, "What are you looking at?"


    Her tone was vicious. He had disappeared just now. Why did he suddenly appear again? Had he been looking at her?


    Thinking about the process of selecting photos, she became more and more nervous.


    She had her back turned to him, so he wouldn''t see the nymphomaniacal look on her face when she was immersed in the photo. The smile in Jonathan''s eyes grew stronger.


    He was indeed looking at her admiring him. Regardless of whether she remembered the past or not, she liked his appearance very much. When did he rely on his appearancepletely? The smile on his face didn''t diminish as he strode forward and suddenly hugged Rose.


    "Ah..." Rose eximed and held his cor. "What are you doing?"


    He didn''t answer her but carried her to the room. What was he going to do? Rose suddenly remembered that night, when he hugged her to sleep all night. He was going to ...


    She somehow thought about the extremely handsome faces in the photos just now. Under the suit, he must have an excellent figure. Wide waist, narrow hip, and abs ...


    "Ah..."


    Realizing what she was thinking, she couldn''t help but exim.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Jonathan suddenly stopped. He stared at the blushing woman in his arms with a teasing smile, as if he knew what she was thinking.


    "I''m not thinking about anything," Rose hurriedly exined.


    She covered her face to avoid her eyes and buried her whole head in his arms. She was indeed giving herself away. Jonathan let out a low chuckle. The vibrations in his chest reached her ears at close range. In such a situation, Rose could only throw caution to the wind. It didn''t matter if he teased her as she was already embarrassed.


    Jonathan only paused for a moment while holding her in his arms, then moved forward again, Rose''s


    head was buried in his chest.


    He was only wearing a shirt. She could feel the temperature of his skin through a thinyer of fabric. Suddenly, some scenes shed in her mind. Two figures ovepped...


    The scene shed so fast that she couldn''t catch it. Then, she heard Jonathan''s low voice.


    "Get down."


    She was confused for a moment. Aftering back to her senses, she realized that she was being carried into the bathroom when her feet touched the ground.


    There was water in the bathtub, and the rose petals on the water added a bit of beauty to the scene. Before she could figure out the situation in front of her, a big hand unbuttoned her clothes one by one. When she came back to her senses, arge part of her chest was exposed.


    Out of shock, she pushed Jonathan hard and covered her chest as she stammered, "What ... What are you doing?!"


    "You stink as you haven''t showered in a few days."


    After being pushed away, Jonathan took a step forward after retreating. His tone was extremely calm, s if there was no trace of desire. He was just frowning and talking about a fact with some disgust. Rose, who should have med him for taking advantage of her, couldn''t help but raise her hand and smell herself. She indeed stank. Even she found herself smelly, let alone others. Nevertheless... She looked at the person in front of her, who was unbuttoning her clothes again. After a while, he threw her clothes aside.


    She wanted to say something, but Jonathan said calmly, "It''s inconvenient for you as your hand is injured."


    He was helping her because she had difficulty with her hand.


    "If it''s infected after getting wet, you have to go to the hospital again..." He sighed slowly.


    Rose didn''t want to go to the hospital anymore, but even so, it was not appropriate for him to help her


    in this way. Nevertheless, the way he looked at her showed no trace of desire.


    It was as if she was just an inanimate object in front of him. She couldn''t help but wonder, if she drove him away, would she act too much? Would it appear that she was not appreciating his kindness? At that moment, he had helped her into the bathtub. She shrank into the water with her injured hand outside the bathtub. Jonathan seemed to be cleaning a "thing" instead of a person. Perhaps the temperature of the water made her feel toofortable, at some point, he was massaging her acupuncture points. She felt a little drowsy and closed her eyes unknowingly. Little did she know that the moment she closed her eyes, there seemed to be fire burning in


    Jonathan''s eyes. However, he managed to suppress it. After washing and putting her on the bed, Jonathan sighed.


    No one knew how much torture it was just now. Upon seeing that Rose seemed to be sleeping particrly peacefully, a hint of indulgence shed in his eyes..


    After a while, he left the room and took a cold shower. Still unable to suppress the restlessness in his body, he went to the balcony to blow in the cold wind


    On the balcony, he saw a familiar luxury car downstairs. Miles... Wasn''t he gone? He frowned as he picked up his coat and went out.


    The car window fell as there was a knock on the window. When Miles saw Jonathan, a hint of surprise shed in his eyes.


    "Want to have a drink?" Jonathan asked.


    Miles opened the car door. Half an hourter, the two of them took a few bottles of beer and sat on a bench. It waste at night.


    As the light shone on them, the empty beer bottles were scattered beside them. The two men had known each other since they were young, but they hadn''t drunk together for many years. "Haha..."


    Miles suddenlyughed in a low voice, as if he was teasing himself. He recalled that time he and Rose made an appointment to go to her house for dinner, and wereter blocked by Jonathan''s people. Another time was at Young Estate where Jonathan suddenly appeared. He and Rose... Why didn''t he realize it?


    "You must beughing at me."


    He crushed a beer can. The snap was particrly clear.


    "I don''t have time tough at you."


    Jonathan took a sip of beer. He was thinking about Rose. He always only had Rose in his eyes. He didn''t take others seriously. It''s just that...


    "I love Rose, and I don''t want any more trouble. Miles, my feelings for Hariette have never been what you thought. Some things are just your obsessions. Besides, although you can''t understand your feelings for Hariette, I can see it."

 Billionire 270

    What Happened After That


    Jonathan never took the initiative to mention Hariette. When she was missing that time, everyone said that she put herself in danger and disappeared because of him.


    There were some things that he didn''t bother to defend. He had also promised Hariette some things. Once he made an exnation, he would inevitably bring out those hidden secrets in the past. Hence, the misunderstanding continued. Miles and Hariette grew up together. They had a close rtionship. Even Anastasia, who also grew up with them, seemed like an outsider.


    Miles was too obsessed with Hariette. Even he himself probably didn''t understand that his affection waspletely beyond the rtionship between brother and sister.


    As a bystander, Jonathan could see clearly, but he never exposed it.


    "My feelings for Harriette are like a brother''s feelings for a sister."


    Even now, Miles was unwilling to face his sincerity. Jonathan saw it in his eyes. He knew that it would be useless for him to say too much if Miles didn''t want to face it.


    He didn''t care how he thought about Hariette. What he cared about was Rose.


    "I hope your feelings for Rose are the same as your feelings for Hareitte."


    The warning in his tone made Miles turn his head. From the familiar face, he saw a seriousness that he had never seen before.


    Even now, he still hadn''t digested the uneptable news of Jonathan and Rose''s marriage. When he left Rose to Jonathan today, he thought for a long time after leaving.


    He still couldn''t believe it. He even used his connections to have someone check the system of the county clerk''s office.


    Even though the information of Rose''s spouse was unknown, he found that it was Jonathan after investigation.


    He knew that he must be the one who did as he was the only one with such extraordinary powers.


    He smiled coldly. A hint of solemnity was added to his elegance as he asked, "Rosie doesn''t know, right?"


    Although he didn''t say it clearly, Jonathan immediately understood his meaning.


    He smiled faintly and said, "I''ll let her know who I am."


    He had several opportunities, but they were all interrupted. He started to n in his heart to confess to Rose. Miles sneered.


    "Are you sure she''ll forgive you for lying to her?"


    Upon seeing that Jonathan''s face darkened, he continued, "Rosie is a bold person. She dares to love and hate. If she knows that you''re marrying her while hiding your identity, in addition to someone inciting your rtionship


    "You..."


    Jonathan wanted to say he didn''t expect Miles to be such a person.


    However, as soon as he spoke, Miles interrupted him "Neither Kelly nor Anastasia have any good intentions toward Rosle."


    With that, he stood up and left. Jonathan frowned as he looked at his back, only to understand what he meant. He was reminding him.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t give them the chance."


    He drank the entire beer in his hand and packed up the cans scattered on the floor before leaving.


    Sunlight streamed in through the window. When Rose opened her eyes, she subconsciously avoided the dazzling light with her hand. Then, she turned around.


    Upon seeing therge empty space next to her, she doubted if someone slept herest night. Wanting to know the answer, she reached out and felt the remaining warmth on the sheets.


    The scene in the bathroomst night instantly flooded her mind. Her cheek suddenly felt hot. She only remembered being soaked in the water with a pair of hands massaging her body. She was sofortable that she put down her guard. She didn''t even know when she fell asleep. What happened after that? She tried hard to think, but she couldn''t remember anything. The nk memory tortured her so much that she struggled to remember it.


    When she thought that there might be inappropriate scenes happening when she fell asleep, she felt as if her heart was going to jump out of her chest.


    If this situation continued, she felt that her heart would be unable to bear the load. She took a deep breath and tried to make herself thicker-skinned.


    They were husband and wife anyway. Even if something happened, it was still a legal rtionship. Thinking about that, she patted her cheek and got out of bed.


    When she opened the door, she met a handsome face.


    "Good morning..."


    As Jonathan greeted, the door in front of him was closed. He was stunned for a moment. Recalling the blush on Rose''s face he saw just now, he immediately understood. She must be feeling shy. "I didn''t do anythingst night," he exined considerately a door away.


    Didn''t do anything. Rose felt her face getting hotter. Jonathan must have been able to see through her with this kind of appearance.


    ...


    Taking a breath, she straightened her messy hair. After making sure that her cheeks were no longer hot, she opened the door. She looked calm this time.


    Looking at the man at the door, she greeted him, "Good morning."


    As if nothing had happened, she walked past Jonathan and pointed the phone in her hand as she exined, "I forgot to take it just now."


    The implication was that she closed the door in a hurry just now not because she panicked after seeing him. It should be normal. Jonathan furrowed his brows.


    Rose turned her head and nced at him. She happened to meet his see-through eyes. As if being stimted, she quickly avoided his sight. She wanted to say that she didn''t hear what he said just


    now.


    However, she suddenly thought that she was giving herself in if he talked one more time. She could only keep being thick-skinned. After noticing that there was no breakfast on the table, she found an excuse. "I''m going to buy breakfast."


    After she finished speaking, she ran out of the door, leaving Jonathan with his hands folded on his chest. He wasughing happily. He truly didn''t do anything besides giving her a bath.


    He felt that Rose became more shy after losing her memory.


    After Rose brought back breakfast for him, she locked herself in the room on the pretext that she had something to do. Meanwhile, Jonathan went to the Finch Building.


    "Mr. Finch, Ms. Kelly from the Young family has been making appointments every day these days. She probably wants to see you because of the incident of Madam''s injury at Young''s House of Estate that day," Finley mentioned casually.


    Jonathan didn''t seem to have a good impression of Kelly. Besides, she didn''t seem to have a good rtionship with Rose. Hence, Jonathan would not meet her.


    As he was about to make the next report, Jonathan''s hand holding the pen and signing suddenly stopped.


    "Make an appointment to meet her," he said.


    0


    Sup

 Billionire 271

    The Date Kelly Anticipated


    Kelly received a phone call from Finch Group. After hanging up the phone, she was still in a daze.


    "What are you thinking about? You look like you''ve lost your soul."


    Coming out of the office, Anastasia saw Kelly who was lost in thought with her phone. Even though Kelly hadn''t had a formal position, she still came to Young''s House of Jewels these days. Everyone respected her not because of how diligent she was, but because of her status as the heiress to the Young family. The sense of superiority made her proud.


    Anastasia''s voice brought her back to her senses.


    "Nothing. Anastasia, I''m going out.


    She wouldn''t tell her that she was going to meet Jonathan. After making appointments for a few days, she had almost given up and was thinking of finding other ways to get close to him. Unexpectedly, he took the initiative to meet her. She couldn''t bear the excitement in her heart. She had to dress up properly for the meeting.


    Ever since she was recognized as Oliver''s granddaughter, her wardrobe had been filled with clothes. and jewelry. However, she still went to a shopping center. She entered a luxury store and chose a red.


    dress.


    After putting it on, she looked in the mirror. The smile on her face became more confident. Jonathan''s assistant set a time of 8:00 p.m. in the restaurant on the top floor of Aquastead Hotel.


    She had just inquired that there would be a piano performance tonight at the restaurant. She was even more confident that the appointment was like a date.


    Therefore, she arrived at Aquastead Hotel early and waited in the cafe downstairs for her appointment with Jonathan at 8:00 p.m.


    Anastasia went to the suite she had reserved for a long time in Aquastead Hotel to pick up a


    document. When she saw Kelly, a hint of surprise shed in her eyes.


    Upon seeing her dressing up in such a grand manner, she immediately knew that she was going to meet Jonathan.


    "She got an appointment."


    She was a little unbelievable. Based on her understanding of Jonathan, he wouldn''t even give an eye to a woman like Kelly, even if she used the name of the Young family.


    Even before he took control of Finch Group, he wouldn''t respect anyone if he didn''t want to. However, he was going to meet Kelly now.


    She couldn''t guess what he was thinking, but she would make trouble with such a good opportunity. Even if she ended up ruining Kelly''s affairs, she could still cause problems for her. To her, it was something she was happy to see. As she was thinking about how to lure Kelly over, she


    saw Miles''s car stopped outside the hotel. She immediately had an idea.


    At 7:00 p.m., Rose received a call from Jonathan, saying he would be backter. Look at the hung-up call, she was in a daze with a hint of disappointment in her heart. However, she soon came back to her senses. She patted her cheeks to shake off the weird feeling in


    her heart.


    I''m not waiting for him," she muttered.


    She stayed alone in the empty room for a few minutes. Her mind was filled with that handsome face. As if she was possessed, she started to guess why he came homete.


    Was he going to meet someone? Was it a woman? The displeasure lingering in her heart became stronger.


    Realizing that her thoughts were bing more and more out of control, she started to be rmed. She didn''t like this feeling.


    Afraid that she would continue to think restlessly and be irritated, she changed her clothes and decided to go out for some fresh air. Unexpectedly, she saw Miles at the entrance of themunity. His car was parked aside, and he was leaning against the car door. The moment he looked up and saw Rose, he was also stunned. As their eyes met, Rose ran toward him.


    "Miles," she called out smoothly.


    She wore a knitted sweater with a pair of jeans. Her slightly curly long hair was draped behind her back. She was born to be pretty. When she smiled, her eyes seemed to be twinkling with stars. Upon seeing her smile, Miles also raised a smile. The hesitation and tangle in his heart just now disappeared in an instant.


    "Have you eaten?" he asked as he took a step forward.


    Standing in front of Rose, he was a head taller than her. Rose raised her head and looked at him.


    "Not yet."


    "Together?"


    Rose agreed to Miles''s invitation without hesitation. Even though she couldn''t remember many things, she felt very close to him. "Miles, how did we get to know each other?


    "Why do I call you by your name?


    "Miles ..."


    She asked a dozen questions in a row.


    Miles smiled indulgently and answered, "I''ll answer you one by one during dinnerter."


    +IS BONUS


    There will be a no performance from a famous nist at the restaurant on the top floor of Aquastead Hotel tonight.


    He once heard her say that she liked to listen to no music while designing. It would be great if the piano music could bring back some memories for her. At B p.m., they sat down at their seats. They were in aer by the window which was secluded and suitable for chatting.


    "Can you tell me now?"


    Rose was not interested in the food. She took a few bites before looking at Miles expectantly.


    "We got to know each other because I was curious about you...


    Miles talked about his admiration of K&K''s designer, Fire, and his admiration of Rose''s talent in jewelry design. He omitted his unexined actions toward her after discovering Jonathan''s interest in her. Later, Oliver recognized her as his granddaughter, and the two of them became brother and sister. He also talked about how he saved her from the sea at that time. Rose listened attentively.


    Jonathan''s words fromst night began to ring in Miles''s mind. A brother''s feelings for his sister.... Was that truss


    He looked at Rose in a daze.


    "Miles, thank you," Rose suddenly said.


    She picked up the wine ss in front of her, stood up sincerely, and clinked his sses. The crisp tinkling sound seemed to bring Miles to his senses.


    Rose raised her head and drank all the wine in the ss.


    After finishing the drink, she couldn''t help but exim, "It turns out that you''re my savior. No wonder


    Miles''s eyes gleamed slightly as he asked, "No wonder?"


    While drinking, his eyes were always on Rose. Her bright smile seemed to be able to cure everything.


    "No wonder I found you so friendly. It''s like...


    Rose thought about how to describe the feelings. Miles''s heart tightened as she frowned. Finally, she found a suitable description.


    "It''s as if you''re my brother and I''ve known you for a long time."


    Brother ..


    Miles felt a sh of disappointment in his heart. What if he wanted more than just being her brother? Thinking of Jonathan, his eyes dimmed.

 Billionire 272

    Met An Acquaintance


    Pleasing piano music echoed in the restaurant. The atmosphere was so good that Rose became more and more rxed. She continued to ask Miles more questions.


    Miles had an elegant and gentle manner.


    In another secluded corner, the steak Jonathan ordered was served in front of him. However, the person he was facing at this time made him instantly lose his appetite. As Rose said, Kelly was disgusting. Thinking of Rose, a smile appeared on his face. His eyes gradually became gentle. The gentleness stirred up Kelly''s emotion.


    In the gentlest voice, she asked, "Mr. Finch... Can I call you


    in this way?"


    It was the first time she sat opposite Jonathan. Even though she was asking him, she had made up her mind that one day, she would affectionately call him by his name.


    secretly


    Nevertheless, Jonathan didn''t even raise his eyes, nor did he look at her. Kelly thought about their meeting just now. She was brought here by his assistant, and he had already sat down. From beginning to end, he never looked at her.


    The indifference at first, the tenderness just now, and the alienation on his face after she asked the question told her that his tenderness just now was not for her.


    If it was not for her, then... She thought of Rose. After confirming her thoughts, she suddenly became crazy with jealousy. Nevertheless, in front of Jonathan, she couldn''t show any indecency. This was her chance, she must seize it. She quickly adjusted her mentality.


    With the sweetest smile, she raised the wine ss in front of her and said, "Mr. Finch, I want to apologize to you. Rose was injured at Young''s House of Jewels that day. She even suffered such a great grievance. If I were there, I would never let that kind of thing happen."


    Her tone was extremely sincere. People who didn''t know her rtionship with Rose would think that they were a pair of sisters with a deep rtionship.


    Nevertheless, Jonathan knew that the woman in front of him had snatched Rose''s former fiance away. She even liked to y tricks.


    He raised his eyelids and nced at her for a moment before lowering his eyes again. He seemed to have no intention of paying attention to her.


    If he didn''t bother to pay attention to her, why did he meet her? Kelly''s mind worked quickly. However, she couldn''t see through his thoughts.


    She held the wine ss in awkwardness. She could only raise her head and drink the wine in -gulp. The atmosphere went cold for a while.


    none


    She finally calmed down and said, "Mr. Finch, the Young family and the Finch family are family friends. Grandpa said that he''d change myst name on his birthday. In a few days, his birthday will be held in Aquastead. Will


    you


    Jull youe?"


    Her eyes were eager. However, he answered her with silence. She hit a wall twice, but she seemed to be used to it.


    Since Jonathan didn''t say anything, she continued, "Over the years, I have grown up with Rose. Although myst name was not Shaffer at first, she''s forever my sister in my heart. I''ll let Grandpa take good care of Celeste Jewels in the future."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she heard Jonathan sneer. Her face turned slightly red.


    "I know that with you here, it''s not my turn to take care of Rose''s affairs, but I care about her


    "Where''s your mom?" Jonathan interrupted her as he didn''t want to listen to her calling Rose Kelly was slightly startled.


    She could hardly hear just now, so she asked again uncertainly, "Mr. Finch, what did you say?" "Your mom is Chelsea, right?"


    Jonathan raised his eyes and stared at her.


    The cold eyes made her heart tremble as she replied, "Yes. Strictly speaking, she''s my adoptive


    mother."


    Jonathan chuckled.


    "You''re an affectionate person. You have the heart to take care of your sister, but not your adoptive


    mother?"


    Kelly couldn''t figure out what he meant by his chuckle.


    Suddenly, she seemed to remember something sad as she said, ¡°My father got involved in an ident. My mother has lived with him for many years and has a deep rtionship. After my father passed away, my mother became emotional whenever she saw something rted to my father, so I asked her to go out for a trip. When shees back after a while, I''ll naturally be filial to her."


    While speaking, she shed a few tears sadly. While watching, the sarcasm in Jonathan''s eyes became more intense. Her acting skills came randomly. Chelsea was going out for a trip


    Both he and Clover had checked Chelsea''s whereabouts, but it was strange that none of them found her whereabouts. She seemed to have disappeared from the world.


    The key to the car ident was Chelsea. Finding her would reveal a lot of things. However, she couldn''t be found. Hence, he could only look for Kelly


    Judging from Kelly''s statement, she probably didn''t intend to tell anyone about Chelsea''s whereabouts. This also confirmed that something was fishy with the car ident.


    Not only that, Kelly should be involved. As Jonathan looked away, Kelly seemed to feel relieved. Only then did she know the purpose of Jonathan''s meeting with her. His purpose was the car ident. His starting point was probably for Rose. She couldn''t help but clench her fists under the table as if


    she wished Rose was in her hand.


    "Is there any guest who would like to y a piece of music? Today''s piano is exclusively from our


    master..."


    On the stage, before the host had finished speaking, Kelly suddenly said, "Me."


    All the guests i


    looked over. In those sights, Kelly slowly stood up. She didn''t go directly to the piano but stood there. Then, she looked at Jonathan affectionately, as if they were a couple.


    "Mr. Finch, wait for her," she said sweetly.


    Jonathan frowned. He still had questions for Kelly, but she had walked toward the piano.


    "Ha...".


    Rose chuckled as she saw the person sitting in front of the piano. She had found the voice familiar just now as it sounded disgusting. It seemed to be Kelly. Was sheing here to eat too? With who? She was a little curious, but from where she and Miles were sitting, they couldn''t see the seats on the other side. She would just forget about i


    To care about Kelly, it was better to drink with Miles.


    "Miles, cheers!"


    As she was about to gulp down, Miles stood up and grabbed her wrist.


    "What?"


    Rose stared at her suspiciously.


    Miles said concernedly, "Stop drinking, you''ll get drunk. Let''s listen to piano music before I take you home."


    As Kelly''s piano music hit her ears, she immediately furrowed her eyebrows.


    "What''s there to listen at this level?"

 Billionire 273

    Such a Bitch


    Ros¨¦ was a little drunk. Her voice was not low. Many people around heard it, including Kelly, who was ying the piano.


    However, Kelly couldn''t recognize who the owner was because of the drunkenness of the voice. She followed the voice and looked over, but her sight was blocked by a flower column. She felt that she yed well, and it was clear that a guest had shown an expression of admiration before. However, this unknown person belittled her level, which made her dissatisfied. Before she and Chelsea were brought back by Jamie, she had been studying piano. During various. activities in school, she received countless praises for her piano. Thinking of the person belittling her, if Jonathan heard it, he would think that her level was not good enough. As she thought about it, she felt she needed to exin for herself.


    She yed it more seriously. Perhaps she cared too much, she made several mistakes. From theer of her eyes, she found that the guests didn''t seem to notice it. She breathed a sigh of


    relief.


    However, the voice sounded again, "Look, I say she can''t do it. She can even make mistakes in such a simple piece of music ..."


    Rose drank another ss of wine. If it were anyone else, she wouldn''t embarrass that person even if she was drunk. However, she was disgusted by Kelly no matter how many times she looked at her. She keptining in her heart.


    At a point where she couldn''t control it, she expressed herints, "This sound... has not been


    handled well.


    "Tsk... she made a mistake here again.


    "Does she know how to y?"


    Under herints, many guests who had regarded the performance as entertainment during the meal all turned to the stage to watch the show.


    The guests who had expressed admiration for Kelly before were all disappointed. Kelly''s mentality copsed for a moment.


    Next, the remaining half of the song was filled with wrong notes one after another, which finally made her feel uneasy. She stopped before she even finished ying the song.


    She was desperate to tear up the person who had embarrassed her. However, Jonathan was watching, and the people dining here at this time were all wealthy people from Aquastead.


    As the heiress to the Young family, she couldn''t lose her manners. She stood up in embarrassment and bowed to everyone.


    "I''m sorry, I don''t y well, but I sincerely want to y a piece of music for an important person.....¡±


    While talking, she nced shyly in the direction of Jonathan. When she came on stage just now,


    someone saw the person sitting opposite her.


    Although they didn''t know who the man was, his aura was something they had never seen before. His Identity was unusual.


    "I''m not


    good at ying the piano. I made a fool of myself just now. Please don''tugh at me or spread it. If my grandpa knows, it''ll make me even more embarrassed," Kelly said while sticking out her tongue yfully. Her yful behavior made those who were disappointed with her piano skills grin. Her sincerity and cuteness were endearing.


    ry brand,


    Someone took a look at her. The red dress she was wearing was a limited edition of a luxury and the jewelry she was wearing was valuable. However, everything was just external decoration.


    It didn''t look like she was raised by a wealthy family; it looked like she was fawning at someone rich. Many people couldn''t help but take another look at the man.


    Little did they know, Kelly had been waiting for someone to ask who her grandfather was after she mentioned it just now. Nevertheless, no one was curious about it. Kelly couldn''t sit still for the first time.


    "If my grandpa knows that my piano skills are in this state, he''ll hire a top international pianist to teach me. I don''t want to learn..."


    Being able to invite a top international pianist, the "grandpa'' she mentioned might have a great ability. Only then did everyone be curious about the "grandpa" she mentioned. "Miss, may I know who your grandpa is?" someone finally asked.


    Kelly was waiting for this question.


    "My grandpa''s name is Oliver Young."


    Everyone was stunned for a moment when they heard the name. Soon, someone''s eyes lit shock.


    "Is it Oliver from Young''s House of Jewels?"


    "Yes."


    up with


    With Kelly''s shy nod, those who didn''t know the identity of Oliver also understood the identity of Kelly when they heard about Young''s House of Jewels.


    They all invariably remembered the press conference held by Young''s House of Jewels. Some people even got up and walked toward Kelly.


    "Hello, my name is Jolly Zane: I own a smallpany. Nice to meet you, Ms. Young


    "Hello, Ms. Young, I''m Mount Leslie from Cloud Design ..."


    "Hello, Ms. Young..."


    For a moment, it seemed like it was Kelly''s handshake event. Every business person wanted to have a


    rtionship with the Young family.


    Although the headquarters of Young''s House of Jewels was in Regalia, its business was spread all over the country just like Finch Group.


    The Ms. Young in front of them might be an opportunity for them to establish a rtionship with the Young family. Everyone wanted to seize this opportunity, and Kelly naturally understood their thoughts. The ttering eyes of these people greatly satisfied the vanity in her heart.


    "I''m still not the Youngs yet..." Kelly stuck out her tongue yfully and said obediently, "My name is Kelly Shaffer for now, but Grandpa said that he''d change myst name on his birthday. I also really want to have the samest name as my mother and Grandpa, so I''m looking forward to it...


    The people didn''t expect the newly found granddaughter of the Young family to be so loving.


    "Kelly Shaffer ... is a good name. You''re a well-behaved girl."


    "Yes. It''ll sound even better if the name is changed to Kelly Young in the future."


    Thepliments were filled with fawning. Kelly nced in the direction of Jonathan and saw was holding his phone and sending a message.


    It seemed that he didn''t get a response after sending a message as he simply dialed the phone. Jonathan''s attention had long been gone.


    that he


    Kelly was unwilling to give up. She wanted to draw his attention back. Meanwhile, when Rose heard the praises for Kelly, she almost vomited out the wine she had drunk.


    She didn''t even notice that the screen of her phone, which she had put aside on silent mode, came on and off several times.


    She picked up the tea on the side and took a sip, trying to suppress the nausea. After drinking the tea, she felt much better. She couldn''t help but sigh, "Such a bitch!"


    Her voice wasn''t loud, but it was enough for Kelly to hear. Those who were ttering Kelly couldn''t help but be stunned.


    They were all smart business people, they naturally understood whom Rose was referring to. They wondered who was so bold toment on Kelly.


    Upon seeing Kelly couldn''t hold the smile on her face they were about to smooth things over.


    However, Kelly said, "That youngdy''s piano skills must be very good. Why don''t you y a song for


    us?


    She was causing trouble for that daring woman.

 Billionire 274

    They Are Dating


    Jolly understood what Kelly meant. He took the lead in walking in the direction where the female voice came from and standing up for Kelly.


    He first saw the back of a man, then he saw the woman sitting opposite the man. The moment the woman raised her eyes to look at him, he couldn''t help but be stunned. Rose raised the cup in her hand and smiled broadly.


    "Are you looking for me?"


    He was certain she was the one who was targeting Kelly.


    Suppressing the admiration in his heart, he said, "Miss, please."


    Perhaps she had drank too much just now, the aftershock was quite strong. She wanted to get up, but before she could move, Miles grabbed her wrist.


    "Rosie, you''re drunk. I''ll take you home,


    His voice was gentle.


    However, Rose shook her head and looked at him as she said, "Someone asked me to y the piano,


    It would be fine if that person was someone else, but it was Kelly, who made her physically disgusted even if she couldn''t remember what happened in the past. Normally, she would have wished to stay as far away as possible to avoid making herself sick. Nevertheless, she was drunk now.


    If Kelly wanted to make a fuss with her, she wouldn''t be afraid of it. She pushed Miles''s hand.


    When she walked out of her seat, she patted his shoulder and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll be alright.


    Miles couldn''t resist her. To protect her, he also walked out and followed her. Before this, no one recognized him, and no one even knew he was there.


    As soon as he appeared, several business elites recognized him.


    "Mr. Young..."


    What''s happening right now? The heiress to the Young family was here, while Miles was also here. Furthermore, the woman beside Miles was the one whoined about Kelly just now.


    The atmosphere became a bit weird for a moment. Kelly didn''t expect that it would be Rose, nor did she expect that she and Miles would be together. Were they dating?


    Kelly felt a trace of bad intentions in her heart. When Rose walked to the piano stand, everyone looked at her... or. in other words, the moment she appeared in the crowd, she attracted everyone''s attention.


    She was just wearing a sweater and a pair of jeans, even her shoes were a pair of t casual white shoes. She seemed to be just walking downstairs for a stroll after dinner.


    It was simple and casual, but with her incredibly beautiful face, she seemed to be dazzling in a dress


    173


    while sitting in front of the no now.


    "Rose, it turns out to be you," Kelly suddenly said.


    She deliberately spoke loudly to let Jonathan hear her.


    As Rose was ignoring her, she continued, "Are you dating Miles?"


    Rose furrowed her brows. What did it have to do with her? As she disliked her, she didn''t bother to say


    a word to her.


    As she touched the piano keys, she made a high-pitched tone, as if to express her disgust toward Kelly. A bad feeling lingered in Kelly''s heart, but she could only endure it.


    When she nced at Jonathan, he was looking this way.


    She continued to fan the mes as she said, "Rose, don''t you want to tell who this song is for?"


    Rose nced at Miles. She didn''t want to answer Kelly. She was indeed disgusting, even her sound was so ear-piercing.


    Rose was afraid that she couldn''t bear it, so she decided to quickly finish ying so that Kelly would shut up and get out of here. What was she going to y? She had a vague memory of the piano. Nevertheless, when her hand touched the ck and white keys, she felt a strange sense of familiarity. Suddenly, a picture jumped into her mind


    A long-haired woman sat in front of the piano. A melodious tune flowed under her fingers. On the side, a little girl looked at the woman with longing in her eyes.


    After finishing the song, the little girl threw herself into the woman''s arms and said, "Mom, you''re so amazing. I want to be as awesome as you."


    The woman picked up the little girl and let her sit on herp.


    "If you want to learn piano, I can teach


    you.


    As Rose got back herposure from the memory, she was in a daze.


    "Mom..."


    Was that beautiful woman her mother? A strange feeling surged up in her heart, and she suddenly heard someone urging her. Without thinking, she moved her fingers around the keys.


    The tune that came out was the one her mother yed in the memory. She was a little unskilled at first. After a few notes, she became more proficient.


    After that, she yed assmoothlyh as if she had practiced it thousands of times. Every note seemed to be engraved in her bones. Kelly didn''t expect that she could y the piano.


    For all the years she had been in the Shaffer residence, Rose had always been uneducated. She had never heard her y the piano. She had never seen her touch the no at home either. Unexpectedly.. Looking at the admiration of the people around her, she could tell that Rose was beyond her in ying the piano. She was very unwilling.


    Miles''s eyes were focused on Rose. Even if he knew that Rose liked to listen to no music, he guessed that she might be good at the no. He didn''t expect that she yed pretty well. The song she yed was not popr, but it was surprisingly good. The song echoed in the restaurant.


    Outside the restaurant, Clover, who had just stepped out of the elevator, suddenly stopped when he heard the familiar tune.


    "Mr. Xanth, what''s wrong?"


    Emily noticed his abnormality. Just then, the song ended. Clover suddenly came back to his senses.


    "I''m fine. I haven''t heard this song for a long time."


    The song was not popr. He didn''t expect he could hear it outside. Emily''s eyes also shed with surprise. Clover had no interest in music, but he had heard of this unpopr song. "Mr. Xanth, do you want to meet the performer?"


    As soon as she finished speaking, Clover pursed his lips. He came here today for some important matters. He didn''t intend to disrupt his schedule because of such a song. "It''s fine," he said before striding toward a private room.


    In the restaurant, Rose got up from the stool after finishing ying the song. The surroundings were still quiet. It was doubtless that Rose''sints about Kelly were justified.


    Even though they had never heard of the song, her piano skills were indeed far ahead ofKelly''sy. However, due to the difference in identity, people like Jolly knew what to do in these circumstances. "Haha... I don''t understand any techniques. Ms. Kelly and this youngdy are equally good... Haha


    Their skills were far different. However, they just thought about it in their hearts while agreeing verbally.


    "Ms. Kelly, when is Mr. Young Senior''s birthday banquet?"


    "Ms. Kelly, I wonder if I''m lucky enough to be able to wish Mr. Young Senior that day..."


    "Ms. Kelly..."


    Since they couldn''t belittle Rose for standing up for Kelly, they deliberately ignored Rose and focused all their attention on Kelly. This was also a way to please Kelly. COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus

 Billionire 275

    Do Not Misunderstand


    Ros¨¦ understood those people''s thoughts. She cast a nce at Kelly.


    Kelly was surrounded by these people with a decent smile on her face. The smile filled with helplessness, obedience, and embarrassment. She looked innocent, as if she was at a loss.


    "Ha


    "Ha...


    Rose couldn''t help but sneer. She almost cursed her again. At this moment, she regretteding up to y the son


    It''s better to go home early, so as not to stay with Kelly and endure the nausea for nothing. Kelly became angry at her sneer.


    Upon seeing that she was about to leave, her face instantly darkened. She bit her lip as she was about to cry, as if she was wronged by Rose''s sneer. Someone would naturally help her since she was sad. "Miss, what do you mean?" Jolly asked.


    Rose still ignored him without even looking at him. However, Jolly wouldn''t give up easily. Regardless of the asion, he stepped forward and wanted to grab her wrist.


    There was a sharp look in Miles''s eyes. Meanwhile, Jonathan, who was farther away, had already. stood up. As they were about to make a move, Rose had grabbed Jolly''s wrist. "What do you want to do?"


    She blinked. Her eyes were clear and harmless. Who wouldn''t pretend to be pitiful and innocent? Jolly was stunned for a moment.


    He had to admit that Rose''s face was really stunning. He was almost bewildered. The next moment, the beautifuldy smiled brightly. Then, a foot was kicked hard to his calf. Before he could cry out in pain, he felt a force on his wrist. Rose grabbed his hand and turned it back.


    "Ah..."


    There was a shrill scream in the restaurant. A force pressed down on him. After a scream, he knelt on the ground without any resistance. These actions all happened in an instant.


    Jolly was kneeling in humiliation. He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, but he look extremely embarrassed. Such a strong man was knocked down by a woman in the blink of an eye... Everyone found it incredible. As they came back to their senses, they saw Rose loosened her grip on Jolly''s wrist and raised her foot to kick him.


    Jolly, who was kneeling with his back to Rose, turned to kneel in front of her.


    "Go to your master!"


    Rose patted the dust on her hands. There was an implication in her faint words. Kelly''s face darkened.


    "Rose..."


    She wanted to pull Rose away. Rose could be considered acting upon private defense when she knocked Jolly down. However, if Kelly stepped forward and was beaten by her, she had no excuses. Kelly was nning in her mind. She was even ready to stage a drama of her being bullied in front of everyone, especially Jonathan.


    Before she even touched Rose, Jonathan, who had been standing aside and watching for a long time, had already stepped forward. He strode to their side and grabbed Rose''s wrist with a light force. Rose only felt a familiar breath. Then, the man''s big palm sped the back of her head, pressing her face into his broad chest.


    She didn''t even have a chance to see who the person in front of her was. The familiarity made her stunned for a few seconds. Miles was also surprised by Jonathan''s appearance.


    However, the surprise onlysted for a moment. Upon seeing that Jonathan was protecting Rose, he stood in front of the two of them, separating Kelly from them.


    "What do you want to do?" he asked expressionlessly


    Ever since Oliver recognized Kelly, although Miles disliked her, he was polite to her since she was Oliver''s bloodline. Kelly also knew that he only took care of her because of her identity. He was gratef


    to Oliver, so he was kind toward her. This was what she could take advantage of. She didn''t expect that he was looking at her coldly now.


    "Miles..." she called in fear.


    "I didn''t want to do anything. I just wanted to invite Rose to attend Grandpa''s birthday banquet.¡±


    In desperation, she could only use this excuse.


    "I''ll be organizing Grandpa''s birthday banquet. You don''t have to worry about who to invite or who not to invite," Miles said coldly.


    He was telling those who just fawned on Kelly that if they wanted to attend Oliver''s birthday banquet, fawning on Kelly would have no effect at all. For a moment, the faces of everyone present turned pale. They just got carried away because of Kelly''s identity as the heiress to the Young family. Theypletely forgot about the current situation of the Young family.


    Apart from Oliver''s adopted daughter in Regalia, Miles had the most say. Even though Kelly was the true heiress, she had just been recognized.


    The twists and turns in such a big family couldn''t bepletely determined by the bloodline. They ttered the wrong person just now.


    Kelly''s face was extremely dark as she was angry that Miles was actually trying to embarrass her in public. She looked like she was about to cry as she bit her lip. Upon seeing Rose leaning in Jonathan''s arms, she felt even more jealous.


    She unwillingly looked at Jonathan and said, "Mr. Finch, I''m sorry to keep you waiting. Since Rose is


    here, let''s invite her to dine with us."


    What did she mean? Rose was feeling dizzy after drinking. Her mind was buzzing even more when she was held in Jonathan''s arms. It was as if nothing from the outside world could enter her ears. She could only hear Jonathan''s heartbeat. However, she heard Kelly''s words. Although her head was dizzy and was functioning slowly, she managed to understand the meaning of these words. Did the "they" Kelly mentioned referred to her and Jonathan? He didn''te home tonight probably because he had a date with Kelly.


    "How did you get together?" she blurted out.


    She raised her face and looked at Jonathan. There was no reproach in her eyes, but more of disdain, as if she was ing that he was actually dating Kelly. She was so disgusting, could he even eat? "Rose, don''t misunderstand. Please listen to my exnation.... It''s not what you think?"


    Kelly looked eager to exin. No longer satisfied with being separated by Miles, she walked to Jonathan and Rose as she spoke. It was as if she was afraid that Rose would misunderstand something. Rose almost spit out the wine she just drank. Even though Kelly was asking her not to misunderstand, her exnation made it appear that she actually wished she could misunderstand. She was really a bitch.

 Billionire 276

    Shame


    Rose silently rolled her eyes. She observed Kelly''s pasture while leaning on Jonathan''s chest. She originally wanted to avoid arousing suspicion in public, but she suddenly changed her mind.


    Kelly bit her lip. She had no intention of exining. She was waiting-whether Rose got jealous and angry, or she walked away. It would be better if she hit her out of anger. She could use this as an excuse to pretend to be pitiful and beg for mercy. However, Rose suddenly leaned her head against Jonathan''s arms and rubbed his chest.


    It looked like she was about to release herself from his arms, but she simply rubbed against his chest. She rubbed her face against his chest instead of rubbing her head. As if not satisfied, she put her hands around his waist.


    Then, she met Kelly''s gaze, imitating her innocent and harmless look as she said, "Misunderstanding?


    I didn''t misunderstand."


    Kelly twitched the corner of her mouth.


    Unwilling to give up, she continued to exin, "Rose, Mr. Finch asked me out for a business meeting. He didn''t mean to hide it from you


    "What is he hiding from me? He didn''t hide anything from me," Rose interrupted her with a pair of


    innocent eyes.


    tu


    Kelly was slightly startled. Their reactions just now showed that they didn''t know the other party would be there. She looked pitifully at Jonathan, trying to find a breakthrough from him. Before she could speak, Jonathan took Rose''s hand and said indulgently, "Let''s go home."


    He didn''t even look at Kelly. Kelly''s face stiffened.


    Rose raised her head from his chest and looked at his handsome face as she said, ¡°Alright."


    It was just a good thing that she didn''t have to face Kelly, who was disgusting. Before leaving, she thought of something and turned around to look at Miles.


    "Miles, goodbye."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a big, possessive palm sping her waist. Almost her whole body was close to the man next to her.


    No one came back to their senses until the two of them walked away. Thinking about what happened just now, many people noticed the name Kelly addressed to the gentleman just now.


    Mr. Finch... There''s no someone called Mr. Finch in Aquastead, there was in Regalia. The famous. Mr. Finch... Could it be that the man just now was Mr. Finch?


    Before leaving, the woman talked about going home. It showed that their rtionship was not simple. At this time, they started to be frightened.


    It would certainly be good for them to please the heiress of the Young family. However, if they


    offended Jonathan''s woman, they might encounter disaster.


    Besides, Miles seemed to have a good rtionship with Rose. They couldn''t help but quickly recall whether they had done anything or said anything outrageous to the two tycoons just now. They panicked for a moment. When Rose and Jonathan disappeared, Miles retrieved his gaze in despair. He thought he could send Rose home.


    Unexpectedly, she left with Jonathan. There was no need for him to stay anymore. After straightening his suit jacket, he strode away.


    When passing by Kelly, she suddenly called out, "Miles..."


    Her voice sounded timid as if she had been wronged. There was a coldness in Miles''s eyes. As if he didn''t hear anything, he didn''t even look at her. Kelly felt aggrieved. She couldn''t figure it out. It was difficult for her to have dinner with Jonathan alone today. Even if he came with a purpose, she could always find opportunities to break through him with her intelligence.


    She even thought about how more things could happen after eating. She didn''t expect Rose to appear. How abominable! She and Rose were really at odds.


    Her mood hit rock bottom. How could she, the heiress to the Young family, be so aggrieved? Suddenly, she thought of something. A smile then broke out on her face.


    Jonathan and Miles had left, but those who tried to please her were still there. With a strong sense of vanity, she liked to be admired by everyone and preferred to feel superior. Therefore, she smiled as if nothing had happened:


    Upon seeing that Jolly was still kneeling on the ground, she immediately stepped forward withi concern and wanted to help him up to show her kindness.


    However, as soon as she touched his arm, he trembled with fright and sat on the ground. Kelly thought she was frightened by Rose.


    Furrowing her brows, she apologized to Rose, "I''m sorry. She''s my adoptive father''s daughter, Rose. She has been like this since she was a child. She never measures her attack. Didn''t you get hurt?" While talking, she went to help Jolly again. However, he looked troubled. He understood something from Miles''s attitude toward Kelly and Jonathan.


    To stand up for Kelly, he seemed to have offended Miles and Jonathan.


    Fortunately, the beautiful youngdy gave him a lesson just now. If she had waited for Miles or


    Jonathan to take action, the consequences might be even more severe.


    He regretted being too impulsive just now. As Kelly stretched out her hand, he suddenly realized that if he offended her, he would not end well either. He was in a dilemma.


    In the end, he epted her kindness and was helped by her.


    "Thank you, Ms. Shaffer. You''re such a kind person heplimented without sincerity.


    These words made Kelly particrly satisfied. What she liked the most was when others praised her for her kindness.


    "You''re wee. She''s my sister. I should apologize as she caused trouble. I''m used to it."


    The implication was that Rose was a troublemaker, while she was kind enough to clean up the mess. for her. She thought she would receive another burst ofpliments. However, the people who had been surrounding her gradually dispersed one by one.


    Some of them didn''t want to embarrass Kelly in public. They simply excused themselves apologetically before hurriedly going to pay and leaving the restaurant. Soon, everyone was gone. Even Jolly left on the pretext that he had just injured his foot and wanted to see a doctor. Only the staff were left in the restaurant. Kelly''s face was extremely dark.


    She was dressed exquisitely in a red dress, but she looked particrly scary with the ferocious look on her face.


    with s


    Outside the restaurant, sarcastic sneer in her eyes, Anastasia made a call to her assistant.


    "Ask someone to take the time to ask Ms. Kelly if the position has been confirmed and when she will officially take office."


    It was not easy for Kelly to take the position of design director of Young''s House of Jewels.


    After leaving the restaurant and entering the elevator, Rose released Jonathan''s grip and kept a distance from him. She was angry. Jonathan''s gaze fixed on her.


    She seemed to have drunk a lot. The blush on her cheeks spread, looking indescribably charming.


    Perhaps she didn''t pay attention when wiping her mouth, the lipstick was brought to the corner of her mouth. Jonathan''s eyes fell on the smudged lipstick. His throat slid slightly.


    "Rosie..."


    A deep voice sounded in the elevator.

 Billionire 277

    Acting Like a Baby


    Rose furrowed her brows. She was still angry and had no intention of paying attention to him.


    "Rosie..." Jonathan called again.


    His voice was softer than before. Rose turned her face to the other side, her posture self-evident.


    "Rosie..."


    She could hear the coquettish tone in his voice. What''s going on with coquettishness? Did he think that by acting coquettishly, she wouldn''t be angry?


    He knew clearly that she didn''t like Kelly, and he even asked her to stay away from Kelly. If she stayed away from her, it was probably easier for him to date her. "Rosie..." he called again.


    Feeling irritable, Rose simply closed her eyes, not even wanting to give him a look. He still called her Rosie even if he dated Kelly.


    "Rosie..."


    The voice was getting closer and closer, with a hint of ttery and stronger coquettishness. Rose finally became impatient.


    "Why are you calling?"


    Her tone was full of displeasure. As she spoke, she impatiently opened her eyes and turned her head, trying to express her dissatisfaction.


    Before she could finish her words, she felt a softness touch her lips. She looked at the erged face in front of her nkly, and her head banged.


    Before she could react, the man''s slender arms pulled her into his arms. He bit her lips and swallowed all of her unfinished words. In the elevator, Jonathan focused on kissing her.


    He never had any self-control when it came to Rose, so he didn''t care about the asion. Fortunately, the woman in his arms was surprisingly docile.


    He didn''t know that Rose was not being docile. Her mind was actually in a state of confusion, and her ears were buzzing. When she realized it, he was kissing her.


    Her eyes suddenly widened. She grabbed his clothes and tried to push him away. However, the way she clutched his clothes indicated her passion in Jonathan''s eyes. The kiss deepened unknowingly. It wasn''t until he noticed that Rose had some difficulty breathing that he let go of her slightly and said,


    "Don''t be nervous. You need to breathe."


    Nervous? Could she not be nervous? She subconsciously nced around. Fortunately, there was no one there. Her actions caught Jonathan''s eye. He couldn''t help but let out a fond chuckle. His hands were still sping her waist. She wanted to break away, but he stopped her.


    "Don''t move," he said in a low voice.


    Was she going to wait for him to kiss her if she didn''t move? The atmosphere in the elevator was seductive. The way he stared at her clearly showed his possessiveness. Rose''s face turned redder. Noticing that the man''s big pam pressed slightly hard on her waist, she became rmed. Just then, the elevator door suddenly opened.


    Rose heard him sigh in disappointment. Almost as if fleeing, she walked out of the elevator in a hurry. Looking at her back, Jonathan followed her until they walked out of Aquastead Hotel. Cars wereing and going on the road. A luxury car had already driven out of the parking lot and was waiting.


    "Wait for me."


    Jonathan was going to ask the driver to go back as he would drive Rose home. However, by the time. he went to tell the driver, Rose had disappeared when he turned around again.


    As he searched for her, he saw her getting into a taxi Thinking of the intimacy in the elevator just now, he burst intoughter. She was running from him. It was fine.


    He finally decided to give her some space. Rose let the taxi drive around the road for a long time and finally returned to Zenwood Gardens.


    She had calcted the time. During her detour, it would be enough time for Jonathan to return home, or even to his room. Sure enough, she was only stunned for a moment when she saw the dark room. She was certain that the possibility of him returning to his room was greater than he hadn''t returned home yet. She deliberately tiptoed, fearing that making a little noise would wake him up.


    It wasn''t until she returned to her room and locked the door that she breathed a sigh of relief.


    She didn''t know that when she deliberately took a detour, Jonathan had been following her. After capturing her thoughts, he didn''t reveal it.


    Late at night, Rose was half asleep when she was woken up by thirst. The water ss on the bedside. table was empty. She walked out of the room in the dark to pour water.


    She was slightly stunned for a moment when she saw the faint lighte out from the study room. She subconsciously took a few steps in that direction.


    She could finally see the person working in front of the table through the slightly opened door. She rarely saw him working. As this thought popped into her mind, she couldn''t help but frown.


    She had forgotten what happened before, how could she subconsciously feel that she rarely saw him. working? It was strange. She smiled silently.


    As Jonathan received a phone call, he stood up abruptly. As soon as he made a move, Rose quickly moved away.


    She heard the man''s deep voiceing from inside, but she couldn''t hear what he was saying. She couldn''t help but be curious and looked through the crack in the door.


    She saw Jonathan standing in front of the window, with his back to this side. He was wearing ck silk pajamas, and his back was tall and straight.


    For some reason, she seemed to have seen that figure somewhere before. However, they lived together. She should have seen his back from time to time.


    The feeling at that moment was very strange. As she tried to explore it, it disappeared. She furrowed


    her brows.


    The person in the study room had ended the phone call and sat down at the desk again. He seemed to have many things to deal with.


    Rose admired his handsome figure for a while longer before she went to the kitchen to pour water. As Jonathan raised his eyes and saw her turning back, a hint of indulgence appeared in his eyes.


    He spotted her the moment she appeared. It took a lot of effort to resist the urge to go out and hug her. When he heard her closing the door, he couldn''t hold back his throbbing heart.


    He seemed to have formed a habit in the past few days. When he returned home just now, he went back to his room, which was cold. Even the bed was cold.


    He justid there for a while before getting up irritably. He came to the study room and woke up Leonard, who was still sleeping and listened to his report on the preparations for the wedding.


    He hoped the wedding would be done as soon as possible. After some time, he finally left the study. room. When he returned to his room, he was once again persuaded to leave by the coldness inside. It wasn''t until he quietly opened Rose''s door that the smell of Rose''s in the room made him feel


    As expected, the ce where Rose was was the mostfortable, even the air was different. He quietly closed the door.


    Meanwhile, Rose was still thinking about the handsome face and how serious he was at work. When she heard the footsteps, her body tensed up.


    She should have gotten up and kicked him out. Nevertheless, she closed her eyes inexplicably, and her breathing was calm. It was as if she had fallen asleep. She felt the position on her side sinking slightly, and the persony down behind her. Then, a long arm was put on her waist.


    0

 Billionire 278

    Support


    Go to Bed After Flirting


    Rose took a breath. She thought there were more movements, but the steady breathing of the mant behind him was heard. Was he falling asleep so quickly?


    After the tension passed, she noticed the sh of disappointment in her heart, and her cheeks suddenly became hot. She forced herself to close her eyes again, but she couldn''t fall asleep. The breathing behind her was steady.


    She couldn''t help but curse silently, "It''s my bed, but he''s sleeping peacefully!"


    As if feeling unsatisfied, she turned around. In the darkness, the two of them were facing each other.


    When her eyes gradually adapted to the darkness, she raised her hand and ced her fingers slightly above Jonathan''s face. Then, she slowly moved her fingers in the air and traced the outline of his face. She whispered, "You''re dating Kelly! How can you bear such a bitch?


    "She even asked me not to misunderstand. What could I misunderstand? Your taste is not that bad, right?


    "And she''s asking me to dine with you? Her attitude makes it seem like you two are a couple, while I''m an outsider who was invited..."


    She gritted her teeth butmaintainedd a low voice. She wanted to point at his forehead, but she was worried about waking him up.


    Hence, she could only point somewhere in front of her eyebrows.


    "She said you asked her for a business date. What business can there be between you two..."


    She vented her dissatisfaction all at once, but she didn''t notice that the man''s breathing gradually lost its previous stability. Then, a big hand caught her fingers. The usations stopped abruptly.


    In the darkness, she vaguely saw the man in front of her slowly opening his eyes. There was a bang in her head, and she went nk for a moment. Was he woken up by her? When did he wake up? Did he hear what she just said? How many had he heard? A flood of embarrassment hit her mind. She immediately regretted it.


    She should have found a ce where no one was around to express her dissatisfaction. Why did she use him in front of him? Her voice was too loud. Now that she''d been caught, what should she do? In an instant, she thought of a way-pretending to be asleep.


    Having the thoughts, she immediately closed her eyes. Steady breathing overflowed from her mouth as if she had fallen into sleep long ago, and it was a good dream.


    Jonathan saw it in his eyes. How could he not understand what she was thinking? He didn''t let go of her fingers. Instead, he rubbed the pad of his thumb carefully on her fingers. The touch was itchy. Rose wanted to take out her fingers, but she was afraid that this move would be too deliberate and


    would expose herself. Hence, she could only let him hold her, ying with her fingers like a toy.


    She hoped that he would have enough fun and let her go soon. However, in the darkness, that line of sight stared at her for a long time.


    Not seeing enough, he suddenly said, "I''m not dating her.


    Thinking back to her usation just now, she realized that he was answering her. After understanding what he meant, she became even more embarrassed. Had he woken up since then?


    He continued, "My taste is not that bad. What I love is a beautiful little cat that is fierce, not a boring little one..."


    Rose wondered if the little cat was referring to her. There was a strange feeling in her heart. He must be discerning. His voice didn''t stop.


    "I''ll let everyone know that we are a couple. I''m yours


    His voice was already deep, and he deliberately left a final note, which was extremely touching. Rose was startled. He was hers...


    Her heart was pounding as if it was about to jump out. Even her breath was no longer as steady as before. Jonathan seemed to have finished speaking. There were only two breaths left in the air. Rose''s mind was filled with his words just now. She couldn''t calm the turbulent emotions in her heart. After some time, she didn''t hear his voice, and the big hand holding her finger loosened up. Rose frowned, feeling a little disappointed. Did he fall asleep after saying those teasing words? She was a little dissatisfied. It''s so immoral to fall asleep after flirting.


    Since he was asleep, there was no need for her to continue pretending to be asleep. She opened her eyes. The room was still dark.


    After her eyes gradually adapted to the darkness, she could vaguely see the outline of the man in front


    of her.


    Her eyes followed his chin upward, to his lips, to his nose, to his open eyes, and his forehead Rose suddenly froze as she realized something. Were his eyes open? As if eager to confirm, she looked down quickly. Sure enough, she met those smiling eyes.


    "Hey, you''re awake!*


    Jonathan''s deep voice contained a teasing smile. He seemed to be waiting for something to happen. He didn''t fall asleep. Instead, he was waiting to see her joke. From beginning to end, he kept his eyes open. He probably saw the reaction on her face.


    "You... you


    He was so impolite! Before she could protest, the handsome face in the darkness pressed down. All that was left was a room of low and suppressed breathing. Rose probably fainted from exhaustion. Vaguely, she heard someone telling her to get up. However,


    her body was groggy, as if she had been missing sleep for a long time and just wanted to sleep.


    After an unknown amount of time, she woke up in a daze. Opening her eyes, she saw sunlight shining in. Was it daylight already?


    She was dazed for a while facing the light, then closed her eyes and fell asleep again. This time, she had a dream. There were countless inappropriate scenes in the dream.


    At first, the person inside was blurry, but it gradually became clear. She could recognize the person as her handsome husband. He whispered something in her ear, but she couldn''t hear it. When she concentrated on trying to figure out what he had said, those images suddenly disappeared, reced by a beautiful woman.


    In the dream, the woman opened her arms and said with a smile, "Rosie,e here."


    "Mom...


    Rose gave a low cry and ran over happily. Halfway there, the woman suddenly disappeared.


    "Mom?"


    She looked around for her. There was fog around her which covered her eyes. Behind the thick fog, an old voice called her name. That voice was extremely familiar.


    It wasn''t until the fog cleared that she saw the old man sitting in the wheelchair. The old man had a gentle smile. A woman was standing behind her.


    Rose saw clearly that the woman was her mother. Just then, she was awakened by the sound of the phone ringing. The dream came to an abrupt end, and the sun shone on Rose.


    She was stunned by the ringtone for a while before she came back to her senses. She picked up the phone and connected it. Then, she heard a disgusting voice.


    "Rose..."


    It was Kelly. As she was about to hang up the phone, a burst of delicate crying came from the other side.

 Billionire 279

    The Trick


    Curlous about what she was going to do, Rose resisted the urge to hang up the phone.


    "Rose, please don''t be angry with me about what happenedst night, okay? I''ll kneel for you right


    now.


    Can you forgive me?"


    She spoke so sincerely that Rose almost thought that her affecta


    was her hallucination. What trick was she going to y?


    Being confused, she mocked mercilessly, "Then just kneel."


    at Aquastead Hotelst night


    With that, she was about to hang up the phone. Just then, an old man''s exmation came from the other side of the phone.


    "Kelly, what are you doing?"


    The old man''s voice sounded familiar to her. She wanted to hear more in case she could remember


    something, but Kelly quickly hung up the phone. She furrowed her brows.


    What trick was she ying again? She knew that she had bad intentions, but she wasn''t interested in what she was going to do.


    However, the old man''s voice just now was very much like the old man who called her name in her dream.


    She closed her eyes, trying her best to remember the appearance of the old man in the wheelchair in


    her dream.


    Gradually, the old man''s outline became subtle, but it still seemed like there was ayer of fog in front of him, blocking her sight.


    She thought that maybe she would be able to recognize him at a nce if she saw him. At this time, at Young Estate, Kelly was kneeling on the ground.


    Turning around and saw Oliver pushing the wheelchair toward her, she immediately hid her phone in panic. However, she couldn''t hide the panic.


    "Who are you talking to on the phone? Who asked you to kneel?" Oliver asked with a dark face.


    Just now, he vaguely heard Kelly calling Rose, but he didn''t want to believe that it was Rose who tried to embarrass Kelly.


    Kelly was guessing Oliver''s mental state at this time. She was not sure whether he remembered the separation between Rose and the Young family. She could only test it. "It''s nothing, Grandpa. I identally fell. No one asked me to kneel..."


    She tried her best to smile but deliberately showed a trace of reluctance. Her words instantly lost credibility.


    However, Oliver didn''t want to believe that it was rted to Rose. He instinctively ignored the signs she deliberately showed.


    +


    His eyebrows gradually rxed as he said, ''Is that so? Did I hear it wrong just now?"


    Kelly wondered if he missed Rose so much. She originally thought that if Oliver remembered what happened in the hospital just now, she would y a trick to pretend to be pitiful. Nevertheless, she didn''t expect that he would even turn a blind eye to her obvious grievances and pretense. Rose was indeed his bloodline, that''s why he missed her so much. She couldn''t help feeling disappointed. During this period, she tried it almost every day, but Oliver had less and less time to remember what happened that day in the hospital. She didn''t know if he would remember it when it was his birthday. What if he never remembered and kept thinking about Rose?


    The more she thought about it, the more she felt uneasy. To be sure, she had to find a way. After Oliver left, she got up and clutched her phone tightly.


    As she racked her brains, she didn''t even notice that her teeth that bit her lip left deep teeth marks on her lips. Just then, a tall and straight figure came from the living room. When she saw the personing, her eyes were flustered.


    "Miles...


    She didn''t see Miles when she went back to Young Estatest night. Did hee back just now? Thinking ofst night, her gaze on him was filled with guilt.


    Miles calmly withdrew his gaze and went straight upstairs. When he passed by Kelly, he suddenly stopped.


    "Jonathan doesn''t like pretentious women. You should also know that he''s already married."


    There was a warning in his deep tone, which was different from his usual elegant temperament. Almost every word was filled with bone-chilling coldness. Kelly''s heart trembled. She just turned around to defend herself, but when she met his faint nce, her guilty conscience quickly filled the air. Within a second, she immediately looked away. Even so, she felt uneasy when his eyes were on her. Finally, Miles withdrew his gaze.


    As the footsteps were getting farther and farther behind her, the anger and unwillingness in Kelly''s heart became stronger.


    She was the heiress to the Young family, while he was just an adopted orphan. How could he look at her in that way? He should regard her highly and pamper her. 1 However, since she was recognized by Oliver, Miles had been alienated from her even if he hadn''t targeted her before. Nevertheless, he was so protective of Rose.


    Thinking of Rose''s identity, she felt guilty after all. Both Oliver and Miles favored Rose. She couldn''t just sit still. As she clenched her fists, her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Young''s House of


    Jewels


    Afterposing her mood, she answered the call with a smile.


    "Hello?"


    Her tone showed a hint of kindness.


    "Ms. Kelly? The position of design director had been vacant for too long. If you are interested in other positions, can we prepare to find someone else?"


    The implication was that if she could no longer hold the position of design director, she would be reced.


    Kelly thought aboutst night, she could have made Jonathan take back his decision not to cooperate with Young''s House of Jewels, but Rose ruined it.


    "No one is allowed to take the position of design director," she said coldly before hanging up the phone.


    Who could speak to her like this in the entire Young''s House of Jewels? It''s nothing more than getting someone''s instructions. Kelly thought about Anastasia and cursed secretly.


    She was just Oliver''s adoptive orphan, how could she show off in front of her? Unfortunately, both Miles and Anastasia could step on her head. The unwillingness in her heart became stronger and


    stronger.


    After racking her brains, a vicious n formed in her mind.


    When Rose received the invitation letter to Oliver''s birthday banquet, her first reaction was surprise. A stranger sent this invitation via email.


    "Mr. Young Senior..." she muttered.


    Suddenly, the figure of the old man in the wheelchair in her dream appeared in her mind.


    "Is it him?"


    She didn''t know why she had this idea. In the past few days, she seemed to appear in the information she found about Young''s House of Jewels.


    There''s a photo on the Inte of a banquet. The photo was very blurry, and only a woman with a simr figure to hers and an old man in a wheelchair could be seen.


    The two looked at each other with smiles on their faces. Was that Oliver?


    For some reason, she was full of curiosity about Oliver, as if there was a force in her body urging her to get to know this old man.


    Perhaps, she could see if he was rted to the old man in her dream through his birthday banquet.

 Billionire 280

    Could Not Sit Still Anymore


    Oliver''s birthday banquet will be held at Young Estate. Jonathan received an invitation from the Young family, but he had no ns to go.


    Miles didn''t send an invitation letter to Rose. Ever since she had lost her memory, he became more and more protective of her.


    He didn''t want her to appear on such an asion as he was worried that she would be wronged.


    A few days before Oliver''s birthday, Miles was busy preparing for the banquet. Meanwhile, Anastasia was in charge of Young''s House of Jewels.


    In contrast, Kelly seemed to have suddenly lost interest in the position of design director. She had changed her temper and apanied Oliver at Young Estate every day. She even prepared food and drinks for him.


    "Mr. Young Senior, Ms. Kelly is filial," Patrick praised Kelly.


    Not only Patrick but also other people in the vi had a good impression of Kelly.


    Oliver looked at Kelly indulgently as he said, "Yes, she''s indeed filial. Seeing her is like seeing Rietta. If


    she''s here, I wonder if she would still me me."


    Henrietta had always been a knot in Oliver''s heart.


    Patrick expressedfort, "If Ms. Rietta were here, she would be as filial to you as Ms. Kelly."


    Oliver sighed and said, "I hope so."


    However, he was unsure. Patrick didn''t want him to be immersed in sadness, so he quickly changed


    the topic.


    "Mr. Young Senior, since you decided not to return to Regalia on your birthday, they have asked several times. It seems that they''re asking if they cane to Aquastead to celebrate your birthday." "They" referred to Oliver''s adopted daughter and her family. Mentioning her, Oliver''s expression changed instantly.


    "What are they here for? They want to cause trouble for me?"


    He sneered. The misunderstanding between him and Henrietta in the past was due to his adoptive daughter. The thing he regretted most in his life was raising such a calcting daughter. However, for the sake of the Young family''s dignity, he could only tolerate her continuing to stay with the Young family. He gave her a position and allowed her to develop, but he rarely cared about her. His reaction was as expected by Patrick. After he left, Oliver was alone in the room. The more he thought about his adopted daughter, the more he felt sorry for Henrietta. "Grandpa..."


    Miles walked in with a suit designed by Rose, waking up Oliver who was deep in thought. He rarely


    saw Miles these days. He knew that he was preparing for the birthday banquet.


    "Thank you for your hard work. It''s just a birthday, and there''s no need to make a big event. It''s enough to have a few family members gather together. However, Kelly''sst name hasn''t been changed. "It''ll be easy to just change ast name. However, I''ve owed her mother for so many years, and even she has been living in an orphanage. If she hadn''t ended up in the Shaffer family by fate, I don''t know what kind of suffering she would have experienced I want topensate her and make a scene. I can only let her show herself more on my birthday. If I pass away in the future, she''ll have more confidence." He was focused on nning for Kelly. Miles didn''t say anything bad about Kelly in front of him. Nevertheless, he couldn''t say good things about her against his heart, so he could only change the topic. "Grandpa, this is the suit for tomorrow. I brought you how for you to try on."


    He took out the suit and helped Oliver change it from him. In front of the mirror, Oliver, who was wearing a formal suit, looked at himself in the mirror. His face was no longer solemn.


    He looked at the suit several times. For some reason, he had a familiar feeling.


    He couldn''t help butpliment, "Whose suit is this from? It looks like it''s tailor-made. The design and workmanship are both good."


    "It''s from Rose."


    As he said Rose''s name, Miles nced at Oliver without any trace. In his sight, Oliver was slightly startled.


    He continued, "Rosie put a lot of effort into designing this suit for you. She measured your size and made it tailor-made for you. This suit was originally my present for you, but it seemed that it was a gift from Rosie."


    When he talked about Rose, he couldn''t hide the fondness in his eyes. He thought Oliver would feel Rose''s intentions.


    Unexpectedly, his eyes darkened as he said, "I''m tired. Please help me take it off."


    Miles was startled, but he still took off the clothes for him. He wanted to say something else, but Olive said he needed to rest. Hence, he had no choice but to leave the room.


    Before leaving, he nced at Oliver. The worry in his eyes fell out of the screen through a hidden camera. Kelly couldn''t help but let out a low chuckle,


    A few days ago, while Patrick was taking Oliver to the garden, she quietly went to his room and installed an invisible camera. The purpose was to observe Oliver''s mental state.


    She not only installed the invisible camera but also monitors. She heard the conversation between Patrick and Oliver, and also the conversation between Miles and Oliver. Tomorrow was Oliver''s birthday banquet. She didn''t have much time left. At this time, she was staring at the screen.


    On the screen, Oliver was sitting in a wheelchair and staring at the sult in front of him unhappily. After a while, he turned around calmly.


    He was not happy to receive Rose''s suit. Instead, he looked solemn. What did that mean?


    A guess was formed in Kelly''s mind-at this moment, he remembered the time when Rose drew at clear line with the Young family in the hospital. That was great.


    If this state could continue until tomorrow, it''d be more beneficial to her n. Nevertheless, she was still worried that his state onlysted for a moment.


    After much consideration, she couldn''t sit still and turned off the monitoring screen on her phone. The night in the vi was particrly quiet.


    Oliver had been suffering from insomnia for the past few days. He seemed to want to be alone, so he didn''t let Patrick know. At this time, everyone in the vi was already asleep. Oliver, who was originally lying on the bed, got up alone and sat in the wheelchair. He looked out the window at the night. His feelings were much different from his previous birthday. This time, he felt particrly depressed. It was as if something was pressing down in his heart, making him unable to breathe.


    The moonlight shone in through the window and just shone on the suit hanging in the room. What Miles said today echoed in his mind. This suit was designed and custom-made for him by Rose.


    She indeed put in a lot of effort. However, she was resolute in drawing a clear line with the Young family in the hospital that day.


    He just wanted her to put away her hostility toward Kelly, but she actually... granddaughter. He couldn''t allow anyone to treat her badly.


    Kelly was her


    From Miles''s tone today, he also felt that his love for Rose seemed to exceed his love for Kelly. He didn''t allow it. He withdrew his gaze from the suit and took a pair of scissors... COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus


    Support

 Billionire 281

    A Decision


    The scissors glowed coldly in the moonlight. When the sharp de touched the expensive fabric, it was easily cut. Even the sound was particrly pleasant.


    For some reason, Oliver felt a little regretful after cutting off a corner. He stopped suddenly and took a closer look. After all, the suit was broken. Aplex emotion filled his heart. He felt a little guilty. He sighed and threw the scissors aside.


    He couldn''t help but murmur, "Rosie, you should be more obedient."


    Although he and Rose met not long ago, he also knew her


    temperament. She was straightforward and casual. She was not greedy for vanity, nor did she follow the convention.


    She didn''t change her previous rules of conduct just because she became the adopted granddaughter of the Young family. He appreciated it in his heart.


    He couldn''t bear it after all. At that moment, he decided that if Rose came to the birthday banquet tomorrow and apologized to Kelly, he would forget what she said that day in the hospital. Thinking about it, he suddenly felt relieved. As he was about to go to bed, he suddenly saw a figure outside the window.


    "Kelly?"


    He approached the window in surprise. Putting on his spectacles, he was sure that it was Kelly. What was she doing in the garden sote? She squatted on the ground and lit something in her hand. Oliver was concerned and curious. He put on a cloak and pushed his wheelchair down the elevator. In the garden, Kelly shivered as the wind


    blew.


    Mwen the knew that


    cold and continued wrting.


    "Mom, tamenow 15 Grankipa''s


    would be here soon, so she endured the


    thday. Don''t worry, I''ll take good care


    To perform today''s y, she specially found a bouquet and a candle.


    While the carefully lit up the candle and put the flowers beside it, she called "mom" and said some innermost thoughts.


    When Oliver pushed the wheelchair behind her, he happened to hear her calling her mother. He was startled at first, thinking she was calling


    Chelsea


    However, he didn''t react until he saw the candle and flowers in front of her. She should be calling Henrietta. His face darkened as he immediately got angry. "What are you doing?"


    The sudden sound made Kelly''s hands tremble in fright. She was still holding another candle lit in her hand. As her hand shook, she was burned by the me. "Ah.." she screamed.


    However, she knew that the more miserable she was in this scene, the better it would be for her.


    The moment she was burned, she couldn''t help but curse in her heart. However, her face was full of panic and pain. Oliver immediately suppressed his anger and stepped forward with concern. "Is your hand burned? Let me see ...''


    Her hand was indeed red.


    "Patrick ..."


    11


    As he was about to ask Patrick to call a doctor, Kally immediately stopped him.


    "Grandpa, I''m fine. Really"


    She couldn''t let others ruin her n. Bence, she endured the pain and withdrew her hand.


    Upon seeing that Oliver still wanted to call Patrick, she hurriedly told her prepared words and considerations, Grandpa, I''m fine. I don''t want to wake everyone up. I..."


    She seemed to have thought of something. With a cry, she nced at the candles and flowers on the side. Oliver''s face darkened again as he looked over following her gaze.


    "Grandpa, I didn''t mean to rm you or anyone else. I just... I just miss my mother."


    Kelly bit her lip. She knew that her words would touch the softest part of Oliver''s heart. Sure enough, the gloom on Oliver''s face gradually dissipated. Even his scolding voice became softer. "Your mom is still alive. How can you do this?"


    He pointed at the candles and flowers with resistance in his eyes. His reaction was expected by Kelly. She knew that he had never epted that his daughter was dead. However, Celeste had indeed died. She wouldn''t tell him the truth, but she could use his daughter''s death to


    stimte him.


    "Grandpa, I..."


    She couldn''t help crying as she spoke.


    "I don''t believe my mother is dead either, but after so many years, you haven''t found my mother. I had a dreamst night. I dreamed that a


    puit wraan called my name. She told me to take good care of you 1 thought *hwight she was my mother. Mom also said that she''s in anesther world where''s another weald? Grandpa... I don''t dare to think about 11. 1 ward to worship her. If she''s really in another world, maybe the can heal some of the words I said I want to tell her that I''ll take good care of you. No matter where she is, she can rest assured." After she finished speaking, she was already out of breath from crying. In the end, even the sound was intermittent, as if she was about to faint.


    Her words were like a heavy hammer hitting Oliver''s heart. She was right. He had been looking for Henrietta for so many years.


    Even if he had to look for a needle in the ocean, with the Young family''s ability, he would have found her long ago. It''s not like he hadnt thought about the possibility that she might be gone.


    On Henrietta''s birthday, he met Rose and heard that her mother had passed away. That was when he had this suspicion. Nevertheless, he didn''t want to believe it.


    He would rather believe that she was still alive, at least somewhere in this world. In the end, he was deceiving himself.


    After some time, he suddenly said, "Kelly, don''t cry. I''ll apany you till the candles burn down in mes."


    Kelly, who was crying with tears all over her face, nced at him and saw the dejection in his expression. She knew that her n was about to seed. "Alright."


    She wiped the tears from her face and pushed the wheelchair toward the candles and flowers. In the night, the grandfather and granddaughter paid homage together. "Grandpa and I are the only ones left in this world. We''ll take care of


    each other. Don''t worry about that."


    Although Kelly had stopped crying, her voice was still choked with sobs.


    "Mom, if you miss me, you can enter my dream just likest night. I want to see you too."


    The more she spoke, the lower her head gradually dropped. It was pitiful that she had never seen her biological mother since she was a


    child.


    That pitiful look fell into Oliver''s eyes. He seemed to decide in his heart. After being silent for a long time, he finally spoke.

 Billionire 282

    Calction


    Rietta, I won''t let Kelly suffer any injustice. I''ll give her what should be


    given to you."


    The hidden meaning in his words almost made Kelly scream with excitement. However, she held it back. She knew that the knot in


    Oliver''s heart was Celeste.


    As long as his guilt was aroused, he wouldpensate her without


    restraint.


    She wiped a few tears and looked at him doubtfully as she asked, " Grandpa, what do you want to give me?"


    Her innocent and harmless eyes were clear and wless as if they were not contaminated by the world and had no desire for the outside world. Oliver found it even more lovely. "You''ll know tomorrow," he said.


    At tomorrow''s birthday banquet, he would not only change Kelly''sst name to Young, but he would also draw up a will to dere the heir of Young''s House of Jewels.


    Early the next morning, he asked Patrick to call awyer. Through surveince, Kelly learned that he had drafted a will in which she was the heir. She finally couldn''t hold back and dance in the room.


    "He''s nice to Celeste!"


    When she thought that such arge Young''s House of Jewels almost belonged to Rose, she was d that she had an insight into her background and seized the opportunity.


    Now, everything that should belong to Rose would be hers. Oliver even stated in his will that Miles, Anastasia, and all other family members of the Young family should assist her in running thepany.


    *


    In the surveince, after seeing thewyer away, Oliver put the will in the safe and left the room for breakfast. There were many people at the Young family''s dining table today.


    When Kelly came down, both Oliver and Anastasia looked at her, but Miles lowered his head and was having breakfast. That elegant gesture seemed like nothing could catch his eye.


    Kelly was unhappy. If Rose was here at this time, his eyes would have followed her and wouldn''t leave for a moment. He was so indifferent to


    her.


    However, thinking about Oliver''s will, no matter how reluctant Miles was after today, she would have a way to make him surround her "Grandpa, happy birthday."


    She happily walked to Oliver, lowered her head, and pressed a big kiss on his forehead. It immediately made Oliverugh.


    "There''s no need for me to celebrate my birthday. If you''re happy, I''ll be


    happy."


    Oliver seemed to be in good spirits today.


    Kelly couldn''t help but probe, "Where''s Rose?"


    When Rose was mentioned, Miles visibly paused in his meal. There was


    a visible defense on his face as if he instinctively erected a protective


    shield for Rose.


    Kelly saw it but didn''t care.


    She looked at Oliver, who was frowning, and asked, "Will shee to your birthday banquet?"


    Oliver hoped that Rose woulde. Since he recognized her as his granddaughter, as long as she was not hostile to Kelly, she would have


    Ccation


    a ce in Young''s House of Jewels.


    Nevertheless, Miles''s words made him frown deeply.


    "It''s not convenient for her toe here, but she has prepared Grandpa''s birthday gift in advance and asked me to deliver it to Grandpa."


    He wouldn''t let anyone know that he had prepared the gift. Since Rose lost memory, she probably didn''t know about Oliver''s birthday as she didn''t get the invitation letter.


    Oliver felt disappointed, but displeasure followed immediately. Miles felt his displeasure. Nevertheless, it was better to make Oliver displeased than dragging Rose into danger. "She''s noting..."


    Kelly pursed her lips in disappointment. She was sneering in her heart.


    She sent an electronic invitation to Rose using an unfamiliar email address. In the invitation, she deliberately included some information, wondering if it would arouse her curiosity.


    As long as she was curious, she mighte to this birthday banquet. Oliver was going to announce his will and determine the future ownership of Young''s House of Jewels. Rose couldn''t be absent. Moreover, on such a good day, she wanted to see with her own eyes that the things that originally belonged to her ended up in her hands. Even if she watched, she knew nothing about the truth. Kelly felt very happy just thinking about it.


    "Just ignore her," Oliver said coldly.


    Even if she didn''te, if she admitted her mistake to Kelly in the future, he would still leave a part of the property to her. Oliver was nning in his mind.


    Thinking of her, he was about to call Finley in for questioning. Just then, he entered in a hurry.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Jonathan furrowed his brows. Finley looked anxious.


    "Mr. Finch, Madam went to the Young family''s birthday banquet."


    "Who gave her the news about the Young family''s birthday banquet?"


    While asking, Jonathan had gotten up. Ever since Rose was injured at Young''s House of Jewelsst time, bodyguards had been specially arranged to protect her when he was not around.


    In the past few days, Rose didn''t go out of Zenwood Gardens. He didn''t mention Oliver''s birthday banquet to her either. How could she go there?


    Without getting an answer, he hurriedly got on the elevator and went downstairs without even waiting for Finely to catch up. He aimed straight for Young Estate.


    At this time, Clover stared at the invitation letter from the Young family and dialed Rose''s number.


    "Clover?"


    Rose was a bit surprised. Since she was discharged from the hospital, she hadn''t seen Clover again. Did he call her today for something?


    As she was about to ask, the staff member checking the invitation letter at the entrance of Young Estate said, "Miss, please show me your invitation letter."

 Billionire 283

    Love Master


    The staff, who had never seen Rose, didn''t know her identity.


    "Alright, here''


    Rose didn''t hang up the phone. She exited the call interface and showed the electronic invitation to the staff.


    "Okay. Miss, please."


    After entering the vi, Rose answered Clover''s call.ain, "Clover, are you still there? Are you looking for me?"


    "Nothing. I just missed you."


    On the other end of the phone, Clover had a gentle smile while telling those ambiguous words. Rose thought he must be a love master. She couldn''t help but sympathize with Emily. After greeting, Clover didn''t say anything else. After hanging up the phone, Rose stared at the phone in a daze. She wondered if he called her just to tell her that he missed her She shook her head helplessly. She knew that he was just teasing her, or maybe he was too boring. Anyway, it didn''t include any affection between a man and a woman.


    She shook off her thoughts, trying not to think about him. At this time, Clover was sitting in the study room of his newly purchased mansion, tapping his fingertips on the table regrly. There was a hint of interest on his face, which originally looked bored. During this time, he also received an invitation letter. He didn''t waste any time and immediately called Emily. "Did you throw away the invitation letter from the Young family?"


    Emily nced at the invitation letter lying in her bag and replied, "I was


    nning to throw it away."


    She reported the matter when she received it before. Clover only asked her to throw it away, so she put it aside without processing it. It seemed that now, he should have decided to go. "Since you haven''t thrown it away, I''ll go join the fun. I''m bored anyway."


    The president of Lerain Group, who had a lot to deal with all day long, was saying he was bored. It might be fake that he was bored. The truth was that the person he valued also went to the birthday banquet. She could guess who that person was.


    "I''ll send you the invitation letter right away."


    After hanging up the phone, Emily apologized to the man on the blind date across from her, "I have something to do at work. I''ll take my leave first. I''ll buy the order ..."


    The face of the man opposite darkened. Before he could say anything, Emily had stood up and left. After buying the order, she left coolly.


    Half an hourter, she arrived at Clover''s mansion. He had already changed into clothes for going out. The ck couture suitplemented his almost perfect figure.


    She knew best that this man had an excellent figure. Realizing that she had some inappropriate thoughts, she immediately calmed down.


    Putting on a professional smile, she put the invitation letter on the table.


    "Mr. Xanth, I''ve arranged a car which is waiting for you outside the door. I wish you the best."


    After arranging everything, she was about to leave, but Clover stopped her. Clover turned around to see her, who was dressed smartly and conservatively.


    2


    in the outin? He frowned and turned away coldly.


    with me. The outfit is good. The elders should like e


    He didn''t conceal the unhappiness in his tone. Emilly sighed secretly She had no right to refuse


    Young Estate


    Rose was wandering around casually, She felt very familiar wherever she passed. She came here before.


    Ms. Rose?"


    The voice sounded surprised, Rose turned around and saw a middle-aged woman.


    "Did you call me?"


    May was stunned. Who would she be calling if it was not her? This morning, in the dining room, she heard Miles saying that Rose wouldn''t


    Just as she was wondering, she heard someone calling her on the inte. Today was Oliver''s birthday banquet. Although foreign aid had been invited, the servants of the vi were still very busy. She didn''t dare to dy at all.


    However, thinking that she hadn''t seen Rose during this period, and Oliver kept thinking about her, she told Rose before leaving, "Ms. Rose, Mr. Young Senior should be in the room right now."


    Rose frowned while looking at May''s leaving figure. Mr. Young Senior? The middle-aged woman just dressed up as a servant in this vi. She knew her, and she even told her that Oliver was in the room.


    315


    Love Master


    She wondered if she wanted her to go find him. It seemed that not only did she feel familiar with this vi, but the people in this vi were also familiar with her.


    The curiosity in her heart became more and more intense. She finally couldn''t help but walk toward the white main building, trying to find the " Mr. Young Senior" May mentioned.


    On the second floor, in Oliver''s room, he was wearing a formal suit. Miles noticed that the suit he had deliveredst night was hanging on the shelf with a torn corner. He was a little distracted. Oliver and Patrick noticed his gaze.


    Oliver felt guilty, but Patrick immediately smoothed things over as he said, "It''s all my fault that I didn''t pay attention when I picked up the suit this morning. I scratched it and wasted Mr. Young''s efforts." Miles tugged at the corner of his mouth.


    "It''s fine. It''s just that Grandpa can''t wear it today. After this, I''ll take it to be repaired, maybe it can be restored."


    He certainly knew that Oliver had damaged the suit. He couldn''t say anything. He couldn''t help but feel disappointed when he thought of Rose''s original intention when designing the suit.


    All her efforts were in vain.


    "I''m a little tired. You go out first. I''ll go out when the banquet starts."


    Oliver''s tone was dejected. After Miles and Patrick left, he was left alone in the room. His eyes were also on that suit. He was also guilty that he had ruined the suit with his own handsst night. At this moment, he couldn''t help but think about Rose''s care when designing the suit.


    He couldn''t help but murmur, "Rosie


    He couldn''t hide the sigh in his tone. Pushing open the ajar door, Rose


    heard his murmur.


    In the room, there was only a figure sitting in a wheelchair from behind. Before she saw his face, he felt a sense of familiarity. The sound of " Rosie* actually coincided with the dream.


    Rose was stunned for a moment.


    "Grandpa..." she somehow called out.


    The familiar voice made Oliver frown. When he turned around and saw


    Rose, he couldn''t hide the surprise on his face. The moment he turned around, Rose finally saw his face.


    At that moment, the blurry figure in the previous dream seemed to have be clearer as it ovepped with the old man in front of her.


    The two looked at each other and were speechless for a long time. After a while, Oliver''s voice broke the eerie silence in the room.


    "Come in."


    His tone was ordinary as if it was extremely usual for her to appear here. Rose was stunned for a moment before entering the room. Her first sight fell on the suit hanging on the shelf. The workmanship and material of the suit were excellent, but one side seemed to have been damaged by a sharp object. It was such a pity. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

 Billionire 284

    How Do You Know This Pattern


    This subtle expression of emotion aroused Oliver''s quilt as he saw it


    His eyes flickered as he said, "I identally broke it...


    He didn''t dare to look into Rose''s eyes.


    Rose couldn''t bear the disappointment in his eyes, so she blurted out," Can you let me try to repair it?"


    Oliver was stunned for a moment before he said, "Yes, of course."


    After asking about the materials she needed for repair, he called May Soon, the needle and thread were ready and delivered to Rose.


    Rose took the needle and thread. She knew that she could design


    clothes, but she had no idea about sewing and repairing.


    Nevertheless, the moment she got the needle and thread, she seemed to have constructed a repair n in her head instantly. She took the suit off the shelf and used the desk in the room as a workbench. She was extremely focused on selecting threads, color matching, threading, and every stitch that fell on the suit.


    It was as if everything around her didn''t exist. In her eyes, there was only the repair work in her hands. Oliver sat aside and watched her repairing it stitch by stitch quietly.


    At this time, it was not only him who was looking at Rose but also another person. Kelly was staring at her on the surveince camera. She didn''t expect Rose would find Oliver as soon as she arrived.


    She was particrly wary of them being alone together. When she watched Rose take off the suit that was damaged by Oliver to repair it, she couldn''t help but sneer in her heart.


    What would change even if she repaired the suit? Even if the damaged


    suit was repaired, it would be impossible for Oliver to wear it again.


    Since she wanted to show off in front of Oliver, she wanted to see what she could do with the suit. As time passed minute by minute, Rose became more and more focused. During this period, Kelly received a call from an unknown number.


    After answering the call without hesitation, she deliberately lowered her voice and said, "Mom..."


    The caller was Chelsea. Before Chelsea, the two agreed. Although it was imed that she went traveling to rx, she hid herself to prevent anyone from investigating the car ident.


    Her n was right. As long as she was not exposed, even Jonathan couldn''t find a breakthrough in the car ident.


    "Mom, you should hide yourself well first. It''s Mr. Young Senior''s birthday today. He has already drawn up a will. When I be the heir of Young''s House of Jewels, I''ll bring you back after everything is stable.


    Kelly was confident. Another reason Chelsea couldn''t appear now was that her status was not yet stable.


    After all, she was Chelsea''s bloodline, Once a w was revealed and checked, all her ns would be in vain. Chelsea naturally understood


    this.


    "Kelly, don''t think about me. It''s more important for you to get what you want. I''m willing to hide myself all my life."


    The most important thing was that her daughter could get everything Celeste''s daughter had. She would also feel happy in that case. The mother and daughter then had some intimate words. After hanging up the phone, Kelly watched the surveince camera


    again free had aireadypleted repairing the suit.


    Are you satisfied


    She put away her needlework and hung the suit on the rack again.


    She used ck silk thread to embroider a pattern on the damaged corner of the suit. One wouldn''t see the damage if it wasn''t observed.


    If someone looked carefully, he would find that the pattern was exquisite, just like the embellishment of the suit. No trace of damage could be seen at all.


    Rose was very satisfied. She looked at Oliver and waited for his


    Oliver was also very satisfied. Nevertheless, when he looked carefully at the pattern embroidered on the suit, his expression changed slightly. He looked at it from various angles. As if he was sure of something, he looked up at Rose and asked, "How do you know this pattern?"


    There was a hint of strangeness in his eyes as he asked. Rose was stunned for a moment. Her eyes then fell on the pattern. She didn''t know why she would know this pattern either. She wasn''t even sure how she came up with the pattern when she was repairing it just now. It seemed that just by embroidering, it became this


    pattern.


    "Say something," Oliver urged..


    As he stared at Rose, his expression became more agitated. However, Rose didn''t know how to exin. At this time, Kelly was also looking at the surveince camera in another room.


    When she heard Oliver mentioning the pattern, she immediately understood what was going on and rushed out of the room.


    While facing Oliver''s increasingly excited gaze. Rose thought hard about the origin of the pattern. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Someone then pushed the door open


    Upon seeing Kelly, Rose furrowed her brows. However, Kelly''s gaze fixed on Oliver. She poked her head in first, then pounced on him like a


    baby


    "Grandpa, it turns out you''re still in the room. I thought you had gone out. Grandpa, there are so many guests here today. Should I push you out to take a look?"


    She was very good at pretending to be ignorant. It seemed that she was not the one secretly monitoring everything in the room.


    After finishing speaking, she seemed to have just noticed the seriousness and tension in Oliver''s face.


    "Grandpa, what''s wrong with you? What happened?" she asked in


    concern.


    Then, she looked at Rose, as if she had just discovered her.


    "Rose? What are you here too? Miles said this morning that you wouldn''te. I was so disappointed at that time. It''s great that you''vee."


    Only thest sentence was her sincerity. Since Rose was here, she could witness with her own eyes that what belonged to her had been robbed by her.


    Before that, she had to resolve a crisis that was not conducive to her. Rose instinctively wanted to ignore Kelly.


    Upon seeing that neither Rose nor Oliver spoke, Kelly looked at the suit hanging on the shelf. Although the pattern on the hem of the suit was not obvious, she could still recognize it.


    *25 BOS


    It was with this pattern that she attracted Oliver''s attention in the first ce. Then, heter became suspicious of her background. Angelica told her that the badge was Celeste''s treasure. She didn''t expect that the pattern on the badge would appear on the suit. Did Rose remember it?


    Even if she remembered it, as long as she didn''t know the meaning of the pattern, she wouldn''t be able to cause any trouble.


    "This pattern... Rose, did you embroider it? You have a good memory. You can remember the pattern you saw on me a few years ago. However, this pattern suits this suit. It''s low-key yet gorgeous...'' Her words of praise were endless, but she was exining the reason why Rose knew this pattern without a trace. Miles''s expression gradually calmed down.

 Billionire 285

    Intrusion


    It turned out to be like this. Rose and Kelly had lived together for a while, so it was normal for her to see that pattern on her body.


    However, Oliver nced at Rose and confirmed it himself, "Is that what she said?"


    Rose was also confused. Was that what she said? Her intuition told her that it was not the truth. She subconsciously didn''t want to believe Kelly''s words. She frowned in silence.


    She was also thinking about how she embroidered the pattern. Thinking back carefully, she had been concentrating on the embroidery just now, thinking only about how to repair the damaged area.


    The pattern was embroidered without even passing through her mind. Perhaps this pattern existed in her forgotten memories. It must be very important to seem to be engraved in her bones. Judging from Oliver''s reaction, this pattern might also be very important to him. Silence filled the room.


    Rose''s silence made Kelly unhappy, but it stood to reason that she didn''t know why Oliver was questioning Rose about the pattern. Therefore, she could only continue to act ignorant. Her innocent eyes wandered between the two of them as she said, " Grandpa, Rose, what''s wrong with you? Why are you so weird?"


    Oliver still stared at Rose without saying anything. She continued to act


    coquettishly.


    "Grandpa, please don''t hide anything from me."


    Her coquettishness seemed to have worked. Oliver finally turned his gaze away from Rose and patted her hand.


    it''s melting Home cow!


    averthirdding #


    arnating from you? Maybe I''m


    However, he will had doubts in his eyes. Kelly sneered silently as she wached it. It was a he that he said he had nothing to hide from Kelly


    While he was young, he single-handedly developed the Young family into one of the Three Greatest Families of Regalia. His calctions and suspicions should not be underestimated. Kelly bit her lip and squatted down, burying her head in Oliver''s knees,


    "Grandpa, you''re the best to me."


    Rose also once leaned on his knees to make him happy. This scene made Rose and Oliver stunned.


    She felt that this scene seemed familiar, while Oliver almost mistook Kelly, who was squatting at his feet, as Rose. In just a moment, he came back to his senses,


    He raised his hand and stroked Kelly''s head as he said, "Of course I''m the best to you."


    "Then shall I go out with you?"


    Kelly looked at him. She didn''t want him to stay with Rose.


    "Alright, I''ll listen to you."


    As Kelly pushed Oliver out, Rose naturally left as well. It was before the banquet time, but guests were already gathering in the front yard of the


    vi.


    Kelly took Oliver to get some fresh air in the backyard, while Rose found a corner in the front yard to sit.


    Although they were separated by space, the three of them were still thinking about the pattern in their hearts while remaining calm on the


    Ever since she lost her memory, Rose had never wanted to remember the past like this. Oliver couldn''t get rid of the pattern on the suit in his mind. After thinking about it, he didn''t believe in Kelly''s words. There were too many details in that pattern. She wouldn''t be able to remember those details just by nding at it casually. However, the details of the pattern on the suit were very exquisite. "Kelly, I''m a little cold."


    He didn''t have the intention to get some fresh air. Instead, he wanted to go back to the room to look at the details of the pattern. Kelly was slightly surprised.


    "I''ll get some clothes for you..."


    "No need," Oliver stopped her as she was about to turn around. "I''d better go back to the room."


    There was a hint of displeasure in Kelly''s eyes, but she couldn''t disobey his wishes. She could only push him back to the room. As soon as he entered the room, Oliver''s attention was focused on the suit. It was obvious that he had damaged it with his own handsst night. Rose was indeed abominable. She thought that no matter how she repaired it, it would be broken after all.


    Just like Oliver''s feelings for her, no matter how much she repaired it, it would be of no avail. However, she made the pattern.


    Didn''t she forget what happened before? How could she still remember this pattern? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. At the same time, her uneasiness gradually grew.


    "If you don''t want to go out, I''ll stay here with you," she said with a harmless smile on her face.


    By staying with Oliver, she could always find opportunities to damage the repaired suit.


    However, Oliver ordered, "The guests downstairs areing. As the only bloodline of the Young family, you should go and greet them. Getting to know everyone will also be beneficial to your future development."


    Thinking about the will made by Oliver, Kelly was a bit hesitant.


    "I''ll ask Patrick to go with you."


    Oliver then called Patrick. After much consideration, Kelly left the room with Patrick half-heartedly. In the room, Oliver stared at the pattern embroidered on the suit in fascination. Downstairs, front yard.


    Kelly was being regarded highly as she walked among the guests. Rose felt disgusted as she looked at it from a distance. The disgust in her heart made her feel funny,


    Even though she had conflicts with Kelly before and disliked her, she was not the kind of person who would be jealous when others became prosperous. Nevertheless, she just disliked her.


    She was afraid that she would be so disgusted that she would vomit in someone else''s territory. She got up and walked to a more remote ce.


    Passing a field of flowers, she left the lively voices behind her. She didn''t stop until all the sounds were no longer heard.


    She leaned on the railing. She didn''t know that her figure fell into Oliver''s eyes through the window. The banquet almost started.


    12689


    Patrick entered the room and said, "Mr. Young Senior, the quests are almost here. Mr. Young, Ms. Young, and Ms. Kelly are all downstairs, Do you think we should go down now?" Oliver slowly withdrew his gaze. Thinking of the thing he decided to do at today''s banquet, he furrowed his brows.


    After a while, he nced at the suit on the rack and told Patric! "Let''s change into this suit."


    Patrick was a bit surprised as the suit was damaged. However, he saw the corner of the suit and found that there was no trace of damage at all.


    The original damaged area seemed to have a pattern embroidered on it. The color of the pattern was simr to the color of the suit. One couldn''t tell what pattern it was at first nce. Patrick was a little surprised, but he didn''t say anything after Oliver ordered him. He took the suit off the shelf and put it on again for Oliver. Then, he pushed him out of the room

 Billionire 286

    Fake Sisters


    Oliver was the protagonist of the birthday banquet today. The guests were all waiting for his appearance. He took the transparent elevator and slowly descended from the second floor.


    All eyes were on him. Before getting out of the elevator, he asked Patrick to help him up. As soon as he stood up, everyone could see the suit he was wearing.


    Miles couldn''t hide the surprise on his face. That suit was damaged, but why... Upon seeing Olivere out of the elevator, he immediately recovered his thoughts. Striding forward, he supported Oliver.


    When he was beside him, he couldn''t help but ask, "Grandpa, this suit ..."


    "Rosie has just repaired it."


    Oliver''s voice was soft and gentle. Miles subconsciously looked at the damaged hem of the suit. Before he could be happy that Oliver was wearing the suit, his eyebrows suddenly furrowed.


    Why didn''t he see Rose? He quickly searched the crowd but didn''t see her. He didn''t know that just now he was busy entertaining guests and missed Rose several times.


    He became more and more worried as he couldn''t find Rose. However, he couldn''t leave here to look for her, so he could only help Oliver toward the guests. When Kelly saw the suit, the smile on her face froze.


    Anastasia, who was beside her, noticed it and asked in surprise, "Kelly, what''s wrong? What is your face so dark?"


    She didn''t know about the incident where the suit was damaged, but she had seen the suit before.


    "The suit designed by Rosie was really good. Grandpa is wearing this suit today. He''s probably missing Rosie. If I had known, I would also design a brooch, which can match the suit." Anastasia was full of praise for Rose. Her purpose was to provoke Kelly. Sure enough, Kelly''s face darkened.


    Soon, she realized that with so many guests, her slightest expression might be noticed and magnified. Suppressing the displeasure, she ignored Anastasia and walked toward Oliver like Miles. *Grandpa, this suit is cool."


    She smiled broadly. She stood obediently on the other side of Oliver and supported him with Miles. Oliver looked amiable.


    "Mr. Young Senior is lucky. Mr. Young is young and promising, while Ms. Kelly is well-behaved and lovely. The Young family indeed has a sessor."


    "That''s right, Ms. Kelly is indeed the bloodline of the Young family. We just chatted for a moment. I found that her insights on design and jewelry have been very beneficial."


    For a time, the guests couldn''t stop theirpliments about Miles and


    Kelly.


    Everyone''s eyes were on the three of them as if they were the


    protagonists of the banquet, and only the three of them were members of the Young family.


    Nevertheless, Anastasia was also there, but she was ignored. She


    wanted to walk toward them, but Oliver had Miles on his left and Kelly on his right. She couldn''t go anywhere.


    She felt aggrieved. After hesitating for a moment, she stepped forward


    with a smile.


    "Grandpa, I like your suit today. Miles has really good taste."


    She praised Miles''s taste, but she was also praising Rose''s craftsmanship. Since Oliver could wear this suit, he must have Rose in his heart. With that, she could cause trouble for Kelly, There was a hint of sadness in Oliver''s smile, and there was also


    displeasure in Kelly''s eyes. Although it was fleeting, Anastasia noticed


    1. it.


    *Anastasia,e here."


    Oliver motioned for them to stand together. Anastasia looked at both sides of him and stood calmly beside Kelly.


    Even though Kelly was the bloodline of the Young family, she had grown up in the Shaffer family for so many years. Although the Shaffer family was wealthy, her temperament was not as good as Anastasia''s. Furthermore, Kelly''s face was not that exquisite. As soon as Anastasia


    stood over, there was a strong contrast between them. The guests could distinguish the better and the worse.


    Even though they didn''t express their thoughts, the eyes they looked at the two granddaughters were different. Upon seeing the guests no longer had the exciting gaze, Kelly felt more and more displeasure. While everyone was congratting Oliver, she gave Anastasia a fierce


    look.


    "Kelly, why do you look at me like this?"


    Anastasia approached Kelly. It was as if she was whispering to her.


    "Anastasia, I know you don''t want me to take the position of design director of Young''s House of Jewels. I don''t have to ept it, but it''s Grandpa''s birthday. You shouldn''t steal my limelight."


    +26 **


    In the past, she was always gentle to Anastasia on the surface. Now, she felt confident.


    "Your limelight?" Anastasia smiled. "You also said it''s Grandpa''s birthday. How does it be your limelight?"


    She suddenly thought of something, but she didn''t take it seriously as she continued, "Do you mean the matter regarding the change of yourst name? You''ll be changing yourst name from Shaffer to Young, but me and Miles have been using thisst name for more than 20 years."


    They had even taken enough power in Young''s House of Jewels. Kelly understood what she meant. Thinking of Oliver''s promise to Celestest night, she met Anastasia''s gaze.


    Without saying anything, her gaze implied that something was going to happen. The two leaned slightly against each other, both with smiles on their faces.


    Someone saw it and couldn''t help but praise, "Ms. Anastasia and Ms. Kelly have such a good rtionship."


    As Oliver turned his eyes away, he felt relieved.


    "Miles and Anastasia love this sister very much. Everyone present also knows that the Young family is very small. My only daughter disappeared and her whereabouts have not been found for a long time. Fortunately, God still has mercy on me. I managed to find my granddaughter before I died."


    Many people frowned upon hearing his words. Kelly was the first one to protest.


    "Grandpa, you''re in very good health. It won''t be a problem for you to live for another few decades. Grandpa, you must stay with me for another few decades."


    dity to act coquettishly was top notch. Her statement made


    He couldn''t help but hold her hand and said, ¡°Okay, I''ll stay with you."


    Then he continued. "Thank you all foring to my birthday today. Kelly is the bloodline of the Young family, naturally, herst name should be Young. While everyone''s here today, with some frends from the media, it''s just right to be the witnesses for Kelly. Patrick, bring the family tree."


    As he ordered, Patrick immediately took out the family tree that had been prepared. No one here had ever seen a family tree of arge family. Patrick took an exquisite box and came forward.


    As the box was opened, it showed the family tree inside. The cover was made of gold with engraved lines on it, like a pattern.


    There were gem embellishments between the patterns, which were extremely valuable. Everyone couldn''t help but marvel. Even the family tree of the Young family wasparable to high-


    quality handicrafts. It was indeed one of the Three Greatest Families of Regalia

 Billionire 287

    She Was the Most Important Spectator


    Patrick opened the family tree, and Oliver personally wrote the word " Kelly Young" on it. Kelly was excited.


    After changing her name and entering the Young''s family tree, she became the true heiress of the Young family.


    She couldn''t help but look at the name before her. She sneered when


    she saw the name "Henrietta Willis".


    She heard from Angelica that Celeste wandered into Choreton when she was a child and was adopted by the Willis family,


    Later, she was found by the Young family. After returning to the Young family, she returned to Chereton not long after.


    Not knowing what happened, she changed her name from Henrietta Willis to Celeste Young. Unexpectedly, she was able to erase the traces of her name change.


    No one could find the connection between Celeste and Henrietta, which made it easier for them to take advantage of this loophole.


    Kelly''s blood boiled when she thought that she was upying


    everything that belonged to Rose. Amidst the congrattions from the guest, she couldn''t help but look for Rose''s figure.


    Finally, she saw a figure walking in her direction outside the hall.


    "Pove...


    As if she was worried that Rose would see Henrietta''s name on the family tree, she deliberately put the family tree away and put it in the box when she shouted out. Everyone followed her gaze and looked out at the door. Those sights caused Rose to stop abruptly.


    #28 ROUS


    She didn''t want to attract attention, and she didn''t expect that everyone would look over due to Kelly''s shout. Almost subconsciously, she took a step back. She regretteding from the backyard at this time. At this point, she wanted to leave. When the thought of leaving came to mind, she had already made a move.


    With a smile on her face, she waved to the people inside as a greeting, but her steps continued to retreat. Did she not want toe in? Kelly sneered in her heart, realizing that Rose was being afraid, On a good day like today, she couldn''t let her leave.


    For her, Rose was the most important spectator. Although she missed the scene of the change of her name in the family tree, there was still the announcement of Oliver''s will next.


    Hence, upon sensing Rose''s intention, she picked up her dress and ran out the door. Rose frowned as her physical disgust instinct welled up.


    "Ugh..."


    She tried to hold it back, but still made a retching sound. Kelly''s face darkened slightly, remembering that she also did this that day downstairs at Young''s House of Jewels. She must have done it on


    purpose.


    She wished she could go up and p her in the face to vent her unhappiness. However, thinking about her important matters, she was still smiling.


    When she arrived in front of Rose, she wanted to hold her, but she avoided her without leaving any trace Kelly felt embarrassed as she didn''t manage to catch her hand.


    Just for a moment, she squatted down slightly in a yful manner.


    She seemed to have lowered her attitude and sincerely invited Rose,"


    Rose,e in quickly.*


    If there weren''t so many people inside the door looking at them, Rose''s eyes would have rolled to the sky. However, she still endured it. Looking at this situation, she had no choice but to go in. Taking a nce at Kelly''s posture, she could tell what she was thinking, Nevertheless, she didn''t intend to fight back. She would just let her lower her attitude and walk in openly


    It didn''t matter how the others looked at her. She straightened her chest slightly.


    She was born to be beautiful, and her figure and temperament were outstanding, surpassing countless social elites in Aquastead.


    She emerged with a sense of radiance as she was confident. Even if she was just wearing an ordinary dress today, her brilliance couldn''t be


    concealed.


    Kelly looked even more dim next to Rose as she deliberately lowered her attitude.


    "This is Ms. Rose ..."


    "Mr. Young Senior''s vision is outstanding. The grandchildren he recognized were all the best among people," someoneplimented.


    As the words fell into Kelly''s ears, the "recognized grandchildren" seemed to have excluded her. Wasn''t she the only one who stood out among others?


    She was about to explode with anger, but she had to maintain her grace. She knew that her temperament was notpatible with Anastasia''s, and her appearance was notpatible with Rose''s. She could only pretend to be well-behaved as she trotted past Rose and


    ran to Oliver.


    mouse be to the Diver recognized her the to any co wonder she felt quite


    ene Dive enter


    Tetter nemets was the one


    Te was so erratal than


    station hooked tappy just now, Pose stowed this red emotions


    ortofely stepped in from of


    to sould be tappy I know you?TE


    Tangir, in my team, she


    Maryou tappy fence you trave to be


    *79 BORUS


    She Was the Most important Spectator


    Her statement seemed to remind Oliver of his promisest night.


    "Yes, I have to be happy."


    Oliver raised his smile again and held Kelly''s hand tightly. He had called awyer this morning to make a will, but some things had to be announced in person while he was still alive.


    "I have one more thing to announce today," he said loudly.


    The seriousness within his expression and posture could be seen at a nce. He must be announcing a very important matte For a moment, everyone looked at him.


    Kelly''s heart was about to jump out of her chest. She knew that he was going to dere her the heir of Young''s House of Jewels. She nced at Anastasia without any trace.


    When she became the heir of Young''s House of Jewels, she wouldn''t care about the position of design director. The hall was quiet. Everyone was waiting for Oliver to make the announcement. However, when Oliver stared at Rose, his mind was filled with the pattern on the suit.


    As if he wanted to confirm something, he touched the hem of the suit with his hand. As he rubbed his fingertips, the doubts in his heart gradually expanded.


    Kelly finally couldn''t wait any longer as she urged coquettishly," Grandpa, what do you want to announce?"


    Oliver came back to his senses. His eyes gradually became firmer.


    Unexpected

 Billionire 288

    Unexpected


    the geting older and rarely ask about Young''s House of Jewels''s ofars. Kelly is my only bloodine..."


    While he mentioned it, the people present were even more excited. He seemed to be amourcing she will


    The media guests present immediately took out their recorders. Such big news would shook the entire business world


    Oliver stared at Kelly lovingly and continued, "Kely likes design, and she also wants to train herself. From now on, she go to Young''s House of Jewels as an assistant to the design director. "Miles, Arastesia, you two must help your sister."


    There was silence in the hall. Everyone seemed to be waiting for him to announce something more important. Nevertheless, after a long while. Oiver didn''t speak


    For a moment, there was a hint of weirdness in the sillence. Kelly had already been prepared to receive the attention of the guests and show off her high status to Rose.


    However, what did Oliver say? He said she liked the design and wanted to train herself. He assigned her the position of assistant to the design director. What she wanted was way more than this. She was unwilling to give in, but she couldn''t hold the smile on her face.


    "Gandica, this morning andst night you clearly...*


    She wanted to mentionst night again and asked Oliver to announce the will However, when the words came to her mouth, she suddenly remembered the surveince.


    The quity conscience revealed in the flickering eyes was caught by


    Anastasia


    "Kelly, are you not satisfied with Grandpa''s arrangement?" she gloated.


    She didn''t know about the will. Judging from Kelly''s expression, she only thought she was satisfied with the position of assistant to the design director.


    She was interested in the position of design director before. Assistant... If there weren''t so many people present, she would probablyugh out loud. Kelly also noticed everyone''s gaze.


    She quickly adjusted her expression and said yfully, "How could I be dissatisfied? I''ll do whatever Grandpa asks me to do. I''m his bloodline. Of course, I have to be his most obedient granddaughter."


    As much as she had a smile on her face right now, she felt as much reluctance as she did in her heart. Assistant to the design director...


    "Grandpa, what about the position of design director?"


    She looked at Oliver with an innocent look. Meanwhile, many people looked at Rose.


    Oliver once held a grand entry reception for Rose, his adopted granddaughter, which showed how much he valued her. However, during this time, some gossip also spread in the industry.


    It was said that the new design director did something not long after she took office, which made Oliver unhappy.


    They didn''t know whether Oliver had canceled her position as the design director of Young''s House of Jewels. She hadn''t appeared in thepany for a long time.


    In the weird atmosphere, Oliver slowly said, "Kelly, don''t worry. Rosie will help you familiarize yourself with Young''s House of Jewels work, just like Miles and Anastasia."


    He implied that Rose was still the design director. Everyone understood his meaning and looked at Rose with morepliments. Kelly''s face froze again.


    those wald such words in the hospital that day, why would Oliver let her continue to upy the position of design director? She felt a little


    dazed as she looked at Oliver.


    She was somehow unsure about his mental state at this time and


    whether he remembered what happened in the hospital


    In a daze, Anastasia called her, "Kelly?"


    She came back to her senses and met her gaze


    Anastasia stepped forward and took her hand affectionately as she said, "Kelly, don''t worry Miles, Land Rosie will all help you"


    Kelly didn''t care about their help


    She forced a smile and said, "Thank you, Miles, Anastasia, Rose, and Grandpa...


    Even now, she still hoped that Oliver would announce more things.


    Even if she was allowed to take the position of assistant to the design director, as long as the identity of hecheir was determined, she was still the most noble one in Young''s House of Jewels. Nevertheless, Oliver stroked his forehead and looked slightly tired.


    "Everyone, Young''s House of Jewels still needs your support and care in the future. I''m getting old and I''m very tired right now. Please pardon me and allow me to go back to my room and rest for a while." He motioned to Patrick to bring the wheelchair.


    Sitting in the wheelchair, he ordered Miles, "Miles, greet the guests well


    for me


    Then, the guests watched him get into the elevator and finally disappear behind the corridor on the second floor.


    After what had just happened, the guests all seized the opportunity to make friends with the new generation of young people in the Young family.


    There were even many people gathered around Rose with endlesspliments. Rose''s mind still echoed with the look in Oliver''s eyes when he mentioned she would help Kelly like Miles and Anastasia, Even though he wasforting Kelly at that time, his gaze fixed on her, It seemed as if he was also asking her if she would help Kelly 100,


    Given her instinctive dislike for Kelly, she couldn''t endure the nausea and help her. She couldn''t handle the job as a design director as well,


    Not only that, she felt a line of sight that had been focused on her for a long time. She followed that sight and saw Kelly''s angry eyes,


    She seemed to be ming her for getting the job as a design director, while she was just an assistant. The look in her eyes announced to her that she would fight her in the future.


    "Haha..."


    Roseughed dryly. She didn''t want to have conflicts with Kelly, She had always felt sick just looking at her, she wouldn''t face even greater nausea in the future because of her position as design director. She was even more determined to return the position of design director to Oliver.


    "Congrattions, Rosie. I''ll have your office tidied up again to wee you back," Anastasia said while holding a wine ss.


    She was smiling and had a friendly attitude, as if she had forgotten that Rose had her hand burned at Young''s House of Jewels some time ago.


    415


    See te den ene


    OWN INTOON ende arte de at


    KNOW


    NINGSENSUAL


    Dreamed a coke he


    hear her ext dont were


    was as he w

 Billionire 289

    Uneptable


    Anastasia couldn''t defend herself under her gaze. Noticing that Miles was walking toward them from not far away, she didn''t dare to ask for trouble. She forced a smile and walked away wisely.


    Rose let out a cold snort. Then, she heard the lowughter of the man behind her. She turned around and saw Miles, who was dressed in a suit and looked elegant.


    Her eyes and smile changed in a second as she said sincerely, "Miles, I''m sorry. I didn''t tell you that I''d be here today,"


    She was a bit guilty. Since Miles didn''t give her an invitation, she assumed that he didn''t want her toe.


    "I''m worried that if youe here, someone will cause trouble for you. I have a lot of things to do today, and I''m afraid that I won''t be able to take care of it. Then, you''ll suffer," Miles hurriedly exined. Upon seeing that Anastasia seemed to be deted before leaving, he was a little relieved. Thinking about Oliver''s announcement just now, he still couldn''t hide his worry,


    "Rosie, if you don''t want toe to thepany, just don''te. I''ll take care of it."


    In his words, he was protecting Rose, fearing that she would be bullied by Kelly. Rose felt warm in her heart. Even if she lost her memory, her instincts and intuition were still there.


    Just like she liked Miles, he was good to her. She didn''t like Kelly and Anastasia, and they indeed had bad intentions toward her. As for Oliver...


    The figure of Oliver appeared in her mind, which ovepped with the old man in the wheelchair in her dream.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll handle this matter," she said,


    She would find an opportunityter to return the position of design director to Oliver in person. Miles wanted to say something else, but several guests rushed up and surrounded him, all vying to talk. Rose was pushed out of the crowd. Miles wanted to go to her side, but she gave him a reassuring gesture and disappeared into the crowd. She avoided the crowd and went to the second floor. Chap 5 LIONE


    Standing outside the door of Oliver''s room, she hesitated for a while but finally didn''t go in. Just now, Oliver used the excuse of being tired to go back to his room. That


    was not an excuse,


    She could feel his fatigue and didn''t want to go in and disturb his rest.


    After going downstairs, she didn''t want to do some useless socializing, so she quietly left the hall and went to the backyard where no one was there.


    Kelly had been waiting for so long just to get the position of assistant to the design director. After socializing in the hall for a while, she went back to her room.


    After closing the door, she swept everything on the table to the floor. Fortunately, the floor was covered with carpet, and the porcin made no sound when it fell to the floor. Hence, it didn''t attract anyone''s attention. She couldn''t ept the fact.


    "Damn Oliver!" she cursed through gritted teeth.


    "I''m your granddaughter and you have drawn up a will to confirm I''m the heiress. Why don''t you announce it?"


    She even deliberately put up a showst night. Oliver also promised his daughter that she wouldn''t suffer any unhappiness, and her daughter would get everything she should get.


    In the end, she was only entitled to the position of assistant to the design director.


    "Damn it!"


    She beat the pillow on the bed and vented her anger. After making a fuss, even her hair was messed up. As if she was tired from the beating, she sat on the bed and exhaled. Anger still lingered on her face. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something. She hurriedly took out her phone and opened the surveince of Oliver''s room. In the video, Oliver was sitting at his desk, lost in thought.


    He stared nkly at the will document ced in front of his desk. His serious expression made her instantly be vignt. He had drawn up the will, but he didn''t announce it just now. +25 BOTEUS


    Uneptable


    What was he doing with it now? Could it be that he changed his mind? That couldn''t be done. She instantly stood up, thinking that she couldn''t let him change his mind. What could she do?


    She bit her lip. In the video, Patrick entered the room after receiving Oliver''s order.


    Oliver immediately asked, "Who do you think is more like Ms. Rietta, Rosie, or Kelly?"


    He was referring to Henrietta. Patrick understood. He frowned and pondered for a moment before expressing his opinions objectively.


    "Ms. Kelly is well-behaved and sensible, while Ms. Rose is straightforward and cheerful. When Ms. Rietta returned to Regalia that time, I remember that she was a cheerful and casual person, especially those eyes..."


    He paused and looked at Oliver before continuing, "Ms. Ros''s eyes are simr to those of Ms. Rietta. Ms. Kelly. Inheritance is indeed amazing. Even though Ms. Kelly is Ms. Rietta''s daughter, they don''t look alike."


    ...


    Oliver''s eyes became darker and darker. Rose''s eyes did look like Henrietta''s. Even when he looked at Rose sometimes, it was as if he could see Henrietta through her.


    As for Kelly, apart from the tattoo on her body, the blood test also confirmed that she was his blood-rted granddaughter.


    "What am I thinking?"


    Could a blood test be wrong? His eyes caught a glimpse of the pattern embroidered on the corner of his suit.


    "Maybe I''m overthinking it," he murmured.


    He tried hard to persuade himself not to think too deeply about how Rose knew this pattern. However, after a while, he still couldn''t let go. While pondering, he asked Patrick, "Where''s Rose?"


    Patrick was standing facing the window. He looked up through the window and saw the figure on the covered bridge in the backyard.


    "Ms. Rose''s over there."


    He pointed out the window. Oliver looked in the direction he pointed. Sure enough, he saw Rose. He decided without hesitation.


    Neptable


    "Push me over."


    Patrick was a little surprised. Oliver''s body couldn''t stand the torment. He was already a little tired downstairs just now, even if he wanted to meet Rose, he could ask her over. However, he wanted to go out. Patrick didn''t stop him and pushed him from the elevator to the end of the corridor to the backyard. He deliberately avoided the guests in the hall. The bridge where Rose was located was one floor higher than the ground. She was leaning against the railing. She felt peaceful without being disturbed. Nevertheless, the figure of Oliver couldn''t get out of her mind. She tried to remember more, but she couldn''t.


    Upon realizing that it was gettingte, she nned to go to Oliver to quit the position of design director after he had enough rest. As she was about to move, she heard a voice.


    "Rosie!"


    The old man''s voice was low but powerful. She subconsciously looked over.


    Upon seeing Oliver, she blurted out, "Grandpa ..."


    After calling out, she was surprised that she called him too smoothly. It was as if he was her grandfather originally, and they had a good rtionship.


    However, in the previous contact, Oliver did give her a cordial feeling. There was also something inexplicable about it. All in all, it wasplicated.

 Billionire 290

    Murderous Intention


    UN Oliver was alone, Rose immediately stepped forward to push the


    Why are you here? Are you here to get some fresh air too?"


    She was looking for a topk


    Oliver answered very directly, Tim here to find you


    Do you have anything to find me?" Rose asked tentatively.


    just so happened that she wanted to find him too. What a coincidence! She nned to resolve Oliver''s problem with her first before proposing to return to the postion of design director


    However, Oliver said, "Il pretend that you didn''t say those words you saidst time in the hospital Kelly is your sister. You have lived together in the Shaffer family for so many years. It''s fate in the future, I hope that you can take care of each other. So, you should find a chance to apologize to her. We''re still a family."


    His tone was gentle and kind, but Rase frowned upon hearing his words.


    "Rose...


    "Grandpa, please wait a moment" Rose interrupted him when he was about to continue


    The words she said in the hospital? Finding a chance to apologize to Kelly? What happened that made it necessary to apologize to Kelly?


    Thinking of her lost memory, she twitched her lips and said, "Grandpa, I''m sorry. I had a car ident not long ago.


    A car ident? Oliver''s expression changed slightly. He couldn''t hide his worry.


    "Are you injured? How did you get into the car ident? Where were you injured? No wonder... no wonder you haven''te home for so long. Why didn''t you tell us?"


    Oliver seemed to have forgotten what he just said. He held Rose''s hand and observed it. The obvious concern made Rose feel a little dazed.


    "I''m not injured," sheforted him. "I just forgot about what happened before."


    Oliver was relieved at first, but when he heard that she lost her memory, there seemed to be something shaking in his eyes.


    "The doctor said that I probably hit my head in the car ident. Strangely, there are no external wounds, but there are injuries on the inside. I don''t know if it''s luck or misfortune. But, when I think about it carefully, I''m still lucky. At least my life was saved. As for the lost memory, the doctor said that maybe I''ll remember it at some point. So. Grandpa, I don''t know what I said in the hospital before. I also forgot what I did to hurt Kelly. As for the apology..."


    She couldn''t apologize. She didn''t want to go against her instincts and do something she didn''t want to do. The air froze for a moment. After a while, Oliver sighed. "It''s fine. Let''s not mention what happened before.


    "As long as you''re not injured, you can move back to the vi. I''ll find the best doctor. You''ll get your memory recovered soon."


    Rose was a bit surprised. She didn''t expect that Oliver would take such a big step back. Kelly was his blood-rted granddaughter, he should always protect her.


    However, when he learned that she had lost her memory in a car ident, he stopped insisting on apologizing to Kelly so easily.


    "Grandpa...*


    She felt a hint of weirdness in her heart. In addition to being moved, there was something else mixed with it.


    "The pattern.."


    Oliver looked at the corner of the suit.


    Rose looked over and said, "I forgot too. I just wanted to embroider a suitable pattern to repair this suit. I didn''t know how I knew this pattern, let alone its meaning to you. I can''t exin it all.* *If you can''t exin it, then it''s fine."


    Oliver met her gaze. He knew that since Rose had lost her memory, even if he was anxious to know something, he couldn''t rush it. At this time, he had a glimmer of hope.


    As long as she remembered what happened before, he might be able to know the rtionship between her and this pattern. He also found it strange.


    He could have believed Kelly''s reason, but he subconsciously wanted to explore. In


    +95 BGHUS


    Minderous intention


    the distance, Kelly looked at the two people on the bridge. Her sense of crisis became stronger and stronger.


    They were too far apart and she couldn''t hear their conversation. Just watching Oliver hold Rose''s hand and observing it, she could almost guess how much he cared about her. "They''re blood-rted."


    She sneered. She couldn''t go over and could only watch from a distance. Finally, Rose seemed to have answered a call. After telling Oliver something, she walked off the bridge and ran toward the front yard. However, Oliver remained on the bridge. He was waiting for Rose toe back, Looking at her trotting back, a smile appeared on his face unconsciously,


    "They are two unrted people, but this running back looks so simr to Rietta..." he murmured.


    His eyes became darker upon this discovery. At this time, he didn''t notice a figure from behind was walking toward this side quietly. Suddenly, someone kicked the wheelchair hard.


    Rose rushed out to meet Clover upon answering his call. At the entrance of the vi, she saw Clover and Emily. As she was about to greet them, a luxury car parked aside.


    Upon seeing the people getting out of the luxury car, she couldn''t help but frown.


    "It seems that it''s not just me who wants to join in the fun. Other people areing too."


    Clover nced at Jonathan faintly. Before Jonathan could approach, he strode up to Rose, blocking her view of Jonathan.


    "Here, take my arm."


    He held out his arm and motioned for Rose to take it. However, it was clear that Emily was his femalepanion. Rose raised her head and showed a big smile.


    The next moment, she ran toward Emily and put her hand on Clover''s arm.


    "You two match well with each other."


    She observed them and praised them with great satisfaction. As Clover frowned, she


    *


    Murderous inter


    turned around to meet Jonathan. They looked at each other as if they had a tacit understanding.


    When Jonathan extended his arm, Rose took it.


    "Why are you here?" she asked as the two walked into the gate of the vi.


    Jonathan sighed lowly and said, "If I don''te if someone bullies you... Did anyone bully you just now?


    Rose recalled back.


    "Should be no one."


    "What does it mean?"


    Jonathan was dissatisfied with this answer. He became serious. When he looked at Rose, she suddenly stopped and covered her chest with a solemn expression. "What''s wrong?"


    Jonathan grabbed her arm with concern. What happened? At that moment, there was a pain in her heart, as if it had been torn. She almost couldn''t breathe. However, it happened for just a moment. She soon recovered.

 Billionire 291

    Is Rose the Culprit


    Rose reassured Jonathan.


    "I''m fine."


    Even so, her uneasiness didn''t dissipate after that moment of pain. Her uneasiness lingered in her heart, and even her smile became stiff. He noticed her solemn look and held her hand. "I''m here."


    He wouldn''t put her in danger as long as he was here. They looked at each other and headed toward the main hall. Their figures were particrly dazzling in Clover''s eyes. "They''re not a good match!" he frowned while saying.


    He implied that Jonathan wasn''t worthy of Rose. Thinking of what she said, Clover focused on Emily''s slender hand. A perfect match? He wasn''t in such a rtionship with Emily.


    Putting his thoughts away, he stepped into the door and chased after them. In the hall, everyone noticed Jonathan and Clover, who suddenly arrived.


    Those who didn''t know about them could tell their identities by looking at their unusual aura. While those who knew their identities didn''t dare to talk with them. Everyone was specting from a distance about their rtionship with Rose. Although they looked at her differently, they never took their gazes off her since they


    entered.


    In the crowd, Miles also saw them. When he stepped forward, she saw him and waved. Suddenly, they heard a scream. Everyone was startled and looked in the direction where the scream came from. It was from the backyard! Miles'' expression changed slightly. He ran toward the backyard. Rose became anxious. It was as if someone was pinching her heart. She could hardly breathe.


    Oliver was still in the backyard! Ignoring her difort, she withdrew Jonathan''s hand and ran out. First Miles, then Rose.


    No one in the hall knew what was going on. But at this moment, a panicked exmation came from the backyard again)


    we the Cut


    126 BONUR


    "Help! Pleasee here..."


    Anastasia seemed to return to her senses. She hurriedly ran through the crowd, followed by Kelly and Patrick


    Even if the guests didn''t know what happened, they could guess something serious had happened.


    They were curious. But after all, they were quests of the Young family. It wasn''t suitable to pry into privacy on such an asion. It wasn''t until Jonathan and Clover walked toward the backyard.


    As they took the lead, the guests put aside their worries and hurriedly followed them to the backyard. Rose froze when she saw the situation.


    An old man was lying on the ground with blood oozing from his head. It was Oliver! He was still wearing the suit she had mended this morning. His wheelchair fell aside.


    He was on the bridge just now, but now he was under the bridge. She could almost imagine how he fell.


    "Call an ambnce!"


    Miles was the first to calm down. The Young family''s doctor also attended the banquet. He was checking Oliver''s vital signs.


    Anastasia trembled. She had thought about it countless times. How would she earn the inheritance rights for herself once Oliver died? But at this moment, she only felt panicked. "Grandpa..." she called out lowly.


    But her voice was suppressed by another voice.


    "Grandpa, what''s wrong with you?" Kelly cried. She knelt and threw herself at him." How could this happen? Grandpa, please wake up..."


    She choked with sobs and seemed out of breath due to anxiety. The doctor immediately stopped her.


    "Ms. Kelly, don''t shake him. Don''t worry. He''s still alive."


    The doctor reassured her, but his expression was solemn. It was clear that Oliver''s situation was bad.


    Bose the Culpr


    *25 BOMUS


    "Still alive..."


    She looked up in a daze. Miles had already signaled Patrick to help her up. But she was still crying. She kept calling Oliver. Most of the people felt moved by her sad look. Soon, the ambnce arrived and took Oliver away.


    Before Miles followed the ambnce, Jonathan said, "Take him to Harmony Hospital. I''ll ask them to prepare treatment immediately."


    He nced at Jonathan gratefully and didn''t refuse it. Harmony Hospital''s equipment and doctors'' medical skills were among the best in Aquastead.


    After the ambnce drove away, everyone looked solemn except Kelly. She ran after the ambnce for a long distance while crying but fell to the ground due to ack of strength.


    Some guests felt pity for her and ran after her to help her up.


    "Ms. Kelly, don''t worry. Mr. Young Senior will be fine."


    She bit her lips. Others only thought she was sad. But actually, she was worried. She recalled the results of the doctor''s preliminary examination. Oliver was still alive.


    He rolled down from such a high ce and wasn''t found untilter. His head was already bleeding from the fall. He should have died long ago. How could he still be alive? She was full of dissatisfaction.


    He didn''t publish the will he drafted. But as soon as he died, hiswyer would publish it. That was the result she wanted. But he was still alive.


    She took a deep breath and burst out with a more miserable cry.


    "How could this happen? Grandpa was fine before! How could he fall?"


    She seemed to be roaring thest few words. Others felt even more moved by her deep rtionship with Oliver. Everyone present was quiet.


    Today was Oliver''s birthday. He drafted Kelly''s name into the Young family tree. It was supposed to be a double happiness. No one thought that he would fall.


    Suddenly, a voice sounded, "I... I I saw ..."


    Everyone followed the voice and looked at the shivering maid in the corner. Kelly felt


    is Rose the Culontx


    nervous. She was sure she hadn''t stayed too long and wouldn''t get noticed. So, she ran toward the maid confidently.


    "What did you see? Tell me!"


    The maid hesitated but finally spoke, "I saw Mr. Young Senior talking to a person on the bridge..."


    Upon saying that, the maid looked at Rose. Everyone else also looked at her. The meaning was obvious. The person who talked to Oliver was Rose. Everyone began to doubt her. Anastasia immediately returned to her senses.


    She strode up to Rose and asked loudly, "Rosie, did you push Grandpa?"


    Was Rose the culprit? Before she could answer, other voices sounded one after another.

 Billionire 292

    She mes Herself


    "I... I saw it too."


    "I also saw Mr. Young Senior and Ms. Rose on the bridge."


    Rose couldn''t defend herself. Everyone looked at her as if she was the culprit who pushed Oliver down.


    Kelly felt a little proud. She would achieve her goal if he died. But now his life or death was unknown. It would be great if she could nder Rose sessfully.


    She clenched her fists tightly and rushed toward Rose.


    "Did you do it? Grandpa is so kind to you! How can you be so cruel..."


    She red at Rose fiercely. She seemed to vent her displeasure because he still let Rose work as the design director. When she got emotional, she gave Rose a hard push.


    Rose was stunned and caught off guard. Under that force, she took a few steps back and failed to steady herself. Just as she was about to fall, someone helped her and pulled her into his arms. It was Jonathan. She sensed his familiar scent. At the same time, Clover stood beside her and held her wrist. Behind her, Emily also walked over and looked


    protective.


    Kelly aroused her jealousy when she saw them protect Rose.


    She didn''t know Clover. But Anastasia asked her to apologize to the Lerain Group''s president if she wanted the design director''s position. Although she had never seen him, she did some research. There was almost no information about him on the inte, but she still found his photo. It was the man who protected Rose. How did Rose know him? What was their rtionship? Why did he protect Rose? There were countless questions in her mind. She red at Rose without disguising her anger.


    "Why did you do that?"


    hapter 292 She ines Herse


    Questions echoed in Rose''s mind. Ever since she saw Oliver fall to the ground, her tearing pain hadn''t gone away. Even now, she was covering her chest, unable to hide her pain.


    She looked at Kelly and faced the people around her. Their nces seemed to ask her why she pushed Oliver.


    "It''s not me."


    Her voice was low. She felt a little difficult to speak.


    "Not you? Don''t try to deny it!"


    Kelly wouldn''t let her go. She pointed at the people who had just identified Rose.


    "They all saw that you pushed Grandpa! You can''t make excuses!"


    Rose felt confused. Jonathan was about to defend her, but she spoke first.


    "Did they see it?"


    She didn''t push Oliver. Did they witness the process? She nced at those people.


    "Did you all see me push Grandpa?¡±


    The maid who spoke first frowned. After recalling, she didn''t dare to lie.


    "I only saw you talk with Mr. Young Senior on the bridge. I didn''t see anything else after that."


    The maid didn''t see her push Oliver.


    "What about you?"


    She looked at another person.


    "I... I also saw the same thing."


    Then, she looked at the next person.


    "And you?"


    "When I looked at the bridge, Mr. Young Senior was alone there."


    The people present were all business elites. After some questioning, many things gradually became clear.


    After Ms. Rose left M. Young Senior was there if that''s


    Be the culprit."


    In the crowd, someone spoke for Rose. But the next moment, Kelly cried


    "Maybe she went back


    It was indeed possible.


    "She didn''t go back."


    Jonathan and Clover spoke at the same time. Everyone looked at them confused


    Jonathan said. "She went out to pick me up just now. She stayed with me until we heard someone shouting in the backyard."


    "Yes, Rosie went out to pick me up. We''ve been together since then," Clover agreed


    They were testifying for her. But they seemed to be fighting over something. Everyone recalled and found they were indeed beside her.


    "It seems that Ms. Rose didn''t go back."


    There was no evidence for the usation. Some person could testify for her. For a moment, Kelly looked extremely gloomy. She wanted to pursue the issue further, but there was no breakthrough. "What should I do if Grandpa dies...*


    Kelly continued to cry. At this time, Rose no longer cared about whether she was innocent. The scene of Oliver lying on the ground with blood kept popping up in her mind


    Finally, she was unable to hold back.


    She grabbed Jonathan''s arm and said, "I want to go to the hospital."


    He understood her intention. So, he ignored everyone and brought her away. After such an ident happened, the guests left under Anastasia''s lead.


    The entire Young Estate fell silent. A strange atmosphere circted. In Harmony Hospital, Miles was waiting outside the operating room.


    Jonathan arranged for the best experts with Oliver''s doctor to perform surgery. Rose entered the hospital hurriedly as soon as she got out of the car.  She mes Herself


    Seeing Miles, she immediately asked, "Miles, how is Grandpa?"


    He didn''t answer her. He didn''t get the news either. He could onlyfort her.


    "Don''t worry. Grandpa will be fine."


    "Yes, he will be fine," she stared at the operating room and murmured.


    For some reason, she suddenly felt a chill. She trembled. Jonathan, who came over, noticed it. He quickly put his coat on her and helped her sit on a chair nearby.


    But even with a coat, she still felt cold. It was an uncontroble coldnessing from her heart.


    "He will be fine," he hugged her and whisperedfortingly.


    But she gradually became upset. She clutched her coat tightly. She couldn''t suppress her guilt, worry, and self-me.


    "It''s all my fault..."


    Oliver wouldn''t have had the ident if she hadn''t left him alone on the bridge. When she left, she told him she would return soon. He must still be waiting for her. The bridge was high. No matter how he fell, he must have severe pain.


    "It''s all my fault..."


    She kept muttering heartbrokenly. Anastasia and Kelly came over and heard her words. Their hostility toward her instantly rose.  Threat of Coma

 Billionire 293

    Threat of Coma


    "Hmph, you finally admit it! Then why did you deny it just now? If something wrong happens to Grandpa, we won''t let you go!" Anastasia angrily scolded while Kelly was crying.


    But Rose seemed not to hear anything. She curled up, leaning against Jonathan. Some vague scenes ran in her mind.


    "She is my new granddaughter... What is your name?"


    "Rosie ..."


    An old man''s voice echoed in her mind, apanied by many shing images. In the images, he looked kind and doting.


    As the scenes kept changing, the swelling and pain in her head gradually became more severe. She even broke out in cold sweat. Jonathan first noticed something wrong with her.


    He touched her forehead. Then, he was so startled by the high temperature that he retracted his hand.


    "Rosie, what''s wrong with you?"


    She vaguely heard someone calling her. What was wrong with her?


    "I..." she only uttered a word and became more confused.


    When her consciousness gradually faded, she felt someone picking her up. The figure in front of her was blurry. She wanted to see clearly. With great difficulty, she tried to open her eyes and finally saw


    someone.


    "Miles..."


    It was Miles, staring at her with worry. Someone was holding her and running quickly. She held on for a long time and vaguely heard two familiar voices. "Rosie? What''s going on?"


    It was Clover''s voice. He sounded anxious while questioning.


    "Rosie, wake up."


    It was Emily. Her voice was gentle.


    "odd cut of the way thave no time to exin to the doctor mady? Hurry up!


    The man wanded anxious the seemed to have a had temper free wanted to know what was wrong with her, but her consciousness gradually blurred. Finally, she fell Outende Oliver''s operating room, Kelly and Anastasis looked unpleasant Kelly had sriginally nned to continue making thing difficult for Rose because of what she But after assing Jonathan''s worried and an jours look when he took Rose away, she felt suffecated and ufortable. Anastash also couldn''t hide her jealousy Jonathan''s means in the business world were terrifying. She had known him for many years but had never seen his fear. His unusual reaction was because of flose Hah, she fainted at the right timet Her acting skills are better than those actors."


    Anastasia anorted. At first, Kelly wanted to agree with her. But at this moment, Miles nished back. His expression darkened.


    Beste len''t pretending. Anastasia, if you have nothing to do, go home now. If you want to cause trouble, then I won''t hold myself back either."


    He spoke in a cold tone of warning. Anastasia shuddered. Although unhappy, she could only shut up. She walked to the other side of the corridor, not daring to say anything more


    The atmosphere was solemn and strange they were staring at the operating room No one knew each other''s thoughts. The Young family might face a power struggle if Oliver died. They prayed in then hearts, but their prayers were different. Time passed by. The lights in the operating room were still on


    Hase, who had undergone examinations, was lying on the bed in another ward: She was still unconscious. Before Jonathan and Glover asked further questions, the doctor shook his head "She just fainted. Thaven''t found the cause, but please rest assured. All her physical indicators are normal. There is nothing wrong with her."


    Jonathan held her hand. Maybe she was stimted by what happened with Oliver. But for her, Oliver only recognized her as his granddaughter. She had forgotten that memory. Her reaction was too big. He stared at her worriedly. But, he didn''t know that Rose was beginning to dream, one after another.


    Outside Oliver''s operating room, the lights finally went out. The door opened.


    Miles was the first to ask the doctor, "How is my grandpa?"


    "He is still alive. But he hasn''t woken up from aa. We can''t confirm when and whether he will wake up. We need to observe him."


    He felt a little relieved. Fortunately, Oliver was only unconscious. But he still felt worried. He smiled and thanked the doctor.


    Oliver was pushed out and immediately sent to the ward. Various instruments for monitoring were in the ward. There was only the sound of the instruments.


    Kelly stood in front of the hospital bed. At this time, she wished to pull out Oliver''s oxygen tube.


    He fell from such a high ce, and his head was bleeding. He was already in poor health. She thought that fall should have killed him. But he was still alive. What if he woke up?


    She couldn''t help but clench her hands. That night, she decided to stay and take care


    of him.


    "You two can go back. I''ll take care of Grandpa."


    Miles sat on the sofa while looking at Oliver. He seemed not to hear what she said. Anastasia nced at her.


    "What are we going back for? Grandpa''s condition is still unknown. I worry about him. Kelly, you should go back and rest first. Grandpa cares about you the most. You can''t be too tired."


    Whether it was sincere, they had to guard Oliver no matter what. Kelly twitched her mouth. Since they didn''t leave, she could only stay and wait for the opportunity. She waited until dawn the next day. Suddenly, the received an ariewe phone dail. She hung up several times, but the call came in again. She could only walk out of the ward helplessly


    As soon as she answered the call, she cursed. "Are you crazy? If you''re sick, call an ambnce! Why are you calling me?


    She almost stayed up all night and felt tree She was also worried Oliver would wake up. So, she was venting her anger now The person on the other end of the phone seemed stunned. Just when she was about to hang up, she heard him chuckle "Ah, so this is who you truly are, Ms. Kelly"


    He spoke strangely. He called her Ms. Kelly, which meant he knew her identity. Her expression darkened slightly. She immediately became alert. "Who are you?"


    "That''s not the main point. What''s important is that I know something interesting, I would like to share it with you. Are you interested in it?"


    He sounded threatening in his tone. Almost instantly, she thought over all the secret things she had ever done. She wondered if he had caught onto something.

 Billionire 294

    He Threatens Her


    He Threatens Her


    "Where are you?"


    Kelly didn''t dare to ignore him. She wanted to confirm what he was going to do.


    "I''m opposite Harmony Hospital. You can see me when youe out."


    He seemed to expect that she would follow him. After he finished speaking, he hung up the phone. She was stunned for a while. Her uneasiness became more intense. She quickly calmed herself down. When she returned to the ward, she pretended to be tired.


    "I''m hungry. I''ll go to eat something."


    No one answered her. She nced at the two people in the ward, bit her lips, and left quietly. After walking out of Harmony Hospital, she looked across the hospital.


    Sure enough, she saw a man in ck. He waved to her as if he was sure she had seen it. Then, he turned around and walked into the alley behind him. She immediately chased after him. The man walked fast. After turning several corners, the man was nowhere to be seen.


    She sped up and trotted forward to find him. Suddenly, someone reached out from the side and pulled her into the darkness.


    "Ah..."


    He covered her mouth before she could call for help. Then, she felt a wave of dizziness. Before she lost consciousness, she heard him call her "bitch". The man''s lowughter was full of hatred. When she woke up, she nced at her surroundings and found herself in a dark room. She was lying on the bed. Her hands and feet got tied.


    "Ah!" she roared angrily.


    She tried to break free but failed. She knew someone was watching her.


    So, she shouted, "Come out! Who are you? No matter what you want, you must let me know your purpose! Do you know who I am? I''m the only youngdy in the Youngs! The Youngs have hundreds of billions. Do you want money? I''ll give it to you! Or do you want something else? As long as Lean give it, I''ll satisfy you!"


    She tried all kinds of temptations, but the only answer she got was the silence. Gradually, she felt desperate.


    "Please! What do you want?"


    If that man didn''t want money, what did he want? She gradually became afraid and didn''t dare to think about the consequences.


    "I want ..."


    Finally, there was a voice in the room. The man''s voice was the same as she heard on the phone.


    He Threatens Her


    She followed the voice and looked over. Soon, the door opened. The man in ck came out. She tried to see who he was. But he wore a mask. "Who are you?"


    She suddenly realized that he was more dangerous than she thought.


    "You don''t recognize me anymore..."


    The man''s voice was so low. He seemed not speaking to her, but his murmur. He sneered with hatred. But soon, he stared at her coldly. "You''ll know who I am, but not now."


    "What do you want to do?" she asked again, trying to confirm his intentions.


    The man chuckled lightly and said frivolously, "What do you think I would do with you in my bed?"


    "You... How dare you!" she said harshly. "You know who I am, right? If you dare to do anything to me, my grandpa won''t let you go!"


    She wanted to scare him off. Yet, she didn''t expect that he wasn''t afraid but chuckled with disdain.


    "Are you sure? If he wakes up and knows that you want to kill him, he''ll deal with you first!"


    Her expression immediately turned pale.


    "What do you mean?"


    A guess emerged in her mind. Did he see it? That was impossible! This man didn''t seem like a guest who would get invited to a birthday banquet. How could he see it? Just as she had such a thought, he took out his mobile phone. Then, he clicked on a video and showed it


    to her.


    Although he recorded the video at a long distance, she could still see that on the bridge where Oliver was


    alone.


    Suddenly, a person approached behind Oliver. Almost instantly, that person kicked his wheelchair hard. Next, he rolled off the bridge with the wheelchair.


    The person who kicked the wheelchair was clear in the video. It was Kelly!


    "How can it be ..."


    A


    Seeing the video, she was panicking. How could she be photographed? How did this man enter Young Estate?


    "Were you yesterday''s guest?"


    She recalled it in her mind, trying to find the corresponding person. But after thinking about all the guests yesterday, she still failed to find his identity.


    The man became more excited when he saw her anxiety. But the more she wanted to know, the less he would fulfill her wish.


    "I told you. You''ll know who I am, but not now. What you should do is to convince me not to hand over


    23


    He Threatens Her


    this video."


    He was right. She couldn''t let him give the video to anyone.


    "What do you want?"


    She calmed down and looked into the man''s eyes. She showed her sincerity.


    "I''m willing to spend a lot of money to buy this video."


    "But what if I want you?"


    He looked at her from head to toe as if he had stripped her naked.


    In her disgusted gaze, he snorted again and added, "I want you."


    What he wanted was her! She felt disgusted and humiliated. She was the youngdy of the Young family. How could she sleep with such a strange man? Only people like Mr. Finch were worthy of her. But she also knew that she was now in his trap. If she wished to keep the video from being leaked or wanted to escape, she had to listen to him.


    The strange silence was so oppressive that she almost couldn''t breathe.


    Finally, he seemed impatient with waiting and urged, "Have you decided yet?"


    She gritted her teeth and finally let down her body''s guard in defeat. She copsed on the bed and closed her eyes. Her meaning was obvious.


    She could hear his footsteps. When he walked to the bedside, she suddenly thought of something.


    "We need to take measures."


    C


    If he wanted her, it could only be her. She couldn''t stand the pregnancy. He paused slightly and chuckled.


    "Okay."


    After saying that, he stepped on the bed and grabbed her chin violently.


    "Ah..."


    She opened her eyes in pain and met his gaze angrily.


    Although he wore a mask, she sensed familiarity in his eyes. But before she could capture anything more, he took a water ss and forced her to drink it.


    What did he give her to drink? Her intuition told her that it couldn''t be just water. Sure enough, it was indeed not water. She immediately felt a strangeness in her body. Gradually, her vision blurred. She couldn''t see the man clearly, but her desire increased.

 Billionire 295

    He Shows His Iden§Áty


    He Shows His Identity


    At some point, the man already untied Kelly. She was undressing herself.


    "Kelly, you''re so passionate."


    He took off his mask, revealing his face. Although he was much thinner and paler than before, he was her acquaintance. It was Nixon!


    He looked coldly at her, who was so defensive and disgusted with him. Now, she was sticking on him seductively. His sneer grew thicker.


    In the past, when she was with him, her passion was always youthfulness and innocence. He cherished her.


    He once regarded her as his true love and cared for her with all his heart. But now, he knew her true colors.


    "Kelly, how could you do that to me?"


    Thinking about everything he had seen clearly, he was full of hatred.


    He suddenly held her wrist. Seeming to vent his resentment toward her for many years of hypocrisy, he left embarrassing marks on her body without mercy.


    The room was full of enthusiasm. Meanwhile, two wards in the hospital were eerily quiet. Kelly hadn''t returned for a long time, but no one cared about her. Jonathan kept holding Rose''s hand and never let go.


    Finley answered the phone outside, then hurried into the ward and whispered, "Sir, there''s news from the hospital. Nixon is missing."


    He frowned but didn''t say anything. The Lane family was bankrupt. Nixon couldn''t hurt her asong as he was with Rose. While Finley reported to him, she had a long dream. She could see the countless people in the dream very clearly this time. She even remembered the origin of the pattern.


    When she was a child, she saw that pattern countless, times in her mother''s notebook. It was the pattern on a badge. Her mother also handed a badge to her as if it was important.


    But over the years, she had gradually forgotten the meaning of that badge. She only remembered that her mother had taken the badge back before the car ident. Before that business trip, her mother handed her a coin and asked her to keep it safe. Her mother once jokingly told her that the coin was priceless and that one day... She couldn''t remember what happened next. After her mother passed away, she kept the coin with her. But where was that coin now?


    In the dream, she seemed to be searching for something but couldn''t find it. She was anxious and abruptly opened her eyes.


    "Rosie, you finally woke up!"


    He Shows His Identity


    A man''s voice sounded, which mixed with joy as if he was relieved. He immediately pressed the bedbell. "Doctor, she''s awake! Come here now!"


    Then, she heard footsteps. She opened her eyes and looked at the white ceiling. Clover and Emily also rushed over.


    He approached her and said, "Rosie, look at me! Do you recognize me?"


    As the president of Lerain Group, he looked particrly childish to point at himself. She turned her head and smiled. "Clover, are you worried that I''ve lost my memory again?"


    He was a little embarrassed. But soon, he was relieved that she still remembered him.


    "You know nothing! When I saw you yesterday, you fainted in his arms and looked pale. It was so scary! I thought.."


    He was scared just thinking about it.


    "Sorry for making you worry."


    She nced at Emily, then at Jonathan. She was about to say something when the doctor hurried into the ward.


    After checking her, he concluded, "She is fine now."


    Jonathan breathed a sigh

 Billionire 296

    Want to Find Out His Identity


    Before Anastasia finished speaking, Rose interrupted her. She frowned and looked at her. Roses stopped what she was doing and walked to her.


    "Grandpa will wake up, so don''t say anything nonsense," she warned.


    Her voice was very soft, but Anastasia could sense a hint of cruelty. It seemed that if she said something unlucky again, she would p her in the face to teach her a lesson.


    The feeling of being suppressed made her feel extremely aggrieved. The more Rose warned her not to talk nonsense, the more she insisted on talking.


    Hence, she met her gaze and said, "What I said is the truth. He''s been in this state. If he doesn''t wake up, what''s the difference from dying?"


    Before she could finish speaking, Rose raised her hand without hesitation and pped her in the face. The snap resounded throughout the ward. Anastasia was caught off guard. The pain was apanied by anger, burning all over her face. "You ..."


    She stared at Rose. She didn''t expect her to hit her.


    "Do you know what this ce is?"


    "I know," Rose replied faintly.


    "You..."


    Rose raised her lips coldly.


    "So, stop saying nonsense!"


    As long as she heard something harsh, she would teach Anastasia a lesson even in the hospital. Anastasia gritted her teeth as she watched her return to the hospital bed to continue wiping Oliver. She was filled with hatred, but she didn''t dare to say anything more.


    Rose slowly continued, "If you''re very free, why not go back to Young Estate to look for clues and find out how Grandpa fell that day."


    During this time, they had been paying attention to Oliver''s condition in the hospital. No one thought about what happened at the birthday banquet that day.


    Anastasia stared at Rose with aplicated expression. After a while, she finally left the ward after taking a nce at Rose''s back. She went straight to Young Estate.


    As soon as she walked in, she asked Patrick to gather all the servants and the staff hired to take charge of the banquet. She even investigated the surveince cameras in the front yard and the hall.


    At this time, in a dark room, Kelly woke up with pain all over her body. She had woken up countless times in the past few days. However, every time she faced the next wave of threats and possessions.


    Want to Find Out R''s Identity


    This time, as soon as she regained consciousness, she jumped out of bed and leaned against the corner of the wall defensively. Then, she looked around cautiously.


    It was night. There was no light in the room, she just looked around after adapting to the light in the room. She didn''t see the man. However, she didn''t dare to let down her guard.


    She looked at the room where surveince cameras might be installed, and tentatively shouted, "Where are you? Come out!"


    After she shouted, she was surrounded by fear again. If that person was still here, she knew exactly what she would face when he came out.


    Fortunately, there was no response for a while. There was no movement in the room except her. Finally, she gradually felt relieved. She turned on the light, and a huge mirror in the room illuminated her. The moment she saw the person in the mirror, she subconsciously screamed. She was unable to believe the bruises on her body.


    In the past few days, every time the man started, he would ask her to drink a ss of water. After that, she couldn''t help herself. Her vision was blurry, and even her memory was blurry.


    Nevertheless, even if the memory was blurry, she remembered what happened. Humiliation spread from the bottom of her heart. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists fiercely. Her eyes were scarlet. She, the heiress to the Young family, was treated in this way. Who was that man? She tried to recall, but couldn''t find any clues.


    Suddenly, she saw a piece of paper on the table, with a few words crookedly written on it.


    "You''re very enthusiastic, I''m very satisfied. See you next time."


    The signature of a smiling face made her whole body tingle.


    "Ah!"


    She frantically tore up the paper. The man didn''t mention the video. However, his meaning was clear. She was fooled. He wanted to use that video to threaten her to do something she didn''t want to.


    She was extremely angry. She quickly went into the bathroom and washed herself. After putting on the clothes, she left the room as if she was running away.


    Passing by the pharmacy, she went into the store and bought some medicine out of uneasiness. After taking the pills, she hurriedly took a taxi and left.


    Little did she know that as soon as she got in the car, Nixon appeared outside the pharmacy.


    He was dressed in ck and wearing a cap. With his head slightly lowered, he almostpletely covered his entire face.


    "Kelly, you still don''t believe me after all,"


    He sneered with a hint of self-mockery. In an instant, there was only endless coldness and viciousness in his eyes. Suddenly, his phone rang. Upon seeing the familiar number on it, he picked it up.


    "Hello?"


    Want to Find Out As Identity


    He lowered his voice, not wanting Kelly to sense any ws.


    "You don''t keep your word!" Kelly used angrily through gritted teeth.


    She left in such a hurry just now that she forgot she had his phone number.


    "So what? Don''t worry, as long as I can see you next time, I won''t give that video to anyone, but only if you obey me."


    His voice was ghostly. Kelly closed her eyes unwillingly and hung up the phone.


    After a while, she opened her eyes. As if she had made a decision, she told the driver the address of Young Estate. She couldn''t sit still and wait for death.


    Hence, she gave up on going to the hospital. Instead, she would go to Young Estate to find clues about the man. She wanted to reveal him.


    Upon returning to Young Estate, she was surprised to see the grand scene in the living room.


    "Kelly, you''re back," Anastasia said.


    She only remembered that Kelly hadn''t been there these past few days when she saw her. She immediately became suspicious and looked at her with searching eyes. "Where have you been these days?"


    "Where have I been? Can I tell anyone about my experience these days?" Kelly thought.


    She wished she could erase the humiliation of the past few days. However, facing Anastasia, she couldn''t show any ws.


    "I went to the church as I wanted to pray for Grandpa and asked God to bless him. Is Grandpa okay?"


    She looked at Anastasia tentatively but didn''t dare to reveal too many emotions.


    "Grandpa is still in aa. No one knows when he will wake up."


    Anastasia nced at her suspiciously. She wondered when Kelly had faith in religious belief.


    Catching a glimpse of the mess on her clothes, she frowned and asked, "Kelly, what''s wrong with your body?"


    As she spoke, she grabbed her wrist with concern, trying to see what was going on under her clothes.

 Billionire 297

    His Torture


    His Torture


    Kelly resisted instinctively. The moment Anastasia grabbed her wrist, she forcefully shook her hand away as if she was electrocuted.


    "Kelly?"


    Her reaction made Anastasia even more suspicious. Kelly bit her lip. She didn''t care much anymore, for fear that Anastasia would realize something. She then ran upstairs in panic. After returning to the room, she took another shower.


    She used concealer to cover up the marks on her bodyyer afteryer until no trace could be seen at all. Then, she put on a piece of clothing and went out. She stood at the top of the stairs. She originally didn''t want to appear in front of Anastasia at this time. However, in the living room just now, all the servants of the Young Estate were present.


    There were even staff members specially hired that day. If she wanted to find the person who threatened


    her, she must look for clues from them.


    "Kelly? What are you doing standing there? Come down."


    Anastasia looked at her with suspicious eyes. Kelly couldn''t resist. She twitched her lips as she went downstairs. Nevertheless, she didn''t get close to Anastasia but sat on the sofa far away. Anastasia didn''t say anything as she saw it. She remembered Rose''s words-her top priority was to find


    out how Oliver fell that day.


    "I''ve seen the surveince just now, but there''s no surveince in the backyard. If any of you saw anything, please tell the truth. The Young family will offer a huge reward."


    She offered a mary reward as a temptation. The Young family would never break their promise of giving a reward. However, they didn''t see anything, and they didn''t dare to lie at all. When Anastasia asked this question, Kelly, on the sofa became even more nervous. When those people lowered their heads and remained silent for a long time, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. If nobody saw it, it must be that man. Thinking of what happened in the past few days, a chill lingered in


    her heart.


    When she saw the surveince of that day ying on theputer on the coffee table in front of the sofa, she couldn''t wait to get closer.


    Her eyes were locked on theputer screen. After finishing one, she switched to another.


    It was as if she wanted to see the situation in the living room and the front yard that day from 360


    degrees a without blind spot, not wanting to let go of any trace.


    Anastasia was surprised that she was so serious. Little did she know that she was just looking for a figure in the surveince cameras.


    These days, she didn''t have much waking time, but it was enough for her to remember the man''s figure. She was sure that she would recognize him once she saw him.


    His Torture


    However, she gradually became disappointed. She couldn''t find the figure in the surveince cameras. How could it be possible?


    Seemingly unwilling to give in, after watching thest surveince video, she started from the first one and watched it again. Nevertheless, she still didn''t find emotions gathering in her eyes. "Kelly, what are you looking for?" Anastasia asked as she seemed to realize something.


    Kelly was startled. However, this time, she was much calmer than before. In just a moment, she had


    restrained her true emotions.


    The unwillingness on her face showed just right as she said, "I want to see if there''s anyone suspicious who has appeared in the surveince and is not in the surveince."


    This thought made Anastasia frown as she asked, "Do you think the person is a guest?"


    "I don''t know."


    Kelly shook her head. Despite her words, she seemed to be guiding her to follow her thoughts.


    "It could be a guest or anyone. I just don''t want to let go of any possibility. Rose said it wasn''t her, but she also said that it was her fault. If saw it..."


    Anastasia understood her meaning. She stared at her as if thinking about something. After all the trouble, they found nothing.


    Anastasia had beenpeting with Rose these past few days and didn''t sleep well. As fatigue hit her, she dismissed everyone.


    After Anastasia returned to the room, Kelly also returned to the room. When she left the living room, she frowned slightly as she saw a list of additional staff hired that day. "Are all the people on the list here?" she asked the person in charge.


    The person in charge nodded. She seemed to have caught something and was shocked. She took the list and asked the person in charge to send a list of people with photos to her mailbox. After returning to her room, the first thing she did was open the email and screen the people on the list one by one.


    However, after excluding them one by one, there''s still no one simr to that person.


    "Damn it!"


    She was so angry that she almost threw away her phone. She was the only one in the room at this time, so she dared to show all her anger.


    She resisted throwing her phone away. Suddenly, an unfamiliar call came in. Looking at thest few digits of the number, her hands shook in fright. Then, she dropped the phone to the ground.


    The phone rang for a long time, but she didn''t dare to answer it. Fortunately, after the call automatically disconnected, the person didn''t call again.


    Over the night, she was woken up by the phone twice in session while she was sleeping. It was the same number. That person seemed to be deliberately torturing her.


    His Torture


    She simply turned off her phone. Nevertheless, she couldn''t sleep anymore. The figure of that man was in her mind, following her like a shadow.


    In the hospital. Early in the morning, Rose came to the ward. Jonathan apanied her. Even when they were alone, he was not far outside the ward, waiting like a bodyguard.


    She rarely spoke these days. Even Finley noticed something strange about her.


    "I didn''t expect Mrs. Finch to have such a deep affection for Mr. Young Senior. Those who don''t know it may think she''s his granddaughter."


    He looked at her with awe in his eyes. Rose was a person who valued love and justice. Jonathan had good taste.


    However, when he thought of something, he couldn''t help butin, "Where''s Ms. Kelly from the Young family? I haven''t seen her appear once in the past few days. Mr. Finch, where does she go?" He was a little curious. However, when he looked up and saw Jonathan frowning, he knew that he had said too much. He immediately shut up.


    Then, he said incoherently, "Mr. Finch, I''m going to prepare some food for Mrs. Finch."


    He left in a running manner. Jonathan stood alone at the door and looked at her figure in the ward with solemn eyes. He knew that she had always dared to love and hate. She also valued love and justice. In the past few days, she had put almost all her energy into Oliver. She was a little alienated from him. He told himself that Oliver''s condition was still unknown, and it was human nature for her to worry.


    However, the look in her eyes asionally made him have another suspicion in his heart. He had thoughts of temptation several times, but in the end, he gave up the idea because of the worry in his heart


    "Mr. Finch..."


    The voice was very soft as if it was deliberately suppressed to prevent others from hearing it. However, in the ward, Rose was startled.


    X

 Billionire 298

    Are You Injured


    Are You Injured


    As the director called Jonathan, Jonathan''s look made his heart tremble. Realizing something, he swallowed guiltily and made a gesture of invitation as he wanted to talk with him.


    Jonathan nced at the ward again before following him to the director''s office.


    Almost as soon as the office door closed, Jonathan immediately acted as a superior as he sat directly in front of the desk and asked, "What''s the matter?"


    The director was speechless. If he hadn''t gotten used to it, he would have thought he was under too much work pressure and was hallucinating.


    In front of Rose, Jonathan still had a reserved temperament. When people first saw him, they would only be surprised by his handsome appearance.


    Nevertheless, without Rose, people couldn''t look at his handsome appearance as they were suffocated by his intimidating coldness.


    "Mr. Finch, after we did aprehensive examination of Mrs. Finch, we contacted several experts from the Brain Department and Neurology Department. We focus on looking at the X-ray of her brain. We found some changespared with the previous X-rays."


    Jonathan''s hand, which was tapping the desk, paused slightly. As the regr tapping sound stopped, the director immediately stopped talking and observed his expression tentatively,


    "Is it possible that she regains her memory?" Jonathan asked.


    "That''s how it should be. Congrattions, Mr. Finch..."


    The director wanted to tter him, but he stood up abruptly and strode out of the office. The director thought he was excited to hear the news. However, when he turned around, he saw his solemn back. He was confused. Shouldn''t he be happy? He couldn''t guess what he was thinking, nor did he dare to


    guess.


    When Kelly arrived at the hospital, she was startled to see Rose in the ward.


    Perhaps due to the humiliation and torture she had suffered in the past few days and the frustration of not being able to find the person who threatened her, she immediately walked into the ward with a sullen face and pulled Rose away.


    "What are you doing here?"


    She stared at Rose while trembling. Last night, Anastasia only mentioned that Oliver was in aa. She didn''t say that Rose had woken up.


    She was taking care of Oliver. She wondered if she wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to leave a good impression.


    You pushed Grandpa and caused all the consequences. Aren''t you shameless to appear here?"


    Kelly''s indignant usations made it seem as if Rose was the culprit who pushed Oliver down. She was


    Are You Injured


    using her just like before.


    Even if it wasn''t Rose, as long as the video wasn''t exposed, her words could still guide public opinion. She met her gaze, but it onlysted for ten seconds. Under her gaze, she felt a hint of guilt.


    As if to hide something, she raised her hand and hit Rose. Nevertheless, before she even touched her, a big hand grabbed her wrist. The force almost crushed her.


    "Ah..."


    In pain, she looked at the person who was stopping her. She thought it was Jonathan, but he was standing at the door of the ward. He frowned slightly, focusing all his attention on Rose. The person holding her wrist firmly at this time was Finley.


    "Don''t be rude to Ms. Young," Rose said.


    Even Kelly was surprised that she addressed her as Ms. Young. Had she admitted that she was the true heiress to the Young family?


    However, if she admitted it, why did she still look at her the same way as before, without even the slightestpliment? "Alright," Finley replied.


    He was also surprised by Rose''s ordering tone. However, he didn''t think much about it. He also felt disgusted to hold Kelly''s wrist.


    He pursed his lips. As he let go of her wrist, he lost control and slightly pushed her. Kelly suddenly lost bnce and sat down on the ground. The heiress to the Young family was in such a terrible state. There was a sneer on Rose''s lips. When she nced at Kelly''s slightly exposed wrist, she noticed a bruise on it and frowned.


    "Are you injured?" she asked.


    At this time, Kelly was still sitting on the ground. She was embarrassed and unwilling. Nevertheless, under Rose''s gaze, she hid her hands guiltily. Her actions attracted Rose''s attention more and more. However, she didn''t continue to explore. Kelly also seemed worried about what Rose would continue to explore. After that, she did not make any moves. Oliver didn''t wake up.


    Kelly was uneasy after all. Staring at Oliver on the bed, the malice in her heart gradually emerged. With the will, it would be more beneficial to her if Oliver died than if he continued to live.


    After making a n, she looked for the opportunity to take action. However, Rose stayed in the ward every day, which became her biggest obstacle.


    On this day, Rose finally left the ward to have another full-body examination. Only then did Kelly find an opportunity.


    Nevertheless, she didn''t know that when she wanted to seize this opportunity, she had stepped half into the trap.

 Billionire 299

    Make


    Poison Oath


    Make a Poison Oath


    When Rose walked out of the room, she left behind the phone that recorded the video. The phone was hidden on the sofa. The angel was able to take a clear video of everything in the hospital bed. Rose doubted Kelly, but she needed proof to support her suspicions.


    After leaving the ward, she quietly told Finley, "Go and guard outside Mr. Young Senior''s ward. If there''s any movement in the ward, go in."


    She wanted to test Kelly, but she couldn''t let her seed. Not after she left, Kelly entered the room. She carefully made sure there was no one outside the door before going in with confidence. She looked at Oliver on the bed. She knew that if something happened to him, the doctor would be here quickly. Miles, Anastasia, and even Rose would question her suspiciously.


    However, she couldn''t care much anymore.


    "Grandpa..."


    She sat in front of the hospital bed and held Oliver''s hand. Her eyes were sincere as if she was full of feelings for Oliver.


    "Wake up soon, please. I miss you... We have just known each other not long ago. I don''t want to lose you. Grandpa..."


    While speaking, she became increasingly emotional. As if she couldn''t suppress her grand-father- granddaughter''s feelings for Oliver, she cried silently at first, then gradually burst into tears. In the end, she even threw herself on his body.


    "Grandpa, wake up quickly."


    Where no one saw, she held down the oxygen tube. She was already prepared. Even if Miles and Anastasia questioned her and doubted her, she could im that everything was an ident.


    She just needed to y a scene. Outside the ward, Finley felt funny when he heard Kelly''s sincere words. Even he felt that she had too many traces of acting.


    However, through the ss window, he didn''t notice anything unusual. In the ward, Kelly was still calling Oliver. Suddenly, she saw his fingers move. Her face instantly stiffened.


    She wanted to kill him, but she didn''t want to wake him up. With a look of cruelty in her eyes, her hand touched the oxygen tube.


    "Kelly, what are you doing?"


    The sudden voice made her startle. Before she could see the owner of the footsteps, Miles had already entered the next moment and pulled her away.


    The force made her take a few steps and fall into the sofa. At this time, all Miles was concerned about was Oliver''s condition. Upon seeing his slightly twitching eyelids, he immediately called the doctor.


    While everyone was gathering around Miles, Kelly was still on the sofa. Her expression changed when she touched a phone. The phone was recording the video. Everything she did just now was recorded.


    Make a Poison Oath


    There was a bang in her head. After a moment of nkness, fear followed. She tried hard to recall what she had just done. She panicked and couldn''t calm down for a long while. Just then, she heard the doctor say, "Congrattions, Mr. Young. Mr. Young Senior has a good fate. He''s showing signs of waking up. He should have a strong will to survive."


    The doctor made further exnations before leaving the ward. The atmosphere in the ward became a bit weird. Miles''s eyes slowly nced at Kelly.


    The look made her shiver in her heart. Nevertheless, she soon hid her guilt and fear. As she got up from the sofa, her face was filled with joy.


    "Great, Grandpa is waking up. Miles, I thought Grandpa just fell asleep like this and ignored me ..."


    She seemed to be excited. To her, tears were like a faucet controlled by a switch. She could cry sincerely whenever she needed it. She met Miles''s gaze with tears in her eyes. However, his face was still grim. Kelly knew that she couldn''t show anything suspicious under his eyes. She had to keep acting.


    "Grandpa, you must have heard me calling you just now, right?¡±


    She turned to look at Oliver and held his hand.


    "The doctor said that you have a strong will to survive. I know that you''re still thinking about me. We just know each other, you must be reluctant to leave me... Grandpa, since you can''t let go of me, please open your eyes and take a look at me."


    As soon as Rose entered the room, she heard Kelly''s words. She furrowed her eyebrows involuntarily. On the way here, Finley had told her everything about this.


    Even if Miles didn''t show

 Billionire 300

    Thrown Out


    Thrown Out


    The voice was old and weak, but it was clear enough for people to hear clearly. In the ward, the three people were stunned. Rose and Miles stepped forward subconsciously. "Grandpa?" they called out tentatively as they looked at Oliver eagerly.


    However, Oliver still had his eyes closed, and his face was pale. It was as if the "Kelly" they heard just now was their illusion.


    Even Kelly, who was shocked, felt a little relieved when she saw that there was nothing abnormal about Oliver. At that moment, her heartbeat even skipped a beat.


    She had just made a poisonous oath... Thinking of her vow, she bit her lip with a guilty conscience. Fortunately, Oliver didn''t wake up. Nevertheless, the scene was not over yet.


    She held Oliver''s hand and said, "You''ve wronged me so much, and Grandpa will see it. It doesn''t matter how much I''ve been wronged, but if you hurt Grandpa''s heart like this, you ..." "Enough!" Rose interrupted her coldly when she wanted to continue.


    If Rose had just suspected Kelly''s intentions toward Oliver, she was now sure that she didn''t care about him. There was a hint of disgust in her eyes.


    She stared coldly at Kelly and said, "Go out!"


    The disgusted tone made Kelly''s face stiffen. She wanted to go out so that she didn''t have to face the questioning from the two of them. Nevertheless, why did she have to listen to Rose? Why did she look at her with that gaze and talk to her in that tone?


    "I''m Grandpa''s granddaughter. It''s you who should go out!"


    She raised her chin and met Rose''s gaze. It was as if she wanted topete with her, to prove that she was more noble and superior to Rose.


    She didn''t know that her ugly face fell in Miles''s eyes. His face was full of disgust. As he was about to say something, two security guards came in. When Kelly saw the security guards, she immediately ordered, "You guys are here just in time. Throw this person out. She''s affecting my grandfather''s rest." She was the true heiress of the Young family. Whether as a patient''s family member or just with her status, she was enough to order the security guards. She sneered in her heart, waiting to see Rose thrown out in embarrassment. However, the security guards stepped forward and grabbed her wrists. "What are you doing?" Kelly asked sternly as her expression changed.


    The security guards didn''t even look at her. They held her and quickly dragged her out of the ward.


    "Let me go! Do you know who I am?"


    Kelly was extremely angry. Her shout attracted the attention of many people along the way.


    Thrown Out


    As more and more people gathered to watch, her face turned red with embarrassment. She simply lowered her head and stopped shouting.


    "I can leave by myself."


    She wanted to break away from the security guards. Nevertheless, the security guards didn''t seem to hear what she said. Their hands didn''t rx for a moment. Then, they threw Kelly outside the hospital. She staggered and managed to steady her body before falling.


    However, the sight of passers-by attracted by her movement just now was enough to make her feel extremely humiliated. In a panic, she could only raise her hands to cover her face. She med all of this on Rose. Unwilling to give up, she wished she could go in right now and take revenge on Rose. However, as soon as she took a step, she gave up the idea. The hospital was owned by Finch Group. The security guards didn''t listen to her just now. They should have been ordered by someone else. That person ...


    Jonathan''s figure appeared in her mind. There was a trace of shame and anger in her heart. Jonathan was inside, and he was standing up for Rose.


    She would only feel more humiliated if he saw her embarrassment when she went in.


    "Rose, wait for me!"


    She stared at the hospital fiercely and secretly swore in her heart that she would trample Rose under her feet. At this time, after Kelly was brought away, the ward remained quiet.


    Rose nced at the door. A tall figure leaned outside the door, with only half of his body exposed. She knew who he was, and she even knew that it was him who called the security guards in. Nevertheless, she had no time to care about him. She took a nce at Oliver, who was still with his yes closed. As if wanting to confirm something, she hurried to the sofa and took out her phone. After watching the video, she felt lingering fear. Kelly... She was lying on Oliver''s body so aggressively just


    now.


    If she touched something, and there was no concrete evidence in the video, she would only im that she acted identally and unintentionally.


    Then, she would cry to show her innocence and let the matter go. She had had enough to see her acting.


    "Miles, I have something to tell you," she suddenly said


    The two of them looked at each other and walked out of the ward together.


    On the hospital roof, Rose said directly, "I always feel that something''s missing in Kelly''s affection toward Grandpa. Judging from the situation just now, I have to doubt that Kelly has the intention of harming Grandpa. However, she''s still his granddaughter after all..."


    She thought of that day on the bridge of Young Estate where Oliver still insisted and asked her to apologize to Kelly. It was enough to show how much he protected his granddaughter.


    If Kelly had bad thoughts about him... She looked at Miles as if she wanted to know his opinions. Miles


    Thrown Out


    still couldn''t erase from his mind the ferocious look he saw on Kelly''s face at the door of the ward.


    Even if she made various excuses, he didn''t believe that that moment was his illusion. He understood


    Rose''s concerns.


    As soon as she finished speaking, he said firmly, "I won''t let her have another chance to get close to Grandpa."


    Having said that, they all knew that it was not enough for them to guard against Kelly. When Oliver woke up, he would still protect her. If he wanted to meet Kelly, none of them could stop him. Rose frowned as she had a headache. Suddenly, a thought shed through her mind.


    She couldn''t help but murmur, "When did Kelly have a pattern on her body?"


    There were also bruises on her wrists. There were more and more mysteries surrounding Kelly.


    After leaving the hospital, the depression in Kelly''s heart couldn''t be dissipated for a long time.


    As the true heiress to the Young family, she was humiliated by several adopted grandsons and granddaughters. She couldn''t bear the humiliation.


    She wanted to teach Rose a lesson, but she realized that there wasn''t even anyone around her who could help her. Suddenly, the figure of Nixon shed in her mind.


    If he were here, she could make him do anything for her as long as she used some small tricks to seduce him. It''s a pity that she felt disgusted even if he was willing to be her dog.


    There was a hint of disdain in her eyes. Soon, she thought of another person, and her eyes couldn''t help but light up.

 Billionire 301

    Find an Helper


    Maya... Last time, to let her avoid the conflict, Kelly asked her to leave Aquastead. However, she needed help now, and Maya was the best candidate.


    She immediately dialed her phone number.


    "You said you''re now the heiress to the Young family, but you..."


    On the phone, Maya was shocked to know Kelly''s current identity. She left Aquastead and went to Yeston. She had cut off any contact with the people in Aquastead.


    She didn''t even know that Kelly had be the heiress to the Young family. The Young family was one of the Three Greatest Families of Regalia. However, Kelly... Kelly knew what she was going to say. She interrupted her gloomily, "I was adopted by my mother from an orphanage. There are some things that I didn''t let you know."


    "But..."


    For so many years, she had been calling Jamie her father affectionately. She was his biological daughter.


    "I did a blood test with the Young family. It was confirmed that I''m rted to my grandfather. Is there anything doubtful about this?"


    Kelly''s tone became more and more unhappy. Maya''s doubts gradually dissipated. The rtionship confirmed by the blood test should be unmistakable.


    She immediately changed into a ttering and admiring attitude.


    "Congrattions, Kelly. I''ve always thought that you have an extraordinary temperament. I didn''t expect you to be the Young family''s bloodline. Then, Rose ..."


    She hadn''t forgotten that Rose was recognized by Oliver as his adopted granddaughter. She was just an adopted granddaughter, but she was admired by thousands of people.


    Now that Kely was the true heiress to the Young family, she could get erence she wanted. As for Rose...


    She asked probing Will Rose be jealous of you?"


    Kely was unhappy at the thought of being thrown out of the hospital.


    Before she answered Maya continued, "She must be jealous of you. There''s nothing to be proud of to be recognized as Mr. Young Senior''s granddaughter. She was just lucky at that time. No matter how lucky she is, there''ll be a time when the luck runs out. Once Mr. Young Senior doesn''t like her anymore, she''ll still be nothing


    But you''re different, Kelly. You''re the true heiress to the Young family, you can let her..."


    Mayal Kelly interrupted again.


    Maya suddenly stopped talking. She just realized that Kelly didn''t seem very happy.


    "Kelly, what''s wrong with you?"


    Kelly realized that her emotions were exposed. She tried her best to put on a faint smile.


    With a noble attitude, she said, "It''s nothing. Even though we''re not real cousins, I''ve regarded you as my sister for such a long time. I''m a member of the Young family, and I''ll naturally benefit you. Hence, hurry up ande back."


    It was as if she was giving a reward to Maya.


    Maya ttered, "Alright, Kelly. Don''t worry, I''ll buy the nearest ne ticket and rush back right away."


    When she thought that she was going to establish a rtionship with the Young family, she no longer thought about Kelly''s abnormality.


    She was determined that as long as she fawned on Kelly, she would enjoy glory and wealth in the future. Just thinking about it made her excited.


    Meanwhile, Kelly still felt uneasy after finding a helper. She could use Maya to


    deal with Rose, but what about the man who threatened her?


    She couldn''t find any clues. The longer the time passed, the fear in her heart became stronger. Every time she thought about him saying to meet her next time, she felt her scalp numb When she looked at her phone asionally, she was afraid that the person''s call would suddenlye in. She held her phone and gritted her teeth


    helplessly.


    Oliver''s condition gradually stabilized. It seemed that he was about to wake up. In the evening, Miles apanied him to the hospital. Meanwhile, Rose returned to Zenwood Gardens. After entering the door and turning on the light, a familiar scent hit her face When she saw the man leaning against the wall by the entrance, her heart skipped a beat.


    In the past few days, although the two of them saw each other from time to time, they rarely spoke. They also had little eye contact. Rose frowned, wondering why he was home.


    Their eyes met for less than a second before she looked away. She changed her shoes and went back to the room. Even with her back turned, she could feel that his eyes were always following her. After entering the room, she closed the door. After taking a hot bath anding out, he was gone. Where did he go? He felt a little disappointed in her heart.


    Sensing that hint of loss, she waved away those emotions as she nned to sleep. When she turned around and walked toward the bed, she didn''t notice the figure sitting on the sofa in the dim light. When she sat on the bed and turned on the light, she eximed as she saw the person on the sofa.


    "Ah..."


    Her heart almost jumped out of her chest.


    Find an Helper.


    Coming back to her senses, she said angrily, "You''re trying to scare me to death!"


    On the sofa, Jonathan had a cold face while holding a wine ss. He stared at Rose with a hint of resentment.


    "So you can see me?"


    Thinking of how she gave him cold shoulders these past few days, Rose naturally knew what he meant. She looked away slightly as if he didn''t exist. The atmosphere was strange.


    Suddenly, Jonathan gulped down the wine and strode forward. He grabbed her wrist aggressively, trying to make her look at him.


    Even though Rose felt a pain in her wrist, she still lowered her eyes and didn''t look at him.


    "You..."


    Jonathan gritted his teeth, not knowing what to do with her for a moment. He knew the reason why she deliberately ignored him.


    A trace of fear emerged as he stared at her as if he wanted to capture something. Then, he lowered his body and bit her lip. Rose frowned in pain. As if to vent her dissatisfaction, she also bit his lip. Jonathan couldn''t help but groan. Rose''s hard bite almost broke the skin, and a trace of blood spread in their mouths. Jonathan''s eyes were coated with a hint


    of unknown emotion.


    The bite that seemed to punish the other party before had gradually changed its objective. The room heated up rapidly. Jonathan raised his hand and turned off the light, leaving only their breathing sound. After a while, when Rose came back to her senses, she was shocked to realize what had just happened. At this moment, she was lying on the bed naked.


    A wave of heat rushed into her mind. Her first reaction was to leave quickly, but this was her room. She nced at the man next to her, wondering why he didn''t leave.


    Find an Helper


    He was lyingfortably on her bed as if it was his bed. Finally, she epted the reality that he wouldn''t leave. The weird atmosphere was suffocating.


    Since he wouldn''t leave, she would. Just as she was about to make a move, a big hand grasped her wrist. As their skin touched, her body suddenly froze. Feeling that he turned his face and focused on her, she pulled up the quilt on her chest uneasily.

 Billionire 302

    So Kind


    "How long are you going to avoid me?" Jonathan said in a low voice.


    He stared at her without averting his eyes. He even turned over and forced her to face him. Rose furrowed her brows. She could argue with him for that. Taking a deep breath, her eyes which had been avoiding him slowly moved up to meet his dark eyes.


    "Then how long are you going to keep it a secret from me?"


    Her question wasced with sarcasm and self-deprecation. Almost instantly, something copsed in Jonathan''s eyes. He naturally understood her meaning. The panic that he had previously suppressed became more intense now.


    "Rosie..."


    He wanted to exin, but Rose had a faint smile on her face.


    "I should have recognized you. A host in a bar can spend one billion without even blinking an eye... The Finches''s rtive? I''ve underestimated you, Mr. Finch..."


    There were many people with thest name Finch in this world, but there was only a person called Mr. Finch. Her tone made Jonathan''s heart tremble.


    He subconsciously called out, "Wifey ..."


    "Mr. Finch, I''m not worthy to be your wife."


    Rose''s eyes became colder out of anger. After she fainted and woke up that day, she remembered everything. She saw the director of the hospital being very respectful to him.


    When she heard someone calling him Mr. Finch, she remembered all the things that were wrong in the past.


    He had been acting as her husband. Meanwhile, whenever she met Mr. Finch, she had never seen his true face. She thought he had some hidden disease on his face, so he wore the mask.


    She also thought that he helped her investigate her mother''s car ident because he was attracted to her. She was worried and defensive.


    However, she didn''t expect that her dear husband was the dignified Mr. Finch. What was his intention in facing her with two identities?


    Was he afraid that she would get entangled with him after knowing his identity? Or was he just treating her as a toy for fun in Aquastead? After returning to Regalia, everything would be over. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She hated the feeling of being yed with.


    She suddenly pushed Jonathan away and said coldly, "I''m going to rest. Can you go out, Mr. Finch?"


    Jonathan didn''t move as he didn''t want to go out. Rose looked into his eyes with a sneer.


    "Or do you want to do it again?"


    As she spoke, she wanted to pull back the quilt on her chest. However, Jonathan grabbed her hand. He saw disgust in her eyes.


    During this period, he forgot that she didn''t like Mr. Finch from the beginning, and even resented him. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the quilt for her, turned over, and got out of bed. Before going out, he said in a low voice, "Have a good rest."


    Then, the door was closed, isting the two people. That night, both of them had no sleep. The next day, when Rose went to the hospital, she didn''t see


    Jonathan.


    Nevertheless, Finley was there.


    As soon as he saw her, he stepped forward and said, "Ma... Ms. Shaffer ..."


    He almost called out "Madam", but immediately changed his words.


    Upon seeing that Rose''s expression was not good, and rting to Jonathan''s tone when he called him this morning and asked him to protect Rose, he


    couldn''t help but specte what happenedst night


    However, he soon recovered his thoughts


    He passed a document bag to Rose and said, "Ms. Shaffer, you asked me to check this yesterday. They''re all here"


    Rose took the document bag. Thinking of Jonathan, her brows furrowed even


    Finley was Jonathan''s subordinate. She despised herself when she realized that while she hated him for ying with her, she used his people to help her. Then, she smiled and thanked Finley. "Thank you. I''ll treat you to coffee."


    She thought to herself that after using him this time, she would have to be careful and draw clear boundaries in the future. When she entered the ward, Finley was still stunned.


    He suddenly felt that things were bing even stranger. However, Rose was so kind as to treat him to coffee. On the other hand, in the ward, Rose wiped Oliver''s body as usual.


    Then, she took out the document bag Finley had just given to her. Contained in the bag was the blood test report of Oliver and Kelly. She was surprised to see the result which showed that they had a kinship.


    She had no doubts when Kelly became the true heiress to the Young family. However, she could sense her sinister intentions toward Oliver, and she had to doubt her identity.


    Nevertheless, she was Oliver''s granddaughter. Did she misunderstand her? She put away the documents and sat in front of Oliver''s hospital bed.


    Upon seeing his pale hands, she felt inexplicably distressed. Suddenly, in her sight, his finger moved slightly. She was a little startled. She thought she had seen it wrong, but another finger moved. Then, a voice sounded, "Rietta..."


    He was calling Henrietta. Her heart seemed to skip a beat. She looked up suddenly and saw Oliver opening his eyes.


    Tears welled up almost subconsciously as she called, "Grandpa ..."


    Her voice was choked. She suddenly came back to her senses and called the doctor. During the doctor''s examination, she stood beside the bed. Oliver never took his eyes off her for a moment. Just ten minutester, Miles, who had just left shortly, returned. Anastasia also followed.


    "There''s nothing serious about Mr. Young Senior. It''s just that he had hit his head. I don''t know if his memory will be affected. We need to observe itter."


    Oliver''s previous memory had been in a chaotic state. It was rted to his brain disease.


    After sending the doctor away, Rose, Miles, and Anastasia gathered around the bed and asked concernedly, "Grandpa, do you remember me? I''m Anastasia ..."


    Oliver blinked and looked confused. The three of them looked at one another.


    "Grandpa, I''m Miles ..."


    Oliver moved his gaze toward Miles and frowned. Could he remember them? Rose was a little panicked. He heard him call Henrietta just now. He should remember... She tried to put on a smile as she said, "Grandpa, I''m Rose, Rosie ..."


    11


    Everyone looked at Oliver. When his gazended on Rose, a smile appeared on his face.


    He said indulgently, "Rose? Rosie?"


    The three of them almost suffocated. Just when they came to the conclusion that Oliver couldn''t remember, he suddenly took Rose''s hand.


    His tone became more doting as he said, "You''re Rietta, my daughter.


    "No, Grandpa, I''m Rosie ..." Rose tried to exin.


    "You''re Rietta. You''re so naughty. I''m not stupid, how can I not recognize my daughter? Rietta, don''t think about ying tricks on me."

 Billionire 303

    Misunderstanding Their Rtionship


    The atmosphere in the ward was strange. The three of them looked at one another and realized a problem almost at the same time.


    Oliver couldn''t remember anyone, he just recognized Rose as his daughter, Henrietta.


    "Rietta, I''m so sorry for you. You''ve been wandering outside for the past 20 years. Now you''ve finally returned home. In the future, I''ll protect you when you''re by my side."


    Oliver held Rose''s hand. His old voice filled with firm strength.


    "Rietta, can you call me Daddy? Do you refuse to call me because you''re still angry with me? I haven''t looked for you in the past 20 years, instead, I treat others as my daughter. Don''t worry, you''re back. You''re the true heiress to the Young family, she''s not. Can you forgive me?"


    He looked at Rose sincerely. It seemed that he was expecting her reaction. Rose looked at Miles and Anastasia for help. Anastasia frowned and looked at her with a bit of hostility.


    She suddenly raised a smile and stepped forward to separate Rose from Oliver. Then, she held Oliver''s hand concernedly.


    "She''s not Rietta. Look at me ..."


    She and Rose had very simr eyes. She knew that the reason why she was chosen by Oliver to be raised as his granddaughter of the Young family was because her eyes looked simr to his daughter, Henrietta.


    However, it was just the eyes. Since they only had simr eyes, why did Oliver mistakenly identify Rose as Henrietta? She could be Henrietta too.


    Nevertheless, Oliver furrowed his brows as he looked at her.


    "Who are you?" he asked.


    The confusion on his face was real as if there was no trace of Anastasia in his memory. Anastasia''s heart felt as if it was being pulled hard by a hand, and there was a thud.


    In a panic, she said urgently, "I ..."


    Before she could finish speaking, Oliver broke away from her hand. He looked at Rose firmly.


    "She''s Rietta, my daughter. I don''t care who you are, no matter what your


    purpose is, you can''t have any bad thoughts on her. She''s my daughter!"


    "1


    Anastasia was stunned. She could feel his hostility and defensiveness. Suddenly, she remembered something and understood in her heart.


    "You all go out, Rietta stays," Oliver said.


    Rose looked at Miles. She was worried that he would misunderstand. She


    wanted to tell him that no matter what the situation was, she did not covet him or the Young family in the slightest.


    She was also caught off guard when Oliver mistook her as his daughter. Miles naturally understood her. Although he didn''t say anything, he gave her aforting look before walking out of the ward.


    The door to the ward was then closed. Outside the ward, Miles''s face was solemn. The only worry in his heart right now was Oliver''s health condition. However, Anastasia was different.


    "Miles, aren''t you sad? In the end, he can''t remember me or you.


    "His memory may still be about when Henrietta returned to the Young family. That time he believed our aunt, which resulted in Henrietta leaving home again. This time, he only has Henrietta in his heart. This has been a lifelong knot for him. Hence, he has to correct his previous mistakes this time."


    However, why did it have to be Rose? She couldn''t figure it out. She had always existed as a substitute for Henrietta because her eyes looked like hers.


    How she hoped that in this situation, she would be the one being mistaken as Henrietta.


    She clenched her fists while turning around. Through the ss window on the door, she saw Oliver look at Rose with a look of fatherly love on his face in the


    Misur


    ward. The jealousy in her heart grew wildly.


    It seemed that she might be unable to control herself if she took one more look. She withdrew her gaze and strode out of the hospital.


    *


    In the ward, Rose was still panicking. Oliver was calling her Rietta over and over. She knew that she was the one he was calling, but she couldn''t bear the disappointment on his expectant face. However, she felt weird to call him daddy. Oliver kept holding her hand and telling her some interesting things about Henrietta before she went missing when she was a child.


    His words were full of his longing and guilt for Henrietta after she decided to leave home again. He had forgotten that memory, but the guilt and longing in his heart did not diminish at all.


    Rose listened carefully and agreed. She couldn''t help but wonder what Henrietta looked like except that her eyes were somewhat simr to hers.


    If Henrietta had never been lost when she was a child, or if nothing happened that made her decide to leave home again, what kind of happy life would she


    have had with Oliver''s love?


    The more she thought about it, the more curious she became about her. After some time, Oliver finally felt tired. However, he refused to let go of her hand. "Rietta, don''t leave me," he pleaded.


    Rose''s heart trembled slightly. She stroked his rugged hand soothingly and said, "You can sleep peacefully. I''ll never leave."


    For the next day and night, Rose stayed with Oliver. Even if Miles was not in the ward, she had never left the hospital. When he asionally came in to visit Oliver, he would be surprised to see him.


    He asked Rose several times who he was. Rose didn''t know how to introduce the grandson he raised by himself to him. After hesitating several times, Oliver stopped asking.


    Misunderstanding Their Rtionship

 Billionire 304

    Showing Off and Being Ridiculed


    Rose tried several times to exin her rtionship with Miles. However, in Oliver''s eyes, he insisted on what he saw Having a headache, she gave up on exining.


    She believed that as long as Oliver remembered who Miles was, he would understand that his care and concern for him was not because of his love for her.


    It was just because he was the elderly that he cared about the most. Miles rarely even went to thepany and spent most of the time in the hospital. Even if he was not in the ward, he was paying attention to everything about Oliver from other ces. Meanwhile, Anastasia didn''t show up for several days. In the past few days, Anastasia almost stayed in bars all night and got drunk


    every day.


    Late at night, in the bar. Maya returned to Aquastead.


    Upon knowing that she had fawned over the heiress to the Young family while Kelly had also given her a huge amount of money, the frustration she felt before waspletely reced by tion.


    The first thing she did when she returned to Aquastead was to invite her former ssmates out for a drink. She even asked a male model to perform for fun.


    "Drink as much as you want and have fun. I''ll pay for all your purchases today."


    She was already half drunk. Those toxic friends who had never paid attention to her in the past couldn''t help but be curious upon seeing how prosperous she seemed to be.


    "Maya, you''re so prosperous now. Did you get some rich man?"


    Maya smiled disdainfully.


    "What kind of rich man? I despise those little potatoes in Aquastead. The


    person I''ll marry in the future must be from a wealthy family in Regalia.


    Some people didn''t believe it


    Someone entered and said, "The wealthy family in Regalia? Maya, you have to be realistic even if you''re dreaming"


    Maya suddenly became rich for some reason, but marrying into a wealthy family in Regalia was undoubtedly a big deal. The group of friends suddenly burst intoughter.


    Maya''s expression changed instantly. The most powerful families in Regalia were the Three Greatest Families of Regalia. Their wealth could be summed up in more than just the word "rich".


    Now that Kelly was the true heiress to the Young family, Maya could get in touch with people from those families. As long as there was a chance, she would take advantage of it.


    If Kelly hadn''t specifically told her not to cause trouble, she would have wanted to tell these people that one day, she would be able to marry into a wealthy family. "Whether it''s a dream or not, we''ll have to wait and see."


    Maya stood up suddenly. She wanted to regain some sense of existence in front of these social elites who ignored her. Nevertheless, she seemed to be


    wrong.


    They wouldn''t recognize her as their friend even if she spent moneyvishly and treated people to drink. She could only wait until she truly married into a wealthy family.


    Thinking of this, she suddenly lost interest in continuing to drink with them.


    "You guys continue, I''ll leave first."


    "Oh, it can''t be that you don''t want to pay again..."


    The word "again" from her toxic friend contained a lot of meaning: Before that person finished speaking, Maya looked over coldly. Then, she took out a card from her bag and showed it proudly.


    Showing Off and Being Ridiculed


    "Don''t worry, I''ll still pay for the bill. It''s just the price of a drink. Let them send the bill to me."


    With that, she turned and left. Behind her came the maliciousughter of the toxic friends.


    "Then... we won''t be polite. Thank you, Maya."


    Maya felt sullen in her heart. After leaving the bar, the cold wind wouldn''t dissipate the stuffy emotions. The ridicule of the toxic friends finally made her unable to bear it any longer.


    She called Kelly again, "Kelly, you''re the true heiress to the Young family. You must be able to get in touch with the wealthy families in Regalia, right?"


    Kelly furrowed her brows. She didn''t know why Oliver had no intention of returning to Regalia aftering to Aquastead.


    If he didn''t return to Regalia, she couldn''t get in touch with the wealthy families in Regalia, except Mr. Finch.


    There was a strange emotion in her eyes as she said faintly, "I''m from the Young family. With the Young family''s status in Regalia, of course, I can get in touch with other big families. What''s wrong? Do you want to marry into a wealthy family in Regalia?"


    She could tell Maya''s thoughts instantly.


    "Kelly, I''m your sister, of course, I''m qualified, right? Don''t worry, I can do anything for you. I will do whatever you ask me to do."


    The two of them had a tacit understanding. Something must have happened as Kelly asked her back. She would work for her, and she gave her what she


    wanted.


    The exchange of interests between the two was considered fair. Maya''s initiative to help her was exactly what Kelly wanted.


    She said calmly, "The Young family is rooted in Regalia. Miles came to Aquastead just to expand his business. Meanwhile, my grandfather came to Aquastead to look for me. Now that he has found me, of course, he has to go back, but..."


    Mays impatient as she asked "What?"


    he returns to Regaliam afraid that Rose will have to go


    Maya, fimm worried that she will block your way."


    might block her way to marry into a wealthy family. Maya immediately


    vignt. Even if Rose didn''t take the initiative to cause trouble for her,


    too much about her past.


    ver she once was, as long as Rose was around, she wouldn''t be able to change into a new look. Hence, Rose couldn''t go to Regalia.


    "If she can''t go to Regalia, you''ll take me there, right?" she asked with dim eyes.


    "Of course."Kelly''s lips twitched into a smile as she continued, "However, she has her freedom. As long as she wants to go, the gates of Regalia are open for her. What''s more, she''s the adopted granddaughter of the Young family. How can you stop her?"


    Mata was slightly stunned. Soon, a look of cruelty condensed in her eyes.


    "if she loses her freedom, if she''s no longer the adopted granddaughter of the Young family...


    She got more excited as she thought about it.


    "Kelly, don''t worry, I''ll make it impossible for her to go to Regalia. When the timees, you have to help me."


    "We''re sisters. Of course, I have to help you."


    After receiving Kelly''s promise, Maya hung up the phone with peace of mind. She kept thinking about how to make Rose lose her freedom and her identity as the adopted granddaughter of the Young family. She was so focused that she didn''t notice that there was someone behind her not far away who was keeping a certain distance from her. Anastasia knew Maya. She was Kelly and Rose''s cousin. Unexpectedly, she saw her failing to pretend to be prosperous in the bar just now and was ridiculed instead. She witnessed everything and quietly followed her out of the bar.


    415


    Showing off and Ring Midiculed


    What surprised her even more was that although she only heard Maya''s words on the call just now, she could figure out the general idea after thinking about it carefully. The adopted granddaughter of the Young family was Rose. Kelly didn''t want Rose to go to Regalia, and she had the same purpose.

 Billionire 305

    Do You Remember Henrietta


    However, both the Finch family and the Young family were in Regalia. Rose had a rtionship with Jonathan, and now Oliver only regarded her as Henrietta.


    If this continued, Rose might get the entire Young family. When the time came, she would be the biggest winner with the Finch family and the Young family in her hands. Anastasia was a bit unwilling.


    Not only because of Jonathan but also because she had been Henrietta''s substitute for so many years. In the end, Oliver couldn''t remember her and recognized Rose as Henrietta.


    "If she loses her freedom, if she''s no longer the adopted granddaughter of the Young family..."


    These words kept echoing in her mind. Maya in front had already taken a taxi


    and left. Anastasia walked forward in a daze. Suddenly, she stopped as if determined for something. Then, she dialed a number.


    The call was soon connected. A middle-aged woman''s voice came through.


    "Anastasia, long time no see. Why do you call me?"


    As soon as Chloe finished speaking, Anastasia called, "Aunty."


    The title made the person on the other end of the phone again. Chloe was surprised.


    When Oliver adopted Miles and Anastasia in the past, they knew that she deliberately created misunderstandings and designed to force Henrietta to leave.


    Although Oliver didn''t do anything to her, his attitude was very distant. Everyone knew that the existence of several adopted grandchildren was that Oliver wanted to cultivate new heirs. Therefore, the rtionship between the adopted grandchildren and her was not harmonious. Since she got married, everyone called her Mrs. Yones. Anastasia hadn''t called her "aunty" for a long time. However, she was now calling her "aunty", Thinking of the news she received a


    few days ago, she seemed to understand something.


    Anastasia, did something happen to your grandpa? Don''t worry, if anything happens to your grandpa, between you and Miles, of course, I''ll support you."


    Chice knew that because of what she did back then, she had already been excluded from being the heir of the Young family by Oliver.


    However, Anastasia said nonchntly, "Aunty, if something happens to Grandpa, you won''t support me anyway. You''ve had your world in your business for so many years, right?"


    Chloe remained silent. As many tacit things were brought to the light, the atmosphere suddenly became a bit weird.


    "Anastasia, you didn''t call suddenly just to say this, did you?"


    Chloe didn''t refute. She was more curious about the real purpose of Anastasia''s phone call.


    "Do you remember Henrietta?"


    Anastasia suddenly mentioned this name.


    Chloe''s eyes gradually became serious as she replied, "Of course, I remember, how can I forget? I know that Mr. Young Senior found her daughter. It seems that the inheritance pattern of the Young family has changed."


    She was not worried at all. What did matter even if Henrietta''s daughter was found?


    Even if a little girl got some inheritance rights, she would always subjected to others in the Young family if she didn''t have her power.


    "What if I tell you that Henrietta is back?"


    Chloe''s expression changed.


    "What do you mean?''


    Anastasia raised a smile as she was satisfied to be able to stir up her emotions.


    "Do you know Rose? For some reason, Grandpa mistakes her for Henrietta and


    215


    membe Hennelta


    insists that he''s right. It''s as if Henrietta is the only one in his memory and he loves her very much.


    "If the so-called ''Henrietta'' causes Grandpa to remember the time you framed Aunt Rietta, will all your ns and calctions be wiped out?"


    Chloe''s heart skipped a beat as her eyes flickered. She finally panicked. Over the years, Oliver had turned a blind eye to her and allowed her to stay in the Young family.


    However, the resentment from that time had always been suppressed in his heart.


    If he remembered it again, even if she had been rooted in the Young family for many years, she would not be able to stand up to a word from Oliver.


    Taking a deep breath, she calmed down and asked, "Her name is Rose, right? What''s her origin?"


    "You will know once you check it, won''t you?"


    After finishing her words, Anastasia hung up the phone. Chloe''s heart couldn''t calm down for a long time.


    "Mom, what''s wrong with you?" Gabriel asked concernedly.


    He had just finished a party with a group of rich second-generation friends in Regalia. When he returned home, he saw Chloe hadn''t slept yet, but she had a panicked and solemn look on her face. Chloe suddenly came back to her senses. Her eyes flickered as she tried to hide her emotions.


    "It''s nothing," she said.


    Upon seeing his sloppy outfit, she couldn''t help but frown.


    "Gabriel, you''re already in your twenties. Can you be more serious? You can learn from Miles


    ...


    11


    Gabriel became very impatient when she mentioned Miles. Miles had been on top of him since he was a child and was regarded as a role model to learn from.


    *


    His ears were almost filled with cocoons listening to Chloe''s advice.


    Chloe''s mumbling continued, "If you have half the ability of Miles..."


    "Mom!" Gabriel interrupted her impatiently and said, "Miles is himself. I can do whatever he can do. It''s just that I don''t have a ce in the Young family."


    Miles was personally raised by Oliver. Meanwhile, he could only be raised by his mother. He couldn''t receive any better chance. As long as there''s a chance, he could do better than Miles.


    As if to vent his dissatisfaction, he nced at Chloe and said, "Mom, instead ofining that I''m notpatible with Miles, why not try changing the Young family to the Jones family? I''ll do better than


    him."


    "You..."


    Chloe was so angry that her heart ached. Nevertheless, she had to admit that what he said made sense. Miles was the heir to the Young family with a


    transcendent status.


    If Oliver hadn''t known about what happened back then and had alienated her, she would still be the heiress to the Young family who was loved by thousands of people.


    Then, there wouldn''t be the adoption of Miles, Anastasia, and a series of other things in the future. The Young family would also be hers. It''s a pity...


    Thinking about what Anastasia said just now, she felt that she couldn''t sit still. She must go to Aquastead to meet Rose. However, if Oliver knew that she went, he would be more wary of her.


    If she couldn''t go, who could rece her? Thinking about the suitable candidates, her eyes suddenly fell on Gabriel.


    Gabriel was a sloppy person who was notoriously uneducated. If he went to Aquastead, and Oliver knew about it, he would just think that he was going there for fun.


    What''s more, Oliver didn''t seem to remember too many people. Perhaps he couldn''t remember Gabriel. Thinking of that, she made a decision immediately.


    *


    "Gabriel, go to Aquastead for me. You''ll set off early tomorrow morning. As for what to do and how to do it, I''ll think about it and tell you."


    What bothered Gabriel most was that Chloe arranged for him to do everything. However, he became interested in going to Aquastead as Miles and the others were all there. "Okay," he agreed immediately.


    Aquastead.


    Anastasia, who was nning to make a fuss, contacted another person after ending the call with Chloe.

 Billionire 306

    What Should I Do in Miss You


    What Should I Do if I Miss You


    Kelly had just finished talking to Maya. She looked at the caller in surprise.


    "Anastasia? Ha ..."


    She had not been to the hospital since she was kicked out of the hospital by Jonathan''s people that day. She didn''t see the news of Oliver''s death in the news, and she didn''t know if he was awake.


    It seemed that there was a situation at the hospital as Anastasia called her. She quickly answered the phone.


    "Anastasia, are you looking for me? Did something happen to Grandpa? It''s not that I don''t want to visit Grandpa, it''s because of Miles and Rose ..."


    She was full of grievances.


    Before she could finish speaking, Anastasia interrupted her, "Grandpa is awake."


    "Really?" Kelly eximed, seemingly unable to conceal her happiness.


    However, Anastasia didn''t care about her reaction at all. She just wanted her to go to the hospital to see what the situation was in the Young family now.


    "Kelly, if I were you, I would go to the hospital to visit Grandpa, no matter what the


    obstacles are."


    After saying that, Anastasia hung up the phone. Kelly''s face darkened as she stared at the hung-up phone.


    "What does she mean?"


    She frowned and gritted her teeth. After pondering for a long time, she knew that no matter what the profound meaning of Anastasia''s words just now was, she had to visit Oliver, who was awake. -After all, she was his granddaughter. Rose, Miles, and even Jonathan didn''t dare to do anything to her in front of Oliver. She didn''t waste a moment and went out after changing her clothes. She was wearing a white knee-length dress with her hair down. She deliberately dressed up to be fragile and pitiful as she wanted to show her grievances over the past few days in front of Oliver.


    What Should I Do in Miss You


    She took a taxi to Harmony Hospital. After getting out of the car, she received an unfamiliar call before she entered the hospital. Looking at the phone number, she


    felt as if she had fallen into an ice cer.


    She had been in fright for so many days, and now that person came to find her again. The phone was disconnected automatically after ringing for a long time. After a moment, the call came again. Kelly was so frightened that she trembled and dropped her phone to the ground. However, the phone was still ringing. She looked at the phone on the ground as if looking at a devil.


    She wanted to ignore it, but she suddenly thought of the video. Gritting her teeth, she tremblingly squatted down and picked up the phone. Then, she answered it.


    "You don''t want to pick up? Are you


    afraid?"


    As soon as the call was connected, the voice that made her panic came over. The voice was cold as ever, which made Kelly swallow. Before she could say anything, she heard the voice again. "You look nice in your dress today. You look as innocent as amb. I like it very much.


    There''s a bang in Kelly''s head. Realizing something, she stood up suddenly and looked around in panic. Nevertheless, there was almost no one outside the hospitalte at night. There was no figure she was looking for.


    The voice on the other end of the phone continued, "Stop looking for me. You can''t see me. I miss you. What should I do?"


    The low breath at the end gave Kelly a sense of fear.


    "What are you going to do?"


    Her voice trembled.


    "What do you think?"


    Kelly swallowed as she walked to a corner with the phone. She intended to negotiate with him.


    "If


    you want a woman, I can arrange one for you. I can also give you money. You can


    What Should I Do in Miss You


    have as much as you want, and you can have whatever you want."


    The man smiled creepily like a poisonous snake spitting out a message.


    "I only want you."


    Kelly''s heart sank. She suddenly felt that this man seemed to be full of hatred for her and deliberately tortured her in this way. "The hotel on the street in front, room 403. I''ll be waiting for you. If you don''te, I''ll definitely..."


    "I''lle!" Kelly answered him before he finished his words,


    If she didn''t go, he would expose the video. In that case, she would have no way out. She wouldn''t even have backup ns. "Good. Be obedient. The white dress you''re wearing today is designed to make you


    obedient."


    As he hung up the phone, these words still echoed in Kelly''s mind. She knew that the man was looking at her. Was it this white dress that caught his attention?


    Or was he here waiting for her and would call once she showed up? What did he want? The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. Meanwhile, Nixon, who was in the darkness, felt extremely happy when he saw Kelly''s dejected look. Thinking of tonight''s revelry, he withdrew his gaze and rushed to the hotel. Not long after, Kelly knocked on the door of the hotel room. As the door was opened, the darkness in the room almost swallowed her up.


    Before she had time to be frightened, a big hand pulled her into the darkness, followed by fierce desire. He still let her drink a ss of water likest time.


    The temperature in the room didn''t lower throughout the rest of the night. When she woke up the next day, she was the only one left.


    She searched everywhere in the room, but couldn''t find any clue about that person.


    She even went to the front desk to try to find something through the room reservation information, but she was informed that the room was not upied at allst night.


    "Shit!"


    What Should I Do in Miss You


    She gritted her teeth. Feeling unwilling, she had no choice but to go to the pharmacy again to buy medicine. After that, she came to Harmony Hospital again.


    She checked her dress. Fortunately, it was not damaged. Anyway, she was going to act miserable when she met Oliver today. It was better if she looked haggard.


    Hence, she walked into the hospital without makeup. In the ward, Oliver had had breakfast. After a few days of recuperation, he was able to sit on the sofa. He seemed to be in good spirits.


    He had nned to be discharged from the hospital today. Early in the morning, Miles hadpleted the discharge procedures. Rose apanied Oliver.


    Just as they were about to leave the ward, the door was pushed open. Rose thought it was Miles. However, she couldn''t help but be stunned when she raised her head.


    Kelly just nced at her before she looked at Oliver.


    "Grandpa, you finally woke up. I thought ..."


    She started to cry, choked with sobs and out of breath.


    "Grandpa, I wanted to visit you, but someone deliberately stopped me ..."


    She didn''t tell who the person who deliberately stopped her was as she wanted Oliver to ask. However, Oliver didn''t respond after a long time. He just looked at her with aplicated expression. Kelly was surprised and flustered at the same time. She wondered if he had known she was trying to kill him in the ward that day. However, it should be impossible as he was in aa. She swallowed secretly and looked at him pitifully.


    "Grandpa, I miss you so much. You''re the only blood-rted kin have in this world. If something happens to you, then I ..."


    "Little girl, wait a minute. Please don''t talk nonsense!"


    Oliver interrupted her before she could finish speaking. It was as if he was afraid of someone misunderstanding.

 Billionire 307

    Your Daughter Is Dead


    Your Daughter Is Dead


    He was worried that "Henrietta" would misunderstand.


    He looked at Rose beside him and exined seriously, "Don''t get me wrong. I only have you as my daughter. Apart from you, I have no blood rtives."


    He was afraid that his daughter would misunderstand that he had given his father''s love to someone else. Rose couldn''t help but be stunned by his reaction, followed by


    sadness.


    He must have suffered countless regrets and self-me in his heart over the years, so much so that the incident of his daughter returning home and leaving home became his knot.


    Upon seeing that she didn''t speak, Oliver frowned and looked at Kelly mefully.


    "You little girl, how can you talk nonsense and make my daughter misunderstand? Exin it to her yourself!"


    How was this going on? Kelly heard every word he said clearly, but she didn''t understand the meaning. How could Rose be his daughter? She tried hard to digest the situation in front of her. Soon, she was certain that Rose must have confused Oliver. She wouldn''t let her


    seed.


    She looked at Oliver sincerely as he said, "Grandpa, look at me carefully. I''m Kelly, your granddaughter."


    Oliver seemed to have heard a big joke. He held Rose''s hand and put it on his arm.


    There was a hint of showoff in his gentle tone as he said, "Little girl, you''re talking nonsense again. My daughter is still young. How will I have a granddaughter? Even if I do have a granddaughter in the future, she must be a little girl as beautiful as her."


    As for Kelly who was in front of him... She might look beautiful with makeup, but she was notpatible with Rose. Kelly cared about this very much.


    As embarrassment surged up, she blushed instantly. After a while, she seemed to want to bring Oliver back to consciousness as she grabbed his hand aggressively. Nevertheless, her touch caused his instinctive rejection. He took a step back. Kelly''s hand froze as she didn''t catch anything. The atmosphere was even more eerie.


    Your Daughter Is Dead


    There was displeasure hidden in Oliver''s eyes.


    He nced at Rose beside him and said, "Rietta, let''s go."


    The way he called Rose made Kelly startled. Thinking of Anastasia''s callst night, she understood that Oliver had mistaken Rose for Henrietta.


    However, she was his granddaughter. Even if he wanted to regard someone as Henrietta, that person should be her. Why should it be Rose? Suddenly, she thought of Rose and Celeste ...


    She swallowed guiltily. During this period, she regarded herself as the true heiress of the Young family. She subconsciously ignored the truth that she had hidden.


    Did Oliver mistake Rose for Henrietta due to a blood rtionship? She bit her lip as her eyes flickered. She waspletely panicked.


    She had nned everything and got into the Young family. Even Oliver had written a will that was beneficial to her. If the situation continued, and if he changed his will ...


    She shook her head, unwilling to think about the possibility. She couldn''t let this happen. She was the true heiress to the Young family, and the entire Young family belonged to her. Oliver and Rose had bypassed her and walked to the door.


    Suddenly, Kelly seemed to try to catch something as she turned around and shouted, "Your daughter is dead!"


    At the door, Oliver suddenly stopped while Rose furrowed her brows. She


    subconsciously held Oliver tighter. Kelly seemed to have seen an opportunity as she immediately strode up to Oliver. She looked at him aggressively.


    "Grandpa, she''s not your daughter. My mother is dead. Please don''t be deceived by someone with bad intentions."


    Oliver''s eyebrows furrowed more and more tightly. Rose remained a calm face. The only thing she cared about at this time was Oliver''s body. As for what Kelly said ...


    She was not afraid of being used as she had been upright. On the other hand, Kelly seemed to be not afraid of the consequences if she irritated Oliver.


    "Grandpa, let me help you go in and sit down before we talk."


    Your Daughter Is Dead


    Rose was worried that Oliver couldn''t bear it. He was always unsteady when he was standing. She supported him and wanted to return to the ward, but he was unwilling


    to move.


    "Grandpa?" she called tentatively.


    Oliver raised the corner of his mouth and looked at Rose.


    "My daughter''s right in front of me. Everything is fine. Why do you say she''s dead?"


    His face darkened as he looked at Kelly and warned, "You curse people to death so viciously at such a young age. I won''t argue with you this time. If I hear it again..."


    His eyes suddenly turned cold. It was so cold that even Rose couldn''t help but shudder in her heart. Kelly''s body froze.


    When Oliver and Rose left the ward, she remained there, unable to regain


    consciousness for a long time. After some time, she came back to her senses when the nurse came to tidy up the ward.


    She walked out of the hospital dejectedly. She was thinking about what happened just now. She still couldn''t ept that everything she had nned was in vain.


    What should she do? In the current situation, she could not allow Oliver to modify his will again. Fortunately, he probably couldn''t remember the will. Even so, she had to hurry up.


    As for the person who threatened her with the video. Thinking ofst night, fear continued to spread in her heart.


    "It can''t be continued like this," she murmured.


    She had to find a way to get rid of all threats


    On the way back to Young Estate, Miles drove the car himself, while Rose and Oliver sat in the back seat. As if the episode in the hospital hadn''t happened, Oliver was smiling and talking to Rose nonstop. After returning to Young Estate, Anastasia was waiting there after she heard that Oliver had been discharged from the hospital that morning.


    As soon as Oliver got out of the car, people from the entire vi lined up to greet him. However, he seemed to have only Rose in his eyes as he called "Rietta" nonstop.


    Your Daughter Is Dead


    Patrick knew about his situation earlier, so he asked people to cooperate with him and called Rose "Ms. Rietta". Rose was conflicted in her heart.


    She didn''t want to irritate Oliver, nor did she want to take advantage of his misunderstanding.


    "Grandpa, Kelly was right about one thing just now. I''m not your daughter ..."


    She tried to exin again. This time, before she could finish her words, Oliver interrupted her.


    "Nonsense! If you''re not my daughter, then who is?"


    His tone was mixed with a hint of displeasure and pampering. He didn''t seem to know who Kelly was, nor did he want to know. He simply recognized Rose as Henrietta. "Rietta, I''m not an old fool. You''re my daughter. Now that you''ve finally returned home, I''ll make you the most noble princess of the Young family."


    Kelly heard such words as soon as she entered the door.

 Billionire 308

    Take Her to Meet Someone


    On the way back, she was mentally prepared. However, when she heard these words, she still halted Shouldn''t the noble princess of the Young family be her? How could it be Rose?


    Suppressing her jealousy and unwillingness, she nced at Rose without any trace. Then, she lowerad her eyes obediently for a moment.


    "Grandpa..." she called softly with a smile,


    Oliver''s eyes swept over her lightly. As if he recognized her as the person who cursed his daughter in the hospital, his face turned gloomy even though it was full of love and doting when facing Rose He asked coldly, "Why are you here?"


    The atmosphere was tense for a time. Kelly had thought of her words. She knelt on the ground and admitted her mistake pitifully.


    "I said the wrong thing. I was just too excited just now. Grandpa, please forgive me for being outspoken


    "I''m not your grandpa."


    Oliver didn''t buy it. Kelly bit her lips and continued to lower her attitude.


    "Grandpa, I was wrong. Please don''t drive me away,"


    Oliver looked at her with inexplicable dislike. She liked to im kinship randomly. He had just eximest clearly to "Henrietta" that she was his only kin.


    If she misunderstood, who would take the responsibility?


    As he was about to drive her out, Anastasia on the side said, "Kelly, you must have been tired. Go back 100 the room and rest. Patrick..."


    She smiled and winked at Patrick. Patrick naturally understood the situation at hand.


    Although Oliver had memory loss and had forgotten many things, Kelly was still his only granddaughter. who was rted by blood. This could not be changed no matter what. Oliver just mistook Rose for Henrietta. Once the mistake was corrected and he remembered everything, he would still favor blood ties.


    "Mr. Young Senior, in the backyard garden, the flowers you nted not long ago have


    want to take a look?"


    Jormed box


    Patrick tried to divert Oliver''s attention. Oliver didn''t want to get into any more entanglements eller e nced at Kelly coldly, then withdrew his gaze.


    either


    When he turned to look at Rose, his eyes Instantly changed.


    "Rietta, bring me there."


    He was full of expectations. Rose couldn''t refuse.


    "Alright, I''ll push you over."


    Take Her to Meet Someone


    She pushed him toward the backyard. As the two disappeared at the door, people in the living room had different expressions. Kelly had achieved her goal, which was to stay.


    When she went upstairs to her room, she nced at Anastasia. Anastasia helped her for her purpose, so she shouldn''t be grateful. When their eyes met, there was no need for too many words. The two of them reached a certain tacit understanding


    274


    Early the next morning, when Kelly got up and opened the door, she heard Oliver''s voice from the dining room downstairs.


    "Rietta, this is what you like to eat; this is also your favorite ..."


    He was so enthusiastic that he repeatedly wanted to give Rose all the things she liked.


    Although he was calling "Rietta", there was no difference in Kelly''s eyes between Henrietta and Rose as they were both mother and daughter. Her eyes darkened. She resented Celeste and Rose even more. "Are you unhappy?"


    A voice suddenly sounded. She suddenly came back to her senses and turned to look at the owner of the voice on the right.


    Anastasia was wearing famous brands and dressed beautifully as if she were going out to meet someone important. She smiled as she leaned against the door, staring at Kelly slightly mockingly.


    It was as if she was watching a good show. Kelly was a little embarrassed, but soon she suppressed the emotion on her face. When she met Anastasia''s gaze, her face was filled with the same smile as hers. "Are you happy then?"


    Who among them could be happy when Oliver only had Rose in his eyes now? Upon seeing that the smile on Anastasia''s face froze, Kelly seemed to have regained some ground.


    "Anastasia, we''re in the same situation now. Grandpa has forgotten us, and he has forgotten that I''m his granddaughter. He has also forgotten that you are the one who stayed with him over the years. I just feel not worthy of my mother as Grandpa is regarding an irrelevant person like her. What about you? You''re feeling unwilling too, right?"


    If she wasn''t unwilling, why would she have made the phone call to her that night? Her words struck a chord with Anastasia. She was the one who stayed by Oliver''s side over the years.


    She knew that her eyes looked like Henrietta''s. It was because of these eyes that she was chosen by


    Oliver.


    She was willing to let Oliver miss his missing daughter through these eyes, but she couldn''t ept that he didn''t remember her existence at all.


    She had eyes simr to Henrietta''s, so why did Oliver only mistake Rose for Henrietta? In the dining room, Oliver was calling "Rietta" with heartyughter, which was particrly harmonious. Anastasia lowered her eyes slightly. Perhaps she wouldn''t be so unwilling even if Henrietta was back.


    Take Herto Meefmeone


    As an orphan and a substitute, she should be grateful as she grew up under the protection of the Young family. However, Rose had nothing to do with Henrietta and even appearedter than her. Why did it have to be her?


    "What are you going to do?" she suddenly asked.


    Kelly didn''t expect her to ask so directly. Even if she wanted to do something and she had a tacit understanding with Anastasia, she wasn''t sure whether to inform her of the n.


    What''s more, the n that was gradually taking shape in her heart had not yet found a breakthrough. She couldn''t let her know about the man who hid the video of her pushing Oliver. While she was hesitating, Anastasia extended an invitation.


    "Kelly, you probably have nothing else to do today. Why don''t you go out with me to meet someone?"


    Kelly met her eyes in surprise. She could tell that she was dressed up to meet someone important, but she didn''t expect that she would ask her to go with her.


    "Alright."


    She also wanted to know who the person she was taking her to meet today.


    An hourter, Aquastead Airport.


    A man was dressed in fashionable clothes as if he was afraid that others would not see him. With a bohemian smile on his face, she opened his arms and walked toward Anastasia and Kelly. Kelly was stunned for a moment, wondering if he was the one Anastasia was going to meet.


    Upon seeing Anastasia also opening her arms to greet him, and they hugged each other, her doubts turned into affirmations. The person Anastasia wanted to meet was him. Who was he? "This youngdy..."


    Before Kelly asked and before Anastasia introduced, Gabriel noticed Kelly first. He had good intuitions about women in Regalia.


    He could tell what kind of woman Kelly was just by taking a quick look at her. Vanity was a given while ambition also existed.


    He had seen this kind of woman a lot. If she seized the opportunity, she could take advantage of it. As for where she seeded or not... "Anastasia, is she your friend?"

 Billionire 309

    Cute and Charming


    Anastasia then remembered Kelly. She immediately grabbed Gabriel''s wrist and introduced Kelly.


    "Gabriel, this is Kelly Shaffer ... Oh, nope. Grandpa has changed her name. It should be Kelly Young now."


    "Carry on? What do you want to carry on?" he asked frivolously to Kelly.


    He didn''t think of Kelly as the real granddaughter of the Young family.


    But as soon as he finished speaking, Anastasia patted him hard and reprimanded, "Gabriel, be more serious! She''s not the woman you meet outside."


    After speaking, she took Kelly''s hand and said, "Kelly, he''s Aunty Chloe''s son, Gabriel Yones."


    Aunty Chloe? Kelly didn''t realize who Chloe was for a moment.


    Until she said, "When your mother left the Youngs, Aunty Chloe med herself very much. Those were the grievances of the previous generation. We don''t need to mention it." Although she said so, she still deliberately mentioned it. Kelly immediately knew who Chloe was. She was the adopted daughter of the Young family.


    Kelly heard that it was Chloe''s fault that Henrietta and Oliver misunderstood each other, and Henrietta left the Young family. The man in front of her was Chloe''s only son. Upon hearing Anastasia''s words, Gabriel couldn''t hide his surprise.


    "Are you Grandpa''s granddaughter?"


    Oliver came to Aquastead to ept an adopted granddaughter and found his biological granddaughter. This fact wasn''t a secret in Regalia.


    Everyoneughed at him. As the grandson of the Young family, he was about to fall out of favor. But for so many years, he had never been favored at all.


    He didn''t expect that the weak Kelly, who hid her ambition and vanity, was Oliver''s granddaughter. He found her interesting,


    "Nice to meet you, Kelly."


    He hugged Kelly enthusiastically. Anastasia didn''t intend to stop it. Kelly was stunned and could only let this strange man hug her. He even sniffed her hair. "Hmm, you smell so good."


    His undisguised teasing made her expression change slightly.


    But she still didn''t know his role in the Young family. Anastasia specifically brought her to pick him up at the airport, which showed how much Anastasia valued him.


    She still looked innocent and harmless. Then, she winked yfully and smiled.


    "Nice to meet you, Gabriel."


    Gabriel seemed pleased with her reaction.


    300 Cute


    +25 BONLYS


    Chloe asked him toe to Aquastead to investigate the origins of the adopted granddaughter, Rose. But he didn''t expect the biological granddaughter Kelly to be even more interesting. "I''ll treat you well."


    He hugged Kelly teasingly. His hands on her shoulder had moved to her waist at some point. Although displeased with his impolite behavior, she still didn''t stop him. So, he got more aggressive. He even ignored Anastasia, who came to pick him up today. His gaze seemed to cling to Kelly. It looked like he treated her like a nightclub woman.


    Anastasia looked at their backs, and her expression gradually darkened. Strictly speaking, Gabriel and the Young family weren''t rted by blood. It would only be a good story if he were with Kelly. She suspected that it was Chloe''s n. This guess made her feel like she was facing an enemy. She even regretted bringing Kelly for a moment.


    But everything had happened. She could only suppress her displeasure. When she chased them out, they took a taxi, leaving her alone. She finally couldn''t help calling Chloe angrily. "Aunty, did you ask Gabriel to do that?"


    As soon as she connected the call, she asked directly and coldly. Chloe was doing her beauty treatment and was confused


    "What do you mean?"


    "Gabriel hooked up with Kelly as soon as he arrived! I thought you asked him toe to deal with ourmon enemy. But it seems you have other ns?"


    Chloe instantly understood what Anastasia meant. She knew Gabriel''s nature. He was romantic and lustful. But she didn''t expect he would target Oliver''s granddaughter as soon as he arrived at Aquastead. She should have been angry. But after thinking about it, that was a good n. If he could be with Henrietta''s daughter, it meant she won everything! Thinking of this, she felt a little excited.


    *Anastasia, you also know Gabriel''s character. Il teach him a lesson! I understand. Ourmon enemy is Ms. Shaffer, who is mistaken as Henrietta. Don''t worry. He''ll listen to you and be at your disposal." What she said made Anastasia speechless. Anastasia couldn''t find any mistakes. So, she had no choice but to trust Chloe. After hanging up the phone, Chloe called Gabriel


    In the taxi, Gabriel''s gaze never left Kelly for a moment, He unabashedly showed his deep interest. She thought he was a bit abrupt before. But after getting used to his gaze, she couldn''t hide her pride. She was indeed charming. When she first seduced Nixon, she took the initiative to use some tricks and even threw herself to himter. She charmed him to betray Rose.


    Although Gabriel was the son of the Youngs adopted daughter, he was a well-known rich second generation in Regalia. He was also obsessed with her


    She flipped her hair around her ears as if unmoved by his obsession. She looked out the car window. She thought such a casual charm showing would arouse his interest even more the did arouse his greater interest, but not because of her charm. He caught a glimpse of a bruise on her


    Cute and Charming


    wrist.


    It looked like a man''s fingerprints. Maybe he was too intense when sleeping with her and couldn''t control his strength. Or he was rough and left the bruises on her on purpose.


    In short, Gabriel thought she was bold enough to sleep with men in different ways. He smiled, deliberately leaning toward her.


    "Kelly, do you have a boyfriend?"


    "No," she answered subconsciously.


    Of course, she didn''t have a boyfriend!


    "That''s great," he responded meaningfully, bing more interested in her.


    Regardless of whether she was hiding the truth, he was sure she was different from what she seemed. He wanted to see how wild she was under her innocent appearance.


    Just as he was about to get closer to her, his phone suddenly rang. It was Chloe. His eyes dimmed. He leaned back on the seat and answered the phone. Before he could speak, Chloe''s voice came. "Have you hooked up with Henrietta''s daughter?"


    He nced at Kelly and said, "Yes."


    Chloe said, "If you''re with her, I have no objection."


    Not only did she not object, she was very supportive. He paused for a moment. He didn''t know what Chloe meant.


    Did she mean she had no objection to him marrying Kelly? Or wouldn''t she stop him from ying with Kelly? Of course, he didn''t n to marry Kelly.


    She was vain and hypocritical. He had seen and yed with this kind of woman many times. It didn''t matter if he yed with her, but he wouldn''t keep her by his side! Moreover, she wasn''t pretty enough. As a face-judger, his aesthetics were high! He stared at her face, bing more focused as he looked at


    her.


    After a while, he told Chloe, "Kelly is cute and charming.

 Billionire 310

    His Threat


    She was cute and charming. When Gabriel said this, he looked so passionate that Kelly blushed. Her eyshes trembled slightly. His words moved her and caused her heart to beat faster.


    She smiled slightly. He also smiled. Ignoring Chloe''s stunned reaction, he hung up the phone. It was quiet as if the temperature had risen unconsciously.


    He knew how to attract women well, especially someone like Kelly. He looked at her intently as if she fascinated him and asionally praised her beauty.


    She was so pleased that she almost overflowed with pride. But she still looked calm. It was as if she deliberately didn''t sense his obsession. She was only his cousin.


    No matter what his purpose or what ns he and Anastasia had, she had decided that she must make good use of him. If she controlled him well, he could do better than Nixon!


    As for how to control him, she had her way. The taxi stopped outside Young Estate. He got out and opened the door for her.


    When she got out, he raised his hand to protect her head. She smiled and thanked him. But she staggered when shended on the ground.


    "Ah!"


    With an exmation, she turned pale. Yet, she didn''t fall to the ground but into his arms as she wished.


    The moment her face pressed against his chest, she seemed to be panicking and trying to get out of his arms. But the more she tried to stand firm, the less stable she became. After struggling several times, she even pressed her chest against him.


    "Don''t move."


    His voice was strange, and he hugged her waist.


    "Sorry, I ..."


    She apologized anxiously, and her face turned red. Feeling that he seemed to touch her waist, she knew that she had seeded in her trick to seduce him.


    But she couldn''t let him think she was a casual woman


    Noticing his restless hands wandering around her waist, she pretended to be more panicked and didn''t know what to do. She immediately grabbed his hands to stop him.


    "Gabriel!"


    Gabriel thought that Kelly was so brave that she dared to seduce him at the gate of Young Estate. She seemed not afraid that he would do something outrageous on the spot.


    It turned out that she just wanted to let him dangle. He saw through her methods. So, he stared at her even more "obsessively" and carefully helped her stand upright. Suddenly, he squatted down. Just as she was surprised at what he wanted to do, she saw him hold her ankle. His touch was like an electric current that coursed through her body. He gently pressed and rubbed her ankle.


    His Threat


    Then, he asked concerned, "Does it hurt? It''s not a trivial matter if you sprain your foot."


    He was considerate and gentle as if her ankle was precious. She looked dazed for a moment. Nixon was also considerate and gentle to her. But Gabriel had a domineering aura that Nixon didn''t possess


    As the grandson of the Young family who grew up in Regalia, Gabriel was much better than Nixon. The ambiguous atmosphere grew. They looked like a loving couple from a distance.


    His warm fingers were on her ankle. She was a little greedy for the feeling, hoping he would continue to touch it. But suddenly, her phone rang. It destroyed the harmony of the scene.


    She frowned slightly. She was about to hang it up, but the unfamiliar number on her phone froze her.


    "What''s wrong? Why don''t you answer it?"


    He noticed her unusual reaction. So, he stopped what he was doing and stood up. She seemed afraid he would see the number. She deliberately turned her phone sideways and forced a smile. "It''s a sales call."


    "Really?"


    He didn''t believe her. Sure enough, after she hung up the phone, it rang again less than half a minuteter. It was the same number. She looked flustered.


    She worried that the man would be dissatisfied if she hung up again. She looked at Gabriel and wanted to exin.


    Yet, he said softly, "Just answer it."


    He walked a certain distance in the other direction gentlemanly, giving her enough space to answer the phone. But even so, she still took a few steps back.


    She answered the phone tremblingly and immediately heard the man''s displeased sneer.


    "You''re seducing men again."


    Before she could realize what he meant, he continued, "You fell into his arms on purpose. Did you forget whose woman you were? You''re mine!"


    The man''s possessiveness disgusted her to the extreme. But she didn''t even have time to argue with him. Her expression drastically changed after she thought about the meaning of his words


    He saw the scene just now, which meant he was near them. Realizing that Gabriel was still there, she didn''t dare to look around too much. She could only lower her voice. "Where are you?"


    Her panic amused the man.


    "You want me toe out? If Ie out, it won''t be only me ..."


    He would bring the video that could ruin her reputation, His threat worked.


    She tremblingly interrupted before he finished speaking, "No, don''te out."


    She was full of hatred. She wanted to find this man but was afraid of his appearance. 6s Theest


    "But I miss you."


    The man''s murmur caused some scenes to appear in her mind. Before she could get scared, she heard him say an address. What he meant couldn''t be more obvious. He wanted to see her Before hanging up the phone, he threatened, "If he touches you again, or if you look at him one more time. you''ll know the consequences...


    "I won''t do that," she interrupted him.


    Her fear still didn''t dissipate until she hung up the phone.


    "What''s wrong, Kelly?"


    Gabriel came over with concerns. He was curious about the caller''s identity and what he said that scared her. She looked so weak as if she was about to copse at any moment. He tried to hold her. But he never thought that she screamed in surprise before he touched her. She took several steps back as if he were a ferocious beast. He frowned.


    She realized her inappropriate reaction and apologized awkwardly. Thinking of the man''s threat, she didn''t care about anything else. She made an excuse to Gabriel and left in a hurry. Gabriel meaningfully smiled as if he saw through everything. She said something happened to her friend and had to rush over. But he bet the person who asked her to rush over must be a man! As for what they would do, he thought of a possibility and smiled yfully.

 Billionire 311

    Looks Like She''s Looking at Trash


    Looks Like She''s Looking at Trash


    An unexpected guest came to Young Estate. Patrick was the first to receive the news and rushed to greet Gabriel. Seeing Gabriel''s smile, he knew the Young family would be in trouble again. "Where''s Grandpa?"


    As soon as Gabriel entered, he asked about Oliver eagerly.


    Although his surname was Yones and Chloe married, he had always called Oliver "Grandpa" since childhood. It was as if he was also a member of the Young family.


    Over the years, Oliver hadn''t been close to Chloe and Gabriel. But after all, the Young family had a grand business scope. In outsiders'' views, Chloe and Gabriel had always been part of the Young family. They might know about Oliver''s current situation and take action.


    "Mr. Yones, please follow me."


    Patrick smiled gently. But the title of "Mr. Yones" made Gabriel ufortable. Miles was Mr. Young, but Gabriel was Mr. Yones. After so many years, he had gotten used to it.


    He followed Patrick inside. Soon, he heard a sound ofughter approaching from far away, which made him stunned for a moment.


    He was used to hearing the women''s flirting voices. Theirughter even sounded fake. He hadn''t heard such heartyughter for a long time. That voice sounded like that of a young and beautiful woman. Could it be the Rose whom Oliver mistook for Henrietta? As soon as this guess popped into his mind, it instantly aroused his interest.


    "Grandpa, you have to retract the string like this..."


    The weather was nice today. Oliver and Rose were flying kites in the backyard. Seeing his kite falling, she immediately stepped forward to help.


    {


    She reeled in and released the string for a few rounds, and his kite flew up again. He smiled.


    "Thank you, Rietta. Or my kite would have fallen!"


    "Don''t worry. Your kite will always fly high and never fall."


    "Haha, you always talk sweetly."


    She called him Grandpa, and he called her Rietta. Neither one corrected the other, but they were surprisingly harmonious.


    Two kites were in the sky. The two people on the ground wereughing and eximing. It seemed she never had such a feeling in a family rtionship. Seeing his smile, she felt satisfied.


    When Gabriel saw them from a distance, he stopped unconsciously. It was as if an invisible force made him reluctant to disturb them.


    "It''s strange that Mr. Young Senior mistakenly recognized Ms. Rose as Ms. Rietta. Although it was a mistake, it seemed she was the real Ms. Rietta. But Ms Rose is upright. Even if the Young family is rich and powerful, she never covets it. She''s a rare gooddy!" Patrick said meaningfully.


    Looks Like She''s Looking at Trash


    He seemed to say that Rose wasn''t anyone''s hindrance and advised Gabriel not to put any thought into her. Gabriel was surprised.


    Oliver''s butler had always been smooth and didn''t take sides with anyone, nor anyone. But he was protecting R?se!


    was he an enemy of


    Gabriel couldn''t help ncing at her a few more times, but the distance was too far. At first nce, she had a good figure. After a while, she still didn''t turn around.


    From beginning to end, he never saw her face. Rose was his purpose ining to Aquastead. She was amazing enough to make Oliverugh so happily.


    Even if he would destroy the harmonious scene, he decided to "greet" her. Rose, who focused all her attention on the kite, didn''t notice someone intruding.


    She pulled the string, retracting and releasing it freely. But suddenly, the kite string got entangled in a branch. She ran over in a hurry. After several efforts, the string still broke.


    She lowered her hands in disappointment. Then, she tried to put away the broken string.


    She stepped back while retracting. But she didn''t realize someone was standing behind her until she stepped on his foot.


    There was an object blocking her way. She instinctively wanted to move her foot away to see the situation.


    But before anything happened, someone grabbed her shoulders from behind and said, "Don''t move ..."


    The unfamiliar voice made her frown, and his hands on her shoulders offended her.


    "Let go of me!"


    Her voice was cold, warning the people behind her. This person could enter the Young Estate. It proved that he had some connection with the Young family. She didn''t intend to embarrass him. But after warning, he still didn''t let go of her. Her disgust for him grew. A man''s voiceing from behind. "What if I don''t let go?"


    His frivolous tone seemed to treat her as a woman he could flirt with at will.


    Gabriel thought Rose would be like Kelly. Even if she was different, he believed he could attract her after showing his gentlemanly manner. Suddenly, her hand covered the back of his hand. He raised his eyebrows and smiled. Sure enough, she was more direct than Kelly! Thinking of Patrick''s defense of her, he couldn''t help but sneer. He thought that she was capable of pretending. She might be able to hide her true colors from Patrick and Oliver, but she couldn''t hide it from him. He felt proud and nned to tear apart Rose''s disguise. Yet, she tightened her grip on his wrist. Her slender fingers sped his wrist with a force beyond his imagination. Before he could react, she hit his stomach hard. He felt pain. Instantly, his knees went limp, and he knelt on the ground. Everything was in the blink of an eye. When he came to his senses, he was already in a humiliating posture. She sped at his wrists and pressed over his head.


    Looks Like She''s Looking at Trash


    "Ah!"


    He cried out in pain. He wanted to get up, but she pressed him hard. He couldn''t even lift his head. She just held him down and didn''t say anything.


    Ca


    He finally couldn''t help but shout, "Stop! It''s a misunderstanding! I''m Gabriel Yones!"


    Gabriel Yones?


    "I don''t know you."


    Rose thought for a while and couldn''t figure out who Gabriel was. She didn''t care about it either!


    Just now, he took advantage of her and disrespected her. Even if she hit him, it wouldn''t be unreasonable! She recalled his hands that grabbed her shoulders just now. She even felt disgusted by holding his wrists. So, she let go of her hands and kicked his chest. He was defenseless against her kick.


    The women he met always clung to him. Even if they had no interest in him, they wouldn''t embarrass him as he was the grandson of the Young family. It was the first time he got kicked!


    When he fell to the ground, he finally saw the woman who kicked him. Rose''s pretty face lit up Gabriel''s eyes. Even he, who was used to seeing beauties, couldn''t help but feel amazed when he looked at her. However, she patted the dust on her hands and nced condescendingly at him as if looking at trash. He was stunned at first. Then, her nce froze him.


    Her disgusted gaze was more powerful than the kick just now.

 Billionire 312

    Ignore


    Ignore


    Rose looked away as if she didn''t bother to look at him again.


    "You ..."


    Gabriel couldn''t tell whether he wanted to attract her attention or to reveal his identity. He wanted to make her regret being rude to him. Just as he was about to speak, two voices interrupted him. "Rietta? What happened?"


    "Rosie!"


    Two voices sounded at the same time. The owner of the young voice was already in front of Rose.


    He grabbed her wrist and asked urgently, "Rosie, are you okay?"


    It was Miles. His eyes were full of concern. He quickly checked on Rose to make sure she wasn''t hurt.


    "I''m fine!"


    She spread her hands. Then, she nced at the people on the ground. Gabriel was lying on the ground and felt speechless. He was the one who was injured! Miles followed her gaze and saw Gabriel.


    He seemed condescending. He slightly frowned and showed his displeasure. His reaction was the same as Rose''s just now. Gabriel was treated like trash again. He didn''t know what to say. He got kicked, and his chest still hurt. After consecutive mental attacks, he couldn''t hold his anger.


    "Miles, why do you look at me like that?"


    He quickly got up from the ground to avoid being looked down again. He straightened his clothes to hide his embarrassment. Then, he raised his chin slightly to meet their gazes in protest.


    But before he could speak, he was interrupted again by Oliver. "Rietta, what happened just now? I heard someone shouting ..." Oliver arrivedte, with Patrick pushing a wheelchair behind him. Patrick said, "It should be Mr. Yones. Mr. Yones, are you okay?"


    "..."


    Gabriel hesitated. He didn''t know whether to conceal that a woman knocked him down or to take this opportunity to act pitifully in front of Oliver. Two thoughts shed through his mind instantly.


    As he couldn''t lose his dignity, he firmly chose the former. It was nothing to let Miles see him lying on the ground. He didn''t want others to know that a woman defeated him!


    But Rose was one step ahead of him.


    "I just kicked you to the ground. You won''t die."


    Oliver and Miles were here. Since she had backers, she had no one to fear. She observed Gabriel and finallynded on his handsome face with undisguised disdain.


    Ignore


    "Are you okay?"


    Her tone was unfriendly.


    "What? Kick? Mr. Yones, are you okay? I can ask a doctor toe..."


    Patrick quickly stepped forward to show concern. But he revealed a bit of joy in his caring as if he was d that Rose hadn''t been bullied. Gabriel was furious. No one cared about him! Seeing that they knew the truth, he couldn''t suffer any loss. He was the victim. He could pretend to be pitiful to get Oliver''s sympathy!


    He looked at Oliver and immediatelyined aggrievedly, "Grandpa, she kicked me!"


    Oliver stared at Gabriel indifferently. When he turned to Rose, he was full of concern.


    "Rietta, does your foot hurt?"


    Gabriel looked confused. What was going on? He was the one who got kicked! She kicked his chest with her shoes on. How would her foot hurt?


    She smiled lightly and said, "Grandpa, it doesn''t hurt."


    "That''s good. Come on, let''s go back to change shoes."


    Oliver''s eyes were full of pampering as if he only saw her from beginning to end. She soon left with Oliver and Miles. Even Patrick left, leaving the stunned Gabriel on the spot. "Grandpa only has Rose in his eyes."


    Anastasia came out gloating. She happened toe back and see what happened just now. Not only Oliver and Miles but even Patrick especially favored Rose.


    Those who didn''t know the truth might think she was Oliver''s real granddaughter. Anastasia felt jealous. She wanted to know how Gabriel would deal with Rose.


    "Grandpa seemed to have forgotten all of us, but he recognized Rose as his daughter. Although we knew it was a mistake, Grandpa didn''t know it. It would be great if we could make Grandpa remember everything. Gabriel, do you have any idea?"


    Gabriel came to his senses in a daze and asked doubtfully, "What did you say?"


    Her expression stiffened slightly. She said so much, but he didn''t even listen to her! "How would you deal with Rose?"


    She got straight to the point and didn''t hide her displeasure at being ignored by him.


    He was sent to Aquastead by Chloe to deal with Rose. No matter how he tried to win over Kelly, they were on the same side when dealing with Rose. However, she didn''t know that he had a different n. "Dealing with Rose? She''s not easy to deal with..." he murmured.


    After arriving at Young Estate, Gabriel felt like he didn''t exist. When the servants saw him, they would. respectfully greet him.


    Ignore


    But since Oliver, Miles, and Rose returned to the main hall, they didn''t even look at him, even if they met him. He was frustrated. Thinking about what Anastasia said, he wandered around Rose to observe her. He even asked people at Aquastead to investigate her. She owned Celeste Jewels and won the National Jewelry Design Award held by Young''s House of Jewels.


    Oliver even gave her the design director position of Young''s House of Jewels. It seemed that he couldn''t


    underestimate her.


    After dinner, Rose took Oliver back to the room. As soon as she came out, Gabriel blocked her.


    "Let me through."


    She already knew who he was. He was the only son of an adopted daughter of the Young family.


    Oliver recognized Rose as his adopted granddaughter. Even if he found Kelly, his biological granddaughter, Chloe didn''t make any move.


    But after he mistook Rose for Henrietta, Chloe sent Gabriel from Regalia! It seemed the fake Henrietta was more scary than a real granddaughter of the Young family. "You kicked me. You haven''t apologized yet."


    Gabriel smiled frivolously. Seeing her frown impatiently, he recalled his embarrassment during the day. He gulped secretly and became a little more defensive. But his insistence on her apology didn''t diminish.


    "After you apologize, I''ll let you go."


    Apologize? She had no intention of apologizing at all.


    Cherish Her Very Much

 Billionire 313

    Cherish Her Very Much


    Cherish Her Very Much


    Rose flexed her fingers. Just as she was about to move her wrist, Gabriel suddenly stepped back, losing his momentum. He caught a glimpse of her disdainful sneer. She gradually approached him.


    It seemed she wasn''t easy to deal with. Her scary aura made him take another step back. She went one step further.


    In this way, he retreated and soon was forced to the stairs. His arrogance that asked for her apology just now was gone. Finally, the corridor was wide enough for one person to pass by. She strode around him and headed back to her room.


    Before she entered, she looked back at him and said, "Mr. Yones, you don''t have to focus on me. If you''re bored, Kelly can apany you."


    After she finished speaking, she nced downstairs meaningfully. Downstairs, Kelly had long been standing there. He followed her gaze and was slightly startled when he saw Kelly. When he regained consciousness and looked away, he found Rose had entered the room. He stood there and smiled silly. Rose was more interesting than he thought. And Kelly..


    He suddenly thought of his bet and soon became interested in Kelly again. He walked downstairs leisurely and approached Kelly.


    She had already changed her clothes, and her original perfume smell had faded. She reced it with the hotel''s shower scent. Had she already taken a shower?


    There was a hint of frivolity and ambiguity in his eyes. Before he could reach her, she pursed her lips timidly.


    "Gabriel, you already know Rose? Don''t be angry with her. She has always been straightforward. She doesn''t mean it."


    She was so hypocritical! He was thinking about Rose. He felt her straightforwardness was much stronger than Kelly''s insinuations and nder. But he didn''t expose Kelly''s true colors. He walked to her side and took a deep breath.


    "You''re so gentle. Even your fragrance smells good."


    Her heart skipped a beat. She thought she had bathed in the hotel and changed into clean clothes. So, there shouldn''t be any scent of


    2. Man left behind.


    Gabriel''s ambiguouspliment touched her heart. After experiencing that man''s threat, she felt that Gabriel was much better than him.


    She felt unwilling and became more determined to escape that man as soon as possible. Gabriel might be able to help her!


    When she was thinking about it, he suddenly said, "I''m so pitiful. After I came here, everyone only had Rosie'' in their eyes. No one even arranged a ce for me. Kelly, what should I do? It''s sote. Where should I stay?"


    Cherish Her Very Much


    He sighed pitifully. She met his gaze, thought of something, and blushed.


    "Gabriel, you ..."


    He smiled.


    "Why are you shy? I just want to ask you to arrange a guest room for me. The Young Estate is big. There must be guest rooms here, right?"


    She blushed even more and looked away in panic.


    "Yes, of course."


    Perhaps to cover up her embarrassment of overthinking, she hurriedly walked around him and said eagerly, "Come with me."


    She took him to the guest room at the end of the corridor on the second floor. As soon as they entered, he closed the door.


    The sound of the door closing made her nervous. When she turned around, she saw him approaching. He still stared at her, full of possessive hints. She was sure he was interested in her. But thinking about her misunderstanding before, she didn''t want to embarrass herself again.


    "Gabriel, you can stay here. I''ll go back to my room."


    When she wanted to leave, he stopped her. She pretended to panic.


    "Gabriel?"


    But instantly, he circled her in his arms and sniffed softly behind her ears.


    "Gabriel, what are you doing?"


    His meaning was clear. She knew what he wanted to do. She wouldn''t lose this opportunity if he wanted to touch her. It was the method she used on Nixon. Her body was the best weapon. At this moment, she regretted it a little. She should have taken him to the guest room in another building. This room was in the main building and was too close to everyone''s rooms. What if they made any noise and others found their behavior? She frowned and thought she had to keep her voice downter.


    She had even thought about what method she should use to capture Gabriel for her use.


    But she didn''t know that his gaze fell on a trace of finger marks on the back of her neck. They were new traces. He could tell at a nce that someone left those marks recently,


    He could almost imagine how fiercely she slept with a man that afternoon. There was a hint of disgust in his eyes. He sneered secretly.


    "You smell so good," he said in a charming tone as if he couldn''t bear the allure of the fragrance.


    She thought so. But suddenly, he took a step back. She couldn''t help but be surprised.


    "Gabriel?"


    Why didn''t he act as she expected? If she hadn''t seen his obsession, she would have thought he noticed


    Cherish Her Very Much


    her secret and lost interest. Fortunately, he was still interested in her.


    He held her hand and stroked it gently.


    "Kelly, thank you for taking me here. You''re so kind. I think you''ll be in my dreams tonight. What should I do?"


    He spoke love words easily. As a famous prodigal son of Regalia, it was his way of attracting women. She was full of excitement, but she couldn''t be too proactive. "Gabriel, I''lle to you tomorrow."


    She blushed slightly and walked out shyly. Although she pretended to leave, she had already made up her mind.


    They would get up and have breakfast together tomorrow if he kept her. But he let go of her hand. Her heart skipped a beat. She felt disappointed.


    She slowed down when she walked toward the door, waiting for him to keep her. But until she left the room, she didn''t hear his voice. She turned around and met his smiling face. He waved. "Kelly, I''ll see you in my dreams."


    He had no intention of keeping her. She could only force a smile.


    "Okay, bye."


    Out of his sight, her smile faded. What did Gabriel mean?


    He looked very interested in her, and his hints were so obvious. As the grandson of the Young family, he used to be romantic in Regalia. In the situation just now, he should seize the opportunity.


    Was it because of her status as the Young family''s granddaughter that he particrly valued her? After thinking, she found it was the only possibility.


    She was lost in thoughts. When she looked up, she saw a familiar figure in the corridor on the other side.

 Billionire 314

    Want to See You


    I Want to See You


    Rose? Why did she get out? At this time, Rose stared at Kelly and seemed to see through everything.


    Kelly felt embarrassed as she came out of Gabriel''s room. But she quickly covered up her embarrassment. "I just arranged a room for Gabriel."


    She tried to exin. But Rose only showed disdain, ignored her, and returned to her room. She felt like Rose had pped her hard. What did Rose mean?


    She was suffocating and wanted to argue with Rose. She wanted to ask why Rose looked at her like that and never took her seriously. But after taking a few steps forward, she held back.


    Gabriel was in the guest room. Miles, Anastasia, and even Oliver were all in their rooms. Whenever she made any moves in this corridor, everyone would be rmed.


    In the current situation, Oliver only had Rose in his eyes. It wasn''t the time to have a head-on conflict with Rose. She could only endure! She gritted her teeth and stared at Rose''s door viciously.


    Back in the room, she stayed up all night because of Rose''s indifference. She repeatedly thought about the n to deal with Rose. Finally, her n took shape at dawn.


    Early the next day, when Rose saw Kelly again, she was outside Gabriel''s guest room. She looked so passionate. For some reason, Rose thought of Nixon. Did Kelly also treat Nixon passionately back then? Now, Kelly targeted Gabriel. Would Nixon still think Kelly was kind and innocent if he saw her passionate. to another man?


    Realizing that she was thinking of that scumbag Nixon, she sneered. Then, she turned around and went downstairs.


    Just then, Gabriel opened the door. Hearing a sneer, he looked over and saw a back figure. But he was sure it was Rose. He ignored Kelly at the door and strode after her. Kelly looked gradually gloomy. Was Gabriel interested in Rose? As soon as this guess came into her mind, he suddenly stopped. He turned around and saw her biting her lips slightly with jealousy.


    He soon gave up catching up with Rose and waved to her.


    "Kelly, let''s go down together."


    She returned to her senses, shook off the thoughts in her mind, and trotted forward.


    She walked beside Gabriel and still couldn''t help but remind him, "Rose is married."


    He was slightly startled. Rose was married? That was a pity. He felt an inexplicable sense of loss.


    "Her husband is more handsome than a celebrity. She is also beautiful and has never been short of suitors. She had a fianc¨¦ before she got married. I used to feel sorry for her. She should have married her fianc¨¦ and be the hostess of the Lane family. No one expected that the Lane family would go bankrupt. Fortunately, she married someone else. Otherwise..."


    Not only was Rose married, but she also had a fianc¨¦ before that. Kelly''s invisible guidance made him


    18


    I Want to See You


    think that Rose had betrayed her fianc¨¦.


    He frowned. Kelly saw his slight disappointment and finally felt better.


    But she didn''t expect that when Rose walked toward them with coffee, he would suddenly ask, "I heard you''re married?"


    Rose stopped and felt a little speechless. How did he know that? She nced at Kelly. Sure enough, Kelly froze as if she didn''t expect Gabriel to ask Rose face-to-face. She didn''t hide it at all. "Yes, I''m married. What''s wrong?"


    "I heard that you also had a fianc¨¦ before?"


    "Yes, I had. Coincidentally, Kelly also knew my fianc¨¦ and...


    She took a sip of coffee. Kelly looked panicked. Before Rose could finish speaking, she grabbed his arm anxiously.


    "Gabriel, I''m hungry. Let''s go have breakfast!"


    He was hearing the main point. He stared at Rose, wanting her to continue. But she stared at Kelly with a meaningful smile. When she wanted to reveal Kelly''s true colors, her phone rang. She frowned when she saw the caller ID. After a while, she finally answered the phone. A man''s deep


    voice sounded.


    "Rosie..."


    It was Jonathan. Ever since she knew his true identity, it was as if they were in a cold war. He hadn''t contacted her for a long time.


    She guessed it was because she had known he was Mr. Finch. He was tired of ying games.


    When she thought the game was over, he called her again. His voice gave her the illusion that it was full of emotions.


    But soon, she was sober and asked politely, "What''s the matter?"


    "I want to see you."


    His tone was urgent. His longings for Rose all exploded at this moment. After that day, she never returned to Zenwood Gardens. But he was in her room every day. Only in this way could he barely sleep.


    He endured it for a long time without disturbing her. But the news he received seemed to give him an excuse to see her. On the phone, she was silent for a while.


    As If he was afraid she wouldn''t want to see him, he said hurriedly, "I have something serious to tell you. It''s about your mother''s car ident."


    When he used his identity as Mr. Finch, he promised to help her find the truth about the car ident. Her eyshes trembled.


    "Okay, give me the address."


    "I''m in Zenwood Gardens."


    I Want to See You


    When she heard the address, she feltplicated. Then, she hung up the phone. On the other end of the phone, he seemed relieved after the call ended.


    He knew she woulde. But the room smelled like alcohol.


    He looked at the wine bottles and sses on the floor, and his expression became serious. Without any dy, he immediately cleaned them.


    She arrived outside the house in Zenwood Gardens. After hesitating for a long time, she opened the door.


    As soon as she entered, she saw him in a suit and standing at the entrance. His eyes visibly lit up when he saw her.


    "Rosie..."


    He couldn''t hold it back and couldn''t wait to hug her. He seemed to be at ease while smelling her scent. He underestimated her importance in his heart. It seemed that he couldn''t live without her. "Rosie..." he murmured, hugging her more tightly.


    But she suddenly said, "Please let go of me, Mr. Finch."


    The title "Mr. Finch made him stiff. It was as if she poured cold water on his head.


    "Rosie..." his voice trembled, trying to hold her tighter.


    But he hurt her. She frowned and struggled.


    "Mr. Finch, didn''t you say you have something serious to tell me?"

 Billionire 315

    An Excuse


    The reason why she came here was serious business! Jonathan seemed hurt. Remembering Rose''s hatred of Mr. Finch, he felt pain.


    When he saw her, he couldn''t control his longing for her. He forgot that she avoided Mr. Finch very much. She used to avoid him even when she saw him.


    The reason why she met him was Celeste''s car ident!


    "Sorry."


    He suppressed his sadness and let her go. Without her warmth, he seemed to have lost something.


    She seemed relieved. But when she identally met hisplicated gaze, she felt like she was getting burned. Her heartbeat skipped a beat.


    Realizing-she was strange, she averted her eyes guiltily, She stepped back and hurriedly walked into the living room. The living room was spotlessly clean and exuded lively. Had he always lived here?


    She was unspeakably surprised. But she quickly put her thoughts aside, turned to look at him, and got straight to the point.


    "Did you find anything new about my mother''s car ident?"


    When she mentioned this, she was eager. She suddenly felt that she was getting closer to the truth.


    He naturally knew that this matter was important to her. So, when the news came from Finley, he wanted to tell her.


    "After the driver who was involved in the car ident was released from prison, he came into contact with a suspicious person. I asked people to track down and question him. Someone tampered with your mother''s car to cause the car ident."


    "Are you sure?"


    So that car ident wasn''t an ident but a murder?


    He nodded and continued, "In Jamie''s car ident, someone also tampered with his car.


    After she listened to the news, she felt her head buzzing. She made countless guesses.


    Finally, she concluded, "It''s Chelsea..."


    Besides Chelsea, nobody else could be rted to Celeste''s and Jamie''s car idents! Only Chelsea! But why? When Celeste had a car ident, Jamie was already with Chelsea.


    If Chelsea was responsible for Celeste''s car ident, her motive was to kill Celeste and be Mrs. Shaffer. But why did she attack Jamie? He was indifferent to Rose, but he truly loved Chelsea and Kelly. Rose couldn''t figure it out. So, she decided not to think about it anymore.


    "Where is she?"


    She looked at Jonathan. She wanted to find out the truth from Chelsea.


    MA


    An Excuse


    But he frowned slightly and said, "Her whereabouts are unknown."


    Both he and Clover were looking for Chelsea. Despite the power of the two familles, Chelsea''s whereabouts could not be found, as if she had disappeared.


    He thought about the test on Kelly that night. The only way to find Chelsea as soon as possible was through Kelly. He hesitated but decided to find Kelly and find out Chelsea''s whereabouts.


    He stared at Rose and said solemnly, "Give me some time. I''ll bring Chelsea to you. You''ll figure it out


    then."


    She met his gaze and was suddenly in a trance. He kept his identity hidden as if she were a clown. He was toying with her. Why did he show such a serious look toward her again?


    But since he said Chelsea''s whereabouts were unknown, it meant that it wouldn''t be easy to find her. Apart from Mr. Finch, it would be difficult for anyone to find Chelsea.


    She might have no choice but to ept his help. All she could do was a thank you. Her tone became much softer.


    "Thank you."


    Hearing only a word, he was smiling like a child. He couldn''t hide his excitement and took a step closer to her. He wanted to hold her hands.


    But seeing her distance, he immediately gave up the idea and said cautiously, "You never have to say thank you to me."


    He would do anything for her. She felt moved slightly. He didn''t conceal his burning gaze at all. If she stayed for a little longer, she might be attracted.


    She avoided his gaze and returned to the room as if running away. After closing the door, she was shocked to realize the room was full of his scent. Although the bed was neat, it seemed like he had been sleeping for a long time. A guess came to her mind. He lived in this room during this time! She couldn''t help but feel her cheeks burning when he thought of him sleeping on her bed, covered with her quilt.


    After getting rid of her chaotic thoughts, she took a few deep breaths and left the room. She looked natural as if nothing had happened. But his eyes kept following her. He was fullof reluctance. As soon as she walked to the entrance, he finally couldn''t help but ask, "Rosie, why don''t you leave after a meal?"


    Meal? She came over early in the morning. It was just after 10:00 a.m. Should she have breakfast or lunch? Mr. Finch, I appreciate your help. Can I treat you to a meal another day?"


    She suddenly felt guilty. He had done her such a big favor. Only a meal wouldn''t be able to repay his favor. But as soon as she finished speaking, he couldn''t wait to answer.


    "Okay. But can you treat me to dinner tonight..."


    An Excuse


    He looked at her eagerly but saw her frowning slightly. He hurriedly made an excuse.


    "I have a social dinner tonight. I need to bring a partner I don''t have one."


    His partner would only be Rose."


    As if worried that she would refuse, he continued, "Just think of it as helping me."


    He deliberately said that to make her unable to refuse it. There was a moment of silence. She stared at him. How would the dignified leader of Finch Group need to entertain others? Even if he needed a partner, as long as he asked, many women would ept his invitation. What an obvious excuse. But he said it was to help him. How could she refuse it? "Okay."


    She nodded, then opened the door and prepared to leave. Since it was a dinner party, it was still early. When she closed the door, his voice came from behind. "I''ll pick you up in the afternoon."


    He was as excited as a child. It wasn''t until the door was closed for a long time that he calmed down and thought about a problem. He didn''t have any social dinner tonight.


    He just wanted to find an excuse. She had agreed. Where could he find the social dinner? He frowned and called Finley.


    "Who is having a dinner party at Aquastead tonight?"


    Finley felt confused. How did he know who had a dinner party? In Aquastead, many people initially wanted to invite Jonathan to banquets.


    He had never been interested in socializing. After he refused several times, everyone knew he didn''t like those asions. So, their enthusiasm gradually faded.


    But why did he suddenly be interested in the social dinner today? Finley suddenly thought of something, and his eyes lit up.


    "Sir, is it Mrs. Finch...

 Billionire 316

    Have Something To Do With Mrs. Finch


    Have Something to Do With Mrs. Finch


    Before Finley could finish speaking, Jonathan became gloomy. He revealed a bit of impatience.


    "Don''t talk nonsense. Who''s having a dinner party?"


    Finley guessed it right.


    He thought, "Mr. Finch wants to attend a dinner party. It must have something to do with Mrs. Finch! He must n to date her at the dinner party."


    Knowing that the situation was urgent, he didn''t dare to dy.


    "Sir, please give me a minute."


    After saying that, he hung up the phone. A minuteter, he called Jonathan again.


    Before Jonathan could ask, he took the initiative to report, "Sir, there is no social dinner tonight, but there is a newborn party..."


    Jonathan interrupted him.


    "Give me the address."


    All he wanted was an excuse to meet up with Rose. He didn''t care about whose family it was or what kind of dinner it was. Finley quickly texted the address to his phone.


    He was in a good mood while thinking he could see Rose tonight. He asked Finley to prepare a gift f family hosting the newborn party, looking forward to his date with her tonight.


    At this time, Rose was on her way back to Young Estate. She kept thinking about Celeste''s and Jamie''s car idents. She still couldn''t figure out why Chelsea tampered with Jamie''s car.


    the


    In Young Estate, Kelly had been with Gabriel since breakfast.


    A few minutes ago, he received a phone call. She didn''t know what he was talking about. But judging from his tone, he seemed to have a good rtionship with the person on the other end of the phone. She wanted to know more about him and couldn''t help but be curious.


    As soon as he hung up the phone, she asked casually, "Who is it? Are you going out tonight?"


    Seeing him frown, she panicked and apologized, "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to overhear that


    He didn''t like others exploring his privacy and was a little unhappy. But then he remembered the partner he needed for tonight''s party.


    "It doesn''t matter if you heard it on purpose. I don''t want to keep any secrets from you. Kelly, I have a party tonight. Can you go with me?"


    His tone was ambiguous. She couldn''t hide her joy. Of course, she was willing to follow him. But on the surface, she pretended to be reserved.


    "But I originally nned to take care of Grandpa...


    Have Something for Do With Mrs. Finch


    Since arriving at Young Estate yesterday, he had never seen how close she was to Oliver. She spent much more time around him than beside Oliver. He already saw through her. "That''s a pity."


    As soon as he looked disappointed, she couldn''t sit still and said hurriedly, "We cane back early to take care of Grandpa.¡±


    "Of course."


    He didn''t expose her and admired her hypocrisy with a smile. When Rose walked in, she saw Kelly looking at Gabriel expectantly.


    Seemingly aware of her appearance, Kelly seemed frightened and timidly leaned toward Gabriel. She walked toward them, staring at Kelly and getting closer.


    Under her aura, Kelly involuntarily shrank toward him. She looked frightened as if Rose were a ferocious beast. Until Rose stood before her, she panicked, clutching his arm tightly. "Rose, why are you looking at me like that? I didn''t do anything..."


    Kelly took the lead to speak as if Rose would bully her for no reason. If it were before, Rose wouldn''t even bother to watch her perform her tricks.


    But now, she was staring at Kelly as if trying to see through this hypocritical woman.


    After a long while, she asked coldly, "Why?"


    IN was


    Why would Chelsea want Jamie dead? Her intuition told her that Kelly must know the reason, Kelly confused by her question.


    "Rose, what do you mean?"


    Rose didn''t answer her to avoid alerting her. Even if she intuitively knew the reason, Kelly wouldn''t tell her if she asked directly. If she wanted to know the truth, she could only investigate quietly.


    In only a moment, she changed her seriousness, suddenly smiled, and looked at them.


    "You two have a good rtionship."


    She meant something but seemed perfunctory. At this moment, Oliver''s voice came from upstairs. When she saw Oliver, she ignored them and hurried upstairs.


    "Rietta, where have you been all morning?"


    Oliver was relieved when he saw Rose. Until he held her hand, he calmed down. The warmth from his palm made her feel inexplicably relieved.


    "Grandpa, I just went out for a while. Do you miss me so soon?"


    "Of course I do!"


    Not only did he think about it, he was also afraid.


    He kept tightening her hand and murmured. It sounded like begging. "Rietta, don''t leave again... I''m sorry for what happened back then. It was my fault. I shouldn''t have listened to others and misunderstood


    you.


    Have Something forDo With Mrs. Finch


    I shouldn''t have been cruel. I shouldn''t have hit you..."


    He seemed to be thinking about the past and suddenly became uneasy.


    She hurriedly knelt, held his hand, andforted him softly, "I won''t leave. Rietta won''t leave either."


    After receiving the promise, he stabilized his mood.


    But he still confirmed repeatedly. "Don''t forget what you said. You''ve promised me that you''ll never leave."


    She nodded firmly.


    "Yes, I''ll never leave."


    He finally smiled.


    "How about we y chess for a while?"


    "Okay."


    She took the wheelchair from Patrick and pushed Oliver to the chess room. It wasn''t until they disappeared that Gabriel and Kelly downstairs withdrew their gazes.


    He felt a little lost and became more curious about Rose.


    "It''s strange," he suddenly said.


    Kelly was jealous because of the scene just now. Hearing his words, she immediately retracted her thoughts and looked at him with concern.


    "What''s strange?"


    He frowned several times, as if thinking repeatedly, but still couldn''t figure it out.


    "You''re Aunt Rietta''s daughter, but Grandpa mistakenly recognized Rose as Aunt Rietta. Isn''t this strange?"


    There was a hint of guilt in her eyes, which was fleeting.


    "Yes, I find it strange too. At first, Grandpa only nced at Rose and epted her as his adopted granddaughter. Rose always had countless ways to please Grandpa." What she meant was that Rose had used tricks. He heard her meaning from her sentences. However, he felt Rose''s feelings for Oliver were much more real than Kelly''s. "Those who don''t know may think that Rose is rted to Grandpa!"


    His sudden words made her tremble. As if he exposed her secret, she became emotional.


    "She''s not! I''m the one who is rted to Grandpa!"

 Billionire 317

    Good Service


    Sensing Gabriel''s slight frown, Kelly immediately realized her inappropriate response.


    She hurriedly suppressed her guilt and exined calmly, "Grandpa just forgot it. I don''t me him for not recognizing me. He''ll get better, recognize me, and remember his real daughter."


    Then, Oliver wouldn''t mistook Rose for Henrietta. Yet, Kelly''s guilt didn''t escape Gabriel''s eyes. He felt more strange. But he didn''t say much. He quickly put aside his doubts andforted her with a smile. "Grandpa will remember it."


    Her eyshes trembled, and the guilt hidden in her heart persisted. It wouldn''t be the best situation for her if Oliver remembered it. The best situation would be


    Something shed through her mind. She suddenly looked at him and deliberately showed her disappointment.


    "Grandpa said he would celebrate my birthday. He said he would take me to visit the orphanage on my first birthday when I returned to the Young family. My mother might have been there before. He wanted to see where my mother had been. But now he has forgotten me. I''m afraid he has also forgotten what he said before."


    She sighed heavily.


    As soon as she finished speaking, she heard him ask, "Birthday? When is it?"


    "The day after tomorrow."


    It was a coincidence. Her birthday was still early. But the day Angelica helped her make fake orphanage records happened to be the day after tomorrow.


    Oliver never said anything about going to the orphanage on her birthday. It was just that she needed an opportunity. Oliver had forgotten everything anyway. Nothing she said would be proven!


    She thought about the n and couldn''t wait. As if because of loss, she lowered her head and cried. Her sadness finally became unbearable.


    "I want to celebrate my birthday. I miss my mother. I hope Grandpa remembers what he said..."


    She pretended to be too sad. She sobbed, could hardly breathe, and her body suddenly went limp. When she was about to fall, he held her waist. She leaned into his arms.


    He looked at her meaningfully. Her performance''s traces were too strang. He became more interested and wanted to see what she wanted to do.


    "Although Grandpa forgot it, you still have me. I''ll celebrate your birthday," he said.


    She felt happy because he said the sentence she wanted. But she didn''t show her joy. Instead, she smiled bitterly.


    *But Grandpa has forgotten it. Without him, this birthday is meaningless."


    It was clear that she wanted Oliver to participate.


    "I''ll help you convince Grandpa. Don''t worry. I have a way."


    Good Service


    Of course, he had a solution. That was why she deliberately guided him to do that. "Really?"


    "Of course it''s true!"


    After receiving his affirmation, she stopped crying and said shyly, "Thank you."


    She felt proud. She sessfully used some tricks to make him do things for her. But she didn''t know that he saw through her expression, Oliver''sughter came from the chess room.


    Meanwhile, Rose''s figure appeared in Gabriel''s mind. Oliver liked Rose. But was his liking for her just because of mistaking her for Henrietta? Gabriel mused,


    In the evening, a car parked outside Young Estate. Jonathan stood beside the car, looking at the door, eagerly waiting for Rose.


    Kelly and Gabriel came out of the garage. He saw the tall figure from a distance and stopped the car.


    "Who is that?"


    It was just a silhouette. At a nce, that man looked majestic and had an extraordinary temperament. He seemed to have seen that man somewhere.


    Even though it was just a silhouette, Kelly recognized Jonathan at a nce. It seemed he came to Young Estate to find Rose.


    During this time, Rose lived in Young Estate. Kelly originally thought Mr. Finch had abandoned Rose.


    Jealousy bubbled up in her heart. Hearing Gabriel''s question, she was afraid he would know about the rtionship between Mr. Finch and Rose. It might affect her n. She hurriedly said, "Just a passerby."


    Just a passerby? But he felt that the figure from the back was simr to Mr. Finch. He heard that Mr. Finch also came to Aquastead.


    While thinking, he nced at the car next to the man. He frowned, nced at the man''s back, looked away, and smiled. If it were Mr. Finch, he wouldn''t drive such an ordinary car. Even the Young family''s maid''s grocery shopping car was more expensive than that. He felt rxed and drove away. After Gabriel and Kelly left, Rose walked out in a red dress


    Under the sun, she looked like fire and a beautiful rose, which made Jonathan unable to take his eyes away once he saw it. He heard his heart skip a beat.


    His mind shed back to that night when they first met at Nightfall Lounge. She was also in a red dress at Chloe''s birthday banquet, just like a naughty wild cat.


    He couldn''t help but smile slightly and step forward to greet her. She was also in a daze because of his handsome posture.


    She didn''t return to her senses until he stood before her, staring at her and calling her affectionately. His gaze was so hot that she dared not to look into his eyes.


    23


    Good Service


    Seeing his car parked not far away, she was stunned. She didn''t expect that he was still driving this car. was as if he was still the star escort husband she bought for 10 million.


    She felt something strange in her heart when she thought about that title. But soon, she waved away the strange feeling and strode toward the car.


    His gaze followed her figure. Whenever she made a move, he would follow her closely. Although she ignored him, his smile remained unabated. When she reached the car, he opened the door for her.


    He didn''t look like the aloof and dismissive "Mr. Finch" at all. She wasn''t used to him catering to her like


    this.


    When she wanted to say something, he said, "Be careful."


    He blocked the top of the car window, and his posture became lower. There was an inexplicable anger in


    her heart.


    Was this his new way of teasing her? Since it was a new trick, she would y with him! She got into the car without any pressure and was about to fasten her seat belt.


    Yet, he was already sitting in the driver''s seat. He reached over to grab the seat belt and fastened it for her. When she turned around and saw his handsome smile, she chuckled.


    "Good service!"


    The dignified person in charge of Finch Group would be furious if she regarded him as a service person. It would be better to kick her out of the car in anger. Then, she didn''t have to be his partner. She could change her clothes, y chess with Oliver, or go to the garden.


    Anything was better than to socialize with him. But she wouldn''t have thought that instead of getting angry, he smiled.


    "You bought me with 10 million. My service will naturally satisfy you."

 Billionire 318

    She Likes You Too


    Rose vaguely heard Jonathan mumble, "I''m your hubby"


    Suddenly, she remembered what happened after Nightfall Lounge that night. Her face turned red. He also thought about that night.


    The atmosphere added a touch of ambiguity. Just when she couldn''t bear his passionate gaze and was about to re back at him, he withdrew his gaze.


    He knew that he couldn''t rush. She didn''t like "Mr. Finch". He couldn''t be offensive and annoying to her. But along the way, even while driving, he kept ncing at her intentionally, as if he couldn''t get enough of her. She felt he was peeking at her. But when she looked at him, he seemed very focused on driving. They said nothing along the way. Soon, the car stopped outside a high-end garden hotel in Aquastead. The host of today''s newborn party was Eugene Lynch. The Lynch family''s technologypany was on the verge of bankruptcy due to ack of funds a few months ago.


    As for this newborn party, Eugene nned to invite some Aquastead investors to see if he could collect funds to save thepany. But it was past time for the party to start. No one came. The garden banquet hall was empty except for him, his wife, and their daughter.


    "Just wait a little longer. Maybe there''s ¨¤ traffic jam. The guests might be on their way here," Lillian Ford reassured.


    He looked dejected. No one woulde. He should have known this would be the oue. It was hopeless to save hispany. But today was his daughter''s party.


    He quickly turned into a smile and hugged his wife and daughter.


    "Forget it. Don''t wait any longer. I''ll think of other ways to save thepany. Today is our baby''s party. It''s enough for the three of us to be together."


    He took his daughter from her and carried her to the toy area. She looked at his back and felt heartbroken. On the contrary, their daughter was giggling with joy.


    As soon as Rose and Jonathan entered the garden, they were attracted by theughter. The decorations were pink and warm. She was a little surprised.


    Wasn''t he in need of a partner for so


    She didn''t expect him to bring her to a newborn party. She


    looked at him in confusion. Did they take a wrong turn?


    He was also stunned. He knew that he wasing to attend a newborn party. But he didn''t expect that the party would be in this atmosphere.


    The garden was full of childlike innocence and warmth which made it difficult for them to get used to it for a while. But after receiving her gaze, he could only bite the bullet. "The party is indeed here."


    There was only a dinner party here tonight. Although it was his excuse to see her, he had to attend the party.


    #


    She Likes You Too


    The Lynches heard the sound at the door and subconsciously stood up and turned around. Seeing the two of them, they were stunned.


    The two guests were of extraordinary temperament. Eugene didn''t know them.


    But he still greeted them enthusiastically, "Wee to my daughter''s newborn party..."


    Before he could finish speaking, the baby in his arms started babbling and reached out. His daughter tried. to break free from his arms and get into Rose''s.


    She was a little confused. But seeing the baby pouted and seemed about to cry, she immediately stepped forward to take the baby. The baby beamed instantly.


    The baby stared at her and touched her cheek gently. Seeming to like her very much, the baby let out a giggle


    "She likes you.


    Thinking of something, Jonathan stared at the baby and gradually looked yearning.


    His voice caught the baby''s attention. The baby smiled and reached out to him. He was stunned for a moment when she touched him. Did she want him to hold her? Everyone else could see through the baby''s meaning. He looked stiff. Eugene worried about offending the guest and was about to take the baby.


    But she took the first step and put the baby in Jonathan''s arms. His whole body was stiff, and he looked at her for help.


    The baby weighed around ten pounds. But he seemed to be holding a bomb. He didn''t even dare to breathe too hard. But she didn''t intend to help him. Instead, she raised her eyebrows happily. "She likes you too!"


    It was her first time to see him so helpless. She felt she had finally avenged the trick he had yed on her. She was in a good mood, and her smile was much brighter.


    He was stunned. It had been long since he had seen her smile.


    "Sorry, Sir. My daughter is ignorant....


    Eugene felt his scalp numb. He knew they weren''t ordinary people at first nce. Now that hispany was in such a situation. He could no longer offend big shots. But Jonathan suddenly rxed. He hugged and praised the baby with a gentle smile, "She is good."


    At least the baby made her smile! He felt that his decision toe to this newborn party was right.


    He put the baby into her arms again. When she was stunned, he walked to the toy area aside, waving to her, She was in a daze, then subconsciously walked over with the baby,


    He yed with the baby with toys. She rxed while listening to the baby''s giggles echoing in the garden.


    "Who are they?"


    Lillian wondered who Eugene knew among them. He shook his head,


    She Likes You Too


    He didn''t know any of them. They wouldn''t let strangers get close to their daughter if it were anyone else, but she liked this good-looking couple. They yed with her gently, like a family of three. Lillian smiled unconsciously.


    "Forget it. They''re at our baby''s newborn party. We should entertain them well."


    He nodded.


    "Yes."


    They were about to go over when he received a call from thepany. He knew why the call came without even thinking about it.


    He answered the phone sadly. Sure enough, the caller told him they could only stop the chip project they were developing and disband the team if he had no funds.


    He was silent for a long time and sighed heavily. His tone was full of helplessness.


    "It''s all my fault. I can''t get funds for so long. It has affected the research and development project. If there is no other way, I can only stop it. But you can reassure the team. I''ll sell the property under my name tomorrow. Although the money isn''t enough to support the project, it''s enough to cover the team''s severance pay."


    He hung up the phone dejectedly. His voice wasn''t loud, but Jonathan, who had always had sharp hearing. could vaguely hear him.


    Stopping the project, selling the property, disbanding the team, and then he would face bankruptcy. The baby suddenly kissed Rose''s cheek, seeming happy and giggling.


    She was full of disbelief, followed by excitement.


    "She kissed me!"


    She had never felt like this before. Her exmation and the baby''sughter were intertwined. His eyes sparkled slightly.


    If she knew what this baby would go through tomorrow, she wouldn''t be able to bear it.


    7

 Billionire 319

    Couple in Love


    Couple in Love


    Jonathan frowned, quietly took out his phone, and sent Finley a message. Finley looked at the message and felt puzzled.


    "Check the information of the newborn''s father."


    Why was he interested in a small and brokenpany''s boss?


    Finley couldn''t figure it out but didn''t dare to dy the order. He quickly asked someone to investigate. In less than 10 minutes, he sent Eugene''s information to Jonathan. Rose and the baby''sughter still echoed in the garden. The Lynches looked at them and smiled bitterly. He looked at his phone and got a rough idea of Eugene,


    Eugene had good abilities but was unlucky. Hispany''s chip project was promising in the technology Industry


    Soon, the baby was having too much fun and looked hungry. When she returned the baby to Lillian, she felt reluctant.


    "Let''s take a photo," he suddenly said.


    There was a rumor that the leader of the Finch Group, Mr. Finch, never liked to expose himself. But now he suggested taking photos with others! She was a little surprised.


    Not only her, but the Lynches were also a little surprised. He looked extraordinary but took the initiativ ask for a photo. He soon handed the phone to the waiter.


    None of them could react. Only the baby became energetic, waving and giggling as if more excited than before. She felt confused. Her intuition told her he wouldn''t ask for a photo for no reason. She stood next to him. Before the waiter pressed the photo button, his deep voice sounded.


    "Rosie..."


    She subconsciously looked at him, asking him what he wanted. He just smiled softly. What was going on? She wanted to ask, but the waiter had already returned the phone.


    He looked at the photo on his phone. In the photo, she turned sideways to the camera, looking at him as if he was the only one in her eyes. He was satisfied with the photo and couldn''t help but hold her wrist. She seemed to have gotten electrocuted. Sensing his passion, she felt her mind go nk for a moment. He always looked like he wanted to possess her.


    "You two are so loving


    Lillian came out after feeding the baby and couldn''t help but admire them.


    She mmed his hand away and hurriedly exined, "No, we''re not..."


    They weren''t ¨¤ couple! But before she could finish speaking, his voice overwhelmed her.


    "We''ve always been very loving."


    He held her hand again. She was speechless. What did he mean?


    Couple in Love


    Before she could ask him for an exnation, he continued, "I would like to wee you to our wedding."


    Questions filled her mind again. What wedding?


    "Yes, we will. We wish you happiness."


    The Lynches saw the undercurrent between them and could see they had quarreled. The husband was devoted to coaxing his wife, but she hadn''t forgiven him. The Lynches were clever and immediately walked away to avoid disturbing them.


    Before they left, Eugene patted his shoulder and said, "Just coax her well. That''s what a wife wants."


    As soon as the Lynches left with the baby, he called her "wifey affectionately. She was so startled that she blushed and broke away from his hand.


    She excused herself to the restroom and hurried away as if running away. He felt disappointed, but he knew getting her to like "Mr. Finch" wasn''t easy.


    He wasn''t in a hurry as long as she was willing to give him a chance.


    Feeling the gazes from the Lynches, he looked over and felt their concern. He smiled bitterly. Then, he took out his phone to message Finley along with the photo taken just now. Finley was surprised when he saw the content of the message.


    But he quickly suppressed his surprise. He contacted the new media department at the Regalia''s Finch Group headquarters to publish the photo on thergest social media site.


    As the leader of the Three Greatest Families of Regalia, Finch Group attracted attention from all fields. When the new media department posted the photo, countless marketing ounts quickly forwarded it.


    In less than 10 minutes, the photo and screenshots of the news posted on Finch Group''s official blog were spread all over the inte.


    Finch Group''s official blog only had a few words to apany the photo.


    "Mr. Finch meets friends."


    The number of views on the official blog skyrocketed. Theizens on the official blog were excited.


    "Is he Mr. Finch? He''s so handsome!"


    "He looks so familiar! He looks like a certain star..."


    "He is so handsome and rich! I dere him to be my new hubby from now on!"


    "New hubby? Stop daydreaming! Look at the beauty next to him!"


    In the photo, Rose was in a red dress, with long hair hanging over her shoulders. It was a pity she only showed her side profile.


    But even that was superior to those of the top female stars in the entertainment industry. The two stood together like a perfect couple.


    Most importantly, Mr. Finch held her hand. She looked at him affectionately, and he smiled sweetly. Their rtionship was evident. He was in love!


    20


    Couple in Love


    For a time, theizens were curious about her identity. Who was she that could attract the person in charge of Finch Group?


    "Finch Group is about to get the distinguished Mrs. Finch. She''s so lucky! She must have saved the gxy in her previous life!" Netizens were envious. Discussions were heated up, spreading to all fields.


    It was after 8:00 p.m. Dinner time. Most prominent businessmen in Aquastead were having dinner at home or gathering in restaurants.


    An investor was having dinner with his daughter. She looked at the photo on her phone. Rose next to Mr. Finch caught her attention. "Why does she look so familiar?"


    Just as she was about to look closely, he scolded her harshly, "Don''t look at your phone while eating! What''s so interesting on your phone? Maria ..."


    He nned to ask the nanny to take the phone away but suddenly changed his mind.


    He stood up and stepped forward to take his daughter''s phone. He was usually too busy and neglected to discipline her. He wanted to take this opportunity to have a good talk with her.


    But before he spoke, he nced at the phone. When he saw the word "Mr. Finch", he instinctively stayed there for a few seconds. Soon, he knew the story.


    Mr. Finch met with his friends. Everyone knew that Mr. Finch was currently at Aquastead. And about that friend... He looked carefully at the photo and saw a familiar face. He instantly lost hisposure. He immediately called his secretary.


    "Did Eugene send me an invitation letter?"


    "Yes, he has invited you to his daughter''s newborn party. You told me that hispany had broken the capital chain. He has been running for new investments for the past six months. He probably wants to use this newborn party to attract investment for thepany. You decided not to go..."


    "Give me the address."


    Before the secretary could finish speaking, he interrupted.

 Billionire 320

    That''s Rose


    The secretary was stunned.


    "I want the address. Send the address to me now."


    After saying that, he hung up the phone. The secretary didn''t understand what happened but didn''t dare to dy the boss order


    When he sent the address, the investor had already driven out of the garage and headed straight for the destination


    At the same time, luxury cars were dispatched from many other ces in Aquastead, heading toward the same destination. In less than half an hour, countless luxury cars stopped outside a garden hotel.


    They were all investors in the Aquastead investmentmunity and technology industry. Usually, they would greet each other when they met.


    But now, they looked anxious and had something more important to do. All the people present together couldn''tpare to Mr. Finch inside.


    They came here with amon purpose. They wanted to get to know him. But his energy was limited. Not everyone had the opportunity


    At this moment, they werepetitors. Whoever walked faster and first appeared before him would have the upper hand. So, almost everyone quickened their pace. They hurriedly arrived at the garden banquet hall where Eugene''s daughter''s newborn party was held. Then, they happened to meet the Lynches with their baby. The baby''s eyes were sparkling, and she was smiling.


    One of the people walking at the front seemed to be looking for Mr. Finch. After being stunned, the person behind him stepped forward to shake hands with Eugene. "Sorry, Mr. Lynch, I''mte. I was busy at mypany. But I rushed over. Here, this is a meeting gift for your daughter."


    The man was full of enthusiasm and gave a gift to him. He was a little surprised. Before he could recover, the person behind him had already stepped forward. "Mr. Lynch, I should have arrived earlier, but something happened. I''m not toote, right?"


    As the man spoke, he looked behind the Lynches. It was not toote as long as Mr. Finch was still around! The man didn''t care much and walked in very consciously. The people behind him followed him closely. They hurriedly entered the banquet hall without even greeting Eugene. But looking around, they didn''t see Mr. Finch. Not to mention Mr. Finch, the banquet hall was empty except for the Lynches. Everyone was stunned.


    "Where is he?" someone asked in disappointment.


    The Lynches were still dumbfounded with the sudden arrival of the guests. They returned to their senses after hearing this question.


    173


    That''s Rose


    In addition to the guests he invited, some people were beyond his reach in the Aquastead investmentmunity. Were they here looking for someone? "N-no one else is here," he replied with a dry smile.


    He didn''t know they were looking for the couple who had left a few minutes ago. How could there be no one? How did the photo on Finch Group''s official websitee if no one else was here? Everyone looked at him, wondering if he hid Mr. Finch from them. The more they thought about it, the more likely they felt it was possible. They secretly thought that he was dishonest. But now, Mr. Finch recognized him as a friend. No one present dared to offend him. If he said there was no one, they could only admit it.


    "Mr. Lynch, I decided to invest in the project you mentionedst time. Don''t worry. We''ll go through the process tomorrow."


    "No, no. No process is needed! Mr. Lynch, this money will be credited to yourpany''s ount


    tomorrow."


    "Mr. Lynch..."


    He was stunned. Their warm smilings made him even more confused. There were only two guests just now. But in the blink of an eye, many people rushed to give him money. What went wrong? He couldn''t figure it out. He knew that after he epted the cooperation invitation from anyone present, he could solve thepany''s financial problems. But for some reason, he felt flustered.


    He smiled as he dealt with the big shots present.


    "Thank you. There''s no rush."


    By this time, a sum of funds had already arrived in hispany''s ount. Outside, Rose wondered why Jonathan went through the back door instead of the front door. He seemed to be avoiding something. She nced at him with doubts. Only to find that under the dim light, he was smiling, and his whole body seemed glowing. She was stunned once again.


    Following him, they walked quickly through the alley and entered a bustling street. Perhaps because she was too focused on looking at him, she suddenly stopped as if her foot stuck with something. Looking down, she saw her heel stuck in the gap. She couldn''t help but wail in her heart.


    If she had known it earlier, she wouldn''t wear high heels. She tried pulling it out but didn''t realize he had also stopped.


    Before she could try a second time, he had already squatted down. When he grasped her ankle, she instinctively shivered. What was he going to do?


    He took her foot out of the shoe when she returned to her senses. Then, he pulled out the stuck shoe without much force. He put on her shoe gently and looked up at her.


    It''s alright now."


    He was a naturally handsome man. But she had never noticed before that his eyes were also seductive.


    That''s Rose


    Her heartbeat quickened. Just then, he turned his back to her and squatted down.


    She felt confused. What did he mean?


    Before she could ask, he said, "Come up."


    Come up? She suddenly felt puzzled. She stood there In a daze, thinking intently about what he meant.


    Before she could figure it out, he seemed unable to wait any longer, grabbed her hand, and pulled it gently.


    "Ah!"


    Her body suddenly leaned forward, causing her to scream. But then, she fell on his broad back and then moved up He carried her. "Put me down!"


    Pedestrians around kept paying attention to them. She buried her face on his back in shame and embarrassment.


    It was a rare chance to get her on his back. How would he put her down? He carried her into the crowd, filled with pride and satisfaction. -The scene just now fell into Gabriel''s eyes not far away, full of suspicion.


    He watched the two figures go further away and finally disappear into the crowd. His cigarette had burned out, leaving only ashes.


    Until Kelly walked out and saw that he seemed fascinated by something, she asked, "Gabriel, what''s wrong with you?"


    She followed his sight and saw nothing.


    "It''s nothing."


    Even so, the image of the couple just now echoed in his mind. That was Rose!

 Billionire 321

    He Attracted Her


    He Attracted Her


    And that man... Gabriel never saw Jonathan''s front, only his back. And it was very simr to the man he saw qutside Young Estate when he went out.


    Kelly once said that Rose was married. Was that her husband? The image of Jonathan squatting down and carrying her away appeared in his mind. They looked loving.


    He suddenly felt depressed and didn''t even want to pay attention to Kelly. Soon, he turned and walked into the bar. She sensed his neglect.


    He was enthusiastic toward her before and hugged her without hesitation in front of his Aquastead friends.


    Although he said she was his cousin, his behavior revealed that their rtionship wasn''t that simple. What was the reason for this sudden neglect?


    She thoughtfully looked in the direction he had just looked. Before she had time to think about it, her phone rang. It was Maya.


    She didn''t want to answer the call as she wanted to find him. But thinking about using Maya, she still answered it.


    When the call connected, Maya asked frightenedly, "Who is Rose''s husband?"


    She was startled. Why did Maya suddenly ask that? Of course, she wouldn''t tell the truth.


    "Isn''t he a male escort?"


    "Is he


    a male escort?"


    There was a hint of temptation in Maya''s tone. She saw him among his friends through the bar''s windows. They were reading their phones as if they were discussing something exciting. She immediately lost patience with Maya.


    "Of course. Didn''t you tell me that?"


    Maya paused as if considering whether Kelly''s words were credible. But in seconds, she stopped questioning and doubting. She sounded angry.


    "Did you know that? Rose''s husband is Mr. Finch from Regalia''s Finch Group! How is that possible? But in that photo, even if that woman only showed her sid? face, I recognize her! That''s Rose! Is it possible that they just look alike? There should be two people who look alike in this world. It''s also possible that Rose''s husband looks like Mr. Finch. How could the person she married be the Finch Group''s leader? How could it be!"


    He Attracted Her


    In the end, she couldn''t hide her jealousy. She would rather believe that Rose''s husband just looked a bit like Mr. Finch rather than being him.


    C


    Thinking of the admiration and praise of Rose from theizens on the inte, she was even angrier.


    "Kelly, say something!"


    Kelly trembled when she heard the news. Maya''s voice woke her up. What Maya had just said echoed in her mind. She tried to calm herself down.


    "What photo are you talking about?"


    Even though she tried to suppress it, she still couldn''t control her trembling voice. Maya noticed it. She frowned suspiciously, thinking Kelly had be emotional because of


    her words.


    "You can see it on any social media. That photo is so popr now!"


    She still gritted her teeth. Kelly quickly hung up the phone, opened social media, and saw the photo. It was Mr. Finch. And the woman next to Mr. Finch...


    Just like what Maya said, she could recognize it even if it was just a side face. That was


    Rose!


    In the photo, Rose was looking at him. He was full of sweetness, and his love was


    visible. It made her heart bleed. She looked at Gabriel in the bar.


    After thinking for a while, she closed the web page, clutched her phone tightly, and entered the bar. Meanwhile, he was holding his phone and looking at the photo in a


    trance.


    "Gabriel, what''s wrong with you? Is there something wrong with Mr. Finch''s photo? The Youngs and the Finches are among the Three Greatest Families of Regara. Are you in touch with Mr. Finch?" Everyone present


    was full of curiosity and even wanted to make friends with Mr. Finch. He rarely had the opportunity to see the real Mr. Finch. But he seemed to have seen it just now!


    In the photo, the woman beside Mr. Finch wore the same red dress as Rose. If it was Just a side face, he could only make a rough guess about her identity. As he saw the scene himself just now, he confirmed it.


    It turned out that the strange feeling he had outside Young Estate before wasn''t wrong.


    That man was Mr. Finch! That woman was Rose!


    He Attracted Her


    He knew she was attractive. Yet, he didn''t expect that not only would Oliver mistake her for Henrietta, but even Mr. Finch would be so obsessed with her. Thinking of what Chloe had told him, he became even more interested in her. He raised his eyebrows and smiled.


    "There will be a chance to get to know him."


    As for how this friendship woulde... He just smiled and said nothing. His friends immediately became more interested.


    "I heard that Mr. Finch always kept a low profile. He has no photos on the inte. I didn''t expect him to publish a photo this time. His friend will be sessful."


    "Do you mean Eugene Lynch, the small boss of a technologypany? He doesn''t seem like someone who could know Mr. Finch. It''s strange! He''s so lucky to get


    incredible wealth!"


    Several people couldn''t help but exim.


    "I don''t think it''s strange!"


    He knew it well. Naturally, Jonathan wouldn''t be interested in Eugene. But if it were for Rose, it would make sense. His friends were curious to hear what he would say.


    At this moment, Kelly walked in. She saw the photo on his phone at a nce. Did he see it? Did he recognize that the woman in the photo was Rose?


    She felt a little worried. But just for a moment, she pretended not to know anything.


    She looked innocent and harmless and asked doubtfully, "What''s strange?"


    Realizing she was back, he immediately hid his phone.


    "Nothing is strange. Come sit here."


    He patted the ce next to him and looked at her ambiguously. Then, he dismissed the topic of Mr. Finch and continued drinking with his friends. But he pondered something. Jonathan carried Rose. She tried to get off several times but failed. He carried her through the downtown area. There were fewer pedestrians around, and she seemed to be used to being on his back.


    She didn''t want to be a toy of a big shot. She was still unhappy with him hiding his identity for so long. But she admitted he attracted her when he grabbed her ankle and carried her through the crowd.


    $25 BOWS


    He Attracted Her


    She was startled by this discovery. Why could he still attract her? She must be crazy!

 Billionire 322

    No One Else but Rose


    Rose wanted to stay away from Jonathan. But his stability seemed to have great magic power, making her intoxicated and unable to extricate herself.


    She simply gave up struggling temporarily. She didn''t even notice that she no longer resisted his carrying.


    Shey on his back, was familiar with his scent, rxed, and felt tired.


    When her even breathing came from behind, he knew she was asleep.


    "How can you sleep in this situation? You heartless girl!"


    He couldn''t help sighing but didn''t mean to me her. To let her sleep peacefully, he deliberately slowed down his pace.


    He suddenly felt that it was satisfying to carry her. He wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. Just then, the evening breeze blew. He frowned as she was in a dress and might be cold. Even if he enjoyed the feeling at this moment, he still worried about her getting cold. So, he called Finley and asked him to drive over. Finley arrived at the address he gave as quickly as possible. He covered her with his coat and looked at her gently, unlike his usual self. Seeing that, Finley knew that he was smitten with her.


    After he carried her into the car, Finley tentatively asked, "Sir, are you returning to


    Zenwood Gardens?"


    He thought they had reconciled. It was normal for the loving couple to return to their home. But he frowned slightly.


    Although reluctant, he still said, "Go to Young Estate."


    Finley looked a little surprised. But ording to the order, he could only drive toward Young Estate. Before they arrived at Young Estate, two people were already waiting inside. Anastasia''s phone dropped to the ground. The photo on the screen was particrly dazzling. She stood before the window, staring at the door as if waiting for someone.


    At the door, Miles stood in the shadow gloomily. Others might not have been able to see through it, but he could recognize Rose at a nce. What did Jonathan mean to make her public?


    No One Else but Rose


    The sound of the car was getting closer. He stood up straight and looked over until he saw the people in the car clearly from a distance.


    She leaned against Jonathan while he gently hugged her shoulders. The scene was so beautiful that it could make others jealous. Miles didn''t return to his senses until the car stopped. Seeing him taking her out, Miles strode forward, almost subconsciously trying to take her from him. Of course, he wouldn''t hand her over to Miles.


    Although Oliver epted her as his adopted granddaughter, Miles wasn''t her biological brother. Miles'' love for her never faded.


    Their gazes met, and he suddenly smiled. Then, as if he didn''t understand what Miles meant, he brought her into the Young Estate. Miles stiffened slightly, slowly lowered his hands, and felt lost. He hugged her straight to the main building and toward her room. After they entered, Anastasia walked out of another room. She stared at Rose''s door, and her intense jealousy turned into hatred. Why could Rose get his favor? She had followed him for 10 years but had never seen him take such extreme care of any woman, not even Harriette.


    He was like holding a treasure in the world. But why Rose?


    Anastasia bit her lips unwillingly and suddenly heard footstepsing downstairs. She subconsciously looked over and met Miles'' warning gaze.


    She averted her eyes guiltily. But she discovered that he had deliberately attracted her to look over and warn her.


    He liked Rose. Even if Jonathan hugged her and announced her existence, he still warned Anastasia. Shouldn''t he be as mad with jealousy as she was?


    She chuckled softly. Recalling that she looked embarrassed just now, she nned to mock him. But she met his warning gaze again.


    He had always been gentle and elegant. At this time, he looked sullen and sharp, mixed with a bit of ferocity. It was as if to say that he wouldn''t let her go if she had bad ideas toward Rose.


    She knew that he was as ruthless as Jonathan. Under that sight, she lost-to him again. But she sneered as if she was waiting for a good show.


    In the huge main building, the servants had gone to bed. There was no sound in the hall and the second floor. It was surprisingly quiet. He carried her into the room, and half an


    No One Else but Rose


    hour had passed.


    Miles thought he wouldn''t do anything extraordinary after sending her back. But after half an hour, he still didn''te out. His expression darkened.


    Time passed by, and an hour had passed. He suppressed his displeasure but couldn''t sit still.


    Finally, he stood up from the sofa and walked toward the second floor. When he reached her room, he wanted to open the door. After hesitating, he chose to knock on


    the door.


    But before he knocked on it, the door suddenly opened from inside.


    The light in the room was dim, but he still saw Jonathan''s shock. His surprise soon turned into a chuckle. It revealed a bit of understanding and disdain.


    He withdrew his hand, unable to conceal his embarrassment. Soon, he stepped aside and let Jonathane out.


    Before closing the door, they couldn''t help but nce inside the room and walk down the second floor. They left the hall and stopped under a big tree in the front yard. He spoke first. "Have you made your decision?"


    Jonathan had known he would ask about this. Of course, he confirmed that he would only be with Rose. No one else but her! He met Miles'' gaze. In the darkness, they stood opposite each other. His eyes were firm.


    "You saw it too. It already exined everything."


    He was referring to the photo. But Miles suddenly stepped forward anxiously.


    "Do you know what she would face after you showed her to the public? As the leader of Finch Group, you always attract everyone''s attention!"


    "That''s why I only showed her side face!"


    It was only her side face for now. He didn''t want to put her in danger. He just helped Eugene in passing. What he wanted to do was tell everyone that he loved her!


    "What about those wicked from the Finches?"

 Billionire 323

    It Doesn''t Affect My Admiration


    That was what Miles was most worried about. Compared to the Youngs, the Finches were much moreplicated.


    Jonathan had been dormant for years and finally became the leader of the Finch Group. During the recent power struggle, the Finches were afraid of his means.


    But none of them was willing to give up the Finch Group. This time, it was their turn to prepare a counterattack.


    They always paid attention to him. If Rose followed him, it would inevitably lead to many unknown dangers. He had already thought about that when falling in love with her.


    He looked serious.


    "I won''t let Rose get hurt!"


    The people in Finch Group wouldn''t give up. When he first came to Aquastead, someone had already attacked him. He just cut off that person''s power.


    If he hadn''t met her, no matter what they did, he would have fought back appropriately without hurting the Finches. But he didn''t dare gamble on the Finches'' kindness if he wanted to be with her. After a moment of pause, he continued, "If necessary, I won''t be merciful!"


    He had never been soft-hearted. Until he left, Miles was still standing under the tree.


    After a long time, he didn''t return to the room in the main building but stopped in front of another building. It was as if he had decided to face something.


    Finally, he entered the building and slowly reached a room. It was whe Harriette once lived. The room was still the same as it was when she was there.


    They said she had been dead for many years, but he never wanted to believe it or face it.


    She loved Jonathan deeply. He knew that she wasn''t that important to Jonathan. Or she was just an ordinary friend in Jonathan''s mind. But he stubbornly wanted to guard her wishes.


    He even asked Jonathan to be like him. Even if she wasn''t here, she must have been the most important person in their hearts. No one could rece her.


    But he never imagined that he had unknowingly reced her with someone else.


    "Sorry, Harriette."


    It Doesn''t Affect My Admiration


    In the empty room, his tone was self-reproaching and a little helpless.


    "You''ll me me, right?"


    But even knowing she would me him, he couldn''t control his feelings, let alone Jonathan. That night, he stayed in the room for a long time and didn''t leave until dawn.


    Rose slept peacefully. She hadn''t slept so deeply for a long time. The next day, she was thest to get up. When she arrived at the dining room, Patrick had already pushed Oliver to go for a walk in the garden.


    Anastasia, Kelly, and Gabriel were all still there. She looked at the time suspiciously and felt surprised.


    Usually, Anastasia would have already gone out. Kelly would return to the room or another ce but never to the dining room. Gabriel also wouldn''t be here at this time.


    When she approached, they all looked at herplicatedly. They either sneered, looked dissatisfied, or couldn''t hide their hatred, as if she had taken away what they wanted


    most.


    Did Oliver say something that made her the target of criticism? It was her first guess. She didn''t know that their hatred came from a photo.


    She was never afraid of them being unkind. Facing them, she walked to her seat and sat down to eat her breakfast slowly. They had finished eating but showed no intention of leaving. She finally couldn''t help but ask, "Is there something on my face?"


    They were stunned for a moment, then turned away. Anastasia and Kelly usually said sarcastic words to her. But today, they only smiled and left.


    They worried that if they stayed a little longer, they couldn''t help but ask about the photo.


    Rose already knew that the man she married was Mr. Finch. None of them wanted to see her proud, so they stopped asking for trouble.


    But Gabriel still sat in his seat. Without anyone else around, he stared at her.


    "Your side profile is indeed pretty!"


    She was more beautiful in reality than in that photo. His strangepliment instantly made her frown.


    Meeting his impolite gaze, she unpleasantly warned, "Didn''t Kelly tell you I was married? I don''t care what you want to do. Don''t focus on me!"


    425 BOWS


    It Doesn''t Affect My Admiration


    He raised his eyebrows. Ever since he came to Aquastead, she never seemed to have a good attitude toward him.


    But her true nature was much more charming than Kelly, who seemed considerate and gentle. Thinking of what Chloe told him, his smile gradually widened. He still stared at her affectionately. "Yes, you said it. But whether you''re married doesn''t affect my admiration for you."


    Admiration? She was so startled by his words that she spat out the milk, causing a fit of choking and coughing. She looked at him. Although he still showed a smile, it was stiff.


    His affectionate confession looked particrly funny because of the specks of milk on his face. She couldn''t help butugh.


    Herughter echoed in the dining room. It was frank, cheerful, and without any trace of artificiality. She wasn''t like Kelly and the Regalia socialites he once knew. Their smiles were hypocritical.


    His stiff face gradually rxed. As if herughter infected him, his smile became more real. Just as he was immersed in herugh, she stoppedughing abruptly.


    She spat milk all over his face, but he smiled instead of getting angry. He looked so scary! She shuddered inwardly. She didn''t want to be kind to him as she knew why he came to her. "Although Grandpa thinks of me as Aunt Rietta, I know my identity. I''m not interested in the Youngs. I don''t want to emphasize this again. Please don''t waste your time on me!" After saying that, she didn''t even want to drink the unfinished milk. She got up and walked out of the dining room.


    She disappeared from his sight, but his smile grew bigger. He believed she wasn''t interested in anything about the Youngs.


    Although he had onlye to Aquastead not long ago, he could feel her sincerity toward Oliver.


    Not only that, even if she were ambitious, she would gain much more from focusing on Mr. Finch than on the Youngs. But even so, he still couldn''t help but want to focus on her. At first, it was because she was so beautiful that he couldn''t take his gaze away. Now, he seemed to have some other reasons.

 Billionire 324

    She Is Mrs. Finch


    Someone unknown suppressed the photo that almost paralyzed the social tform.


    But the sensation it caused overnight shocked the Finches in Regalia. The most shocked person was none other than Eugene.


    Last night, he greeted the guests at the newborn party. After that, he went home and fell asleep.


    He arrived at thepany the next day. At first, he wanted to appease the team and discusspensation measures after the disbanding.


    But as soon as he entered thepany, the entire R&D team was at the door. When he appeared, there was thunderous apuse. Everyone was smiling and looking at him as if looking at hope itself.


    Although he looked confused, he was surrounded and walked into the conference room. It wasn''t until he mentioned the team disbandment that everyone''s expressions froze.


    "Eugene, are you kidding me?"


    "Mr. Lynch, don''t kid with us. We want to follow you to make the current project a


    sess."


    He frowned and sighed. How could they seed without funds? His sigh and a moment of silence made everyone present feel uneasy. Everyone''s expressions


    darkened.


    "Mr. Lynch, you can''t leave us behind!"


    "That''s right! Although Finch Group has strong funds and more professional personnel, our team has been working on this project. We''re cooperating and progressing smoothly. We also have advantages."


    Everyone was afraid that he would disband them and start a new one.


    He became even more confused and finally couldn''t help but interrupt them, "What funds? What Finch Group?¡±


    In his impression, there was no investor surnamed Finch in Aquastead.


    Even though numerous investors came to the newborn party and proposed to invest in him, he didn''t dare to ept it as everything was too sudden and weird. Everyone was silent for a moment. They could see he was confused and didn''t know


    She Is Mrs. Finch


    about Finch Group''s investment.


    The finance director immediately said, "Mr. Lynch, the funds invested by Finch Group have arrived in ourpany''s ount. I thought you knew."


    But judging from the situation, he seemed to know nothing.


    He had been recognized as a "friend" by Mr. Finch. Everyone thought that he and Mr. Finch had finalized the investment. They didn''t expect that wasn''t the case. He was still confused.


    "Which Finch Group?"


    He still hadn''t figured it out. There was only one Finch Group in the country. But how was it possible?


    He couldn''t even think about it. Why would Finch Group invest in hispany for no reason? They must have made a mistake!


    But soon, the finance director showed him the ounting information of the investment. The words "Finch Group Investment" stood out.


    "How is this possible?" he murmured.


    It was the investmentpany under Finch Group that he was thinking of.


    "Why is it impossible? Mr. Lynch, please stop being modest. You have a good rtionship with Mr. Finch. You shouldn''t be so surprised."


    Some people were dissatisfied with his reaction. Soon, they showed him the official news released by Finch Group.


    "Mr. Finch meets friends."


    The photo below was of his family and the young couple at his daughter''s newborn partyst night. He finally reacted and was shocked beyond measure. "He is Mr. Finch ..."


    That was Mr. Finch! His body was shaking. He recalled that Mr. Finch took the initiative to take a photost night. It turned out that Mr. Finch wanted to help him!


    He looked at the time Finch Group''s official ount posted the news. No wonder many investors attended the newborn party. They came for Mr. Finch!


    He didn''t know he had faced such a big shotst night. At this time, he slumped into the chair. He began to recall whether he was inappropriate in any way toward Mr. Finch. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was an investor, Casey Parker, whom he once tried hard to


    She Is Mrs. Finch


    invite for investment.


    He answered the phone. And Casey, who had always been indifferent to him, was


    enthusiastic.


    "Eugene, I know yourpany''s project is promising. I mentioned the investmentst night. Don''t worry. I''ll transfer the funds to yourpany''s ount within 10 minutes." He suddenly felt that this investment would be a hot potato. He might need to use something to exchange for it.


    Sure enough, Casey said, "Eugene, let''s gather some other time. You can invite Mr. Finch ..."


    He dared not to agree with Casey. How could he invite Mr. Finch?


    "Mr. Parker, I appreciate your kindness. But ourpany has enough funds now. This


    investment..."


    Casey was startled but seemed to have expected it. He had already made friends with Mr. Finch. It was normal that he wouldn''tck funds anymore.


    Since they were friends, it was just a small matter for Finch Group to help him. Casey wanted to follow suit if Finch Group invested in hispany.


    "Eugene, the more funds, the better. Nobody wouldin about too much funds. I''m optimistic about you. I look forward to your expansion of the project and thepany.


    He understood what Casey meant. But the more he knew Casey''s original intention, the less he dared to ept it. Mr. Finch had given him such a great favor. He couldn''t make


    it difficult for Mr. Finch.


    After several more words, he finally refused Casey''s investment. But just as he hung up the phone, another call came in. It was another investor whose intention was the same as Casey''s.


    He simply turned off the phone. But he never thought the investors would call hispany when they couldn''t connect his call. He could only make excuses for his absence. But how would they believe it? They were all convinced that he was hiding on purpose and even came to thepany to find him. He had no choice but to disguise himself to avoid them.


    When he got home, he told Lillian what had happened. She also had a look of disbelief.


    "He''s Mr. Finch? Then thatdy must be Mrs. Finch!"


    They looked like a perfect couple.


    She Is Mrs. Finch


    "I didn''t expect them to be so loving. I wonder who she is. Judging from her temperament, she must be from a wealthy family..."


    Women''s focuses were different. He was thinking about how to thank Mr. Finch. Her interest was in the rtionship between the couple.


    The baby in the cradle was waving her little hands andughing non-stop, seemingly very happy. Soon, they stared at the baby, seeming to understand something. Meeting Mr. and Mrs. Finchst night was an unexpected incident. But afterward, it seemed that their daughter had brought them good luck.


    Mr. and Mrs. Finch helped them probably because they liked their daughter!


    "You like Mrs. Finch very much, right?"


    All of this might be thanks to Mrs. Finch! At this time, Rose didn''t know that someone was thanking her or even about that photo.

 Billionire 325

    Go to Him


    Go to Him


    Rose felt something strange. But she couldn''t tell what it was. Sherlyn and William called her one after another. After she regained her memory, she handed them everything rting to Celeste Jewels.


    They would report thepany''s situation at a fixed time and only talk about businesses. But this time, they mentioned Jonathan, praised her choice, and said they were a perfect match. Her weird feelings became stronger. She wanted an answer. So, when Howard asked her out, she agreed without hesitation. When she arrived at the appointed ce, he was already there. She ordered a cup of coffee. She sat down while he stared at her thoughtfully.


    "Is there something written on my face?"


    In front of him, she became less defensive. Although they had only known each other briefly, she got along well with him. He returned to his senses, smiled, and nodded.


    "Yes!"


    She looked stunned and subconsciously touched her cheek. She even looked at the ss beside her but found nothing unusual.


    She looked at Howard again and asked, "What did it write?"


    It wrote happiness. He believed it would be happiness for her when the Finch Group''s leader loved her.


    When he saw the photo, he first noticed Mr. Finch''s eyes. The love in those eyes was the deepest emotion. He nced at her fingers.


    "Where''s your ring?"


    Ring? She was stunned for a moment, then thought of the diamond ring. She put the ring in her room at Zenwood Gardens. She hadn''t worn it for a long time.


    She then thought of Jonathan, who had bid for the pair of rings. Something gradually became clear in her mind. He was the one who took her design drawings and finished making the pair of rings.


    He also bought the pair of rings at a high price and gave her a "fake ring" of the same style as an excuse.


    She didn''t like being his toy during his time at the Aquastead. Butst night, he carried her on his back as if he was doting on her. She was a little unsure about what he meant to her. Soon, she made a decision.


    "I suddenly have something to do. I have to Jeave first."


    She stood up in a hurry. Was she leaving in such a hurry to find Mr. Finch? Sure enough, they were in love with each other.


    A trace of envy appeared in Howard''s eyes, and he suddenly said, "You look good in the photo, even from the side."


    She frowned in confusion and asked in surprise, "What photo?"


    Her intuition told her that the photo was the source of her strange feelings. Her reaction surprised him slightly.


    Go to Him


    "You don''t know?"


    "Should I know about it?"


    She wondered what the photo was about. Maybe someone secretly photographed something or used some old photos to make a fuss. Anyway, there were many people around her with ulterior motives. But she never expected the photo he mentioned to be from the newborn party. He showed her the photo on his phone. When she saw Jonathan smiling broadly in the photo, she was startled. "Why do you have this photo?"


    Her expression suddenly changed. The banquet service staff used Jonathan''s phone to take the photo. Logically speaking, the photo would only exist on his phone. How could Howard have it? Then, Howard opened a social tform. She finally saw the Finch Group message that almost paralyzed the tform.


    Finch Group had posted that photo officially. What did that mean? It must have been Jonathan''s order!


    "I got it."


    She couldn''t wait to leave even more. At that moment, she couldn''t stop thinking about that photo. She hurriedly walked out without even saying goodbye to him.


    As her figure disappeared, his smile gradually faded. He admired her, maybe liked her a little. He knew she was married, and the man who could give her that diamond ring must be extraordinary. But it didn''t hinder his silent appreciation and love. Now she knew that her husband was Mr. Finch, who showed true love to her.


    He might need to hide that appreciation more. The Chambers wouldn''t dare to offend the Finches in the political field.


    As soon as she left, she quickly took a taxi. She wanted to know where Jonathan was. She originally -wanted to call him. But after hesitating, she changed her mind. She then dialed Finley''s number.


    When he saw "Mrs. Finch" on the caller ID, his hand trembled. He nced at Jonathan in the office, who was in a neat suit and was getting ready to go out.


    He didn''t dare let her wait too long, so he quickly answered, "Hello, Mrs. Finch. Are you looking for Mr. Finch? I''ll give him the phone right now. Please wait a moment."


    Of course, he wouldn''t be narcissistic to think she was finding him. But before he acted, her voice came over coldly.


    "I''m looking for you!"


    He trembled to realize her tone sounded bad. He nced at Jonathan in the office again, wondering if the couple had quarreled.


    But in the photost night, she was looking at Jonathan. Even from her side, he could see the deep affection in her eyes.


    Also, when Jonathan came to thepany today, he couldn''t suppress his smile. It didn''t look like they


    Go to Him


    were quarreling. The thoughts in Finley''s mind formed in the blink of an eye.


    He asked without hesitation, "Mrs. Finch, what can I do for you?"


    He kept calling her Mrs. Finch, but she didn''t bother to correct him.


    "Where is Jonathan?"


    He didn''t dare lie to her.


    "He''s at thepany now. He''ll go to the Aquastead Hotel to meet someer."


    Who would Jonathan meet at the hotel? Doubt shed through her mind for a moment.


    But she thought about confronting him about the photo and didn''t think much. She hung up and told the


    driver her destination.


    "Go to the Aquastead Hotel, thank you."


    If she rushed to the Finch Building, she probably wouldn''t be able to meet with him. So, she went directly to the Aquastead Hotel.


    "Okay," the driver responded, his voice strangely hoarse.


    She couldn''t help but nce at the driver in the front seat. The driver was wearing a hat with the brim pressed down. From her angle, she couldn''t even see his face in the rearview mirror.


    She frowned slightly but then rxed. He was just a driver. Why did she seem to be suffering from persecution delusions?


    She shook her thoughts away. The taxi drove smoothly and stopped outside the Aquastead Hotel not long after.


    "Thanks."


    She paid and got off. The moment the taxi door closed, the driver slowly raised his head.

 Billionire 326

    She Sees Them


    She Sees Them


    A fierce face appeared in the rearview mirror. It was none other than Nixon. He watched her walk into the Aquastead Hotel. That photo was clearly on his phone.


    In the photo, she stood next to Jonathan, looking particrly dazzling. They took the photo with a couple holding a child. Were they announcing something to others? Her figure disappeared at the door of the Aquastead Hotel. He stared at her belly in the photo, and his eyes became vicious.


    Maybe he was so focused that he didn''t notice that someone saw him not far away with a surprised look. As if to make sure she wasn''t dreaming, she even took a photo.


    Maya didn''t expect to see Rose and Nixon. She looked at the photo and confirmed that it was him. Without hesitation, she called Kelly but failed several times. She simply gave up. "It''s strange. Kelly seems to be very busy recently."


    She didn''t know that Kelly had been by Gabriel''s side these days, trying to get him to help her with tomorrow''s n. In Young Estate. Rose, Miles, and Anastasia had gone out, leaving Kelly and Gabriel. Kelly pretended to be depressed and sighed as if she had something on her mind. Her behavior aroused Gabriel''s concern.


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    "It''s my birthday tomorrow..."


    After her reminder, he immediately thought of what he had promised her before.


    "I''ll mention it to Grandpa right now."


    "Thank you," she said happily.


    He left for just a while. Soon, he returned with good news.


    "Grandpa agreed to go to the orphanage tomorrow!"


    After he finished speaking, she heard Patrick making arrangements for tomorrow. She didn''t expect it to be so easy for him to take action. She couldn''t help but wonder. "How did you tell Grandpa?"


    He thought about what he had said to convince Oliver. A strange look shed in his eyes, but it disappeared instantly.`


    "I told Grandpa he promised you before, so he must keep his promise. He''ll fulfill it."


    The excuse was full of problems. Oliver had forgotten many things. How could he remember this?


    Besides, she made up this promise using his memory from that period. Even if he remembered everything, the promise wouldn''t exist.


    But she didn''t care. All she wanted was for her birthday to be in the orphanage tomorrow. As long as he was there, the others would follow. She was smiling, and her eyes seemed to be full of expectation. (1)


    She Sees Them


    She swept away the jealousy and unwillingness she felt because of that photo. She nced around to ensure no one else was there, then excitedly kissed Gabriel.


    He was suddenly confused. Before he could react, she had already thanked him shyly and ran back to the room. The innocence she pretended to be was just a way to manipte him.


    When she returned to her room, she had already hidden her thoughts. She had to think carefully about tomorrow''s n to confirm nothing would go wrong.


    She thought she had him under control. But she didn''t know that when he came to his senses, he showed a hint of disgust.


    He even ordered someone to bring a towel and used it to wipe vigorously on the part where she had just kissed.


    Rose walked into the Aquastead Hotel and met a man.


    "Hello, Mrs. Finch," he greeted her from a distance and strode toward her.


    He said respectfully, "Mrs. Finch, wee. What do you need? I''ll serve you personally."


    She observed him. He was in a suit and had a name tag on his chest.


    He kept calling her Mrs. Finch. She was extremely ufortable with it. But she recognized him quickly. He was the hotel manager.


    She recalled the day she hurried out of the hotel with Jonathan. The manager was outside the door and


    called Mr. Finch.


    She thought Mr. Finch was behind them, so she pulled Jonathan and walked away quickly. It turned out that the manager was calling the man next to her! She looked like a clown in front of him! She sneered.


    "I''m waiting for someone."


    She was waiting for Mr. Finch! The manager didn''t dare to neglect her and immediately arranged the top garden parlor for her.


    "Mrs. Finch, you can bring your friends here. It''s a great ce to have tea and chat."


    The parlor was on the top floor. She remembered that Jonathan''s suite seemed to be downstairs. It would be convenient to find himter.


    She didn''t refuse. At this time, Jonathan was already on his way to the Aquastead Hotel. When leaving thepany, Finley was going to report to him about Rose, but he received a call. Finley didn''t know what the other party said. He looked unhappy. He listened to the phone as he walked. Finley didn''t have a chance to speak until he got into the car.


    "If Mrs. Finch is in a hurry to find him and hasn''te here, she should have gone to the Aquastead Hotel to wait for him," he murmured.


    He originally wanted to tell Jonathan about her. But if Jonathan arrived at the hotel and saw her waiting


    She Sees Them


    for him, he might be happy.


    It was such a good opportunity. She could give Jonathan a surprise. That was the romance between the couple. He couldn''t destroy it. After thinking that, he gave up. In the Aquastead Hotel, she drank tea and thought about how to speak to Jonathan when she saw himter. Expecting it to be about the time, she went downstairs. When she arrived outside his suite, she knocked on the door. But there was no response. He wasn''t here yet. Maybe he wasn''t meeting someone in his room.


    She knew she could call and ask where he was. But she felt curious and wanted to see who he would meet with. She returned to the first floor alone. As soon as she left the elevator, she saw him.


    He had just entered the elevator beside her, and she knew the woman beside him. It was Anastasia! Was she the one he came to meet? She watched the elevator go up, finally stopping at the top floor.


    A strange feeling filled her heart. It seemed like something blocked her heart. She didn''t want to make random guesses.


    So, she took a deep breath, walked into the elevator again, and went straight to the top floor. On the top floor, the manager wondered why she was gone.


    As soon as he turned around, he saw the elevator opening and Jonathan walking out of the elevator.


    He thought that the person she was waiting for was Jonathan and was about to step forward to tter him. But then he saw Anastasia follow him.

 Billionire 327

    You Can''t Hurt Her


    You Can''t Hurt Her


    Anastasia chased after Jonathan all obsessed. The manager had heard rumors from Regalia''s friends that she was attracted to him.


    In this situation, the manager didn''t dare to move forward. He even turned around quietly for fear of being


    seen.


    When he turned around again, they were gone. He breathed a sigh of relief and hoped Rose already left the hotel. Otherwise, it would be over if he got involved in trouble.


    Thinking of this possibility, he couldn''t help but shudder. He sped his hands and muttered something. Suddenly, the elevator opened.


    When he saw Rose, he felt he would be doomed. For a moment, he nned to lure her away. But when she nced over coldly, he couldn''t even move.


    "Where''s Jonathan?" she asked as she passed him.


    He was stunned for a moment. He should answer he knew nothing, but he subconsciously pointed in a direction. That was where they went just now.


    "Thanks."


    She strode toward the direction he pointed. Not long after, she saw Jonathan. The garden hall was an open space. She could see what was going on inside through its hollow-carved windows.


    In the garden hall, he looked indifferent and exuded a chilliness, as if he wanted to stay away from the person he met.


    He didn''t say a word or pay attention to the people present. The reason why he came here today was just to deal with his father.


    Anastasia looked at his indifference and felt an inexplicable jealousy. She had seen his enthusiasm in front of Rose. His indifference at this time was what he looked like most of the time.


    For a moment, she didn''t know whether that was the real him. Only the real him would appear in front of Rose.


    But she was very sure of one thing. He would only be special to Rose. That was the most painful fact!


    She nced at him and then at the other person present. In an instant, she waved away the trace of jealousy and tried to break the weird atmosphere with a smile.


    "Jon, it''s rare for Madam Lizzie toe to Aquastead. Let''s have tea. I''ll arrange dinnerter. Let''s Wee Madam Lizzie."


    As she spoke, she reached for his arm. But he avoided her. She stiffened slightly, but it was only for a moment. She acted as if nothing had happened.


    Then, she walked to the woman sitting on the chair, saying coquettishly, "Madam Lizzie, don''t me him. He''s always like this."


    The woman named Madam Lizzie had an elegant smile. She was in her 40''s, but was well-maintained and looked like she was in her 30''s. She looked at him kindly.


    You Can''t Hurt Her


    "How could I me him? Mr. Jonathan, I know you don''t want to see me. But after all, I''m your elder. The Finches asked me toe here." Elder? He finally showed something other than indifference, but it was sarcasm. He found a random chair and sat down without any respect.


    "I know what he asked you to do. Go back and tell him. I''m the one in charge of the Finches now, not him. If he has any thoughts, put them away!"


    The person he was talking about was his father. And the Lizzie Quinn in front of him was his father''s wife. His tone was unkind, but she didn''t seem to care. She continued to smile. "You misunderstood your father. He''s satisfied with Rose Shaffer. When he knew that you were preparing for the wedding, he asked me toe over and meet Ms. Shaffer ...'' "No need!"


    Before she could finish speaking, he interrupted her.


    His eyes were sharp and he unabashedly warned, "None of you can hurt Rose!"


    He became gloomy, and she hurriedlyforted him.


    "You misunderstood. How would we hurt her? But as your elders, we should be involved in your marriage. The Finches are a big family. We can''t neglect her. Besides, if we don''te forward, what if she misunderstands that you don''t care enough about her? She has to enter the Finches grandly. Then, no one will talk nonsense when she is in Regalia. That''s what Mrs. Finch Senior means."


    He reduced his resistance when he heard it was Mrs. Finch Senior''s idea. His marriage to Rose had always been between them. Even if the Finches disagreed, they couldn''t stop him.


    But he never thought that even with him protecting her, he might not be able to respond to her if she cared about the Finches'' attitude and the opinions around her.


    His expression darkened slightly, and he said nothing. He softened his attitude a lot.


    When Lizzie saw that, she immediately said, "I know you don''t believe me. I''m just here to convey the message. You still have the final say on your wedding. You can organize it, and everything will be ording to your wishes. Mrs. Finch Senior will send people to participate in the preparations, but..."


    She paused, then met his gaze.


    "About meeting Ms. Shaffer ..."


    "You don''t have to see her!" he refused.


    As if she had expected his answer, she sighed sadly.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t let me see her. We haven''t had a meal for a long time. Let''s eat!"


    This time, she didn''t ask for his opinion. He wasn''t in the mood to have dinner with her. But thinking of something, he didn''t refuse.


    Outside the hall, Rose looked at the people inside. They seemed to be talking about something important, but she couldn''t hear it. She could only see that he was unhappy.


    You Can''t Hurt Her


    Suddenly, she saw him receive a phone call. Anastasia and another woman came out of the hall. She felt anxious as if she was afraid of being caught peeking. She almost instinctively hid in the restroom. "Madam Lizzie, Jon is good. Don''t me him."


    Anastasia''s voice mentioned Jonathan affectionately.


    She frowned. The voice seemed toe from the restroom. In anxiety, she entered the toilet and heard the sound of high heels entering the restroom.


    "Of course, I won''t me him. It''s just that he caused such a big fuss this time. What if the Finches insist on dealing with this matter? He has never been interested in women. Why has he be like this since he got to Aquastead?"

 Billionire 328

    Humiliation


    Humiliation


    Lizzie frowned deeply, her tone revealing her helplessness. When Rose heard that, her eyelids twitched, and she had a guess. The next moment, she heard Lizzie mention her.


    "Rose Shaffer? Hmph, it looks like she''s good at tricks. But it''s not easy to seduce Jon and enter the Finches."


    Lizzie changed her gentle and negotiable attitude in front of Jonathan. When she mentioned Rose, her tone was cold. Even through the toilet door, Rose could feel Lizzie''s displeasure toward her. She was curious about who Lizzie was to the Finches. She tried to guess Lizzie''s identity. At the same time, she understood that it was that photo attracting Lizzie here.


    Had Lizziee to stop her from marrying into the Finches? She found it funny. In their view, she was a gold digger who clung to Jonathan. But she never said she wanted to marry him. She grabbed the door handle and wanted to go out, but Anastasia''s voice caused her to stop abruptly.


    "Madam Lizzie, you don''t need to worry. Didn''t Jon exin it? He feels too bored in a strange environment and wants to have some fun. The photo yesterday was just a whim. He also said it was Mrs. Finch Senior''s idea about the wedding. He became the person in charge of the Finches, and the Finches asked him to get married. His marriage must be between big families. He knows it best. That''s why he promised that he would handle Rose."


    Handle? It was as if she was an object. She held the door handle tightly.


    Anastasia continued, "Madam Lizzie, just trust Jon. He''ll handle it well. Mrs. Finch Senior will choose a suitable marriage partner for him in Regalia."


    Anastasia nced at a toilet door as she spoke. She had already seen Rose outside. Although it was just a nce, it was enough for her to recognize Rose.


    So, before entering the restroom, she told Lizzie that Rose was there. They had reached a tacit understanding.


    They deliberately spoke those words to make Rose hear them. It would be great if she could leave Jonathan on her own. Lizzie also nced at the toilet door.


    When she looked away, she saw a ring on Anastasia''s finger. She seemed to recognize something and was stunned. The red diamond of the Finches was in Jonathan''s hand.


    She heard he had bid a high price for a pair of rings at the National Jewelry Design Award held by the Youngs not long ago. The designer was Rose.


    He took out the red diamond from the Finches and paid a high price. She guessed he had given it to Rose. Unexpectedly, the ring was on Anastasia''s hand. That was interesting! She immediately grabbed Anastasia''s hand and said with surprise, "He gave this ring to you!"


    Anastasia was also a little surprised by her natural acting skills. She showed the ring just to make a bet. Lizzie might have known about the Finches'' red diamond.


    She knew about the red diamond and the rings he bid on.


    Humiliation


    Anastasia didn''t bother to find out the reason. For her, it was enough that Lizzie could help her deal with Rose. And obviously, Lizzie was willing to help her. Lizzie stared at her with a bit of regret.


    "I heard Jon bought a pair of rings at a high price. I thought he gave it to his sweetheart. It seems his father and Mrs. Finch Senior are hervous because of that photo. If the person he wants to marry is you, they''ll be relieved."


    "But I was married once..."


    She bit her lips, then continued after a slight pause, "Even if Jon doesn''t mind, I''m worried that the Finches do."


    "It doesn''t matter. You grew up in Regalia. The Youngs and the Finches know each other well. The Finches choose a wife based on their character and a good match. If Jon is affectionate to you, that will be a good story."


    What Lizzie said was so serious that even she was in a trance. It would be nice if he had feelings for her. It was a pity that his thoughts were all for Rose.


    She pursed her lips. The more he thought of Rose, the more she wanted to destroy their rtionship. Only this way might she have a chance. She smiled and showed a hint of shyness.


    "Madam Lizzie, don''t make fun of me. Jon gave me this ring long ago, but it''s too expensive. I usually don''t wear it. Oops, let''s put on our makeup and go out. He''s waiting for us."


    There was a sound of water in the toilet. Rose grasped the door handle at first, but she soon released it.


    At this time, countless things were on her mind. She didn''t even notice when the two people outside went out. She was thinking of that ring.


    As if to confirm something, she hurriedly walked out of the toilet. She didn''t know if she wanted to catch up with Anastasia to see her ring or to do something else.


    When she was still some distance away from the garden hall where Jonathan was, she saw Anastasia.


    Anastasia was talking to someone on the phone. Rose looked at her hand holding the phone. That ring was particrly conspicuous.


    That ring looked so familiar. It was the same as what she wore before! Had he already given it to Anastasia? At this time, she wanted to know which ring he bid on at that time. Or was hers a fake?


    She sneered. She came to find him and nned to ask whether he loved her. And now, she knew the answer after seeing that ring. She felt ridiculous.


    She even wanted to walk up to him and p him to relieve her hatred. But she didn''t dare appear in front of him. That was self-humiliating, and she wouldn''t humiliate herself.


    She didn''t go forward but turned in the other direction. Then, she took the elevator, went downstairs, and left the Aquastead Hotel.


    She stopped ¨¤ taxi in despair. When she got in, she was thinking about where to go.


    Suddenly, she seemed to make a decision and told the driver, "Go to Zenwood Gardens."

 Billionire 329

    Come Back and Get Something


    Half an hourter, the taxi stopped outside Zenwood Gardens. Rose left the taxi eagerly and didn''t notice the driver staring at her until she disappeared.


    Nixon smiled sinisterly like a ghost, which was particrly scary. He was curious about what she was thinking. She looked so serious that she didn''t even notice that she got into his taxi again.


    It would be too easy for him to deal with her if she was always this careless. But he didn''t dare to underestimate her vignce.


    He was just lucky enough not to be noticed by her just now. But if she had, he would undoubtedly have been exposed to Jonathan. He could deal with Kelly and Rose without fear, but not Jonathan. He had a deep-seated fear of Jonathan. But even with fear he couldn''t suppress his hatred.


    Some images shed through his mind. He held the steering wheel tightly. Gradually, the madness in his eyes finally turned into viciousness.


    Not long after, when she came down from upstairs, she stopped in front of a trash can. She was holding something in her hand.


    Under the sun, that diamond ring shone brightly. She wondered whether it was fake.


    When she didn''t know that her star escort husband was Mr. Finch, she guessed that the diamond might be fake but looked real.


    After all, he worked at a nightclub. Even if he had some savings, he couldn''t use a real red diamond. But even so, she was happy.


    What she cared about was not the ring''s value, but the fact that he made it himself ording to her design. That was their work. But now, everything seemed ridiculous.


    She was just daydreaming that the ring was their work. He gave it to someone else!


    She sneered and threw the ring away, intending to throw it into the trash can. But she missed it. The ring fell next to the trash can and rolled toward her feet.


    She frowned and squatted to pick it up. When she was about to throw it away again, her phone rang. It was Jonathan.


    She looked at the caller ID and didn''t want to answer it. But suddenly, she wanted to see how he wanted to y with her. So she answered the phone without saying a word. "Rosie? Where are you?"


    She didn''t respond. His tone became more urgent.


    "Are you at the Aquastead Hotel? Tell me your location. I''lle find you."


    A minute ago, Finley called him and was concerned about whether he had seen her. He felt confused. He wanted to see her all the time.


    After asking, Finley answered stutteringly, "Mrs. Finch probably ... probably went to the Aquastead Hotel to look for you!"


    Come Back and Get Something


    He hung up and called her immediately.


    "Rosie?"


    Her silence made him feel inexplicably panicked. Even Lizzie and Anastasia on the side saw his


    nervousness.


    Finally, she said calmly, "I''m not there."


    "Then where are you?" he asked immediately.


    At this point, he had already made up his mind. No matter where she was, he wanted to see her. She turned back and nced at Zenwood Gardens.


    "I came to Zenwood Gardens to get something."


    He couldn''t hold himself back. Before he could end the call, he was already striding toward the door. Anastasia''s voice came from behind him.


    "Jon, do what you have to. We''ll wait for you."


    She wanted to stop him. But she knew that he never paid attention to her. He was going to find Rose, and she couldn''t stop him.


    Rather than being embarrassed by him, she encouraged him. Coupled with her affectionate tone, she believed she could cause trouble for Rose. Sure enough, Rose frowned. She heard Anastasia''s voice. Wait for him? That sounded ear-piercing!


    "Rosie, you haven''t left yet, right? Wait for me. I''ll be right over."


    When he thought about her returning to Zenwood Gardens, he felt pleased and couldn''t wait to return.


    For him, Zenwood Gardens had a special meaning. He even wanted to spend time with her in Zenwood Gardens every day. She didn''t answer but hung up the phone.


    Wait for him? She didn''t forget that Anastasia was waiting for him too! At this time, she looked at the ring and felt even more annoyed.


    She was worried that she would miss the trash can again. So, she walked to it and dropped the ring straight into the trash can. She felt her heart twitch, and there was a faint pain.


    She subconsciously covered her chest and calmed herself down. Soon, the pain disappeared. She took a deep breath and turned around to leave.


    Instead of returning to Zenwood Gardens, she walked to the roadside, took a taxi, and left. Not long after she left, Nixon quietly came to the trash can where she had thrown the ring. After rummaging, he spotted the dazzling diamond ring in the trash can. Of course, he recognized this diamond ring.


    She snatched Kelly''s limelight at the National Jewelry Design Award with it. Later, Jonathan bid for the pair of rings at a high price.''


    Did Jonathan give it to her? He once heard his grandma mention that the Finches had a priceless red diamond.


    Come Back and Get Something


    "Hmph, he''s so damn rich," he murmured coldly.


    Jonathan paid a high price casually. But why did she deserve it? He had a vicious look on as he held the ring tightly. He knew that this ring must have been important to Jonathan and Rose, But she threw it away. He wondered what had happened at the Aquastead Hotel. Although he wasn''t sure what happened, he was clear about one thing. She was angry.


    She might stay away from Jonathan, and that was his chance. He was scheming silently.


    Jonathan rushed over from the Aquastead Hotel as quickly as possible. At this moment, only Rosie was in his mind. When he got out of the car, he walked in a hurry. Perhaps his aura was too strong, and Nixon noticed him from a distance. Nixon became anxious and subconsciously turned sideways, facing away from him until he passed. Jonathan had an aura of majesty and nobility.


    On the contrary, Nixon was in a ck jacket, and his hair was slightly long and messy. He also hadn''t shaved off his beard, which made him look poor and emb

 Billionire 330

    Couple Quarrel


    Compared to the mighty Jonathan, Nixon was like a beggar. Nixon seemed to have ovee his fear. He slowly turned around and cautiously looked at Jonathan''s back.


    When Jonathan disappeared, his cautiousness and fear faded, and he gradually looked fiercer and crazier. He had a vicious smile, like an evil spirit returning from hell.


    At this time, Jonathan opened the door full of expectations. As soon as he entered, he called Rose, but there was no response.


    "Wifey?" he called out again tentatively and walked into her empty room.


    In the vanity, her jewelry box was open. He stepped forward to check and saw that the diamond ring was missing. Did shee here to take the ring? That ring meant a lot to him. He made it with her. It was their token of love. But for a long time, the ringy in her jewelry box. Did she finally want to take it with her?"


    Joy surged through him, and he couldn''t wait to call her again.


    The phone rang for a long time, but she didn''t answer. He frowned, persisted, and continued to call her. In the taxi, her phone ringing gave her a headache.


    She guessed that he had gone to Zenwood Gardens and didn''t see her. So, he bombarded her with phone calls.


    "Miss, that person must have something urgent to tell you. Why don''t you answer the phone?"


    The driver looked at her in the rearview mirror. He guessed she was angry with her husband and ran away from home. If she didn''t answer it, her husband couldn''t apologize.


    She raised her eyes. Through the rearview mirror, she saw the driver''s concern mixed with a hint of gossip.


    The phone stopped ringing and then rang again. She even saw the driver''s anxiety, as if urging her to pick up the call quickly. Her mouth twitched. She hesitated and finally answered the phone. "Wifey ..."


    As soon as she connected the call, his worried voice came through.


    Before she could react, he asked, "Where are you? Does anything happen to you? Why did you take so long to answer the phone ..."


    His words were full of concern. As only his voice sounded, even the driver in the front seat could vaguely hear what he said.


    The driver knowingly smiled as if to say he guessed it right. This couple was really at odds.


    After a moment of pause, she scolded, "I''m not your wifey! Don''t call me again!"


    After saying that, she hung up the phone. In Zenwood Gardens, he was slightly stiff. Was she angry? Was it because he came backte? He called her again but couldn''t get through. He wondered where she was going. She had been by Oliver''s side since he woke up. She might have gone to Young Estate to apany him.


    Couple Quarrel


    Although Jonathan was unwilling, he couldn''t stop her from caring for Oliver. Since she didn''t answer the phone, he decided to go to the Young Estate to look for her. When he was leaving, he called Finley and cleared his schedule for the day. But when he arrived downstairs, a familiar figure beside a luxury car made him frown.


    Zac saw him and walked toward him happily. Before Jonathan could greet him, Zac patted his shoulder.


    "You did a good job!"


    Zac looked at him with eyes filled with admiration. He frowned, knowing that Zac had seen the photo.


    "Do you know who is the most popr in the Aquastead investment and the technologymunity these days?"


    He wasn''t interested in this topic and nced at Zac lightly.


    "I have something else to do."


    He walked around Zac. But the next moment, Zac blocked him again.


    "Don''t leave me alone! I rushed back from Gestistan for you, but you rushed to find Rose! I''m so sad. You can''t do this to me. Today is our day. Let''s have a drink!"


    Zac was very interested in the rtionship development between Jonathan and Rose. After he saw the photost night, he held back from calling Jonathan.


    It was only enjoyable if he was gossiping while drinking. So, he postponed everything for the next few days and rushed back from Gestistan.


    Thinking about all the running around, he suddenly came up with an idea.


    "You can call the little beauty up. Let''s go drink together!"


    Jonathan frowned and looked at Zac with a sharper look. Zac looked determined. He knew that his n


    to find her would be in vain. He wouldn''t ask her to drink with Zac.


    So, he only said, "Let''s go."


    She could only drink with him. He didn''t want to have an obstacle. It wouldn''t look. But Zac followed him with an excited smile and shining eyes.


    "Jon, you exceeded my expectations! I heard that all the famous investors wanted to invest in Eugene. But he hid. The more he hid, the more famous he became. It''s all because of you! You acknowledged him as your friend. I wondered what he was capable of and investigated him. He has some skills, but you wouldn''t help him because of that. So there''s only one reason. It''s Rose!",


    After getting in the car, Zac kept talking. He didn''t refute. He didn''t care what happened to Eugene and hispany. He did everything just because of Rose.


    "Does Rose have a rtionship with Eugene? That''s why you helped him? If that''s true, you might make Eugene bankrupt. Is it because of Eugene''s wife? I''ve never heard that Rose has such a friend. Hmm.... Could it be because of that child?"


    Zac nced at Jonathan in surprise. He would have fixed his gaze on Jonathan if he hadn''t been driving


    Couple Quarrel


    the car.


    When he saw Jonathan raise his eyebrows and drink water leisurely, he knew that he had guessed correctly.


    "Is it really because of that child?"


    He felt surprised and suddenly seemed to think of something.


    "Is Rose pregnant? Did you do that to bless your child?"


    Upon hearing that, Jonathan was so startled that he spat water onto the windshield.


    X

 Billionire 331

    Is She Pregnant


    Is She Pregnant


    "You... you..."


    Zac almost braked. Jonathan was slightly embarrassed and looked away.


    He found a space, parked the car, and asked Jonathan, "Did I guess it right? Is Rose pregnant?"


    Jonathan was speechless. Pregnant. The word lingered in his mind. Gradually, he recalled the baby Rose was holding that day. She smiled and exuded maternal love. He smiled unconsciously. "She''ll be a good mother."


    Zac looked like he just heard something amazing. So he guessed it right!


    "You did a good job!"


    He looked at Jonathan excitedly. He never expected their rtionship to improve so soon after he went


    to work in Gestistan.


    No wonder the Finch Group''s official ount posted that photo on their social tforms.


    Jonathan knew that Zac was overthinking, but he didn''t say much. He simply nced at Zaczily and slowly wiped his mouth. But Zac kept talking and became more excited.


    Meanwhile, outside Young Estate. The driver watched Rose leave the taxi and approach the entrance. He opened his mouth in shock.


    She only gave him an address, and he had simply followed the navigation system. So he didn''t expect her destination to be in the poshest residential area of Aquastead. Was she some super richdy? Thinking of their gossip along the way, he was a little scared. Fortunately, he didn''t say anything he shouldn''t have. Otherwise, he would be in trouble if he offended her.


    The driver took a deep breath and dared not stay any longer. When Rose arrived at the lobby, the servants lined up neatly in front of her. Patrick was arranging the car as if he sent some people away. "Patrick, what happened? What is going on?" she asked in confusion.


    Kelly and Gabriel were also in the lobby, Kelly and Gabriel. Hearing Rose''s questioning, Kelly felt anxious.


    She worried Patrick would mention Oliver celebrating her birthday in the orphanage tomorrow. It might


    arouse Rose''s suspicions.


    She was afraid that something unexpected would happen. What if Rose stopped her or was on guard? She didn''t want any idents.


    But she also expected Patrick to tell Rose that Oliver wanted to celebrate her birthday.


    During this period, Oliver only paid attention to Rose. The photo on the official Finch Group ount also allowed Rose to enjoy the limelight, Kelly couldn''t wait to strike back.


    She wanted Rose to know that Oliver also remembered her and that Rose wasn''t the only one who had


    his favor.


    "Ms. Rose, you''re finally back!"


    Is She Pregnant


    He seemed to have been waiting for her and stepped forward excitedly.


    He then exined eagerly, "We need people there tomorrow. Although we''ve hired a special nning team, Mr. Young Senior prefers to have familiar people care for him. So I let them go there first." The more she listened, the more confused she became.


    "Where will Grandpa go tomorrow?"


    "An orphanage."


    He understood her confusion as Oliver made the decision this morning. Moreover, she didn''t know what day tomorrow was. And Oliver''s order was ....


    He didn''t dare to say more. The fact was that Oliver wanted to give "Rietta" a surprise tomorrow.


    During this time, Oliver mistakenly identified her as his daughter Henrietta. For Patrick, the distinction between her and Henrietta also gradually blurred. To him, she was Ms. Rose and also Ms. Rietta! "Ms. Rose, you''ll know the rest tomorrow. By the way, Mr. Young Senior specially asked Mr. Young to prepare a dress for you.¡±


    He said it with a mysterious look, which only served to arouse her curiosity even more. What day was it


    tomorrow?


    "Oh, he''sing! Wee back, Mr. Young."


    He looked behind her. She put aside her doubts and guesses, turned around, and saw Miles entering the lobby.


    He walked toward her in casual clothes. Even though she was used to seeing his handsome and gentle face, she still couldn''t help but admire him.


    She wondered who would be lucky enough to marry such an elegant man. For a moment, Madeline Chambers'' figure shed in her mind. She felt that Madeline was the perfect match for him.


    As he approached, she continued to look thoughtful. He frowned and tapped her forehead. She suddenly returned to her senses on hearing his gentle voice.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    She was thinking that Madeline was perfect for him! But she couldn''t let him know that.


    She smiled dryly and tried to change the topic. But she saw the fashion boutique manager of a famous clothing brand, Belle Greer, behind him.


    Behind Belle, several assistants pushed a row of tightly covered dresses. Noticing her gaze, Belle immediately spoke.


    Ms. Shaffer, these are our dresses of thetest season. Please take the time to browse them."


    She suddenly remembered what Patrick said earlier. Dresses? Were those for her to choose from for tomorrow?


    After she moved into Young Estate, she got so many dresses that her closet was full of them. She could just wear one of them. It was unnecessary to spend so much time on her outfit, so she decided to refuse.


    Is She Pregnant


    But before she could speak, another voice said, "There are so many dresses. Rose, just choose one! Tomorrow is going to be a good day!"


    Kelly stepped forward happily.


    She also heard what Patrick said just now. She felt dissatisfied as it was her birthday, and she was the protagonist. But Patrick said that Oliver had asked Miles to prepare a dress for Rose.


    Yet, seeing the dresses Miles brought back, Kelly waved away her unpleasantness.


    Alldies should have a dress, but she was the star of the show. They had mainly prepared dresses for her, and Rose would only get one dress in passing.


    She didn''t mind letting Rose dress up nicer tomorrow. But Belle''s attitude toward Rose made her particrly unhappy. She stared at Belle with a sweet smile and introduced herself.


    "Hello, I''m Kelly Young. You can call me Ms. Shaffer. Myst name was Shaffer before my grandfather put me in the family tree."


    Her words stunned everyone present. Belle knew Oliver had adopted several grandchildren. But he only had one biological granddaughter.


    Not long ago, Oliver held a special banquet for his granddaughter to change her name and put her into the family tree.


    "H-hello, Ms. Young."


    Belle immediately realized Kelly''s identity and didn''t dare to offend her.


    "Hmm. Can I choose a dress now?"


    She cutely blinked like a princess who was ignorant and pampered.


    "Of course, you can. But..."


    Belle looked troubled.

 Billionire 332

    Rose Does It on Purpose


    Miles went to the luxury fashion boutique and told Belle to prepare some dresses for Rose. So, the dresses she brought were all in Rose''s size. If Kelly wanted one too... Belle looked at Miles for help. But as his back faced her, he didn''t notice. She could only look at Rose who was in front of him. Of course, Rose wouldn''t embarrass her. "Just let her choose!"


    From her point of view, it didn''t matter if Kelly took all the dresses. She had no intention of choosing them in the first ce.


    Yet, Kelly was unhappy upon hearing that. She was the star, but Rose seemed to be giving her a handout. She couldn''t contain her anger.


    But she soon realized that Gabriel was watching. She didn''t dare to go too far and arouse his disgust. So, she looked at Rose and smiled sweetly.


    "Thank you, Rose."


    She would just choose the most beautiful dress now and deal with Rose tomorrow! Before choosing, she smiled brightly at Gabriel as if she was determined to choose one that would stun him. "Open it!" she ordered Belle.


    At this time, Belle still looked embarrassed.


    Seeing Kelly urging her on, Belle had no choice but to reveal the tightly covered dresses. Without anything to cover them, the dresses exuded a shimmering brilliance in Young Estate''s magnificent lobby. She loved all the dresses'' colors, styles, designs, and fabrics. She touched every dress, imagining how she would look in each one. The Youngs'' wealth was indeed boundless! How it paid to be rich!


    Even Aquastead''s top socialites might not see one of these. But she could whichever one she fancied.


    Suddenly, her hand stopped on a tight, red dress. She remembered that Mr. Finch liked red, and so did


    Rose.


    "Can I try this one on?"


    She smiled and looked at everyone present inquiringly. No one else responded, but Gabriel spoke up.


    "It would be more appropriate for you to wear white. This red ..." he said and nced at Rose.


    Although he had only known Rose briefly, he could tell that she suited the red dress. Kelly, on the other hand, had always had a "pure" look. She probably liked to wear colors that looked pure and wless. Kelly stiffened slightly. She understood what he meant. But she wanted to try on the red dress. If the white one suited her better, she would ruin the red one.


    "You''re right. I''ll also try the white one!"


    She quickly chose her favorite white dress and looked at Belle.


    "Can you help me take them upstairs?"


    Rose Does It on Purpose


    She smiled softly. If it had been another person or another time, Belle would have felt that the true granddaughter of the Young family was indeed kind and gentle.


    Even though Kelly grew up outside the family, she was still well-protected.


    But at this moment, she felt uneasy and thought about how best to apologizeter. Maybe she was too nervous. After Kelly spoke, she didn''t respond, and this made Kelly became unhappy.


    "Hello?"


    She came to her senses and answered hurriedly.


    "Ah. Yes. I can.".


    After saying that, she immediately directed her colleagues to take the dresses chosen by Kelly and follow her upstairs. They quickly disappeared.


    "Don''t worry," Miles suddenlyforted Rose.


    He didn''t seem to be worried at all about Kelly snatching her dresses. She found it funny.


    "Why should I be worried? It''s just a dress. I have so many more in my room."


    She didn''t even take Kelly seriously. At this time, Patrick had someone serve some coffee and pastries.


    She felt a little hungry and brought Miles to the living room. She even invited the assistants in the lobby to have tea, but they didn''t dare to ept her invitation.


    On the other hand, Gabriel, who she didn''t invite, looked at her thoughtfully for a long time. Then, he suddenly walked over to sit beside her and picked up a piece of pastry.


    The pastries were slightly sweet, which was something that women liked. He, however, disliked pastries. But he wanted to get close to her. He quickly suppressed the slightest difort and met her gaze. "It''s delicious."


    Delicious? But she felt that he had forced himself to swallow it. She deliberately gave him the whole te of pastries, smiling slyly and harmlessly.


    "Then eat more."


    He hesitated.


    "Come on! It''s all yours!"


    She smiled at him warmly and even introduced him to several different types of pastries. After that, she urged him to try them all.


    His mouth twitched. He knew she was doing it on purpose. She deliberately wanted to tease him! Unknowingly, he felt satisfied as she noticed him.


    Under her watchful gaze, he tasted the pastries one by one. At first, he could endure their sweet taste and reluctantly swallowed. But gradually, he became too full to even look at the pastries. "What''s wrong? Doesn''t it taste good?" she asked yfully.


    She didn''t like him. She knew he had a purpose behinding to Aquastead. It must be because Oliver


    Rose Does It on Purpose


    regarded her as his daughter, left her alone, and forgot about others. It should have been a threat.


    She told Gabriel not to focus on her. But obviously, he didn''t listen. Since he paid so much attention to her, she should treat him to some delicious food as a courtesy.


    She showed him a fake smile. But even so, he was stunned for a moment. No wonder she was the woman that Mr. Finch liked. When such a beauty invited him, how could he say no? Even though he couldn''t eat anymore, he took another piece and ate it. But this time, he felt nauseous. He immediately stood up, turned around, and rushed to the bathroom. Sheughed as if she had just watched a good show.


    "You deserve it! I already knew you were only pretending to like it!"


    Miles'' expression darkened a bit. Gabriel didn''t like pastries, but he pretended to like them. For her.


    H had always been a person who did whatever he wanted and would never force himself to do something he didn''t like. Miles'' mind raced. The next moment, his expression changed. "Stay away from Gabriel. He''s not a good guy."


    He didn''t want her to have anything to do with Gabriel. After Gabriel vomited and came out, he heard Miles'' words, and his expression instantly darkened.

 Billionire 333

    Ruins It on Purpose


    Of the two of them, only one was the biological son of Oliver''s adopted daughter, whereas the other was Oliver''s adopted grandson. None of them had Young blood.


    Everyone praised Oliver for having such a good grandson. Miles was both a capable gentleman and a good businessman. But when it came to Gabriel, he was just a yboy and a womanizer.


    He had been in Miles'' shadow for many years. Although he was unhappy, he had always avoided Miles. But Miles told Rose that he wasn''t a good guy!


    "Miles, are you trying to drive a wedge between me and Rosie?"


    His voice suddenly sounded behind them. Rose turned around and saw him sneer. Her mouth twitched. Naturally, she didn''t want any unnecessary disputes.


    When she was about to smooth things over, Miles coldly said, "Rosie? You can''t call her that. And I don''t even need to drive a wedge between you."


    He could certainly see her attitude toward Gabriel. So, his words hit Gabriel where it hurt. Miles was right. He and Rose weren''t friends. Miles didn''t even need to understand their rtionship to know this.


    But the more Gabriel processed this fact, the more unhappy he felt. He clenched his fists subconsciously and tried to respond. But every retort he thought of wasn''t enough.


    At this moment, Kelly''s voice came from upstairs.


    "Rose, Gabriel, are you arguing?" She stood on the stairs, wearing pink pajamas with her hair down. She looked downstairs innocently. "We''re a family. Don''t quarrel, okay?"


    She was as sweet as an angel of peace. But only she knew her intentions. That bitch! She had only been away for a while, and two men were now arguing for Rose.


    She didn''t care how much Miles liked Rose, but not Gabriel!


    "It''s okay. Why haven''t you changed the dress?" Gabriel responded, smiling slightly as if nothing had happened.


    "I''ll be done soon."


    It was just a change of dress. She should have been done, long ago. But when she entered the room, she wanted to put the icing on the cake.


    She asked Belle to do her makeup in a way that matched the dress. It would have a better effect, so she needed some more time.


    Seeing his anticipation, she said coquettishly, "Don''t quarrel again!"


    Then, she entered the room. In the lobby downstairs, there was a strange silence. The assistants who stayed there saw everything and were nervous. After she returned to the room, her smile faded. Her stern look even made Belle and the two assistants tremble. They didn''t dare to say anything when she sat before the vanity again.


    After finishing the makeup, Belle said carefully, "Ms. Young, do you need to touch up your makeup?"


    Ruins It on Purpose


    Kelly didn''t like what she had asked.


    "Touch up? Are you saying my makeup doesn''t look good?"


    "No, you misunderstood. That''s not what I meant. You''re beautiful!" Belle exined hurriedly.


    She deliberately chose the nicest words to praise Kelly But those words sounded like praise for Rose.


    "Urgh, just stop it!" Kelly interrupted Belle coldly. "I want to try on the dress now!"


    Belle breathed a sigh of relief. Kelly looked sweet in front of others but caused trouble behind their backs. She was difficult to serve and wasn''t easy to talk to like Rose.


    Thinking of the dress, Belle became nervous again. But she didn''t dare dy. She asked an assistant to change Kelly''s dress.


    Kelly stared at the red dress in the assistant''s hands and imagined Rose wearing it. Gradually, she became gloomier.


    When Belle put the dress on for her, she deliberately stepped on the hem while the assistant pulled it up. A loud sound of tearing cloth filled the air.


    "Ah!"


    She seemed startled and hurriedly grabbed her pajamas to wrap around her body. Belle and that assistant looked puzzled.


    Before they realized what was happening, she scolded, "What''s wrong with you? Can''t you even be careful? You ruined the dress! That''s my favorite! What should we do now?" The assistant came to her senses and looked at Belle for help. It was Kelly who stepped on the dress just


    now!


    Of course, Belle knew what was going on. But they couldn''t afford to offend the Youngs. So, she immediately apologized.


    "Sorry, it''s our fault. We''ll take this dress back and repair it. If you still like this..."


    "Who do you think I am? I won''t wear a repaired dress!" Kelly said disdainfully.


    "Yes, I was wrong. Maybe you can try another one," she suggested.


    Kelly was still staring at the torn red dress.


    "How long will this repair take?"


    Belle was stunned but answered truthfully.


    "The craftsmanship on this dress isplicated. Even if we summon the top craftsmen now, it would still take two days to repair.


    "Two days? Then forget it."


    The dresses were needed for tomorrow. Even if this red dress suited Rose, she couldn''t wear it anymore. Kelly felt a hint of glee and focused on the white dress. "Bring it here. Be careful this time. Don''t break it. Otherwise... You already broke the red dress. I won''t ask


    Ruins on Purpose


    Miles to forgive you."


    Belle and the assistant could only take the me and once again concluded. Kelly was hard to serve!


    Belle took a look at the white dress. Fortunately, she could alter the size of the white dress. Its craftsmanship wasn''tplicated.


    She held the dress more carefully with the assistant for fear of making another mistake. But without Kelly''s deliberate sabotage, nothing went wrong.


    She felt weird she looked when she wore the dress. So, she walked up to the full-length mirror to take a look.


    She was stunned to see herself looking like a child in adult clothes. Her expression changed slightly.


    "What''s going on? Why is this dress so big?"


    It was the wrong size and she looked weird wearing it. The effect was worse than what she had imagined. How could she let Gabriel and Rose see such an ugly ensemble? She was furious. "How did you prepare it? It''s not my size!"

 Billionire 334

    It''s Not Her Size


    It''s Not Her Size


    It wasn''t Kelly''s size to begin with! Belle almost told the truth. But she knew if she did that, she would irritate Kelly.


    So she suggested tactfully, "Ms. Young, I''ll help you alter it!"


    Kelly thought, "Alter it? I won''t ept that!"


    She was the real granddaughter of the Youngs, so her dresses should have been tailor-made. She wouldn''t ept an adjusted dress! She was pissed off. But Gabriel was still waiting downstairs.


    So, she suppressed her displeasure and ordered, "Bring up the most expensive white dress! I don''t want


    this one!"


    That was fine. She could change the dress! Belle took a deep breath and immediately hinted at one of her colleagues.


    The assistant quickly went downstairs to pick up a white dress. That dress was slim-fitting and could outline a wearer''s figure perfectly. Kelly was extremely confident with her figure. "Okay, just put this on for me," she ordered arrogantly.


    Both Belle and the assistant did so with smiles. When she put on the dress, she expected to look sultry and sexy, but she was disappointed again.


    "The waist... What''s going on with this?"


    The waist that should be contracted was weirdly stuck upward. It didn''t fit! After having problems with two dresses in a row, she got angry and red at Belle.


    C


    "Your brand is a famous, luxury brand. Why are all your clothes like this?"


    "No! Actually..."


    Belle felt the pressure. Her eyes flickered as if she knew the reason but didn''t dare to say it. Kelly looked at her and suddenly realized the truth.


    "Is this Rose''s size?"


    Her tone was calm, but a storm brewed inside of her. She got the answer from Belle''s expression. Almost subconsciously, she clenched her fists. The most expensive dress was Rose''s size! Damn it! She stared at Belle.


    After a while, although Belle thought Kelly was going to scold her, Kelly calmly said, "Then bring me my size.


    Since she was the star tomorrow, she decided to tolerate it. But Belle still looked embarrassed.


    "Ms. Young..." Kelly suddenly had a bad feeling. Sure enough, Belle continued tremblingly, "T-the dresses I brought are all Ms. Rose''s size!"


    The atmosphere was eerily quiet. Kelly recalled that Belle went toward Rose as soon as she entered the lobby. And what she did just now...  It''s Not Her Size


    She was furious. She was angry that Miles only remembered Rose and prepared dresses for her.


    She was even angrier that these people knew the truth but watched her try on the dresses. Were they treating her like a clown? She sneered coldly at Belle and the assistants. "Did you mean to make a fool out of me?"


    "How could it be? We dare not..."


    "You dare to!" she refuted ferociously but quietly.


    If she hadn''t been afraid that she would attract the attention of others, she would have yelled. But obviously, she hadn''t vented the anger enough. She pped Belle fiercely.


    "Ah!" Belle eximed.


    "Shut up! I''ll p you again if you scream!" she threatened coldly.


    Belle didn''t dare to cry out again. She could only cover her face and endure the pain. She kept apologizing and even suggested ways topensate her.


    But why would Kelly care about thepensation? She was still angry.


    She randomly took a pair of scissors and madly cut up the dresses. Belle and the assistants didn''t dare to stop her. They could only stand and take inher crazy behavior.


    When she finally stopped, several dresses had been damaged. With a faint sneer, she walked toward Belle with the scissors. The sharp scissors made Belle take a step back. "Are you afraid I''ll cut you?"


    She snorted softly and grabbed Belle''s hand. Belle shuddered. But the next moment, Kelly put the scissors into her hand. They couldn''t help but look at her when she did that. She met their gazes coldly. "Who ruined these dresses?"


    They were stunned for a moment. It was she who ruined the dresses obviously!


    But Belle seemed to understand and responded, "It was me.


    "Good. It''s a pity that you ruined three expensive dresses. You can''t afford to pay for them, right?"


    Those dresses cost millions. Of course, Belle couldn''t afford it. It meant that she couldn''t keep her job


    then!


    Seeing her despair, Kelly finally felt better. But she still needed to deal with Gabriel and the others downstairs. She put on her original clothes.


    Before going out, she warned Belle and the others, "Don''t tell anyone what happened just now. Or my grandfather will make you all suffer." They looked fearful upon hearing that. After she left, they looked at each other, and their bodies almost went limp.


    "Ms. Greer-"


    "Stop talking. Let''s clean up."


    It''s Not Her Size


    Belle knew that they couldn''t afford to offend Kelly. Even if they couldn''t keep their jobs, they couldn''t let anything else happen.


    Downstairs, Rose saw Kellying down wearing her original clothes. Her makeup was a little different, obviously more refined and luxurious.


    She was a little surprised. She thought Kelly woulde down in a new dress, but she didn''t expect Kelly to wear what she had worn going upstairs.


    Kelly didn''t seem like herself either. But Rose didn''t say anything. She only nced at Kelly before looking away. Kelly started crying as if she had been greatly wronged. Gabriel disliked women crying. No one paid attention to her, and her crying became louder.


    He felt a little irritated and then asked, "What''s wrong? What happened?"


    She pretended to be strong and wiped away her tears.


    "It''s nothing."


    Her expression and movement showed something was wrong even if she said otherwise. He frowned and ignored her.


    There was a moment of silence, and she expected him to ask her more questions. But he didn''t speak again. She felt even more aggrieved.


    "I just envy Rose. She is always lucky and popr. Grandpa recognizes her as Mom. Miles also prefers her. If I were her, I would be very happy!"


    She showed her jealousy. Rose didn''t want to pay attention to Kelly. But she never liked hypocrisy.

 Billionire 335

    Conceal the Truth


    Rose couldn''t stand Kelly''s acting. She took a sip of coffee and looked at the crying Kelly with a smile.


    "I didn''t cause any trouble for you!"


    She made no secret of her dislike for Kelly. Kelly thought that Rose was being sarcastic.


    She knew that dealing with Rose wouldn''t bring her favor. But she had to pretend to be wronged and let Gabriel pity her.


    So, she pitifullyined, "I thought the dresses were for all of usdies, and that I could choose one. But I didn''t expect that when I tried on them, none of them were my size. I thought I got the wrong size and asked Ms. Greer to get another. But she said those dresses were all in Rose''s size, not mine. She said I wasn''t worthy of wearing their dresses and even damaged them. She said Rose couldn''t wear the dresses that I''ve tried on."


    Belle and the assistants packed the tattered dresses in the room up and hurried downstairs. They heard Kelly conceal the truth, but they didn''t dare to refute it. They just kept apologizing and took the me. But she refused to smooth things over.


    "Look! Those are the dresses they ruined!"


    Kelly couldn''t fool Rose. She knew Kelly too well. But she didn''t expect that those dresses were all in her size.


    She nced at Miles, knowing that it had been his arrangement. Although she had no shortage of dresses, she was grateful for his help.


    She guessed that Kelly had ruined the dresses, knowing that those were all in her size. Belle and the assistants took the me because of Kelly''s threat. She sneered and wanted to expose Kelly. But for a moment, she gave up the idea. It w


    to expose Kelly. But Belle and the assistants might suffer if she did so.


    "You all may go. Just keep one dress!"


    too easy for her


    While talking, she stood up and walked to the dresses. Without looking at them carefully, she picked one out randomly and ced it on the sofa nearby. Then, she messaged someone after the assistants had taken the remaining dresses away.


    It was the design director of this famous brand who once invited her to design dresses. Although she had refused then, she kept the design director''s number. After messaging the director, she took the dress and returned to her room to try it on. Kelly was still wiping her tears.


    As soon as Rose left, Miles followed. Gabriel felt irritated listening to her cries.


    He said casually, "It''s just a dress. Can''t you just change it to another brand or pick another one in your size?"


    She didn''t hear his impatience but instead looked surprised.


    Conceal the Truth


    "Will you help me choose one?" He was speechless. He didn''t want to help her choose at all. But her tears turned into smiles. "That''s great! Let''s go now. Or it''ll be toote." When did he agree to go with her? He didn''t even have a chance to refuse. She quickly pulled him out.


    He now disliked her even more. He was fine to choose clothes and spend money on her, but her acting made him ufortable.


    He would have snuck away to his room if he had known her decision. At least he could see Rose again during dinner. Unfortunately, it was veryte after Kelly had chosen herdress.


    Back at Young Estate, it was already past dinner time. He saw that the lights in Rose''s room were off. She must have fallen asleep.


    In a luxury fashion boutique, Belle looked aggrieved. She returned with the dresses and checked several times with her colleagues. Kelly had cut three dresses into pieces, and there was no way to repair them.


    The total price of those dresses exceeded five million. They couldn''t afford that!


    She had written a report, prepared herself to take the me, and resigned. She was also prepared if thepany asked her for responsibility andpensation.


    But before she handed in the report, the headquarters told her to forget what had happened and continue


    working.


    "Thepensation for those dresses-"


    "You don''t need to pay. Someone has already paid."


    She was so shocked that she sat in a daze until the call ended. She couldn''t believe what she had just heard, but the important thing was that someone had paid for the damaged dresses.


    She suddenly remembered that she should have asked who paid before the call was ended. She tried calling again, but no one answered.


    Sheforted the other two frightened assistants and tried guessing who had helped them. The total price of those dresses was no less than five million.


    The only ones who had such financial resources were the Youngs. Was it Miles? Or was it someone else? She pondered, and then Rose''s name appeared in her mind.


    Everyone was in Young Estate except Anastasia, who didn''te home all night. Early the next morning, she returned when everyone was ready to go to the orphanage. "Sorry, something happenedst night. I''m back now!"


    She knew that they would go to the orphanage today. Patrick had told her. She was supposed toe backst night.


    But she heard that Zac came backst night. He had been drinking with Jonathan all night and had probably fallen asleep. She tried calling Jonathanst night, but he turned off his phone.


    Conceal the Truth


    She was disappointed at first, but then she thought about it. If she couldn''t get through to him, Rose wouldn''t be able to either. She smiled slightly and nced at Rose.


    There was a hint of disappointment on her beautiful face. If she guessed right, Rose probably hadn''t gotten through to him either.


    She felt proud. The more this happened, the more she could create misunderstandings. She trotted over to Oliver''s side.


    "Grandpa, I apanied an important personst night. But I''ll only apany you today!"


    She rarely acted cutely. But Oliver only had "Rietta" in his eyes. He nced at her nkly, then waved to Rose.


    "Rietta,e here. Take my car."


    As he didn''t respond to Anastasia, she stiffened. But she didn''t pay much attention to it. Instead, she walked aside and carefully removed the red diamond ring she had just hidden.


    She did this deliberately to show Rose, and only Rose saw it. Rose felt a sharp pain in her heart.


    "Rietta?" Oliver called urgently, bringing her back to her senses.


    Suddenly, she seemed to have developed a special reaction to the title "Rietta". She no longer felt ufortable, but instead took the role of "Rietta" seriously. She knew it would make him happy. She quickly shook away the thoughts, walked behind him, and pushed the wheelchair.


    "Grandpa, what day is it you look happy!"

 Billionire 336

    Misidentify Again


    Misidentify Again


    Patrick had been quite mysterious yesterday and had refused to tell her anything. When she asked Oliver, he also just winked mysteriously.


    "You''ll find outter." After saying that, he murmured, "She doesn''t even remember!"


    He had also almost forgotten. Fortunately, someone reminded him.


    Outside Young Estate, a row of luxury cars were readied for the family. Not long after, everyone got in their car and drove off toward the destination. Miles and Anastasia each took a car. Kelly was originally going to share a car with Gabriel. But she wanted to avoid him, so she took a car alone.


    In the car, she first sent a message to Maya. Today was going to be a trap for Rose. A few days ago, she had asked Maya to find people to take part in her n. She would make Rose suffer.


    The orphanage was on the way from Aquastead to Chereton. After exiting off the highway, the luxury cars entered a winding and rugged path. It took an hour to arrive at the orphanage.


    The orphanage was close to the sea. When Rose got out of the car, she saw the waves hitting the boulders at the foot of the mountain. For some reason, she was stunned.


    She felt ufortable being here. But beyond that, this ce seemed to have a special draw for her.


    "Where is this?" she murmured.


    Patrick pushed Oliver forward. Miles walked up to her and saw that she didn''t look too well.


    He couldn''t help but ask with concern, "What''s wrong? Are you not feeling well? We can go back."


    "Grandpa is rarely in such a mood. What are you doing?"


    Kelly interrupted them and looked at Rose with a smile initially. Since Gabriel was standing behind her, he couldn''t see her expression. Thus, she gave Rose a provocative scowl while she could. "Rose, didn''t you choose a dress yesterday? Why didn''t you wear it?"


    Kelly was feeling confident. The dress Gabriel chose for her was studded with diamonds and would overshadow Rose. So what if Miles protected Rose? She would still be the most dazzling today! Rose frowned. She had no intention of starting a fight with Kelly.


    So, she replied calmly, "I didn''t bring it. The clothes I''m wearing now are good enough."


    After saying that, she walked around Kelly and strode forward. Miles naturally ignored Kelly. As soon as Rose left, he followed closely behind her.


    Kelly was left facing the sea breeze, and her expression gradually fell. Didn''t bring it? Rose was dismissive of what she valued so much. Damn it! The sea breeze blew on her face, making it sting even more. "Kelly?"


    Misidentify Again


    425 BONDS


    Gabriel''s voice came from behind. Instantly, her ferocity disappeared. When she turned to face him, she had a hint of embarrassment on her face.


    "Rose has never liked me." She was right. He could tell that Rose didn''t like her. She pretended to be sensible. "Rose didn''t bring her dress. So I won''t change into mine either."


    He had spent a lot of money on that dress for her yesterday as she had been insistent on it. But now, she refused to wear it! A hypocritical woman''s stubbornness was hard to beat "She didn''t bring it, but you did. Why don''t you change it? Besides..."


    Besides, even if Rose didn''t change into a dress or rely on her beauty, her temperament was enough to attract people''s attention.


    The image of her sassy face appeared in his mind, and he smiled lightly. His expression and his unfinished words made Kelly misunderstand.


    Since she was the star, she should dress in a way that matched her role.


    "Okay then. I''ll change into it."


    She seemed to agree reluctantly and then walked to the orphanage with him. There were only a few people inside.


    Children who were once homeless lived here. As they grew up, they either left after turning 18 or were adopted and rarely came back.


    Several parts of the orphanage had be dangerous due to disrepair. But luckily, no more orphans lived here. Only the old women who worked here were left, managing the orphanage in retirement. Yesterday, the Youngs sent people to clean up the ce. So today, the ce looked much better. Rose looked at the decorations around the orphanage. It was as if they would celebrate something. She didn''t want to guess as she would find out sooner orter. But she became interested in the orphanage.


    "Sacred Heart Orphanage."


    Looking at the orphanage''s name, Rose felt it was a little familiar. After thinking about it carefully for a few minutes, she finally remembered.


    She had seen it in Kelly''s notes during her investigation. It was from this orphanage that Chelsea adopted Kelly. Were theying here for Kelly? If she had known earlier, she would never havee. She had always found it strange as she thought Kelly was Chelsea''s daughter. She even heard Jamie im that Kelly was his biological daughter.


    Early in his marriage, he cheated on Celeste with Chelsea and gave birth to Kelly.


    His love for Kelly was like a biological father''s. But it turned out that she was an orphan adopted by Chelsea from an orphanage. Nothing was ever like it seemed.


    But Rose had also discovered that Oliver and Kelly had done a paternity test. It confirmed they were blood rtives.


    Misidentify Again


    Despite this, she still doubted whether Chelsea was his missing daughter. But after thinking about it, she thought it was impossible.


    Chelsea would have approached him and joined the Young family if she were. But she was still missing. He wouldn''t misidentify Rose as "Rietta" either.


    Thinking about Celeste''s car ident, Rose felt increasingly distressed.


    "Rietta, you''re back!"


    From where she was standing under a tree, she suddenly heard a voice. She turned around and saw a white-haired old woman under the leaves. She was leaning on a walking stick and had an arched back. The old woman was stunned to see her. After a moment, she seemed to return to her senses and walked


    toward Rose.


    Despite having difficulty moving, the woman walked fairly fast, stumbling in the process. Seeing that she was about to fall, Rose quickly ran over and held her.


    "Granny, are you okay?"


    She looked at the old woman with concern and made sure that she was not injured. Although the old woman hadn''t fallen, she might have sprained her foot or gotten hurt some other way.


    But the old woman only stared at Rose.


    "Rietta, it''s you! I thought I would never see you again!"

 Billionire 337

    Henrietta Was Here Before


    Henrietta Was Here Before


    Rietta? Rose finally noticed the title. Was the "Rietta" mentioned by the old woman Oliver''s daughter? Had Henrietta been here before? She seemed to have discovered something.


    Rose asked, "Granny, do you know Henrietta?"


    Hearing the name, the old woman was in a daze for a while. Then, she grabbed Rose''s hand and looked at her carefully with great joy.


    "Henrietta, it''s good that you''re back! That year was thest time you came to see me. You said I might never see you again. I''ve kept the things you asked me to put away carefully all these years. No one ever found them!"


    The old woman suddenly thought of something and looked around defensively. After making sure no one saw them, she took Rose''s hand.


    "Come on! I''ll take you to it."


    Rose didn''t refuse. She felt an inexplicable attraction that made her want to explore the ce.


    She supported the old woman as she walked, but they didn''t enter the orphanage. Instead, they walked around it into a small and dpidated house.


    The house was dark. It took her a while to get used to theck of light. She could barely see some simple


    furnishings.


    Among them, a cab stood out. The old woman walked to the cab and carefully took out a box wrapped inyers of old fabrics.


    "Come here."


    The old woman waved to her and sat down at the table. She hesitated before stepping forward and looking at the tightly wrapped box. What was in this box? Rose was curious.


    But before she could ask, the old woman carefully unfolded the outeryer as if something important was inside. Finally, an ordinary iron box appeared. Rose frowned in doubt. Then, the old woman opened the box. There was some paper inside. The old woman took them out and


    handed them to Rose.


    "Rietta, look. I hid these. You said you didn''t want anyone to find you, and no one would find you without


    these."


    Those old papers were Henrietta''s. Henrietta had been ced in the orphanage when she was four and was adopted by a family not long after. Rose looked at the adopter''s name. "Shaun Willis."


    She seemed to have seen this name before somewhere. But she couldn''t remember where she had seen


    1. it.


    "And this..."


    The old woman took out another fabric bag and handed it to her. There was an emerald pendant inside,


    Henrietta Was Here Before


    and it was engraved with a pattern.


    She took it and walked to a brighter ce. She could vaguely make out its pattern. It was the pattern on


    that badge!


    The Youngs family tree had this pattern. When she repaired Oliver''s damaged suit, she also unconsciously embroidered this pattern. In her hazy dreams, this pattern often appeared.


    "Rietta, I''ll leave all these things to you now. I''m old and won''t live any longer. I''ve been worried that someone would steal these things from me and take them away. I didn''t even dare to die. Fortunately, you''re back now."


    The old woman looked at her with great joy. She could feel that the old woman had deep feelings for Henrietta. Rose wondered who this old woman was.


    "Rietta..."


    The old woman held Rose''s hands. Her health was terrible. After a while, she looked tired and closed her


    eyes.


    Rose called out her tentatively but found she had fallen asleep. She ced the old woman on the bed.


    But before leaving, she looked at the emerald pendant. She wasn''t Henrietta. This thing didn''t belong to her. She couldn''t take it.


    She ced the emerald pendant and Henrietta''s files into the iron box. Then, she wrapped them with the fabric and ced them back in the cab. After doing that, she left the house and bumped into Miles.


    As he hadn''t seen her for a while, he feared that something had happened to her. He had been looking for her anxiously.


    When he saw her, he immediately ran over. She quickly approached him. He felt relieved when he saw that she was fine. He didn''t say anything.


    But a man in his 50s, who was leading him, said, "Miss, don''t go there. You''ll be in trouble if you meet that crazy woman."


    Crazy woman? She nced at the dpidated house over there.


    "Sir is the crazy woman you''re talking about-"


    He started to describe her for Rose.


    "She''s an old woman with white hair and a walking stick."


    She immediately realized that he was referring to the old woman she had met earlier. She frowned. She didn''t think that old woman was crazy. "Who is she?" she asked tentatively.


    The man frowned as if annoyed to hear of that old woman.


    "She used to work for the orphanage many years ago. But something seemed to have happened back


    She became mentally unstable sometime ago."


    the


    Henrietta Was Here Before


    After speaking, he seemed worried they had a bad impression of the orphanage.


    4 her and not let her


    get close."


    So, he immediately added, "But don''t worry. We''ll She was a little unhappy upon hearing that. She didn''t know why. But she felt an inexplicable sense of kindness and protection for that old woman. She knew Oliver''s daughter. Did that mean there were some clues to the whereabouts of "Henrietta"? But soon, she remembered that Kelly said Henrietta was dead. But she didn''t quite believe Kelly''s words. She was deep in her thoughts while following Miles to the main building of the orphanage. The decorations in front of the main building resembled an open-air wedding venue, but the word "birthday" in the middle surprised her.


    "Whose birthday is it?"


    Oliver''s birthday had long passed, so it wasn''t his. Was it Miles''? Or Anastasia''s? She felt a little panicked. She hadn''t even prepared a birthday gift!


    Miles had taken such good care of her. If it were his birthday, she should have known and prepared a gift.


    She was worried about how to procure a gift that would express her blessings for him. Her mind went nk. At this moment, Oliver''sughter sounded. "Hahaha, our birthday girl is here!"


    Patrick pushed past him from her left. She looked toward him. Kelly, who had already changed into a dress, approached from her right.

 Billionire 338

    She Makes a Fool of Herself


    She Makes a Fool of Herself


    Kelly had gotten all dressed up. Although she didn''t see Rose, she saw a smiling Oliver. Today''s birthday girl was her!


    Thinking that he had prepared the birthday celebration for her, she felt very proud of herself and wanted to show off in front of Rose. She wanted Rose to know that blood was always thicker than water. Rose had been mistaken for Henrietta while she was the real granddaughter of the Youngs. She knew the truth. But after days of deception, she had thought of herself as Oliver''s real granddaughter. She took for granted that everything was hers, including everyone''s focus and love. She shed her perfect smile, deliberately held Gabriel''s arm, and moved forward gracefully.


    But he saw Rose first. Although it was just a nce, he thought that she looked good when the sea breeze was blowing her hair. He couldn''t help but be stunned by her.


    Rose was also dumbfounded. Birthday girl? Was Oliver referring to her? It wasn''t her birthday today. But Oliver just waved at her.


    As she was about to rify it with Oliver, Kelly walked past her. Before she could react, Kelly squatted down beside his wheelchair and looked at him cutely. "Thank you, Grandpa! You''re so good to me."


    She seemed so moved as she leaned against his knee like a docile kitten. But he stiffened slightly. His smile faded, reced by a look of confusion.


    "Who are you?"


    He didn''t like strangers. Almost instinctively, he pushed her face away from his knee.


    "Miss, you''ve got the wrong person!"


    His tone was serious and displeased. Although he pushed her lightly, she was squatting and didn''t expect him to be so repulsed by her. Even with his little strength, she still fell backward as she was unprepared. She instinctively reached out to grab Gabriel''s hand. But she missed it and fell to the ground.


    For a moment, there was a strange silence. Even without looking, she could feel the gaze of the people around her. Someone even chuckled. She blushed deeply,


    The first thing she thought of was how to escape her current situation.


    "Grandpa, it''s me! You promised toe here and celebrate my birthday! You said the day I got adopted by the orphanage was also my birthday! You said you would celebrate twice with me! I know it. Even if you don''t remember me, I know you''ll never forget your promise!"


    She looked at him and tried to get up as she spoke. But the white dress she wore made it difficult.


    She already felt a little ufortable when she squatted. At this moment, she was sitting on the ground. No matter how she tried, she couldn''t stand up. No one came forward to help her.


    She wanted Gabriel to help her but was worried about seeing his contempt. So, she didn''t dare to ask for help. She tried to get up several times. But after failing repeatedly, she became more and more anxious.


    She Makes a Fool of Herself


    Finally, she tried to stand up with all her strength. But the moment she exerted force, she heard a snap. It was the crisp sound of cloth splitting.


    When she deliberately tore the red dress, she felt pleased to hear the sound of fabric tearing. But this time, as the dress ripped right at her thighs, it sounded like the devil himself wasughing at her. Someone chuckled lightly.


    She followed the voice and looked over to see Rose, but not Anastasia. Although the chuckle came from Anastasia, who was behind Rose, Kelly thought that it was Rose whoughed at her. She gritted her teeth and looked around in embarrassment. She didn''t want to beughed at by Rose.


    Now, she only wanted to stand up. She thought that would be able to show Rose who was the boss. But she didn''t know that she had already lost then.


    She stood up too quickly. As a result, she heard that crisp sound again. Her dress ripped right along where it split.


    She became even more uneasy and panicked. In her panic, she only made the situation worse. Not only was the dress ripped at the thigh, but its waist had also torn. The atmosphere turned awkward. She could no longer maintain herposure. After all that effort, she had still managed to embarrass herself. Miles'' expression remained unchanged. He didn''t seem interested in what had just happened. Rose frowned slightly. Although she didn''t like Kelly, she wouldn''t ridicule her. She just looked away calmly. But Gabriel, however, looked disgusted.


    When Kelly tried on the dress, he warned her that the dress was too tight around the waist. Although it would show her figure well, she didn''t have enough refinement to wear such a dress.


    idents were bound to ur if she made any sudden movements, and she would make a fool of herself. Sure enough, he was right.


    He nced at her exposed skin and lost all interest in her. He didn''t even bother to conceal his disgust. She looked toward him.


    "Gabriel..."


    She knew that she couldn''t fix her situation. If someone pitied her, even just a little, it wouldn''t look too ugly for her.


    She once again pinned her hopes on Gabriel. She looked at him pitifully and helplessly, like an injured bunny.


    Her looks had always been the perfect weapon to seduce men. But she didn''t know that he had already seen through her true nature.


    "Why are you still standing there? Go help her."


    Gabriel''s words were directed at the middle-aged man from the orphanage who had received them. He refused to help her.


    The man was stunned to hear Gabriel''s words. But soon, he reacted and immediately stepped forward. His eyes lingered on her exposed waist and legs for a moment. His gaze made her feel disgusted.


    She Makes a Fool of Herself


    Maybe it was the sight of her that woke his lust. He gulped secretly and hurriedly took off his jacket, nning to cover her exposed skin.


    She wanted to shout at him to get lost. But withi


    colors. She cried with grievance.


    "Gabriel..."


    She never expected that he would ignore her!


    so many people around, she didn''t dare to show her true

 Billionire 339

    Not for Her


    Kelly felt that as she was the Youngs'' granddaughter, the man''s clothes didn''t deserve to touch her body. Fortunately, her crying kept him away from her.


    Kelly couldn''t believe what had just happened. She thought that Gabriel was displeased because she had embarrassed herself.


    After all, he was Regalia''s famous yboy and lived in the shadow of the Youngs all year round. It was normal for him to have a temper. Unsurprisingly, he was angry and didn''t want to help her.


    She looked at him, believing she could soften him by pitifully asking for his help. Sure enough, although he frowned, he stepped forward.


    Seeing this, she felt better. Kelly waited for him tofort her and smooth over her embarrassment. All she had to do was continue to act aggrieved and helpless.


    When he helped her to get up, she pretended to go limp and threw herself into his arms. Gabriel held her firmly. She was full of gratitude and beamed at him. "Thanks, Gabriel."


    But suddenly, he let go of her and took the jacket from the man.


    She was stunned. Before she could react, he wrapped the jacket around her waist. Although he covered her exposed skin, he hadn''t saved her from embarrassment at all. Her expensive dress should have looked ssy and beautiful. But the cheap jacket around her waist


    made her look weird.


    "Pfft!" Anastasia finally couldn''t help butugh. "Isn''t Kelly''s look unique? Rosie, don''t you think so?" She had deliberately asked Rose for her opinion to piss off Kelly.


    Rose rolled her eyes secretly and thought, "Kelly''s dress has nothing to do with me."


    She nced at Kelly and then looked away quickly, not intending to make anyments. But even though she didn''t say anything, Kelly was angry at her.


    Although Rose was dressed in a simple T-shirt and a pair of jeans, she was still dazzling. On the contrary, Kelly looked like a clown. She bit her lips, feeling even more aggrieved than before.


    "I''m sorry."


    She covered her face and ran away. She needed to change her dress. Kelly removed the jacket from her waist. After she left, everyone went silent for a moment.


    Oliver broke the silence. "Rietta,e here." His earlier smile returned, and he waved to Rose.


    She stepped forward and squatted like Kelly, but the treatment she got was nothing like Kelly''s.


    He stroked her head lovingly, and his eyes were full of affection. "I called you just now. Why didn''t you respond? A weird girl came forward, saying some strange things."


    The weird girl he was referring to was Kelly. At this time, everyone came back to their senses. They finally realized that the "birthday girl" he mentioned was Rose. Both they and Rose were confused.


    Not for Her


    "Grandpa, why did you call me birthday girl?" she curiously asked.


    It wasn''t her birthday. He probably thought she was Henrietta. But Henrietta''s birthday was on the same day as her mother''s. Hadn''t it already passed?


    His smile became more loving, and he tapped her nose. "You''ve forgotten so soon? You returned to the Youngs on this dayst year. I promised we would celebrate this day as your birthday from now on..." Although that was what he thought, there was more to it. Even Oliver, whose memory was confused, probably forgot it.


    Henrietta had severed ties with him the same day that they agreed to celebrate as her birthday. Miles and Anastasia only knew Henrietta broke up with him. But they didn''t know it was on this day. Gabriel didn''t know it either. But he learned the truth about this day from Chloe''s extraordinarily aggressive behavior.


    It was also a coincidence. Kelly and Oliver had made a promise, and she asked Gabriel for help. But how could he help her? Oliver couldn''t even remember him. He was already lucky enough that Oliver didn''t drive him out of the Young Estate.


    Despite his grandson, Gabriel usually didn''t have the chance to speak with Oliver. How could he influence Oliver''s behavior? But he certainly stood a chance if he used "Henrietta."


    He had just asked Oliver if he had forgotten what day it was. But without mentioning it, Oliver remembered the promise with Henrietta, even though the "Henrietta" in Oliver''s eyes was Rose! Gabriel smiled bitterly.


    "Rietta, you''re my only daughter. You''ve suffered outside for so many years. I won''t let you suffer anymore. Everything in the Youngs is yours! I''ll make a will..." Oliver said. He wanted to give "Henrietta" everything he had.


    Instantly, everyone''s expressions changed, especially Anastasia and Gabriel. Miles remained calm as he had never coveted the Youngs'' fortune.


    Even Rose froze and quickly interrupted him, "Grandpa, I just want your blessing!"


    She wanted to ask for a blessing for Henrietta. She knew he misidentified her as Henrietta, but that wasn''t her.


    She didn''t want things that didn''t belong to her, so she wouldn''t take his will seriously. But she also wanted others to understand. So, she immediately changed the topic and stopped him from continuing. Unfortunately, someone still misunderstood it. Kelly hurried back after changing her clothes, just in time to see Rose squatting beside Oliver.


    Although Rose did whatever she had done, his attitude waspletely different. She finally realized that the "birthday girl" he had just spoken of wasn''t her.


    She had lied, created such a day, and, nned everything, thinking she would be the star. But she didn''t expect him to agree to the celebration because of Henrietta.


    In fact, Henrietta was Celeste, Rose''s mother. In Oliver''s mind, Rose was one with Henrietta. His words also echoed in Kelly''smind.


    Not for Her


    "Everything in the Youngs is yours! I''ll make a will..."


    She clenched her fists unconsciously when he mentioned his will.


    "Okay, if you want a blessing, I''ll give you one. I hope everyone will love you and that you''ll have a happy life and be worry-free. Everything you wish wille true..."


    His voice echoed in the empty field in front of the orphanage. The gentle sea breeze blew the gauze curtains used for the birthday decorations and seemed to spread his blessings.

 Billionire 340

    He Has Arrived


    He Has Arrived


    Everything she wished for woulde true...


    Rose felt moved by his words. She could feel Oliver''s love for his daughter in every syble. She could only wish that Henrietta was still alive and could meet with him.


    Henrietta. The name echoed in her mind. She suddenly thought of the old woman she had just met. There seemed to be a force pushing her to do something. But what should she do?


    Rose was stuck in a daze and didn''t notice Kelly''s vicious gaze on her.


    Everything she wished woulde true? Hmph! Kelly gritted her teeth secretly. Everything Rose wished for woulde true. But what about her? She wanted to get everything she wanted, too. As for Rose


    ...


    Kelly red at them and turned to leave, no longer rushing back to regain her glory. Oliver''s heartyughter came from behind her.


    His health wasn''t as good as it was before. She thought that even if he survived that fall from the bridge, his physical condition would at least worsen. Unexpectedly, his physical and mental state had improved.


    "The will..."


    If Oliver made a new will, the previous one would be invalidated! Kelly took a deep breath. Seeing that no one was around, she dialed Maya''s number. "Where are the people you looked for?"


    She ordered Maya to do her bidding and dirty work, promising money and benefits. Maya had been more


    than happy to help her.


    "Don''t worry. They have already arrived at the ce you told me."


    She wanted to be sure, so she confirmed it again with Maya. "Are you sure you''ve arranged everything?"


    At this time, Maya was buying things in the luxury store with the money Kelly had given her and didn''t feel like entertaining Kelly''s doubts.


    "It''s just Rose! Although she knows self-defense, our people are stronger than her and outnumber her. She''s just a weak woman!"


    Although Kelly agreed with Maya''s words, she wanted Maya to do something else.


    "Help me find a few more people."


    "Huh?" Maya was stunned. She was currently shopping. Besides, she had sacrificed a lot to hire these people. Where else could she go to find more people right now? "Kelly, there''s enough people to deal with Rose."


    She thought Kelly was looking for more people because of Rose. Kelly knew how urgent the matter was and believed that Maya couldn''t handle it. But suddenly, Maya thought of someone. "Kelly, what about Nix-"


    She remembered that she had seen Nixon outside the Aquastead Hotel that day and wanted to ask Kelly


    He Has A


    Arrived


    about it. But before she could finish her question, Kelly hung up the phone.


    She looked at the phone and frowned but didn''t take it to heart. Although she didn''t know it yet, Kelly was also thinking about Nixon.


    After she ended the call with Maya, she immediately dialed the number that was the stuff of her nightmares. She soon heard it connect.


    "Hello?" Her voice trembled.


    Although the man hadn''t contacted her in the past few days, she still trembled violently when she heard his breathinging from the other end of the phone. "It''s rare for you to call me. Do you miss me?" His voice was low, with a sinister sneer. Miss him? She wanted to make him disappear from her world! "Where are you?" she asked, refusing to answer his question.


    Where was he? He was sitting in a car. Not long after stopping the car, he opened a window and let the sea breeze blow at his messy beard. He smiled evilly. "Why did you ask that? Do you want toe to me?" he chuckled.


    Of course, she didn''t! But right now, she needed him.


    "I want to see you." She deliberately used a delicate tone to lure him.


    He was silent for a minute before asking, "Hmph, you''re not setting a trap for me, right? Why should I believe you? Or do you just miss my body?"


    Hazy and shameful images appeared in her mind, and she secretly clenched her hands.


    "I''ll give you an address. If youe, I''ll be yours. You don''t have to drug me. I''ll do anything with you. But, you don''t have toe if you''re too chicken." She got right to her point. Every time he saw her, he would trap her in the bed. She was confident that her body was like a drug to him. Sure enough, hisughter was full of desire.


    "Give me the address. Wait for me!"


    After hanging up, she quickly sent him the address. Nixon gripped the steering wheel, looked at the address leisurely, and chuckled evilly.


    "My dear Kelly. You don''t even know I''m right here!"


    No one had noticed that he followed the row of luxury cars driving out of Young Estate. He was here mainly for Rose but also partly for Kelly.


    He wondered what she wanted from him and what made her so willing to seduce him. He was curious. Extinguishing the cigarette he had been smoking, he turned the car around.


    The orphanage was near the sea and mountains. On the way to the orphanage, there was a broken bridge. He stopped his car by it.


    He lit another cigarette and began to let his mind wander. He looked calm despite his terrifying and cold aura. After smoking several cigarettes, he exited the car to retrieve a box from the trunk.


    He Has Arrived


    Back in the orphanage, Oliver couldn''t stopughing. Rose had reced Henrietta as today''s protagonist. She seemed to be glowing even if there was no grand scene.


    He only had her in his eyes. She knew it was because he had missed his daughter for many years. She stayed by his side, hoping to make him happy for Henrietta''s sake.


    The scene of harmony was like acid in Anastasia''s eyes. It hurt her to watch. She leaned against a tree, looking at Miles and Gabriel.


    As expected, their attention was all on Rose. She was just a woman from Aquastead. No doubt she was pretty, but Regalia also had many beautiful women.


    But somehow, she could attract Miles, Gabriel, and Jonathan. Suddenly, Anastasia saw Oliver pointing to the hill nearby. Rose said something to him, but she couldn''t hear it. Then, she saw Rose walking over


    her.


    Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she started walking toward Rose. Oliver wanted the flower on the hill. Rose was naturally willing to pick it for him.


    Although it was supposed to be a hill, it was more of a rtively steep slope. So when she walked over Miles only frowned slightly and didn''t move to stop her.

 Chapter 341 Overheard Something She Shouldnt Have

    Rose looked happy today. Miles hadn''t seen her smile in a long time. He sensed that she was at ease and wanted to indulge her. A wild red flower bloomed on the steep slope. She picked the flower and was about to give it to Oliver when she heard a voice.


    "Jon!"


    She recognized that it was Anastasia. She was talking to Jonathan. She didn''t want to eavesdrop, but her feet seemed glued to the ground.


    She saw Anastasia''s back. She asionally fiddled with her hair. It reminded Rose of a woman talking to her lover.


    "You drank too much and turned off your phonest night, right? You should rest for a while. Well, I''ll miss you too. I''ll see you when I get back."


    Although it wasn''t clear, Rose could just about hear what Anastasia had said. Although the two had only been in Aquastead shortly, they seemed very familiar!


    She felt her heart tighten ufortably. But suddenly, she realized something and smiled bitterly.


    He had given the ring to Anastasia. Although she was the adopted granddaughter of the Youngs, she grew up in Regalia and received a wealthydy''s education.


    One was the leader of the Finches, and the other was the granddaughter of the Youngs. They were the perfect match.


    Rose thought that she shouldn''t feel ufortable. Even though it was an arranged marriage, they were married nheless.


    No matter what he wanted, he had to end his rtionship with her first! What had he done? Damn it! Despising his handsome face, she gritted her teeth and thought that he was a scumbag. She didn''t want to overhear anything else that would piss her off. So she quickly put on a fake smile and walked down the steep slope back to Oliver.


    She thought she had hidden her emotions well enough. But he stared at the red flower on her hand.


    "This..."


    She lowered her eyes in confusion and saw the broken red flower. Its branch had snapped, and half of its petals had fallen off. She couldn''t help but twitch her mouth and silently curse herself. "I''ll pick another one."


    Just as she was about to turn around, he smiled and said, "No need. This one is just fine."


    He took the flower from her hand. Although it wasn''t perfect, she had picked it for him. He held it carefully, as it was holding the most precious of treasures.


    "Rietta likes red flowers, and so do I," he murmured.


    Ever since his fall, only Henrietta seemed to exist in his world. She put Jonathan out of her mind and focused her attention on Oliver.


    "Grandpa, I also like red flowers."


    They looked at each other and smiled happily. The wind was blowing gently at the foot of the mountain by the sea. But all of a sudden, the clear skies gave way to heavy rain. Everyone ran into the orphanage. Oliver had nned to stay the night. After lunch, he took his medicine and rested in a prepared room. Rose sat by the window. For some reason, she wanted to know what Jonathan was doing. He still affected her mood even when he wasn''t around.


    Rose stood up abruptly and irritably. She could barely be here alone, let alone think about things she shouldn''t. She walked out of the room, looking for Miles.


    Outside, the rain had stopped. She thought about going to the beach. When she found Miles, he was on the phone. She assumed that he was just handling the Young''s business in Regalia.


    She waited for a while, but he received calls one after another. Only then did she realize that as Oliver''s most valued grandson, Miles wasn''t only in charge of the Young''s House of Jewels but also their other properties.


    He was always a busy man. Ever since she met him, she had always been taken care of by him. But she rarely cared about him. All she could do was not to disturb him or cause any trouble.


    She left quietly. As she approached the orphanage, a figure suddenly moved into her line of sight. It was the old woman she met before!


    She immediately followed her into the alley not far ahead. But when she walked over, the old woman had disappeared. She looked around, wondering where the old woman was.


    Suddenly, she heard some light moans. She was startled. As a grown woman who had slept with Jonathan before, she naturally knew what those moans were.


    The moans sounded close by. It sounded like they came from behind the wall before her.


    She was a little surprised. Although the orphanage was in a vige, she hadn''t seen any young people. But the moaning sounded like a young woman''s moan. She frowned.


    As soon as the idea of exploring came to her mind, she was stunned by the increasingly excited shouts of pleasure. Only then did she realize that she was eavesdropping.


    Since she had identally encountered the situation, she felt it was okay to stay a little longer. But how could she explore the sounds? She quickly gave up the idea and continued to look for the old woman. As Rose left, the couple continued their tryst in the room hidden behind the wall.


    On the floor, some clothes had been cast aside. The woman on the bed was Kelly. With her was the man she had called earlier-Nixon. She didn''t expect him to arrive so soon.


    She never even expected that he would meet her as soon as he arrived. The minute she found this hidden room, he blindfolded her with a thick ck cloth to block her sight.


    She knew he wouldn''t let her see him, but it didn''t matter. She didn''t care who he was as long as she got what she wanted.


    "Ah!"


    He hit her when he realized that she hadn''t even noticed that he had finished. She promptly came to her senses and requested his help.


    "I need you to do something for me."


    Nixon froze but wasn''t too surprised. She wouldn''t have given him something without expecting something of him in return. Sure enough, this was the Kelly he knew. He lowered his voice and said, "Go ahead."


    "There are some mountains nearby. It should be easy to make an old man identally fall somewhere in them, won''t it?" she asked with a sense of mysteriousness. He raised his eyebrows. "Do you want to kill someone?"


    Old man? Was she referring to Oliver? She was so bold and vicious!


    "Don''t talk nonsense! What I want is an ident, not a murder!"


    She didn''t like the word kill. But if Oliver died, she would be the kindest and most innocentdy of the Youngs.


    He lifted her chin.


    "If you want to create an ident, why don''t you do it yourself? Why would you ask me to help you?"

 Chapter 342 Her Disgust

    Nixon snorted. Both back then and now, he was always just a tool in Kelly''s eyes.


    Thinking of his previous experiences, he became colder and unconsciously tightened his grip on her chin. He even left some visible marks on it.


    "Ah! It hurts!"


    She was in pain and felt that his reaction wasn''t proportionate. Did he think the matter was too serious to help her with? But she could only ask him for help.


    She couldn''t gauge his expression. But even though she was blindfolded, she could feel his hand on her chin. Just as he released his grip, she rubbed his hand with her face. "I''m a woman. I can''t do it. Only you can help me. You''ll help me, right?"


    What she was talking about was a life-altering matter. But her innocent tone made it sound like she was asking for a bouquet or a gift from her lover. He stared at her and smiled silently. There was a moment of silence as she waited for his answer. Just when she thought she hadn''t managed to seduce him, his voice suddenly filled the air.


    "Fine."


    She finally rxed. "I knew you would help me."


    She knew her methods of dealing with Nixon would work on any man. Any man except Jonathan, that was. Thinking of her embarrassment when shest saw him, she started blushing.


    She didn''t think her tricks were useless. To seduce a man like Jonathan, she just needed more sophisticated skills and methods, as well as the right timing.


    At that time, he was interested in Rose. It was usual for him not to see other women. But who could guarantee that his interest in her would continue forever?


    No man loved only one woman. It was just a matter of time. When Kelly had a chance ...


    Kelly was focused on Jonathan, and Nixon noticed this. He wondered who she was thinking about.


    He shook her once more, knocking some sense into her. Feeling his anger, she didn''t dare think about anything else. She could n her future with Jonathan some other time. "Please help me. I''ll treat you well after the n seeds." She hugged his neck and kissed his cheek affectionately. His beard made her squeamish, but she hid her disgust and faked some passion. He was very calm.


    "You''ll treat me well?" He knew better than to believe this vicious woman, who looked innocent and harmless. "Then tell me. What can you give me?"


    She believed that all men wanted the same thing.


    "Money, women, and glory. I''ll give you whatever you want."


    The premise was that he still could ask her for all those things after helping her. She had a hint of cruelty about her, and he sensed it. He knew very well what she was thinking.


    But he remained calm and asked, "Do you know what I actually want?"


    She wasn''t interested in what he wanted. But she still asked perfunctorily.


    "What do you want?"


    "I want ..." He moved next to her ear. He paused momentarily before biting her ear as if teasing her on purpose. At that moment, she was startled. His behavior made some unwanted memories rush back. But after a moment, he let go of her ear and chuckled.


    "Indeed, I want money and women. If you give me enough of those, I''ll give you that video as a gift."


    She was in a panic at first. When he bit her ear, she was brutally reminded of what Nixon used to do to her. Back when she was sleeping with Nixon behind Rose''s back, he had loved to bite her ear and tell her he loved her.


    He used to promise that after he got married to Rose and got Celeste Jewels, he would divorce Rose and marry her.


    But at the mention of the video, she returned to her senses. She wanted to eliminate that threat so much that she quickly dismissed her previous thoughts.


    "Where is that video?"


    "I put it in..." He told her where exactly he had hidden it. It was the hotel where he deceived her for the first time. She felt relieved.


    After he revealed the video''s location, he returned to touching and kissing her. He seemed unable to satisfy himself.


    Suddenly, an idea came to her mind. She had never seen his face, so she wanted to see it. Ever since she thought of Nixon, she had been troubled by him. She wanted to confirm the man''s identity. Taking advantage of his excitement, she quickly removed the ck cloth covering her eyes. Although the room was extremely dark, it was still bright enough for her to see his face.


    His messy beard covered most of his face but exposed several ferocious scars. She was instinctively disgusted and almost vomited. But he didn''t feel insulted by her actions. "Are you scared?" he chuckled. He got up from her and slowly put on his clothes.


    She was indeed frightened. When she thought about this ugly and sloppy man who had slept with her so many times, she felt vited. She thought he was Nixon.


    Although Nixon wasn''t as handsome as Jonathan and Miles, he was still more attractive than the man in front of her.


    "No, I''m not. Sorry, I shouldn''t have seen your face without asking first. I don''t care about appearances. No matter what, I''m yours now."


    "What about the future?"


    She just wanted tofort him, but she didn''t expect he would ask that. Future? Was there a future between them? She sneered secretly but still threw herself on his back and hugged him from behind. "If you want me, I am your future."


    What a promise. He turned to look at her silently and patted her cheek. Then, he said meaningfully, "I want a lot. Including you, of course."


    There was a hidden meaning in his words. But she didn''t realize it. She just assumed that he was obsessed with her body and greedy for money.


    She felt contempt and urged him, "Then hurry up and help me. I''ll do whatever you want afterward."


    He stared at her and kissed her fiercely, like a punishment. He didn''t let go of her until she was out of breath.


    "Wait for me." Then, he stood up and left the dim room.

 Chapter 343 Detect Danger

    After he disappeared, Kelly wiped her mouth thoroughly, feeling disgusted.


    But his smell seemed to linger on her body. The more she wiped, the more irritated she got. So, she simply put on her clothes and hurried out. She couldn''t wait to take a bath.


    When she was walking back to the orphanage, she met Gabriel. He stood at the bottom of the stairs, and his gaze made her feel inexplicably nervous.


    She almost subconsciously nced at the tiny house when she saw him. Turning around, she felt relieved to see that the house''s door wasn''t facing them.


    Even if he had seen her approaching, he would likely think she had juste out of the alley.


    "Gabriel, hello. I was just on a walk. What are you doing out?"


    The implication was that she was already taking a walk when she saw him. He raised his eyebrows on smelling a strange odor in the breeze. It was a man''s scent. He nced at her thoughtfully. "Not much. Can you bring me around since you''re exploring the ce?"


    He was quite sincere in his request. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for. But she didn''t dare to ept it just yet.


    She still felt dirty and disgusting all over. She was afraid that he would discover something. Moreover, it was getting dark, and she had other things to do.


    She rubbed her neck and said, "I''m a little tired. I want to rest."


    She wasn''t in a good mood.


    "A little tired?" he murmured meaningfully.


    He was curious about who was with her just now in the orphanage. But his curiositysted only for a moment. He had already lost patience with her.


    "Then go to rest."


    He then went looking for Rose. He went to her room and knocked on the door, but she wasn''t inside. He tried walking around the orphanage but still didn''t find her.


    Miles was still dealing with official business, and Anastasia was nowhere to be seen. He guessed that she had been for a walk nearby.


    When he went downstairs and passed Kelly again, he noticed the smell of women''s perfume mixed with a man''s sweat on her. He suddenly stopped.


    "Kelly."


    She wanted to avoid him and prevent him from noticing her abnormal behavior. But as soon as they passed each other, he stopped her. She had no choice but to turn around and smile innocently.


    "What''s the matter?"


    He stared at her and said, "I didn''t do a good job today. It was originally a promise between you and Grandpa, and you were the protagonist. But he only has Aunt Rietta and Rose in his eyes. I don''t want your birthday wish to be unfulfilled. I just happened to remember what my mother said about today. She told me today was the day Aunt Rietta returned to the Youngs. So ..."


    He was exining today''s events. Of course, she would be concerned about this. But knowing it was already the case, she did not me him. Furthermore, what she wanted was more than just to be the protagonist.


    "It doesn''t matter. Grandpa''s happiness is more important than anything else. I''m fine. Everything will be fine when he recovers."


    Once Oliver disappeared, everything would be fine! He was a little surprised by her generosity.


    "It''s good that you think so."


    He didn''t linger any longer. She headed upstairs while he went downstairs. He then focused on Rosie, wondering if she was at the beach.


    Yet, Rose wasn''t at the beach. Instead, she had walked up the mountain following a trial. It was getting dark. She didn''t turn back but quickened her pace and moved forward.


    The old woman had walked in this direction.


    She was worried that something would happen to that old woman because it was gettingte. Even if she wanted to return, she had to find the old woman first and take her along. Unconsciously, she walked through a forest and arrived at an open space. Then, she saw a dpidated church-like house with a faint light looming. She wondered where that old woman went. She walked toward a dpidated church. It was overgrown with weeds. It was likely that it had been a long time since anyone had been there.


    At some point, when she bent down to pick up a stick to steady her pace, she vaguely heard a man''s voice from inside the church. She stopped for a moment. There were people inside. She thought she should leave, just to be safe.


    But what if the old woman was in danger? She was worried about her safety. Just as she was about to move forward, a hand reached out from behind and grabbed her wrist.


    She trembled and almost screamed. But when she saw the person who gestured for her to keep quiet, Rose immediately covered her mouth.


    "It''s you." It was none other than the old woman!


    She beckoned to Rose and whispered, "Follow me."


    Rose simply nodded and followed the old woman out of the dpidated church. They walked around the back of the church from the other side and squatted against the wall. Inside the church, the conversation of several people could be heard.


    "It''s getting dark soon. Once it getste, Theo will go to drug them."


    "Today''s work is well worth it! But she is from the Youngs. Will there be any troubleter?"


    "What trouble could there be? We''ll do it secretly."


    "I heard that she is a beauty. Theo, you''ve seen her. Is she beautiful?"


    It took a while before Theo Neel spoke.


    "Yes, she is. She is more beautiful than the stars."


    She recognized Theo''s voice immediately. He was the man who received them at the orphanage today! And they mentioned the Youngs and drugging.


    She realized something was amiss and immediately wanted to return to tell Miles. She couldn''t stay here any longer.


    She ran from the dpidated church anxiously and hurriedly, with the old woman trailing behind her. After confirming those people wouldn''t discover her, she reached into her pocket for her phone to call Miles.


    But as she did so, she realized she had lost her phone. She could only turn back and try to look for it. However, her movements slowed as she didn''t want to leave the old woman alone. Rose became increasingly unfamiliar with the environment as it gradually got darker, and they were lost in the forest.


    "Granny, do you know the way?"


    She pinned her hopes on the old woman. She lived here all year round and should have been familiar with the environment. Although it was dark, they could leave there as long as the old woman knew the way.


    The old woman smiled and said, "I know it, Rietta." Although she said she knew it, she was uncertain when she began navigating.


    "This way. No, it''s this way... Rietta, let me think about it. It should be this way... No, it''s wrong. I can''t remember. But I remember our secret hideout..."

 Chapter 344 Why Is He Here

    But Rose wasn''t interested in Henrietta''s secret hideout. The old woman was too old. She couldn''t ce any hope on her.


    Suddenly, she realized that the old woman might have led her to the dpidated church on purpose. The old woman might have noticed their strange behavior. So, she probably took Rose to eavesdrop on their conversation to alert her of the danger.


    "Thank you."


    Rose didn''t know what those people would do, but they plotted against the Youngs. This matter wouldn''t be so easily resolved. The old woman smiled brightly at her like a child who had just gotten praised. She felt warm, supported the old woman, and walked along the road ahead. But the old woman suddenly stopped and looked at her.


    "Rietta, I can''t walk anymore."


    She was silent momentarily before saying, "I''ll carry you." She squatted and let the old woman lie on her back.


    The old woman was thin and not very heavy. But even so, it was still much more difficult for Rose to walk than before. Nevertheless, she persisted.


    As she passed by an unassuming spot, the old woman eximed, "We''re here!"


    She was surprised and looked at where the old woman had shouted. There were still trees surrounding them, and she couldn''t see the orphanage.


    She felt disappointed, but the old woman got off her back excitedly and pulled her toward a huge stone.


    "We''re here!" The old woman looked at her with joy. "Rietta, I''ll always remember our ce!"


    Henrietta and the old woman''s ce? Only then did she remember the "secret hideout" the old woman had mentioned earlier.


    She looked at the massive stone. Meanwhile, the old woman dug at the ground around it and pulled out a stic bag containing several photos. The old woman handed her the photos. "Rietta, look."


    The forest was dark at night. Although she knew they were photos, she couldn''t see the people in them.


    "This is you. These are your new parents," the old woman murmured.


    New parents? She seemed to have found something. Henrietta''s new parents? Did that mean she could find Henrietta''s whereabouts through her new parents?


    Kelly said Henrietta was dead. But for some reason, Rose''s first thought was to find Henrietta. She put the photos in her pocket.


    "Granny, let''s go back first." She would take action after going back.


    She lifted the old woman onto her back once again. Not long after, she saw a shlight shining.


    She was worried about meeting those people in the dpidated church. So, she stopped momentarily, wanting to wait for the other party to go away first. But the shlight got closer. Suddenly, someone pointed the shlight right into her face. She could barely see him because of the dazzling light. He was a strange man with a full beard and a peaked cap.


    But she seemed to recognize his clothes. Suddenly, she remembered.


    "It''s you!"


    He was the driver! He stared at her and smiled weirdly.


    "Rosie, it''s so hard to find you!"


    She immediately recognized his voice. He was Nixon! Countless things shed through her mind. At that moment, he sprayed her with something.


    "You ..."


    She soon went limp. Through her blurred vision, she saw him remove his peaked cap and tear off the contouring material he had deliberately applied to his face. It was Nixon. But he didn''t look like himself with a full beard.


    As her consciousness faded, his voice was thest thing she heard. "I''ll make you suffer. But you have to wait. We have to wait for someone...


    Who did he want to wait for? Before she lost consciousness, several faces shed in her mind. She felt uneasy. What was he going to do?


    ...


    In the orphanage, Rose''s room was closed. Miles knocked on the door, but there was no response for a long time. Kelly, who was in the next room, opened the door.


    "Are you looking for Rose? I just saw her and Gabriel." As she spoke, she nced in the direction of the coast.


    Of course, what she said was false. Her people had already drugged everyone''s tea. But for some reason, he hadn''t fallen asleep yet. She wanted to make him leave. Seeing his expression change slightly, she added deliberately, "But I might have been mistaken."


    She knew the more uncertain she sounded, the more convinced he would be. He ignored her and quickly went downstairs. She smiled triumphantly.


    Half an hour ago, she heard Rose enter the room. He knocked on the door just now, but she didn''t respond. She had probably drunk the drugged tea and fallen asleep.


    Kelly wanted to teach her a lesson. She couldn''t resist the urge to vent her anger at being robbed of the limelight.


    But thinking of Maya''s arrangement, she suppressed her anger. She was waiting for her people toe and take Rose away.


    Not long after, she heard footsteps outside. The footsteps stopped next door, and the door opened. She knew they wereing.


    She came out of the room after they left. Vaguely, she saw several men walking toward the mountains carrying a sack. She was full of excitement as she thought of what Rose would suffer.


    She specifically told Maya to order those people to record everything. If she made those scenes public, or if Jonathan saw the video... She felt excited imagining it.


    At this time, she vaguely saw a figure in the darkness. It was him! He had also started to take action. Oliver''s room had been dead quiet for a long time.


    Even Patrick, who used to stay upte after Oliver fell asleep, had returned to the room and did note out again. So, it was very convenient for him to do his part here. Sure enough, the man eventually pushed a wheelchair out and quickly disappeared.


    "Farewell, Mr. Young Senior!"


    She knew Oliver would die tonight. While Rose ...


    Kelly sneered while ncing at the dark forest before returning to her room. She nned to find a witness for herself on this eventful night. Gabriel was undoubtedly the best candidate. She changed into pajamas. When she went out again, he happened to be outside.


    The night was getting darker. Miles searched around the beach but couldn''t find Rose. He felt sick to his stomach, and his heartbeat quickened.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Jonathan was in the Gibsons mansion in Aquastead. When he opened the guest room door, he looked gloomy. He had just woken up with a hangover.


    Zac, who had also just sobered up, came up to him.


    "Are you alright? Are you feeling ufortable? I''ve asked someone to make some soup. Drink some. It''ll make you feel better."


    They had drunk too muchst night..

 Chapter 345 Rose Is Missing

    The Gibsons'' driver took them back to the Gibson family''s mansion.


    "No need." Jonathan took his coat off, although he looked cold. He nced at Zac and then brushed past him to walk straight to the door.


    He was in a hurry as he had nned to find Rose yesterday, but Zac had dyed him. When he woke up, he could only think about her and couldn''t wait to see her. "Hey, Jon! At least you ..." Zac chased after him but realized that only Rose could make Jonathan so anxious.


    He thought that he had better not hinder the couple from meeting each other. So, he stopped and immediately ordered the driver to take Jonathan away.


    Jonathan went directly to Young Estate. When he arrived, he charged his phone and called Rose, but she didn''t pick it up.


    It was dark in Young Estate. For some reason, his eagerness to see Rose had diminished. He felt a little anxious now. Frowning, he decided to go in. He rang the doorbell.


    A servant who had been left behind to keep watch answered the door. The servant immediately recognized him. He had visited Rose several times before.


    Before he could even open his mouth, the servant hurriedly said, "Ms. Rose went to an orphanage with Mr. Young Senior. Everyone else is there too." Orphanage? "Which orphanage?"


    The servant couldn''t answer him. As he failed to get a definite answer, he decided to call Finley. Even if he needed to investigate all the orphanages in Aquastead, he was determined to see her tonight. His urgency grew stronger. But before he could take action, Finley called him first.


    "Sir, something bad has happened."


    He frowned, thinking Finley was referring to the Finches. But then Finley continued, "Mrs. Finch is in danger."


    His expression shifted, and he asked, "What happened to Rose?"


    Finley didn''t sugarcoat the details. A few minutes ago, he received an envelope. In addition to a note, there was a ring inside it.


    As the red diamond on the ring was very conspicuous, he immediately recognized it. It was the priceless red diamond that Jonathan had used to make a ring for Rose.


    This ring should have been on her hand, but someone sent it to him. On the note, there was only the word "Lane".


    Images shed through Jonathan''s mind. "The Lane family, Nixon Lane!" He almost dropped his phone. Among those he knew, only Nixon carried the surname Lane. But wasn''t Nixon in the psychiatric facility? At this point, he no longer cared to figure out if Nixon had escaped. Thinking that Rose might be in danger, he dared not to waste his time. He ordered Finley to gather his people. After hanging up, he immediately dialed Miles'' number.


    ...


    Miles was at the beach when he got Jonathan''s call. He didn''t want to answer it. He was about to hang up, but he hesitated.


    Jonathan rarely contacted him. They had no business dealings together. If it was a personal matter, it could only be about Rose. He frowned and epted the call.


    In the few seconds he had waited, Jonathan had gotten to the extremes of anxiousness. So, when the call connected, he almost shouted, "Where''s Rose?"


    Miles didn''t like his attitude and wasn''t willing to tell Jonathan about her whereabouts.


    But before he could speak, Jonathan urgently asked, "Which orphanage are you at? Rose is in danger! Nixon escaped from the psychiatric facility!"


    After realizing that he hadn''t found her after such a long time, he began to recognize the seriousness of the situation.


    The Lane family had gone bankrupt, and he had heard about Nixon''s scandal. Only Jonathan could topple Aquastead''s wealthiest family in such a short time. If Nixon disappeared, it was indeed possible that he had taken his revenge on Rose.


    "We''re at Sacred Heart Orphanage. It''s just beside the Silver Sea."


    After getting the information he needed, Jonathan hung up. He immediately informed Finley of it and borrowed a car from the Gibson family. He rushed over as quickly as possible.


    Miles clutched his phone tightly. The night sky and the sea gradually blended together. It was so dark that he felt suffocated by the nothingness. But he didn''t dare to think much at this time. He convinced himself that Nixon was unable to do much alone.


    "Rosie ..." He rushed back inside the orphanage and went straight to Rose''s room. He wanted to confirm if she was inside, but no one answered despite his furious knocking. Without hesitation, he kicked the door open.


    "Rosie?" He turned on the lights but didn''t see her anywhere. All he saw was a teacup on the ground. Damn it!


    He quickly went out to wake the servants up to get them to search for Rose. However, to his surprise, almost all the servants, even Patrick, were in a deep sleep.


    "Miles, what''s wrong? What happened?" The noise he was making naturally rmed Gabriel.


    Kelly had nned to seduce him and had tried various excuses to get into his room. She even wore provocative clothes to tempt him, but she didn''t expect him to remain indifferent to her.


    She was depressed. When she heard some movementing from outside, she realized Gabriel was about to explore. She decided to try and talk to Miles before Gabriel did.


    Miles was in Oliver''s room. He found out that Oliver was also gone. Gabriel also noticed it.


    "Where is Grandpa?"


    She secretly sneered upon hearing that. It had been a while since that man had taken Oliver away. If he had followed the n, he should have caused an "ident" for Oliver by now. But in front of Miles, she had to pretend to know nothing.


    "Ah! Where is Grandpa?" She hurriedly entered the room and looked around. She truly looked worried. She would have made a great actor.


    "Go find them!"


    For a moment, Miles felt like he could barely breathe. Fear coursed through his veins. He felt even more frightened and uneasy at this moment than when he heard about Harriette''s death. But soon, he calmed down.


    Something fishy was happening. The servants were all asleep, and Rose and Oliver had disappeared at the same time. It seemed like someone had nned this. Could Nixon do all of this alone? But Miles didn''t have time to ponder. The priority was to find them! "Let''s go!" He then strode out of the room.


    Neither Patrick nor the servants could help, so they could only rely on themselves. They agreed to split up outside. Miles strode to the mountains behind the orphanage while Gabriel went the opposite way.

 Chapter 346 Theyve Kidnapped the Wrong Person

    Kelly didn''t want to go. Her original n was to stay inside all night and wait for the news of Oliver''s death and Rose''s scandal the next day. But Miles and Gabriel were anomalies in her n, so she had to adapt it.


    She followed Gabriel. As night had fallen, he turned on the shlight. But as soon as they were alone, she pretended to sprain her foot.


    "Ah!" Her face cringed in pain. "My foot! Gabriel, I..." She seemed to be in great pain and looked like she was about to cry.


    There was a hint of impatience in his eyes. When he saw Kelly''s acting, he thought about poking fun at her and mocking her. But after some thought, he decided against it. "Then turn around. It''s dangerous here." He sounded a little cold.


    Hearing his words, she became more aggrieved. "No! How can I go back? Grandpa and Rose are missing. What if something happens to them? We have to find them quickly."


    She pretended to be strong and stood up forcefully. But as she did so, she let out another cry of pain. She pretended to show concern for the safety of Oliver and Rose, but she didn''t realize that Gabriel sensed something amiss in her words.


    He red at her for a moment before taking hold of her. He decided to y along with her "injury" for a while.


    When Kelly saw him reaching out to her, she happily grabbed his hand and leaned into him. Sure enough, she fell into his arms.


    "My foot hurts. Will I hinder you from finding them?" She didn''t want him to find Rose and Oliver before her n seeded.


    "It doesn''t matter. I''ll carry you." Gabriel suddenly had a change of attitude. At first, Kelly was confused, but then she saw him squat down and show her his broad back.


    His gentle manner wiped off her doubts, so she got onto his back. She deliberately pressed herself against him. Even now, she was trying to seduce him.


    "If something happens to Grandpa, the Youngs are done for." His tone was more solemn than ever.


    She understood his worries. The Youngs'' industrial dominance was second only to Regalia''s Finches. Although Oliver had been doing nothing for many years and had left everything to his adopted daughter and granddaughter, the properties were still in his name.


    Without a will, the Youngs would experience a fierce power struggle. Regardless of who won, it would be a heavy blow to the Youngs.


    But what they didn''t know was that he had a secret will. As soon as he died, hiswyer would reveal it. She wouldn''t even have to mention it.


    ording to the will, the Youngs'' empire would be all hers. Even Miles and Anastasia would have to obey her.


    "Nothing will happen to Grandpa. Nothing will happen to him ..." Kelly pretended to be afraid that something would happen to Oliver. She spoke worriedly and allowed her tears to fall.


    But Gabriel looked indifferent. He simply carried her and continued searching for them silently.


    It was pitch ck inside the dpidated church. In the darkness, several men were arguing about something. Theo had called them here and said that the target was a beautiful woman. He also promised that they could do whatever they wanted to her.


    He had met Rose and imed that she was prettier than the stars. As she was a real beauty, they all were interested in her.


    "Let me be the first! You''re all married, and I''m single. So I''m the best candidate!" one of them said excitedly. None of them were good people since they were willing to kidnap others for ransom.


    On hearing his words, another immediately shouted, "You''re not! I can also be the first! I''m more suitable!"


    "Me too!"


    "I''m suitable too!"


    After some bickering, one of them finally interrupted the rest and said, "We can just take turns." A moment of silence followed.


    Anastasia woke up to darkness and those words, followed by silence and the sound of insects. Where was she?


    A ck cloth bag covered her head. She wanted to speak, but she realized that there was ayer of tape over her mouth,pletely sealing her lips. She whimpered and struggled, only to find that her hands and feet were tied up. She felt terrified.


    She remembered that she had gone to Rose''s room earlier. She had nned to reveal that Mrs. Finch Senior was interested in matching her and Jonathan. She wanted Rose to retreat and to disappear into his world obediently. She wanted Rose to stop pestering him.


    But she didn''t find Rose in the room. As she wanted to tell Rose that she would snatch Jonathan away, she entered the room despite receiving no response after knocking. Then, she drank the water prepared for Rose and immediately felt dizzy.


    She couldn''t remember anything after that. But she knew that she wasn''t in the room where she fainted. What happened? What was going on? What were those noises outside?


    Anastasia had no time to figure it out. But the people outside seemed to have stopped their discussion after reaching a consensus. Then, she heard the sound of footsteps. Someone was approaching her. She was paralyzed by fear. Although she didn''t know what was going to happen, she knew it was going to be terrible.


    Regardless of what they wanted, she was confident that she could buy her freedom from them somehow. But right now, all she could do was whimper. In a man''s eyes, that was nothing more than resistance. Suddenly, a man came in and removed the ck cloth bag that covered her head. She couldn''t see his face clearly, but she could tell that the person in front of her was an evil man.


    She kept whimpering and pleading with him. He grabbed her ankle. She felt sick when he touched her. The man couldn''t wait to sleep with her, but hispanion''s voice suddenly came from outside. "Remember to take photos. Patron said we can only get the final payment with clear photos."


    He chuckled, almost forgetting their purpose. The surroundings were so dark that he couldn''t see her face.


    So, he took out his phone and turned on the shlight. When the light shone on Anastasia''s face, there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.


    Theo said that Rose was more beautiful than the stars. Although Anastasia was good-looking, she wasn''t prettier than the stars. But he didn''t pay much attention to that. Although she wasn''t super beautiful, she had a good temperament. It wasn''t much of a loss.


    Under the light, she turned pale with fright at the man''s obvious intentions. But what frightened her the most was what she just heard. Patron? Had someone asked them to kidnap her? Who was it?

 Chapter 347 Thats Mom

    Before Anastasia even had time to think about who the patron could be, the man had already leaned against her. No matter how hard she struggled, whimpered, or begged for mercy, it was useless. As the night dragged on, her pleas for mercy died out. The men came in one after another, and she was so humiliated by the third one that she had lost all hope.


    After the others had their fill with her, Theo went in. Under the light from his phone, he saw who was inside. Although her mouth was covered with tape, he could tell at a nce that she wasn''t Rose! Rose, whom Oliver doted on, was so eye-catching that he would never forget her face, even though he had only caught a fleeting glimpse of her. But the woman in front of him ...


    Theo was stunned for a moment and recognized Anastasia after a minute. She was also ady of the Youngs. Since arriving at the orphanage, she had been alone and was staring at Rose disdainfully. She also recognized him, and her despair turned into agitation. She struggled violently. Suddenly, the rope tying her hands together broke.


    She immediately tore off the tape on her mouth. Her first instinct wasn''t to run away but rather to ask who had caused her such agony. She looked ferocious.


    "Who is the patron you mentioned just now?" He was startled and wanted to call hispanions in, but she immediately added, "Do you know who I am? Oliver Young is my grandfather. How much does that patron give you? I''ll give you ten times the payment. I only want to know who he is."


    Many people shed through her mind. She had no enemies in Aquastead, and she had never offended anyone.


    For a moment, she thought it was Rose. But despite everything that had happened, she knew Rose wouldn''t use such tactics. Although she didn''t like Rose, she appreciated her character. But if it wasn''t Rose, who else would it be?


    "It''s Ms. Lawson," Theo said.


    As he did so, Anastasia''s offer echoed in his mind. The amount Ms. Lawson had offered was already incredulous, let alone ten times that amount! He had been tempted by the thought of more money.


    But revealing who he was working for, he immediately added, "Ms. Young, I''m just doing it for the money. She asked us to do it. I didn''t intend to do anything to you. I have no grudge against you. Besides ..." Besides, Ms. Lawson wanted them to kidnap Rose, not Anastasia. But he didn''t dare tell her that they had kidnapped the wrong person.


    "Ms. Lawson?" She tried to recall if she knew anyone whose surname was Lawson, but she had no idea.


    He felt relieved that she hadn''t realized that they had kidnapped the wrong person. At this time, he could only help her find more information about the patron to relieve his guilt.


    "I heard someone call her Maya."


    Maya Lawson! The name suddenly sprang to her mind. Although she didn''t take Maya seriously, she had interacted with her before. She was Kelly and Rose''s cousin, but she hated Rose and was closer to Kelly.


    "It''s Kelly!"


    She gritted her teeth. Without even needing to confirm it, she could tell that the person behind Maya, and the so-called patron, was Kelly.


    "Take off your clothes!" she ordered him coldly. She was an absolute mess, and the previous men had torn off her clothes. She couldn''t care about anything else at that moment.


    Theo was stunned for a moment but immediately took off his clothes. She covered herself and red at him sharply. Even a viin like him couldn''t help but shudder.


    "I promise to pay you, but you must help me."


    He gulped and asked, "How can I help?"


    She looked outside. Several men wereughing obscenely and excitedly chatting about what they had just done. She kept quiet, but a murderous intent was brewing in her.


    How dare those scum touch her? She was going to make them pay! She took his phone. On the screen was exactly what had happened, and she felt humiliated all over again by it. She quickly deleted the recording.


    When she handed over the phone to him, she ordered, "Do to that patron what your men just did to me!" She wouldn''t let Maya and Kelly go so easily.


    She genuinely thought that Kelly was targeting her and didn''t know that she had been mistaken for Rose.


    Meanwhile, in the forest, Kelly was still on Gabriel''s back. She thought that everything that she had nned for had happened to Rose. But what she didn''t realize was that she had made a powerful new enemy for herself.


    ...


    Rose woke up faintly. Although it was fuzzy at first, she soon remembered the face she saw before she was knocked unconscious.


    "Nixon Lane!" almost instinctively, she yelled out loud. But she didn''t see him when she opened her eyes.


    She looked around quickly. She realized that she was in a ship''s cabin. It was dpidated, and the sea breeze outside was strong, causing the ship''s hull to shake violently.


    She wanted to stand up, but her hands and feet were tied together. After several tries, something fell out of her pocket. It was a photo.


    She remembered it was what the old woman had taken out from Henrietta''s secret hideout on the mountain earlier. She tried racking her brain to figure out how to escape. But when she saw a familiar face in the photo, she froze.


    "M-Mom."


    One of the girls in the photo looked very young, but she recognized her. It Celeste! Why was her mother in this photo? Apart from her mother, there were several more girls and a middle-aged woman in it. The middle-aged woman had a mole in the corner of her eye. This clue suddenly reminded her of something, and she immediately looked at the old woman who was tied up next to her. Nixon had also brought the old woman here. She was lying on the ground unconscious.


    Rose tried to crawl over to get closer to the old woman. She rxed a little when she noticed that the old woman was still breathing.


    "Granny? Granny?" she called out to the old woman softly, trying to wake her up. She wanted to ask the old woman about the question on her mind.


    But despite trying a few times, the old woman didn''t respond. If she hadn''t found out that the old woman was breathing, she would have thought the old woman was dead. She wanted to call the old woman again.


    But at this moment, she heard footsteps outside, apanied by the wind and waves. The sounds echoed in the ship''s vast cabin. After a moment, a man appeared in her sight. Without the cover of his peaked cap, she could see him clearly.


    "Nixon! What are you going to do?"

 Chapter 348 This Is the Strongest Evidence

    Rose instantly raised her guard. The moment she asked the question, she could see the disdain in Nixon''s eyes. Hatred radiated from his expression, and his lips morphed into a chilling smile. He replied, "I''m getting my revenge."


    Revenge? She frowned. While they held grudges against each other, it had started with him. Despite this, she didn''t think she could reason with him. "How are you going to get your revenge? Kill me? Don''t forget, if you kill me, you can''t escape the legal consequences."


    Was she afraid of death? Of course, she was. But she also wagered that someone like him feared death more.


    Surprisingly, he smiled after hearing her words. "Kill you? How would I dare?" He still had not forgotten what he had to endure from Jonathan previously.


    His gaze deepened as he recalled those events. "Rose, you are something. When did you seduce Uncle Jonathan? Let me guess..." He pretended to ponder. However, his memory shed in his mind''s eye like a movie.


    He tried his best to think of how she got close to Jonathan, and all the answers seemed to point to that night. "That day at the Lane family''s birthday banquet... You went to his room, didn''t you?"


    That night, Jonathan had said there was a stray cat when he was standing by the window. That stray cat must''ve been Rose!


    "No, that''s not it."


    There was something else he didn''t understand. On that night, she showed him a marriage certificate. He had someone investigate who she was married to, but all he got was a result saying "Unspecified" in the spouse column.


    Someone capable of concealing their real identity wouldn''t be some ordinary person. She must have already gotten involved with Jonathan before that.


    He was curious. "How did you get close to Uncle Jonathan? You didn''t know he was Mr. Finch at the beginning, did you?" He was only guessing. But after catching a glimpse of sadness in her eyes, he knew the answer.


    "Ha! He did keep it from you! I knew it. The Finches aren''t ordinary people. Uncle Jonathan wasn''t easily attainable either. Why would he care about you? You''re just a toy to him when he''s bored in Aquastead. There''s no way he was interested in you."


    He wouldn''t let her know about Jonathan''s concern for her. He wanted to mentally destroy her. Admittedly, his words felt like a knife had stabbed Rose''s heart. But she only felt like that for a moment. She met his gaze, and her lips curled into a faint smile. "That''s right. I''m just ying along. Nixon, we''re adults. You don''t think I would be devastated over this, would you?"


    Impossible. Mr. Finch could not be just a handsome man to her. Her rxed tone made him frown. This wasn''t the reaction he expected. He wanted to see the hurt in her eyes from his words. He stared at her. Her soft chuckle made it seem like the sorrow that shed in her eyes a moment ago was just his imagination. Suddenly, heughed. "I didn''t expect you to be so heartless. So, you don''t care about him at all, right?"


    Care about Jonathan? There was no escape from the truth. She did care about him, and perhaps more than she should. But how could she show it in front of him?


    The small smirk that had started forming in the corner of her mouth became more pronounced. "As you said, we are two different people from two different worlds. If he treats me like a ything, why should I care about what he does?"


    "I know. Why don''t we y a game, Rose?" His cunning smile made her uneasy.


    Her expression immediately turned serious. "What are you nning?"


    He remained silent. He was calcting the time. If Jonathan had received the ring on time, he would probably be on his way here by now. Unfortunately, the way here was via the bridge that had been blown up by him.


    Even if Jonathan knew she was in danger, he would be dyed despite his urgency. With a cold smile, he said, "By the way, I was afraid you''d be too lonely. So I brought someone to apany you." Silently, he walked to the other side of the ship cabin and casually opened a door. Immediately, the silhouette of someone in a wheelchair appeared.


    She recognized him immediately. "Grandfather!"


    Oliver seemed to hear her voice and turned his wheelchair around in a daze. When he saw her, he showed no awareness of his surroundings. He pushed the wheelchair toward her. "Rietta!"


    However, Nixon noticed Rose''s concern in her eyes. He deliberately kicked the wheelchair, causing it to lose bnce and speed forward.


    "Grandfather!" Panic filled her expression as she struggled to free herself. Fortunately, the wheelchair was facing her direction.


    She couldn''t care less about herself. Watching the wheelchairing toward her, all she could think about was stabilizing it to prevent Oliver from falling. The wheelchair collided with her. She grunted. Her entire body hurt, but he was the only thing she cared about at that moment.


    "Grandfather?"


    Fortunately, her body stopped the wheelchair, preventing it from moving forward. She called out to him, but he was in a daze. He seemed to be frightened from the shock.


    "Heh, Rose, you care about Mr. Young Senior. So unlike Kelly ..."


    Thinking about what Kelly made him do, Nixon''s cold smile became even more pronounced.


    She hadn''t expected to hear Kelly''s name from him. He seemed to have more to say. Without waiting for her to ask, he took out a remote control. Then he pointed it toward the screen on the wall and turned it


    on.


    He said ambiguously, "This is my gift to you. No need to thank me too much!" After saying that, he left the ship cabin.


    Her gaze fell on the screen. The screen hade to life. The image might not have been very clear, but it was just enough for her to see what was happening.


    On the screen, she and Oliver were standing on a bridge. Just like in her dreams, she left the bridge not long after. But he remained on the bridge and looked toward her. The screen seemed to freeze, with no movement showing for a long time.


    Then, another person appeared in the frame. That person quietly walked behind him, facing the wheelchair, and kicked it hard. That person was none other than Kelly!


    "Kelly!"


    It was her who caused Grandfather to fall, and it almost cost him his life! Even though he had survived, he had lost his memory as a result.


    Rose remembered her suspicions about Kelly back then, but she was frustrated by theck of evidence. This was all the evidence she needed. Kelly wished for her grandfather to die. But why?


    Rose thought long and hard. What went unnoticed was the slight change in Oliver''s gaze as he stared at the screen.

 Chapter 349 Its Her

    The screen was frozen, and the cabin was filled with eerie silence. The footage simply yed over and over again on a loop. Oliver was visibly agitated as he pointed at the screen. His distress at Kelly kicking his wheelchair was audible from the video.


    Rose suddenly snapped out of her shock. "Grandpa... Grandpa, it''s okay. It''s all in the past."


    Rose wanted to hold Oliver''s hand and provide him with a sense of security, but her hands were tied. She tried to break free several times but couldn''t do so.


    Fortunately, Oliver calmed down after hearing her words. Oliver looked at Rose. It was clear that he was shaken by the video.


    "Grandpa, it''s okay. Everything''s in the past. Kelly


    probably didn''t mean any harm."


    Although Rose knew that Kelly was up to no good and suspected that Kelly was nning something even bigger, Kelly was still Oliver''s biological granddaughter. Oliver definitely wouldn''t expect his granddaughter to do something so ruthless.


    So, she decided to paint Kelly in a better light, even though she didn''t want to. It was all for Oliver''s sake. He stared at Rose silently.


    Suddenly, he realized that his wheelchair was pressing against Rose and started to panic. "Rose... are you ... alright? Why didn''t you dodge it? You dummy ..." Oliver used all his strength to move the wheelchair away.


    "I''m fine."


    If she had moved away, the wheelchair would''ve flipped over and Oliver would''ve fallen. How could she let that happen? Rose forced a smile. Even the slightest movement made the spot where she was hit ache. But she couldn''t afford to care about herself.


    She continued reassuring Oliver. "Grandpa, don''t worry."


    Rose struggled to free herself from the ropes that bound her hands and feet. She scanned her surroundings and saw a pair of scissors in the corner of the cabin. She inched forward.


    When her hand touched the scissors, Rose breathed a sigh of relief. The most important thing right now was to free herself.


    After much struggle, Rose managed to cut the ropes binding her. Upon doing so, she immediately stood up and walked over to Oliver''s side. Oliver simply stared at her in a daze. There seemed to be a lot going through his mind. However, Rose wasn''t able to read his thoughts. "Grandpa?" His expression seemed puzzled to Rose, but she didn''t feel any animosity from him. Rose tried calling out to him again. After a moment, Oliver finally snapped out of his daze and grabbed her hand. He gave her a nod and his eyes seemed to tear up. Thinking he was still frightened, Rose quickly picked up the remote control that had been discarded by Nixon nearby and turned off the video. Once she felt the fear in his eyes diminish, Rose tentatively said, "Grandpa, wait for me here. I''ll go outside and have a look."


    Outside, the seawater was sshing against the cabin. As they were currently inside the cabin, they were unaware of the situation outside.


    However, Oliver kept holding her hand. Rose patted his hand tofort him, and it gradually loosened. As Rose walked out of the cabin, Oliver''s gaze followed her.


    His voice wavered as he softly called out, "Rose ..." However, his voice was drowned out by the sounds of the sea.


    Rose walked out of the cabin into the pitch-ck night, where the strong wind stung her face. Surrounded by nothing but darkness, a feeling of dread enveloped her. As her eyes adjusted to the surroundings, Rose saw the vast expanse of the sea in front of her.


    "What''s wrong? Scared?" A voice came from behind her.


    Rose immediately turned around. Seeing Nixon''s sinister face in the dark shadows, her heart trembled. But was she really afraid?


    "What is there to be afraid of? Is there any use in being afraid here?" Rose''s voice was all but drowned out by the cold wind.


    Nixon disliked her fearless attitude. But because of the n he had devised, Nixon was in no hurry. He wanted to watch Rose descend into despair slowly.


    Yet, at this moment, Rose suddenly spoke, "How about we y a game?"


    Rose hadn''t forgotten Nixon''s mention of a "game" earlier. She didn''t know what he intended to do, but she knew that she was the one he was after.


    The old woman was just an extra person he had taken along. As for Oliver, he was probably here to be used as leverage against her.


    As if he had read her thoughts, Nixon spoke up before she could continue. Chuckling lightly, he said, "Let me guess. You probably want me to release the two people in the cabin, right?"


    "Yes. What you want is revenge on me. One of them is a stranger to me, and the other is just an old, wheelchair-bound man. So what if he''s Mr. Young Senior from Regalia? I''m just his adopted granddaughter, and you know that.


    ...


    "Kelly is his true granddaughter. She will inherit all the assets of the Young family. Even if I try my best, I won''t get anything from him. So you keeping them here poses no threat to me." Rose spoke in a tone so indifferent that it made her seem cold-hearted.


    But Nixon didn''t believe a word she said. He just kept staring at Rose. He found it extremely ironic.


    He had to admit that Rose was a kind-hearted person. He knew he''d been blinded once and fooled by Kelly, believing the innocent facade she put on. Rose, however ...


    Now, looking at Rose, he realized he had been wrong from the beginning. In terms of looks and character, Rose and Kelly were as different as night and day. Yet, he was foolish enough to have mistaken the devil for an angel.


    Despite the eerie atmosphere, Nixon suddenly burst intoughter. The sound made Rose frown. Then, she caught the sarcasm in his tone as he said, "Did you think I brought Oliver here because of you?" Rose didn''t know what to say. Was it not?


    But before she could inquire, Nixon startedughing again. "It''s not because of you. Someone asked me to take Oliver away. In this situation, if something happens to Oliver, who do you think will inherit the Young family''s assets?"


    Rose didn''t have the time to be shocked. Instead, her mind raced as she pondered Nixon''s question.


    Suddenly, Rose stepped forward and asked, "What do you mean ''if something happens''?"


    If something happened to Oliver, who would the Young family assets end up with? Countless faces started shing across Rosa''s mind. Miles ... Anastasia ... Gabriel''s mother ... And ... Kelly


    In the end, it was Kelly''s innocent and harmless face that lingered in her mind. Gradually, her pure and kind face transformed into that of a monster.


    "It''s Kelly!" Rose suddenly felt the strength leaving her body and took a step back. Only Kelly and Nixon would conspire together, so ...


    "The person who orchestrated the ident, and the one who brought Grandpa here, is Kelly, isn''t it? What does Kelly want? What are you all up to?"

 Chapter 350 Making A Deal With Him

    Rose clenched her fists subconsciously. She suddenly realized that things were not as simple as she had thought. She stared intently at Nixon, but he only had a strange smile that was barely visible in the dim


    lighting.


    "It''s not what ''we'' n to do, it''s what Kelly wants to do!"


    From the moment Nixon decided to take revenge, Kelly had already been erased from his heart. He held onto her weaknesses, forcing her to submit beneath him. Watching her terrified demeanor, he felt nothing but disdain and satisfaction.


    Kelly had asked him to kill Oliver. But he was no longer swayed by her acts. He had no intention of keeping any of her secrets.


    Rose swallowed silently. "What is Kelly nning to do?" As she kept trying to guess, it slowly became clear to her.


    Without hesitation, Nixon said, "I guess... she is plotting to take Oliver''s life. She''ll try until she seeds. It''s probably for the money!"


    The Young family was swimming in wealth.


    "But even if she didn''t do these things, she would''ve still gained a lot from the family with her status. Why ..."


    Why would she be so intent on taking Grandpa''s life? This question had been lingering in her mind ever since she suspected that Kelly was up to no good. Now she seemed closer to the answer. Perhaps Kelly wanted to inherit everything that belonged to the Young family. Or, perhaps... she was afraid! Afraid that, in the end, she would get nothing. As for the reasons behind it ...


    Rose''s gaze deepened as the sound of waves crashing filled the air. After a while, Rose snapped back to reality and turned to Nixon.


    "Kelly doesn''t love you. Is it worth doing all this for her? How about we discuss a business deal instead? You release Oliver, and I ..." Rose paused.


    She knew Nixon harbored some hatred toward her. What she was about to say would only put her in an even more embarrassing situation. But, for Oliver''s sake, Rose continued, "I''ll do whatever you say!"


    Do whatever he says? Nixon sized up Rose. Her hair was slightly tousled by the sea breeze, but it didn''t make her seem disheveled in any way. In fact, she looked beautiful. With her determined gaze, she was simply stunning.


    Nixon''s heart skipped a beat. "We were once engaged and dated for so long. But the closest we ever got to intimacy was holding hands. Unfortunately ..." Nixon had never considered anything beyond that with Rose.


    However, at this moment, he realized he hadn''t dared to entertain such thoughts back then because Rose belonged to Jonathan. Even though he despised Jonathan, subconsciously, he didn''t dare to covet his


    woman.


    Realizing this, a thirst for revenge surged within him. Nixon observed Rose as he advanced toward her slowly, his gaze unabashed. "You''ll do whatever I say? Sure. But remember, those were your own words. Don''t go breaking promises you''ve made."


    He had once considered blowing up this ship in front of Jonathan, leaving him helpless. But now, what if he gave Jonathan a surprise before that ...


    Thinking of the humiliation he endured that day being ridiculed in public, Nixon''s eyes turned increasingly manic. Ashe reached out for Rose, he grabbed her wrist tightly.


    How could Rose not understand his intentions? Disgust filled her. But at that moment, she had to suppress her disgust and hold up her end of the bargain.


    "Release them first!" Rose nced around at the water surrounding them. "Send them back."


    "Send them back? That''s not an option!"


    At this moment, even though Jonathan was dyed by the blown-up bridge, Miles was still at the orphanage. He could not put himself into that trap. The sea was the safest ce for him now.


    Rose gritted her teeth and was about to break free from Nixon''s grip. However, Nixon preemptively said, "No need to hurry. It''s about time now."


    Nixon was hinting at something. He smiled at Rose, knowing that everything was under his control. "I will let them go as you wish. Besides, I don''t want to be interrupted by them! Haha..."


    If it weren''t for not wanting to provoke Nixon, Rose would have pped the smile off his face. Rose suppressed all her disgust and followed Nixon toward the stern of the ship.


    As she did, she noticed a small speedboat tied to the back of the ship. Rose''s eyes lit up, and ideas of rescuing herself shed through her mind.


    But Nixon saw through her thoughts with a nce. "Do you think you can take them away alone? I know you''re trained for this. Knowing you, I might not necessarily win if it''s just the two of us. But don''t forget, you have two pathetic people weighing you down!"


    Nixon bluntly stated the reality of her situation for her. He then handed Rose a bottle of water. "Drink it."


    Rose knew that the "water" wasn''t actually water. But what choice did she have?


    "Drink! Otherwise..." Nixon smiled and revealed a knife that he had hidden somewhere. In the cold moonlight, an icy gleam danced off the knife. Even a shallow stab could prove fatal in the vast emptiness of this deserted sea.


    Rose didn''t dare to try and snatch the knife away. She could only take the water and gulp it down. She red at Nixon and asked, "Are you satisfied now?"


    "Yes, of course." Nixon chuckled, setting down the speedboat.


    The water Rose had just consumed took effect in just a short time. Fatigue overcame her body. But fortunately, apart from feeling powerless, she could do nothing else.


    As if afraid that Nixon might change his mind, Rose quickly dragged her body toward the cabin. Upon entering the cabin, the olddy who had been unconscious this whole time woke up.


    Seeing Rose, she instinctively called out, "Rietta ..."


    "Granny, can you get up?" Rose tried to help the old woman up.


    The old woman tried and, upon getting up, noticed a photograph on the floor. Muttering to herself, she said, "How did this fall? We should keep it safe. This is our treasure." Saying this, she picked up the photo and tucked it into her shirt.


    Oliver was shocked when he heard her call Rose "Rietta". Oliver nced at her suspiciously but was unable to probe further. Rose was already behind him, pushing the wheelchair with both of them toward the cabin exit.


    Oliver thought that they were no longer in danger. But when they reached the stern and came face to face with Nixon, he realized something was amiss.


    He grabbed Rose''s hand abruptly. "What are you doing?" The urgency and concern in his eyes stung Rose''s heart for a moment.


    However, without a hint of emotion, Rose reassured him with a smile, "Grandpa, I''ll help you off the boat." The speedboat was already ready to go. Oliver tightened his grip on Rose''s hand. "You''reing with me, right?"


    "Yes, that''s right." Rose nodded. Even though she had assured him, Oliver still held onto her hand tightly.


    Nixon watched this scene and chuckled mockingly. "An outsider would think that you two were blood rtives!"

 Chapter 351 He Came Prepared

    The scene was indeed amusing. An adopted granddaughter did whatever it took to save her grandfather from danger, while his biological granddaughter didn''t hesitate to harm him repeatedly for her own sake. Though Nixon''s remark was light-hearted, Oliver''s eyes burned with fury. Before he could pull Rose onto the speedboat, Nixon, who stood on the opposite side, grabbed Rose''s other wrist.


    With just a light tug from Nixon, Oliver lost his grip on Rose, and Nixon ruthlessly pushed Oliver aside.


    Seeing Oliver fall onto the speedboat, a trace of worry appeared in Rose''s eyes. Only after confirming that he was alright could she rx. She watched as Nixon started the speedboat and turned on its satnav. Soon, the speedboat disappeared into the darkness of the night. Rose and Nixon were the only ones left on the ship.


    With no one else around, Nixon looked at Rose maliciously. Seeing her sitting defenselessly on the ground, his eyes darkened. "What do you think Uncle Jonathan is doing right now?"


    ...


    Jonathan Jonathan''s figure shed in Rose''s mind, but it quickly disappeared. No matter what he was doing, it couldn''t save her. But little did she know, at this moment, Jonathan was filled with panic as he stared at the broken road.


    "Mr. Finch, the bridge ..."


    The orphanage was located in a remote area that was seldom visited. Hence, the destruction of the bridge went unnoticed.


    From Finley''s experience, he knew that the bridge was destroyed by explosives. Thinking about the letter, Finley couldn''t help but worry.


    He turned to Jonathan. Before he could say anything, Jonathan had already made a decision. "Get the helicopter. Now!"


    Finley didn''t dare to dy another moment and immediatelyplied. Jonathan had never been in such a panic before.


    He wished he could appear in front of Rose immediately. With Rose in Nixon''s hands, he couldn''t bear to think about what Nixon might do to her. Taking a deep breath, Jonathan urgently dialed Miles'' number. Miles had canvassed the entire mountain but couldn''t find Rose. When Jonathan''s call came through, Miles answered impatiently.


    "Rose ..."


    They spoke simultaneously, but the concern in each other''s voices instantly conveyed that neither had found Rose.


    "The bridge here has been blown up, and I''m stuck on the road... Nixon came prepared," Jonathan said, his eyes sharp and grim. Both understood that Nixon was one step ahead of them.


    Miles'' frown deepened. "I''ve searched this area too, but there''s no sign of Rose." Since Nixon didn''t head up the mountain, that meant...


    Miles looked toward the dark sea, and a sudden realization struck him. "The sea... She''s at sea!" With no time to waste, Miles hung up and quickly ran toward the beach.


    Gabriel emerged from the mountain with Kelly and saw Miles'' figure rushing past him. Gabriel wanted to catch up, but Kelly grabbed his arm.


    "Gabriel, I can''t walk anymore." Kelly was extremely frail.


    Although Gabriel had carried her the entire time, as soon as he set her down, she couldn''t walk again. Gabriel had been enduring all of her nonsense in hopes of learning of Rose''s whereabouts. Unexpectedly, Kelly remained tight-lipped, refusing to reveal any information. Gabriel nced at her. He knew that if he pressed her, it would likely backfire. But he no longer wanted to deal with this woman. "You should head back and rest for now then." After saying that, Gabriel pushed Kelly''s hand away.


    "Gabriel ... Gabriel ... I''m scared! I''m scared of the dark!" Kelly looked wronged and tried to appear even more pitiful.


    But no matter how much she called out, it seemed as if Gabriel couldn''t hear her at all. He quickly disappeared.


    "Damn it!" Kelly''s face quickly turned cold. How could she not notice Gabriel''s concern for Rose?


    He imed to be looking for Oliver, but throughout the journey, he kept mentioning Rose. But what did mentioning her aplish? The people Maya sent had probably seeded by now. Kelly sneered as she got up and brushed off the dirt off her clothes. She didn''t bother chasing after Gabriel. "I wish you luck finding her yourselves!"


    It would be best if they witnessed Rose''s misery with their own eyes. By then, everything would copse for Rose. Kelly became even more excited at the thought of it. However, a frown appeared on her face.


    She and Gabriel had almost traversed the entire mountain just now, along with Miles. Howe he hadn''t found Rose in the mountains? Where could Maya''sckeys have taken her? A hint of doubt arose in her mind, but it quickly vanished.


    The dew on the mountain had dampened her skirt, and her feet were covered in mud. Now, all she wanted to do was change into a fresh set of clothes and wait for Miles and Gabriel to bring Rose back. She returned to the upper floor of the orphanage alone. The butler who had consumed the spiked drink earlier was still unconscious.


    Kelly went to her room, changed into her pajamas, and went to the bathroom to freshen up. After getting ready for bed, she felt at ease.


    Before falling asleep, despite being very thirsty, she deliberately avoided drinking the tea on the table. Instead, she quenched her thirst with a bottle of water. As her drowsiness overcame her, Kelly fell into a deep sleep.


    Not long after she had fallen asleep, a figure opened the door and walked into the room, with her being none the wiser. Staring at her sleeping figure, the person''s eyes were filled with resentment and hatred as if wanting to vent their grievances by tearing her apart.


    "Come in." As Anastasia''s words echoed in the empty room, several people led by Theo entered.


    Apart from Theo, the group feared Anastasia. Fortunately, Ms. Young promised them that as long as they followed her instructions, she wouldn''t pursue the earlier incident and would even give them arge sum of money.


    Although they were uneasy and on guard, they decided to take the gamble. Luckily, Ms. Young seemed more concerned about the person on the bed and didn''t spare them any more than a nce. After saying "take her away," she disappeared from the room.


    The night grew darker. Gabriel caught up with Miles on the beach. Seeing Miles anxiously staring at the sea, Gabriel asked, "She''s ... out at sea?"


    Miles didn''t answer. He just took out his phone. The most urgent task now was to find a boat. When he was at the beach this afternoon, he saw a boat here. But now, it was nowhere to be seen. It wasn''t hard to guess what had happened to it.


    Just as he was dialing a number, a loud sound echoed above him. Looking up, the searchlight of a helicopter illuminated the coastline, brightening the entire area. The helicopter didn''t stop. Instead, it headed toward the sea.


    Even from a distance, Gabriel could still see the silhouette in the helicopter.


    "Mr. Finch..." Gabriel instinctively muttered under his breath. Before he could fullyprehend what was happening, a yacht approached them out of nowhere.


    Once the yacht stopped as close as it could to the shore, Miles swam toward it and got onboard. Realizing what was happening, Gabriel wasted no time and followed Miles, getting onboard as the yacht began pulling away.


    Jonathan was piloting the helicopter himself. Even though he was anxious, he had to keep himself calm But suddenly, his phone rang.


    Jonathan immediately answered it. But when he did, all he heard was a woman''s piercing scream, causing all hisposure to instantly copse.

 Chapter 352 Self-harm

    "Rose!" Jonathan''s voice quivered uncontrobly.


    Nixon deliberately increased the call volume, making sure that Jonathan could hear Rose''s voice clearly.


    Nixon detected Jonathan''s unease at the mention of Rose. He cast a nce at her, devoid of any emotion.


    At this moment, Rose slouched against the bulkhead, her gaze distant. The wound on her head, inflicted earlier when she resisted Nixon, continued to bleed.


    Initially feeling feeble, Rose was now slipping into unconsciousness.


    Despite the drowsiness overwhelming her, Rose managed to hear Jonathan''s voice. In a hazy state, she mumbled, "Hubby..."


    Rose hovered on the edge of passing out, with even Nixon''s silhouette before her beginning to sway and her surroundings blurring.


    But Rose knew that she couldn''t afford to pass out. If she did, Nixon would have his way with her.


    In her foggy state, Rose pinched her thigh, attempting to stay alert through the pain.


    "Rose..."


    Jonathan''s heart clenched when all he could hear was silence from the cabin. He attempted to elicit a response from Rose, but all he encountered was an unsettling and eerie quiet. Jonathan''s grip on his phone tightened gradually.


    Jonathan was left with nothing but the sound of Nixon''s breath on the other end of the line. The former warned through clenched teeth, "Nixon, do youprehend the consequences if you hurt Rose? If I were in your shoes, I''d think twice about using her for revenge, or else..."


    Even through the phone call, Nixon unmistakably sensed Jonathan''s threat. At that moment, Jonathan seemed like an apex predator, evoking instinctive awe and fear from Nixon.


    Nixon trembled at first, but soon, all the awe and fear in his heart were reced by madness. Nixon said with a cunning smirk, "You do love her, don''t you?"


    Jonathan frowned.


    Nixon continued, "What did she do to make you cherish her so much? You received the ring, didn''t you?


    "That ring was priceless, yet you''re willing to give it away. Haha! Even the Finch family imed you were cold and heartless, incapable of understanding love. Have you truly fallen in love with Rose?"


    As Nixon spoke, he cast a nce at Rose, assured that she remained dazed, incapable of hearing his words. Thus, he didn''t hesitate to expose Jonathan''s feelings for her.


    The tenor of Jonathan''s breath hinted at an imminent threat. He was angry and very much afraid.


    It was precisely Nixon''s goal to see Jonathan in such an angry and terrified state.


    Nixon''s eyes gleamed with increasing mad. "Falling in love is a delightful thing, Uncle Jonathan. When you fall in love, she bes your vulnerability. Having the formidable Jonathan''s vulnerability in my control feels absolutely satisfying! Haha..."


    Laughter echoed in the cabin.


    Rose struggled to hear what Nixon was saying. Despite her efforts, she could only maintain consciousness. His words were all a blur.


    Hisughter, however, sent a shiver down her spine.


    Jonathan''s expression darkened steadily. He had countless ways to make Nixon suffer for his words and actions. Yet, with Rose in Nixon''s clutches, Jonathan refrained from acting recklessly. Nixon wasn''t wrong. Jonathan had developed feelings for Rose, making her his weakness and a target.


    Once confident in protecting Rose, Jonathan now realized he had overlooked many vulnerabilities. If someone like Nixon could endanger Rose, what about the other threats from the Finch family? Those individuals were the true dangers.


    Jonathan''s wless face remained calm. The air seemed to retain only the echoes of Nixon''sughter.


    Abruptly, theughter ceased, reced by Nixon''s shocked exmation, "Oh my... Rose! How did you... How could you hurt yourself like that?"


    Jonathan''s heart sank, and he quickly questioned, "What happened to her?"


    Nixon offered no reply.


    Gazing down, Nixon discovered that Rose had managed to find a piece of metal. Its sharp edge had pierced her thigh, blood seeping out. Strangely, she appeared impervious to the pain.


    The crimson hue intensified the madness in Nixon''s eyes. "Silly woman, I''ll be heartbroken if you hurt yourself like this."


    Although he imed to be heartbroken, his excitement betrayed him.


    The pain jolted Rose back to awareness. The moment she caught the utterance of "heartbroken", an overwhelming sense of disgust immediately surged within her.


    "Rose..." Jonathan urgently called over the phone, but Nixon had somehow muted the speakerphone, rendering Rose unable to hear his voice.


    Yet, she knew it was Jonathan on the other end.


    Suddenly, Nixon walked over and crouched next to her.


    The disgust in her eyes was evident, but Nixon paid no attention. Instead, he deliberately drew closer, even extending his hand to touch the wound on her leg.


    Excitement gleamed in his eyes, yet his words remained seemingly tender. "Look at all this blood. What should we do? Does it hurt? Look at you, sweating from the pain. It must be very painful. But it''s okay. I''ll make you forget the pain..."


    Nixon paused. His gaze darkened momentarily before a malevolent glint appeared.


    "Rose, you''ve been with Uncle Jonathan for so long. It''s time for me to have a taste of that ''stray cat''!"


    Nixon''s intentions were clear. He recalled the "stray cat" Jonathan had mentioned that night at the Lane residence.


    Both Rose and Jonathan grasped his intentions.


    Jonathan vehemently roared, "Nixon, I''m warning you, leave her alone!"


    Madness had consumed Nixon. Why would he care about his warnings? The more he warned, the more it would fuel Nixon''s madness.


    Jonathan was aware of that. Fearing Nixon might harm Rose, he pleaded desperately, "Nixon, you''ve got it wrong."


    Almost in an instant, Jonathan seemed like a different person. His voice became calm to the point of indifference. He even startedughing.


    Nixon frowned. His attention instantly shifted from Rose to Jonathan. "Nixon, it''s entertaining to see you going so mad over revenge."


    Nixon''s expression wavered slightly. "What do you mean?"


    Their roles appeared to reverse. Jonathan now seemed to be in control. "What do I mean? Aquastead is just too dull, so let''s spice things up a bit."


    Nixon narrowed his eyes. "What exactly do you mean?"


    "Don''t you understand? Do you think I wouldn''t know that you escaped from the psychiatric hospital?"


    Jonathan''s lightly mocking tone suggested he held the reins. It appeared as if he were merely ying along to amplify the intrigue for Nixon, who seemed to be just another pawn in his game. Nixon''s mind went nk for a moment before it began to race.

 Chapter 353 Bored of This Game

    Nobody was aware that Nixon had escaped from the psychiatric hospital. However, even if his absence went unnoticed initially, it would inevitablye to light after some time.


    Nixon''s eyes flickered, and fear started to creep in. "You knew?"


    Nixon was still testing him.


    Jonathan lightly chuckled and calmly listed, "You''ve been to Finch Building, Aquastead Hotel, Harmony Hospital, and even... You''ve disguised yourself quite well. Even Rose didn''t notice when she entered your car."


    If Jonathan could list all these, that meant...


    Nixon trembled.


    Jonathan really knew. And not only that, he chose not to take action on Nixon when he was out.


    What on earth was Jonathan up to?


    Nixon''s eyes flickered, unable to hide his fear any longer. "What do you want?"


    "I told you, I just want to have some fun, and you are the source of that fun!" Jonathan sneered, seemingly indifferent.


    Nixon became more confused. He pondered the meaning behind Jonathan''s "fun" and muttered, "You wanted me to seek revenge? No, that''s impossible. How could you watch me lurk around Rose with malicious intent? This can''t be true!"


    That shouldn''t have been the case. Nixon also couldn''t understand why Jonathan didn''t take action after learning about his escape from the psychiatric hospital.


    Suddenly, Nixon seemed to piece something together and sneered. "You''re doing this on purpose, aren''t you?"


    A momentary silence lingered on the other end of the line. The silence immediately raised Nixon''s guard. "Where are you?"


    In response, Jonathan''s indifferentughter came through. "Where do you think I am? Are you nervous? Worried that I''lle to save Rose? Were you actually hoping for me to rescue her? Too bad..." Jonathan was not making an appearance?


    Suddenly, another spection surfaced in Nixon''s mind. At that moment, he had already forgotten about Rose. He quickly rushed out of the cabin. He was surrounded by sea. Other than the sea breeze growing stronger, nothing had changed.


    Nixon sighed in relief.


    Back in the cabin, his attention refocused on Rose. Jonathan''s voice continued, "What''s wrong? Worried that I''lle to save her? How is that possible? Do you really think I love Rose?"


    Did he not love her?


    For a moment, Nixon was lost. He couldn''t understand Jonathan''s thoughts. Gazing at Rose, a glint flickered in his eyes. As he approached and crouched beside her again, Nixon activated the speakerphone.


    "I thought Rose was important to you." Nixon''s gaze held still for a moment. Even his voice,pared to the earlier excitement, now sounded calmer.


    A pause ensued on the other end.


    Rose, somewhat sobered by the pain, could clearly hear Jonathan''s breathing. Jonathan was on the other end of the line, able to hear her speak. Rose instinctively wanted to ask Jonathan to find Oliver. However, as she opened her mouth, she only managed to utter "hub" before being cut off. "Rose means nothing to me," Jonathan uttered indifferently, each word deliberate.


    Rose''s mind went nk upon hearing his cold words. Sheprehended the weight of those words, and her heart constricted, making it difficult to breathe.


    The pain brought back some rity, and she began to breathe heavily. The ache in her chest surpassed the pain in her thigh, making her more alert than before.


    Nixon noticed Rose''s reaction and couldn''t hide his satisfaction. He deliberately remarked, "Uncle Jonathan, how could you be so heartless? Rose would be devastated if she heard this!"


    Jonathan''s knuckles had already turned white from gripping his phone. How could he not know that Rose could hear him?


    Just now, she was even calling him "Hubby". And yet, he...


    Jonathan suppressed the urge tofort her. She was in Nixon''s hands, and Nixon was insane. Nixon was solely aiming to use Rose to get revenge on him. At this moment, he could only try to convince Nixon that Rose held no significance to him.


    "I''m bored of this game." These words, spoken with casual indifference, cut into Rose''s heart like a knife.


    Bored with this game?


    Before Nixon could respond, Rose asked, "What are you saying?" Her voice quivered.


    Jonathan tried to sound emotionally detached and responded, "You''re smarter than that. Do you really need me to spell it out for you?


    "It''s not as fun if I spell it out to you. We are just using each other, putting on a show. You''re just a tool for me to vent my frustration, and I''m just a boring pastime to you. But don''t worry. I''llpensate you with some money."


    Unexpectedly, Jonathan abruptly ended the call. Silence engulfed the other end, yet his cold and cutting words lingered in the cabin.


    Rose stared nkly at the floor. Suddenly, the room felt cold.


    Putting on a show... Boring pastime...


    While she had long known she meant nothing to Jonathan, hearing those words made her heart ache.


    "I didn''t expect you to be just another one of Uncle Jonathan''s ythings. Didn''t I tell you? How could the great Jonathan fall in love with you?"


    Nixon relished the oue. At this moment, his desire for revenge found satisfaction, having made Rose suffer. However, he still harbored concerns that he couldn''t exploit Rose to exact revenge on Jonathan. "Too bad. I thought he woulde to save you. I even nned to have him trade his life for yours, to make him kneel and beg me not to harm you. That scene would have been spectacr. Too bad! Oh, what a shame! What a pity! He doesn''t love you and won''t kneel or risk his life for you!"


    Despite Nixon uttering those words, his eyes betrayed a despicable joy.


    For someone else, his reveling might have intensified the emotional wound. Yet, Rose quickly regained control of her emotions.


    "What a pity." A faint smile yed on Rose''s lips, tinged with disappointment.


    Nixon frowned. "A pity? You also think it''s a pity?"


    Was it because she didn''t manage to climb up the socialdder through Jonathan? That would indeed be a pity.


    But that wasn''t what Rose was talking about. "What a pity that he hung up so quickly. I hadn''t even had the chance to ask him to help me save Oliver. At least he could have passed on a message for me to Miles..."


    Rose spoke too much in one breath. Her breathing became somewhat unstable.


    Nixon didn''t expect Rose to still be concerned about Oliver. His expression instantly darkened.


    Rose paused for a moment before adding, "What should we do? You can''t use me to get revenge on Jonathan. You must be frustrated. I have a way to help you get back at him. Do you want to know how?"

 Chapter 354 A Gift for Her

    Nixon narrowed his eyes, studying Rose as if attempting to read her motives. Just like Jonathan''s inscrutable thoughts, Rose''s intentions proved even more elusive.


    "Go on." Nixon was interested. Unable toprehend her, he hoped to extract some information from Rose to formte educated guesses.


    Furthermore, Rose had already consumed the water he provided. Now weakened, her body drained of blood, she appeared pale and defenseless. Even if she wanted to resist him, shecked the strength. Nixon lowered his guard. So, when Rose spoke in a weak and low voice, Nixon leaned in closer to hear her.


    "Do you know? Jonathan..."


    Rose frowned, her breath increasingly unstable, seemingly unable to contain the pain and dizziness.


    Nixon was clearly intrigued, sensing that Rose was about to reveal Jonathan''s weakness. However, he couldn''t make out what she said next.


    "What did you say?" Nixon leaned in again toward Rose.


    Unbeknownst to him, Rose had discreetly tightened her grip on the piece of metal.


    After a brief pause, Rose opened her mouth. Instead of speaking, she swiftly utilized her remaining strength to raise the piece of metal and forcefully thrust it toward Nixon.


    A piercing scream resonated throughout the cabin. Nixon lowered his gaze, discovering the metal piece embedded in his calf. ring at Rose with a fierce expression, he slowly raised his head. "You bitch!" Rose tricked him! His anger surged amidst the intense pain. Determined, Nixon decided to make Rose suffer a fate worse than death, even though that meant he couldn''t use her to get revenge on Jonathan. He had underestimated Rose.


    Rage consumed Nixon upon realizing that Rose had it all nned out.


    Rose pulled out the metal piece lodged in Nixon''s leg, eliciting another wretched scream from him. In the next moment, the metal piece in Rose''s hand struck his other foot. Refusing to be at Nixon''s mercy, Rose had to save herself, and crippling his ability to walk seemed the best strategy.


    With Nixon in pain, Rose had an opportunity. Rose calmly pulled out the metal piece from his other thigh, causing Nixon to scream again. His eyes had turnedpletely red.


    Fueled by anger, Nixon attempted to grab Rose. However, Rose evaded his attack instinctively and retreated backward. Though Rose avoided his grasp, she failed to reim the only weapon that could protect her.


    Nixon struggled to move forward, his legs in excruciating pain. He could only watch helplessly as Rose distanced herself.


    "Ha... Hahaha... Uncle Jonathan was right. You truly are a wild stray cat! Did you capture his interest with those sharp ws of yours? No wonder Uncle Jonathan was interested in you. But after he won you over, he lost interest."


    Nixon seethed with fury.


    He was a little satisfied when he saw Rose''s eyes waver, seemingly shocked by his words. However, that shock proved short-lived.


    Rose knew she had to escape. She was already weak, and stabbing Nixon drained even more of her strength. Nevertheless, she forced herself to stand and walked toward the ship''s control room. She needed to get the boat back to the shore.


    Nixon already saw through her n. "Rose, do you think you can escape?"


    Nixonughed maniacally and continued, "I didn''t intend for this boat to return when I took it out. I''ve already destroyed the instruments in the control room. You won''t be able to go back!" They couldn''t go back?


    Rose paid heed to his words, refusing to believe that Nixon hadn''t left himself an escape route.


    Leaning against the cabin for support, she managed to exit the cabin and headed toward the ship''s bow to reach the control room. Unbeknownst to her, the ruthlessness in Nixon''s eyes intensified.


    Rose entered the control room. She checked the instruments, and as Nixon had imed, they indeed had been all destroyed. However, she refused to resign herself to fate. Despite her body failing her, she leaned against the wall, struggling not to lose consciousness.


    The sea breeze intensified, and all that echoed in her ears were the whistling wind and the pounding waves.


    After some time, someone called out to her. "Rose..."


    It sent shivers down Rose''s spine.


    It was Nixon. His voice, like that of a malevolent spirit, instantly put Rose on edge. Rose noticed Nixon sitting on a lifeboat beneath the ship as she stepped out of the control room.


    When Nixon saw Rose, a smug grin appeared on his face. "Farewell. I''m tired of this game. Oh, by the way, I''ve left you two gifts!"


    Rose''s intuition told her that Nixon''s "gifts" were far from pleasant. She was right.


    Nixon''s voice continued, "Take a look behind you..."


    Rose turned around. She noticed a red stopwatch in the corner of the control room, counting down.


    It was a bomb!


    The bomb was securely attached to the ship with a cable.


    Rose''s heart skipped a beat. Sensing her fear, Nixonughed manically. The chillingughter, carried by the sea breeze, echoed across the vast sea.


    "This was originally prepared for Uncle Jonathan. I thought he would surelye to save you, so I prepared this gift for him. You said I can do whatever I want, and I wanted him to see you tumbling beneath me. But you went too far.


    "Look, you''ve hurt me to this extent, so I changed my n. The gift is yours! It''s a pity, though. Uncle Jonathan won''t be able to see you being blown to pieces."


    Nixonughed loudly as he rowed away in the lifeboat, gradually disappearing into the night.


    "Tick... Tick... Tick..."


    The rhythmic countdown echoed in the control room.


    One after another, the ticking continued, gradually instilling a sense of despair.


    Yet, Rose suddenly smiled coldly, choosing to remain indifferent.


    A wave of fatigue overwhelmed her.


    The strength she had forced herself to muster earlier suddenly left her body, making it even more difficult to stand. She let herself slide down against the cabin.


    In the dark night, the rhythmic ticking of the countdown resumed.


    Rose, at some point, closed her eyes.


    It felt like a dream when she heard someone calling her name. "Rose!" She felt someone lifting her, and there was a deafening explosion with mes engulfing everything. Rose felt like she must''ve died from the explosion, and this dream was from her soul''s perspective.


    That was probably why the dream was viewed from above, looking down at the sea and the raging fire.


    She vaguely sensed that her soul was being lifted and ascending continuously. Just before her consciousness sank into darkness, Rose let out a long sigh, silently grateful. She was epted by the Heavens.


    After all, it seemed like she was ascending to heaven.

 Chapter 355 How Dare You Provoke Him

    The sky was aze in mes.


    Nixon''s boat hadn''t paddled too far when, under the tremendous impact of the explosion, the boat almost flipped over.


    Amidst the panic, he failed to notice something peculiar behind the mes. Barely stabilizing the boat, Nixon was momentarily stunned as he watched the explosion unfold. There was nothing left but madness and thirst for blood in his eyes.


    In his original n, Jonathan was the one who was supposed to die in the explosion.


    But it was fine too if Rose had died.


    "Oh, Rose, don''t me me. It''s Uncle Jonathan''s fault for noting to save you." Nixonughed wildly. It wasn''t enough for him. Rose might be dead, but Jonathan and Kelly were still alive.


    With their images haunting his thoughts, his appetite for revenge grew more fervent, especially in the wake of Rose''s demise. At this point, he couldn''t even feel the pain in his legs.


    Gripping the boat, he contemted his next move.


    Suddenly, his phone started ringing.


    Nixon thought it might be Kelly asking about Oliver. Initially hesitant to answer and prolong Kelly''s anxiety, he eventually picked up after the ringtone persisted.


    He was astonished to see the number disyed on the screen.


    "Jonathan!"


    Rose was already dead, so why was he calling? Even if he had changed his mind to save her, it was toote.


    But Nixon was intrigued; not only could he lure Jonathan out by using Rose, but he could also personally inform him of Rose''s death-a provocative move indeed. And so, Nixon answered the call, his lips curling slightly. In a triumphant posture, he eximed gleefully, "Uncle Jonathan, your stray cat... is dead!"


    The fiery explosion remained visible.


    Nixon''s excitement surged. "Too bad you didn''t see it just now. The ship exploded with a bang! I set up the bombs myself. Your little stray cat was on the ship. "Perhaps her body has been blown to pieces and is now scattered in the sea, surrounded by fish. Too bad you didn''t care. Otherwise, you would have witnessed this yourself..."


    On the other end, Jonathan remained silent-only heavy breathing could be heard, indicating Jonathan''s anger.


    This discovery pleased Nixon immensely. "Uncle Jonathan, it seems you aren''t as indifferent to her as you im. So, why didn''t youe to save her earlier?"


    Nixon questioned him, but it also carried a tone of mockery.


    Even if Jonathan had some feelings for Rose before, it had all ended there.


    The silence from the other end made Nixon feel like something was amiss. It was not as satisfying as he thought.


    Suddenly, Jonathan let out a faint disdainful snort, and the call ended. Nixon''s face slightly stiffened. Staring at the phone for a moment, he felt a surge of anger.


    What kind of reaction was that from Jonathan?


    Nixon gritted his teeth, still displeased. In the fiery glow, a silhouette of a ship emerged. The vessel was approaching him gradually.


    Nixon paused for a moment. His eyes betrayed a subtle uneasiness as he regained hisposure. Spection took root in his mind, and a fervent wish for a stroke of luck lingered. But when Nixon realized who was standing at the ship''s bow, fear gradually overcame him. It was Jonathan!


    "How?"


    He had abandoned Rose, so why was he here?


    Nixon swallowed hard. He knew the only hope for luring Jonathan into his trap was through Rose. But now...


    Amidst the inferno, the figure at the bow of the boat wore a somber expression. It appeared as though he were the harbinger of death, poised to seize a soul.


    Even though there was some distance between them, Nixon could feel the terrifying gaze firmly fixed on him. With a sudden jolt, Nixon''s immediate reaction was to escape.


    However, being in a small boat, it couldn''t outrun therger ship, even at maximum speed.


    Despite exerting all his effort, he couldn''t match the approaching figure behind him.


    The other vessel drew closer.


    Even facing away, Nixon could sense the intense pressure, as if someone were about to crush him.


    A scream escaped Nixon in sheer fear, its echo harmonizing with the rhythmic waves.


    Rose was in a daze. She asionally opened her eyes, but all she could see was emptiness. Despite that, she sensed that someone was next to her.


    A hand gently caressed her temples, as if tidying her hair.


    After the big explosion earlier, she pondered if she was now in pieces. She wondered if her soul, now in heaven, looked disheveled.


    "Rietta..." A voice echoed in her ear.


    It sounded like an old woman. But who was Rietta?


    Rose thought hard. But soon, she heard someone else calling her "Rose".


    That was right. Her name was Rose. That old voice must be addressing her.


    Rose didn''t know who was calling for her in heaven. She tried her best to see clearly, but her eyelids were too heavy. It felt like her body weighed more than a thousand tons, and before long, she slipped into consciousness.


    Miles was frowning as he stood beside Rose.


    After Jonathan airlifted Rose onto the ship and sent her inside, Miles sighed with relief. However, his frown persisted.


    Gabriel shared the same concern. He saw Rose being carried onto the bed by Jonathan and how nervous Miles and Jonathan looked.


    In that instance, he contemted something, gazing at Rose with her eyes closed, appearing to be in a profound slumber.


    Being a man himself, he naturally understood the concern in Jonathan and Miles'' eyes toward Rose.


    Even thedy from the Young family couldn''t evoke such nervousness from these two men. He was convinced that there was more to Rose than just a pretty face to have won these two men over.


    Rose...


    Gabriel felt a growing interest in Rose within his own heart.


    "Let me go! Release me!"


    Gabriel''s chain of thought was interrupted by amotion outside the cabin.


    Gabriel nced at Miles, who was still by Rose''s side, holding her hand and seemingly having no intention of leaving. After a moment of hesitation, driven by curiosity, he couldn''t resist walking out of the cabin. He wanted to know how the legendary Jonathan would deal with the person who harmed Rose.


    At the ship''s bow, Jonathan stared at the lingering mes.


    His gaze flickered with the mes, anger within him burning more fiercely than the fire itself. Clenching his fists to the point where he was oblivious to the stark whiteness of his knuckles, he sought to conceal the inner fear and mask the trembling of his body.

 Chapter 356 Shes Still in Danger

    The scene of the explosion shed through Jonathan''s mind as he took a deep breath.


    "Mr. Finch, how should we deal with him?" Finley''s angry voice resounded.


    Had Jonathan not chosen to handle it personally, Finley would have overturned Nixon''s boat just now, letting him sink into the water.


    Jonathan closed his eyes briefly to conceal all his emotions. He presented aposed demeanor upon reopening them.


    He turned around,nding his gaze on Nixon. His eyes were icy and piercing, making Nixon shiver, prompting an immediate plea for mercy.


    "Uncle Jonathan, spare me, please! You said you don''t love Rose, right? She''s dead, and she wouldn''t bother you anymore. Do you know that after the call ended, she even cursed you?


    "That''s right! She called you heartless. In reality, she was just ying along with your act. She..."


    Nixon tried to sow discord between the two, only to find Jonathan''s face growing even more menacing.


    Even Finley couldn''t stand his ground and couldn''t help but kick him.


    "Shut up! How can Mr. Finch not love his wife? Mr. Finch adores his wife. He hoped she''d be with him every moment. All your nonsense about ying along is just ridiculous! Don''t believe his nonsense. Ms. Shaffer is genuinely devoted to you."


    Jonathan''s eyes narrowed slightly. Even if Rose had been ying along, so what? She was still his woman. As for Nixon...


    "How do you want to die?"


    The chill in hisment reverberated through the sea breeze and the rhythmic waves, causing a shiver to run down Nixon''s spine.


    Memories of what Jonathan had done to him shed in his mind, and Nixon''s body went weak. He initially wanted Rose to control Jonathan, but now the situation had reversed, and his fate didn''t look promising.


    How did he want to die?


    Almost instinctively, Nixon uttered hesitantly, "I don''t want to die."


    Jonathan''s eyes darkened. Even Finley couldn''t help but chuckle sarcastically.


    Didn''t want to die? He nearly killed Rose, and he still had the audacity to say that he didn''t want to die?


    "Mr. Finch, I suggest we throw him into the sea to feed the fish. I''ll help you!" Finley dered loudly, seizing the back cor of Nixon''s clothes. Being skilled, Finley effortlessly dragged Nixon to the ship''s edge. He pushed Nixon''s entire upper body beyond the railing.


    "No! Don''t push! Don''t throw me! I don''t want to die!"


    Looking at the turbulent waves below the ship, Nixon trembled in fear. Yet, in this dire situation, his only chance at survival was to provide Jonathan with apelling reason to spare him.


    Nixon''s mind raced, desperately searching for a reason.


    Suddenly, Finley grabbed his leg and forcefully flung him outward.


    Nixon''s cry was swallowed by the sound of the waves.


    Suspended above the water, Nixon felt the sea spray on his face, despair gripping him as he believed his doom was imminent.


    But his survival instinct made him blurt out, "Someone else wants to harm Rose. Yes, I know someone else who wants to harm Rose."


    Nixon didn''t plunge into the water.


    Finley held onto Nixon''s ankles. Though eager to throw him into the sea, Finley refrained from disposing of him without Jonathan''s approval. However, it was still eptable to give Nixon a scare. Realizing he hadn''t fallen into the water, Nixon regained his senses, convinced his earlier words had an impact. "Uncle Jonathan, believe me, someone else wants to harm Rose. Before I found Rose, I discovered..."


    Struggling to make Jonathan believe him without divulging everything, Nixon feared losing his value and being thrown into the sea.


    Fortunately, his words piqued Jonathan''s interest. Jonathan signaled to Finley.


    Finley pulled Nixon up, and as Nixon''s hands made contact with the railing, he clung desperately, hauling himself onto the ship. Finley then observed that Nixon''s torso, from chest to waist, was soaked. The smell was repulsive.


    Finley cast a disgusted nce at him. However, Nixon appeared unaffected.


    Nixon eagerly looked at Jonathan. "Uncle Jonathan, if you let me go, I''ll tell you what I know."


    Jonathan responded with a cold smile. "Do you believe you''re in any position to negotiate with me right now?"


    Nixon''s heart sank. Clearly, he did not.


    The person he was dealing with was none other than Jonathan. Even without Nixon''s help, Jonathan would undoubtedly uncover any plot against Rose. Nixon, once again, had underestimated Jonathan, resulting in finding himself ensnared in his grasp.


    Nixon let out a dejectedugh. It was uneptable for him alone to fall into Jonathan''s clutches. He desired someone else to share in his downfall, whoever that might be.


    "I found Rose in the mountains behind the orphanage. A group of people was present, and I overheard their conversation. They mentioned a benefactor and Rose..."


    He continued, "They also spoke of taking videos and photos, ruining her reputation..."


    As Nixon spoke, Jonathan''s expression darkened.


    Gabriel''s mind shed back to Kelly standing at the cabin door.


    Kelly had orchestrated the trip to the orphanage. While searching for Rose and Oliver, Kelly''s dubious actions had already sparked suspicion.


    If there truly was a benefactor, it could very well be Kelly.


    Nixon also thought of Kelly. He looked at Jonathan andughed. "Uncle Jonathan, if you want to avenge Rose, don''t forget there''s another person involved."


    Before Jonathan could utter a word, Finley couldn''t restrain himself and asked, "Who?"


    "Her dearest sister, Kelly."


    After the initial fear, a hint of madness crept into Nixon''s voice.


    "Kelly and Rose are worlds apart. I must admit, Uncle Jonathan, you have a good eye, something I can''tpete with. Without Oliver, Rose wouldn''t be easy to handle. Rose even drank water with added substances just to aid Oliver''s escape. She may have weakened, but she still managed to hurt me-a wild stray cat, truly."


    A wild stray cat...


    Nixon''s tone conveyed a sense of awe.


    If time could turn back, he would have truly cherished Rose. Unfortunately, Rose was already dead.


    Upon the mention of the "stray cat," a shadow darkened Jonathan''s eyes.


    But Nixon continued, "I kidnapped Oliver at Kelly''s behest. She wanted Oliver dead and tasked me with staging an ident. I was curious, too. Kelly is Oliver''s granddaughter, so why would she want him dead?


    "This wasn''t the first time she tried to take Oliver''s life. That day at the Young Estate, when Oliver fell from the walkway, I saw it. It was Kelly who pushed him!"


    Jonathan frowned.


    Had Nixon been lurking around Rose since then? Jonathan med himself for failing to notice that earlier.


    Gabriel, too, was shaken. He could understand why someone like Kelly might harm Rose, but he couldn''t fathom the motive behind her trying to kill Oliver.

 Chapter 357 He Wants Kelly

    Amid his thoughts, Gabriel suddenly heard movements behind him.


    He turned around, and shock overcame him upon seeing the person who entered the room. "Sir..."


    It was Oliver.


    Oliver sat in the wheelchair, his face calm and serene-his eyes, as deep as a pool, betrayed no emotions. Despite Gabriel calling out to him, he appeared as though he hadn''t registered the sound.


    But Gabriel was sure that Oliver had heard Nixon''s words just now.


    Oliver was unmoving for a moment, then turned without any change in his expression.


    "Sir..." Gabriel wanted to catch up, but Nixon''s voice continued behind him.


    "Uncle Jonathan, Kelly is a relentless person when ites to achieving her goals. You should seek revenge on her. Her malice toward Rose is much greater than mine. You should send her to where Rose is." Although Nixon made this plea, it didn''t absolve him of being the cause of Rose''s demise in that explosion.


    Jonathan''s gaze was deep. He stared silently at Nixon, and a sense of despair gradually emerged in Nixon''s eyes.


    It seemed his fate was undoubtedly sealed.


    Though unwilling and unprepared to meet his end, Nixon could only hope to have a swift death-at the very least, to have his body intact and not reduced to fish food. "Uncle... Uncle Jonathan..."


    Nixon wished to beg for a more merciful death. But just as he uttered those words, Jonathan finally spoke. "You... don''t need to die."


    Nixon''s body trembled, and his mind went nk for a moment.


    He didn''t need to die?


    Did he hear him wrong?


    He had caused Rose''s death at sea. Yet, Jonathan had spared him?


    Nixon found it hard to believe.


    Jonathan''s voice was calm. "You won''t die, but I need to make use of you."


    Nixon suddenly came to his senses, realizing Jonathan''s intention. He promptly got on his knees and nodded eagerly. "Yes, I will definitely be of use. Uncle Jonathan, I willply with whatever you ask of me."


    A sense of joy enveloped Nixon as he reveled in the opportunity to live. His eyes sparkled with gratitude for the mercy Jonathan had shown him. Then, he heard Jonathan''s voice carried by the sea breeze, "I want Kelly..."


    This time, Nixon was stunned for a moment, as if he didn''t understand what Jonathan wanted.


    He wanted Kelly...


    Was this "want" in the sense of a man desiring a woman? But why would Jonathan be interested in Kelly?


    Nixon looked at Jonathan and inquired, "Uncle Jonathan, do you want Kelly''s... life?"


    "What else would he want?" Finley interjected coldly before Jonathan could respond.


    If he didn''t want her life, was he suggesting that he wanted her body? How cursed!


    Nixon finally understood. Without hesitation, he said, "Uncle Jonathan, rest assured, I will definitely help you kill Kelly."


    Nixon was overjoyed. It seemed that his words had indeed swayed Jonathan. If he could convince Jonathan to spare his life, dealing with Kelly would be a minor challenge.


    As he contemted how to handle Kelly, Jonathan spoke slowly, "Who said I asked you to kill her?" There was a hint of mockery in his tone.


    "Uncle Jonathan, then what do you..." Nixon couldn''t fathom Jonathan''s intentions.


    If It wasn''t Kelly''s life or body he sought, then what was it?


    "I want you to put on an act," Jonathan replied.


    After instructing Nixon, Jonathan had him blindfolded and confined on the deck of the ship. When Jonathan returned to the cabin, he noticed Gabriel.


    Their eyes met, and Gabriel showed respect, albeit tinged with apprehension. As the newly empowered leader of the Finch family, Jonathan''smanding presence could intimidate not only Gabriel but also prominent figures in the business world.


    Jonathan simply nced at Gabriel. He knew him as the son of the adopted daughter from the Young family. He didn''t worry about Gabriel overhearing his instructions to Nixon. Any meddling from Gabriel would be met with Jonathan''s unforgiving measures.


    Gabriel understood this well. Jonathan merely gave him an expressionless nce before turning away, as if Gabriel wasn''t a match for him.


    Yet, upon entering the cabin and seeing Rose, Jonathan softened instantly, shedding all hostility. At that moment, Gabriel dispelled any inappropriate thoughts he might have had about Rose. With Jonathan around, how could he stand a chance?


    It was no wonder Rose had always kept her distance from him, unlike Kelly, who sought to please and gain his favor.


    How could hepare to someone in a whole other league?


    Inside the cabin, Jonathan held Rose''s hand, his gaze fixed on her. The lingering fear in his heart could only be eased by holding Rose''s hand-feeling her warmth and knowing she was alive. After some time, Jonathan called Miles out for a brief discussion.


    Oliver stared at Rose with a photograph in his hand. Although his gaze remained calm, a storm seemed to brew within him.


    ...


    Early the next day, Miles "suddenly" returned to the orphanage. Surprisingly, Kelly had vanished, and only Anastasia sat on the steps, gazing intensely from afar with a dreamy expression.


    Miles paid no attention to Anastasia. Focused on the n discussed with Jonathan, Miles proceeded to implement all the arrangements, even if Kelly wasn''t present.


    When Kelly woke up, she found herself in a dpidated church, surrounded by emptiness.


    Her head throbbed intensely. Not only was her head aching, but her whole body was in pain. She lowered her head and saw bruise marks all over her body. She was rmed.


    "What happened?" She had been resting in her room at the orphanage, so how did she end up here? She was well aware of what could leave such marks on her body, but she couldn''t recall seducing the man so vigorously.


    A headache struck again. Kelly couldn''t remember anything. However, the day had already dawned. Without much concern for the situation, she thought about her n from the previous night, eager to inspect the results.


    What was the situation now? Had Miles and Gabriel found Oliver''s body? And Rose...


    Kelly chuckled coldly. She straightened her clothes and hastily walked out of the abandoned church. Just as she reached the foot of the mountain, she saw many people by the seaside in the distance.


    Kelly rushed over as quickly as possible. When she could hear the voices and vague sobbing, she went closer. As she got closer, she heard someone cry out, "Sir," in between sobs.


    It was the butler!


    "Sir... How could this happen? It''s all my fault. I slept too soundlyst night... Sir..."


    The butler sobbed breathlessly. After crying out "Sir" a few more times, he was unable to bear the emotional blow and passed out.


    Upon Kelly''s arrival, two servants attended to the unconscious butler while a circle of onlookers had gathered.


    She tucked herself between the crowd and saw a white cloth covering something.


    Was it Oliver?


    She was thrilled. At that moment, she even forgot to conceal the excitement on her face.

 Chapter 358 Ill Play Along

    At this moment, as everyone''s attention was focused on the white cloth, Kelly knew that no one had noticed her. She quickly wiped the joy off her face. As Oliver''s granddaughter, Kelly naturally had to act devastated.


    "What... What happened?" Kelly asked in a trembling voice. She looked uneasy.


    Everyone turned around upon hearing her voice. Kelly stared straight ahead and pretended to be in shock. Her steps were unsteady as she walked over, threatening to fall at any moment.


    She really was an actress. While Miles couldn''t conceal the glint in his eyes, Gabriel, who was not in the crowd, simply sneered. He saw through Kelly''s act from the start. He even noticed the change in her expression.


    Even though Gabriel had seen many sinister things, he was still shocked by Kelly''s sorrowful act. He wanted to see what Kelly would do next. Kelly had no idea that the y she was putting on had turned into such a spectacle.


    The crowd instinctively parted when they saw her. As they did so, Kelly saw the person lying on the ground covered by the white cloth. Although the cloth concealed his body, his hand was exposed. The watch on the hand was the one Oliver often wore. It was Oliver!


    "Is it... Grandpa?" Kelly seemed to be in disbelief. She stumbled forward but stopped a few steps away from Oliver''s body. Although she was aware of how Oliver died, she had to keep up the act. As if unable to bear the sight, Kelly trembled and copsed onto the ground. She cried out in sorrow, "Grandpa! How could this happen?"


    She repeated the question over and over as if prompting a response from the audience. In a panic, Kelly looked around and searched for Gabriel. She saw him standing some distance away from the crowd. "Gabriel! What happened? Didn''t you go looking for himst night? How did this happen?" She started sobbing as she continued, "It was all my fault. I shouldn''t have been afraid because of that one person..." Kelly''s cries sounded like she genuinely med herself. If he didn''t know the truth, even Gabriel might have believed her performance. But unfortunately, he did.


    Gabriel hesitated for a moment before approaching her. He said, "We searched for a long time. It wasn''t until dawn that we found Grandpa''s body floating over there." Gabriel pointed to a huge rocky cliff on the mountain''s face not far away.


    Following the direction of his finger, Kelly realized something. It seemed like the man had brought Oliver there and tossed him into the sea. There were many protruding rocks under the cliff. It would certainly be unpleasant for someone to fall like that.


    "Kelly, I know this is hard for you to ept, but you''re his granddaughter. You should see him onest time..."


    As Gabriel spoke, he began walking toward the "corpse" and reached out to lift the cloth covering it. He wanted to let Kelly see Oliver onest time to soothe her grieving heart.


    But as soon as he touched the white cloth, Kelly hurriedly interrupted him. "No!"


    Gabriel''s hand froze and he looked at Kelly. Even though he already knew the answer, he asked, "You... don''t want to see your grandfather?"


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to see him. She was afraid to see him. Oliver must''ve looked miserable, and Kelly was afraid she would have nightmares if she saw his body. Her mind refused, and her body followed suit.


    However, she also realized that if she didn''t look, the sorrow and sadness she disyed just moments ago would lose its impact. Her "no" earlier had already raised suspicion. How was she going to cover that?


    Suddenly, Kelly thought of the butler. She silently sat on the ground, looking limp. She made it seem like she wanted to get up and get closer to Oliver.


    However, despite trying her best, her attempts weren''t sessful. She could not stand. Miles signaled to a nearby servant.


    The servant immediately approached Kelly to support her. With their support, Kelly had no choice but to stand. Supported by the servant, Kelly slowly walked toward the "corpse."


    Gabriel grabbed ahold of the white cloth, attempting to lift it. But Kelly had made up her mind not to look.


    As Gabriel''s hand started to lift the cloth, Kelly''s body went stiff. This time, she closed her eyes and fainted. All of this had been expected by Miles and Gabriel.


    Gabriel sneered. He hadn''t intended to uncover the white cloth. And Kelly, as expected, did not disappoint with her acting.


    Gabriel lowered the cloth and "caringly" instructed the servant, "Take good care of Kelly. She''s Grandpa''s only remaining rtive. There must be no mistakes."


    The "unconscious" Kelly was quite satisfied with this statement. That''s right. Now that she was Oliver''s sole heir, it was only natural that everything in the Young family would belong to her. Although Kelly didn''t control the Young family''s business yet, she wasn''t afraid. As long as Oliver''s will was intact, no one could take it away from her. But Kelly still needed an ally.


    As Kelly was carried away by the servant, she began to n everything. Because of Gabriel''s helpful words, she decided to choose Gabriel as her ally.


    After she took control of the Young family, she would finally be a match for Jonathan. And by then... Kelly was overjoyed at the thought. At this moment, she no longer considered Rose a threat. Kelly noticed earlier that there was only one body. They probably hadn''t found Rose yet. Or perhaps, after being vited by so many men, Rose was too ashamed to appear.


    But even if Rose was hiding, Kelly wouldn''t let her go that easily. The most important thing now for Kelly was to contact Maya.


    Kelly was ced in the car. She continued to feign unconsciousness but listened closely to her surroundings. Oliver''s body was lifted into the car. It seemed like they were in a hurry to return to Aquastead. Something clicked in Kelly''s mind. That''s right. Oliver''s death was big news. There would be a lot of matters to attend to afterward. It was understandable that they were eager to return.


    Kelly also wanted to return to Aquastead soon. Oliver''s will was still in his room. Kelly needed to figure out a way to expose the will as soon as possible and not give anyone a chance to tamper with it. With that thought, Kelly became even more eager to return. A group of people brought Oliver''s "corpse" into the car.


    But after driving for only a short period, the car suddenly stopped.


    "There''s some construction ahead. We must cross by boat."


    Kelly vaguely heard Miles say something in response, and the people got out of the car and onto a boat. At this moment, Kelly took the opportunity to "wake up."


    It seemed like everyone''s attention was focused on Oliver''s "corpse," and they didn''t notice her. Even so, Kelly continued to y the role of a "heartbroken" and "grief-stricken" granddaughter.

 Chapter 359 He Remembers

    Kelly saw that the road ahead seemed to have been blown up. A strange feeling gripped her heart, but she didn''t think much about it. The group soon arrived at Aquastead and at the Young Estate. When Kelly returned, she continued to pretend that she was overwhelmed by her sadness. It was only while everyone in the mansion was busy that Kelly snuck away and shut herself in her room. Within the privacy of the four walls, she dropped her act. With no one else present, Kelly finally had an opportunity. She quickly took out her phone and called Maya.


    When the call came through Maya had been in a noisy location outside. While she went to a slightly quieter spot to answer, the surrounding noise was still audible to Kelly. Kelly was irritated by the noiseing from the phone, so she frowned and asked in a displeased tone, "How is it?"


    There was no need for rification. Maya knew what she was talking about instantly. Thinking about the item she obtained two hours ago, she replied, "Don''t worry, Kelly. I got the stuff. How do you n to use it?"


    Although Maya hadn''t seen the contents of it, she could picture how sensational it would be. And as for Rose... Maya''s eyes flickered with malice. She believed that Kelly would make good use of the video she had in hand.


    "How should I use it..." Kelly muttered to herself. How should she use it?


    "I have to think about it carefully," Kelly was excited.


    "Take your time to think about it, Kelly."


    Both of them were working together to ruin Rose''s reputation. But Maya also had another matter to discuss with her.


    "Kelly, what about the money..." Maya spoke softly, fearing that she would cause a misunderstanding. She quickly exined, "I already paid for the people we hired. After this, I won''t have much money left.


    "You know, I''m not like you, Kelly. You are the Young family''s heiress. You''re unparalleled in this world. The Young family''s assets will belong to you in the future, so can you..." Maya didn''t finish her question, but it was obvious that Maya wanted what had been promised to her.


    Upon hearing Maya''s words, Kelly''s expression soured slightly. She was unhappy. However, hearing Maya say "The Young family''s assets will belong to you in the future" pleased her. "Okay, I''ll transfer it to you now."


    "Really? Oh, Kelly, you''re so kind, beautiful, kind-hearted. Rose could neverpare to you," Maya praised, inting Kelly''s ego further.


    However, she still had to make things clear to Maya. "Take good care of that item. Don''t lose it. Otherwise..."


    "I know, I know. No matter what happens, I won''t lose it. I''ll find a safe ce to keep it. When you need it, I''ll get it to you."


    After ending the call, Kelly transferred a sum of money to Maya.


    While Kelly was "grieving" downstairs, everyone else was busy with funeral arrangements upstairs. "Oliver''s" corpse was ced in a hastily set up memorial hall.


    The housekeeper and Gabriel managed everything in the house. Miles, however, was nowhere to be seen.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in another vi in Aquastead, the real Oliver sat on the sofa while gripping his cane. He listened solemnly as Miles reported everything to him, including Kelly''s acting and n.


    As Miles spoke, Oliver''s expression remained unchanged. Eventually, Miles stopped, and Oliver continued to be glued to his seat.


    Miles couldn''t help but worry. He carefully said, "Grandpa, Kelly..." Miles hesitated, unsure of how to defend her.


    While he thought Oliver was lost in his emotions, Oliver unexpectedly raised his eyes and asked, "Where is Rose?"


    Miles was briefly stunned. Before he could process Oliver''s question, Oliver, supporting himself with the cane, attempted to get up. Miles noticed this and immediately rushed forward to assist him. As he stood, Oliver said, "I''m going to see Rose."


    This time, Miles realized that Olver called her "Rose" and not "Rietta." Did he regain his memory of Rose? Or could it be that he now remembered everything?


    Miles thought of something, and a wave of excitement surged within him. But he feared that it would startle Oliver, so he suppressed it and helped him to find Rose.


    This vi was under Zac''s name. To prevent leaking any information about Rose or Oliver, they deliberately avoided vis owned by the Finch or Young family.


    Before the group arrived, Zac had prepared for their arrival. He specifically sent his most trusted private doctor to the vi to take care of Rose.


    Zac was in the room as well, consumed by guilt. In his view, if he hadn''t gotten drunk with Jonathan that day, Jonathan wouldn''t have given someone a chance to harm Rose this way.


    After learning what had happened, Zac trembled in fear. If Rose had truly died in the explosion on the ship, he wouldn''t know how to face Jonathan.


    Zac suggested, "Jonathan, sit down. We have a doctor to take care of her."


    Rose had not woken up since they returned. Jonathan had been by her side the entire time, refusing to eat or drink.


    Jonathan seemed to ignore Zac''s words. He knew that Jonathan wouldn''t leave until Rose woke up. He could only remain silent and continue to wait with Jonathan. When Oliver entered, he stared at Rose for a long time, as if he was lost in thought. After a while, he seemed to remember something and quietly left the room.


    Outside, Oliver instructed Miles, "I want to meet the person who was rescued with me."


    Miles was suspicious. The old woman? Why did Grandpa want to see her?


    They had brought the old woman back with them and settled her in the vi. As Oliver naturally had his reasons for wanting to see her, Miles didn''t press further and went to fetch her.


    Ten minutester, Miles brought the old woman into the study and disappeared, leaving only the pair in the room. The old woman looked at Oliver nkly until Oliver produced a photograph. It was the picture Rose had dropped on the ship.


    The old woman recognized it at a nce. "Hey, why is that with you? That belongs to Rietta. Did you steal it? Tell me!"


    The old woman looked fierce, but she was not intimidating in the slightest. Oliver was focused on the fact that the old woman had mentioned "Rietta".


    "Who is Rietta?" Oliver asked.


    The old woman approached and pointed to one of the women in the photo. "This woman. She is Rietta. Don''t you recognize her? Give me the photo. I want to give it to Rietta."


    The old woman tried to grab the photo, but Oliver moved it out of her reach. He then took out another photo and asked, "Is this the Rietta you mentioned?"


    In the photo was unmistakably Rose. However, the old woman nodded without hesitation, "Yes, that''s her! She''s Rietta!"


    They were two different people. But in her eyes, they were the same person.

 Chapter 360 They Are the Same Person

    "Is she Rietta?" Oliver stared at the photo in confusion. Holding up the photos forparison, he said, "They''re two different people..."


    The old woman didn''t try to snatch the photos from him this time. Instead, she simply looked at them. She looked content as if she was looking at a beloved child. "Why would they be different people? It''s the same person. Look at these eyes... it''s the same person. They''re both Rietta. Rietta hasn''t changed at all."


    Oliver was stunned and suddenly understood something. After a moment of silence, he thanked the old woman and left.


    Oliver called Miles over to hand him an envelope and gave him some instructions. Miles, taken aback, didn''t fully grasp what was happening until Oliver left.


    Aftering to his senses, Miles stared at the envelope in his hand. He reyed Oliver''s instructions in his mind and started to ponder.


    ...


    News of Oliver''s death soon became public. Not long after news of it had broken, a crowd swarmed the estate to offer their condolences. But the estate remained closed to visitors.


    An announcement was made denying Oliver''s death. However, the colorless decor within indicated that there was a funeral.


    The news spread like wildfire online, and the consensus was that Oliver had indeed passed away. However, for a big family like the Youngs, Oliver''s death was overshadowed by the question of inheritance. As there had been noment about it, it was likely that the potential heirs were involved in a power struggle.


    Gabriel received a call from Chloe, who had already boarded a private ne bound for Aquastead. "Gabriel, why didn''t you immediately inform me of such a major event?"


    Chloe''s tone was filled with reproach. She had found out about Oliver''s death from the inte.


    With Oliver in Aquastead, she, as his adopted daughter, naturally wanted to be there to help manage the situation. This would put her in the good books of the Young family. "Gabriel, don''t do anything. I''ll be there immediately!"


    She had to get there as soon as possible. Despite the mad rush, Chloe somehow remembered to bring her most trustedwyer.


    Gabriel''s expression turned uneasy. "Mom, it''s better if you don''t."


    Chloe seemed to find this absurd. "Gabriel, are you alright? I usually don''t mind if you don''t take things seriously, but how could you not be serious in a situation like this?"


    Gabriel didn''t know how to reply. It wasn''t that he wasn''t serious. It was just that Oliver hadn''t died! What was the point of hering over?


    Jonathan''s icy expression came to mind, and Gabriel didn''t dare to tell her anything else. "Do as you wish. But if youe over, don''t cause any trouble." Gabriel hung up the phone after warning her.


    Chloe, however, remained undeterred. What did he mean by causing trouble? She was going to seize this chance to take charge of the family fortune!


    ...


    At the Young Estate, Kelly realized that she couldn''t keep avoiding the situation by pretending to be unconscious. But fortunately, Oliver''s "corpse" was already in the coffin, and Gabriel had stopped insisting on her seeing him.


    In the memorial hall, Kelly knelt in front of the memorial tablet with her head down. It seemed as if she had not stopped crying since she found out about Oliver''s death. Onlookers praised her for caring so deeply about her grandfather, unlike Rose...


    "I wonder why Mr. Oliver loves Ms. Rose that much. He even treated her as Ms. ''Rietta."


    "But look, even though Mr. Oliver has passed away, Ms. Rose hasn''t bothered to show up. Ms. Kelly is much better. It''s true you know, blood is thicker than water."


    Although Kelly only heard snippets of these conversations, she felt ecstatic. Rose was nowhere to be seen.


    Kelly became more convinced that Rose was hiding. But she couldn''t hide forever. She still had a gift waiting for her.


    As she was deep in thought, Kelly heard amotion from outside. She stood up and walked over, spotting an elegant middle-aged woman leading a group of people into the mansion.


    Gabriel was the first to greet her, and had called her "Mom". Kelly immediately realized the woman''s identity-she was Oliver''s adopted daughter!


    When Chloe arrived at the mansion, instead of going to see Oliver she began delegating the funeral arrangements to the people she brought along.


    Miles, however, was not about to let her get involved. After arguing with her for a while, Miles decided to put his foot down. "Aunty Chloe, if you insist on causing trouble, I won''t hold back! Grandpa''s affairs don''t require your intervention!"


    Chloe was not pleased to hear this. Neither of them was rted to the Young family by blood, but both of them had been adopted by Oliver. However, over the years, Oliver favored Miles, who had a deeper connection with the Young family.


    Chloe suppressed her displeasure and softened her tone. "I''m his daughter, even if I''m not blood. It''s not too much to want to stay by Oliver''s side during his funeral, right?"


    She did have a point. Indeed, there was no reason for Miles to make her leave. Miles looked in the direction of the memorial hall before shifting his gaze back to Chloe. His tone carried a sense of warning. "Once you settle in, behave yourself."


    Behave herself? Chloe clenched her fists but bit her tongue. They parted ways unhappily. Chloe went to the memorial hall to pay her respects before finding a room to settle in. When she stepped out again, she encountered Kelly.


    Kelly, who was dressed in white, caught Chloe off guard. Upon seeing her unfamiliar face, Chloe instinctively thought she was Rose. She hadn''t met Rose before. Oliver had confused her with Celeste, and Chloe assumed there would be some resemnce.


    However, the woman in front of her looked nothing like Celeste.


    "Hello, Aunt Chloe," Kelly greeted Chloe after a minute.


    Although Kelly looked down on her, being an adoptee, her intuition told her that this "aunt" might be hostile to Miles. In the Young family, Miles was her biggest threat.


    An enemy of one''s enemy was a friend. So, she decided to be friendly to Chloe. Perhaps it would be advantageous for her, especially considering Chloe was Gabriel''s mother. She had to get closer to them. However, Chloe was indifferent to Kelly. She disliked anything rted to Celeste. Chloe scrutinized the woman in front of her for a while and couldn''t help butment, "You must be Rose. You seem... averagepared to what they say. It seems like you have some tricks up your sleeve."


    Rose... Kelly''s smile faded instantly. Chloe thought she was Rose? The disdain in her eyes was directed at what she perceived in Kelly.


    Kelly''s heart sank at thement, but she tried to control her displeasure. She spoke in a soft, sweet voice. "Aunt Chloe, I''m not Rose. I''m Kelly Shaffer."


    As she spoke, she realized she had made a mistake and immediately corrected herself. "I mean, I''m Kelly Young."


    Kelly... Kelly Young... Chloe was momentarily stunned. She finally understood who this person was. This was the true heiress of the Young family. She was Celeste''s daughter.


    Chloe looked at Kelly again, but this time her gaze was different. She was scanning every inch of Kelly as if searching for remnants of Celeste in her.

 Chapter 361 Reel Her In

    After staring at Kelly for a long time, Chloe gave up. She could not see even the slightest trace of Celeste in her. Chloe''s eyes were filled with suspicion. "Are you sure you are her daughter?" Kelly''s face stiffened. She knew that the woman Chloe was referring to was Celeste. But she had not expected Chloe to be so direct. Kelly didn''t look like Celeste because she wasn''t her daughter. However, Kelly quickly suppressed her sudden guilt and replied, "I have never seen my mother, but my grandfather did a paternity test. I was equally surprised by the result."


    This implied that she had the Young family''s blood in her and was therefore the true heiress to the family''s fortune.


    Not wanting Chloe to be suspicious, Kelly quickly changed the subject. "If you recognize my mother, you have a good guess of what Rose looks like. Everybody says that Rose has eyes like my mother''s." Kelly was not afraid to mention this.


    Were there any of Oliver''s adopted granddaughters who didn''t have eyes that resembled Celeste''s? Chloe frowned and thought deeply. Was it because of those eyes that Oliver mistook Rose for Celeste? Chloe suddenly felt irritable. She had asked Gabriel toe to Aquastead to meet Rose. But after he arrived, not only had he not heeded her words, but he had also failed to do the things she had asked him to. It seemed that she had to do everything by herself.


    "Where''s Rose?" Chloe recalled that the only person she had seen aftering to the vi today was Kelly.


    "Rose... " Kelly''s face changed, and her face started to sour. "I haven''t seen Rose since Grandpa passed away. Grandpa loved her so much. Even if she was busy with something important, she should at least make time to see Grandpa. But s, she¡ª"


    Kelly was about tobel Rose an ungrateful person in front of Chloe when a voice rang out, interrupting her.


    "Mom." Gabriel suddenly appeared.


    Kelly looked over. When she saw Gabriel, her expression immediately changed. This did not go unnoticed by Chloe. Chloe nced at the two of them thoughtfully.


    Gabriel neither intended to say much nor did he have the time to care about how Kelly reacted to his sudden arrival. His alienation would not arouse suspicion under the pretext of Oliver''s "death". He also just could not be bothered to deal with Kelly.


    Gabriel was exhausted. Just as he was about to go back to his room, he was stopped by Chloe.


    "Gabriel,e with me," Chloe said sharply and turned back to her room.


    Gabriel was reluctant, but he did not dare to disobey her. When they entered the room, there was a moment of silence as they stood in front of each other.


    Just as Gabriel began to grow impatient, Chloe finally spoke. "I approve of whatever that is going on between you and Kelly."


    Gabriel was stunned. What did she mean? Gabriel was puzzled. "Mom, what exactly are you allowing?"


    "Of course, I am allowing you to be together. You are not rted by blood. It is good for both of you to be together." A trace of excitement flickered in Chloe''s eyes as she spoke.


    "I figured it out. I hate Celeste. If Celeste hadn''te back then, I would have been the onlydy of the Young family. She ruined everything. However...


    "I would rather use her than hate her. If her daughter marries you, I will have a way to defeat Miles. Then, we can drive that adopted child out of the Young family!"


    Although the Young family was practically untouchable, its strength would be greatly reduced if there was an internal rift. Celeste wantedplete control over the Young family.


    After grasping Chloe''s intentions, Gabriel''s face turned sour. He warned again, "I said you coulde to Aquastead, but I also told you not to do anything. Otherwise..." "Gabriel, what are you talking about?" Chloe felt that Gabriel had changed a lot aftering to Aquastead. He had changed so much that even she, his mother, did not recognize him. "Anyway the matter between you and Kelly is settled. You must win her over for me." Chloe ordered.


    Gabriel had too many secrets that he could not tell Chloe. So, he could only agree. Chloe was satisfied with this and he left the room.


    In the memorial hall, Miles and the butler were Oliver''s funeral arrangements. Gabriel caught only a snippet of the conversation.


    "We''ll have it tomorrow."


    However, Kelly, who had been


    eavesdropping from the shadows, caught wind of more. They had already finalized the ns for tomorrow''s cremation. As Kelly listened, her heart couldn''t help but


    race. She pondered when she


    should bring up Oliver''s will.


    After much thought, she felt that if it was someone else who mentioned the will, it would be more advantageous for her when it eventually became public.


    But the question was, who would do it? Who should bring it up? After a brief moment of thought, Kelly settled on someone.


    That night, Kelly knocked on Gabriel''s door. Upon seeing Kelly, Gabriel had an instinctive urge to push her away. Yet, he was also curious about the schemes brewing in her mind.


    As soon as Kelly stepped in, she threw herself into Gabriel''s arms. Her motive was evident, and Gabriel couldn''t help but feel a sense of repulsion.


    Oliver had just passed away, and yet here she was, thinking about such things even though she was his granddaughter. Gabriel wanted to shove her aside.


    But for the greater good, he held back and soothingly asked her, "Kelly, what brings you to me? Rest assured, since you''re Grandpa''s only blood rtive, I''ll assist you with whatever you need." She hadn''t even begun her seductive tactics, and he was already yielding.


    Kelly fully trusted him. She assumed it was either her charm or the fact that Gabriel was aware of who held the upper hand in this situation.


    Cutting to the chase, Kelly said,


    "Grandpa has passed away. I''m devastated and helpless. I''m not even sure if there''s a ce for me in the Young family''s future." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, but Gabriel remained silent.


    Kelly continued, "Grandpa acknowledged me and helped me find my true family. I''ve always been grateful and never desired anything from the Young family.


    "But I''m not oblivious to the Young family''s woes, even if I''m not the brightest. After Grandpa''s death, there''ll be a fight for his inheritance. I just hope there will be a positive oue-one that aligns with his wishes.


    "But these things are beyond my control," Kelly added, her eyes filled with sorrow.


    Gabriel vaguely understood her implication. Kelly was thinking about the Young family''s estate. That wasn''t surprising at all. But she had brought up Oliver''s wishes...


    "Don''t worry, Grandpa prepared a will long ago. Everything is in the hands of thewyer," Gabriel reassured her.


    "A will?" Kelly suddenly looked surprised.


    Gabriel observed her with amusement. Wasn''t that what she wanted to discuss? Why was she pretending to be surprised?


    "Yes, a will." Gabriel nodded. "You''re right to be concerned. After Grandpa''s passing, big brother, Chloe, my mom, and even Rose..." He paused briefly at the mention of Rose.


    It was just a momentary pause, and


    any peculiarity was quickly concealed. They are all eyeing on the family''s inheritance. I don''t want to see chaos ensuing. But we can call thewyer. He''s in the capital, and I can have him rush over tonight."


    "Really?" Kelly couldn''t hide her delight. Having thewyer present would make everything even better.

 Chapter 362 Announce His Will

    "Of course." Gabriel stared at Kelly.


    He failed to tell her that thewyer was already at Aquastead. As soon as Oliver returned to Aquastead, thewyer hurriedly came over in secret. Judging by Kelly''s actions tonight, it seemed that Oliver was well aware of everything.


    Hearing Gabriel''s affirmative answer, Kelly became even happier. She dared not be too obvious and sighed to look assured. "Following Grandpa''s wishes is the only thing I can do for him." Kelly lowered her gaze, appearing truly indifferent. But Gabriel knew this woman''s true nature. Unable to suppress his disgust, he made an excuse of being tired and asked Kelly to leave. Back in her room, Kelly eagerly started nning for everything that would follow.


    The next morning, the entire estate came alive with activity. The cremation, set for today, was preceded by paying respects to Oliver''s remains.


    The old many perfectly still inside the crystal coffin. Since Oliver''s death, this was Kelly''s first time seeing him. Seeing him now in the coffin, it looked as if Oliver had merely fallen asleep. Kelly was momentarily stunned.


    "Ms. Kelly, what''s wrong?" A voice sounded from behind her. Fortunately, she was able to quickly wipe away her tears and pretend to be grieving.


    "I... I miss Grandpa."


    Amid the sorrowful atmosphere, her words made everyone''s heart sink. The butler wiped his eyes, unable to hold back his tears. Kelly pretended to cry and stole another nce at Oliver in the crystal coffin.


    It was supposed to be a gruesome sight, yet he seemed at peace. She immediately recalled how Oliver''s corpse underwent a restoration process. It had been wless.


    "Dad!" Suddenly, a heart-wrenching cry echoed through the entire memorial hall. Everyone turned toward the source of the sound.


    Chloe was kneeling in front of the crystal coffin. Gabriel''s heart skipped a beat. He was afraid that she might cause trouble. He hurriedly approached, intending to take her away.


    But before Gabriel could reach her, Chloe spoke abruptly. "Dad, before you are cremated, we should divide the Young family''s assets." She had gotten straight to the point. After a moment of surprise, everyone''s expressions changed.


    "Mom, what are you doing?" Gabriel shouted. He didn''t expect her to be so impulsive. This was something to think about privately, not to be brought up in public. Besides, Grandpa didn''t... Someone was bound to bring up this matter in this situation.


    "What do you mean?" Gabriel was furious. He pulled Chloe up, wanting to take her away to prevent her from doing anything more outrageous.


    Chloe felt as sure as ever that her son had be even more disobedient aftering to Aquastead. However, she couldn''t shake off Gabriel''s strength.


    Gabriel''s agitation raised a slight suspicion in Kelly''s heart. He had promised herst night and even used his connections to bring thewyer to Aquastead. She had even seen thewyer outside just now. Why was Gabriel opposing it now that Chloe brought it up?


    But before Kelly could react, Miles'' voice rang out. "Aunty Chloe is right. There should be a resolution of the Young family''s assets." Miles spoke as if he was the one making the final decision.


    "See? Miles agrees with me too. So why are you not letting go?" Chloe red fiercely at Gabriel. She had a look in her eyes that warned him to settle the matter today.


    However, Gabriel''s brows remained furrowed. He looked at Miles, whose expression had turned serious. At that moment, Chloe couldn''t wait to divide the Young family''s assets.


    "Miles, you''re the sensible one. Miles has agreed to split the family''s assets, what about the rest of you?" Chloe nced at Anastasia and Kelly as she spoke.


    Anastasia responded casually. "I''ll go along with everyone''s decision."


    Kelly frowned, looking as if she was troubled. She couldn''t help but sneer silently.


    Split the family assets? Everything in the Young family belonged to her. How could she let them have a share?


    However, she wasn''t in a hurry. It would be more meaningful to have them indulge in their fantasies for a while before shattering them.


    Chloe added, "I''ve brought thewyer from Young Group and the financial team.


    "After arranging the assets of the Young family including the jewelry, calligraphy, paintings collected by Oliver, as well as the real estate properties, I''ll take half of them as his daughter. The other half will be divided among you grandchildren." Chloe appeared magnanimous as if allowing them to split the other half was a generous offer.


    "Mom!" Gabriel''s face turned red in anger, but he was met with a fierce re from Chloe. Gabriel paid attention to the reactions of those present.


    Miles'' eyes showed a hint of suppressed anger. But it wasn''t because of the decision to split half of the assets. It was Chloe''s intentions that angered him.


    Over the years, Grandpa''s health had grown weaker and weaker. While he had never hoped for the day toe, he knew that certain things were inevitable and had to be faced. Yet, when that moment truly arrived, Miles felt heartache and irony.


    Miles nced at the crystal coffin in pain. However, to others, he looked to be consumed by grief over Oliver''s death. The atmosphere in the memorial hall turned eerie.


    Seeing that Miles remained silent, Chloe continued speaking. "Since none of you object, let''s settle it this way. Mr. Tank..."


    Mr. Tank was thewyer Chloe brought along. After being summoned, Mr. Tank immediately stepped forward. He had an authoritative demeanor. But before he could speak, a voice suddenly rang out. "Oliver signed a will."


    Everyone turned to face it. A middle-aged man stood outside the memorial hall. Everyone recognized him as none other than Oliver''s trustedwyer.


    Kelly''s eyes lit up at the sight of him. That day in Oliver''s room, he was the one who witnessed Oliver drafting the will. Kelly''s excitement surged in her veins.


    However, Chloe''s face soured. "What will? Oliver made it clear that he didn''t write a will. As per tradition, the Young family''s assets will be divided based on individual abilities."


    Although she said so, Chloe was already feeling uneasy. Thewyer was the son of Oliver''s longtime friend. If he really took out Oliver''s will... No. Chloe couldn''t let that happen.


    She red at thewyer with


    displeasure Mr. Kane, just because


    our families. are old friends, you can''te and join in the fun by ying tricks at a time like this. My father is sat right here. If Mr. Kane has nothing important to add, you should leave after bidding farewell to my father."


    Chloe immediately tried to get rid of him. However, Mr. Kane just gave her a faint nce and walked into the memorial hall. He didn''t bid


    farewell to Oliver as Chloe het


    hoped, but instead stood in front of the crystal coffin, taking out a sealed document bag from his briefcase.


    "Mr. Young Senior watched me grow up. My professional integrity doesn''t allow me to y tricks. This will was personally drafted by Oliver not long ago and has been notarized. Mr. Miles, would you like me to read it out?" Mr. Kane asked as he looked at Miles.

 Chapter 363 Hes Here Too

    Among the people present, apart from Oliver, it seemed that only Miles could make a decision.


    Kelly was not happy about that. After all, she was the rightful heir of the Young family. Mr. Kane had also witnessed Oliver''s will, so he should''ve known who the benefactor was.


    Mr. Kane should''ve turned to her for everything. She should''ve been the one calling the shots. However, he chose to let Miles take charge instead.


    But it didn''t bother Kelly for long. Mr. Kane was just ignorant. Once the will was announced and she inherited the family business, she would make sure they learned their lesson. "You may start dering the will, Mr. Kane," Miles said gracefully.


    Mr. Kane opened the sealed envelope and began to read the will out loud under everyone''s gaze. "I, Oliver Young, hereby give bequeath and devise all my interest and rights in my property to..."


    As Mr. Kane began to read the contents of the will, everyone in the hall held their breath. At that point, everyone was tense. He left all his assets to... one person?


    Chloe started feeling uneasy. If Oliver''s assets were divided amongst his rtives, she would be able to get a share. But if he were to give it all to one person, Chloe didn''t believe that she would be the one he''d give it to.


    "Wait!" Chloe interrupted without thinking.


    Mr. Kane paused, and everyone turned to look at Chloe. It seemed as if they were waiting for her to justify her interruption.


    In her haste, Chloe came up with a reason. "Grandpa told me that the Young family''s assets are meant for every descendant of the Young family."


    "Ha!" As soon as she finished speaking, a scornfulugh was heard.


    Everyone turned to Miles, who looked disdainful. He said coldly, "Where''s your proof?" Chloe already mentioned that he only said it to her. What proof could there be? Even if she were to make up evidence, nobody would''ve let her get away with it.


    For a moment, Chloe looked extremely displeased. On the other hand, Kelly was getting impatient. She was already making an effort to remain patient, but the anticipation of hearing her name, coupled with the immense wealth at stake, proved too much for her to bear.


    "Can you stop it!" Kelly said as she bit her lip. At that moment, even her voice started to waver.


    When Kelly''s gaze fell onto Oliver, her eyes were filled with deep sorrow. Her face even turned pale, as if she were about to faint from the sadness. The people watching thought that she cared for Oliver deeply. "Grandpa is already dead. Don''t you feel bad for disturbing his peace with these matters?" Kelly rebuked as a few tears fell from her cheek.


    Those present were moved as they didn''t know about her ulterior intent. However, the person in the crystal coffin suddenly moved his fingers. The movement was subtle and went unnoticed.


    Miles gazed deeply at Kelly. Unexpectedly, he walked to Kelly''s side and held her shoulders.


    Kelly was slightly surprised. She raised her head to look at Mile''s handsome face. She hadn''t expected to seepassion from him. Kelly felt extremely pleased.


    What Miles cared most about was Oliver. Kelly''s genuine concern for Oliver naturally moved him.


    At this moment, a thought crossed Kelly''s mind. If Miles was willing to stand by her side, she wouldn''t mind having his support once she gained full control of the entire Young family. In her view, Miles was far more important than Gabriel.


    While Kelly was basking in her glory, feeling as if she had already obtained everything from the Young family and nning for the future, Miles'' deep and powerful voice echoed beside her. "If there''s anyone who doesn''t wish to stay here, they


    may leave immediately."


    As he spoke, a group of men in colorful suits entered the room. Their domineering presence indicated that anyone causing trouble would be thrown out.


    Chloe''s confidence instantly plummeted. She suddenly felt that today''s atmosphere was somewhat unusual.


    After a nce at the neers, Chloe was startled. The insignia on their bodies made her heart skip a beat. It was the Azure n of the Finches! Why were members of the Finch family here?


    It wasn''t just her. Anastasia also recognized them. After a brief moment of astonishment, Anastasia suddenly realized that everything today seemed unusually peculiar, especially after Mr. Kane''s arrival. Anastasia sat deep in thought for a while. She discreetly nced at Miles and then shifted her gaze to the crystal coffin. She focused on Oliver''s remains. From her memory, she hadn''t seen Oliver''s body. It had continuously been covered. Today was the only exception where Oliver''s face was revealed. Several days had passed since Oliver''s incident. Yet his face still looked vivid, as if he were peacefully asleep, except for his paleplexion. Asleep...


    As Anastasia was lost in thought, a sudden thought popped into her mind, leaving her shocked. She even identally knocked over a flowerpot behind her, causing a loud bang that caught everyone''s attention.


    "I..." Even someone as experienced


    as Anastasia couldn''t help but be frightened by this conjecture. Her eyes kept blinking, and her mind raced She was quick to hold her forehead, making it seem like she was dizzy from the grief.


    "If you''re not feeling well, then leave. Who are you trying to fool?" Chloe spoke with displeasure, venting her frustration on Anastasia. She had already been irritated by Kelly''s tearful performance earlier. Oliver had passed away, but everyone was plotting something. Was there anyone who truly cared? Kelly was Oliver''s biological granddaughter, which made it difficult to criticize her.


    However, Anastasia was an adopted granddaughter and was already married. Chloe would''ve normally shown her some respect, but today she did not consider her important.


    Chloe''s hostility made Anastasia frown. At this moment, her mind was still focused on her guess from earlier. She was now even more convinced.


    When she came back to her senses, she immediately replied to Chloe in a seemingly apologetic tone, "I''m sorry..."


    Perhaps because the discovery was too shocking, but Anastasia''s face suddenly turned slightly pale. To the onlookers, she seemed as if she could copse at any moment. Before anyone could do anything, she copsed.


    "Oh my..." The funeral hall was instantly filled withmotion.


    Chloe, Gabriel, and Kelly looked indifferent, while Miles furrowed his brows slightly. Only the butler eximed in surprise, immediately instructing the servants to carry Anastasia out of the funeral hall and back to her room.


    It wasn''t until she was out of everyone''s sight that Anastasia opened her eyes. She quickly got up and walked to the window.


    Through the curtain''s gap, she saw a car outside the mansion. Even though the vehicle was discreetly parked, Anastasia recognized it immediately, even from a distance.


    It was Jonathan''s car! Could it be that he was here too?

 Chapter 364 Inherit All of Young Familys Assets

    "What are they doing?"


    Anastasia racked her brains but still couldn''t understand the situation. However, she understood one thing. If Mr. Young Senior was not dead, everything today would be a trap. And who was this trap for? Chloe? Herself? Or... Kelly?


    Anastasia felt fortunate that she discovered it early on. Now she wouldn''t fall for the trap. As for Kelly... Resentment filled Anastasia''s eyes. No matter who this trap was set for, it was a great opportunity for her. Anastasia immediately made a phone call. Once she hung up the phone, Anastasia''s anticipation for what would happen next gradually grew.


    ...


    At the same time in the funeral hall, Kelly was overwhelmed with anticipation. Anastasia''s fainting greatly displeased Kelly.


    As the butler arranged for people to carry Anastasia away, Kelly eagerly looked toward Mr. Kane. However, she was ultimately afraid of revealing her excitement and refrained from urging him on. Gabriel noticed and spoke on her behalf, "Mr. Kane, please continue."


    As soon as he said that, Chloe gave him a furious re. Chloe couldn''t understand why Gabriel had been going against her all day. Unbeknownst to her, Gabriel''s actions were actually to protect her. Grandpa''s focus today was on Kelly, and Gabriel didn''t want his mother''s intentions to expose Mr. Young Senior. He had to make sure Mr. Young Senior''s n proceeded quickly.


    Mr. Kane nced at Miles before proceeding. After he saw Miles nod, Mr. Kane continued, "I, Oliver, bequeath all my properties to my biological granddaughter."


    Biological granddaughter... Anastasia heard this statement from outside the hall. Other than Miles and Gabriel, everyone in the hall, including the butler, was momentarily stunned. All eyes shifted to Kelly. Kelly tried hard to suppress her excitement under everyone''s gaze. Biological granddaughter... It was her, wasn''t it?


    Although she had long known the contents of this will, to everyone else, she seemed clueless about the will and was stunned.


    Kelly''s eyes flickered, and she murmured, "Ho... how is this possible? I just returned to Grandpa''s side. And besides... the Young family''s business has always been managed by my siblings. How could it be..." Kelly looked panicked as if she had never imagined the staggering wealth of the Young family falling into her hands before.


    But every reaction of hers was ironic to Miles, Gabriel, and even Anastasia who had just reentered the hall.


    Anastasia was already certain at this moment that the trap was set up for Kelly. A sneer almost escaped her lips as she suddenly said without hesitation, "That''s right, Mr. Kane, is there something wrong with this will?


    "Even if Grandpa loves Kelly, he wouldn''tpletely disregard the contributions of my elder brother and us to the Young family. Grandpa has never been a biased person, so how could he make such a biased decision?"


    Her question was calcted to expose Kelly''s true colors. As expected, Kelly''s expression subtly changed.


    Anastasia continued, "Kelly also thinks that the distribution shouldn''t be like this, isn''t that right?"


    Right? How was that right? Kelly clenched her fists and wished that she could tear Anastasia apart.


    "Perhaps Grandpa decided this to make up for what he did to my mother bypensating me with everything he had." Kelly''s voice was soft and gentle, portraying her as an innocent woman. Anastasia sneered and stared at Kelly. "Kelly, you''re not a greedy person. Even if Grandpa wanted to make amends, you wouldn''t ept this distribution of his property, right?"


    Kelly swallowed loudly. At this moment, everyone''s eyes were on her, seemingly awaiting her answer. Would she ept it?


    After all her scheming, was it worth


    it to throw it all out for the sake of appearing generous? Everything she did was to rece Rose and gain control of the Young family. But what was with Anastasia today? Why was she so against her?


    Anastasia pressed on, "Kelly, if you don''t want to ept it, you can object."


    Chloe also weed the idea. "That''s right, everyone is here anyway, Mr. Kane can help us solve the problem!"


    Kelly''s perfectly crafted expression finally revealed a hint of hostility. However, she quickly returned to her usual self and said innocently, "But this is Grandpa''s will, how can I go against it?" Kelly looked at Gabriel as she spoke, hoping he''d help her. Gabriel didn''t let her down. "We should follow Grandpa''s wishes."


    With someon? backing her up, Kelly


    suddenly felt more confident. From


    ???:


    the moment the will was announced, everything in the Young family became hers. If not for maintaining appearances, she would have kicked these people out right now. Her priority now was to ept Mr.


    Young Senior''s will.


    Kelly was still thinking about how to make it seem like she was reluctant to ept the will when Miles said, "Grandpa should by right leave the Young family''s property to his biological granddaughter."


    He uttered each word clearly. As soon as he spoke, it seemed like no one else had the right to speak on this matter. Kelly''s eyes lit up and she felt a sense of relief.


    The more Miles emphasized this, the more Kelly could maintain her innocent image.


    "To fulfill Grandpa''s wishes, I will


    ept this will. Grandpa... you can


    ve


    rest assured. I''ll take good care of the Young family''s property for you. I''ll take good care of Miles, Anastasia, and every member of the Young family."


    From now on, the Young family was Kelly''s! And Rose... Thinking about the video she had obtained, Kelly scanned the people around her before looking at the clock on the wall. It was 10:39 a.m. She and Maya had nned to send everyone a video on their phones at 10:40 am. There was only one minute left. The funeral hall fell into silence, filling the room with a sense of eeriness.


    It seemed like everyone was pondering Kelly''s words. Suddenly, a chime broke the silence. Upon hearing it, Kelly looked toward the butler.


    On such a solemn asion, anyone checking their messages would be branded as being disrespectful to Mr. Young Senior.


    The butler had no intention of reading the notification. But immediately after, another notification ringtone sounded. This time it was from Miles'' phone.


    Before everyone coulde back to their senses, a wave of ringtones echoed in the hall one after the other. Almost every person''s phone rang.


    Chloe was the first to take out her phone. As she opened the notification, ascivious voice erupted from her phone, resonating throughout the entire funeral hall.

 Chapter 365 Rose Is Awake

    Everyone was stunned for a moment. A woman''s slightly distorted voice could be heard over the phone. Although the voice was unidentifiable, one could tell that what was happening on the other end was intense.


    The woman screamed various explicit words, causing the expressions of the people present to shift.


    Kelly was a little surprised. She med Maya for distorting the voice, but it was fine. Even if they couldn''t tell it was Rose''s voice, it would still have the same effect if the video showed Rose.


    Kelly nced at Miles. What Kelly wanted to see most was Miles'' reaction after realizing that Rose was the one in the video. However, Miles just frowned and seemed displeased. He didn''t even take out his phone.


    Chloe seemed to be shocked by the scene as she kept staring nkly at the screen. The woman''s voice echoed across the funeral hall.


    Amid the eerie atmosphere, a second person took out their phone and opened the message they received. The same voice echoed around the room. The crowd was stunned momentarily, having finally caught on to the situation.


    Another person opened the message. After hearing the same voice, their suspicions were confirmed. They all received the same message. And since they all received it simultaneously, it meant they must have all known the person in the video.


    Unable to control their curiosity, everyone present wanted to know who the woman in the video was. People started taking out their phones one after another. Opening the messages, countless explicit sounds echoed through the entire funeral hall.


    The video''s content, however, was more obscene than the moans. The crowd couldn''t help but nce at Kelly.


    However, Kelly''s attention was still on Miles. She didn''t want to miss even the most subtle reaction from him. Only after a while did she notice people staring.


    When she looked over, she seemed to notice something from the corner of her eye, and immediately turned away. What was going on? Kelly felt something was amiss, but she couldn''t put her finger on it. She didn''t dwell on the thought.


    Miles still hadn''t taken out his phone. Kelly was getting impatient. She asked meekly, "What... what''s that? Miles..."


    Miles was greatly displeased by the way she acted. He nced at her emotionlessly. He knew that the video that was sent to everyone''s phones was likely rted to Kelly. So, Miles took out his phone and yed it too.


    Kelly''s gaze was fixed on Miles. She hoped to see the shock and devastation on his face. Yet, Miles merely frowned in disgust. Kelly was silent. How could there only be disgust?


    Miles liked Rose. Seeing Rose in such a scene should''ve evoked other expressions. However, there was only disgust on his face.


    Kelly felt somewhat disappointed as she hadn''t seen what she wanted. Unwilling to give up, Kelly deliberately asked while batting her eyshes innocently, "Miles, what''s wrong?"


    She looked different from the bold woman in the video, yet the face was unmistakably Kelly''s. Miles switched off his phone, ignoring her question.


    Anastasia quietly observed Kelly''s feigned innocence. On the other hand, Chloe looked at Kelly in a different light after the initial shock.


    "I didn''t expect this from you." Though she didn''t mention who she was talking about, her gazended on Kelly.


    Kelly frowned, finally sensing something was off. "What... What do you mean?"


    "You''re really different from how you were in the video."


    Chloe had other intentions. If this video was leaked, the reputation of the Young family''s true heiress would be tarnished. Forget the public, she wouldn''t even be able to face her own family in the future. Chloe saw the video as a valuable bargaining chip and turned her attention to Miles.


    Without hesitation, she said, "Mr. Young Senior devoted his lifetime to the Young family''s legacy. Miles, you are a reasonable person and


    someone Mr. Young Senior hig


    valued. I believe you would agree to protect the reputation of Young family and Mr. Young Senior. If this gets leaked..."


    Chloe chuckled lightly, paying no attention to Kelly. Her focus was on Miles. Kelly''s frown deepened. The peculiar feeling she had sensed became more evident.


    Rose was just an adopted granddaughter. If the video was leaked, Young family could release a statement, disassociating themselves from Rose and minimizing the impact of their reputation.


    Moreover, as the current heir of the Young family, Chloe should have consulted Kelly. Why did she talk to Miles instead of her?


    Seeing Miles remaining silent and recalling Chloe''s earlier suggestive words, Kelly cautiously asked, "Did something happen to Rose?"


    Rose? She believed the person in the video was Rose? Miles looked over, his gaze ice cold. Kelly was startled for a moment.


    Then, a woman''s voice came from the entrance. "Grandpa..." Everyone turned to look. At the doorway stood Rose, dressed in white. Her face was pale.


    "Rose?" Miles approached with concern, followed by Gabriel.


    However, Gabriel stopped in his tracks after realizing something. He kept his gaze on Rose, and he wasn''t the only one. Everyone was watching Rose as if her arrival had overshadowed the recent video. Yet, Rose''s eyes were fixed on the crystal coffin in the funeral hall. Was that Grandpa? Rose trembled.


    When she woke up earlier, she heard


    the news about her grandpa''s ident. She hastily returned to the mansion, not even taking the time to put on shoes. Unaware, she had cut her feet on something along the way. Blood stained her bare feet.


    "Rose..." Miles wanted to tend to her injuries. He reached for her wrist, but he missed.


    Rose slowly approached the crystal coffin. After seeing the person inside, her body went weak. Despite her earlier efforts, she couldn''t hold it anymore and nearly copsed.


    Miles and Gabriel rushed toward her. Before they could catch her, a pair of arms embraced Rose. they belonged to none other than Jonathan, who had hurried into the mansion.


    "Rose!" Jonathan looked anxious.


    When he left the vi, Rose was still


    unconscious. Now that she was awake, it seemed she had learned about Mr. Young Senior''s "ident". However, the situation was not as she thought.


    There wasn''t any time to exin. Jonathan wanted to take Rose away. As he carried her in his arms, her hand gripped his chest tightly. She said in a weak but resolute voice, "Put me down!"

 Chapter 366 How Could It Be Her

    Jonathan looked down and met Rose''s gaze. Rose''s eyes were resolute, and her grip on Jonathan''s chest tightened.


    Jonathan was worried, but after a moment of hesitation, he gave in to Rose''s request. He gently put her down, but kept his arm around her waist, adopting a protective posture.


    The people around them were quite bewildered by his actions. The most surprised one was Chloe. Jonathan, the new head of the Finch family, was someone Chloe had encountered before.


    The ruthless methods he employed to ascend to power within the Finch family were well-known throughout Regalia. It sent shivers down Chloe''s spine when she first heard about it.


    They imed Jonathan was ruthless and cold. Yet, the man standing before them now appeared gentle and kind. However, when his gaze shifted elsewhere, it swiftly turned cold. Jonathan''s demeanor toward this woman was surprisingly different.


    Chloe couldn''t help but examine the person beside Jonathan, recalling the name they had just mentioned. Rose... Rose...


    Could she be the granddaughter Mr. Young Senior adopted some time ago? Chloe looked at her from head to toe. When she saw those eyes, her heart dropped and she took a step back. Those eyes...


    She hadn''t noticed it before. Although it had been a long time since Henrietta disappeared, it was clear the two granddaughters that Mr. Young Senior adopted had eyes resembling hers.


    Those eyes must''ve reminded Mr. Young Senior of Henrietta. Chloe had guessed early on that this newly adopted granddaughter must also have had a pair of eyes simr to Henrietta''s.


    But now, upon closer inspection, those eyes were not just simr-they were practically identical. For a moment, as she looked into those eyes, it felt as if she saw Henrietta again.


    As Chloe was reeling from her shock, Kelly could barely hide her jealousy after seeing Jonathan''s protectiveness toward Rose.


    With no news of Rose for several days, she thought Rose was too ashamed to show her face. Little did she expect Rose to appear today, precisely at this moment. "Rose, where have you been these past few days?" Kelly approached with concern.


    Everyone present had watched that video. Her question, though vague, was enough to let people make the connection.


    However, Rose couldn''t hear anything. She walked straight to the coffin. When she saw the pale body of Mr. Young Senior lying inside, grief surged in her heart. "Grandpa..." she uttered as she held back sobs. Her teary voice made people''s hearts tremble. It contained far more emotion than Kelly''s fake tears earlier.


    Her sorrow, and self-me... Those who knew what happened that night at the sea would understand why she''d me herself. But how could she me herself? She was the one who disregarded her safety to save Mr. Young Senior.


    "Rose..." Miles suddenly spoke. He wanted to tell her the truth.


    At this moment, Jonathan noticed Mr. Young Senior tearing up inside the coffin. He quickly interrupted Miles, "Mr. Young Senior wouldn''t want to see you sad."


    He was also reminding Mr. Young Senior inside the coffin that the y must go on. Miles held back his words.


    Lying in the coffin, Mr. Young Senior gradually calmed himself. Everything went unnoticed by the onlookers.


    Kelly''s excitement grew. She couldn''t wait to bring up Rose''s video. She quickly joined in the conversation, "That''s right, Rose. Grandpa doesn''t want you to be too sad. Did something happen while you were away?"


    What happened? Rose''s eyes shifted. Then, she red fiercely at Kelly. Grandpa was abducted by Nixon because of Kelly''s scheming.


    Filled with resentment, Rose''s gaze


    startled Kelly, who instantly feigned


    a fragile posture. "Rose, what''s wrong with you? If something happened, don''t bear it alone. We are family. We can help you." Kelly''s words hung in the air, perceived as utterly ludicrous by onlookers.


    "What problems do you think Rose has faced?" Miles asked coldly. He shot Gabriel a look after saying that.


    Gabriel knew that from that point onwards, he didn''t have to keep pretending with Kelly. Gabriel''s gaze toward Kelly was now filled with disdain. He approached Kelly as she stared at him in confusion. Just as he was about to hand his phone to Kelly, he hesitated for a moment. Then, Gabriel snatched a phone from one of the servants'' hands and threw it at Kelly, not bothering to give her a second nce. "See for yourself!"


    Gabriel''s attitude made Kelly frown. The video from before was still ying on the phone, and Kelly was momentarily stunned. She caught a look at the screen and instantly recognized the person in the video. In the video, the woman who was sensually moving her body was none other than herself. How... How could this be? How could it be her?


    Kelly subconsciously switched off


    the phone, and her face turned pale. However, the others in the room still had the video ying on their phones, and the slightly distorted sounds echoed across the room. Ketty''s mind was now filled with the explicit scenes from the video.


    What on earth was happening? She tried hard to recall, but couldn''t remember anything about the events in the video.


    "You''re probably wondering why it''s you," Miles seemed to read her mind.


    Kelly raised her head and instantly locked eyes with Miles. "Did you do this?"


    That''s right! It must have been that Miles discovered the video, processed it, and reced Rose with her!


    But before she could voice this suspicion, Miles seemed to have anticipated her guess and replied coldly, "I did nothing. Today is the first time I''ve seen this video, and there''s no trace of it being edited."


    From what he said, it was implied that the person in the video was undeniably Kelly. Kelly was unwilling to believe it. She kept muttering, "That''s impossible! The person in the video isn''t me!"


    How could it be her? She had no recollection of such events. Where had things gone wrong?


    Kelly couldn''t figure it out. Despite her confusion, she absolutely couldn''t admit that the woman in the video was her. She denied it in a panic. "That''s not me! I''m being framed!"


    A low chuckle was heard right after


    she finished speaking. Kelly turned to the source of theughter and saw that Anastasia''s eyes were filled with resentment. However, that resentment vanished in a sh and was reced by mockery.


    "Who would frame you?"


    Who would frame her? The only exnation she could think of was that Maya''s contacts had made a mistake during the process. They probably got caught, which messed things up.


    Did that mean Maya was exposed? Was she also exposed? When Kelly thought of that possibility, she started to panic.


    She looked at Rose, who seemedpletely indifferent to everything happening around her. Rose was still staring nkly at Mr. Young Senior in the coffin as if she had lost her soul. Rose seemed unconcerned about the video.


    Seeing this, Kelly clenched her fists. She could sense everyone''s disdainful gaze on her. One of them was particrly piercing, and it was none other than Gabriel''s.


    She remembered Gabriel''s indifference when he handed her the phone earlier. Kelly instinctively said, "This video must have been tampered with. Gabriel, you have to believe me..."


    However, she was met with Gabriel''s coldughter and disgust. "Kelly, how long do you n to keep pretending for?"

 Chapter 367 Showing Her True Colors

    The innocent look on Kelly''s face froze. At that moment, a hint of guilt shed across her face as though she had been exposed. "Gabriel, what do you mean?"


    "What do I mean? Kelly, do you take us as fools? I knew your character from the first time Iid eyes on you. You might look helpless and innocent, but deep down, you''re scheming and calctive. You''ve enjoyed putting on a front and lying to people, so I yed along with you. I pretended to believe in you."


    Gabriel''s voice pierced the air. Kelly found it jarring. A hint of anger appeared on her usually innocent-looking face.


    She wondered if he had been lying to her all this time. If he had been, why did he call in Mr. Kane for her yesterday? Since there were people around, it wasn''t appropriate for her to ask.


    However, Gabriel could read her mind just from her expression. Gabriel cast a meaningful look in the direction of the crystal coffin. Even if Kelly was getting suspicious, he couldn''t be the one to reveal the truth to her.


    Kelly followed the direction of his gaze, but she remained confused by why he was looking at Oliver''s coffin. Gabriel had been ying along with her for days, taking her as a fool. The sheer thought of it infuriated her.


    Perhaps Gabriel''s confrontation and the will reading performed by Mr. Kane had boosted Kelly''s confidence, but for some reason, she didn''t feel a need to exin herself.


    "Scheming and calctive? Haha..." She scanned the people in the funeral hall without showing any hint of embarrassment or guilt despite Gabriel''s expos¨¦ and the emergence of the video.


    "I get it now. You''re... You''re all in this to hurt me. This is all part of your trick. You want to destroy me with that video and keep me from inheriting the Young family assets.


    "That''s very calctive of you all. Too bad Grandpa wanted me to take charge of the Young family! I shall protect everything on his behalf."


    As long as she denied the allegations and took charge of the Young family, she could clear her name even if the video was leaked to the public.


    She had had her eyes set on the Young family''s astronomical wealth. Now that Oliver was dead, and the will had been read, the Young family''s wealth was in her hands!


    She wanted to keep up her front to retain the loyalty of those working at the Young''s House of Jewels, but that no longer seemed necessary.


    "Gabriel. Since you''re one of the Yoneses, not the Youngs, you have no right to stay here!" Kelly dered arrogantly, as though she was the head of the house.


    But to her surprise, Gabriel did not move an inch. He wore a smirk on his face.


    Frowning, she instructed the butler, "Patrick, throw him out!"


    "But..." Patrick looked troubled.


    He knew he should be taking Kelly''s orders as she was Oliver''s rightful heiress. However, he instinctively nced at Miles. Deep down, he believed that Miles had the most say in Oliver''s absence. His behavior irked Kelly. She barked, "Why are you just standing there? Do you want to be fired? If you do, get out of the Young Estate with Gabriel Yones right now!"


    Now that Kelly had nothing to fear, she slowly revealed her true colors. The slight frown on Oliver''s forehead in the coffin escaped her attention. However, Rose immediately picked up on the subtle change. "Grandpa?" Rose blurted out. She had clearly noticed a frown on Oliver''s forehead. But when she fixed her gaze on him again, she failed to notice anything. Was she delusional?


    While Rose was stuck in a daze, staring at Oliver''s coffin, her sudden calls for Oliver had attracted Kelly''s attention.


    Kelly hated Rose the most among everyone present. Since she did not need to put up a front anymore, she showed no care for her attitude.


    Her attention shifted away from


    Gabriel and Patrick, and she turned to Rose with a snicker. "Ms. Schaffer Grandpa might have taken you in as a granddaughter, but you made it clear you didn''t want


    anything to do with the Young family


    at the hospital that day.


    "Are you here today because you''re foolishly hoping to receive some scraps?" Every single word from Kelly''s mouth wasced with venom.


    Miles immediately chided her, "Kelly Schaffer!". As he did so, Jonathan fixed his icy gaze on her. The two men jumped to Rose''s defense at the same time.


    In the past, Kelly might have behaved. However, she was now full of herself because she thought she was in control of the Young family. In fact, she thought that she could decide whether or not to kick Miles out of the family in the future.


    As for Jonathan... Although the Young family was no match for the Finches, she believed that Jonathan would have to tread carefully around her given her current wealth. The more they defended Rose, the more annoyed Kelly felt.


    On the other hand, Rose did not seem to pay much attention to Kelly, choosing instead to closely observe Oliver, who was still in the coffin.


    Her indifference irritated Kelly. This made Kelly march over and grab Rose''s wrist. Then, she tried to p Rose across the face.


    Frowning, Jonathan rushed forward and pped Kelly''s wrist away. Although Jonathan managed to deflect her attack, her nails nevertheless scratched Rose''s face.


    Rose seethed in pain, but bit her tongue and endured it. She refused to cause a scene at Oliver''s funeral.


    Jonathan was pained by the sight of the bloodied scratch on Rose''s face. Before Kelly had the chance to gloat, Jonathan pped her across the face.


    "Jonathan Finch," Kelly choked out with a scowl on her face.


    At that moment, several bodyguards appeared and pinned her down. She screamed, "Let go of me! Don''t you know who I am? I''m Mr. Young Senior''s granddaughter! Are you deaf or what? Did you not hear Mr. Kane''s will reading just now?"


    Hysterically, she continued, "Grandpa left the Young family assets to me. I''m the head of the household now. Look at yourself in the mirror before you face me off."


    Kelly was yelling and kicking wildly, but the bodyguards did not flinch. She then yelled at the other maids condescendingly, "Why are you watching and doing nothing? Help me out here!"


    The maids, just like Patrick had


    done, instinctively turned to Miles. Had the video not been released, the maids would have readily


    acknowledged Kelly as the heira


    of the Young family. s, the video had greatly discredited Kelly, and they now treated Miles as the pir of the Youngs.


    Infuriated, Kelly growled, "You blind suckers! I''m the heiress of the


    lel


    Young family. Miles Young, when you leave today... No! I will announce


    this asthe head of the family now! From today onward, Miles Young is


    no longer part of this family!"


    Kelly''s voice seemed deafeningly loud in the otherwise silent funeral hall. She looked disheveled but carried herself with the air of a queen who could decide the fates of the people.


    She expected the butler and maids to take her side after she disowned Miles, even if Miles did not beg for mercy. However, she was startled by the sudden voice of an old man. "You have no say here!"

 Chapter 368 Oliver Wasnt Dead

    Although the voice was low, the anger in it was palpable. Kelly froze in shock, as did everyone else in the funeral hall. They all couldn''t believe the voice they had just heard. Anastasia gulped and folded her trembling arms as if she were trying to shake off her nerves. Did she mishear?


    That was Oliver''s voice. But he was dead, and his body was in the crystal coffin. How could he speak? The idea of spirits made Anastasia shake in fear.


    She swallowed hard. The voice had confirmed her suspicion that the funeral today was a set-up to trick Kelly.


    The thought made Anastasia excited. When she noticed Jonathan and Gabriel''sck of response toward Oliver''s voice, she instantly knew that they were in it as well.


    Meanwhile, Kelly''s mind went nk. Just like the others, she recognized Oliver''s voice and turned her attention to the crystal coffin. From her position, she could only see Oliver from the waist down. Since the body did not move, Kelly calmed down and smirked. "Hmph, are you trying to pull my leg with ghosts and spirits? That won''t change a thing. You''re being naive."


    She once again turned to the butler and the maids. She sneered at the shock and fear on their faces. "A dead man will note back to life. It''s impossible."


    "How is that impossible?" Oliver''s voice rang.


    Kelly frowned, thinking that the imposter had indeed mastered Oliver''s tone of voice. Before she could react, Oliver''s "body" sat upright in the coffin. Although she could only see his back, her expression fell. "Grandpa..." Rose, who stood beside the coffin, was stunned when Oliver first spoke. But instead of fear, she was filled with excitement and joy. Because of that, she stood very still as she tried to tell if it was all her imagination.


    When Oliver opened his eyes and sat up in the coffin, she agitatedly called out, "Grandpa! You''re alive. That''s great..."


    Rose put aside her poor health and questions about why Oliver was in the coffin in the first ce. She immediately attempted to help him out of the coffin.


    Upon contact with his skin, she nearly cried in joy at the warmth radiating from his body. He was still alive!


    "Rose, please don''t cry," said Oliver with a doting look in his eyes.


    He nced at Rose with a deeply emotional gaze. He clutched her hand tighter as he thought of the purpose of today''s set-up.


    At the same time, Jonathan and Gabriel sprung into action. Once Oliver dropped the hint, the two men helped him out of the crystal coffin. Once he was out, Oliver turned around to look at Kelly, holding a walking stick in his hand.


    There was only one thought in Kelly''s mind. She thought, "This is impossible. Impossible!"


    All these must have been a sleight of hand orchestrated by Jonathan and the others. Oliver was dead. He couldn''t possibly be alive!


    When she saw Oliver turning around to face her, she trembled and said, "That''s impossible! You''re not Mr. Young Senior!"


    Mustering up surprising strength, she freed herself from the grasp of the bodyguards and rushed over to Oliver. She wanted to check out what Jonathan and the others had done to the "fake" Oliver to make him look so real.


    When she was one step away from Oliver, Rose stood between her and Oliver and stared at Kelly.


    Oliver gently said, "Rose, it''s fine. Please step aside."


    After some hesitation, Rose obliged. Despite that, she was in a state of heightened wariness. She quickly processed the events that had unfolded and pieced the puzzle together.


    She worried that Kelly might do something crazy to Oliver after thetter had dropped his disguise and unveiled her true colors. Rose vowed not to ce Oliver in harm''s way ever again.


    Without Rose standing between them, Kelly anxiously touched Oliver''s face. Oliver did not shun her touch.


    She trembled in shock when she felt the warmth radiating from his skin. Then, with some hope left in her, she caressed his face.


    It was like she was inspecting him.


    Kelly was inspecting if something had been done to the face of the old man in front of her. At this moment, she still refused to believe that he was Oliver.


    However, after some touching, she did not find anything amiss. Growing worried, she cupped his face in her hands.


    "Is that enough for you? Did you find any ws?" Oliver smiled at her, but his eyes shimmered with coldness and an air of authority. He seemed acutely aware of all her ulterior motives.


    She froze when she failed to find any physical ws on Oliver''s face. How could that be? She felt dissatisfied but flustered under his gaze.


    She finally realized that Oliver might still be alive, so, the only reason he faked his death was... She dared not bring herself to specte on Oliver''s motive, She quickly concealed her panic and put her ster acting skills to use. Within seconds, tears streamed down her face


    She remarked, "Grandpa, you''re alive and fine! That''s wonderful! I thought you were¡ª"


    She had wanted to y the role of the good granddaughter, but Oliver cut her off as he was revolted by her ingenuine behavior.


    "Did you think I was dead?" He sounded sarcastic.


    Her expression froze. Soon, she said, "I thought you were dead. But I''m so d you''re still alive."


    "Are you really d that I''m alive?"


    "Of course!" She nodded as she met his disapproving gaze with a joyful expression.


    Oliver merely chuckled. "But if I am alive, you won''t be able to give out orders as the head of the family like you just did."


    Kelly''s heart sank. She had a guilty conscience because of what she had done earlier, but she soon recovered from it. Like flicking a switch, she immediately yed the victim and cried.


    "They tried to bully me, so I acted on


    impulse. Grandpa, I don''t care about the family''s wealth. I just wanted to enjoy family time with your grandchildren. Mom would be delighted if she saw that from the


    heavens."


    At such a crucial moment, Kelly brought up Henrietta''s name, knowing that Henrietta was Oliver''s Achilles heel.


    She wanted to use Henrietta''s name to defend her terrible behavior earlier, thinking that Oliver might take her side because she was Henrietta''s daughter.


    However, Kelly had made the wrong move. Oliver''s expression fell when he heard the name of histe daughter. The fact that Kelly brought up Henrietta''s name infuriated him. Still, he kept his rage in check and red expressionlessly at Kelly. Momentster, he spoke. "Kelly, since you don''t care about the family wealth, you won''t be inheriting it, then." Her mind went nk. What was that supposed to mean? "Are you nning to amend your will?" she prodded cautiously. She began plotting to prevent him from doing so. As long as the current will remain unchanged, the Young family''s wealth would be hers in the end. Oliver sounded determined as he spoke. "Well, it''s unnecessary to amend the will."

 Chapter 369 Ganged Up Against Her

    Did Oliver just say there was no need to amend the will? Kelly was overjoyed and relieved to hear that. As expected, Oliver would tolerate her behavior when he was reminded of her status as Henrietta''s


    daughter.


    Oliver might have been alive, but at the end of the day, everyone had clearly heard the will being read out just now. Oliver had left all the family assets to Kelly. Kelly thought that she''d be the sole heiress of the Young family sooner orter, even if it was not today.


    She treated the people around her with disdain. However, thinking of the video just now, she cast a nce at Rose, who was standing beside Oliver.


    At that moment, she had no time to process what happened with the video. Her priority was to force Oliver to deny that she was the woman in the video. No matter what, she wanted to frame Rose. With that in mind, she frowned and argued, "I do not care for materialistic wealth, but I''m sure Mom would feel upset if she knew that my name was dragged through the mud because of that vulgar video." Kelly tried to use the mention of Henrietta to win Oliver over and evoke his protectiveness of her. She thought that she could manipte Oliver by wielding Henrietta''s name.


    To her disappointment, Oliver did not chastise those whom she used of ndering her. The grim look in his eyes made her shiver. "Grandpa?"


    Soon, he wiped off his grim expression and put on an ingenuine smile. He grappled with feelings of guilt for failing to discern Henrietta''s real daughter after all this time.


    He instinctively reached out for Rose''s hand, to everyone''s shock. Only Jonathan looked unperturbed. Rose felt the warmth from his palm. Seeing the exhaustion on his face, she wanted to advise him to rest. Oliver''s interaction shocked Kelly. Her mind raced. "Shouldn''t he be holding them ountable for the video incident? Why is he holding Rose''s hand? His eyes are full of affection for her..."


    Kelly had the urge to grab Oliver''s hand. However, she maintained herposure and tried to attract Oliver''s attention. "Grandpa, I dreamed of Momst night="


    Kelly tried to reuse her old tricks, but she was interrupted by Jonathan''s snicker. She looked back at him and identally met his scornful expression.


    Feeling sheepish, she reflexively avoided his gaze. She bit her lips and, in an attempt to protect her dignity, snapped, "What are youughing at?" Her question rang hollow. Jonathan did not bother to answer. At that moment, Jonathan''s phone rang. When he saw the iing call from Finley, he knew that Finley had sessfully carried out the task he entrusted to him.


    He answered the call and grunted upon hearing Finley''s updates. Then, he announced, "Take a seat, everyone! It must be tiring to stand."


    The show was about to start. Having just regained consciousness, Rose was rather frail and should not have been standing for long.


    Just now, no one listened to themands of Kelly, who imed to be the heiress. However, after hearing Jonthan''s announcement, Patrick immediately made the arrangements.


    In a few minutes, without needing any guest to move, several chairs were brought into the hall. Everyone then took a seat.


    Meanwhile, Kelly looked upset because Oliver had invited Rose to take a seat beside him. Jonathan, Miles, and Gabriel each took a seat near Rose in unison.


    Kelly wallowed in her dissatisfaction. By the time she had snapped out of it, all the seats had been taken. Everyone, including Anastasia''swyer, was seated, except for Patrick, the maids, and Jonathan''s bodyguards.


    Being the only fool standing, she felt as if she was being publicly denounced for some crime.


    "Grandpa!" She immediately felt as though Jonathan, Miles, and Gabriel had ganged up against her. She was about to protest when they all heard a male voice at the entrance.


    "Mr. Finch..." Finley''s voice could be heard before his arrival. Everyone looked in the direction of his voice. Soon, Finley showed up and shuffled toward Jonathan.


    He reported, "Mr. Finch, she''s here. Shall I bring her in?" Who was he talking about?


    Jonathan nodded at Finley. Everyone cast quizzical nces at the entrance.


    Kelly frowned, as she couldn''t figure out what Jonathan was getting at. Before she could process her thoughts, her expression froze upon seeing the woman. "Mom..." Kelly called out to the woman.


    Chelsea Sutton showed up looking disheveled and unkempt, a far cry from her past noble appearance.


    However, Kelly immediately recognized Chelsea''s face. She wondered why Chelsea was here. Kelly''s mind went nk for a moment, after which she realized that Jonathan was plotting to take her down.


    She inhaled sharply, collected


    herself, and approached Chelsea.


    She eximed, "Mom, why are you in such a sorry state? I thought you went traveling. What happened to you? Tell me if anyone has buttied you I''m sure Grandpa will take care ofit for you."


    After that, Kelly shot a look at Oliver. Worried that Oliver might not have any memory of Chelsea, Kelly introduced her, "Grandpa, she''s my adoptive mom, Chelsea Sutton. I have her to thank for raising me." Kelly deliberately highlighted Chelsea''s identity as an adoptive mom.


    "Is she just an adoptive mom to you?" Jonathan questioned Kelly calmly.


    When Finley found Chelsea, the first thing he did was to get a hair sample from the woman for a DNA test. Jonathan''s bodyguard was holding a copy of the results at the moment.


    "Of course, she''s my adoptive mom! Mr. Finch, don''t you think you''re sticking your nose in our family''s business? By the way, what have you all done to my mom?"


    If not for the pressing situation, Kelly wouldn''t have gone up against Jonathan, as she had nned to seduce him for a chance to climb the socialdder.


    However, Kelly had failed to drive a wedge between Jonathan and Rose using the video, as Rose wasn''t in it. Moreover, Jonathan was driving her to the edge. She was left with no choice but to get Oliver to hit back at Jonathan.


    Biting her lips and ying the victim, Kelly eeked out a few crocodile tears. She began, "I know Rose has


    never taken a liking to me. Even you don''t have a good first impression of me. "Kelly was subtly using


    Rose of badmouthing her in front of Jonathan.


    Hearing that, Rose frowned. She knew Kelly''s true nature better than anyone else. Earlier, she was too upset over Oliver''s death to pay Kelly any attention.


    Now that Oliver was safe and sound, Rose had gradually calmed down from the emotional rollercoaster ride. The thought of what Kelly had done to Oliver infuriated Rose.


    "Rose, feel free tosh out at me if I have wronged you in any way, or just be upfront with me so I''ll change my ways. But can you please stop Mr. Finch fromying a finger on my adoptive mom?"


    Kelly appeared to be crying and pleading. But if one read between the lines, all she did was use Rose of bullying and harassing her. Rose snickered at Kelly''s antics.

 Chapter 370 Cant Admit

    Again with those antics? Saying that she bullied her? Since Kelly asked for it, then Rose would do as she pleased.


    "Come..." Before Rose could finish her sentence, Jonathan had already signaled Finley. Rose did not need to raise a finger on such matters.


    Finley quickly stepped forward and a loud pnded on Kelly''s face. Finley had shown her no mercy.


    Kelly staggered and almost lost her bnce. Her mind went nk, and her face was burning from the impact. Who... dared to hit her? After collecting herself, Kelly red fiercely at Finley.


    Finley was well-trained in the Azure n. His well-defined muscles were a testament to that. He had even adopted Jonathan''s icy demeanor. A single nce from him was enough to suppress Kelly''s protests. But how could Kelly ept that? She was the heiress to the Young family''s wealth. Finley... was nothing but a dog by Jonathan''s side.


    Even if it were Jonathan who gave the order, Kelly wouldn''t be able to face the people in the room after being publicly pped.


    Amidst the silence, the room held its breath. No one had expected Finley to strike Kelly so suddenly. After a few seconds, a light chuckle broke the silence. Kelly looked over and realized it was Anastasia. Anastasia hadn''t bothered hiding her amusement. One could see the satisfaction in her eyes. Satisfaction...


    Kelly had never done anything to Anastasia, so why would she look so pleased? Kelly had no time to figure it out. The thing that pained her more was Oliver''s indifference.


    Oliver didn''t even spare her a nce. Instead, he lovingly said to Rose, "Just sit tight, Rose." She just needed to sit and watch. There was no need for her to get involved. Kelly was stunned. Resentment burned in her heart. She wished she too could p Rose''s face. But upon hearing Oliver''s words, she felt so wronged that she burst into tears. Tears streamed down her slightly swollen face. Because of her misery, she used, "Rose, how could you..."


    "I didn''t hit you!" Rose interrupted.


    "You..." Kelly''s words were immediately shot down by Rose''s interruption.


    Rose nced at Jonathan. She knew that he was the one who had pped Kelly. Kelly''s face was starting to swell, which made Rose pleased. Good!


    After Rose woke up, she barely had any strength. She had already used all her strength to reach the mansion.


    It certainly wouldn''t be as powerful as Finley''s if she had pped Kelly. Since there was someone to assist her, she decided to listen to Oliver and sit still. But a p wasn''t enough to get revenge for her malicious intentions toward her grandfather.


    However, before Rose could investigate Kelly''s actions against Oliver, Kelly cried out, "Rose, don''t think you can humiliate me like this through Jonathan! I still have Grandpa on my side!" Kelly hoped that Oliver would protect her.


    But, unexpectedly, Oliver frowned. He seemed unhappy that she said, "through Jonathan". Through Jonathan? Since when did Rose need to go through anyone?


    "Kelly..." Oliver didn''t even want to utter her name.


    But before he could continue, Jonathan intervened. "Finley, there''s one more person I need you to bring here."


    Jonathan was greatly pleased by Kelly''s words. Of course, his woman would rely on him. Jonathan wished that Rose would be under his protection at every moment. She had to do nothing but watch. "Yes, Sir!" Finley replied. He signaled to one of the bodyguards, who immediately went downstairs.


    Everyone present was curious, including Rose. She had heard Jonathan mention Chelsea before, but her whereabouts were unknown. She never expected him to have found her.


    Another person? Who could it be? As the question arose in her mind, the bodyguard brought someone into the room.


    The person''s head was covered by a ck cloth. Despite this, the figure caught Rose''s eyes. Upon closer inspection, she recognized him almost instantly. It was the man who nearly killed her that night!


    Nixon... She would even recognize his ashes! At that moment, Rose clenched her fists tightly.


    Kelly was equally disturbed. The moment he entered the room, Kelly also recognized him. However, what she recognized was a man who had threatened her into sleeping with him with a video.


    The moment she recognized him, she started to panic. How could he be here? If Jonathan had him under his control, did that mean all the things she had him do were exposed?


    Kelly nced at Oliver anxiously. Now she understood why Oliver was so cold toward her. Oliver must''ve found out that she had someone try to kill him.


    In a split second, Kelly knew that she


    could never admit that incident. As long as she firmly denied it and imed that someone framed her, there might still be some wiggle room for her. Knowing that, Kelly calmed down.


    "Do you know him?" Jonathan asked casually.


    Kelly frowned, sizing up the man. "Where did you find this person? I don''t know him."


    Don''t know? She yed the part convincingly.


    Jonathan had expected her denial. He remainedposed and raised an eyebrow at Nixon. "She says she doesn''t know you!"


    Nixon urgently said, "We know each other all right. But not only do we know each other, we also have a very close rtionship."


    "Nonsense! What close rtionship? Don''t try to ruin my reputation. I''ve never seen you before!" Kelly hastily corrected him. Her words clearly implicated that she was framed.


    While she was speaking, she nced at Rose. Rose immediately understood her intentions. "You haven''t even seen his face and you''re already denying it. What are you afraid of, Kelly?" "Yeah, Kelly. What are you afraid of?" Anastasia sneered. The scene she was witnessing was bing even more exciting.


    "I..." Kelly concealed her guilt and


    asserted firmly, "I''m not afraid of anything. It''s just that Rose has never liked me. She even had


    someone hit me just now. I have to suspect she''s framing me!


    Rose found it amusing. "What do I have to gain by framing you?"


    "You''re just jealous of me being Grandpa''s biological granddaughter, and jealous that I''m the true heiress of the Young family!" Kelly wanted to make Rose''s intentions clear.


    But what she hadn''t noticed was Oliver furrowing his brows. Self-me and anger could be seen in his eyes.


    When Kelly finished speaking, Oliver''s cane struck the ground heavily. A resounding thud pierced the air, expressing his disagreement with Kelly''s words.


    Then, Oliver spoke in a firm and powerful voice. "She... has no reason to be jealous of you!"

 Chapter 371 Exposed

    Why would Rose need to be jealous of Kelly? Kelly was stunned. She thought that Oliver was angry at her because she knew about her schemes to kill him. She tried to get on his good side. "Grandpa..." But in the next instant, Oliver interrupted her. His face was grim. "Ms. Shaffer, I am not your grandfather."


    Kelly''s expression froze. She said innocently, "Grandpa, why did you say that? What nonsense did you hear from someone who''s trying to drive us apart?"


    "What do you think I heard? That you wanted to hire someone to murder me?" Oliver sneered.


    Even though Kelly had decided to deny everything and insist that Rose was framing her, for a moment, she still couldn''t hide her guilt. But she had to continue the act.


    "Grandpa, what are you... saying? Hire someone to murder you? How could I do something like that?"


    Kelly looked genuinely perplexed, as if she truly didn''t understand what Oliver was implying. Suddenly, as if greatly wounded by Oliver''s words, she chuckled self-mockingly.


    "Someone tried to use me of wanting to harm Grandpa? Grandpa, do you actually believe that? How could you? Who came up with such a trick?


    "Grandpa, no matter what others say, you have to use your own judgment. After all this time together, Grandpa, don''t you know what kind of person I am? Grandpa, how could you doubt me..." Her innocent and vulnerable act managed to evoke pity from those around her.


    Oliver watched her closely. Even though he saw through many people, he was still deceived by her appearance and thought that she was genuinely pure and kind. Little did he know that everything was a facade.


    When he thought about how Rose had suffered because of this, Oliver felt even more guilty. Oliver clenched his fist, wishing to expose Kelly. "The witnesses are all here. What else do you have to say?"


    Kelly clenched her teeth. This moment had finally arrived. At a critical moment like this, she absolutely could not admit to anything. "Witnesses? What witnesses? Do you mean him? I don''t even know him!" Kelly said firmly, trying not to associate herself with him.


    When she sent this man to kidnap Oliver, only the two of them were present. Even if he imed she orchestrated everything, there was no solid evidence. When Kelly thought of that, she felt even more triumphant.


    Kelly looked at Oliver sincerely. "Don''t be deceived, Grandpa. Someone is trying to drive a wedge between us, deliberately setting up this y. If you believe it, you''re falling into someone else''s trap." Kelly nced at Rose. She nearly uttered her name. As soon as she finished speaking, someone started pping. The eerie sound of pping echoed across the silent room.


    Kelly looked toward the source and met Jonathan''s gaze. Kelly couldn''t help but shudder when she saw the disdain in his eyes. It was as if there was nothing she could hide from him. Kelly nervously clenched her fists. Before she could say anything, Jonathan gave Finley a signal. And soon, arge television screen was brought into the room.


    Kelly was puzzled, not having any idea what he was about to do. Everyone stared at the dark screen. Suddenly, the screen lit up.


    The screen showed Oliver in a wheelchair talking to Rose on a bridge. It was very distant, so there wasn''t any sound. But one could see that they were having a pleasant conversation. Others didn''t know the significance of this video, and even Miles was unaware of its existence. However, when Kelly saw that scene, her head started buzzing and she started to tremble. Kelly knew exactly what this video was supposed to show. She never thought that man would hand the video over to Jonathan.


    If she was used of seducing someone to help her get rid of Oliver, she could still argue that she was framed. But this video had footage of her personally tipping over Oliver''s wheelchair... At this point in the video, Rose went to get a call and left the bridge. And soon after... Kelly started panicking. She could not let the video continue ying.


    Kelly noticed the power source of the television. Determined, she took big steps forward, aiming to unplug the television.


    However, someone had already


    anticipated her actions. Just as Kelly was about to touch the power cord Finley grabbed her wrist. His firm grip caused Kelly to let out a cry in pain, but Finley showed no mercy. He effortlessly threw Kelly aside.


    Kelly stumbled. But she wasn''t about to give up after breaking free from his grip. Kelly tried to rush toward the screen again. However, this time, the security guards restrained her.


    She struggled as much as she could, but she couldn''t break free. While she was struggling, someone had already appeared behind Oliver in the video. That person was none other than Kelly herself.


    Despite the considerable distance, it


    was clear that Kelly, who usually looked innocent and harmless, now wore a malicious expression, as if she was about to murder Oliver She lifted her foot and kicked Oliver''s wheelchair.


    "Ah!" The butler and many other servants eximed in unison. It took them a while to recover from the shock. Miles, Anastasia, and even Chloe and Gabriel were all stunned.


    Even Kelly stopped moving. Perhaps she''d realized it was over, and there was nothing she could do. The tension in the air was palpable.


    Everyone stared at Oliver on the screen, who rolled down the steps of the bridge. It then cut to him lying unconscious on the ground with blood dripping from his head.


    Rose clenched her fists tightly. Even though it wasn''t her first time seeing the footage, she still couldn''t suppress the pain in her heart.


    "How could you, Kelly?" Rose finally asked. That''s right. How could she be so cruel?


    Anastasia, who had barely recovered from the shock of the video, stared at Kelly. "No wonder you were so anxious just now. It turns out... that you were the one who pushed Grandpa!" She had underestimated Kelly.


    Although Anastasia had considered


    various ideas to seize the wealth of the Young family for over more than 20 years, she had never thought of harming Oliver. Oliver may have been old, but he was still someone Anastasia respected greatly.


    Kelly, on the other hand... Anastasia finally realized the reason why they had orchestrated Oliver''s death.


    How could she have done something like that? Even if she were the "true heiress" of the Young family, it would not shield her from her crimes.


    Anastasia felt satisfied. She naturally couldn''t pass the opportunity to get back at Kelly.


    Anastasia noticed Kelly''s shifting eyes. She was likely nning her defense. Anastasia stepped forward without hesitation. Filled with overwhelming hatred, she delivered a hard p to Kelly''s face without mercy.


    "Ow!"

 Chapter 372 Jealous of Rose

    As she let out a loud cry of pain, a red handprint appeared on Kelly''s face. The force of the p snapped her back to reality.


    Kelly red at Anastasia. She had no time to retaliate against Anastasia''s p. Besides, what was more important was Oliver.


    Kelly nced at Oliver, and her heart dropped when she met his furious gaze. But even at that point, she did not want to admit everything she had done.


    Kelly struggled to break free from the bodyguard''s grasp. She fell to the ground with a loud thud and knelt before Oliver, hurriedly exining, "Grandpa, listen to me, it''s not what you think."


    "Then what is it?" From the video, it was clear that she had kicked the wheelchair with a lot of force. How else could she exin what everyone had just seen?


    Oliver stared coldly at Kelly as if saying, "Let''s see how you argue your way out of this."


    Kelly bit her lip as she realized that she had lost all of Oliver''s trust. But... she had put so much effort into nning all of this. There was no way she would give it all up now. But what was she to do? Kelly''s mind raced as she tried to think of an excuse. Everyone''s eyes were on her. Kelly calmed herself and suddenly, she spoke firmly, "It''s Rose!"


    Rose? Her "excuse" stunned everyone, but it was also quite expected. Rose, who was being framed, also thought it was funny. It was Kelly''s go-to trick to throw the me on Rose. This time, Rose wanted to see how Kelly would me it on her.


    However, Oliver wasn''t going to tolerate anyone defaming Rose. He suddenly stood up and mmed his cane on the ground repeatedly. He roared, "How dare you use Rose!"


    With a loud snap, the cane struck Kelly''s back. Kelly gritted her teeth from the pain as she cursed the old man silently.


    She regretted not killing him when she kicked him off the bridgest time, and she hated that her n hadn''t seeded this time. But for now, she could only suppress her hatred and pretend to be innocent. "Grandpa, I was wrong. I''m not using Rose, I... I..." Kelly couldn''t finish her sentence.


    After a moment''s hesitation, as if she had made up her mind, she said, "I was jealous of Rose, so I made a mistake..."


    Then, Kelly put on a bitter smile and continued, "You and Rose hit it off immediately, and you took her in as your granddaughter. I am your biological daughter. We''re rted by blood, so I thought that you''d like me more. But that day, you wore the clothing she made for you...


    "I was blinded by jealousy, so I hurt you. But afterward, I regretted it deeply. I was afraid... afraid that something might happen to you, but all I could do was pray silently every night, crying with regret..." Kelly spoke earnestly, resembling an innocent girl who was led astray by jealousy and was now deeply remorseful.


    But Rose didn''t believe her for a moment. Back then, she suspected that Kelly had something to do with Oliver''s ident. Now, she was even more convinced that Kelly had intended to remove his oxygen tube in the hospital.


    How could Kelly regret kicking Oliver off the bridge? She clearly wished that Oliver had died there and then.


    When Rose thought about Kelly''s multiple attempts to kill Oliver, she exposed her lies without hesitation "So you regret that your n failed and tried again?" Asking Nixon to kidnap them and orchestrating an ident...


    "I didn''t!" Kelly yelled at Rose. As long as she didn''t admit her involvement in the kidnapping incident, they wouldn''t have solid evidence against her.


    As long as she repented, Oliver wouldn''t harm her as she was his biological granddaughter, and because of Henrietta.


    "Grandpa, I''m your biological granddaughter, not her!" Kelly sobbed as she reminded Oliver that she was Henrietta''s daughter. If he felt guilty toward Henrietta, he should feel guilty toward her too.


    She thought that her reminder would be enough to move Oliver, or at least make him pity her. But she didn''t expect Oliver''s gaze to turn cold.


    Oliver red fiercely at Kelly and said with a trembling voice, "You have no right to mention Rietta!" How could she mention Rietta? "Kelly, how long do you n to deceive me?"


    Kelly was stunned. She felt


    somewhat guilty under Oliver''s gaze. Her eyes flickered, as she continued feigning innocence. "Grandpa? I''m not deceiving you. I really didn'' mean to. I really regret it!" she


    hurriedly exined.


    She thought Oliver was saying that she was pretending to regret it. "Believe me, Grandpa. I''m your biological daughter. How could I think about harming you? Harming you would bring me no benefit. Grandpa


    "You''re not!" Kelly tried to convince Oliver, but Oliver cut her off.


    Kelly paused. Not? Not what? Meeting Oliver''s gaze, Kelly seemed to have guessed what he meant. Her heart trembled, and she called out subconsciously, "Grandpa..."


    "I''m not your grandpa. Your mother is not my daughter!" Oliver nced coldly at Chelsea, who looked disheveled.


    Chelsea was also involved in this deception. His gaze seemed to pierce through Chelsea''s lies. Her trembling body froze from the shock, and she dared not meet his gaze.


    At that moment, Kelly also froze. All the justifications she had in mind, as well as her attempts to use "Henrietta" as a shield to seek Oliver''s forgiveness andpassion, all copsed in that moment.


    She waspletely dumbfounded. Whenever she attempted to gather her thoughts, her mind was overrun with fear. He... had suspected it?


    Kelly''s eyes met Oliver''s gaze. Panicking, she continued putting on a farce, "Grandpa, what... what do you mean?"


    Even though she tried to remain calm, panic seeped through her shaky voice. But this time, Oliver did not reply to her.


    Chloe, who was watching from the sidelines, pieced together the words that Oliver said earlier. Suddenly, she stood up when she came to a revtion.


    "Kelly, you''re not of the Young family


    bloodline? Ha! How audacious of you to deceive Mr. Young Senior and all of us then! What are you nning? Do you want to steaKall of the Young family''s fortune by pretending to be the true heiress?


    "Yes, that must be it. Mr. Young Senior''s will states that he''ll pass all his assets to you. No wonder you wanted to harm him. You wanted him to die so that you could inherit everything, right?"

 Chapter 373 Driven to Madness

    Chloe spoke loudly. Her heart was leaping with joy. If this was indeed the case, the current situation would be highly advantageous for her.


    If Kelly was not "Henrietta''s daughter", the will dered earlier would be null and void, and the assets of the Young family could be redistributed.


    Seeing Kelly visibly flustered by her question fueled Chloe''s excitement further. But it wasn''t enough to just question her. Chloe wanted to add to Oliver''s anger.


    "If you were truly Henrietta''s daughter, I would have wholeheartedly supported you inheriting everything from the Young family. But I never expected you to be a fraud.


    "Thankfully we found out before it was toote. Otherwise, you would''ve taken everything that rightfully belonged to Henrietta''s real daughter!"


    Chloe kept mentioning "Henrietta", seemingly forgetting how opposed she was when the will was announced. She deliberately mentioned Henrietta to fuel Oliver''s anger.


    As expected, a hint of guilt surfaced beneath his furious re. All these years, Oliver had been living with guilt because of Henrietta. How could he not feel guilty for mistaking an impostor as Henrietta''s daughter?


    Chloe was satisfied when she saw Oliver''s guilt surfacing. She felt so satisfied that she didn''t think much when she saw Oliver''s gazend on Rose.


    Overjoyed, Chloe immediately turned to Oliver and requested, "Dad, since Kelly is not of the Young family''s bloodline, we must disqualify her inheritance and remove her from the family record!" Chloe''s words hung in the air.


    Anastasia immediately supported the notion. "Aunty is right. Not only that, she had tried to harm Grandpa multiple times. We can''t let her off easily!" Can''t let her off...


    For a moment, everyone''s gaze was fixed on Kelly. Their gazes were filled with disdain, condemning her for her deception and ruthlessness. It was as if they wished for her to suffer.


    But Kelly wasn''t afraid of suffering their condemnation. She was more afraid of losing. She wasn''t ready to give up. She was unwilling to ept that her deception had been exposed. She wasn''t willing to ept that her hard work amounted to nothing.


    Her built-up resentment fueled her determination to push on. She ignored Chloe and Anastasia. Instead, she fixed her sincere gaze on Oliver. "Grandpa, but... I am Henrietta''s daughter!"


    As long as she was Henrietta''s daughter, Oliver couldn''t do anything to her. It was Kelly''sst hope.


    Jonathanughed coldly. "If you''re Henrietta''s daughter, then who is she?" he asked, pointing at Chelsea.


    Following his gaze, Kelly met Chelsea''s eyes. And in that moment, both of them trembled involuntarily. Then, Kelly answered firmly, "She''s my adoptive mother."


    "Adoptive mother? Sure, an adoptive mother with blood ties. Alright!" Jonathan sneered and exchanged a nce with Finley.


    Immediately, Finley retrieved a file from one of the bodyguards and threw it at Kelly''s feet.


    The document bore the emblem of a prestigious Aquastead authentication agency, with the words "mother-daughter rtionship" prominently written in the results column. And the person being authenticated


    was...


    Kelly looked at the name on the paternity test report, and her mind started buzzing. All her hopes copsed.


    Kelly instinctively wanted to destroy the report. But just as her hand reached out for it, someone else snatched it away. Kelly looked up and saw Chloe beaming with excitement.


    Chloe stared at the names on the report and said, "Chelsea... and Kelly... are rted by blood! Ha! Kelly, Chelsea is your biological mother." Every word reminded Kelly that her n had failed.


    Even when the evidence was


    presented, Kelly still denied it in front


    of everyone. "No! There must be an error. This report has an error! That''s right, this report is fake. It must''ve been fabricated..." Kelly desperately wanted to shake off any connection she had with Chelsea.


    She repeated to herself over and over again that she was the true heiress of the Young family, not Chelsea''s daughter.


    She believed that she deserved to have the best of everything in the world. Only if she was the Young family''s heiress, and if she inherited the Young family''s assets, could she be on top of the world. Excitement filled her eyes. There was even a hint of madness visible. Everyone watched her with disdain, especially Oliver and Nixon, who used to think she was an innocent woman. They finally saw her true, and ugly, side.


    "Chelsea, hurry up and tell them that I''m not your daughter. I was adopted from the orphanage. I am Henrietta''s daughter! I have the Young family''s blood!"


    Kelly suddenly turned to Chelsea. When Kelly noticed the sadness in Chelsea''s eyes, she urged her again, "Tell them, Chelsea!"


    Chelsea suddenly snapped out of


    her thoughts. She was indeed a part of Kelly''s n to impersonate the


    Young family''s heiress. She evemet"


    orchestrated Jamie''s ident to


    clear Kelly''s path. She would''ve done anything for Kelly.


    But now, hearing Kelly call her "Chelsea" and denying their rtionship stung her heart. Chelsea met Kelly''s mad gaze. She was stunned for a moment.


    Kelly hurriedly yelled at her, "Hurry up and say it! Are you mute?" Perhaps because of her agitation, Kelly grabbed Chelsea''s arm fiercely.


    Chelsea winced in pain, but her heart ached more. Eventually, she managed to say, "I..." but the words ''am only Kelly''s adoptive mother'' didn''t escape her lips.


    Before Chelsea could continue, a cold voice interrupted her. "We''ll deal with the matters one by one."


    Jonathan''s cold rended on Chelsea. She felt a chill down her spine, forgetting what she was going to say next. She knew exactly what "matters" Jonathan was referring to.


    "Kelly, let''s give "


    "Shut up!"


    Kelly knew what she was about to say and forcefully cut her off. Her mother wanted her to give up the Young family and to give up her title as the Young family heiress. But she was so close to winning. She couldn''t give up!


    Kelly''s expression became increasingly frenzied. "Don''t be afraid of him. I am the Young family heiress. Even the Finch family wouldn''t dare to harm you!" Kelly grabbed Chelsea''s hand, fearlessly locking eyes with Jonathan.


    The most pressing matter was still to establish her identity as the Young family heiress. "Hurry..." Kelly urged eagerly.


    But under Jonathan''s cold gaze, Chelsea dared not utter a word.


    Amid the tension, Oliver''s voice rang out once more. "There''s no need for her to speak. Even if she did, it wouldn''t count as evidence, Miles... pass it to her." Oliver instructed.


    Everyone turned to look at Miles, curious about what Oliver was referring to. Miles brought out a file. Inside the file were thick stacks of papers.


    Miles tossed it in the air casually causing the papers to scatter across the room. Almost everyone had one in front of them. Just a nce was enough to see clearly.


    On the papers was the emblem of a prestigious Aquastead authentication agency, but the contents were different...

 Chapter 374 Shield Her From Danger

    The report clearly stated Kelly and Oliver''s names, and the results were...


    "Probability of paternity is 0%!" Ha..." Chloe sneered and thought, "With these two paternity reports, let''s see how Kelly defends herself this time."


    Kelly stared at the report as the others mocked her. Her instincts told her to flee when she saw the names and keywords on the report. But even when she looked away, she saw another report. Kelly... and Oliver... Probability of paternity is 0%... There was no way Kelly could get out of this.


    Every word was like a needle poking into her eyes. Even her head was ringing from the painful truth. But Kelly was still mumbling under her breath, "No... This isn''t true...


    "This is fake. This is all fake. I''m Henrietta''s daughter! I''m the Young family''s blood descendant..."


    Kelly yelled louder as she progressed. She still refused to admit the truth even with all the evidence present.


    Kelly''s eyes fluttered as her expression grew more frantic. Everyone in the hall could sense her resentment, but they all just looked at her with more disdain.


    Anastasia was thrilled by the satisfaction. There was no way she would let Kelly off easily. Now that Kelly lost support from the Young family, it would be easier for Anastasia to carry out her n. "Since she''s not rted to the Young family by blood, that means she''s not the heir anymore," Anastasia said merrily.


    Her words instantly agitated Kelly. Kelly red at Anastasia and screamed, "I''m the Young family''s blood descendant! I''m the heir to the family! This is fake. This is all fake! When Grandpa and I were reunited, we also did a paternity test. That report is real!"


    Kelly grabbed the scattered reports on the ground and tore them apart. She wanted to prove that she was the true heir, but she couldn''t hide the guilt from her eyes.


    Kelly knew from the bottom of her heart that the results of the first paternity report were real because the sample belonged to Rose, but she would never let anyone know how she tampered with the report. Kelly bit her lips and threw away the torn pieces of paper. She stood up on the floor scattered with papers and said to Oliver, "Grandpa, you did a paternity test before. I''m your granddaughter. That''s right. Here..."


    Kelly seemed to remember something and tore her dress to reveal a tattoo on her back.


    Angelica told her about the tattoo. It belonged to Henrietta. That tattoo was a stepping stone for her to get closer to Oliver and impersonate his granddaughter.


    What she didn''t expect was her words to expose her true intentions.


    "Grandpa, did you forget about this?"


    Kelly looked at Oliver. Her heart dropped when she saw the disdain in Oliver''s eyes. "Grandpa, I''m¡ª"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Oliver interrupted her. "You''re not!"


    Oliver continued without waiting for Kelly''s response, "You''re not our family''s blood descendant. You''re not Rietta''s daughter. You''re Kelly. You''re not rted to our family at all! And you..."


    Kelly had tried to take his life multiple times. Attempted murder was unforgivable. Oliver only needed to make a call for Kelly tond in jail.


    But at that moment, Oliver looked at Rose, who was standing beside him, and he immediately changed his mind. The Heavens still returned Rose to his side. He should thank the Heavens for that. So, letting Kelly go would be the right thing to do.


    "Leave. From now on, never show up in front of me!" Oliver said with a grim voice.


    He''d let her go just like that? Everyone was shocked at Oliver''s decision.


    "Grandpa..." Anastasia was the first to object. "She tried to kill you! We can''t let her get away!"


    "That''s right, father. We can''t let her get away!" Chloe chimed in.


    In the middle of the discussion, Kelly snapped back to her senses. Leave?


    "I won''t leave!" Kelly''s eyes trembled. "I still need to inherit the Young family! I won''t leave!"


    If she left now, she''d be left with nothing. Her expression grew crazed, which brought disdain. What on earth had gone wrong?


    Kelly reyed everything in her mind, and she suddenly thought of something. She turned around and red at Rose.


    "It''s you..."


    It''s Rose! It had to be Rose!


    She didn''t know what exactly Rose did, but she was sure that Rose was the reason everything turned out this way.


    All of Kelly''s resentment was now focused on Rose. Kelly''s anger erupted at once, and she charged at Rose.


    At some point, Kelly had a fork in her


    hand and aimed it at Rose''s eyes She wanted to destroy Rose so that she wouldn''t be able to ruin her


    ns in the future.


    She wanted to know how Rose would seduce Jonathan after ruining her face! The more she thought about it, the more crazed Kelly grew.


    When everyone realized her


    intentions, their expressions


    changed. At the same time,


    Jonathan, Miles, and even Finley and Gabriel rushed toward her, but they underestimated Kelly''s speed.


    Usually, Rose wouldn''t be afraid of Kelly, but she had only recently regained consciousness and had exhausted too much energy rushing back to the vi. Earlier, she merely sitting and watching


    was


    everything unfold, and her body was sweating profusely.


    She didn''t want anyone to worry, so she had been trying to hold on.


    When Rose saw Kelly rushing toward her in a frenzy, her mind told her to run away. But her body had lost her energy to dodge. So, Rose sat there in a daze.


    Everything seemed to slow down. Kelly dashed toward her with a manic expression, looking as if she was going to kill her. The others looked worried and panicked. "Oof" was the only thing Rose heard, followed by a low pained groan. There was a figure standing in front of her, and that person was... "Grandpa..."


    Rose heard Miles yell in shock, and her mind went nk.


    She stared at the figure in front of her. "Grandpa..."


    Rose felt the hand that was gripping her tighten. Rose looked down and saw Oliver''s hand.


    The next moment, he turned around with difficulty and said, "Don''t be afraid, Rose..."


    Don''t be afraid... Rose...


    Oliver''s eyes were filled with love. He felt at ease after making sure that she was fine, but his gaze made Rose feel a sudden burst of emotions. Rose immediately came back to her senses when she saw Oliver fall and caught him. Her heart dropped when she saw the fork lodged in his chest. "Doctor... Hurry! Get a doctor..." Rose said frantically. Suddenly, she thought of something and looked at Jonathan for help. "Save him, please save him!" The Finches had the most qualified doctors and medical team in Aquastead. Jonathan would surely have a way.


    Jonathan''s gaze softened when he saw Rose''s helpless pleading and he immediately called Harmony Hospital without wasting a second.

 Chapter 375 Oliver Passed Away

    The hall descended into chaos. Kelly never expected Oliver to take the hit for Rose.


    She was stunned at the sight of Oliver slumping into Rose''s arms. Before she coulde back to her senses, somebody kicked her from behind and sent her out of the room. Kelly fell to the ground with a loud bang. She grimaced from the pain following the sound of her bones dislocating, but no one cared about her at that moment.


    Everyone nervously gathered around Oliver and expressed their worry. Kelly was stunned by the sight. It seemed as if she had finally woken up.


    She had ruined everything. She harmed Oliver in front of everyone again. If something really happened to Oliver, Jonathan would never let her off.


    At that moment, she only had one idea. Run! Now that everyone in the hall was distracted, it was her chance! No one noticed that Kelly was dragging herself out in pain.


    "Ro... Rose..." Oliver was barely breathing as he gazed at Rose. He seemed to have a lot to say to her, but he probably couldn''t make it any longer.


    "Grandpa, I''m here... I''m here. The doctors will be here soon..." Rose''s heart sank as she held Oliver''s hand tightly. She had never felt such panic before.


    Rose''s mind kept reying the scene where Oliver stood in front of her and tears started flowing from her eyes. She sobbed, "How could you... How could you do such a foolish thing..." Even if Kelly hurt her, she''d rather take it on herself than have Oliver protect her.


    "Don''t... cry..." Oliver raised his hand and wiped her tears.


    His frail movement made it seem like he would pass away at any moment. Yet, he still held on.


    Oliver stared at Rose, wanting to look at her for longer. He kept mumbling, "You resemble her... a lot..."


    Oliver could see Rietta in Rose whenever he looked at Rose''s eyes. Now, when he looked at those eyes, he finally saw Rose as she was. She was his granddaughter!


    He remembered the time Rose saved him on the ship. Thankfully Jonathan came in time to rescue her, otherwise...


    He wouldn''t be able to forgive himself even if he died. Thankfully... Thankfully Rose was saved.


    Oliver seemed to think of something. "Miles..."


    "Grandpa..." Miles approached him with a solemn expression, worry etched on his face.


    Oliver stared at Miles seriously. "Remember what I told you..."


    Before Miles could reply, Oliver couldn''t hold on anymore. He used all his strength to look at Rose onest time, wishing he could etch her into his memory.


    He wanted to look at her more, but unfortunately... Oliver''s hand that was wiping off Rose''s tears fell lifelessly as he closed his eyes.


    The air seemed to go still for a brief moment. Then, the room sprung back into chaos.


    "Grandpa..."


    The room burst into sounds of sobbing and screaming while Olivery in Rose''s arms,yingpletely still.


    Rose felt numb. She didn''t dare to think about the possibility that...


    Nheless, someone reached out to check Oliver''s breath. It was none other than Chloe. She immediately came to a conclusion and retracted her hand. "He''s not breathing... Oliver''s..."


    Gone... What did that imply?


    Chloe subconsciously eximed, "Since Kelly is not rted to Oliver, then the will is void! I want the distribution of assets to be reconsidered!"


    With Oliver gone, she was now the oldest member of the Young family. Of course, she had to be quick to take advantage of this situation.


    But the moment she said those words, everyone looked at her with disdain, especially Miles.


    Although Chloe felt guilty, she still insisted, "I''m not wrong. The young family is powerful. We need to¡ª"


    "Stop it, Mom!" Gabriel interrupted Chloe before she could finish.


    He was aware that his mother had her eyes on the Young family, but it was only then did he realize that she only ever cared about the family''s wealth. Everyone was grieving over Oliver''s sudden death. Yet, not only was she not pained by his death, she only cared about the distribution of assets... Afraid that Chloe would continue saying hurtful things to Miles and Rose, Gabriel decisively grabbed her hand and dragged her outside.


    "What are you doing? Gabriel, let go of me!"


    Chloe was furious. She tried to


    release herself from his grip, but she couldn''t win against Gabriel. As she was dragged to the gates, Chloe heard Mile''s cold voice from


    behind.


    "Grandpa''s will is still valid."


    Chloe frowned. "What do you mean? The will clearly states that his biological granddaughter will inherit his assets. How could he have a biological granddaughter?"


    Chloe sneered, but Miles did not


    reply to her. Instead, he turned to Rose. At that moment, Rose was sobbing uncontrobly. It was as if she couldn''t hear anything else


    around her.


    Her mind kept ying herst moments with Oliver. When Miles tried to carry Oliver away, Rose tightened her grip on Oliver the moment Miles touched him. "Rose..." Miles'' voice trembled. He didn''t know what else to say.


    Rose cared for Oliver as much as he did. In fact... When he thought about what Oliver told him to do and his reminded earlier, he came to a decision.


    ...


    Outside the Young mansion... A figure that was fleeing sped up her movements. When she heard sounds of sobbing from inside, Kelly knew that Oliver was probably dead.


    She once wished for Oliver''s death,


    but now. Even if he died, she


    wouldn''t be able to get what shal.ne


    wanted. She wouldn''t be able to stay in Aquastead anymore either.


    Kelly''s thoughts were upied with ways to escape Aquastead. Shepletely forgot that Chelsea was still in Jonathan''s hands. She thought she could escape, but before she could step away more than 100 feet, a few men in ck suits rushed toward her. There was no time for her to run before she was detained by the men. She was thrown into a ck sack and shoved into a car. The doctors from Harmony Hospital rushed over and dered Oliver''s death. Miles ced his hand on Oliver''s lifeless body. Rose also couldn''t hold it any longer. She felt her head spin and lost all strength from her body.


    The next second, a pair of strong arms caught her from falling. Before she lost consciousness, she met Jonathan''s worried gaze.

 Chapter 376 Fighting For Him

    Rose had a really long dream.


    In the dream, Oliver was sitting on the bench at the park where they first met. He was holding that exact cake when they first met and was smiling and waving at her. "Rose,e here..."


    Rose happily went to him, but when she got closer, he suddenly stood up and walked further away from her.


    "Grandpa..."


    Rose wanted to chase after him, but her feet seemed to be stuck to the ground. No matter how much she tried, she couldn''t walk forward. Rose wanted to cry.


    She kept yelling for him as if the moment he was gone, she wouldn''t be able to see him again. That fear kept growing stronger.


    "Grandpa, don''t go! Please don''t go!" Rose yelled.


    Finally, Oliver stopped. He slowly turned back to Rose and smiled as he said something to her. However, no matter how much she tried, she couldn''t tell what he was saying.


    She panicked as she watched Oliver give her a final wave as if it was hisst farewell. Then, he disappeared into a bright light.


    When Rose woke up, she was on a bed. Her pillow was drenched with cold sweat.


    Before she opened her eyes, the scene from her dream appeared once again in her mind before being reced by the scene where Oliver died in her arms.


    She had hoped what happened was a dream and that she would see Oliver stand in front of her with love in his eyes and call her name warmly, but the sound from downstairs reminded her that it wasn''t just a dream.


    It wasn''t a dream. So Grandpa was...


    Rose opened her eyes and shot up from the bed. She needed to see Oliver again!


    Perhaps her body was too weak and because she was too frantic, she felt dizzy the moment she got off the bed. It took a lot from her to try to stand and not fall.


    The sound from downstairs grew louder. Rose didn''t want to waste another second.


    ...


    Downstairs, after Chloe was dragged away by Gabriel, she sessfully freed herself from Gabriel and found a way back.


    "Now with Oliver dead, they can dream on if they''re trying to have all his assets for themselves!" she thought.


    "Miles, we''re both adopted by Oliver. Neither of us is better than the other, but I''m your elder. I should be the one taking care of Oliver''s matters. How could you?" Chloe was stopped from entering, so she kept shouting from outside.


    When Rose walked downstairs, she saw the Finch''s bodyguards blocking people from outside. Chloe was screaming like a maniac. She no longer looked like a noble. "Miles, the crematorium car is here..." Anastasia was standing next to Miles.


    Everyone present was still in shock. No one would''ve thought that Oliver''s fake death would be reality.


    It was just a ploy to expose Kelly''s true colors, but in the end, Oliver still died at Kelly''s hands.


    Miles turned to Oliver, who was lying in the coffin, with tears in his eyes for a while before finally saying, "Just a little longer..."


    A little longer? For who?


    Anastasia was puzzled. When she was about to say something, Jonathan noticed the person walking down the stairs.


    He was watching everything unfold like an outsider without any sign of emotion, but when he saw Rose, he sprung from the couch in shock. He quickly strode to Rose in just a few steps.


    His movements drew attention from the crowd. Everyone followed his line of gaze and saw Rose standing at the stairs.


    Rose was wearing white. Though she gained consciousness, she was pale as a ghost, looking like she would pass out anytime.


    Everyone could tell that Oliver''s death did a great deal to Rose. Her frail manner made everyone feel pity for her.


    "Miss Shaffer, my condolences. I believe Oliver wouldn''t want to see you sad either." The butler couldn''t help but console Rose when she walked past him.


    Rose stopped in her tracks. He wouldn''t want to see her sad... Oliver lost his life because he tried to protect her from Kelly. It''s all her fault!


    §Ö


    She couldn''t hold back her tears as a wave of sadness overwhelmed her. Her sobs echoed through therge hall. Slowly after, the butler and the other maids started crying as well.


    Their cries were louder than Chloe''s yelling from outside.


    For a moment, Chloe was also sad, but it onlysted briefly as her heart turned cold. She sneered. "Ha! What a great actress."


    She just got recognized as his


    granddaughter not long ago. It was foolish of her to try to gain brownie points from the Young family with just a few tears! Chloe decided that she could not let Rose gain anything.


    "Rose, is it? Don''t think that you can fool the Young family into giving you the assets just by crying! None of the assets will go to you!" Chloe screamed into the hall. Everyone in the hall could hear her words. Jonathan frowned deeply. Why would his woman need any of the Young family''s assets?


    "Finley..."


    Jonathan was about to get someone to send Chloe away, but before he could finish, Miles interrupted him.


    "Since Rose is here, it''s time to send Grandpa off."


    The crematorium car had been waiting outside for a while. Rose was the reason Miles had been waiting so long? Anastasia was a little upset.


    When Oliver''s coffin was outside, Miles gave Rose the best seat next to Oliver. This deeply annoyed Anastasia.


    She had not forgotten what she had to endure that night. Although Kelly was the culprit, everything Kelly prepared was for Rose.


    Rose was the one who was supposed to endure all that, but Anastasia had to go through it. She would never let Kelly off easy. The same was true for Rose.


    Seeing Rose''s despaired look,


    Anastasia thought the same thing as Chloe. Rose was just in on it for the Young family''s assets. But Anastasia would not let that happen as long as she was there!


    After Oliver was cremated, Miles passed his urn to Rose.


    "What are you doing, Miles?" Anastasia stopped him.


    The guards who had been stopping Chloe were also surprised at Miles'' actions. Chloe took the opportunity to rush forward.


    "Miles, how could you simply give away Oliver''s urn?" Chloe screamed as she reached for the urn.


    Rose was also stunned. She had no idea why Miles would pass her Oliver''s urn.


    Because of that, she wasn''t ready when Chloe reached for the urn. When Rose came back to her senses, Chloe had already grabbed hold of the urn.


    But Chloe was too focused on getting the urn, and she did it in a hurry, so she didn''t manage to get a good hold of it.


    Seeing that the urn was about to fall, Rose subconsciously reached for it. But in Chloe''s eyes, it seemed like Rose was trying to steal from her. Chloe then pushed Rose aside.


    Rose staggered from the push. She didn''t manage to bnce herself and fell onto the ground. As she fell, the urn also shed with the ground with a loud ng.


    The room fell silent.

 Chapter 377 Rose Is Furious

    The ashes covered the ground. At that sight, everyone''s faces began to look enraged.


    Chloe was stunned. Regaining herposure, she instinctively looked at Miles and saw a cold glint in his eyes. He had always been gentle and well-mannered, but at that moment, his eyes conveyed extreme anger.


    Chloe knew she had made a terrible mistake. After some thought, she decided to shift the me onto someone else.


    "It was..." Rose!


    Chloe confidently made eye contact with Miles. To her, the only person she had to handle was Miles. As for Rose, it was a piece of cake to deal with her.


    But before she could use Rose as her scapegoat, a tight pnded on her cheek. All she could hear was a buzz as her mind went nk. Once she regained her bearings, she saw the person who pped her.


    Rose? How audacious of her! Enraged, Chloe red strikingly at her.


    "You..."


    Once again, another p from Rosended on the other side of her cheek before Chloe could finish her sentence.


    It was evident that Rose used all her might because her handprints were visible on Chloe''s face. Furthermore, Chloe also lost her bnce and retreated a few steps after being hit. When Chloe recovered her senses, she red at Rose again. "How dare you hit me!"


    Rose''s expression darkened. Despite Chloe being Oliver''s adopted daughter-an elder to her-Rose had not expressed her resentment once when Chloe made several huge fusses regarding the Young family''s inheritance after Oliver''s passing.


    Yet, Chloe had crossed the line when she knocked over Oliver''s ashes. There was no way Rose would tolerate that!


    "What will you do about it?" Although Rose looked pale, the rage in her eyes sent a chill down Chloe''s spine.


    When Chloe met Rose''s eyes, it suddenly felt like the person standing before her was Henrietta.


    Henrietta...


    Shaking her head, Chloe looked at Rose again and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming it was Rose. For some reason, she was reminded of Henrietta when she looked at Rose. "Why is that?" Chloe wondered. "Their eyes look identical."


    It didn''t make sense because Anastasia''s eyes resembled Henrietta''s as well. In fact, all of Oliver''s adopted granddaughters had Henrietta''s eyes. But none of them reminded her of Henrietta... except for Rose.


    While Chloe was lost in her thoughts, Rose was already cleaning up the scattered ashes off the ground. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t retrieve the ashes that had integrated with the grass. The feeling of self-reproach weighed upon her.


    Sensing that something was amiss, Miles quickly crouched down and held Rose''s hand. He gentlyforted her. "Let me help, Rose."


    However, she didn''t let him get involved. Instead, her mind slowly rxed after hearing his voice.


    She removed his hand from hers, slowly picking up the ashes as if she didn''t want to leave a single speck behind or any dirt around it. That sight was heart-wrenching.


    As Chloe looked at Rose, the agitation within her grew stronger. When Rose finally returned all the ashes back to the urn and stood up, Chloe thought she had seen Henrietta again.


    "It''s Henrietta holding the urn!" she thought. Startled, she became even more reluctant for "Henrietta" to hold the urn.


    Just as Rose and the others were ready to leave with the urn, Chloe blocked her again. "You have no right to hold this urn!"


    Halted by Chloe, Rose had no choice but to look at her. The two smacks earlier were considered restrained for Rose, but since Chloe wanted to continue the fight, Rose no longer held back.


    In front of everyone, Rose ced the urn into Miles'' hands. Understanding her intention, he whispered, "Let me handle her."


    "No need!" Rose piped up. She didn''t care if she overstepped her boundaries within the Youngs'' business as an outsider. At that moment, she was ready to get physical.


    She turned her head, and before her gazended on Chloe, thetter felt a chill down her spine. The fear she felt did not only stem from Rose''s fierceness but also her memories of Henrietta.


    For a moment, it felt like she had seen Henrietta again! Chloe couldn''t understand why she saw Henrietta in Rose.


    While she was still pondering, Rose,


    on the other hand, had walked up to her and grabbed her wrist abruptly. The next second, Chloe felt a pain in her legs and a force against her head, sinking her to her knees.


    "Get off me!" Chloe reflexively resisted upon realizing she had been suppressed.


    The pale and fatigued-looking Rose surprisingly managed to subdue her. Chloe felt like a boulder was on her back, rendering her immobilized.


    When recalling how Henrietta had simrly suppressed her, Chloe felt another wave of rage. "Rose..."


    She was about to say something harsh when her mouth was stuffed with an unknown substance. Soon, she realized she was biting a mouthful of dirty grass. Rose actually did it...


    "Hm... Hm..." Chloe was furious, but


    no matter how h she struggled, she couldn''t break free. Her mouth was stuffed with soil and grass, and she couldn''t utter a sentence. It was even more infuriating that no one around them objected to what Rose was doing to her.


    Then, she heard a stern order from Rose.


    "Lie face down and apologize!" she enunciated, leaving no room for intervention.


    Chloe found her ridiculous. "Hmm? Hm... Hm..."


    Apologize to Rose in the form of prostration? Who did she think she was? She was nothing more than a granddaughter who''d been adopted on a whim!


    Rose could sense her reluctance among her muffled whines. She repeated, "Apologize to Grandpa! On the ground!"


    When those words rang, Chloe froze


    momentarily. Even if she had


    Although the majority were displeased with her, no one dared to voice it out. Now that Rose had suppressed her and forced her to apologize, everyone present felt a sense of satisfaction. ording to them, Chloe should disy submissiveness and apologize to Oliver!


    "What''s wrong? Are you reluctant to do so?" Rose''s voice echoed coldly when she saw her defying gaze.


    No matter what it took, Rose would make Chloe lie face down and apologize today. Without waiting for her response, Rose delivered another hard smack onto her face. It took Chloe by surprise. Before she could react, she could feel her hairpin being removed. Soon, her hair fell into ce, and a sharp weapon anchored near her eye...

 Chapter 378 Prostrate and Repent

    Almost by instinct, Chloe instantly shut her eyes. Even if she did, she could vividly feel the hairpin in Rose''s hand less than an inch away from her eye. If she opened them now, Rose might actually impale her eyeball.


    Amidst the terror, she heard anothermand from Rose above her head. "Get on the ground and apologize to Grandpa!" Her voice was as cold as ice.


    Despite her reluctance, Chloe gave in to the pressure. "Okay. I will. But first, take that thing away..." As if unfulfilled, she continued to request, "Also, you must let me go. Otherwise, h-how can I lie face down?" She thought Rose wouldn''t fulfill her request, but to her surprise, she did.


    Regaining her freedom, Chloe had no ns to prostrate and apologize. When she looked up and saw Oliver''s picture, it felt like he was staring at her.


    "Face down!" Rose''s voice sounded again.


    Chloe scanned the crowd, who had condemning gazes, and realized they were waiting for her to do it. Their looks conveyed that they would not leave unless she prostrated and apologized sincerely. After some hesitation, she conceded.


    She knelt and bowed slightly at Oliver''s urn and portrait, her actions looking extremely perfunctory.


    Naturally, Rose was dissatisfied with that. There was no way she would ept this half-hearted repentance.


    "Do it sincerely this time!" Rose voiced everyone''s thoughts. They nodded and parroted, "Do it properly!"


    Under the pressure, Chloe gritted her teeth and lowered her body again. This time, there was a slight improvement. Her face touched the ground.


    However, to Rose, that wasn''t enough topensate for her mistake. "Not good enough!" Her gaze turned cold, and she made up her mind to put Chloe through this punishment.


    Upon hearing that, Chloe lifted her head and red furiously at Rose. "Don''t overdo it!" Did she?


    "Trust me, I can." Rose waved the hairpin, revealing a sardonic smile.


    Faced with such threats, Chloe fumed with rage. "I dare you to..."


    Just then, she was interrupted by a hairpin darting toward her eye. "Ah!" She closed her eyes out of fear.


    The hairpin stopped in mid-air, and it was then Chloe understood Rose was not ying around. Shaken to her core, she begged, "Okay, I''ll do it. I''ll do it..." "Alright. Go on!"


    Chloe would have to repeat it until she satisfied Rose.


    Rose kept the hairpin away, and Chloe opened her eyes. She proceeded to repeat the action reluctantly, but it wasn''t received well.


    "Not good enough!"


    Gritting her teeth, Chloe didn''t say anything further and buried her face into the ground. "That should do it!" she thought.


    "Not good enough!" Rose remained dissatisfied.


    Chloe was enveloped in fury, but upon contemtion, she could only try harder. Shey submissively on the ground, her face covered in dirt.


    Having suffered enough humiliation, she finally received Rose''s approval. However, there was still one step left...


    Just as Chloe thought things had ended, Rose''s voice echoed again. "What about your apology? You can''t forget that."


    Chloe lifted her head abruptly and screamed, "Rose!"


    However, Rose merely responded with furrowed brows. Then, Chloe saw her gripping the hairpin. Despite how pale Rose looked, Chloe had experienced first-hand how brutal she could get. An apology was nothingpared to earlier. She conceded defeat and turned toward Oliver''s portrait and urn.


    "Sorry, Oliver," she said, without a hint of emotion.


    Rose was displeased. "Again!"


    Chloe gritted her teeth and repeated, "I''m sorry, Oliver." It wasn''t genuine.


    Rose scrunched her brows. "Again!"


    "You..." Chloe knew there was no way out until she satisfied Rose with her apology. Hence, she took a deep breath and stared at Oliver''s picture.


    This time, she met his eyes. The memories of him adopting her suddenly resurfaced.


    Back then, the Young couple had suffered the disappearance of their daughter. To ease the wife''s pain, they adopted Chloe.


    During her time with the Young family, the couple treated her with utmost care and love. Back then, she felt like the luckiest orphan alive. She led a wonderful life until the age of 18.


    One day, she found out that the


    Youngs had been searching for their


    missing daughter all those years.


    That instilled a fear within her-


    fear that she would be reced and lose everything when the rightful heiress of the Youngs came home


    alive.


    As a result, she secretly investigated the case of the missing Young family''s heiress. She wanted to prevent the real daughter from returning home before the couple found her. However, the universe defied her wish. Oliver located his missing daughter before her.


    When the rightful heiress returned


    home, she was well-loved by


    everyone. That shift in environment led Chloe to think she was no longer worthy within the family. Sheought to return to where she came from.


    She didn''t want to be an orphan again and lose everything she had. As such, she became two-faced since Henrietta''s return, acting diligently on the surface but constantly sowing discord between Henrietta and Oliver.


    Under her instigations, Henrietta left home out of anger. With that, Chloe became the onlydy of the Young family once again, with everything belonging to her.


    To her dismay, Oliver found out everything she had done. He regretted hitting Henrietta and banishing her from their home.


    Since then, Oliver had looked for Henrietta for 20 years. Despite the failure, he never loved or cared for Chloe the same way again. He disregarded her, and she did the same to him.


    At that moment, she realized she had been grieving the loss of her close rtionship with Oliver. Without him, there would be no Chloe Young.


    Her heart trembled. She stared at his picture before a wave of sorrow finally enveloped her. "I''m so sorry..." she uttered. "I shouldn''t have broken the urn. I''m sorry."


    She regretted sowing discord between Oliver and Henrietta... Chloe''s apology was genuine. Tears filled her eyes as she muttered repeatedly, "I''m sorry. I''m sorry!" Miles had never seen her like this. Then, he nced at Rose.


    Staring at the posthumous portrait, Rose finally piped up, "Let''s go."


    Oliver''s funeral awaited them. Miles ced the urn into Rose''s hands once again. This time, she ignored the condemning gazes around her and unhesitantly held the urn.

 Chapter 379 Pressuring Him Into Marriage

    Atst, Rose and the others brought Oliver''s ashes back to Regalia to prepare for his funeral. Around the same time she arrived, Jonathan''s private jetnded too.


    "Mr. Finch, I received a message from Finch Manor demanding your instant return." Finley walked alongside Jonathan.


    Jonathan had returned to Regalia because of Rose. However, he hadn''t expected his family to know his location as soon as he touched down.


    Jonathan furrowed his brows without a word. It couldn''t be more obvious that he had ignored Finch Manor''s message. His footsteps did not halt for even a second. After getting into the car, he instructed Finley, "To the Young residence." He was confident Rose would be there because she had arrived in Regalia for Oliver''s funeral. "Yes, Mr. Finch," responded Finley.


    As the car left the airport, a group of luxury cars appeared on the road and surrounded Jonathan''s vehicle. Then, his phone rang with a call from Finch Manor.


    Jonathan scrunched his eyebrows at his family''s usual tricks. He declined the call and tried to ignore it, but Mrs. Finch Senior quickly phoned him with her private number. After hesitating for a moment, he answered the call.


    "Hey, big boy. Are you too proud to take my calls now?" Eleanor Garcia sounded upset on the phone, but her tone carried a hint of yfulness.


    Among the Finches, Jonathan cared about his grandmother the most. He sighed silently, his voice simrly gentle. "Of course not, Grandma. I''ll always answer your calls." "Don''t you n toe home after returning to Regalia?" She huffed. "Sigh. I missed it when you were little. You were so adorable, always telling me where you wanted to go.


    "Then, you grew up and left for Aquastead without a single word. I wouldn''t have known you returned if it wasn''t for Uncle Yosef. Were you nning to hide from me?" She sounded displeased. Jonathan''s gaze turned cold at that moment. "Uncle Yosef... I knew it," he thought.


    "I must thank him for the grand escort then!" He chuckled sarcastically. Aside from the many luxurious cars tailing him, his uncle even got Eleanor to call him. It seemed that he desperately wanted him home. After a brief thought, Jonathan added, "Tell Uncle Yosef I''ll be home soon, Grandma."


    When the call ended, his expression turned grim. Finley tentatively nced at him with the rearview mirror. "Mr. Finch, what about the Young residence..."


    Impatience shed across Jonathan''s eyes. He couldn''t wait to see Rose, but his family... Noticing his expression, Finley understood him and ordered the driver to speed up.


    Finch Manor was located halfway up Mount Ebott. Since Eleanor got used to the serenity of living on the mountain, she refused to move back to the city.


    As such, the Finch family, the wealthiest in Regalia, became the first upants of many stately homes residing on Mount Ebott. Since then, Mount Ebott had be a hot spot for elite families.


    The car maneuvered swiftly along the mountain road and finally arrived before a simple, yet majestic, garden.


    When Jonathan exited the car, he saw a Bentley parked not far away. As expected, he saw his uncle, Yosef Finch, upon entering Finch Manor. Jonathan ignored him and merely shed him a mocking re. Consequently, thetter was enraged.


    Before Jonathan could greet Eleanor, Yosef insinuated, "Ever since Jon took over Finch Group, he''s got a different attitude."


    "Did you ask me here just to see Uncle Yosef, Grandma?" Jonathan ignored Yosef and didn''t bother to sit down either. He nned to leave soon.


    He nced at his wristwatch. "Please be forward, Uncle Yosef." He wanted to end this quickly.


    Eleanor understood his attitude. She knew he was mad that Yosef had deployed those men to go after him at the airport.


    Sheined, "I asked you here


    because I missed you! You left for Aquastead without a word and stayed there for what I thought was only two months! Look at how long it''s been since then! Don''t you care about me anymore? You''re so cruel."


    Eleanor was Jonathan''s closest family member. She was 80 years old, and despite her great spirit, she was a concerned elder, after all.


    Jonathan softened his tone. "It was for work, Grandma."


    For work... He looked away subtly as he felt guilty for lying.


    He knew for a fact that the reason he stayed in Aquastead was Rose, not his work. Even his return to Regalia was due to her. Reminded of how she had arrived there too, Jonathan couldn''t wait to see her.


    However, he had to face Yosef first. Thus, he could only suppress his impatience.


    Despite that, Eleanor noticed something amiss. Jonathan had always been cool andposed, but his momentary slip-up was detected by her. Then, she remembered what Yosef had mentioned earlier. Jonathan had fallen for a woman in Aquastead. Still, there was this marriage alliance... "You''ve taken over Finch Group for some time now, Jon. It''s time you remember your duty as the head of the Finches," she reminded.


    "I do, Grandma." Since his takeover as the head of the family, Finch Group had expanded its business rapidly.


    Then, she straightforwardly stated, "It''s about time you get married."


    He naturally would love to marry Rose, but he soon realized she was talking about someone else.


    "I used to like those two girls from the Young family. Harriette was great with you, but... that happened. Sigh.


    "Sometime after, there''s Anastasia who adored you greatly. Yet, she announced her marriage out of the blue...


    "Even though she wanted to divorce her husband, it''s not a great idea for you to get involved with her now that you''ve taken over Finch Group.


    "Luckily, the daughter of the Maize family has returned. I met her. She was beautiful. She''s an international movie star.


    "Although the entertainment industry can beplicated, her image has been positive. I think she''ll be a great candidate for thedy of the Finches."


    She sounded exceptionally pleased with the Maize family''s daughter. ncing at Yosef, Jonathan finally understood his purpose.


    Yosef''s wife was the granddaughter of the Maizes. ording to that logic, the movie star Eleanor mentioned was a nephew of Yosef''s wife.


    "So... Was this Uncle Yosef''s idea?" Jonathan scoffed.


    Having been seen through, Yosef no longer hid it and chuckled. "The Maize family and us are two of the Three Greatest Families of Regalia. You two are highlypatible!" Compatible? Jonathan didn''t want his marriage to be used for business alliances!


    "I will get married, but the bride will


    have nothing to do with the Maizes. If that is all, please excuse me. He turned and left, soon disappearing from the massive living room.


    As soon as he departed, Yosef couldn''t help but insinuate, "Look at him! He''s saying he wants to marry that woman. Mom, we can''t let Jon marry just anyone."

 Chapter 380 A Mob

    "I know what you''re nning!" Eleanor red at Yosef, her demeanor cold.


    She saw through his schemes easily. If Ms. Maize married Jonathan, it would increase Yosef''s chances of regaining his power at Finch Group.


    The startled Yosef yed dumb. "Mom-"


    "Stop it. The Finch Group now belongs to Jon, and you should stop plotting. Your only duty now is to stick to your position and assist Jon instead of poking into his private business," lectured Eleanor. She would not let anyone harm the family.


    Although Yosef''s capability was far from Jonathan''s, he remained ambitious. That was something Eleanor understood. She nced at his son and was ready to head upstairs.


    Yosef was reluctant to give up. His goal today was to be the matchmaker between the Finches and Maizes. Even Eleanor sounded extremely pleased earlier! He couldn''t ept the sudden twist... When Eleanor arrived at the staircase, Yosef quickly added, "Mom, regarding the marriage alliance with the Maizes..."


    She halted her steps. Upon contemtion, she asked, "I heard that Ms. Maize signed her agency contract with Rise Entertainment. Is that true?"


    Rise Entertainment was backed by Finch Group.


    "Indeed."


    "If so, tell the executive manager of Rise Entertainment to have a handover with Jon. In the future, he can manage Rise Entertainment."


    Yosef finally understood Eleanor''s intentions. Not only did she not object to the marriage alliance, but she even created more opportunities for Jonathan and the Maizes to engage.


    "Alright. I got it. I''ll make the arrangement now." Yosef was thrilled to achieve his goal. He knew that with Eleanor''s approval of this marriage, she would find a way to convince Jonathan.


    ...


    At Young Estate, Regalia...


    When Oliver''s cremains arrived at the airport in Regalia, the media caught wind of it. Undoubtedly, the news of his passing was massive.


    As one of the three greatest families of Regalia, his death would naturally attract much attention. Some were curious about the Youngs'' inheritance dispute after his passing, while some expressed their appreciation for all his charity acts.


    When Rose, Miles, and the family members headed to Young Estate, they received information that the media had swarmed the entrance. Since they could not stop the press from doing their job, Miles instructed the security to maintain order once they arrived.


    Atst, a ck luxury car halted outside Young Estate. Cameras were seen shing before anyone had even stepped out of the vehicle.


    Faced with a crowd, Rose tightened her grip on the urn. Miles sensed something amiss from her scrunched brows.


    "Don''t be scared. I''ve instructed them to keep the crowd under control. They won''t hurt you," he said softly.


    Rose smirked. She wasn''t scared to be hurt. Instead, she feared the crowd would knock over Oliver''s ashes again...


    She nced at the urn, and before she alighted from the car, she mentally prepared herself with one task-to bring Oliver back home safely.


    The moment Rose stepped out of


    the car, there was a momentary pause in the shing lights. Among the crowd were veteran journalists who had captured many figures, including a few influential Youngs. Yet the woman was a stranger to them.


    After a brief pause, confusion turned into shock when they realized she was holding the urn. ording to custom, only a significant member could carry the urn. So who on earth was this youngdy? Their journalism instincts quickly deduced that this person was extraordinary. Whoever discovered her identity first was bound to have a scoop.


    Instantly, the crowd shoved their cameras and microphones toward her. Despite the heavy security, the assemge turned chaotic.


    "What''s your rtionship with Mr. Young Senior? Why are you the one holding the urn?"


    "Were you part of the inheritance dispute after Mr. Young Senior''s passing? Did you receive the Youngs'' permission to do this? Or are you trying to make a statement with this?"


    One question came after another like an endless wave.


    Wearing her sunsses, Rose did not spare anyone a nce or answer any questions. She was shielded by Miles as they made their way toward the Young Estate''s main door. As soon as they entered, they could leave the shing lights behind.


    However, the crowd was not ready to let her go. Their curiosity


    regarding her identity heightened when they saw how intensely Miles


    protected Rose. At that moment, the


    security guards separated the


    Youngs from the journalists.


    Seeing that Rose was about to enter the house, a journalist suddenly broke through the security''s defenses and strode toward her, blocking her way.


    The journalist positioned the mic before her. "Hello, miss. What''s your rtionship with Mr. Young Senior? We''re seeing you for the first time only after his passing. Are you here to im your share of the inheritance?"


    At that sight, the other journalists followed suit and arrived with their microphones before Rose. She couldn''t help but hold the urn tighter.


    She wasn''t afraid of these aggressive journalists, but she feared her answers to their questions would affect Oliver and the Young family.


    After a brief thought, Rose piped up. She wanted to announce that she would not be involved with the inheritance controversy.


    Before she could say so, a woman behind her interrupted, "Her name''s Rose Shaffer, Grandpa''s adopted granddaughter. She''s part of the Young family, so naturally, she can im a share of the inheritance!" It was Anastasia. The journalists looked in her direction and realized it too.


    Since Oliver''s cremation, regardless of any important tasks like holding the urn or leading the funeral, Miles had allowed Rose to be the face of the family.


    Anastasia knew she could not challenge Miles while everyone was tuned in to their family''s matters like today. Still, she was fairly reluctant and upset that Rose had taken the spotlight. Furthermore, Anastasia felt greatly threatened regarding the inheritance. She couldn''t just watch Rose take her share like that! Thus, the crowd of media had be her weapon.


    After digesting Anastasia''s statement, the reporters questioned, "Can you confirm that Mr. Young Senior has another adopted granddaughter, Ms. Young?"


    "Yes. That''s the truth. Grandpa met Rose in Aquastead and instantly felt a connection. It''s just that our family remained lowkey, with only a few in Aquastead knowing about this. That''s why this is news to Regalia."


    Anastasia spoke as if she were a kind sister who approved of Oliver''stest granddaughter. While everyone was curious about Rose''s background, Anastasia continued...

 Chapter 381 A Deliberate Trap

    "Grandpa put himself in danger for Rose, so you better not make things worse for her!" Anastasia made it sound like a warning, but the rest quickly caught the hint.


    "Ms. Anastasia, are you saying Mr. Young Senior passed away because of her?"


    "What exactly happened? Can we interpret that as her causing Mr. Young Senior''s death?"


    The journalists were relentless, shooting out questions harder than before.


    That was precisely what Anastasia wanted. Although she sessfully threw Rose under the bus, she kept it as subtle as possible.


    Facing the reporters, Anastasia quickly exined, "That''s not true. You''re specting." She looked protective of Rose by "defending" her.


    After noticing the awry in her statement, they couldn''t possibly just ept her half-hearted exnation. On top of that, the protagonist was right before them. They needed to get this scoop!


    They refocused their attention on Rose, ignoring Anastasia. "If Mr. Young Senior died because of you, are you directly responsible for his death then?" They were harsh.


    The camera shes were blinding Rose. As she recalled how Oliver protected her, there was a flicker in her eyes. The journalist perceptively caught on to that detail as if it were something major. "Are you feeling remorseful? Do you regret it?"


    "Did you kill Mr. Young Senior for his inheritance?"


    Their questions became more intense.


    Rose''s eyes trembled. It was undeniable that Oliver got hurt because of her. Of course, she was remorseful and regretted letting that happen, but she had never eyed his inheritance.


    Looking at the crowd of journalists, Rose understood they needed a statement from her before they let her off. She instinctively tightened her grip on the urn as she faced their anticipating gazes and shing lights.


    Then, she enunciated, "I will not im any-"


    "Rose!" Miles interrupted her upon knowing her intention.


    All of the Young family''s resources rightfully belonged to Rose, but that was something non-disclosable to the public.


    Miles held Rose''s shoulders and shielded her with his arm. Despite being someone who had always politely engaged with the media, he was cold and harsh this time.


    "This is the Youngs'' business. Please await our official response. If any baseless spections persist, we will spare no effort in taking legal action!"


    It was a warning that the journalists could not ignore. They even felt terrified by his demeanor.


    Before they could pry more, Miles had walked Rose toward the door with his arm around her. He whispered to her, saying, "Ignore what they say. You have more right to inherit the Youngs'' property than anyone." He vowed to make that happen because that was Oliver''s wish.


    Rose, on the other hand, did not overthink his words. She didn''t care about what others insinuated either.


    At that point, all she cared about was Oliver''s funeral. After the ceremony, she would leave Regalia and all the other spections behind.


    Holding the urn, Rose entered Young Estate.


    "Mr. Young, are you involved with this woman who killed Mr. Young Senior?" A voice rang among the crowd of reporters.


    When Rose halted her footsteps abruptly, it felt like the atmosphere had frozen for a second.


    "Let''s go, Rose," urged Miles. He didn''t care about what they said. However, Rose crossed the line at them involving him.


    "Hold this, Miles." She passed the urn to him. Subsequently, she retreated from the building and went straight to that journalist.


    Her fierceness stopped the shing lights. Soon after, they resumed their camera shes at her as though afraid to miss any of her actions.


    Scanning the crowd, Rose locked down one of the male journalists. She interrogated, "Did you ask that question?" She knew it was him through the look in his eyes.


    Without waiting for his reply, she grabbed his microphone and looked at the tag. "FMZ Media..."


    She was no stranger to this media outlet. FMZ Media was known as the most baseless, intrusive, and deceitful outlet in the country andcked journalistic integrity. They were an eyesore within the media industry.


    "Huh..." Rose scoffed, not concealing her disdain. The journalist''s face turned ugly. Even without a word from her, he felt humiliated.


    "So, Mr. Journalist from FMZ, where


    is your evidence that I harmed Mr.


    Young Senior? How are you so confident that Mr. Young and I teamed up? Have you fact-checked your sources? Have you interviewed anyone to get that information?" She positioned the microphone in front of the journalist.


    After momentarily freezing, he answered, "I''m asking you now, aren''t I?


    "Oh, me? Well, my answer is no. I did not harm Mr. Young Senior. But will you take my word for it?" She chuckled. "I''m pretty sure you and your outlet won''t!"


    Not only would they not believe her, they would bother her further to get more clicks online.


    "A good journalist and media outlet


    respects the truth and the parties involved. I hope you don''t spread your twisted lies just to get some extra clicks." Her tone then shifted into a harsh one, warning, "Please do not nder Mr. Young!" Then, she tossed the microphone back at him.


    The journalist was startled. He and FMZ Media had always been the outcast within the industry, but he could never tolerate others criticizing him. Rose''s direct


    criticism had angered him. On top of


    that, his peers looked at t


    mockery and disdain. Hadn''t


    take this!


    "How touching to see the two of you defending each other. Dare I assume that you two are..." The journalist grinned lecherously, openly provoking them.


    He knew what those words would do to her, especially when they lived in a world where gossip between a man and woman attracted the most attention. Regardless of whether the scandal was true, it would create unnecessary spection about her.


    The journalist didn''t care about her identity because he had a strong backing. If Miles couldn''t faze him, why would this random woman scare him? Even if he got physical with her, he believed he could walk away unaffected.


    With that thought, he stepped forward and was ready to hit Rose with the microphone. The two were only a few steps apart.


    Due to the limited space, she reflexively stepped back when the microphone came her way. However, she was tripped by something.


    Rose tried her best to hold her footing but fell backward atst. She epted her fate and prepared to crash against the floor, but strangely, she felt no pain. Instead, a pair of arms rescued her.


    Seeing that it was Miles, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    Before she could thank him, the microphone wasing at her face! She knew she couldn''t avoid it and simply closed her eyes. As expected, she heard a loud thud. It felt like somethingnded on her head, but there wasn''t any pain.

 Chapter 382 Pleading for Forgiveness

    When Rose opened her eyes, she was surprised to see someone in front of her. "Jonathan? He''s back in Regalia too?" she wondered.


    Upon seeing his scrunched eyebrows, she finally understood Jonathan had protected her from the attack.


    "A-Are you alright?" She stood up with Miles'' help and hurriedly went to check on Jonathan.


    However, Jonathan turned away from her and shielded her with his tall body. His gaze thennded on the journalist. Thetter had long been petrified to see Jonathan.


    Although there were minimal reports regarding the new ruler of Finch Group, he knew who Jonathan was as a journalist. He could easily disregard the Youngs, but he dared not mess with Jonathan and the Finches.


    Upon realizing that he had struck Jonathan''s head, he hastily exined, "Mr. Finch, I didn''t mean to hit you. I wanted to teach her a lesson..."


    "You... teach her a lesson?" Jonathan''s gaze turned cold.


    "Yes..." The journalist quickly realized something and retracted his words. "No, I... I... I..." He was usually eloquent, but when faced with Jonathan, he stammered.


    When the crowd realized Jonathan had arrived, they abandoned their earlier aggression because they witnessed Jonathan taking a hit for that woman.


    It was known within the industry that he was aloof with everyone, so why would he stand up for her? Instantly, they realized something was up.


    Despite the tempting scoop, they were afraid to report the news as it involved Jonathan. Atst, the camera shes died down. Many held their breath while some were afraid to meet his eyes.


    Having been subdued by Jonathan''s presence, the journalist who attacked Rose went from panicking to fearing for his life. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Ultimately, he knelt on the ground after sumbing to the pressure.


    "I was wrong, Mr. Finch! I''m so sorry! Please spare me..."


    Spare him? Why didn''t he spare Rose when he attacked her with the microphone then? Had Jonathan not made it in time, she would''ve been struck on the head.


    When he thought of that, his face turned merciless.


    "FMZ Media..." He glimpsed at the press badge. Although Jonathan didn''t say another word, everyone present understood that FMZ Media would cease to exist soon. The journalist was terrified. "Mr. Finch..." FMZ Media was Finch Group''s...


    Before he could finish, Jonathan told him to get lost without sparing him another nce. Then, his icy gaze swept across the other journalists. He looked indifferently at the crowd. "What are you guys still doing here?"


    "N-Nothing." One look from him was enough to send chills down their spines.


    FMZ Media had be the first fallen victim. Afraid to attract any unnecessary attention from Jonathan, the journalists took their equipment in haste, covered their badges, and fled the scene. Suddenly, the outside of Young Estate was peaceful again.


    When Jonathan looked back, he saw Rose''s concerned eyes. "Where is it? Does it hurt? Let me see..." The loud thud alone was enough to tell it was a hard blow.


    Her attentiveness was enjoyed by Jonathan. Despite the striking pain at the back of his head, he didn''t want to worry her. "I''m fine. It doesn''t hurt..."


    "For real?"


    She was suspicious. Rose wanted to take another look, but Miles came urging her, "Rose, let''s head in."


    She hesitated briefly. Her top priority


    was to bring Oliver home. With eyes full of gratitude, she nced at Jonathan and said nothing else, retrieving the urn from Miles Soon, the group headed inside the estate.


    Jonathan wanted to follow them but was stopped by Miles. "We''ll invite you inside another day, Jon. Our family will be upied today."


    When he heard that, Jonathan furrowed his brows. Was that what he got in return for dismissing the crowd?


    However, he didn''t want to argue with Miles. Instead, he nced toward Rose, disying a look of sadness and anticipation. "Rose..."


    She paused in her tracks. When she turned her head and met his eyes, she instantly regretted doing so.


    At that moment, the Jonathan before her was no longer the cold and harsh man from earlier. His eyes and smile seemed to say, "I want to go in and be with you."


    He came to Regalia for her, and Miles had caught on too. Hence, he had no choice but to reject his entry. He didn''t want any person or matter to disrupt Oliver''s funeral. "You should go," said Rose.


    Jonathan''s heart sank. "Rose, I¡ª"


    She interjected, "I need to proceed with the funeral. I''ll thank you for your help just now another day." With that, she turned around and entered Young Estate.


    Even after the main doors closed, Jonathan remained standing at his spot. His gaze was full of disappointment.


    "Mr. Finch? Did Mrs. Finch just..." Leave you out here? Finley didn''t dare to finish his words and switched the topic instead. "How''s your head?"


    It was indeed a hard blow. When


    Finley recalled the scene earlier, he knew he was supposed to take the hit for Rose as someone who had learned martial arts. Yet, he didn''t expect Jonathan to have faster reflexes than him.


    Faced with Jonathan''s grim expression, Finley couldn''t tell if it was due to Rose or his headache. As such, he could only tentatively ask, "Should I call the doctor, Mr. Finch?" Jonathan stayed silent, his brows increasingly tense. Suddenly, a realization dawned upon him, and he looked regretful. "If I''d said I was in pain, would she have felt bad for me?"


    If she had felt bad, she wouldn''t have deserted him outside.


    "Ugh! I should''ve said it hurt! I''m actually in pain!" Jonathan felt intense regret and wished he could turn back time.


    Meanwhile, Finley was speechless.


    After staring at Young Estate


    momentarily, Jonathan wanted to knock on the door but changed his mind at thest second. His hand hung in mid-air for a while, but he returned to his car atst.


    Finley thought they were leaving. "Where to, Mr. Finch?" However, Jonathan didn''t n to depart. Instead, he reclined his seat andy down. Seeing his seamless action-reclining and resting-Finley''s mouth couldn''t help but twitch. He knew Jonathan wanted to wait there all night.


    As he heaved a helpless sigh, Jonathan said, "Tell Leonard to dismiss FMZ Media."


    "Understood, Mr. Finch," responded Finley.


    Once the instruction was ryed to Leonard, by the crack of dawn, FMZ Media would disappear like it had never existed.

 Chapter 383 Beaten Up

    Leonard answered Finley''s call and said slowly, "Yosef''s family controls FMZ Media. I''m afraid that..."


    Finley couldn''t care less if the devil himself controlled FMZ Media. Yosef''s family had always been Jonathan''s archnemeses, and they had tried to kill him while he was in Aquastead on several asions. Wiping out FMZ Media was the least they could do to settle the score with Yosef''s family.


    "Mr. Finch was also beaten up by someone from FMZ Media," Finley said gravely. "Do you think we should spare them?"


    Leonard was rendered speechless by this. The paparazzi had beaten Jonathan up. How had they gotten away with such a feat? Something must have happened to lead up to this shocking event.


    He was about to press for details when Finley exined, "The paparazzi nearly hurt Mrs. Finch. So, I''ll ask you again. Do you think we should spare them?"


    Finley had been Jonathan''s confidante for a long time, and his voice wasced with the chilling promise of a terrible wrath.


    Leonard froze. "I see."


    Everything made sense now. The paparazzi must have wanted to attack Rose, and Jonathan had probably stepped in to save her like a knight in shining armor. Leonard had never met Rose before, but he knew from the way Jonathan behaved around her that she was more important to Jonathan than anyone else.


    He muttered, "FMZ Media is knee-deep in shit this time."


    Not even having the Finches as its backers could save FMZ Media from impending doom. Leonard said solemnly, "I promise Mr. Finch will hear the news about FMZ Media first thing tomorrow morning." Leonard sounded nonchnt, but with his skills, Finley did not doubt that FMZ Media would be brought to ruins before tomorrow morning.


    After ending the call, Leonard took hisptop out and got to work. It took him only a few minutes to wipe out a mediapany. It was a child''s y for him at this point.


    At 8:00 p.m., the inte was abuzz with the allegation that FMZ Media had fabricated news and distorted facts.


    Theizens'' curiosity was piqued after the allegation appeared on major news tforms, and they dived into a frenzied discussion.


    It was revealed that the month-old news about an up-anding starlet whose billionaire husband divorced her after she was caught cheating with a male co-star had been a groundless scandal started by FMZ Media.


    Following this, FMZ Media had also been used of fabricating the groundbreaking incident two weeks ago where a director took advantage of an actress working under him.


    Theizens ate up the gossip. As the topic began trending, more stories of those who were victimized by thepany surfaced.


    One of them happened to be the victim of school bullying who jumped off a building after getting picked on consistently by a scion. The incident had shocked the country.


    As it turned out, the victim had resorted to taking his own life after growing tired of the public discourse incited by FMZ Media.


    As simr stories surfaced all over the inte, FMZ Media became a trending topic. Netizens took to several major news tforms to voice their thoughts.


    Wace Lyons, the CEO of FMZ Media, soon got word that the police were on their way to his residence. His wife, Daisy Pattinson, was beside herself with panic as she demanded, "What do we do? Who did you cross?"


    Even she could tell from the gravity of the situation that someone had orchestrated this.


    Wace froze in ce. Who had he crossed? There was no telling how many people FMZ Media had crossed since its establishment, but everyone in the industry knew it was backed by the Finches. No one would dare give FMZ Media any trouble even if thepany had crossed them.


    However, this time was different. Wace suddenly thought of something and quickly made a phone call.


    The person on the other line was none other than Tom Greenfield, FMZ Media''s most dedicated paparazzi. Wace knew there was a high chance that Tom had something to do with this. After all, thetter had a talent for rubbing someone the wrong way.


    "Did you piss anyone offtely?" Wace asked gravely.


    Sure enough, Tom stiffened. He had seen the news spreading like wildfire across the inte, and he knew who was behind it.


    Still, he did not want to confess to Wace that he was the cause of such trouble. But he paused long enough for Wace to take his silence for admission.


    "So it was you! Who did you cross? Tell me!"


    Tom made no reply, which confirmed Wace''s suspicions. "If you value your life, you''ll tell me who you pissed off!"


    Self-preservation had Tom stammering after a moment of thought, "M-Mr. Jonathan Finch..."


    Wace felt his heart leap to his


    throat. His body slumped as if all the


    air and strength had been sucked out of it, and he sat on the couch in shock. He prayed that he had.


    misheard Tom as heeeet


    further.


    "Who... Who did you say it was?"


    "Mr. Jonathan Finch..."


    Jonathan. If Tom had crossed anyone else, Wace could resolve matters simply by name-dropping the Finches or having Yosef speak for thepany. Unfortunately, Tom had gone and rubbed Jonathan-the head of The Finch Group-the wrong way. Wace already knew how things would pan out. Fear coursed through him as he bellowed, "What the hell did you do?" Perhaps he could have Yosef remedy the situation if Tom hadn''t crossed any lines. Wace''s hope was dashed when Tom answered shakily, "I... might have beaten Mr. Jonathan up."


    "What?" Wace shot to his feet. He


    couldn''t believe what he had just heard. "Y-You... Where did you even get the nerve to do such a thing? You might as well have killed him! Now it''s my neck that''s on the


    butchering block!"


    Wace hung up the phone in a fit of anger as Tom''s words echoed in his mind. At that moment, he heard the police sirens wailing outside the house. Panic welled up in him.


    "Do something, Wace! Call Mr. Finch and ask for his help!" Daisy urged.


    Only then did Wace snap out of his daze. "You''re right! I''ll call Mr. Finch right now!"


    He scrambled to find Yosef''s number. He was just about to call when his screen shed with Yosef''s name and number.


    The moment Wace answered the call, Yosef''s angry voice thundered on the other end.


    "What the hell did you do?"


    "I... I didn''t do anything. One of the paparazzi beat up Mr. Jonathan, and..." Wace knew better than to lie to Yosef.


    Upon hearing Jonathan''s name, Yosef grimaced and cursed Jonathan for pulling such a stunt. Knowing the young man, he was likely set on destroying FMZ Media.


    "Mr. Finch, do you think you could talk him out of this?" Wace asked tentatively.


    Yosef snorted, clenching his fists. "As if Jonathan would do as I ask Before he hung up, he added darkly, "You''re the CEO of FMZ Media. Put a stop to this before it opens up the floodgates, or else."


    FMZ Media had plenty of skeletons in its closet, and Yosef would not hesitate to leave Wace stranded with those skeletons if they were ever revealed. "Mr. Finch..."


    Wace tried to plead his case, but the police had shown up at that moment. There were thunderous knocks on the front door downstairs.


    When Yosef heard the noise, he warned grimly, "If you know what''s good for you, you''ll do as I ask." With that, Yosef hung up.


    Then, the police entered the house and led Wace away. He did not so much as resist.


    Meanwhile, Yosef was so angry that he swept his favorite tea set onto the floor. The crisp and sharp sound of porcin cracking had Be opening the door.


    When she saw the look on Yosef''s face, she more or less guessed what had happened. In the past year, the only person who could piss Yosef to high heaven was Jonathan. Be asked nothing as she cleaned the shattered porcin cups on the floor.


    "Jonathan will be family if he marries Yara. There''s no need for you to get mad at him over trivial things."

 Chapter 384 The Heiress of the Maize Family

    Yara Maize was the eldest heiress of the Maize family.


    Upon hearing Be''s suggestion, Yosef calmed down considerably and said, "You''re right. The marriage alliance between our family and the Maizes must go through. I don''t care if Jonathan is against it. He will marry Yara and that''s final."


    Be cleaned up the porcin fragments on the floor. She was dismissive of Yosef''s words as she said, "You think Jonathan will be against the marriage? You underestimate Yara''s charms. I doubt any man won''t want to marry her." She sounded proud of Yara.


    Yara had been abroad for a while and did not have much contact with Jonathan. If she hadn''t, she would have already ensnared thetter with her feminine wiles.


    "Let''s make a bet. Now that Yara and Jonathan are in Regalia, she''ll have thetter begging to marry her in a month!" Be proposed confidently.


    Yosef perked up at the sound of this. "Very well then. A month it is. Let''s see what happens after that."


    If Yara seeded in winning over Jonathan after a month, Yosef could proceed with his ns. He exchanged a pleased, cunning look with Be, his mood lightening.


    Be got to work as well. Aside from furthering Yosef''s goals, she had her own reasons for wanting the marriage alliance between Jonathan and Yara to go through. With those reasons in mind, she called Yara. Yara had only just emerged from the mansion pool when her assistant, Kate Summers, handed her the ringing phone. "Ms. Maize, you have a call from Mrs. Finch."


    What a coincidence. Yara had been wanting to thank Be.


    She took the phone and smiled warmly, saying, "Hi, Aunt Be. I want to thank you and Mr. Finch for helping mend a part in that movie. I''ll be sure to include you in my speech once I be the queen of the silver screen."


    Yara had been building her career abroad in thest few years. While she was doing well, she needed to build a portfolio after returning to the country.


    Upon her return, she vied for a role in a movie to help her break out into the local entertainment industry and broaden her acting career here. Unfortunately, she was two years toote.


    The role she wanted had been given to another actress, and filming had already started. However, Yara was not deterred. She would have that role even if it meant she had to steal it.


    As such, she sought Be and Yosef''s help. They took care of matters swiftly, and within days, the actress who had been cast for the role was gued by a scandal that eventually got her fired from the movie. Even the director who had initially defended the actress was bribed to stay out of the matter.


    Yara was practically a shoo-in for the movie after that.


    "Oh. I''ve agreed to meet with the reporter from FMZ Media for an exclusive interview. I''ll be sure to thank himter," Yara said. She was confident she could charm the media, and she knew how to buy their loyalty.


    At the mention of FMZ Media, Be swallowed and quickly changed the subject. "Forget about the exclusive interview, Yara. Jonathan''s back!"


    Jonathan? As in the infamous third scion of the Finch family?


    Yara straightened up upon hearing this. She recalled Be telling her about the marriage alliance nned for her and Jonathan.


    She would be more than happy to marry into the Finch family, but after seeing Jonathan''s picture, she had made him her new target.


    If Be was calling her to tell her about Jonathan''s return, she could only jump to one conclusion. She asked hopefully, "Did he want to see me?"


    Be cringed on the other end. Yara, who was born with wealth and beauty and unted a career as an international box office queen, had always been full of herself.


    Recalling what Yosef had said about Jonathan after he got home from work today, Be decided Yara was better off kept in the dark.


    She answered vaguely, "Jonathan''s been so busy running The Finch Group that he doesn''t even have time for his family. But I''m sure he''ll want to see you every day once you''ve been properly introduced." It was a reasonable answer that would not bruise Yara''s ego.


    Yara had heard rumors about Jonathan, most of which described him as cold and impassive. But that did not matter to her, for she was confident she could make him warm up to her.


    A strong desire to win seized her, and she set a deadline for herself before her aunt could suggest it. "Give me a month-no, half a month. He''ll be putty in my hands after that. You''ll see."


    Be was pleased to hear the confidence and arrogance in Yara''s tone. She said expectantly, "Very well, Yara. I trust you have what it takes to make Jonathan fall for you. I look forward to hearing of your conquest!"


    They hung up after exchanging a few more pleasantries.


    Meanwhile, Kate was on edge throughout the entire call. She was thinking about the news trending on the inte, and she was so lost in her thoughts that she did not hear Yara calling her name. She snapped out of her daze and frantically looked at Yara, who was glowering at her.


    Frowning, Yara tossed the phone at Kate and snapped, "What were you daydreaming about?"


    The phone hit Kate squarely on the forehead. As it rebounded, she scrambled to catch it before it ttered to the ground.


    Yara portrayed herself as a polite and pleasant person to the public, but the box office queen was secretly vicious and tempestuous.


    After FMZ Media''s past acts of fabricating news had been exposed, it was also revealed that the scandal that had gued the actress whose role Yara stole was falsified. If the story went any deeper, Yara''s dirty secret would be dug out too.


    While Kate''s thoughts ran rampant, Yara took a sip of her water and asked unhappily, "Where''s that reporter? Shouldn''t he be here by now? Didn''t you tell him I hate it when people show upte?" "Huh?" Kate was pulled out of her thoughts once more.


    Yara''s brows furrowed at the young assistant''s dazed response. When she turned to see Kate panicking because she hadn''t heard the question, she snarled and threw the ss at her. Soaked from head to toe, Kate trembled at Yara''s rage. Panic got the better of her as she squeaked, "F-FMZ Media is in trouble!"


    FMZ Media? Yara couldn''t care less about them. "What does it have to do with you? You look like you just lost a pet."


    "Everyone knows that the scandal that gued the actress before you was... fabricated," Kate answered trepidatiously, peering at Yara''s expression.


    When she saw thetter''s eyes widen, she knew she had connected the dots.


    Yara quickly snatched the phone out of Kate''s hand and clicked on a news tform. It seemed FMZ Media''s downfall was spreading quickly.


    She anxiously searched for news on


    the actress whose role she had stolen and found the fans and the general public engaged in discourse over the so-called "scandal". Some of them had evene up with conspiracy theories.


    "Do you think the mastermind is the new lead herself?" Theizen who wrote this even tagged Yara''s official ount.


    Immediately after that, the fans took the discourse to Yara''s public page. At the sight of this, Yara seethed and threw her phone on the ground.


    "What the hell is going on?" she demanded, ring at Kate.


    Kate gulped. She had half a mind to tell Yara that the fans were only stating facts. After all, Yara had orchestrated the whole scandal just so she could steal the role from that poor actress. However, Kate was but a timid assistant who took orders from Yara. She had no choice other than tofort thetter.


    "Don''t worry, Ms. Maize. I''ve already called the publicist. I''m sure the agency will handle this."


    "So why hasn''t it been handled?" Yara asked, angry at the agency''sck of efficiency.


    As if recalling something, Kate said tentatively, "Maybe... Maybe it''s because there''s been a change of,


    personnel at Rise Entertainmen


    The person in charge resigned, and the role has been taken up by... Mr. Jonathan Finch."

 Chapter 385 Jealous

    Yara marched up to Kate and gripped her by the arms. "What did you just say?"


    Startled, Kate eyed Yara with bewilderment. She had mentioned only one name earlier, and that was Jonathan''s. She said carefully, hoping she was answering Yara''s question, "M-Mr. Jonathan Finch." She saw Yara''s eyes light up. "Jonathan... Jonathan..." Yara mumbled under her breath, her mood lightening as a sudden thought crossed her mind. "This is perfect! Don''t you see? This is my chance!" Her chance to get close to Jonathan, the new person in charge of Rise Entertainment, and have him handle the controversy before it spiraled out of hand.


    As long as she could see him-or rather, let him see her-she was confident she could make him fall for her.


    Yara could already see her n falling into ce. Feeling victorious, she turned to Kate and ordered, "Put out a statement using my social media ount and make it sound like I was so focused on my work that I didn''t pay attention to any scandal, false or not.


    "Tell everyone that I think thest actress fitted the role more than I do, and that I''m quitting so that she can reprise it."


    "Quitting?" Kate repeated, mortified. "But what about all the lengths you went to to get the role?"


    By that, she meant the destructive scandal Yara had crafted so that the unfortunate actress would be so ostracized that the movie producers would sack her. However, Kate dared not borate on this. Yara ignored Kate''s concerns and sauntered over to the mirror, admiring her sculpted figure and angelic face.


    It was just as well that she backed out of the movie. At least then she would have time to conjure up ways to ensnare Jonathan and marry him. Jonathan was practically hers for the taking. Meanwhile, Jonathan was outside Young Estate. He closed his eyes in hopes of getting some rest, but Rose filled his mind and stole sleep from him.


    It was past midnight, and the sky had yet to break with dawn''s first light.


    Finleyy asleep inside the car. When his eyes fluttered open and he did not see Jonathan anywhere, he bolted upright.


    He hurried out of the car and spotted a towering figure in the distance, creating a dark silhouette against the night.


    The figure appeared to be staring in Young Estate''s direction, looking for all the world like a stone statue gazing upon the estate with longing. The figure was none other than Jonathan.


    "Tsk," Finley clicked his tongue, sighing. A few months ago, Jonathan would never have predicted himself to be standing in front of Young Estate like a lovesick fool. He must really have been in love with Rose.


    Jonathan couldn''t tell where Rose was. He couldn''t see through the walls of the mansion, after all. However, just knowing that she was somewhere beyond those walls assured him.


    Rose had been in the funeral hall of Young Estate since her return. She had not left her post. She was already injured from the st, and she had lost some weight after days of exhaustion. Miles couldn''t bear to see her like this. "Go get some rest. I''ll take over."


    "No," Rose said.


    She wanted to stay with Oliver for just a while longer. She did not feel tired at all, at least not in the physical sense. Only sheer will kept her upright at the moment.


    But no sooner had she refused Miles'' offer did her head swim with fatigue. She braced through it, but the next wave of exhaustion crashed over her and the room spun.


    Her body went limp as she swayed, and she would have hit the ground had Miles not caught her in time.


    "Go and get some rest," Miles repeated more firmly.


    He was not making a suggestion this time. He was ordering Rose to get some sleep. Without another word, he hauled her up and frog-marched her to the guest room in Young Estate.


    Rose was too tired to protest. Her body had been so deprived of rest that sleep imed her as soon as she hit the mattress. Still, hers was not a restful slumber.


    She kept drifting in and out of dreams. Nothing seemed real anymore, and she awoke with a pain in her chest. She got up and threw the curtains back, opening the window.


    The sky was still dark, and the night air was crisp and fresh. She took deep breaths of it, feeling the pain in her chest subside. Once she was feeling better, she decided to head to the funeral hall to stay with Oliver.


    Rose had only just turned from the window when she spotted a dark figure against the night. She was staying in one of the rooms on the second floor, which gave her a full view of the scene beyond the estate walls.


    Outside the estate, the street light added inches to the tall and lean silhouette. Despite the distance between them, Rose could make out Jonathan''s features. What was he doing here? Had he been there the entire night?


    Rose''s heart tightened at the thought of this as a wave of emotion coursed through her.


    While she was lost in her thoughts, the night breeze picked up. She shuddered as the chill kissed her skin. She saw the tall silhouette under the street light curl up against the breeze as well, wrapping his arms around himself.


    She frowned at this. The breeze showed no sign of relenting and instead grew stronger, rustling the branches and leaves.


    At that moment, Rose closed the window and hurried downstairs. She kept thinking about Jonathan standing under the street light and made up her mind to see him outside the estate.


    She had only just reached the bottom of the stairs when someone called out from behind her. "Are you going to see him?"


    Rose turned to see the owner of the voice rising from the couch and approaching her. It was Anastasia.


    The lights in the living room were dim, but Rose could tell from one nce that Anastasia had been waiting here for a while, perhaps in anticipation of her.


    As for the "him" that Anastasia had mentioned...


    "He is the head of The Finch Group. You''ve been in Aquastead all this time, so even if you heard about the mighty Finch family you couldn''t possibly understand the power that family wields," Anastasia said, drawing close enough to look down her nose at Rose as if assessing her imperiously.


    There was contempt in her eyes, the kind that served to remind Rose that this was Regalia and that she held the court.


    "Do you know how many heiresses and socialites are crawling in Regalia? Jonathan would never marry a nobody from Aquastead," Anastasia continued icily, implying that Rose''s presence was insignificant in this city.


    Rose fell silent. Just as Anastasia believed Rose was stricken by her vicious words, Rose prompted nonchntly, "And?"


    Anastasia frowned at the curt, unaffected response and wondered if Rose was simply too stupid to understand the implication, or if she was deliberately ignoring it.


    She did not mince her words this time as she borated, "Marrying into the Finch family isn''t an easy feat. Jonathan is out of your league. Don''t think that you''ve won just because you got a marriage license with him in Aquastead. You will never be Mrs. Finch!"


    Anastasia leveled a vicious stare at Rose, hoping to drill those words into thetter''s bones. She waited to see how Rose would respond. She expected disappointment, shame, and diffidence to flicker across her face.


    However, the only one who was disappointed was Anastasia. Rose did not so much as falter, and she returned Anastasia''s icy stare with nonchnce.


    Angered by this, Anastasia was about to insult Rose even more when thetter suddenly said, "You want to marry Jonathan."


    Anastasia gaped at her.


    Rose knew she had guessed right. Anastasia wanted to marry Jonathan. She did not let Anastasia speak as she added, "So you''re jealous of me. You''re jealous that I got my marriage license with Jonathan and you didn''t!"


    Once again, her words left Anastasia stumped. Rose smirked. She had spoken Anastasia''s mind, and she did not look the slightest bit affected by thetter''s intentions.


    Anastasia''s pride felt attacked when


    she saw the arrogance with which Rose regarded her. She thought about the controversy surrounding FMZ Media that was surely orchestrated by Jonathan and how he bad been waiting outside Young Estate all night.


    He had done all this for Rose!

 Chapter 386 Intertwined

    The reality made Rose''s nonchnce feel like a p to Anastasia''s face. She could not help the jealousy boiling in her as she stormed up to Rose, intending to p the cavalier grin off thetter''s face. Anastasia raised her hand, but as she brought it down in an arc, Rose seized her wrist.


    Rose had regained some strength after sleeping, and she did not hold back. Anastasia tried to pull away from her grip, but her struggles were to no avail.


    She glowered at Rose andmanded, "Let go of me!"


    Rose snorted. She would be a fool to let Anastasia go and earn herself a p across the face. She maintained her vise-like grip on Anastasia''s wrist even as thetter seethed.


    "We''re in Young Estate right now! If you don''t let go, I''ll scream."


    "Go ahead," Rose said, a cruel challenge flickering in her eyes.


    She didn''t bother ying nice now that things had escted to the point of near-violence. "Don''t think I don''t know that you tripped me outside the estate yesterday."


    She had known about Anastasia sticking her foot out and tripping her yesterday, but she did not expose the wretched youngdy for it. However, the wretched youngdy just had to provoke her, and Rose hated provocation.


    Shock colored Anastasia''s face as she went still, forgetting to struggle and pull away from Rose''s grip.


    Rose continued slowly, menacingly, "You know what? It''d be great if you screamed and woke the whole house now. That''ll give me a chance to exin to everyone why I''m picking on you now!" Anastasia was well aware that even though Miles had taken Rose under his wing, he would not hesitate to make Anastasia pay if he found out she tried to trip Rose.


    With Oliver gone, the distribution of the Young family''s fortune was still an undecided matter. Anastasia couldn''t afford to get on Miles'' bad side now.


    However, the thought of Miles and Jonathan reaching out to catch Rosest night sent another wave of jealousy crashing over her.


    She gritted her teeth and snarled at Rose, "What the hell did you do to bewitch those two men and Grandpa?"


    Until now, Anastasia could not make sense of Oliver''s past attitude toward Rose. She still couldn''t ept the fact that the old man had risked his life to save Rose from Kelly.


    Anastasia''s usation struck Rose like lightning. Bewitched, huh? Miles was her friend and brother. They shared a natural and easygoing bond.


    As for Jonathan, she had never thought about taking advantage of him. Not even their marriage of convenience or the feelings she subsequently developed for him changed that.


    With Oliver, Rose felt nothing but guilt for the tragedy that befell him. If she and Oliver had never met, he would never have be Kelly''s target. She had put Oliver in danger. It was her fault he died at Kelly''s hand.


    Guilt and grief tore at her, but before Anastasia could see her anguish, she quickly hid it and warned thetter coldly, "Don''t get on my nerves."


    Rose released Anastasia''s wrist with a hard fling, then turned and left without so much as a backward nce.


    "You-"


    Anastasia made to go after her, but she stopped instinctively when she saw Rose heading toward the front door. Rose was going to see Jonathan, and there was nothing she could do to stop her. She growled through gritted teeth, "Rose!"


    She clenched her fists as her jealousy made her yell after Rose. She watched as Rose walked out the door and pictured her running into Jonathan''s arms.


    Hatred filled her as she silently vowed, "Just wait, Rose. You''ll never marry into the Finch family on my watch!"


    Under the streetlight, Jonathan shivered when the breeze picked up. He had lost count of the times he had sneezed.


    Rose had only just stepped out of the gates when she heard him sneezing. She stopped just as he nced in her direction. His eyes lit up when he saw her.


    He did not wait for Rose to walk up to him and instead jogged over to her excitedly. "Rose..."


    When he noticed how thin her clothes were, he shrugged off his jacket without hesitation and wrapped it around her.


    Only then did she snap out of her daze. Her gaze fell on the red tip of his nose. She felt sorry for him for bracing the cold, but her tone was full of admonishment as she asked, "Dont you have anywhere else to go?


    Jonathan stared at her helplessly. Before he could respond, she grabbed his wrist and said, "Come with me!" The warmth of her fingers spread from his wrist to the rest of his body, chasing away the chill in his bones.


    He struggled against her grip, tugging at her arm until she stopped and turned to look at him inquisitively. "Why did you-" She didn''t get to ask him why he had stopped, for what he did next was an answer enough.


    His free hand sped around hers and pried it away from his wrist. Her fingers grazed the brittle air for only a second before his warm palm was pressed against hers. The next


    moment, their fingers intertwined.


    "I like this better," Jonathan said, looking into her eyes. She was all he could see as he swung their interlocked hands as if to show her off. "Where are you taking me?"


    Rose blinked when she noticed the expectant gleam in his eyes. The man before her was nothing like the cold and domineering Jonathan rumor had made him out to be.


    She would have drowned in his


    have


    indulgent gaze if she didn''t know he


    was Jonathan Finch, but


    unfortunately, she could not unlearn


    the truth. The man before her was


    the head of the Finch family


    admired and feared by all of Regalia.


    Rose looked away from him, but not before he caught the frigid look in her eyes. Still, he found assurance in the warmth of their intertwined hands.


    He stopped inquiring about where she was taking him and simply let her lead him forward. He froze when her steps halted before his car.


    He figured she must have had something she wished to speak to him about in private, specifically in his car. If not, she could be suggesting that he take her somece that they could reach by car. Rose was about to open the door when Jonathan hurried forward and said, "Let me get the door for you!"


    As if he could ever let a fairdy open the car door by herself. Chivalry and love demanded that he open the door for her every time from now on.


    As he opened the door, he stepped aside to let Rose get in. However, she did not budge as she said, "Get in."


    Jonathan stared at her speechlessly. Was she asking him to get in first? He considered the possibility of it and eded, reluctantly letting go of her hand.


    The moment his fingers detached from hers, a hollow feeling seized him. He had wanted to hold her hand as soon as she got into the car after him, but he was surprised to hear the door closing behind him instead.


    He turned around and gaped at Rose through the car window. He made to open the door to let her in, but she had thrown her weight against the door to keep him from opening it.


    At once, Jonathan realized what she was doing. He rolled down the window and smiled at her appeasingly.


    "Will you please get in the car, wifey? It''s getting cold outside, and I don''t want you to freeze."

 Chapter 387 No Dice

    Jonathan was worried about Rose getting cold. She would have been touched by his concern if he hadn''t called her "wifey", which reminded her that what they had was a deal on paper-a consequence of mistakes and happenstance.


    She could ignore that stinging fact if she were in Aquastead. But now that they were in Regalia, she had to admit Anastasia had given her a reality check.


    "Don''t call me ''wifey'' so casually, Mr. Finch," Rose warned, her gaze distant and flickering with contempt.


    The smile on Jonathan''s handsome face faltered slightly, but only for a moment. The corners of his lips were still tugged upward when he reached for Rose''s hand.


    However, she drew back from him when his fingers grazed her hand. He heard her sneer the next second.


    "You''re making things hard for me, Mr. Finch. Don''t you know where you are? It''s not a good look for the head of the Finch family to be caught loitering outside Young Estate.


    "Who knows what the media is capable of writing up if someone snapped a picture of you hovering here? The rumors could be damaging for both of us.


    "Also, while I appreciate you helping mest night in front of the press, you are still a member of high society. I''d rather you didn''t say any of those things or behave that way in the future, lest someone gets the wrong idea."


    Rose wanted to keep the conversation brief and straight to the point. As such, she kept a cold and indifferent tone while delivering the harshest words she could think of.


    She doubted Jonathan, who had been revered his whole life, could stand being condescended to like this.


    Sure enough, the smile on Jonathan''s face disappeared. His face turned stormy as he assessed Rose with narrowed eyes. She felt her heart sink to her stomach. Had she gone too far and stirred the angry beast in him?


    However, there was no taking back what she said. Perhaps angering the beast in him was what she needed to do to get her point across.


    Further resolved, Rose added fuel to the fire she was building. "Besides, I''d like to marry for love one day! Ah-"


    Her startled cry pierced the silence of the night as Jonathan''s hand mped around her wrist. Before she could register what was happening, he reached his free hand out the car window and cupped the back of her head.


    He drew her close, his handsome face magnifying before her eyes. This close up, she could see the muscle in his jaw feathering with rage. When she realized what he was about to do, she made to pull away.


    "Don''t-"


    A wall was all that separated her from the funeral hall of Young Estate, where Oliver''s ashes were. Jonathan could not do this to her.


    Rose pressed her lips into a thin line, her body tightly coiled in resistance. Just as she thought he was going to kiss her or do worse, she felt his lips brush against hers in the lightest of strokes.


    The next moment, she felt his warm breath tickled the delicate curve of her ear. She shuddered at the sensation just as Jonathan opened his mouth. A sharp pain shot up her neck, and she hissed. "Ow..." He actually bit her!


    Jonathan could have yed her alive


    for what she said to him. He felt like his heart was cracking beneath his ribcage. But for all his rage, he dared not bite down hard on her neck for fear that he would hurt her in the process.


    The air around them went still as he nipped her neck as if to punish her. He did not release her for a good while.


    Rose did not struggle as she limated to the feel of his teeth against her bare skin. She let him do what he wanted. For a moment, the atmosphere was both odd and amorous.


    Finley was still in the driver''s seat, processing the shocking turn of events until he decided to close his eyes to afford Jonathan and Rose some modicum of privacy. He even tried not to breathe too loudly, lest he interrupted them.


    There was no telling how much time had passed before Jonathan was content to release Rose from his grip. He brushed the t of his finger against the purplish-red mark he had left on her neck.


    He leaned his brow against hers, his


    voice raspy as he said quietly, "I don''t have to stay here all night, but if you n to marry anyone else, no dice. You''re mine, and you will only be mine. Is that clear?"


    All the thoughts eddied out of Rose''s mind when she heard this. She made no reply.


    Jonathan frowned at her silence, seemingly displeased by it as he growled again, "Was I not being clear? I guess I''ll just have to show you what I mean, then..."

 Chapter 388 Apprehension

    Jonathan''s words, delivered in hiszy, roguish tone, made Rose stiffen. When she caught the wicked gleam in his eyes, she immediately knew what he meant to do.


    As his handsome face inched closer, she instinctively drew back. However, his hand, which cupped the back of her head, kept her from pulling away. She could feel his breath tickling her cheek, his mouth dangerously close to her neck.


    His teeth were about to graze her skin when she suddenly cried out, "You were clear! You made yourself very clear!"


    Jonathan stopped, but that did not mean he was pleased with her surrender. She hadn''t so much as batted an eye when she said those cruel things to him He had to punish her to soothe his wounded soul and pride.


    "What did I say?" he whispered into the crook between her neck and shoulder. Rose''s body tingled at his yful, devilish tone. When she did not answer immediately, he prompted in a velvety voice, "Hmm?"


    He was demanding a response. What did he say? Rose picked through Jonathan''s words from moments ago, her face warming.


    Jonathan repeatedzily, his lips brushing against her skin, "What did I say?"


    Not daring to dawdle, Rose blurted, "I''m yours... I''m yours!" Blood rushed to her cheeks as soon as the words left her mouth.


    Thankfully, Jonathan stopped teasing her after that. Satisfied, he reluctantly pulled away from her and took in the blush on her cheeks, illuminated by the street light overhead. Judging by her glistening eyes, she was flustered.


    He did not hide his satisfaction as he pointed out with faint amusement, "Well, you didn''t have to say it twice. But at least you''ve made your undying and unrequited love for me crystal clear."


    Rose gaped at him. Undying and unrequited love? When she met the wicked amusement in his eyes, she snapped, "You... You baited me!" He must have. "Mm-hmm," Jonathan answered insouciantly, nodding. Just as she struggled to shake off his grip, he released her. "You''re mine. You will always be mine."


    The domineering edge of his tone belied his tender gaze. He did not wait for Rose to respond-not that he particrly cared what she had to say-before caressing her face and muttering, "Go in. It''s getting cold out here."


    He had gotten over his n to pull Rose into the car and abduct her. She was still mourning over Oliver, and he knew how sentimental she was. She had long since epted Oliver as family, and she would observe the mourning period out of loyalty.


    As for Jonathan, he was starting to find it hard to resist Rose''s temptation. She could be sitting next to him and doing nothing, and he would still want to pull her into hisp and burrow into her warmth. In fact, he was experiencing such urges now.


    Jonathan hastily withdrew his gaze. If he stayed any longer, he might change his mind and keep Rose from returning to Young Estate.


    "Finley, drive," he ordered.


    Finley stiffened in the driver''s seat, his eyes still tightly closed. When he heard Jonathan''s order, the first question that came to his mind was, should he even start the car at all?


    If he did, Jonathan would know he had heard every bit of the conversation with Rose earlier. Finley shook his head. No! Jonathan could never find out!


    He nned to pretend he had just woken up from a nap and missed the exchange between Jonathan and Rose.


    However, when he met Jonathan''s dark gaze in the rearview mirror, he had a feeling that the imposing man in the backseat had seen through his n. Resigned, Finley gave up on the n and started the car.


    As the car cruised down the street away from Young Estate, Jonathan looked into the rearview mirror and saw Rose standing in ce.


    Her silhouette grew smaller as the distance between them grew, and she disappeared entirely when the car turned a corner at the junction.


    Rose returned to Young Estate and found Miles alone in the funeral hall. When she walked in, he immediately recognized the jacket draped over her shoulders. It belonged to Jonathan, and Miles wondered if she had gone to see him again.


    Miles lowered his gaze and felt an odd feeling course through him, but he suppressed it.


    Jonathan did not get much rest after returning to his city abode. At first light, he showered and pulled on a change of clothes. Half an hourter, his car pulled up outside Young Estate once more.


    ...


    "Mr. Finch, are you..." Finley nced into the rearview mirror, hoping to decipher Jonathan''s mind.


    It had only been a few hours since


    they left Young Estate, but now they were back again. It seemed that Jonathan was intent on keeping watch over Rose, if not keeping herpany in spirit. How had Finley not noticed how clingy the man was before?


    Nheless, he pointed out warily, "Mr. Finch, with all that''s happening in the Young family, I don''t think Mrs. Finch will be very pleased to see you like this." She was grieving, after all. "Like what?" Jonathan demanded icily.


    Finley would be a dead man if he said, "like a chick following its mother hen", so he wisely kept his mouth shut.


    He thought Jonathan would get out of the car immediately and find an excuse to see Rose, but the man simply leaned into the backseat and closed his eyes.


    An hour passed before several more cars pulled up outside Young Estate. Only then did Jonathan open his eyes. He straightened his suit and stepped out of the car.


    All the important people in Regalia


    who either knew Oliver or had been affiliated with him at some point dropped by Young Estate to pay theirst respects to him. Dozens of luxury cars were parked outside the estate, and Patrick was personally ushering in the funeral-goers.


    Patrick was a little taken aback when he saw Jonathan. He knew something was going on between Rose and Jonathan, but Miles seemed to harbor enmity against him thest thing Patrick wanted


    was for Jonathan and Miles to


    cause a scene if he let the former in.


    While Patrick was confronted by the dilemma, Jonathan came to a stop before him and said calmly, "The Finch family would like to pay theirst respects."


    He was here as a representative of the Finch family. Upon hearing this, Patrick knew he had no reason to turn Jonathan away.


    The butler courteously ushered him in and said, "If you please."


    To keep Jonathan from causing a scene, Patrick personally showed Jonathan the way to the funeral hall.


    The Youngs were gathered in the funeral hall. Jonathan spotted Rose from a distance. Unlike Anastasia and the others in the Young family who were entertaining the funeral-goers, Rose was kneeling before Oliver''s urn and lighting candles in vigil.


    Following Oliver''s death, the distribution of the Young family fortune became a matter of urgency. The funeral-goers present today could y a vital part in the family''s fight for their fair share of the fortune. However, none of that had anything to do with Rose.


    "My condolences," a familiar voice suddenly sounded next to her.


    Her heart leaped to her throat, and she turned to meet Jonathan''s gaze. Why had he returned?


    His presence brought back the memories ofst night. She could still hear his low, territorial warning in her ears. She was terrified that he would get up to funny business during the funeral.


    Rose wouldn''t put it past him to pull a crazy stunt in front of all these people. He was nothing if not a maniac.


    s, she had overthought. She watched as Jonathan offered up a short prayer before Oliver''s urn, then bowed his head at her as if in respect. There was no wicked amusement or mischief in his eyes. Rose froze. By the time she came to her senses, Jonathan had already left the funeral hall. He had actuallye to pay hisst respects!


    As she heaved a sigh of relief, she couldn''t help feeling guilty about her apprehension toward Jonathan earlier. She thought too little of him.

 Chapter 389 Taking the Initiative

    Outside Young Estate, Yara lounged in the backseat of her luxurious car. After learning Jonathan''s whereabouts from Be that morning, she had eagerly made her way to Young Estate in hopes of catching him.


    She had no interest in attending a funeral, but she did not mind using it as an excuse to get close to Jonathan.


    Yara wore a long, ck dress. She checked the makeup she had painstakingly applied. Having made sure she looked perfect, she put on her shades and stepped out of the car.


    She surveyed her surroundings and grew disappointed. She grumbled to Kate, "I can''t believe the press didn''t show up."


    She had expected to see reporters crowding outside Young Estate to get an exclusive on Oliver''s funeral, seeing as the old man had been a titan in the industry.


    Had she known the press wouldn''t be here, she would have contacted them and had them stationed outside in advance.


    Unfortunately, it was toote for Yara to pull such a stunt. She red at Kate and said, "Forget it. Just remember to call the press and tip them off on where I''ll be the next time. What kind of assistant are you? Seriously, I would never have..."


    Yara trailed off, taking off her shades and giving Kate a sharp look.


    "I promise I''ll do better next time, Ms. Maize," Kate said timidly. She knew what Yara had intended to say before she trailed off.


    Not too long after Yara returned to the country, she had been invited to an award ceremony. The venue had been teeming with the press, and Yara had been parading down the red carpet.


    Kate was one of the usherettes then, and she identally stepped on a small-time actress'' gown. The actress, in hopes of getting her five minutes of fame, had made a big deal out of the mishap.


    Her fans had taken to social media to hurl abuse at Kate, the hatements flooding her social media ount like a storm.


    Kate had neither power nor money, so she tolerated the abuse. She thought the incident would blow over in a sh, but a few crazed fans hunted her down and threatened to beat her up and cuss her out.


    Just then, Yara swooped in and saved Kate from the altercation. She even called out the small-time actress for not reprimanding her fans'' behavior and letting things get out of hand. She defended Kate like an angel who brandished justice as her sword.


    In a show of kindness, Yara publicly appointed Kate as her assistant in the country.


    When the incident finally blew over, Yara had established herself as a kind and beautiful international actress who had just returned from abroad and cared about the weak.


    Kate had been stupid enough to believe in that image of Yara, only toter learn that it was just a facade.


    Yara was nothing like the angel she portrayed herself to be. She hadn''te here to pay respects to the deceased, but to snag Jonathan.


    "You''ve seen what Jonathan looks like. When you go in, be on the lookout for him and locate him as soon as possible," Yara ordered.


    "Yes, Ms. Maize," Kate said with a nod, before noticing that Yara had stopped in her tracks.


    She followed thetter''s gaze and saw a man in a ck suit. One nce was all it took for Kate to sense the man''s imperious and domineering air.


    His imposing presence was so suffocating that Kate had to avert her gaze. However, an image shed through her mind, and she realized the imposing man was Jonathan himself!


    Yara could not take her eyes off Jonathan from the moment he appeared. She had seen his picture before, but it did not do him justice. The refinement and dominance that poured out from him was ten times more than the picture led her to believe.


    Jonathan had a face crafted adoringly by the gods themselves. Not even the hottest male celebrity couldpete with him.


    And he was more than a pretty face. He was the ruler of the Finch family and the head of the powerful behemoth that was The Finch Group.


    He had money, power, and


    everything that male celebrities


    could only dream of having. A man


    like him could only be Yara''s. She


    was confident that she was the only woman worthy of him.


    She drew back her gaze, already


    tasting the victory that lingered so


    close by. With someone like


    Jonathan, she would be wise to take things slow and feel him out,


    especially since they were at Oliver''s funeral.


    Kon


    Yara schooled her face into neutrality and calmed her thoughts. She then made her way toward the funeral hall.


    However, when she emerged from the funeral hall, Jonathan was nowhere to be found. She whirled to face Kate as she demanded shrewdly, "Where is he?" Kate replied, "He left."


    "Left?" Kate repeated incredulously.


    She shot Kate a menacing look, her features twisting into a menacing expression as she seethed. "What good are you for when you can''t even keep a man from leaving?" Yara did not want to miss such a rare opportunity. She let out a frustrated sound and hurried out of Young Estate.


    Meanwhile, in the funeral hall, Rose suddenly thought of something. She turned to Miles and said with some hesitation, "Miles, I''m heading out for a bit."

 Chapter 390 Bad Feeling

    Finley spotted Jonathaning out of Young Estate and hurriedly handed him the phone. "Mr. Finch, Mrs. Finch Senior... Mrs. Finch Senior wants you to check your phone. She also said you must answer the


    call..."


    He gave Jonathan a look as if to say, "Save yourself."


    Jonathan fished out his phone. Sure enough, there were several missed calls from Finch Manor. He gave Finley a brief hum in response and took the phone from him.


    "Grandma-"


    No sooner had the word left his mouth did Eleanor''s snorte from the other side. "Grandma, huh? Here I was thinking you''d forgotten about me."


    "As if," Jonathan said lightly. "What is it? Sorry, I missed your calls. I was at Mr. Young Senior''s funeral."


    Eleanor''s displeasure waned when she heard this. She said, "I see. I called to ask you to head to Rise Entertainment. The person in charge quit, and I need you to run things for a while."


    Rise Entertainment? The Finch Group had countless enterprises under its umbre, and Rise Entertainment was only an entertainment agency. He couldn''t help wondering why Eleanor was asking him to run


    it.


    Suddenly sensing something amiss, Jonathan asked, "Grandma, why don''t youe right out and tell me what you''re nning?"


    Eleanor fell silent. If she were to tell him that she was trying to set him and Yara up, he would never agree to it. As such, she lied.


    "It''s Ezra. He and I had words on a few asions after he returned from Aquastead.


    "He said he fell for a young woman called Something-Shaffer. When I asked him for her full name so that I could track her down, he refused to tell me. Maybe you can talk to him and find out." Jonathan considered the information Eleanor had given him. His gaze darkened as he said, "Got it."


    Eleanor froze. "I-Is that a yes?" She had been prepared to persuade him to take up the job and was surprised to hear him agree so readily.


    "Yes," Jonathan answered.


    Upon hearing his confirmation, Eleanor nodded in satisfaction. "So you do still care about your brother after all."


    Jonathan raised a brow but kept his tone neutral as he drawled, "Well, of course." However, Eleanor could not see the smirk that now yed on his lips.


    Meanwhile, over at Rise Entertainment''s dressing room, Ezra was sipping on some hot tea when he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.


    He frowned and inched closer to the makeup artist next to him, asking, "Hey, did you feel anything weird?"


    The makeup artist gave him a bewildered look as if to ask, "What are you talking about?"


    "You know, it''s like this weird... chill-down-your-spine kind of feeling?" Ezra thought his description was spot-on. It was a bad feeling that made one''s skin crawl.


    The makeup artist nced at the


    grtist


    door, which was tightly shut. Even the windows were closed, and the weather outside did not indicate a drop intemperature. The air conditioning had not been turned on either.


    §Ö


    ve


    There was no draught in the room, so the makeup artist chalked Ezra''s so-called "weird feeling" up to


    nonsense. She raised a brow and


    said, "I haven''t done anything wrong


    to feel so paranoid."


    Was she implying that Ezra had done something wrong? He was about to snap at her when she smacked the makeup sponge squarely on his lips, silencing him in aically timely manner. Outside Young Estate, Jonathan was about to get into the car after wrapping up the phone call with Eleanor when he heard a pleasant voice call out, "Mr. Finch?"


    However, he kept walking like he hadn''t heard it at all.


    Yara clenched her jaw. She had deliberately raised her voice. There was no way he hadn''t heard her. But the more indifferent he was, the more she rose to the challenge.


    This was her first meeting with Jonathan, and she was determined to make him see her in all her glory!


    Resolved, Yara marched forward in


    her tall stilettos, breaking into a


    small jog to catch up with him. She stopped him just before he reached his luxurious ride and said, "Hi, there! It''s nice to meet you."

 Chapter 391 Seeking Jonathan Out

    Yara elegantly extended a hand toward Jonathan. She was an heiress who had made a name for herself in the entertainment industry, and she was revered by all.


    Even when she was abroad, she could walk into a room and steal everyone''s attention with her charm and pretty face.


    There was no denying her beguiling wiles. Just one look at her and a man would find it difficult to tear his eyes away. She doubted Jonathan would be immune to her beauty.


    Yet, her confidence and arrogance did not help her foresee that Jonathan would leave her hanging. He did not take her hand or even offer a greeting in response.


    Yara decided to cut the man some ck. Perhaps he was so stunned by her beauty that he had forgotten how his body worked.


    She looked up slowly through hershes, the seduction clear in her gaze. However, Jonathan met her bedroom eyes with storm-filled ones. She stiffened but chose to ignore the divot between his brows. A smile yed on her lips as she stepped forward and said, "I''m Yara¡ª"


    She broke off when she suddenly tripped and lost her bnce. She fell forward, her arms reaching for Jonathan.


    Yara prided herself on her acting skills. She was confident that Jonathan would not see her tripping and falling into his arms as anything but an ident. She refused to believe that she could not win over the imposing man.


    In the spur of the moment, Yara clutched Jonathan''s arms to steady herself. She was practically half-hanging off his frame, and her heart thundered when she felt the muscle coiling under his arms. She grew even more resolved to take this man for herself.


    "Ah, Mr. Finch..." Yara bleated softly, hissing in pain.


    If she pretended to have sprained her ankle, and therefore have difficulty walking, he might take pity on her. It would be even better if he carried her into his car.


    She could already see the scene unfold in her mind, but she was oblivious to the stony look on Jonathan''s face.


    He hated being touched. Ever since he found Rose, his body had grown attuned to her touch and rejected everyone else''s.


    He glowered at the woman hanging off his frame. Just as he was about to shove her away, he heard Finley''s horrified voice. "M-Mrs. Finch..."


    Jonathan immediately turned


    around. He saw Rose standing at the front door of Young Estate. She was wearing a white dress and had her hair pulled back. Even though she


    attire little to no makeup and her


    was simple, she still looked


    dazzling.


    Jonathan''s heart skipped a beat. He even forgot about the contempt and disgust that had filled him a minute ago. His handsome face broke into a warm smile that softened his features. He did not even bat an eye as he shoved Yara aside and made his way to Rose.


    He hadn''t nned on disturbing Rose on ount of Oliver''s funeral, but if she wasing to him of her own ord, he couldn''t be bothered with decorum.


    Jonathan''s strides were long as he closed the distance between him and Rose. He gazed at her with such expectation and warmth that Rose couldn''t help her surprise.


    If she didn''t know better, she would think he loved her. She suddenly couldn''t bear the thought of leaving him.


    Just then, she heard a female voice cry out, "Ah... Mr. Finch!"


    When Jonathan shoved Yara aside earlier, she had lost her footing for real. She had been hanging off his towering frame after faking the fall, so when he pulled away from her, she staggered and fell forward.


    Her knees and arms scraped against the tarred surface. The burning abrasions made her hiss in pain, but she still called out after Jonathan with a bell-like voice, hoping he would turn around and tend to her.


    But all she saw was Jonathan making his way to the front door of Young Estate. His steps were quick, and even from the back, she could tell he was eager to get to the person standing at the front doorstep.

 Chapter 392 An Act of Jealousy

    Jonathan might have stepped into Rose''s line of vision, but she still heard the other woman''s voice loud and clear.


    She had already seen the woman clinging onto Jonathan''s frame like a sloth earlier, and it was an image that she would not soon forget.


    A self-deprecating smile suddenly curved on Rose''s lips as she buried her bitter thoughts and headed forward.


    ted to see Roseing his way, Jonathan broke into a jog to meet her in the middle. He extended an arm, ready to embrace her the moment they were close enough.


    He could already smell the scent of burning candles on her. The distance between them was growing smaller with each step they took.


    However, Rose suddenly sidestepped him and marched right past him. Jonathan gaped at the air before him speechlessly.


    An intense roaring filled his head, and he felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over him. He stood rooted in ce. He wanted to move, but his legs felt like they had been weighed down by lead. Rose had already gone up to Finley. She smiled politely at the assistant and handed him the jacket Jonathan had given herst night. "Would you mind passing this to Mr. Finch?"


    Finley gaped at her. What was going on? He had yet to recover from the shock of seeing Rose brush past Jonathan like thetter was invisible, and now, he was seized with despair as he registered her words. This was bad. He knew how much Jonathan had looked forward to seeing Rose. If he took the jacket from her, he had no doubt Jonathan would y him alive.


    Finley turned to Jonathan helplessly. Thetter was still standing where Rose had walked past him, though he had angled his head to the side so that Finley could catch the dark look in his eyes.


    "Mrs. Finch..." Finley pleaded, his heart leaping to his throat. He silently begged her to take pity on him and understand that he could not possibly take the jacket.


    Finley was about to say this when he saw Rose''s brows furrow. The courteous smile she had worn seconds ago now vanished and had been reced by a cruel smirk. He gulped instinctively. "Mr. Willis," she ground out, holding out the jacket to him once again.


    This time, he heard the unspoken warning in her tone. If he didn''t take the jacket out of his consideration for Jonathan''s feelings, she would not hesitate to torment thetter.


    Finley knew Jonathan loved Rose. A meaningful look was all it took for her to have Finley alive, and Jonathan would have happily carried out the act. At that moment, the assistant knew he could not cross her. He abandoned all reason as he reached for the jacket. But before his fingers grazed the heavy fabric, he heard Jonathan clearing his throat in the distance.


    It was an outright warning. Finley''s hand froze in mid-air when he heard it, and he nced warily in Jonathan''s direction.


    Jonathan had turned around, and his chin was raised slightly as he pinned Finley''s hand with a dangerous look, as if to say, "Take that jacket at your own risk."


    "Mr. Willis-"


    "Finley!"


    Rose''s and Jonathan''s voices ovepped. Finley thought his body might shut down from anxiety.


    "Mrs. Fi¡ª" He was cut off by the warning look in Rose''s eyes. He decided to drop the address and immediately said, "Ms. Shaffer, Mr. Finch is over there. Perhaps you could pass the jacket to him yourself." The two were mere feet apart. Surely there was no need for Finley to y the messenger when she could deliver the jacket to Jonathan personally. At least Finley wouldn''t have to risk his neck. Rose frowned. Jonathan, on the other hand, smirked. He was pleased with his subordinate''s suggestion. As far as he was concerned, Rose ought to give him the jacket personally. He was prepared for the close encounter.


    Rose had left Young Estate with the intention of handing the jacket to Jonathan personally, but she could not shake the image of the woman hanging off him.


    She felt like her chest tightened whenever she thought of it, and she didn''t want to see Jonathan at all.


    "In that case..." Rose was never one to stoop to coercion. She respected Finley''s refusal to y the messenger. She only had to find someone else who would willingly pass the jacket to Jonathan instead. A faint smile tugged on her lips. Finley mistook her smile for eptance and heaved a sigh of relief.


    He felt like a huge weight had been taken off his chest. Now that Rose had agreed to hand the jacket to Jonathan personally, thetter would be pleased.


    However, the next second, Finley watched in shock as Rose turned and headed in another direction instead of Jonathan''s.


    Finley went still, and the smile on Jonathan''s face faltered. Rose had walked right up to Yara. In other words, she wanted Yara to pass the jacket to Jonathan.


    Jonathan Scowled at this. Under normal circumstances, he would have thrown the jacket away if another woman had touched it. But Rose had worn the jacketst night, and he couldn''t bear to part with it.


    The reluctance and dilemma had only just washed over him when he, unable to help himself, moved toward Rose.


    Rose was halfway to Yara when she felt arge hand grip her wrist from behind. His grip was loose enough that she pulled away easily.


    "Rose!" Jonathan growled, angry that she had evaded his touch.


    He stepped forward, and she stepped back. She made it clear that she wanted some distance between them, and he could feel it when she did not so much as meet his gaze.


    She was avoiding him. Panic and


    confusion welled up in him. He wanted to know why she was avoiding him, but he didn''t want to get too close to her and hav@her back away for good.


    After a long pause, he said loudly, "Finley!"


    There were no orders that followed, but Finley knew what Jonathan wanted him to do. He hurried toward them and grabbed the jacket from Rose.


    She turned to Finley and said, "Thank you."


    After that, she returned to Young Estate. Even after she had disappeared through the entrance, Jonathan did not look away.


    "Mr. Finch, the jacket..." Finley asked tentatively, his heart hammering away in his ribcage.


    Jonathan finally tore his gaze away from Young Estate. He angrily snatched the jacket away from Finley and harrumphed once before storming toward the luxurious car. "D-Don''t me me, Mr. Finch!" Finley cried, sweat breaking out over his forehead as disgruntlement filled him. He dared not say anything more as he hurried after Jonathan. Finley had only just opened the door for him when he asked, "What''s wrong with her today?"


    The more Jonathan thought about it, the more he found Rose''s behavior odd.


    She had been distant with him since


    had seemed almost hostile. He


    couldn''t for the life of him figure out


    what he had done to make her


    harbor enmity against him


    Finley was stunned to hear that Jonathan had yet to understand why Rose had behaved that way. As such, he gently nudged the man in the right direction.


    "Do you think it''s because Mrs. Finch saw something that... displeased her, Mr. Finch?"


    Jonathan repeated with a frown, "Something that displeased her?"


    He followed Finley''s gaze and turned to see the woman who had osted him earlier. At that moment,prehension dawned on him.


    Rose must have seen that infuriating woman hanging off him earlier and grown jealous! Jonathan''s lips curled in satisfaction as a chuckle escaped him. "Oh... So she was jealous, huh?"


    Yara caught the warmth in Jonathan''s eyes and went still. She was too far away to hear what he and Finley were saying, but his warm gazeforted her. He had noticed her, and that was enough reason for her to ignore the clumsy moment earlier.


    She gracefully rose to her feet and tossed a flirtatious smile in Jonathan''s direction. She made to catch up to him. "Mr. Finch-" However, Jonathan had already gotten into the car, leaving Finley to numbly process what he had just ordered him to do.


    He asked when the backseat window was rolled down, "Are you sure, Mr. Finch?"


    "Is it not doable?" Jonathan asked nonchntly, unbuttoning his jacket.


    The corner of Finley''s mouth twitched as he replied, "Of course it is, Mr. Finch. For you, everything is doable!"


    "Then go and do it," Jonathan said.

 Chapter 393 The Elusive Ms. Shaffer

    "Yes, Mr. Finch," Finley said, not bothering to ask Jonathan to reconsider.


    By the time Yara caught up to Jonathan, he had already been ferried off in his car. She watched as the car vanished into the distance. She thought about asking Kate to bring the car around, but she wouldn''t catch up to Jonathan in time.


    Yara stomped her foot in anger and turned tosh out at Kate.


    "Why can''t you be a little more proactive? Didn''t you see me trip and fall just now? I could have caught up to Jonathan if you''d helped me, but now I''ve missed my chance because of you! He even smiled at me just now!"


    Her face was twisted into a menacing grimace.


    Kate had hurried over to Yara. She flinched as thetter threw a fit, but she couldn''t help her disbelief. She had seen what happened earlier.


    From a spectator''s point of view, Jonathan hadn''t seemed all that interested in Yara. The only person he cared about was the woman who hade out of Young Estate, and Kate was surprised that Yara hadn''t noticed. She inwardly mocked the actress'' ignorance.


    Yara calmed down and analyzed the incident earlier. She frowned and asked, "That woman who came out just now, howe I''ve never seen her before?"


    It seemed she had not heard Finley address Rose as "Mrs. Finch", but she did catch him addressing her as "Ms. Scahffer".


    "Ms. Shaffer... Based on her dress and the white flower brooch she wore, I can only assume she''s from the Young family. But why haven''t I seen or heard of her before?" Yara drawled pensively as a bad feeling crept up in her.


    She dared not dawdle as she fished out her phone and called Be. "Aunt Be, do you know what''s the connection between Jonathan and a certain Ms. Shaffer?"


    There was no deference in hermanding tone, which irked Be. Still, she reigned in her temper when she thought of the potential marriage alliance between Yara and Jonathan. "Ms. Shaffer?"


    Be knew Rose, of course, but not well enough. She added, "She''s just a woman from Aquastead. I didn''t think you''d know her. But don''t worry, she''s not a threat to you.


    "Not every woman who is infatuated with Jonathan can stand a chance at marrying him."


    "But Jonathan seems to care for..." Yara trailed off. She was loathe to admit that Jonathan cared about Rose, and her pride would never let her say it either.


    Be knew what Yara was trying to say. Sheforted the young actress immediately, "You know how men are. It''s normal for them to take a few more nces at beautiful women, but not to worry. For all her beauty, Rose has nothing on you."


    Such ttery stroked Yara''s ego. She was certain that she was the fairest of them all, which was more than she could say for Rose.


    She had caught a glimpse of Rose''s face and silhouette earlier. While Rose was pretty, she still paled inparison to Yara. More importantly, Yara had both money and looks.


    Yara was the heiress of the Maize family, after all. The Maize family''s affluence ced it just behind the Three Greatest Families of Regalia. Two of the Three Greatest Families of Regalie did not have daughters.


    As for the Young family, their daughters were all adopted, which demarcated them from rightful heiresses like Yara. Yara didn''t think it was a stretch to name herself as the top socialite in Regalia. Having regained her confidence, she said lightly, "You''re right. I might just be a little paranoid. If Ms. Shaffer is just some unknown woman from Aquastead, she couldn''t possibly stand a chance against me. She''s no threat to me at all."


    Yara hung up after that. She was unhappy that she and Jonathan didn''t get the chance to talk earlier, but that didn''t matter. Her chance woulde soon.


    "Bring the car around!" she snarled at Kate. "We''re going to Rise Entertainment."


    ...


    Rise Entertainment, unlike the other enterprises under The Finch Group, was not housed within the group''s main office building.


    In his attempt to break away from The Finch Group, Ezra had selected Young Industrial Park as the business address for Rise Entertainment.


    Two luxurious cars drove into Young Industrial Park.


    Yara had ordered the driver to speed up. She also had her team contact the press and inform them of her whereabouts. The reporters staked out at the industrial park before she arrived.


    When the first car pulled up, the eagle-eyed reporters immediately noticed that the person inside the luxurious car could not be from an ordinary background.


    They hoisted up their cameras and were about to approach the car when the person who came out of the vehicle made them freeze.


    They exchanged baffled looks as if to ask each other, "What do we do? It''s Jonathan."


    "Do we go up and take his photos anyway?"


    "And risk his wrath?"


    They were suddenly confronted by an existential crisis, and they wisely decided to back off.


    Last night''s incident where Jonathan came to Rose''s defense was still circting. Overnight, FMZ Media had been plunged into scandal. Even Wace, the CEO, had been brought in for questioning.


    FMZ Media had done well in the reporting industry in thest few years. Everyone knew it was backed by some bigshot. But even so,


    mediapany could not es


    the controversy that upended its reputation overnight.


    Moreover, it was hard for the reporters to think that Jonathan hadn''t caused FMZ Media''s downfall in a fit of rage.


    After exchanging a few knowing looks, the reporters stowed their cameras away and stepped out of range. They did not want Jonathan turning that icy gaze on them.


    Jonathan had always kept a low


    profile and did not like publicity. The reporters hade because they were tipped off that Yara would be signing with a new entertainment agency while in Regalia.


    As an act of self-preservation, they would stick to taking pictures of her and writing about her today.


    Just as the thought crossed the reporters'' minds, they spotted another luxurious ride pulling up at the industrial park. It was parked where Jonathan''s car had been a moment ago. The moment Yara got out of the car and spotted Jonathan walking ahead, she went after him without hesitation.


    "Mr. Finch-"


    She had called out to him loudly enough for the reporters to hear. They had only just snapped a picture of her getting out of the car when they paused.


    They watched as she caught up to the man before her and blocked his way.


    The international box office queen and the ruler of The Finch Group in one frame-a picture of them could shock the entertainment and business industry. The question now was, did the reporters dare snap a shot of them?


    Jonathan frowned at thedy who had obstructed him. He regarded her as if he had never seen her before.


    In hopes of bringing out her charm, Yara had shrugged off the ck dress she wore to Young Estate and changed into a stunning, figure-hugging red dress that left little to the imagination. Anyone would have been bewitched by her beauty. Anyone except for, obviously, Jonathan. In fact, he was far from bewitched. He was utterly confused by her appearance.


    Yara couldn''t help feeling indignant. Had he forgotten her so quickly? She hid her displeasure and reintroduced herself to the man.


    "I''m Yara Maize. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Finch."


    However, Jonathan only stared at her. Yara blinked at him.


    His brows were still furrowed as he shot Finley a dark look as if to ask, "Who the hell is Yara Maize?"


    Exasperation washed over Finley. He knew Jonathan did not pay attention to any woman other than Rose, not that he had paid any attention to the opposite sex before.


    As such, he knew that even though


    Yara was the woman who had osted Jonathan half an hour ago


    at Young Estate and caused


    jealousy, Jonathan did not remember her at all. It didn''t help that she had changed into a


    different outfit.


    Finley couldn''t believe Yara had trailed after them from Young Estate. He suddenly thought about Jonathan''s instruction earlier, and a bold idea crossed his mind.

 Chapter 394 Marriage Alliance

    Finley inched closer to Jonathan and whispered, "Mr. Finch, she''s the woman who osted you outside Young Estate. You wanted to make Mrs. Finch jealous, right? Well, Ms. Maize here has the figure and the looks to make Mrs. Finch supremely jealous."


    The suggestion was bold, and even if Finley didn''t think Jonathan''s n to make Rose jealous was a good idea. s, he had no choice in the matter other than to y along with Jonathan''s ns.


    "Mr. Finch, I came by to thank you and the rest of Rise Entertainment for helping me pave my career in the local entertainment industry. I''m not very familiar with it, which is why I haven''t signed with any agency before this.


    "Imagine how terrible it would be if this had continued," Yara said, pouting like a child. She knew men couldn''t resist the masculine urge to protect her if she put on the damsel-in-distress act.


    However, Jonathan only frowned at her. "Maize... Did you say yourst name was ''Maize''?"


    Many people had thatst name, but he could only think of one prestigious family in Regalia who went by it.


    Yara confirmed his suspicions. "Yes, that''s right. Now that I think about it, my family and the Finches go way back. I might have been working abroad all these years, but I''ve heard my family speak of you." Jonathan had guessed correctly. He knew Eleanor could not have asked him to temporarily oversee Rised Entertainment without good reason. It seemed she had taken Yosef''s advice to form a marriage alliance between their family and the Maizes.


    A cold gleam shed in Jonathan''s eyes as he put two and two together.


    Yara went on obliviously, "I heard that of all the rulers of the Finch family, you are the one who wields the iron fist. I thought you were intimidating at first, but I was wrong. With that young and handsome face, you''re anything but intimidating!"


    She blinked, ying up her innocence and naivety. Some men ate up the act, but Jonathan nearly gagged.


    He suddenly demanded, "Has your family agreed to the marriage alliance with the Finches?"


    Yara didn''t think he would be so direct. Even Finley''s jaw dropped.


    She snapped out of her daze and gave a quick nod. "Yes. Once our family is allied through our marriage, it''ll be good for both our businesses."


    She had heard that Jonathan was decisive and ruthless when it came to doing business. It wasn''t surprising that his questions were brutally forthright.


    Yara found this aspect of him particrly attractive. If he brought up the marriage alliance, she could only assume that he was happy about it.


    She couldn''t help the thrill that


    rushed through her as she promised, "If I marry into the Finch family, I''ll be able to boost thepany''s


    worry, I''ll be your best asset when we''re married!"


    exposure internationally. Don''tal ne


    Once they were married, Yara would be known as Mrs. Finch. She would be put on a pedestal by the finedies of upper-crust society. She grew even more eager about the marriage as the thought


    Sold of


    her.


    "So, when are we getting married?"


    Next to them, Finley was stunned speechless. He wondered what was going on. How could Jonathan consider marrying anyone else when he was so in love with Rose? As the question rang through his head, he


    shot a baffled look at Jonathan.


    To his surprise, Jonathan was smiling, his icy gaze dark as he eyed Yara. Only Finley could detect the hint of contempt on his face. Jonathan nced at Yara''s red dress and drawled, "Don''t wear red anymore."


    "If you don''t like it, I won''t wear it," Yara said obligingly.


    She hadn''t known he disliked the color red. She thanked her lucky stars that she had brought extra dresses to change into.


    Not wanting to ruin Jonathan''s impression of her, she decided to go back into the car and put on a different dress.


    "Give me a minute! I''ll be just a moment!" she said as she bounded back to the car excitedly.


    As if Jonathan would wait for her. The moment she left, he turned and headed straight for the elevator.


    Behind him, Finley asked tentatively, "Mr. Finch, are the Finches actually going to enter a marriage alliance with Ms. Maize? What about you and Mrs. Finch-"


    "What does Ms. Maize''s marriage alliance have to do with me and Rose? There are others in the family who can fulfill that alliance," Jonathan ground out.

 Chapter 395 Sibling Rivalry

    A few faces shed through Finley''s mind, all belonging to the other male Finch family members from Jonathan''s generation.


    Just then, the elevator doors opened with a ding. Finley looked up to see the most handsome man in the entertainment industry walking toward them.


    With a face crafted by the angels, the man wore the simple white blouse like he was doing it a favor.


    "M-Mr. Turner?" Finley frowned.


    Not a lot of people knew that Ezra, the hottest male star in showbiz, was from the Finch family. Rise Entertainment had been established because of him. Finley immediately thought about what Jonathan had said in the elevator. Was Jonathan nning to let Ezra fulfill the marriage alliance with Yara instead? He dared not speak this thought aloud, but theprehensionced with surprise in his eyes told Jonathan enough.


    "What are you doing here?" Ezra asked sullenly when he saw Jonathan.


    Though Ezra and Jonathan were siblings, their meetings were always hostile. If one didn''t know better, one might think they had some age-old feud to settle.


    Ezra had been dragged back to Regalia when he visited Aquastead twice. After the second time, he had been ced under the "protection" of the Azure n of the Finches and only just regained his freedom not too long ago.


    "I see you''ve finally decided to grace Regalia with your presence," Ezra drawled. When he thought of Rose, he asked, "What about her?"


    If Jonathan was back, Ezra could only assume he had lost interest in Rose. He shook his head mockingly and added, "I feel bad for her."


    Naturally, Jonathan knew the woman Ezra was referring to. He would have given Rose the moon if she asked for it. As far as he was concerned, Ezra''s sympathy could shove it.


    Then again, Jonathan didn''t think he needed to exin anything to Ezra. He stared at thetter for a while before looking away and walking straight past him.


    "Jonathan!" Ezra ground out, clenching his fists. He hated it whenever Jonathan treated him like he was invisible.


    The three of them were the only ones in the corridor beyond the elevator bay. Finley could feel the angry energy crackling in the air, the tension so thick he could suffocate. Jonathan suddenly halted in his steps and turned to meet Ezra''s incensed stare. He said breezily, "Drop by for family dinner sometime."


    He spoke to Ezra in a brotherly manner.


    Thetter gaped at him, dumbfounded. He had never heard Jonathan speak so warmly or affectionately before.


    A strange feeling seized him, but when he snapped out of his daze, Jonathan had already turned and disappeared into the office.


    Ezra had wanted to grate on Jonathan''s nerves earlier, but he changed his mind. He couldn''t help thinking about Jonathan''s invitation to the family dinner.


    The Finches were arge family, and he had no way of knowing who else would be included in a family dinner.


    But he knew one thing-he and Jonathan would definitely be present if thetter''s invitation was any indication.


    Ezra was still in deep thought when the elevator doors opened. He heard a female voice ask, "Did you get the shot earlier?"


    The woman who hade up was none other than Yara. She had already changed out of the red dress and into a short, white one. She had even tweaked her makeup to suit her attire, and every bit of her radiated with confidence.


    Once she was done with her makeover, she hurried to catch up with Jonathan. While she was in the elevator, she thought to make sure that the reporters from just now had taken a shot of her and Jonathan. If not she could always create another photo opportunity.


    The reporter on the other end was conflicted. He knew Yara was talking about getting a picture where she and Jonathan were in one frame, but none of the reporters had dared to aim their cameras at Jonathan.


    However, they were also intimidated by Yara''s powerful background. The reporter hesitated for a while before nodding. "Yes, we got it." That was a lie. They only got a shot of hering out of her car.


    Upon hearing this, Yara happily hung up the phone. Admiration and determination shed in her eyes as she thought about Jonathan. "Mr. Finch-no, I''ll be calling him Jonathan soon."


    She had only just muttered this when she looked up and met a pair of beautiful bedroom eyes.

 Chapter 396 Not His Type

    Ezra leaned against the wall, looking amused as he crossed his arms. He and Yara had never met, but each knew who the other was courtesy of their profession.


    Ezra was the most handsome man in the entertainment industry with countless female fans. In the past, Yara would have found a way to stir up a potential romance with him for the sake of publicity. However, she had set her sights on Jonathan, who stood at the top of the social food chain and ruled the Finch family. She couldn''t be bothered with lesser men like Ezra.


    She had caught the wicked amusement in Ezra''s eyes and knew that he''d heard everything she said. But that didn''t matter. She looked away from him, rolling her eyes as she did.


    Jonathan was somewhere on this floor. He did not like red, but she doubted even he could resist the allure of seeing a woman in white. She couldn''t wait to see him, and in her eagerness, she made her way toward the office.


    She had taken only a few steps when she heard azy male voice drawl, "Jonathan won''t like you." He sounded like he knew Jonathan''s preferences.


    Yara stopped and turned to give Ezra an incredulous look. "What did you just say?"


    He repeated insouciantly, "Jonathan won''t like you." Then, he unabashedly scanned her from head to toe. "You''re not his type."


    A dark shadow passed over Yara''s face. She didn''t want to waste her time on someone irrelevant like Ezra. He was just some guy in entertainment. How would he know Jonathan''s type and preferences? Still, she found herself asking, "What''s his type then?"


    "His type?" Ezra immediately thought of Rose. "Someone refreshingly honest and who speaks her mind. You''re not like that at all."


    He could tell from first nce that Yara was pretentious. He shook his head in contempt and turned to head into the elevator.


    "You-" Yara snarled as the elevator doors closed after Ezra, grinding her teeth.


    She was even more resolved to win Jonathan over. "The first thing I''ll do once I be Mrs. Finch is to have you banned from the industry, Ezra! Hmmph!"


    She was full of confidence as she paraded around the office, but Jonathan was nowhere to be found. She did not so much as catch a glimpse of him even as the sky darkened outside.


    She stopped the employee who wasst to leave and asked, "Where''s Mr. Finch?"


    The employee stared at her in puzzlement. "He... left a long while ago!"


    Jonathan, the new person in charge of Rise Entertainment, had only dropped by for a few minutes before leaving. Yara had missed him.


    She stomped her foot angrily and


    left the office. When she returned to


    I.n


    the car, she immediately asked Kate about how her pictures with Jonathan were faring online. She was sure the pictures would have spread across the inte by now.


    However, Kate looked hesitant. Under Yara''s demanding gaze, she held out her phone reluctantly.


    Yara thought she would see a picture of her and Jonathan, but the only picture that had been published online was the one where she got out of the car.


    She frowned and scrolled down to see if there were other snapshots, but all the reporters she had hired only took shots of her alone.


    Yara called one of the reporters immediately and demanded sharply, "Where are Jonathan''s pictures?"


    "Jonathan?" The reporter sounded like he was slowly remembering this. "Oh, you mean Mr. Finch? What do you mean by his pictures?" He was obviously ying dumb.


    Yara seethed as she hung up and called another reporter. She asked the same question, only for the reporter to feign cluelessness as well.


    "I didn''t see Mr. Finch at all, Ms.


    Maize. I only saw you getting out of the car Didn''t you ask us to


    out at Young Industrial Park fatto


    so we


    could take your pictures?"


    Rage boiled within Yara. The


    reporters dared not tell her that they


    couldn''t and wouldn''t cross


    Jonathan, not without risking their necks. As such, they chose to get on her bad side instead.


    She gritted her teeth. The turn of events only spurred her need to win Jonathan over.


    At that moment, Yara''s phone rang with a call from an unknown number. She wanted to reject the call but epted it after some thought.


    She asked impatiently, "Who is this?"

 Chapter 397 The Woman Jonathan Loves

    When Yara''s question was met with silence, she let loose a torrent of abuse. But just before she hung up, a female voice sounded from the other end.


    "Jonathan is in love with someone."


    Yara never expected to hear this from a stranger. She asked instinctively, "Who?"


    "Rose Shaffer," came the answer from the stranger on the other end.


    Yara blinked. "Who the hell is Rose Shaffer?" She had never heard of any Rose Shaffer, who hailed from Regalia.


    "I can''t help you with that, but I can tell you that Jonathan is madly in love with Rose. So what should you do if you want to marry the head of the Finch family?" the woman asked.


    Yara pondered the question. If the woman on the other line was telling the truth and Rose truly existed, she would do anything toe between Rose and Jonathan. But there was something else she needed to know-the identity of her secret messenger.


    Yara was about to ask when the other person hung up. She stared at her phone silently for a while. She muttered Rose''s name several times and gradually grew curious about this mysterious woman. Arrogance radiated off her as she wondered what kind of woman had caught Jonathan''s eye. Regardless of what this Rose Shaffer looked like, Yara was confident that the former had nothing on her. Over at Young Estate, droves of people came to pay theirst respects to Oliver. On the day of his burial, articles about his funeral still ended up on mainstream media even though the Young family had kept the paparazzi away through any means necessary.


    Pictures and videos taken on the day of Oliver''s burial began to circte.


    Everyone with ess to the mainstream media saw a young woman carrying Oliver''s portrait while leading the procession.


    She stood front and center, and even the eldest scion of the Young family walked alongside her like an escort.


    Who was she? At once, theizens went wild as they discussed the young woman''s identity. They reckoned she might havee from some formidable background.


    Meanwhile, in an abandoned house in Aquastead, the door to a pitch-ck room mmed open with a bang.


    The woman lying on the bed jumped down like a startled bird. She ran toward the corner and curled up with her arms covering her head. Every bit of her trembled with fear.


    The woman was none other than Kelly, whom Jonathan had kept imprisoned in this dpidated house.


    Following Oliver''s funeral and cremation, his ashes were brought back to Regalia overnight. Most of Jonathan''s bodyguards had followed him back to Regalia, leaving only a select few in Aquastead to keep an eye on Kelly.


    However, the bodyguards'' scrutiny added to the torture Kelly was experiencing. She had already developed a bone-deep fear after being imprisoned for so long.


    "Mr. Young Senior''s burial just happened not too long ago," a voice said in the dark room.


    Kelly noted the difference in the bodyguard''s behavior today. Previously, the bodyguards who delivered her meals did not speak her, but it seemed the one who came today was setting a new precedent. She stiffened in the corner. Oliver had been buried, the bodyguard said.


    As if to answer Kelly''s question, the newscaster''s voice rang through the room. "Oliver Young was buried today in the loving presence of his children and grandchildren. "The procession was led by a mysterious young woman who did the honor of holding up Oliver''s portrait in solemnity, channeling the image of the head of the family.


    "Even Miles Young, the eldest scion of the Young family, was respectful toward the young woman. One can only presume she hails from a formidable background..."


    Kelly slowly looked up. Her gaze was murky, and her face was lined with exhaustion. But when she saw Rose''s face in the news footage, unbridled hatred and jealousy filled her eyes.


    She couldn''t believe Rose had been given the honor of holding up Oliver''s portrait for the procession. Did that mean Rose had been acknowledged as the true heiress of the Young family? Maniacal rage burned in Kelly''s eyes as she thought about the prestigious status Rose now wielded and the massive fortune that wouldst her through lifetimes.


    She hissed through gritted teeth, "Rose... Rose!"


    Her jaw clenched as she glowered at Rose''s face in the video. She wanted nothing more than to reach past the screen and take everything away from her.


    As far as Kelly was concerned, she and only she could be the true heiress of the Young family.


    When the person who came into the room saw the crazed gleam in Kelly''s eyes, he knew his employer had guessed correctly. Kelly hated Rose with a passion.


    As such, he said, "Rose is in Regalia right now. Do you want to see her?"


    Kelly froze and turned to look at the man, wondering what he meant.


    "I can help you get to Regalia if that''s what you want," he added.


    She stared at him. She was wary at first, then baffled. She was even mildly surprised by this stroke of luck as she asked, "Can you really help me?"


    "Of course."


    "What do you want in return?" Kelly probed. She doubted he would help her for free, so there had to be something he wanted from her.


    "What do I want? Well, I want you to do something for me. Don''t worry. It''s nothing you wouldn''t want to do," the man promised with a low chuckle. He asked again in confirmation, "What do you say?" "Deal," she replied without hesitation.


    She had been tortured enough within these four walls. Jonathan would never spare her. Knowing him, he was probably saving any cruel punishment for after they had wrapped up Oliver''s burial.


    As such, she couldn''t care less who this mysterious man was, who he worked for, or what he wanted. She would gamble with what little odds she had in her favor if it meant she could get out. "Then stay here and wait for my word," the man said after hearing Kelly''s answer and left the room.


    In Regalia, society was abuzz with the question of who the mysterious young woman was at Oliver''s burial.


    Some felt that she was a socialite, but anyone who pried for more information only learned that the woman was Oliver''s adopted granddaughter from Aquastead.


    However, that narrative did not check out. If she was just an adopted granddaughter, why did she get the honor of holding up Oliver''s portrait during the funeral procession?


    The Young family was one of the Three Greatest Families in Regalia. Even with Oliver gone, the family''s status did not change, nor did its affluence and power.


    On the third day after the funeral,


    many socialites were pressured by


    their families to extend invitations to the Young family for various


    gatherings. Those invitations were


    made out to one Ms. Shaffer.


    "Rose sure is popr. She is well-liked throughout Aquastead and Regalia," Anastasia remarked acerbically as she tossed yet another invitation into the pile on the side.


    She knew these invitations were only made out to Rose because of thetter''s startling presence at Oliver''s funeral.


    Anastasia had been among the many who protested against Rose holding up Oliver''s portrait and leading the procession, but Miles ignored the opposing voices and pushed Rose into taking up the task.


    Consequently, Rose looked like the


    most important person in the Young


    let


    family. That did not sit right with Anastasia, who was also an adopted granddaughter and did not


    [e''


    appreciate the preferential treatment Rose received.


    Rose sat on the couch, not at all reacting to Anastasia''s snidement or showing any interest in the invitations piling up on the table. She did not so much as spare them a nce. Anastasia ground her teeth at Rose''s indifference. Furious, she was about to snap at thetter when Miles'' voice cut through the tension.


    "Rose, you don''t have to go to any of the gatherings if you don''t want to."


    When he looked at Rose, it was with warmth and consideration.


    Gabriel piped up, "That''s right. You don''t have to go if you don''t want to, but you''ll get cabin fever at some point if you keep staying in. I can give you a lift if you ever want to go out for some fresh air."


    Rose rolled her eyes at Gabriel''s offer. He had been staying at Young Estate since Oliver''s burial. He was a rtive of the Young family and also a scion, not to mention a hedonist.


    At first, Rose thought he had stayed because of the whole funeral business. But now that the burial was over, what reasons could Gabriel possibly have for extending his stay at the estate?

 Chapter 398 I Want to See You

    Anastasia noticed Gabriel''s gaze toward Rose and understood immediately. There was another protector around Rose.


    It was Rose again. Anastasia felt particrly uneasy at this moment. If Rose aimed to inherit a portion of the Young family''s wealth, Gabriel and Miles would likely support her.


    The more Anastasia thought about it, the more she felt that this situation couldn''t continue. She had to take action and drive Rose out of the Young family and Regalia.


    During various family gatherings, Rose never showed up. She came to Regalia only for Oliver. Now, with Oliver''s funeral settled, she would leave as soon as possible. Thus, Rose found an opportunity to bid farewell to Miles. "Miles, I think it''s time for me to go back."


    At the Young Estate''s dining room, everyone was having breakfast. However, Rose set down her cutlery first.


    Since Oliver passed away, ayer of mncholy had crept into Rose''s demeanor. She appeared sorrowful, which evoked sympathy from Miles in particr. Miles knew Rose''s identity and would never allow her to leave. However, right after Oliver''s funeral had ended, the Young Group seemed calm on the surface. However, beneath the facade was an undercurrent of turmoil, like an abyss with hidden turbulence swirling within. The Young Group belonged to Rose. Miles intended to hand everything over to Rose in peace.


    "Aren''t you staying in Regalia a bit longer? It''s rare for you to visit. Let Gabriel apany you and rx a bit," Miles said gently.


    As Gabriel was mentioned, his eyes suddenly brightened. He also set down his cutlery.


    He chimed in, "Yes. I''ll take you around. Regalia is where I know best." Gabriel was full of anticipation.


    Though surprised that Miles wanted him to apany Rose, he quickly understood that Miles probably had more pressing matters tying him down. Otherwise, such a good opportunity wouldn''t be given to him.


    The Young Group was bound to face a struggle for financial power. Gabriel had already made his decision to simply be an observer.


    "No need for sightseeing..." Rose started to decline.


    Just then, her phone rang. Seeing the familiar number, Rose was delighted. She immediately answered the call.


    "Rose..." On the other end of the phone was Yvonne.


    After half a year of no contact, Yvonne had just returned to Regalia with her dance troupe from a global tour. Upon seeing the news about the Young family, with Rose holding Oliver''s memorial photo, she felt concerned and had many questions. "Are you still in Regalia?"


    Yvonne wanted to ask what exactly happened, but she knew that the Rose she saw in the news had eyes full of grief. It was not something that could be exined in just a few words. Before she could suggest a meeting, Rose preemptively said, "I want to see you."


    Her tone was different from usual. It was a tone even Miles had not heard before. It was part coaxing and part excitement as if she couldn''t wait to be with the person on the other end. Miles thought, "Who could it be? Could it be Jonathan? No! It couldn''t be him!"


    Jonathan had beening to the Young Estate every day, but Rose always avoided him. Even when she answered his calls, her tone was perfunctory.


    If it wasn''t Jonathan, Miles wondered who it could be. Miles frowned.


    As he pondered, Rose seemed to have already arranged a time and ce with the person on the other end of the phone.


    After hanging up, excitement finally sparkled in her eyes. She stood up and said to Miles, "Miles, I need to go out for a while."


    "Where are you going?" As Miles spoke, Rose had already left the dining table and headed to her room. She changed her clothes beforeing back out.


    She wore all ck, with her hair casually tied in a ponytail. At least she looked more spirited than the past few days. In the living room, Miles and Gabriel both waited intentionally. Seeing Rose walk over, Miles spoke again. "I''ll drive you."


    "No need. It''s easy to get a cab," Rose replied. She didn''t want to trouble Miles.


    "Then I''ll drive you. I''ll get the car," Gabriel said. He didn''t give Rose a chance to refuse as he ran out.


    When Rose stepped outside the Young Estate, Gabriel''s red Ferrari was already waiting outside. Gabriel got out of the car and opened the door for her. His eager and kind smile made it difficult for Rose to refuse.


    "Thank you," Rose said.


    She gave Gabriel an address, and he drove straight to the destination. As the Ferrari left, Miles'' car also pulled out of the garage.


    Elmer tentatively asked, "Mr. Miles, should we head straight to the Young Group?"


    Miles hesitated for a moment before replying, "Follow Gabriel first."


    With that, Miles buried his head in his documents. It was like he was hiding his true intentions.


    Rose and Yvonne had agreed to meet at a regr cafe. When Rose arrived, Yvonne wasn''t there yet. She casually found a seat and waited for Yvonne.


    These days, her mind had been in turmoil. There was so much she wanted to talk about with Yvonne.


    "Yvonne, I''m here. Take your time. No rush," Rose texted Yvonne.


    Yvonne''s work with the dance troupe involved long periods of


    rehearsals and performances. It left her with little free time. But even


    with long periods of no contact, their bond remained strong.


    Though Yvonne hadn''t arrived yet, she sent a series of amusing emojis to Rose. Roseughed at Yvonne''s emojis.


    Just then, a voice nearby said, "This spot by the window is perfect. Mr. Chapman, please clear out the people." The arrogant tone was grating to the ears.


    Rose wasn''t interested in what was happening around her. But when she looked up, she met a pair of arrogant eyes.


    Upon seeing the familiar face, Rose''s gaze wavered slightly. She quickly looked away. She intended to ignore the situation.


    But within seconds, a staff member, Cuthbert Gardner, approached her table. "Miss, could you please move? Ms. Maize has chosen this spot, and we need it." Although the tone was better than the woman''s earlier, it stillcked much respect.


    Rose finally understood. It turned out that the window seat Yara mentioned earlier referred to the one she was sitting in.


    Rose thought, "Should I move? It''s just a seat. It''s no big deal."


    Rose forced a smile. She got up and relocated to the most inconspicuous corner of the cafe.


    "Ms. Maize..." Algernon cleared the table. He was eager to impress the international award-winning actress.


    However, he saw Yara''s face darken. She turned and walked toward the corner of the cafe.


    "This spot works best. It''ll yield better results for the shoot," Yara said. She eyed Rose''s new seat.


    This time, Algernon signaled Cuthbert without waiting for Yara''s cue.


    Cuthbert approached again, "Miss..."


    Rose knew what he was going to say. If it weren''t for her meeting with Yvonne, she would have left the cafe altogether. She didn''t want to trouble Cuthbert. She stood up again and looked around. There were plenty of empty seats.


    Rose purposely chose the most


    inconspicuous seat. It was neither by the window nor in any notable location. But as soon as she sat down, Yara approached once more.

 Chapter 399 Deliberately Troubling Rose

    Yara stood by Rose''s seat with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised provocatively even more pronounced than before. "Let''s switch here. This spot is better."


    If Rose couldn''t see Yara''s intentions now, she was truly naive. In fact, Rose had sensed her ill intentions from the first word Yara spoke. However, she didn''t want to stir up trouble. Giving way once was enough, but it didn''t mean Rose would tolerate being bullied. This time, Rose decided not to yield.


    She looked up and met Yara''s gaze squarely. "Ms. Maize may not be eyeing the seat I''m in, but something else."


    Her hostility wasn''t baseless. And the reason... Rose vividly remembered Yara as the woman leaning on Jonathan outside the Young Estate. Indeed, it was... trouble.


    Jonathan''s face alone was enough to catch the attention of the woman. Moreover, now that he also held the position of the Finch Group''s ruler, there would likely be more tterers around him.


    Rose didn''t like entanglements, nor did she want to get herself involved in these messy affairs. She didn''t like either being seen as a rival or wasting her energy unnecessarily. So...


    Rose smirked slightly. She could see Yara''s difort at being read so urately.


    Before Yara could respond, Rose firmly asserted her position. She said, "Ms. Maize, go find someone who can give you whatever you want. As for me... my home is in Aquastead, and I''lle and go as I please. It''s none of your concern." Yara''s expression stiffened. "You... you really intend to go back to Aquastead?"


    She clearly doubted it. Over these few days, she had someone investigate and found out that the woman she saw outside the Young Estate was indeed Rose.


    Rose was acknowledged as Oliver''s adopted granddaughter. Even with the Young family''s connections, as long as she was not the true heiress of the Young family, she couldn''tpare to Yara. Yara was a true heiress of the Maize family. But considering that day outside the Young Estate, it seemed that Jonathan did show some interest in her. Yara believed Julia''s revtion.


    Today, she happened to encounter Rose, so she naturally wanted to teach her a lesson. But unexpectedly... Rose saw through her intentions and straightforwardly mentioned leaving Regalia.


    Yara stared at Rose. She tried to discern the truth behind her words.


    "Why would I lie?" Rose shrugged nonchntly.


    "Are you willing?" Yara persisted. She was still skeptical.


    Rose raised an eyebrow. She was confused by Yara''s words. "Willing for what?"


    Yara tilted her chin defiantly. "Of course, about the Young family and... him!"


    Even if Rose was willing to let go of the Young family''s wealth, she wouldn''t believe she could resist the allure of associating with the Finch family.


    Rose understood her implication. The Young family''s affairs had never concerned her.


    The only thing she cared about was Oliver, whose funeral had already ended. There was nothing else she was unwilling to part with. As for Jonathan...


    The image of Jonathan crossed her mind. There was a hint of something unfamiliar stirring in her heart. But in an instant, she deliberately pushed that feeling away.


    She and Jonathan were never meant to be in the same circle. Hence, everything should naturally return to its normal state.


    "Rose." A familiar voice rang out.


    Rose turned toward the entrance and saw Yvonne. Their eyes met. At that moment, it seemed as if they only had each other.


    Rose paid no further attention to Yara, who hade to cause trouble. There was nothing else that could be more important than being reunited with Yvonne after such a long time. Rose got up from her seat and rushed over. They grabbed each other''s hands. They embraced several times before pulling back to gaze at each other.


    In her excitement, Yvonne couldn''t hide her concern. "You''ve lost weight," Yvonnemented.


    In just a short time, Rose had noticeably slimmed down. She looked as if a gust of wind could blow her away at any moment.


    "You look more beautiful." Rose was aware of Yvonne''s dreams in dance.


    Her global tour must have gone smoothly. It was evident from her confident demeanor. Clearly, she had been well-nourished spiritually. They embraced again in excitement. "So much has happened, and I wasn''t there for you. Rose, I..." Yvonne reproached herself.


    She didn''t know exactly what had happened, but just from the vague images in the news, Yvonne could sense Rose''s sadness. Clearly, Oliver meant a lot to Rose. "Yvonne..." In Yvonne''s presence, Rose didn''t need to pretend to be strong.


    It felt like something that had long been pent up in her heart had finally found an outlet. Just like when her mother passed away when she was young, Rose copsed onto Yvonne''s shoulder.


    Tears streamed down her face uncontrobly. "Grandpa is gone. He''s gone..."


    Yvonne gently patted her back and soothed her in a soft voice. "You still have me. I''m here for you."


    Yvonne understood that Rose needed to release the suppressed emotions in her heart.


    Suddenly, Yvonne nced around. At that moment, it seemed like every staff member from the film crew was staring at them.


    The atmosphere was tense, especially the outspoken woman whose gaze held clear hostility. Yvonne didn''t know what was going on, but she felt that this ce... wasn''t safe. "Let''s get out of here," Yvonne dered. With that, she grabbed Rose''s hand and hurried out of the cafe.


    Rose let herself be led outside. She felt an unprecedented sense of rxation. It was like returning to her student days. They held hands and ran toward their secret hideout.


    On the roadside, Gabriel leaned against the car. He took a call and finally ended his conversation with Chloe.


    Due to the call, he hadn''t noticed


    anything that had transpired in the cafe moments before. Seeing Rose holding hands with a young woman and running toward him, the


    §ï§Ý


    and trust in Rose''seyes caught him off guard.


    So, the person she came to meet was a woman. He had thought...


    Gabriel dispelled the slight sense of unease in his heart. He put on a weing smile as he prepared to act as a capable driver.


    "Rose..." he began. He was ready to offer them a ride.


    But the two holding hands simply dashed past him. Gabriel''s smile froze for a moment. Turning back, he watched as Rose and the young woman got into a car and drove off.


    Not far away a luxury car had just


    pulled up. As the car window rolled down, a gentle and handsome face rxed upon seeing Rose and a


    he car.


    young woman getting into the


    The tense, worried expression on his


    face eased.


    It turned out that Rose had met with a woman. He remembered that Even''s sister, Yvonne, was in a dance troupe in Regalia. He didn''t see her, but it had to be her.


    It was good to have Yvonne with her. Someone to keep Rosepany. And him...


    "Go to the Young Group," Miles instructed Elmer ahead. Then, he lowered his eyes to continue examining the documents in his hands.


    He needed to swiftly handle matters in Young Group before announcing Rose''s identity to everyone.


    The Youngs'' luxury car had only paused briefly. But unknown to them, the sharp-eyed individuals inside the cafe had recognized him. "That... is Mr. Miles..."


    "Oh, I remember now. The girl in a ck outfit with the high ponytail just now... was the one... the one that Ms. Maize drove away..."

 Chapter 400 Wrong Couple Pairing

    The man realized he had said the wrong thing and immediately stopped talking. Looking at Yara, he noticed her staring grimly outside the cafe. She seemed oblivious to his presence, which relieved him. Others around caught on after his reminder. They immediately recognized that the woman in ck was indeed the mysterious woman from the Young family everyone had been curious about recently. "What exactly is her connection to the Young family?"


    "She''s here to meet a friend, and Mr. Miles had to check on her. Even Mr. Gabriel was on guard outside."


    "Mr. Gabriel looks more like a bodyguard to her. Her status must be significant."


    The staff member of the film crew was extremely curious about Rose''s identity. Yara felt particrly bitter inside.


    "What''s so significant about her? She''s just Mr. Young Senior''s adopted granddaughter from Aquastead. They don''t even share any blood rtion. She hasn''t contributed anything to the Young family. She simply used some tricks to deceive Mr. Young Senior. "Do you think Mr. Miles and Mr. Gabriel care about her? They''re just keeping an eye on her and guarding against her. That''s all."


    Yara smirked coldly. Though she said that, no one knew for sure if they were genuinely just guarding against Rose or not. She recalled Rose''s reaction after asking her that question.


    "Are you willing?"


    Yara became even more wary. She wasn''t willing. Whether it was about the Young family or Jonathan, she couldn''t afford to sit idly by.


    "I''m tired. Let''s call it a day." Yara had no more mood to film. Her thoughts were solely on how to drive Rose out of Regalia.


    Yara ignored Algernon and other staff member''s reactions and made her way back to the minivan.


    "They seem to have a close rtionship," Yara muttered to herself.


    By "they", she meant Rose and Yvonne.


    After pondering for a while, a strange expression appeared on Yara''s face. She took out her phone and dialed a number.


    "I need you to look into someone for me."


    ...


    Yvonne drove Rose back to Yvonne''s apartment in Regalia. Along the way, Rose recounted the events of the past few months, including how Oliver had adopted her and everything Kelly had done. "Kelly hates me. She wants me dead. She aimed to kill me, but ended up harming Grandpa instead..."


    Whenever Rose thought about that day, she wished she could turn back time. She couldn''t bear the thought of Oliver taking such a risk on her.


    "Mr. Young Senior didn''t want you to get hurt. He wouldn''t want you to carry this guilt forever..." Yvonneforted her.


    While listening to Rose, a question formed in Yvonne''s mind. Even if Rose had eyes strikingly simr to Oliver''s daughter, risking his life for someone would require a significant motive. Yvonne wondered if that motive really was just transference.


    "Rose, have you ever considered..." she hesitated.


    Yvonne couldn''t help but think, "Have you ever considered that there might be another connection between you and Mr. Young Senior? Rose''s mother was named Celeste Young, also with the surname Young... "Could it be..."


    A wild guess popped into her mind, but Yvonne quickly shook it off. She didn''t want her spection to further upset Rose, so she stopped herself from speaking.


    At that moment, she stood by the window in the eight-floor living room. Downstairs, a man stood with several bags.


    Yvonne immediately recognized him as the person who had offered to take them earlier outside the cafe. He had followed them here.


    Yvonne raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Hmm, he does seem to care about you. He''s quite handsome."


    Rose felt baffled by Yvonne''s sudden remark. Just then, Rose''s phone rang. It was Gabriel.


    To the people of the Young family, she still had to maintain the appropriate courtesy. Besides, Gabriel had driven her earlier that day. After a brief hesitation, Rose answered the call. Upon answering the phone, Gabriel''s voice came through. "It''s lunchtime. I had your favorite dishes prepared, and I made sure to include a few things your friend might like too." Rose felt a bit perplexed. She thought, "What''s he implying?"


    Suddenly, a thought struck her. She sprang up from the couch and rushed to the window. Rose and Yvonne peered down together and saw Gabriel standing there with several bags. "Tsk..." Yvonne gave Rose a teasing look.


    Rose knew Yvonne had misunderstood the situation. Before Rose could exin, Yvonne leaned in with a mischievous grin. She intended to openly eavesdrop on her. "Rose, should I bring the food up?" Gabriel''s tone was cautious. He was afraid Rose would reject him.


    Rose was about to decline, but Yvonne agreed before she could. "Yes, please do! We''re starving. Thanks, handsome." She even provided the floor and apartment number. Downstairs, Gabriel''s spirits were lifted. He quickly headed up with the bags.


    Rose watched Yvonne''s face light up with gossip anticipation. She wanted to tell Yvonne that she was focusing on the wrong person, but Gabriel arrived sooner than expected. When the doorbell rang, Yvonne''s face lit up with excitement as she hurried to the foyer. She swung open the door and warmly invited Gabriel in.


    Yvonne said, "Thank you so much for this! Please,e in,e in..."


    Gabriel was taken aback by her enthusiastic wee.


    Once inside, Yvonne quickly assessed him. As Gabrielid out the contents of the bags on the dining table, she examined each item with curiosity.


    Gabriel had taken care to include


    Rose''s favorite dishes. Yvonne raised an eyebrow and nced at Rose. She almost whistled. Even though she restrained herself, Rose understood the look instantly.


    It was as if she was saying, "He''s quite handsome, and he''s got a nice physique. Despite those charming eyes, it''s clear he''s turned from a yboy to a loyal man. I can''t


    believe it. I can''t believe it."


    Rose could almost imagine how excited Yvonne would be. She could picture her stomping her feet in excitement over the gossip once Gabriel left. Unfortunately... "Thank you, Cousin Gabriel," Rose said. She smiled warmly.


    Her gratitude caused Gabriel to falter slightly. It was the first time Rose had called him "Cousin Gabriel".


    "Oh, you''re wee." Gabriel avoided Rose''s gaze.


    Beside her Yvonne''s earlier


    excitement about the gossip


    addressed him as "Cousin Gabriel". It


    took her a while for her facial


    expression to return to normal.


    Yvonne was confused. She thought, "What''s going on?"


    However, Rose didn''t pay any attention to her. She cautiously asked Gabriel, "Would you like to stay and eat with us?"


    On the table, Gabriel hadid out a feast with all of Rose''s favorite dishes prominently ced.


    Gabriel felt pleasantly surprised by Rose''s invitation. He couldn''t believe that he could stay and eat together in such an intimate setting with Rose and her friend...


    "Ah, Gabriel... Gabriel, right? You must be very busy. How could you have time to stay and eat with us?" Yvonne beamed.


    "Eating together? Nonsense!" Yvonne thought.


    She needed to figure out what was happening. With Gabriel here, Yvonne couldn''t bring up the subject. Yvonne was eager for Gabriel to leave immediately.


    However, she kept herposure. She smiled politely and said, "Gabriel, you must be very busy. We won''t force you to stay here anymore." As Yvonne spoke, she made way for him to leave. Gabriel frowned. He found Yvonne''s behavior quite strange. Just moments ago, she had been warm and weing. However, her demeanor hadpletely shifted now.


    Moreover, her smile appeared polite. Yet, itcked any genuine friendliness.

 Chapter 401 Not Her Husband

    Gabriel said, "Rose, then I''m going to head off first."


    Gabriel bid farewell to Rose. He finally stepped out of the room just as Yvonne''s patience was wearing thin. With a bang, the door shut, and Gabriel stood outside the door once again feeling the hostility from Rose''s friend. Yvonne couldn''t contain herself any longer. She turned back swiftly after shutting the door, asking, "Cousin? Howe he is your cousin?"


    Rose was already seated at the dining table, where Gabriel had thoughtfullyid out all her favorite dishes. Despite her recentck of appetite, perhaps it was seeing Yvonne that suddenly stirred her hunger. Rose took a sip of some mushroom soup. Then, she looked at Yvonne in confusion. "If not cousin, then what''s his rtionship with me?"


    Her innocent gaze made it seem as if she genuinely didn''t understand Yvonne''s implications. Yvonne''s lips twitched slightly, but Rose had already started introducing this "cousin".


    "He''s Gabriel Yones, the only son of the Young family''s adopted daughter. Hence, I was supposed to call him ''cousin'' because of Grandpa''s rtionship.


    "He''s like a distant cousin to me. What? Are you interested in him? From the way you looked at him just now, you seemed quite satisfied with him."


    Rose''s eyes lit up with excitement, and Yvonne rolled her eyes inwardly.


    She thought, "Interested? Satisfied? What did Rose see in her that expressed satisfaction or interest?"


    Clearly, what she was interested in was...


    Yvonne took a deep breath. Her expression turned serious as she said, "So, he''s not your husband then?"


    "No." Rose''s hand, which was holding her soup spoon, paused momentarily. But in an instant, she resumed drinking her mushroom soup.


    Yvonne was extremely curious about her husband. With her best friend in front of her today, she had to fish out some information to satisfy her desire to know more.


    Yvonne sat down next to Rose. Curiously, she asked, "So, where is he? You came to Regalia, so he must havee too, right? What''s his name? What does he look like? A male model from a bar, huh? He must have an amazing physique..." Yvonne bombarded Rose with questions. She was eager to uncover every detail about Rose''s mysterious husband. However, Rose remained silent. The sudden sadness in her eyes did not escape Yvonne''s eagle-eyed sharpness. "What? Did he hurt you?" The thought jumped into Yvonne''s mind immediately.


    In an instant, all her thoughts about whether Rose''s "husband" was handsome or had a six-pack vanished. If he hurt Rose, he was an enemy, regardless of his identity.


    "Tell me who he is. I''ll help you get revenge," Yvonne dered fiercely.


    Though she was a dancer without Rose''s fighting prowess, the Spencer family had enough influence in Aquastead. If she needed to, she could arrange for someone to teach a man a lesson. Rose''s heart warmed at Yvonne''s protective stance, and she smiled.


    "It''s so good to have you," Rose said. She felt an unexpected sense of calm.


    They had known each other since their school days and were closer than family. As long as Yvonne was there, Rose always felt supported.


    Rose rested her head on Yvonne''s shoulder. She picked up a piece of food that Yvonne loved and offered it to her.


    "Open your mouth..."


    Yvonne cooperated. She opened her mouth to eat the offered food. Then, she gently patted Rose''s cheek in reassurance.


    "As long as I''m here, no one will dare hurt you."


    "Mm."


    After that, Yvonne never brought up the topic of Rose''s husband again.


    With a table full of delicious food before them, Rose and Yvonne didn''t hold back. They enjoyed every bite until they were full. Afterward, theyy side by side on the bed, chatting about everything.


    They reminisced about their school days and Yvonne''s aplishments during her global tour. Rose learned just how much Yvonne had endured for years to achieve her dance dream.


    "Are you going to continue the tour?" Rose asked. Shey on her side and gazed at Yvonne.


    "Just onest show, right there in Regalia. It''s in ten days from now at the Regalia Grand Theatre. You have toe. ''ll make sure you get the best seat in the front row," Yvonne said. She was already excited about hering.


    Ten dayster... Rose had nned to return to Aquastead soon. She wanted to escape the drama surrounding the Young family and Jonathan. But now...


    "Of course, I wouldn''t miss seeing my Yvonne shine on stage." Rose decided to change her ns. She would stay and watch Yvonne''s performance before heading back to Aquastead.


    ...


    Downstairs in Yvonne''s apartment, Gabriel had been waiting all day. As night fell, he thought about sending some food up to the two women but was interrupted by a call from Miles. "Where are you?" Miles asked directly.


    "Downstairs at Rose''s friend''s ce," Gabriel replied honestly.


    Miles was a bit surprised. Gabriel was known for his love of fun. Miles couldn''t believe he was actually waiting patiently for Rose all day.


    However, he saw the positive side. Rose was unfamiliar with Regalia, and Gabriel''s presence provided some security. But still...


    "Don''t get any ideas," Miles warned. He could tell Gabriel had a liking for Rose, but Rose wasn''t like the women Gabriel usually entertained.


    Gabriel paused. Then, he raised an eyebrow with a smile.


    "What could I possibly do to my cousin? Miles, you trusted me enough to let me take Rose out this morning, didn''t you? Whether it''s about Rose or the Young Group, you can continue to trust me." This was his way of reassuring Miles. Gabriel had never been interested in the Young family''s business. It was his mother, Chloe, who always sought power.


    He rarely got involved and had no


    intention of meddling in those affairs now. After the incident at


    Aquastead, he realized how much Rose was willing to sacrifice for


    Oliver, who in turn risked his life for


    Rose. .


    Their bond was deeper than just that of a foster grandfather and


    granddaughter.


    Especially at Oliver''s funeral, Miles went against everyone''s opinion and put Rose in the most prominent position. He didn''t sense that Miles had any malice towards her.


    On the contrary, it seemed like he was protecting her. As for the reasons why...


    Gabriel had no desire to guess or investigate further. His instincts hold him that Rose was incredibly important to both Oliver and the Young family.


    The Youngs esteemed her greatly. Besides, with Jonathan around, Gabriel wouldn''t dare to harbor any inappropriate thoughts about her.


    Thinking of the three scions of the


    Finch family sent a shiver down Gabriel''s spine. Ending the call, Gabriel nced up to see two figures approaching-one in white and the other in blue. It was Rose and Yvonne.


    Rose had changed out of her previously somber ck attire into a well-fitted white dress that was understated, yet elegant. She appeared much more rxed now. Gabriel couldn''t help but admire Rose''s friend for showing some capability as he jogged up to them.


    "Rose! Heading home now?" Gabriel greeted them with a wide smile.


    In Regalia, Gabriel was a prominent figure. But now, he was just a driver. Yvonne nced at him. She knew he wasn''t Rose''s "husband" and had long lost interest in him.


    Due to her earlier misunderstanding, she was a bit upset and unfriendly. She said, "Rose isn''t going home. We have ns."


    "ns?" Gabriel thought and chased after them. He asked, "Where to?"


    "A bar," Yvonne replied.


    "No way!" Gabriel raised his voice. "It''s already dark. Why go to a bar?"


    Gabriel frequented the major bars of Regalia. At this moment, it seemed he had forgotten that nighttime was when the bars truly came alive.


    "Gabriel, you can go home first," Rose intervened.


    Rose''s attitude toward Gabriel had noticeably softened. Realizing he couldn''t stop them, Gabriel relented. "It''s still early. Actually, I feel like roaming around too. Let me give you a ride."

 Chapter 402 Something Big is About to Happen

    Rose didn''t refuse Gabriel''s offer. She felt that Gabriel tagging along might have been at Miles''s behest. So, Rose went along with it and got into Gabriel''s car.


    In the car, Rose and Yvonne chatted unabashedly about the male models at the bar. They discussed their abs and chests, leaving Gabriel shaking his head in disbelief multiple times.


    As they approached the bar''s entrance, Gabriel tried to stop them again. "Rose, how about we choose another ce?"


    This bar was notorious for its handsome staff and rumored special performances. Gabriel had frequented Regalia''s bars for over a decade. Hence, he knew all too well what went on in these ces.


    Rose... didn''t belong here. Gabriel wished he could drag Rose away, but he had no grounds to do so.


    Rose looked at the bar in front of her. She recalled the first time she met Jonathan in Aquastead. She seemed eager to prove something, which was why she was eager toe when Yvonne suggested going to the bar. At this moment, she felt even more determined about a certain decision in her heart.


    "Do you... want toe in with us?" Rose pointed to the bar and asked Gabriel.


    Before Gabriel could respond, Rose made the decision for him. "You stay here. If youe in, it won''t be as fun. Got it? Don''t follow us inside!"


    Rose winked at him. Her voice wasn''tmanding, but it was confident. She knew Gabriel would listen to her. For some reason, she felt his attitude toward her was strangely protective.


    As for why, she didn''t care to find out. She wouldn''t be in Regalia for long, so they wouldn''t cross paths much in the future anyway.


    Sure enough, Rose and Yvonne entered the bar. Gabriel took a few steps forward several times but stopped. After struggling for a while, Gabriel finally decided to call Miles for help.


    ...


    Rose and Yvonne entered the bar and found a booth with a good view. As soon as they sat down, Yvonne waved her hand grandly. She was determined to fulfill her role as the host. Then, she said, "Rose, tonight, everything''s on me. Let''s have some fun."


    She waved a young man over and asked, "Hey, cute guy, can you bring over the most handsome young men with the best abs here to join us for a drink?"


    Yvonne was a beauty. She shed a smile at the young man who had seated them and watched as his face turned bright red.


    "Sure. Miss... please wait a moment," he stammered.


    Once they were alone, Yvonne let out a relieved breath. She noticed Rose''s teasing look.


    She admitted, "I''ve never been here before, but saying that should get us the best-looking male model, right?"


    Rose shrugged and was nomittal.


    On the other side of the bar, Jonathan couldn''t believe that Leonard had sent him to inspect a bar. This bar was known for its staff, which consisted entirely of handsome male models. "Leonard... you must have too much free time," Jonathan remarked. His eyes were dark and intense.


    His sharp, handsome features were entuated by his perfectly tailored suit. It made him appear even more unapproachable.


    Leonard stood straight beside him. He defended himself, "Mr. Finch, I noticed you''ve been stressedtely and thought this might help you rx."


    His intentions were sincere, though he knew he risked Jonathan''s ire. Being the assistant to the ruler of the Finch Group was no easy job. Leonard felt his life was too difficult.


    "Rxing here?" Jonathan sneered. "You might want to take a good look around before you say that again."


    Leonard managed a strained smile. Jonathan was already too restless. ncing at the time, he knew he had to head to the Young Estate.


    These days, despite being turned away at the door every time he visited Young Estate, and even though Rose avoided him, he still feltpelled to go, just in case Rose wanted to see him. Jonathan stood up and was ready to leave. Just then, Finley returned from taking a call nearby.


    His expression was grave. He said, "Mr. Finch, there''s trouble in Aquastead. Kelly is dead."


    "Dead?"


    "Kellymitted suicide by cutting her wrists. On the way to the hospital, the car she was in met an ident on the bridge. The car crashed through the guardrail and into the water." "How about the driver?"


    "He also died."


    "Prepare morepensation for the driver''s family. As for Kelly..."


    Kelly had caused a lot of trouble. She repeatedly tried to harm Rose and ultimately became a prime suspect in Oliver''s death.


    Jonathan had kept someone


    guarding her. He wanted Rose to deal with her. But now that she was dead... Jonathan pondered for a moment, his dark eyes reflecting an endless coldness.


    "Make sure she''s really dead."


    With those words, Jonathan hurried away. Leonard and Finley exchanged a nce before quickly following him.


    Finley couldn''t resist a disdainful nce at Leonard. "What were you thinking? You let Mr. Finch inspect this ce?"


    Leonard retorted, "Well, that''s better than you, who can''t even keep track of one person."


    The two were ustomed to their sharp exchanges. Just as Finley was about to retort again, he noticed Jonathan ahead had stopped.


    "Rose, this young man is quite handsome. And this one is even more adorable. You''ll definitely like..."


    "Rose, take a look at him. Look at those abs..."


    The voice was tinged with excitement, each "Rose" sounding particrly grating to Jonathan.


    Jonathan paused at the sound of "Rose". He wasn''t sure if it was Rose, but just this name instinctively made him took twice, and that second look ignited his anger.


    "Rose? What are you thinking? Both of you, go over and entertain my best friend!" Yvonnemanded after having a few drinks. She was clearly loosened up. Despite her words, she was vignt. If anyone dared to be disrespectful to Rose, she was ready to intervene as a protector.


    Several young men surrounded Rose, making her uneasy. She felt a chilling sensation creeping up her spine as if there was a cold wind blowing behind her.


    To dispel the feeling, Rose picked up the ss in front of her and downed it in one gulp. But instead of warming her, the alcohol seemed to make her feel colder.


    She thought, "What''s going on?" Rose nced around. Then, she turned back and found nothing out of the ordinary.


    "What''s wrong?" Yvonne noticed her movement and asked with concern.


    "It''s nothing, it''s nothing..."


    Rose carefully reassessed herself. She confirmed that the chilling sensation from earlier was now gone.


    She shook her head lightly and said, "It''s nothing. It''s probably the alcohol. It''s too strong." The potent alcohol had likely caused her earlier hallucination. Meanwhile, Jonathan had already turned back. Leonard followed behind and was visibly puzzled by his action. Then, he snapped fully awake.


    He couldn''t fathom why Jonathan had turned back. However, judging from his expression, something serious was amiss. Then, Finley recognized Rose.


    In that instant, Finley was panicked. He snapped back and hurried over to Jonathan. "Mr. Finch, Mrs. Finch, she.... hasn''t been with any of those men..."


    Just as Finley spoke, he saw from


    the corner booth Rose''s hand


    provocatively tilting up a man''s chin. Beside him, Jonathan''s demeanor turned icy. It almost became


    murderous intent.


    A chill ran down Finley''s spine. Something big was about to happen.


    "Leonard!" Jonathan called him. He wished he wasn''t called Leonard.


    Still reeling from Finley''s mention of "Mrs. Finch" moments ago, he suddenly jolted awake.


    "Mr. Finch, what... do you need..."


    Beside him, Finley thought, "Was that... Mrs. Finch? What is she doing here? Oh my god, Leonard might end here today.


    "What madness possesses him to bring Mr. Finch here for an inspection today? He''s asking for trouble."

 Chapter 403 Jonathan Had No Limits with Rose

    Leonard stood prepared. He had anticipated Jonathan''s imminent wrath.


    Despite the bar''s freezing air conditioning, he still felt mmy with sweat. After a moment of silence, Jonathan finally spoke.


    "Prepare a mask for me. Everyone else, wear masks too!"


    His coldmand cut through the air like a poisoned de. His gaze remained fixed on a specific booth.


    Leonard was speechless. He didn''t immediately grasp the purpose of the masks. On the other hand, Finley understood. Jonathan was jealous.


    As for what he intended to do, Finley had a vague idea. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. Then, he urged a bewildered Leanord.


    He said, "Masks! What are you waiting for? Go and get it."


    Leonard snapped out of his daze. He had to get the masks as soon as possible. There was no time to dy.


    Inside the lively bar, Rose was surrounded by various young men. Perhaps it was because she had a few drinks, she couldn''t see a single face clearly. However, in her mind, Jonathan''s face kept appearing.


    As if to dispel this image, Rose drank one ss after another. At some point, the young men around her began leaving one by one. Yvonne, who was also a bit tipsy, frowned.


    She protested and said, "Hey, what''s going on? Why is everyone leaving? My best friend hasn''t had enough fun yet." She hadn''t had enough fun either.


    Except for their booth, almost all the young men in the bar had left. Rose and Yvonne exchanged nces.


    Yet, within just two minutes of their departure, each person emerged wearing a mask. A variety of men wore a variety of masks. It was truly dazzling.


    Yvonne couldn''t look away. "So, there''s something new after all."


    Today, she felt like she had experienced everything new in this world. But Rose felt an intangible sense of oppression wash over her. She tried to pinpoint its source, but each masked face appeared ordinary. Those who returned sat around Rose as before.


    Jonathan quietly took the seat closest to Rose. Rose searched for the source of the pressure. When Rose locked eyes with the man, it unsettled Jonathan.


    Suddenly, Jonathan grabbed her hand and ced it on his wrist. This move shocked Rose and the surrounding "colleagues", including Leonard and Finley, who were also wearing masks. Leonard was shocked. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    He tried to remainposed but then nced at Finley. He silently asked, "What''s going on?"


    For Jonathan to wear a mask and personally intervene was already unimaginable. But this...


    He had actively held a woman''s hand and put her in such an intimate position. Besides, he could tell from Jonathan''s gaze that he was enjoying the moment, almost seeking admiration. Finley thought, "Is this still his aloof Mr. Finch?"


    Finley dared not make a sound. He saw once again that Jonathan had no limits when it came to Rose. Worse yet...


    "Do you like it?" Jonathan''s voice lowered to a seductive whisper. His tone carried an intense allure.


    His gaze seemed to delve into Rose''s thoughts.


    This question jolted Rose awake, her body stiff with shock from his previous move. Instinctively, she tried to pull her hand back. However, Jonathan grasped her firmly. Rose couldn''t break free no matter how hard she tried.


    Yvonne noticed themotion from behind. She immediately stepped forward. "What are you doing? Let go of her! Let go, let go!"


    She brandished a bottle of liquor. She was ready to smash it over Jonathan''s head.


    Luckily, Finley stepped in to block her. While holding Yvonne back, Finley pleaded with his eyes at Jonathan.


    If Jonathan continued to be so "audacious", things could get messy. Thankfully, after a brief standoff, Jonathan mercifully released Rose''s hand.


    The moment Rose regained her freedom, she quickly moved a step away. Finley also released Yvonne, but her anger was unabated.


    She marched straight between Rose and Jonathan. She shielded Rose while ring fiercely at the man before her.


    With a stern warning, she said, "If Rose touches you willingly, it''s fine. But if she doesn''t want to, you can''t force her to touch you! Tryying a hand on her again, and see what happens."


    Yvonne feared this man would try to take advantage of Rose again. She said, "Rose, let''s leave him." With that, Yvonne stood up. She wobbled slightly and intended to drive him away.


    Under the mask, Jonathan''s expression darkened. Just then, Leonard, sharp-eyed and perceptive, stepped forward to defuse the situation. "Miss, let''s him stay. He... also has it tough."


    The ruler of the Finch Group wore a mask while ying the role of a male model. Indeed, it wasn''t an easy thing for him.


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let''s give him a chance," Finley chimed in.


    Yvonne frowned and said, "Give him a chance. He''s been rude to guests..."


    "But he''s good-looking..." Leonard added.


    "How good-looking?" Yvonne asked.


    "He''s the best-looking in the entire bar," Finley eximed.


    Yvonne squinted as she sized him up. Jonathan''s face under the mask darkened, but he noticed Rose also scrutinizing him.


    He straightened his posture as if


    proving a point. In this whole barche


    was the best-looking. Seeing that Rose and Yvonne still hadn''t


    relented, Leonard interjected on Jonathan''s behalf.


    "His background is tragic. His whole family relies on him."


    The entire Finch Group relied on his decisions. Hence, it wasn''t an untrue statement.


    "Huh?"


    He was good-looking but he had a tragic background.


    Yvonne suddenly felt she had been too loud earlier. A wave of guilt washed over her. Perhaps she had been too hasty, but....


    Just as Yvonne hesitated, Jonathan''s gaze remained fixed on Rose. His gaze was intense, especially after Leonard''sment about his tragic background.


    He cooperated with Leonard. His eyes seemed to brim with infinite sorrow. His wife was seeking out male models behind his back... He was truly pitiful.


    Rose couldn''t bear it anymore. She caught his eye and spoke up suddenly. "Just... let him stay."


    Though she agreed to let him stay, Rose felt the need to keep her distance from him.


    Jonathan smiled contentedly. Rose stood up and found a new spot, putting several people between them. Upon seeing her action, Jonathan''s satisfied smile instantly froze.


    He casually picked up a drink, swirling it lightly. His gaze was still fixed on Rose. It was akin to a hunter eyeing beloved prey.


    Rose was his, so he wasn''t in a rush. Tonight, Rose wanted to y, and he would apany her at his leisure.


    As time passed, Rose felt increasingly uneasy. Whenever someone approached too closely, she would feel a tingling sensation on her scalp and ufortable all over.


    After a few instances, she decided to escape to the restroom. However, she had barely left when someone stealthily followed her.


    The bar was massive. After Rose emerged from the restroom, she was disoriented and was about to ask someone for directions when she saw a tall figure leaning against the wall ahead.


    His white shirt had a few buttons undone. Though he wore a mask, Rose recognized him instantly from the hunter-like gaze. Rose wondered if he was following her.


    Rose became cautious. But in the next instant, she found it amusing. Perhaps she was being overly suspicious. Maybe he just came out for some fresh air.


    Rose thought, "Who says male models at the bar can''t take a break?"


    Rose decided to pretend not to recognize him and just walked over casually.

 Chapter 404 Take Her Home

    For some reason, Rose''s heart palpitated the closer she got.


    The gaze from behind the mask initially held a smile, but an overwhelming sense of oppression suddenly surged within her. Rose had barely even reached the man when her body froze. She forgot to turn around. "It''s you!" Rose blurted out. Was he the source of the sense of oppression? But why?


    Noticing the confusion in Rose''s eyes, Jonathan''s face behind the mask froze, but it soon resumed to normal. So she had just recognized his "new identity".


    They shared a bed and did everything a couple should. He missed her dearly day and night, and he would pause just at the mention of her name. However, she still couldn''t recognize him even after touching his body! Filled with jealousy, he obviously forgot that beforeing out, he had sprayed an unfamiliar cologne on purpose. He had hidden his identity as well.


    "You haven''t answered me. Do you like it?" Jonathan''s deep voice was faint amidst the music.


    Although Rose heard his question, she was puzzled. What was it that she liked?


    Before she could ask, Jonathan had grabbed her wrist. Shocked and helpless, Rose felt her wrist being pulled forward and her hand pressed against his chest.


    Through the thinyer of the shirt, the sensation underneath made Rose''s mind go nk. She retracted her hand as if she had been scalded. Jonathan didn''t stop her this time. Instead, he looked at her with a smile. "You..." She would have pped him if it were in the past, but she wasn''t repulsed by the man in front of her now.


    Rose figured that Jonathan must have needed money so desperately that he considered her a cash cow. That might exin why he tried every means to seduce her.


    "Forget it!" Rose didn''t want to get involved with him any further.


    She turned around to continue asking for directions, but no one was around even after she turned several corners. The private rooms in the bar were designed like a maze.


    Jonathan followed her. He leaned slightly over and whispered in Rose''s ear, "You still haven''t given me your answer. Do you like it?"


    Rose kept walking, but she couldn''t hide her elerating heartbeat and flushed face.


    The man was like a persistent ster who stuck to her. Since Rose couldn''t shake him off, she had to confront him, "How much?" Jonathan frowned.


    Rose had clearly lost patience. "I didn''t bring cash. I''ll add the tip to the billter."


    Once he received the money and felt less pressured, he wouldn''t have to work so hard anymore. It was only now that Jonathan realized what Rose was doing. So, she was trying to give him money again.


    His eyes sparkled with amusement. Rose noticed the smile and breathed a sigh of relief. Since they had reached a mutual agreement, one more request from her wasn''t too much to ask, right? "Can you take me out of here?" She was fed up with the maze-like private rooms.


    "Of course." Jonathan was more than happy to guide her out.


    Rose soon reached the booth area with someone leading the way.


    The first thing she did was reach out to the manager to settle the bill and add a tip. She made a special remark that the remainder of it should be given to a particr man.


    The manager knew who she was referring to. It was Jonathan. He had never expected Jonathan, who controlled the Finch Group''s trillion-dor empire, to have such a peculiar hobby. Rose lost interest in all the male models around her. She was so focused on drinking since she no longer felt pressured like before.


    Indeed. Jonathan needed money so badly that he considered her his life-saving straw.


    Feeling more at ease, Rose unknowingly drank a few more sses, but it wasn''t long before a few sses made her tipsy.


    Rose frowned. She knew her tolerance was much higher than that. Jonathan knew that too, so he instructed his men to serve highly intoxicating drinks. When Rose drunkenly copsed, Jonathan signaled to Finley. The others present left one by one until only a few people remained in the booth.


    Jonathan walked straight to Rose and removed his mask. Rose was stunned when she saw the familiar face amidst her blurred vision.


    After recovering from a moment of surprise, she pped his cheek. "You''re everywhere!"


    Wasn''t that the truth? He was always lingering in her mind.


    Rose figured that she was really drunk. Otherwise, how could she hallucinate seeing Jonathan? How could the mighty ruler of the Finch Group be here in the bar?


    "I''m leaving. Yvonne... Where''s Yvonne?" Rose pushed Jonathan''s face aside and started searching for Yvonne.


    Equally drunk, Yvonne responded immediately upon hearing Rose''s voice, "Here! I''m here... let''s... let''s go home."


    Stumbling, Yvonne found Rose, whopletely ignored the man in front of her. As they held onto each other, they prepared to leave.


    "Rosie, how was it? Let''se again some other time."


    "Not here. Let''s go somewhere else. Somewhere without him..." Rose pointed at Jonathan.


    Again, she saw Jonathan''s face. She ignored him and walked out of the bar with Yvonne as they held onto each other.


    With that, only Finley and Leonard


    were left. Leonard couldn''t help but sympathize with Jonathan as he blurted out, "It seems Mrs. Fineh doesn''t


    ''t like Mr. Finch that much either..."


    When Leonard sensed a cold re being shot at him, he immediately corrected himself. His words were now fawning with a hint of plea. "Mrs. Finch is drunk. She''s drunk... Haha..."


    Jonathan couldn''t bother dealing with Leonard. Rose and Yvonne had been holding onto each other, but they somehow swapped partners. Rose found a man standing by her side... Was she hallucinating? Why did she keep seeing Jonathan?


    "Yvonne?" Rose instantly panicked as she looked around for Yvonne.


    But Jonathan stepped forward to block her view. "Someone''s taking care of her. I''ll take you home."


    Rose frowned at the word "take". She couldn''t help thinking that the man in front of her was strange.


    "Rosie?" A man''s mixed with worry voice sounded.


    Rose looked up and saw Miles walking toward her with a stern look on his face.


    "Miles..." Rose straightened up to move forward, but Jonathan sped her shoulders tight.


    Miles nced at Rose as he approached. When his eyes turned to Jonathan, they were burning with anger. "I''ll take Rose home."


    Miles reached out to pull Rose over, but Finley swiftly stepped between them to block his way.


    "Mr. Miles, Mrs. Finch is going home, but to Mr Finch''s residence. As a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Finch shouldn''t be staying apart all the time. Please understand, Mr. Miles."


    Understand? Understand what? Miles wanted nothing more than to punch Jonathan. "Who''s that? He looks like... Mr. Miles?"


    "And the other man..." Voices came from not far away.


    The bar was a spot frequented by paparazzi who took valuable photos of scandals: They would always reap considerable benefits either by making the news public or by. ckmailing the people in the photos.


    Realization struck Jonathan and Miles. Almost instinctively, they responded by shielding Rose with their bodies at the same time.

 Chapter 405 Their Home

    None of them wanted Rose to be exposed to the spotlight.


    With a shared nce, they instantly reached a mutual agreement, though they had been in conflict just moments before.


    Jonathan held onto Rose, while Miles shielded her from the paparazzi''s view. They worked together as they moved to the side of the road.


    After helping Rose into the car, Miles'' face turned grim. The car was the Finches''!


    Once the car door closed, Miles rolled down the window. This usual cold and aloof face now bore a triumphant smile.


    He ignored the gloomy look in Miles'' eyes and sincerely thanked him, "Thank you. I''ll take good care of Rose."


    A thought came to his mind when the window was half-closed. He looked at Yvonne, whom Leonard was holding onto.


    "Oh, by the way, that''s Rosie''s friend. She cares a lot about her. If you''re free, could you perhaps keep an eye on her? We''ll both feel at ease knowing she''s in safe hands."


    Jonathan gave Miles a grateful look and closed the window.


    The car then sped away, leaving Miles standing where he was. His usual gentle demeanor was now overshadowed by a storm brewing in his dark eyes.


    "Mr. Finch, should... should I leave Ms. Spencer with you?" Leonard asked, standing behind Miles with Yvonne in tow. He had to obey Jonathan''s instructions.


    He wouldn''t have to worry about Yvonne''s safety with Miles. Miles was known to be a gentleman.


    Miles turned around and frowned when he saw Yvonne. After a moment of contemtion, he said, "Please send her to my car."


    Gabriel, who had been watching from the side, was still staring in the direction Jonathan''s car had gone. He had brought Miles here, but it was a surprise to see Jonathan taking Rose away.


    He couldn''t understand when Jonathan had entered the bar.


    "Miles, are we just going to let him take Rosie away?"


    Gabriel didn''t like the fact that Jonathan had brought Rose away. Rose was one of the Youngs despite being married to Jonathan. The thought that Jonathan might take advantage of the situation terrified him. Gabriel kept his gaze on Miles and waited for his instructions.


    "Let''s go home," Miles said, turning to get into the car.


    "Miles..." Gabriel wanted to say more, but Miles'' car had sped away. He had no choice but to angrily follow, unaware that Miles had a n.


    Miles calmly took out his phone and made a call. He hung up after a few words, and the frown on his face gradually eased.


    ...


    Jonathan hadn''t felt this good since his return from Aquastead. Rose, who was drunk and now asleep, asionally nuzzled against him like a kitten.


    The car stopped outside a vi. Jonathan gently carried Rose in and was careful not to wake up her.


    The vi was his private residence in Regalia and his soon-to-be home sweet home with Rose. He had specially decorated it ording to Rose''s taste after his return to Regalia.


    The feminine touches to what was previously a stark and cold house gave it a homely feeling. Jonathan liked this feeling.


    Rosey on the bed in the bedroom, sleeping more soundly than she had in the car. Jonathan couldn''t take his eyes off her while he sat by the bed.


    He was mad at the thought of how Rose recently avoided him and was unaware of his longings. Yet, he couldn''t bear to punish her in the slightest.


    Even her watching male models at the bar no longer bothered him. He just wanted to hold her and sleep soundly.


    Jonathan reluctantly got up to shower. When he came out of the bathroom and was about to tug himself in, his phone rang incessantly.


    He took the call in the living room for fear of waking Rose. He wouldn''t wake her only if he took the call in a different room.


    "You''d better have something important to say," Jonathan warned, keeping his voice low. Leonard was on the other end of the line.


    Leonard knew the trouble he might get himself in for disturbing Jonathan during his alone time with Rose, but there was a solid reason for his call.


    "Mr. Finch, there''s trouble at the Finch Manor. Mrs. Finch Senior has suddenly fainted, and her condition is unpromising. Mr. Yosef''s family and Mr. Turner have gone back."


    Leonard was trembling. Eleanor


    Garcia''s matters were of utmost


    importance to the Finches. If anything happened to her, and Jonathan wasn''t present, his enemies would use it against him.


    As Jonathan''s assistant, Leonard knew the importance of thinking ahead.


    There was a long silence from the other end of the line. Leonard carefully added, "Mr. Finch, you... have a lifetime ahead with Mrs. Finch."


    Beep beep beep... The call ended.


    Jonathan returned to the room and pondered on the words "a lifetime ahead". He kissed the sleeping Rose on the forehead, left a soft light on, and exited the room. Rose vaguely sensed warmth on her forehead. She wanted to open her eyes but was too sleepy to do so. After a few attempts, she gave up.


    Rose had a peaceful sleep that night. She figured the alcohol and exhaustion from recent days had taken their toll.


    It waste at night, but the Finch Manor was brightly lit. All eyes turned to Jonathan when he entered. None of them were friendly.


    "Jonathan''s still busy, I see. Things


    are so serious with Mrs. Finch


    Senior, but as the ruler of the


    Finches, he''s thest to arrive. Jack, tell him how long you''ve been here," Yosef said mockingly, not hiding his sarcasm.


    Jack Finch, Yosef''s son, triumphantly smirked. "I rushed over as soon as I heard about Grandma''s condition. I was the first to arrive." Jonatham''s cold gaze swept over them and didn''t linger for a second. He approached the butler, Anna Moore, and asked, "Where''s Grandma?"


    "She''s upstairs, Mr. Finch. The


    doctor checked on her and said she


    needed rest. But it''s best stay


    you


    here in case she wakes up needs you..." Anna said respectfully.


    Jonathan nced at the second floor and moved to the quietest corner of the hall, ignoring everyone else.


    Yosef and Jack exchanged nces, their faces growing uglier. Jonathan''s tant disregard infuriated them. "Jonathan..."


    "Jonathan!"


    Howard started to speak but was interrupted by another voice. It was Ezra. Ezra''s presence today was unexpected as he was rarely seen at the Finch Manor. Everyone knew Ezra and Jonathan didn''t get along, so Yosef was expecting a confrontation. He fed the fire by saying, "Ezra, even you came before him."

 Chapter 406 Discovering the Mask From Last Night

    Ezra loungedzily on the couch, engrossed in his game. He nced at Yosef and immediately understood his intentions.


    "So what? We all arrived before him, but did any of us actually get to see Grandma?" Ezra looked up and grinned at Yosef, who was caught off guard by his response.


    Yosef was momentarily speechless. What did Ezra mean by that?


    "Ez..." Yosef wanted to speak, but Ezra didn''t give him the chance.


    "Jonathan... is that how you''re supposed to address him?" Ezra directed his gaze at Jack.


    Although Jonathan was the second in their generation by age, he had to be treated with the utmost respect as the ruler of the Finches. ording to the rules in their family, Jack was supposed to address Jonathan as "Mr. Finch". Jack''s face shed pale. "Ezra, you..."


    Wasn''t Ezra supposed to be at odds with Jonathan? Why the sudden behavior change?


    Not only were Yosef and Jack shocked, but even Jonathan looked at Ezra in confusion. He wondered what Ezra was up to.


    Yet, after silencing the father and son, Ezra returned to his game, leaving the room in awkward silence. Yosef and Jack didn''t dare speak again after being put in their ce.


    As Jonathan''s father and the previous ruler of the Finches, Cyrus Finch didn''t look at Jonathan at all. But the woman beside him asionally nced at Jonathan in the corner. Everyone waited in silence until dawn.


    After Anna entered Eleanor''s room and returned, she announced, "Mrs. Finch Senior wants to see Mr. Finch."


    Jonathan stood up.


    Yosef and Jack watched him go upstairs. They were visibly displeased. "What about us?"


    Anna smiled and said nothing. She was following Eleanor''s instructions.


    Jonathan stopped in his tracks just after he entered the room. Eleanor had just washed up and was stretching in the morning sun, as was her routine. She showed no signs of having fainted and was looking as healthy as ever. "Are you mad that I tricked you?" Eleanor didn''t bother hiding it. Then, she pointed to her shoulder. "Massage my shoulder."


    Jonathan obediently stepped forward to do as he was told.


    Hispliance surprised Eleanor. "You''re not mad?"


    "Were you monitoring me, Grandma?" Jonathan asked.


    He understood her reasoning with just some thought. "You used this as an excuse to bring me back. Everyone will get upset that you''ve summoned them back for nothing, Grandma."


    "Let them be. If you are mad... I''d still do the same." Eleanor patted his hand lovingly.


    "Why?" Jonathan was puzzled.


    "I wasn''t monitoring you," Eleanor replied, avoiding his question.


    Jonathan was silent for a moment. He seemed to realize something as he mulled over Eleanor''s words.


    Eleanor continued, "Jon, have you met Ms. Maize, the eldest daughter of the Maize family?"


    He had, but he had no interest in the renowned international actress. He couldn''t even recall her face after meeting her once. But for Rose...


    "Rose is perfect for me. I can arrange it anytime if you want to meet her," Jonathan said firmly. He had made up his mind.


    Eleanor wasn''t too concerned. "But


    the Youngs don''t seem to want you


    vel


    to get associated with her. Don''t forget the fact that the adopted daughter of the Youngs has disappeared for years. The Youngs still me you for it although it hasn''t been mentioned."


    "Her disappearance has nothing to do with me!" Jonathan stopped massaging her shoulders and decided to withdraw from the conversation. "Grandma, the sun''s up. I''ll get going since you''re healthy and well." He bowed respectfully and left the room before she could respond.


    The look on Eleanor''s face grew solemn. She looked out the window and felt a sudden curiosity about the girl named Rose. "Perhaps I should find the chance to meet her."


    ...


    Jonathan headed straight out the door after getting downstairs. The others in the living room watched him leave, expecting Eleanor to summon them next.


    However, Anna delivered a different message. "Please leave or stay for breakfast if you''d like. Mrs. Finch Senior is fine now." There was no mention of meeting any of them. Yosef''s face turned ugly. Despite his internal grumblings, he forced a smile and decided to stay for breakfast. There might be more opportunities to meet Eleanor if he did so. Cyrus and his wide left immediately, and so did Ezra.


    Ezra followed Jonathan''s car and suspected him of going to meet Rose. He thought Jonathan had dumped Rose until he saw her holding Oliver''s memorial photo in the news. He came to realize that Rose was in Regalia, and she was the reason for Jonathan''s return. Ha...


    He had been wanting to meet Rose, but he couldn''t do so since she was staying at the Young Estate. Today seemed like his chance.


    ...


    Sunlight seeped in through the drapes and woke Rose. She was surprised to find that instead of feeling a terrible hangover, she woke up feeling refreshed.


    But the unfamiliar surroundings shocked her. It wasn''t the Young Estate or Yvonne''s ce.


    The room was soft and cosy with skincare products on the vanity, and a man''s bathrobe was draped over the foot of the bed.


    As Rose lifted the covers, a thought struck her. Her clothes had been changed!


    She paled instantly and tried hard to figure out where she was. She tried to recallst night, the bar, the male model, the drunkenness, and the hallucinations. It was all a blur as she failed to connect the dots. She noticed something under the bathrobe Rushing over, she pulled it aside to reveal a mask she could instantly recognize. It was the same mask worn by the handsome and tragic male model from the bar.


    She could vividly remember him wearing the mask, so was this his ce?


    But soon she shook her head. The room alone was worth a fortune, but the male modelcked money. Someone living here couldn''t be in need of money.


    So, where was she then? Where was the man? And what had happenedst night?


    A flood of questions overwhelmed Rose, and she felt her head spinning. Regardless of what had happenedst night, she decided that leaving was her best choice. Taking a deep breath, Rose changed back into her clothes and tiptoed out of the room. She avoided looking around and headed straight for the door.


    As she ced her hand on the doorknob, she heard the sound of the keypad unlocking behind the door.

 Chapter 407 Inflammatory Nosebleed

    Rose''s heart skipped a beat.


    Seeing that she was about to be caught red-handed, she didn''t have time to take in the room''syout. She hurried back along the original path in a panic and hid in the walk-in closet.


    The door opened and then closed. Rose held her breath, but the footsteps were getting closer.


    Jonathan returned to the room immediately. Not seeing Rose on the bed brought a sudden wave of disappointment. Had she left? But her unique scent was still in the air.


    Jonathan felt a sense of loss as his eyes caught sight of the mask on the floor. As he picked it up, memories ofst night shed in his mind, particrly the embarrassed look on her face when her hand touched his chest. There was a sudden bang. Jonathan looked in the direction of the sound and confirmed it came from the closet. A heavy gasp came after the noise.


    Rose... Jonathan was certain she was inside. Was she hiding from him? A doting smile spread across his face as he walked toward the closet.


    Each step he took made Rose''s heart beat faster. She regretted bumping into the closet when trying to avoid him. The sound must have caught his attention, so what should she do now? Rose held her breath even more, praying that he wouldn''te in. Perhaps her prayer worked because the footsteps suddenly stopped. A few secondster, they resumed but moved away. Had he left? Rose breathed a sigh of relief. But now, how was she going to get out of here?


    She listened carefully to the sounds outside. The man seemed to have left the room. Music started ying loudly outside.


    Its soothing melody rxed Rose slightly, and she lowered her guard as it masked some of the finer noises.


    Hiding in the closet, Rose didn''t notice someone slowly approaching until a figure appeared before her. She almost screamed but managed to stifle it and cover her mouth.


    Rose peered at the man through the gap between the women''s clothing and saw his back. Just from his height, she could tell it was the same oppressive, good-looking man fromst night.


    He wasn''t wearing a mask now, but Rose wasn''t curious about how handsome he might be. She just prayed he wouldn''t turn around and see her.


    The man didn''t turn around, but he did start undressing in front of her.


    Rose was stunned. She should have closed her eyes as peeping was inappropriate, but the scene was too captivating. She even forgot to breathe, let alone close her eyes.


    The man''s broad shoulders, narrow waist, and healthy, tan skin reminded her of her husband, Jonathan.


    The realization shocked Rose. His back really looked like Jonathan''s, but she wondered who had a better-looking face.


    She looked up and found that she couldn''t see his face from her angle, only the part below his neck and not even his head.


    Just as she felt it was a pity, the man turned around, revealing his sculpted abs. Rose felt a rush of heat to her head as her eyes widened in astonishment.


    Seeing the physique reminded her of the sensation fromst night when she touched his chest in the bar. A warm flow surged up her nose.


    She covered her mouth and felt a wet sensation. Blood...


    Rose panicked. She couldn''t keep covering her mouth. She had to pinch her nose to stop the bleeding and avoid making any noise. It''d be incredibly embarrassing if the man saw her like this. Just then, the man tugged at his pants, seemingly about to...


    Rose couldn''t hold back any longer when she guessed what he was about to do. She closed her eyes and screamed.


    "Ah!"


    Her scream pierced through the music. She didn''t see the man''s evil smirk. Jonathan raised an eyebrow. Had Rose exposed herself already?


    He coldly shorted when he


    remembered her going to the barto check out male modelsst night. He brushed aside the women''s clothes in the closet and grabbed her out to teach her a lesson.


    But seeing her crouching in the closet with her hands covered in blood, all thoughts of punishment vanished and were reced by concern. Jonathan couldn''t care about anything else. He quickly pulled Rose out of the closet with his arms wrapped around her waist.


    Rose''s heart raced. She still kept her


    eyes closed and dared not open them. To her, it felt safer not seeing him as it made her feel as if she were still hidden. But what was he doing?


    Rose didn''t sense any malice. She felt herself being carried for a while. Jonathan brought her into the bathroom, turned on the water, and wet a towel to ce it on her nose.


    The cold sensation helped calm her. Her nosebleed seemed to be stopping. But upon realizing she was sitting on hisp, she was relieved to feel his pants still on.


    Her hand was against his waist, feeling his skin. The warm sensation was... Rose swallowed nervously and quickly moved her hand away. "Sorry, sorry. I didn''t mean to peek..."


    Peek? She hid in the closet before he entered. That didn''t count as peeking, right?


    "Sorry, sorry. I mean, I didn''t mean to look. I swear. I didn''t see anything..." Rose''s wordscked conviction. She had seen quite a lot.


    To cover her guilt and sound convincing, she raised her palm as if swearing an oath. "I swear... I didn''t see anything."


    A faint voice rang in her ear, "If you didn''t, why the nosebleed?"


    Rose''s mind went nk, and her face turned beet red. "I... I..."


    She desperately searched for an excuse. "It''s too hot." Too hot?


    Jonathan pointed out, "It''s an indoor climate-controlled temperature." "Then it must have been the alcoholst night causing an inmmation."


    Rose tried to cover up her story. She kept her eyes closed, too nervous to realize who the man in front of her was, even when they were talking with almost no distance between them.


    Jonathan was displeased at the fact that Rose still hadn''t recognized him.


    "Open your eyes!" Jonathanmanded softly.


    Rose said nothing. Ha. She wasn''t stupid. He wasn''t wearing anything, and opening her eyes would only make things worse. What if he med her then? Rose took a deep breath. "Could you let me go?"


    "I can, but you have to open your eyes first."


    "This guy! Wait... The voice..." Rose eximed to herself. But she suddenly noticed something.


    She frowned suspiciously and demanded, "Say something again!"

 Chapter 408 You Spent Money to Take Me Out Right

    Was Rose finally recognizing his voice?


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "What do you want me to say? I love you?"


    I love you... Rose''s mind went nk. It was the familiar voice that shocked herpared to the ambiguous words.


    She finally opened her eyes and confirmed who the person in front of her was. "It''s you!"


    "It''s me. Who else did you think it was?" Jonathan had a yful smile on his face.


    Rose thought of the mask. "Are you also the man fromst night?"


    Jonathan nodded innocently. "Yes, yes. It was me, wifey."


    Rose was at a loss for words. So he had been teasing her on purposest night!


    She was both embarrassed and annoyed as she punched Jonathan in the chest. He let her be before grabbing her hand. Such an action turned Rose''s displeased outburst into a coquettish gesture.


    Rose couldn''t take it anymore, especially when she saw his triumphant smile. She grabbed his hand and bit down hard on his arm.


    Jonathan gasped in pain, but his smile was unchanging. The fondness in his eyes intensified.


    Rose was about to go crazy. It seemed that the bite she gave him was no longer satisfying. Jonathan was clearly...


    "You pervert!" Rose released her bite and broke free from Jonathan, jumping off hisp.


    She nced at his bare upper body, sure that he must have known she was hiding in the closet. He must have stripped on purpose for her!


    "Weirdo!" Rose gritted her teeth, embarrassed at the thought of how she just had a nosebleed.


    She didn''t want to stay any longer, but she remembered he now had something tough at her for. Walking toward the door, she was still thinking about what had happened at the bar.


    "Where''s my friend?" Rose remembered Yvonne and stopped, looking at Jonathan usingly.


    Jonathan followed behind her, step by step. "I handed her over to Miles."


    Had Miles gone to the bar as well? Yvonne''s safety was guaranteed under Miles'' guard, but...


    "Why didn''t you hand me over to Miles too?"


    If Miles had taken her homest night, she would now be at the Young Estate and wouldn''t have embarrassed herself in front of Jonathan.


    Jonathan held back his displeasure from thinking that Rose was inclined to leave with Miles. It was fortunate that he had happened to be inspecting the barst night and ran into her. They were indeed destined by fate! He stared at Rose''s puffy, angry face, seemingly in a good mood. "You forgot? I didn''t take you out."


    Rose said nothing as she couldn''t understand his words.


    "If it wasn''t you, who was it?" Her mind vaguely recalled some images.


    She seemed to have seen Jonathanst night, but she assumed she was drunk and seeing things. Yet, it turned out to be him!


    While Rose waited for Jonathan''s answer, he took a big stride forward and came up to her in just one step. His height brought a strong sense of oppression that forced Rose to instinctively step back.


    Jonathan circled her waist before she could react. She heard him speak in a voice that sounded like a seducing whisper.


    "You took me out."


    Rose held her breath. Her mind was a mess. "What do you mean I took you out? I''m warning you, don''t talk nonsense!"


    Although she was drunk, she wouldn''t go to the extent of bringing a male model out of the bar. But Jonathan''s next words left her stunned.


    "You paidst night."


    The stupefied Rose couldn''t respond in time. Paid for what? Then, she hurriedly exined herself when she realized what he meant. "That was for the drinks."


    "And?" Jonathan stared intently at Rose.


    Rose felt a strange tingle under his gaze. She added after a brief ponder, "Tips?"


    Jonathan replied, "Besides the tips."


    Besides the tips... Rose instantly remembered. "I asked the manager to give the remaining of the tips to you for..."


    She thought hard to structure her


    words. She sympathized with his tragic background and need for money, so she gave him extra. But Jonathan... How could heck money as the ruler of the Finches? She felt she had been tricked.


    Jonathan''s smile grew increasingly cunning. He went along with her words and said, "You spent money to take me out, didn''t you?"


    How was spending money equivalent to taking him out? Rose immediately defended herself. "I didn''t mean that. I''ve never thought of doing anything to you..."


    "Oh. I thought you needed me, just like the first time we met..." Jonathan responded with a disappointed click of the tongue.


    Needed him... The voice lingered on. Rose felt an electric current run through her body, bringing back memories of that night. Her reaction pleased Jonathan greatly.


    He had unfortunately been called awayst night and missed the chance to sleep with her, but he was lucky to have her in his arms right now.


    He hadn''t slept all night. Working nonstop for several days had been routine for him, but now with Rose in his arms, he just wanted to hold her and sleep. "Wifey, I need you..." Jonathan''s low voice made Rose blush so hard.


    Rose had no idea what went wrong, but by the time she snapped back to reality, she was on the bed.


    Her heart pounded as Jonathan''s arms secured her in his embrace. Momentster, she heard his even breathing.


    Had he fallen asleep? Rose breathed a sigh of relief.


    Back when she had known him as Jonathan Finch of the Finches, she had found him to be aloof and distant. His dangerous aura made him seem unapproachable. But when Jonathan became her star escort husband, all Rose could see was his good looks.


    She felt conflicted after learning they were the same person. She couldn''t sort out her feelings, but she knew one thing-they were from different worlds.


    Yara from the Maize family had warned her and was determined to have Jonathan. She made it clear that Rose getting involved would only find herself in trouble.


    Rose hated having topete. Although she had made up her mind, she couldn''t help wanting to set herself free now that no one was around.


    Jonathan seemed to be dreaming. Even when asleep, his handsome face had a smile as he unknowingly pulled Rose closer.


    With their bodies pressed tightly together, Rose abandoned the thought of slipping away while he slept. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep, letting Jonathan hold her.


    Rose, who was a light sleeper, was awakened by her phone ringing. She quickly grabbed her phone, worried that it would wake Jonathan. She answered the call with her voice lowered.


    "Hello?"


    She hadn''t even had time to see who called.


    Yvonne''s anxious voice sounded


    from the other end. "Rosie, wheret


    are you? Are you okay? I heard that a bad guy took you awayst night. Did he hurt you? It''s all my fault..."

 Chapter 409 Slipping Away

    "It''s all my fault. If I hadn''t taken you to the barst night, the bad guy wouldn''t have taken you away..." Yvonne cried in remorse.


    At the Young Estate, a hint of guilt surfaced in Miles'' heart as he sat on the couch and watched Yvonne bawl. It even seemed that Yvonne wished she could bear all the pain for Rose. Gabriel sat beside him and nced at him, looking a little diffident. He was the one who said Rose was taken away by a bad guy after Miles attached the bad guybel to Jonathan. "Rosie, where are you? Say something..." Yvonne''s heart was in knots.


    Yvonne hadn''t stopped speaking in an anxious voice since the call was connected. Rose finally grabbed the chance to speak.


    "I''m fine-"


    "Rosie, it''s all my fault..."


    Rose immediatelyforted her. "I''m fine. Yvonne, you... calm down. Just calm down..."


    Yvonne was taken aback. "You''re fine? Is that true? Did the bad guy go easy on you?" She was still worried that Rose had said that to appease her concerns.


    Rose eyed the "bad guy", who was in a deep sleep. "He... isn''t really a bad guy..."


    Her response stunned Yvonne. Rose whispered in a lowered voice, "Are you at the Young Estate? Stay there. I''ll be back soon."


    With that, Rose quickly hung up.


    As Yvonne stared at her phone, Rose''s words echoed in her mind. She looked suspiciously at the two men present.


    "Rosie told me that the man isn''t a bad guy..." But the two of them had clearly said that a bad guy had taken Rose away!


    Miles averted his gaze and masked his guilt by picking up the cup of coffee from the table. He took a sip and asked, "What else did she say?"


    Recalling Rose''s words, Yvonne looked at them with innocent eyes and told the truth without holding back.


    "She also said to wait for her and that she''d be back soon." In other words, was Roseing back now?


    Miles breathed a sigh of relief. The Finches had kept Jonathan upiedst night. He should have returned to his ce by this time, and Rose should be back as well.


    ...


    Rose stared at the ceiling. In the few minutes after hanging up the phone, she had tried countless times to slip out of Jonathan''s arms, but there seemed to be a string connecting their bodies. Jonathan would hug her tighter with every subtle movement. She was sweating profusely after several attempts. All of a sudden, she noticed the pillow beside her...


    Ten minutester, Rose sessfully reced herself with the pillow. She stood by the bed and watched Jonathan hug the pillow, even nuzzling it.


    She felt a pang of guilt at the thought of his reaction once he woke up. But guilt aside, she had to leave. Yvonne was still at the Young Estate.


    "Ha ha ha. Sweet dreams." Roseughed dryly and offered her most sincere blessings to the sleeping man.


    She cautiously moved and tried not to make any noise that might wake him. Even after leaving the vi, she continued to tiptoe and frequently nced back.


    Ezra had specially followed Jonathan over. He waited for a long time in the car before seeing a sneaky figure. The scene made him smile.


    He thought he would have to wait much longer for Rose, but to his surprise, it only took two hours. Watching her cautiously look back, her careful demeanor indicated she was sneaking away!


    Ezra raised an eyebrow. He grabbed a mask and a baseball cap and walked straight toward Rose after getting out of the car.


    Rose repeatedly looked back to make sure Jonathan was asleep and Finley wasn''t staying on guard. She finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    She had walked a fair distance, so she no longer needed to be cautious. Sheughed in triumph, withdrew her gaze, and nned to grab a cab back to the Young Estate.


    But as soon as she turned around,


    she saw someone standing in front of her. Rose stopped abruptly in panic, but it was toote. She noticed the person toote, and inertia made her bump into him.


    "Ow..."


    Rose''s nose stung with pain. Her nose now took another hit from having had a nosebleed in the morning. She quickly checked if it was bleeding again.


    Luckily... It was just pain with no blood. But the person she bumped into...


    "Hi, what a coincidence!" Before Rose could scold the man for not watching where he was going, he spoke.


    His voice was clean and pleasant. She could sense his good intentions just from his voice, and was that a "what a coincidence" she heard? Did they know each other?


    Rose looked up and examined the person in front of her. Baseball cap, mask, trendy clothes. There seemed to be such a person in her memory but...


    Rose''s gaze fell on his face. Ezra pulled down his mask as if reading her thoughts, revealing his stunningly handsome face.


    "You... you... you... You''re Ezra Turner!" Rose recognized him as Ezra Turner, the most handsome face in the entertainment industry.


    "What a coincidence, do you live here too?" Rose pointed behind her.


    It was a high-end neighborhood ording to her observations. As a top star in the entertainment industry, Ezra had the financial capability to live here. Was Jonathan neighbors with Ezra? Ezra looked around. Living here didn''t seem too bad either. He could buy a ce and move in. He soon withdrew his thoughts.


    He stared at Rose and pretended to casually ask, "Do you... also live here?"


    "No, no, no. How could I live here? Just a... friend lives here." Rose hurriedly waved her hand.


    "Friend? What kind of a friend?" Ezra''s eyes were hard to read.


    Rose pictured Jonathan in her mind and seriously pondered over the question, but she couldn''t categorize him even after a while. Luckily, Ezra didn''t press for an answer. "Are you leaving? I''ll give you a ride," Ezra offered.


    He pointed to a car parked not far away and added before Rose could respond, "It''s hard to grab a cab around here."


    It was indeed hard to grab a cab around here, so Rose didn''t reject the kind offer. The fact that Ezra was driving in person took Rose aback. Surprisingly, they had a lot to talk about on the way.


    Rose got out of the car at the gate of the Young Estate. Before she left, they exchanged numbers.


    Ezra watched Rose walk away until she was out of sight. He felt a bit dazed staring at the number he had just received. Setting aside Jonathan, he found he liked Rose!


    Jonathan slept until noon. Before opening his eyes, he instinctively reached for the "person" in his arms. He opened his eyes when sensing something was off and saw a pillow in his embrace. His face darkened instantly.


    "Rose!"


    He didn''t need to think to know it was her doing. She had sneaked away while he was asleep and used the pillow as a stand-in!


    Just as he was feeling irritated, Leonard called, clearly catching him in a bad mood.


    "What is it? Speak!" His tone was unfriendly.


    Finley''s body shivered. A chill ran through him, but he had to muster the courage. "Mr. Finch, the sponsorship for Regalia Drama House..."

 Chapter 410 Jonathan With Unfulfilled Desires

    "Regalia Drama House? What does that have to do with me?" Jonathan sounded like he had eaten gunpowder. "Isn''t there anything else going on in The Finch Group? Is the entertainment industry all that''s left?" Leonard broke out in a cold sweat. It seemed Jonathan''s mood was worse than he had imagined!


    It must be because he was called away to the Finch Manorst night, interrupting his time with Rose. But he had gone back in the morning and should have spent his entire day lovingly cozying up to Rose. Why did he seem like he had unfulfilled desires? Could the couple be in an unharmonious state?


    Leonard was more mindful of his words as he went on to say, "Mr. Finch, the Regalia Drama House is different."


    "How could it be different? Is your girlfriend in it?" Jonathan''s face was ugly.


    Leonard wore a grim look on his face as he spoke, "Mr. Finch, I dedicate all my time to work, and I''m determined to contribute to you and The Finch Group till myst breath. How could I have a girlfriend? "But... Ms. Yvonne Spencer is in the Regalia Drama House."


    Yvonne Spencer? Who was that? There was a brief pause on the phone.


    With long-standing tacit understanding, Leonard had developed an acute sense for reading rooms. He could guess what was going on through Jonathan''s mind even over the phone.


    He immediately exined, "Ms. Spencer is Mrs. Finch''s best friend, the one who drank with herst night..."


    So it was her! Jonathan coldly said, "Then there''s even less reason to sponsor it."


    He hadn''t settled the score with Yvonne for taking Rose to a bar on a male model sightseeing tripst night.


    Just as Jonathan was about to hang up, Finley spoke urgently. "Mr. Finch, I''ve investigated. Ms. Spencer is Mrs. Finch''s closest friend. She applied for a VIP ticket for the best seat an hour ago, saying they were for her most important person." Yvonne''s family was all in Aquastead. Only her best friend, Rose, was in Regalia. So, the most important person had to be Rose.


    Jonathan''s eyes narrowed as he said without hesitation, "Sponsor them at the highest level. Give them whatever they need. Also... I want the seat next to hers."


    "Got it, Mr. Finch. I''ll take care of it right away."


    Leonard was thrilled to receive the order. He was sure to earn major credit!


    At the Young Estate, Yvonne didn''t expect her application to be approved so quickly. The electronic tickets were soon sent to her email, and she immediately forwarded them to Rose. "My dear Rosie, I''ll be top form with you in the audience. Make sure youe early that day!"


    Yvonne hugged Rose tightly before leaving the Young Estate and didn''t want to let go.


    "I''ll definitelye early."


    Rose didn''t want to be separated from Yvonne either, but she knew Yvonne had rehearsals to prepare for. Staying until now was already pushing her limits. Thus, the two reluctantly parted. Yvonne suddenly remembered something and frowned. "If only Jonathan coulde too..." She didn''t finish her sentence, shaking her head regretfully. "Unfortunately, I only got one ticket..." VIP seats were incredibly precious. Getting one was already a huge favor from her superior.


    Rose sent Yvonne to the car, and Gabriel was tasked to drive Yvonne back to her dance troupe. Rose pondered Yvonne''s words as she watched the car disappear from her sight. With Jonathan''s status, he could get any ticket he wanted. But Jonathan... As the ruler of The Finch Group, he was likely interested only in business and making money, not in arts! Ten days psed. Rose didn''t see Jonathan again in those ten days.


    Miles left early and came backte every day. Even at night, the light in his study would be turned on untilte, and Rose would often hear the car starting before dawn.


    On the day of Yvonne''s performance, she called Rose early in the morning and repeatedly reminded her, "The show is at eight tonight. Don''t forget. Be sure to arrive early." Yvonne sounded excited. "Yes, yes. I''ll definitely be there early."


    Roseughed at how excited Yvonne was even after touring globally. Yvonne insisted this time was different because Rose would be in the audience. "Dress nicely." Yvonne chuckled.


    Rose wasn''t too bothered by her outfit. "Why should I dress nicely on your big day? You''re the star. I''ll bring you a gown for the celebration party." For the past ten days, Rose had personally designed and tailored a gown for Yvonne.


    She thought of Evan. They hadn''t been in contact for a while now. She had thought he would stay in Aquastead for a longer period, but his career was based in Finterra. He hadn''t sent her any design orders for months. t


    Last she heard from Yvonne, Evan seemed to have a girlfriend, and that girlfriend went to Finterra with him.


    "It''s a pity. Evan liked you but... Hmph! He''s moved on!" Yvonne was dissatisfied whenever the topic was mentioned. She even dered that if Rose wasn''t happy, she would ignore Evan in the future!


    Seeing Yvonne''s face puffed up in anger, Rose quickly exined that she had no feelings for Evan other than friendship. She even swore to Yvonne, who reluctantly believed Rose had no romantic feelings for Evan.


    Rose still found it amusing to recall Yvonne''s disappointed look after she swore.


    After ending the call with Yvonne, she heard a voice behind her. "You''re lucky to have such a leisurely time. Miles is exhausted by the recent turmoil at the Young Group." Rose knew who it was without turning around. It was Anastasia, whom she hadn''t seen in a while either. Like Miles, she seldom returned to the Young Estate.


    A faint smile appeared on Rose''s lips. "No matter how big the turmoil at the Young Group is, Miles can handle it."


    She knew well what the turmoil at the Young Group referred to. There was bound to be a power fight with Oliver''s passing.


    Chloe, Anastasia, and Miles each had their own factions within the Young Group, each vying to be the final victor. Anastasia was no exception.


    Rose turned around to meet Anastasia''s gaze and calmly reminded her, "Miles left a while ago. Aren''t you going to thepany? You should be careful with how passive you are." Anastasia''s face visibly darkened at Rose''s words. Her abilities didn''t match up to Miles'', and that had always been her sore spot.


    Rose''s words hit her right where it hurt! Damn it!


    Anastasia gritted her teeth and


    nced at the time. She had an appointment with an important client soon. She snorted coldly and ent-so left, not wanting to miss out on the big opportunity.


    She came to the garage and saw Elmer tending to the car that had been used exclusively by Oliver when he was alive.


    "Is someone using the car today?" Anastasia casually asked.


    Elmer replied, "Ms. Rose is using it. She''s going to the Regalia Grand Theatre for a performance tonight. Mr. Miles instructed me to send her there with Mr. Young Senior''s car."

 Chapter 411 Special Treatment

    When Oliver was alive, he never liked anyone else to sit in his car, not even Anastasia. Even tagging along was uneptable. Miles knew Oliver''s habits best, but he allowed Rose to use Oliver''s car. Anastasia got into the car with a face full of doubts.


    In Miles'' office on the top floor of the Young Group, an assistant was reporting the arranged schedule for the day, confirming everything up till the afternoon.


    "Mr. Miles, you have a dinner scheduled with Thomas Chambers at seven."


    Thomas Chambers was the head of the Chambers family in Regalia. Although the Chambers family didn''t venture into the business world, they had an esteemed reputation in politics. The Chambers and Youngs had always had a close rtionship. Miles had something to ask for at tonight''s dinner but...


    "Seven is toote," Miles murmured.


    The assistant was puzzled. 7:00 p.m. for dinner wasn''tte. He didn''t know that Miles wasn''t referring to dinner time.


    Miles then said, "Change it to noon."


    Changing it to noon would allow him to go to the Regalia Grand Theatre earlier in the evening.


    "But Mr. Miles, you should rest at noon..."


    The assistant couldn''t hide his concern. Miles'' workload had recently been immense, and no matter how good his health was, he might not be able to hold on.


    "It''s fine." Miles closed his eyes and gently massaged his nose. He alleviated some fatigue before getting back to work.


    Jonathan cleared his schedule since Rose was going to the Regalia Grand Theatre in the evening.


    Yara was on set, shooting a scene. It was evident she wasn''t in the right state to shoot after several cuts. The helpless Algernon had no choice but to have her rest for a while.


    During the break, a call came through from Be Maize, Yara''s aunt. Yara knew she was calling about Jonathan.


    She answered the phone and blurted out, "Does Mr. Finch want to see me?"


    Be was startled. She then smiled. "Pretty much. Your Uncle Yosef found out he will be at Regalia Grand Theatre tonight, so you can see him there."


    Would Jonathan be watching a show? He had to have ns with someone in such a setting. Was it... Rose?


    Yara perked up when she thought of Rose. She hung up the phone after saying, "I understand, thank you, Aunt Be."


    Just then, Algernon came to the minivan to ask her to continue the shoot. "Ms. Maize, you''ve had enough rest. Shall we continue? Tonight''s scene is crucial, and all departments are working together. We might have to stay up all night..." "I''m not shooting anymore," Yara coldly interrupted before Algernon could finish.


    As Algernon was momentarily stunned, Yara continued, "Mr. Chapman, please step aside. Mia, where''s the chauffeur? Tell him to drive."


    Yara looked urgent, clearly leaving no room for discussion.


    Algernon snapped back to reality. "Ms. Maize, what about today''s shoot if you leave?"


    Today''s schedule was set to shoot Yara''s crucial scene. He had coordinated all departments, and if she quit, they would inevitably suffer quite a loss.


    "Just film someone else''s scenes." Yara forced a smile. If she didn''t need to maintain her image, she would have told her assistant, Mia Woods, to drive Algernon out.


    She gave Mia a look. Mia was reluctant, but she had no choice but to ask Algernon to step aside.


    The car drove away, leaving Algernon frowning behind. Yara was crowned as a renowned international actress, but she clearly had no professionalism.


    If it were any other actress, he would definitely cklist her. But besides being a renowned international actress, Yara was also the daughter of the Maize family. Her family had capital, and this movie was backed by The Finch Group with specific instructions for Yara to y the lead.


    "s!" Algernon could only swallow his anger and resentment.


    In the minivan, Yara easily got a spectator ticket through the Maize family''s connections. But as the showtime approached, she only got a regr seat ticket. As long as she could get in and possibly run into Jonathan, the seat didn''t matter.


    Next, Yara hastily selected her clothes, matching essories, and bag on her tablet. Everything was set and ready to be worn by the time she returned home. To present her best self in front of Jonathan, she arranged for an in-home skincare treatment.


    After getting ready, she looked at herself in the mirror with a satisfied smile on her lips. "If Mr. Finch is meeting Rose, my look will definitely outshine her." Meanwhile, at the Young Estate, Yvonne repeatedly reminded Rose to dress nicely, but Rose didn''t take it to heart.


    Today''s star was Yvonne. Rose wore a simple white T-shirt with jeans. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she bad light makeup on, looking just like when Yvonne knew her.


    At 6:00 p.m., Rose left the Young Estate and got into the car. She was surprised by the car''s interior.


    "This car... She wasn''t surprised


    by ne


    its luxury but by the presence of some of Oliver''s belongings inside. There were a pair of sses a tobo pipe, and a spare cane.


    "I''m sorry, Ms. Rose. This was Mr. Young Senior''s car. Some items he used are still here. I... I didn''t have time to remove them."


    Elmer knew about Rose, Oliver''s new granddaughter, but he had never interacted with her. He knew nothing about her temper and was only aware that Rose was extraordinary. Miles even ordered Oliver''s car for her use and specifically instructed that this car would be used to pick her up in the future. But this car... was more than just a car!


    Elmer carefully nced at Rose through the rearview mirror. "Ms. Rose, I''ll move these items elsewhere once we reach our destination."


    "No need! Leaving them here is fine!" Rose gently touched the items. This was Oliver''s car. The items were still a reminder of him even though he wasn''t here anymore. The Regalia Grand Theatre was exceptionally lively today. The Finch Group rarely sponsored such performances, and today, the sponsor wasn''t just The Finch Group. Backstage at the theatre, the theatre''s supervisor and leader of the dance troupe were grinning from ear to ear.


    "I heard someone from the Finches ising today. Do you know who it is?" the theatre''s supervisor eagerly asked.


    The leader of the dance troupe replied, "Someone important ising. It should be Mr. Jack from Yosef''s family." Noah Finch, the eldest grandson of the Finches, went abroad after Jonathan took over the Finch Group.


    Moreover, the fourth grandson had always been mysterious. The public only knew of his existence and didn''t even know his name. Only Jack, Yosef''s son, seemed most likely to show up.


    "It should be him."


    Even befriending Jack would be a significant deal.


    "Should we personally go wee him?"


    "Yes. Let''s go greet him in person."


    The two reached a consensus and arranged for a special passage, waiting to wee Jonathan as soon as he arrived.


    Most of the audience had entered the theatre after a long wait. Finally, a sports car stopped at the entrance.


    "He''s here! He''s here!" The two eagerly weed him. They couldn''t wait to tter as soon as the person got out of the car. "Mr. Jack, take your time..."

 Chapter 412 Rose Ignoring Yara

    Jack had never expected anyone to greet him in person.


    He hadn''t revealed his n to attend the performance, but he instantly understood. They must have found out through some channel that he had a ticket, which exined the grand reception. "Baby,e on..." Jack beckoned to hispanion.


    The reception deeply satisfied his ego. He entered the theatre through a special passage surrounded by the staff.


    Not long after, another car stopped. Jonathan was dressed in a white shirt the same style he had worn when he first met Rose. Beforeing, he had even styled his hair like how it was done that day. Walking into the Regalia Grand Theatre, Jonathan frequently checked his reflection when passing by ss decorations. He ensured he looked exactly how Rose liked before he satisfiedly continued forward. Following Jonathan, Leonard had never seen him care so much about his appearance.


    "Doesn''t he look like a peacock seeking a mate?" Leonard realized with a start that he had inadvertently spoken his thoughts aloud when he noticed the astonished look on Finley''s face beside him. Walking just a few steps ahead, Jonathan stopped.


    "Ahem... ahem..."


    Finley signaled Leonard and silently gave him a thumbs-up as if to say, "You take the cake for bravery but... good luck!"


    Leonard had sensed a cold gaze from behind. He stered a ttering smile and tried to exin. But before he could speak, Jonathan''s cold voice sounded, "What are you doing here?"


    Leonard was at a loss for words. Of course, he was there to watch Jonathan try to win Rose over, but how could he say that out loud?


    "Mr. Finch, as a sponsor, you have to go on stage and take pictures with the dancers after the performance. It''s gonna be crowded, so I should stay close to ensure your safety." Leonard tried toe up with an excuse, but it was ame one. Jonathan looked at him with disdain. "You''re not allowed toe along!" With that, he turned and continued walking.


    Leonard''s face fell. Finley looked at Leonard gloatingly and jogged to catch up with Jonathan. He showed Leonard a victorious peace sign as if to say, "I''m Mr. Finch''s most trusted man!"


    Yet, just after he unted, he stopped in his tracks.


    "You''re not allowed toe either!" Jonathan spoke without looking back as if he had a pair of eyes on the back of his head.


    A cold shower doused Finley and dampened all his pride. His smile froze as he momentarily forgot to respond. Fortunately, Leonard responded on his behalf.


    "Yes, rest assured Mr. Finch, we won''te along."


    He jogged up and smiled, watching Jonathan disappear around the corner. He then patted Finley on the shoulder and felt a lot more satisfied.


    "Come on, let''s wait outside."


    ...


    The performance had yet to start in the theatre, and all the VIP seats were empty.


    Rose had intended to go backstage to visit Yvonne, but Yvonne had her phone taken away before going on stage. Since it was impossible to contact her, Rose gave up. She sat in her VIP seat, which had an excellent view offering a clear sight of the stage.


    Rose took out her phone, wanting to capture the stage where Yvonne would soon shine. It was then a woman''s voice sounded above her.


    "Ms. Rose..."


    Rose looked up to see Yara dressed in a white evening gown with exquisite makeup. Even her hair was meticulously styled.


    One had to admit that Yara had what it took to be a superstar, but they weren''t much acquainted. So, Rose didn''t n to engage with her.


    She smiled slightly and gave Yara a brief nod. She then returned to taking pictures. Yara frowned. Was Rose ignoring her?


    She looked at Rose, who seemed to


    be glowing. Rose was dressed in casual jeans and a T-shirt, looking


    rxed. Yara had thought Rose was indeed a beauty thest timeshe


    had seen her in the cafe.


    But today, after seeing Rose again, Rose''s beauty intensified her sense of crisis, especially since Jonathan had given her the best seat in the house, while she... Yara nced at the audience seats further back. Her seat was far from here.


    "He invited you too? Did he also give you this ticket?" Yara suddenly sat in the seat next to Rose.


    She could guess that the seat next to Rose''s was definitely Jonathan''s. She could imagine the two of them watching the performance side by side. Yara wore a fake smile. Rose politely responded, "Yes."


    Yvonne had given her her ticket, but what did Yara mean by "also"? Yvonne shouldn''t know Yara, right?


    Rose didn''t delve into it. The one-word response was out of politeness since she had never expected the renowned international actress to sit beside her.


    She didn''t want to offend Yara too


    much since they would be sitting together for the rest of the


    performance. But that "yes" was not the answer Yara wanted, and nor was Rose''s reaction what she expected.


    She waited for Rose to ask questions and suspect, but Rose continued changing angles to capture every detail of the stage setup.


    Finally, Yara couldn''t hold back from saying, "I didn''t expect him to treat an ordinary friend so well. Ms. Rose, you won''t misunderstand anything, right?"


    Rose was bewildered. She couldn''t understand what Yara was talking about the more she spoke. Since she couldn''t understand, she chose not to respond.


    Rose gave Yara a polite smile before standing up. Then, she excused herself and left.


    What did Rose mean? Yara bit her lips. She had thought she could create a rift between Rose and Jonathan, but... Did Rose not take her seriously? Or was Rose not taking Jonathan seriously instead?


    "Hmph!" Yara was displeased. Although she had lost her target, she didn''t leave.


    She figured the seat she was sitting in was most likely Jonathan''s, so she set her sights on the other empty seat.


    ...


    When Rose returned to the performance hall, many audience members were already seated, and the lights were dimmed.


    She noticed all seats were taken apart from the seats on either side of hers and noted that Yara was one seat away from her. She couldn''t help but wonder if Yara had changed seats.


    She didn''t pay much attention to think about it. Perhaps the empty seat between them was hers. The person Yara was waiting for might have not arrived yet.


    It was fine. There was no need for them to sit too close.


    Soon, the performance started, but Yvonne hadn''t taken the stage yet. Rose focused on watching the dancers perform, not even noticing when people sat by her side.

 Chapter 413 Its Just an Illusion if She Doesnt See Him

    Jonathan felt a bit disappointed. The woman beside him was intently watching the stage, not sparing him a single nce. Was he not as attractive as the performance on stage? "Ahem... ahem..." Jonathan cleared his throat like he was vying for attention, but his action didn''t draw Rose''s notice. Instead, it caught someone else''s gaze.


    Their eyes met... A trace of surprise shed across both Miles'' and Jonathan''s faces. Maybe the audience lights were too dim, but with Jonathan''s attention solely on Rose, he hadn''t noticed Miles'' presence. Simrly, Miles hadn''t realized Jonathan was there either. With Rose sitting between them, their eyes met for a second. Both gave each other a faint smile before looking away, their smiles vanishing.


    On stage, the dancers were performing with great dedication. As the principal dancer, Yvonne executed numerous high-difficulty moves and drew thunderous apuse from the audience.


    Amid the apuse, Rose''s heart was bursting with excitement. Yvonne had loved dancing since she was a child. She was talented and had put in extreme effort. Rose was genuinely happy to see her shine onstage at this moment.


    Jack satfortably in a special box seat within the theatre. He had a selection of juice and snacksid out before him.


    The box seat was made of a special ss that was invisible from the outside but offered a clear view from within. This box seat was set up for special guests.


    A beauty next to him with a voluptuous figure had initially sat in her own seat. But at some point, she had moved onto Jack''sp and clung to him as if trying to regain his attention.


    Yet, Jack''s eyes remained fixed on the stage, intently following the brightest star. The beauty beside him was increasingly anxious seeing the light in his eyes.


    "Mr. Jack, Mr. Jack?" the beauty called out several times before finally drawing Jack''s attention with a hum.


    "Mr. Jack, do you know that I used to study dance too? I dance better than those onstage. Could you help get me into this dance troupe?" The woman wrapped her arms around Jack''s neck.


    Jack knew exactly what she was capable of. She was good at pleasing men with her moves, butpared to the dancers on stage...


    His eyes drifted back to the shining dancer on stage. He patted the woman''s waist. "You don''t have what it takes."


    "What do you mean I don''t have what it takes? Mr. Jack, you''re from the Finch family. Getting me into this dance troupe should be a piece of cake for you, right?" the woman whispered as she leaned into Jack''s ear.


    The words piqued his interest. The ttery pleased him immensely, but that wasn''t all he wanted. Jack stared at the stage and pointed at Yvonne.


    "Alright. I''ll get you in. But remember, she''s the first..." He then pinched the woman''s thigh yfully with a chuckle. "Behave, and I''ll make it worth your while."


    They exchanged smiles.


    On stage, Yvonne focused on her every move and every emotion. She was a professional dancer who was always striving to perform her best.


    Today, she was especially motivated because she knew Rose was watching her from the audience. After the performance, she specifically nced at the seat where Rose was as she took her bow.


    Yvonne threw a flying kiss when she saw Rose. Her yful gesture not only touched Rose''s heart but others as well. Then, it was time for acknowledgments on stage.


    After getting off stage, Yvonne''s first act was to retrieve her phone and message Rose. "You have toe to the celebration party with me!"


    Rose was overjoyed when she looked at her phone. Of course, she would join Yvonne for the celebration.


    Jonathan''s jealousy intensified beside her. His thoughts had been upied with watching out for Miles during the performance. Now that the performance was over, Rose might leave with Miles if he didn''t act soon. Jonathan moved closer to Rose. "Wifey..."


    Just one word spoken in a


    deliberately low voice overpowered the acknowledgments happening onstage. Rose felt her mind go nk as if a current ran through her body. Jon... Jonathan?


    "Ha..." How could it be? Wasn''t the seat beside her supposed to be Yara''s? How could it be Jonathan?


    Rose took a deep breath and avoided looking beside her. It was as if by not looking, the "wifey" she heard would be an illusion. But someone wasn''t letting her escape.


    "Wifey, why are you ignoring me?" Jonathan moved closer. His tone was filled with grievance.


    Rose said nothing in response.


    "Wifey, I was so heartbroken when you left me the other day. Wifey, you didn''t even bother to look at me..."


    Rose felt her scalp tingle. Jonathan''s voice was getting louder with each sentence. If she didn''t stop him, it might draw the attention of those around them. "Wifey..."


    "Stop calling me that!" Rose cautiously looked around for fear that someone might have heard themotion and looked over.


    Fortunately, the host seemed to be


    introducing some prominent figure onstage and had grabbed


    everyone''s attention. Rose rxed a bit, but she suddenly noticed the person sitting on her other side.


    "Mi... Miles?" Rose almost eximed in surprise. She asked out loud. "Why are you here?"


    And he was sitting beside her too! She hadn''t even noticed him all this time!


    Miles smiled warmly. Before he could say anything, a voice announced the answer to Rose.


    "Another sponsor of today''s event is here as well. We thank Miles Young of the Young Group for supporting this performance."


    As the host''s words fell, a spotlight shone on Miles'' seat. So, the Young Group sponsored the performance. Miles was here for business. Since it was business, it had nothing to do with her! Rose seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.


    The host continued, "Now, please wee Mr. Miles onstage with a round of apuse."


    Miles going on stage naturally had nothing to do with Rose, but when he stood up under the spotlight, he extended his hand toward her.


    Nearly everyone''s attention was on


    Miles. The Young family was facing


    a crucial period of inheritance.


    disputes with Oliver''s recent


    passing, and Miles gathered all the attention.


    Everyone looked at his hand and noticed the person sitting beside him. The spotlight also generously included her in its glow.


    "Thedy next to Mr. Miles..." The host was full of curiosity.


    Rose slowly raised her hand and looked at Miles as if to ask, "What does this mean?"


    Miles continued smiling at Rose. "Together."


    Together? Together onstage?


    "Ha... Haha... Can..." Could she not?


    "Can? Can what?" Jonathan shrieked inwardly in rm. He instinctively grabbed Rose''s hand.

 Chapter 414 The Most Important Person in His Life

    Rose turned around and met Jonathan''s eyes. He didn''t say a word, but his gaze clearly spelled out, "Don''t go".


    There was a hint of displeasure and a clear warning in his eyes, causing an inexplicable shiver to run down Rose''s spine.


    Under the spotlight, the audience''s attention shifted to the person next to Rose as she turned. The crowd was momentarily stunned upon seeing Jonathan.


    Most people present didn''t know his identity, but his face and the aura he exuded were no less imposing than Miles''. Spection arose among the attendees about which family in Regalia Jonathan belonged to. A few recognized him, their eyes showing a mix of surprise and gossipy interest as they stared at the young woman whose hand he held.


    "Rosie?" Miles ignored Jonathan and continued to extend his hand with a gentle smile. He looked at Rose as if he wasn''t urging her but was patiently waiting.


    Rose felt as if the gazes from the crowd would burn through her. She wished she could disappear on the spot.


    To add fuel to the fire, the host chimed in, "Why don''t the three of youe on stage together?"


    Rose couldn''t respond. Was the host not having enough fun since he was inviting them together onstage?


    She maintained a polite smile and racked her brain for an excuse to escape this messy situation, but it seemed that the host''s suggestion pleased Jonathan. He stood up, smiling at Rose. "Let''s go."


    As he spoke, he naturally ced her hand on his arm. He smiled smugly as he turned, seemingly challenging Miles. Jonathan led Rose a short distance away.


    For a moment, the spotlight didn''t know who to focus on. Fortunately, Miles hesitated briefly before retracting his hand and following them.


    Throughout this, no one noticed Yara sitting beside them. Watching Rose walk toward the stage with Jonathan, she couldn''t help clenching her fists.


    It seemed even Miles cared so much about Rose, an adopted daughter of the Young family. Rose would undoubtedly steal the spotlight once she got on stage. But how could Yara let anyone outshine her?


    As the trio was about to reach the stage, Yara let out a sudden exmation. Although the sound couldn''t travel far, it was enough to draw the attention of those around her.


    Someone recognized her in the dim light.


    "Yara? Is that you?"


    Yara feigned panic after having been "discovered".


    "Oh, I''m sorry for the disturbance. My earring fell off. It was a precious gift from myte grandmother."


    Yara apologized and exined as she bent down to "search" the floor.


    The person raised their voice in excitement upon confirming it was Yara. "Yara, it''s really you! I didn''t expect you to attend this performance."


    Many around heard themotion. Attention shifted to Yara in no time, and themotion caught the host''s notice. Soon, a spotlight shone on Yara. Yara knew she had achieved her goal.


    "Found it! I''m so d I found it, otherwise..." Yara eximed with delight. She "found" a gem earring on the ground and yed out the joy of recovering a lost treasure perfectly.


    "Ms. Yara? We didn''t expect you to be here today. Our performance is truly blessed by your presence. Ms. Yara, would you care to join us onstage?" The host conveyed the organizers'' wishes. Yara feigned reluctance. "I only came as a spectator today. I''m afraid it''s inappropriate."


    "Ms. Yara, you''re a renowned international actress. Your presence alone makes it appropriate."


    Yara pursed her lips, pretending to be in a difficult spot before finally deciding. "If I refuse, it might seem like I''m being pretentious. Ha ha... I guess I shoulde."


    Yara gracefully stood up. She had


    dressed up specifically for the


    asion. Her outfit was even suitable for a red carpet event. She was undoubtedly the center of


    attention under the spotlight.


    Yara confidently nced at Jonathan on the stage, only to see his gaze fixed on Rose. He didn''t bother to spare her even a nce. Yara''s smile momentarily froze but quickly recovered. On stage, Rose stood between Miles and Jonathan. She felt like she was on pins and needles.


    She initially thought Jonathan''s "Let''s go" meant leaving the chaotic scene, but she was wrong. He led her straight onto the stage.


    He held her hand firmly despite her attempts to free her hand from his arm. Rose''s desire to escape was destroyed when she saw the sea of ck heads underneath the stage.


    Since she was here, she might as well stay calm and y it through Rose smiled and hoped nothing else would go wrong. She prayed she could quickly get through the formalities and leave.


    Soon, Miles finished his speech.


    The host was clearly intrigued by Rose and Miles'' rtionship. He asked, "Mr. Miles, may I ask who is this youngdy to you?"


    The host''s eyes darted among the


    three of them. Rose''s hand was still hooked around Jonathan''s arm.


    a love triangle. A love trianagimet


    Many in the audience had imagined


    involving Miles would be


    overme


    sensational.


    Everyone awaited Miles'' answer. Miles looked at Rose, and his gentle gaze caused wild spections.


    "Sister!"


    A voice rang out, but it wasn''t Miles''. The crowd looked toward the speaker, who was the man whose arm Rose was holding.


    Jonathan gave Miles no chance, but his answer disappointed those hoping for a juicy scandal. Jonathan met Miles'' gaze with a deep look. "Mr. Young Senior is Rosie''s grandpa, so she''s Miles'' sister. Right, Mr. Miles?"


    All eyes turned to Miles.


    "Of course, Rosie is my sister. And now, she''s... the most important person in my life!" Miles'' smile remained.


    The most important person. Everyone was slightly surprised, including Rose. She met Miles'' gaze and saw the untainted gentleness in his eyes.


    That look even made Jonathan pause, seemingly not understanding its deeper meaning.


    While they were momentarily stunned, the host''s voice chimed in again, "The most important person? So is Mr. Miles the most important person in this youngdy''s life?" Almost immediately, a voice denied it.


    "No!"


    The speaker was again Jonathan. All eyes turned to him with curiosity.


    To the audience, Jonathan was on stage just because the host had suggested, "Why don''t the three of youe on stage together?"


    Technically, he didn''t even have the right to be on stage. Yet, he kept answering every question the host asked.


    Someone chuckled from the audience. "Who do you think you are? If not Mr. Miles, then who?"

 Chapter 415 Step Up

    The voice was loud enough for many to hear, echoing the unspoken thoughts of those in attendance. All eyes once again turned to the handsome man on stage.


    Those familiar with his identity broke out in cold sweat, for they recognized him as Jonathan. To disrespect him so openly could only incur the wrath of this revered figure.


    However, Jonathan showed no signs of anger. His world seemed to revolve solely around the woman beside him as he gazed at her tenderly.


    "I am the most important person in her life," he dered before adding with equal certainty, "and she is the most important person in mine."


    Rose felt her heart flutter under Jonathan''s passionate gaze, her face flushing with heat and embarrassment. Almost instinctively, she averted her eyes, her bashfulness evident to the onlookers.


    When Miles confessed, "She is the most important person in my life", her reaction was different. The contrast made it apparent, even without words, that Jonathan was the one who truly held a special ce in her heart. As for Miles, he kept a smile on his face and maintained his gentle gaze, but a hint of something else seemed to flicker in his eyes.


    Amidst the crowd''s buzz, a voice cried, "Wait, isn''t she Mr. Young Senior''s adopted granddaughter?"


    "Yes, I remember now! She''s from Aquastead. I saw her in the news at Mr. Young Senior''s funeral!" another eximed.


    As people recalled Rose''s conspicuous attendance at Oliver''s funeral, it became apparent that her background might be more intricate and mysterious than initially assumed.


    Soft murmurs rippled through the crowd, starting as hushed whispers and gradually growing louder as more people began to recognize Rose. The atmosphere shifted as understanding dawned upon the onlookers.


    "No wonder he mentioned she was Miles'' sister. Turns out, it''s true, but something is striking about this man''s presence. I wonder which unassuming, talented young figure he might be..." someonemented.


    Spection filled the air below the stage. Seemingly oblivious to the chatter, Jonathan focused solely on Rose as if she were the only one in his sight.


    His unveiled affection made Rose''s heart race. Unustomed to such tension, she subtly shot Jonathan several warning nces, urging him not to overdo it.


    However, Jonathan seemed immune to her silent pleas. At one point, he even managed to discreetly grab her hand, intertwining their fingers tightly.


    "He''s even more handsome than a celebrity, and she could easily be a beauty in the entertainment industry. They look so perfect together. Look at their hands!" someonemented.


    Another clicked their tongue. "They''re definitely a couple who''s madly in love!"


    The crowd started to swoon over the couple.


    "Ah! The man''s gaze is so gentle..."


    "Look! Thedy''s making eyes at him too!"


    As the chatter persisted, Rose found herself at a loss for words. She couldn''t fathom how the crowd perceived her interactions with Jonathan as flirtatious, dismissing their observations as mere nonsense. She red fiercely at Jonathan, who clearly reveled in everyone''s recognition of their rtionship.


    Meanwhile, Yara found the crowd''s approval particrly grating. She couldn''t help but think they were blind.


    After all, she was the one meant to marry Jonathan. However, seeing Jonathan''s expression and the sight of their interlocked fingers made her realize she had underestimated Rose.


    She initially assumed Jonathan was merely interested in Rose, but today revealed that his feelings ran deeper than expected.


    Yara knew that eradicating this growing bond would require more than just relying on Rose''s promise to return to Aquastead.


    Yara clenched her fist, her gaze hardening momentarily as she studied Rose. Watching the crowd''s growing support for Jonathan and Rose''s rtionship, she couldn''t stand it any longer.


    "Ms. Shaffer, do you sing?" she suddenly asked.


    The abrupt question brought a sudden hush over the crowd. Both the audience and those on stage paused, their attention shifting to Yara.


    She stood with a poised smile, her gaze locked on Rose, curiosity and kindness painted across her face as she awaited Rose''s response.


    Still feeling the weight of countless eyes upon her, Rose found sce in the shift of focus. Although uncertain of Yara''s intentions, she weed any distraction from the suffocating scrutiny she endured from her forced association with Jonathan. Rose smiled and responded without hesitation, "No, I don''t."


    Momentarily taken aback by Rose''s directness, Yara persisted in her inquiry. "Then you must be a dancer, right?"


    Rose shook her head. "I''m afraid not."


    Feigning disappointment and a hint


    of apology, Yara continued, "Oh, I''m sorry, Ms. Shaffer. I assumed you''d be skilled in something, considering your striking appearance. I initially nned to suggest that you perform for everyone as a way to celebrate the sessful conclusion of this event."


    Realization dawned upon Rose as she understood Yara''s intentions. Yara wanted to showcase her own talents by exposing Rose''sck of abilities. And not just that-Yara aimed to redirect the spotlight onto herself.


    Feeling amused, Rose was more than happy to oblige. If someone was keen on stealing the limelight, she was more than willing to present it on a silver tter.


    "Unfortunately, I don''t possess any such skills. However, you''re talented in singing and dancing, among other arts. Why don''t you perform something to celebrate the sessful conclusion of this event, Ms. Maize?" Rose suggested with a sincere smile. Rose''s genuine invitation caught Yara off guard. After all, she had expected Rose to resist relinquishing the stage. However, Rose appeared eager to hand it over.


    As she watched Rose''s smiling face, she couldn''t help but feel a twinge of dissatisfaction.


    In Yara''s mind, Rose should have been fighting for attention. The ideal scenario would have been Rose engaging in fiercepetition with Yara, ultimately leading to her own humiliation.


    "It would be a delight to have Ms. Maize perform for the event. Ms. Maize, what do you think?" the host eagerly asked, wanting to finalize the arrangement.


    Yara gathered her thoughts and replied, "Of course! I''d be happy to."


    There would be other opportunities to embarrass Rose. But for now, Yara cast a subtle nce at Jonathan. She knew it was rare for him to be interested in the arts, so having him watch her perform was a chance that was few and far between.


    Yara was adamant about seizing the


    moment. If she could captivate


    Jonathan with her brilliance on stage, perhaps it would capture his attention and leave him spellbound. As the anticipation grew, she


    became increasingly eager to begin. The stage was hers.


    Rose couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief. As she stepped off the stage, she took advantage of a moment when Jonathan was distracted to slip out of his grasp. Before he could notice, she quickly and deftly made her way out of the auditorium. Jonathan watched her silhouette with a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. Her earlier tension was evident, making it clear that she cared about him. Deciding to grant her some time and space, he returned to his seat.


    On stage, Yara sang a heartfelt


    bad, earning a round of apuse from the audience. Although Jonathan''s gaze remained fixed on the stage, his mind was preupied with silently calcting the passing time. Rose had been away from him for five minutes.


    While he had allowed her time and space, it didn''t mean he would tolerate her continuous evasion. Five minutes marked the extent of his tolerance.


    Back on stage, Yara had chosen a love song she had meticulously prepared for a grand event to showcase her vocal prowess.


    She had invested a significant amount of money to hire a top-notch sound engineer to create a wless backing track. All she had to do was lip-sync.

 Chapter 416 He Cannot Stand It

    The song''s heartfelt lyrics, amplified by her passionate performance, seemed to be sung exclusively for Jonathan. As anticipated, his gaze remained fixated on her throughout, never once shifting away.


    Yara''s excitement escted, prompting her to take it up a notch. As the song approached its most emotional peak, she deliberately turned her back, aiming to captivate Jonathan with an enchanting nce over her shoulder. Her heart fluttered with anticipation, confident that her captivating gaze would ensnare him. However, upon turning around, Yara was met with an unexpected sight-Jonathan''s seat was empty.


    Her instincts kicked in as she frantically scanned the audience, losing her focus on lip-syncing to the music. Not only was Jonathan nowhere to be found, but the situation worsened as murmurs began to spread. "Wait... Is she lip-syncing?"


    "Of course, she is. Isn''t it obvious? She''s not even moving her lips, yet the singing continues."


    "It''s fake! I knew her voice sounded too perfect-it''s probably not even hers!"


    "She could''ve just skipped the performance if she couldn''t sing well. Lip-syncing is such a waste of everyone''s time."


    The once captivated audience was now abuzz with whispered remarks. Some expressed their dissatisfaction, while others mocked her.


    The sound drew Yara''s attention back to the performance. She attempted to continue lip-syncing, but the audience was no longer buying it. Mockery erupted from all corners of the auditorium.


    With the performance now concluded, the audience gradually dispersed, leaving behind an air of disappointment. Disheartened by theckluster disy, even the host couldn''t be bothered to wrap things up.


    The music continued to y as Yara stood alone on stage, her face ashen with disbelief. She struggled to process the unexpected turn of events. She had anticipated adoration from the crowd. Yet, she was humiliated instead.


    Yara clenched her fists in frustration, but a sense of rity soon washed over her. The opinions of these ordinary people meant nothing to her. Her focus had always been Jonathan.


    Relief washed over her as she realized Jonathan hadn''t seen her mortifying moment. There was still hope.


    Drawing a deep breath, Yara forcefully discarded the microphone and hastily made her way offstage. She was determined to find Jonathan.


    Meanwhile, Rose silently made her


    way backstage in search of Yvonne.


    From a distance, she spotted Yvonne removing her makeup in front of a vanity mirror. Rose stealthily approached her, retrieving a ne from her purse and holding it in her clenched fist above Yvonne''s forehead.


    As she opened her hand, the ne dangled from her grasp.


    Yvonne saw Rose through the mirror and noticed the shimmering ne dangling before her eyes.


    "Wow! It''s beautiful! Is it for me?" Yvonne eximed, her excitement palpable. "It must be for me!"


    Not waiting for Rose''s response, Yvonne eagerly grabbed the ne, holding it against her neck and admiring her reflection. "Help me put it on!"


    It was clear that Rose had


    personally designed and crafted this ne. As Rose fastened it, she pointed to her own neck, saying, "This is one of a pair-the only two in the world. Don''t you dare lose it!"


    "I would never lose anything you give me!" Yvonne eximed, embracing Rose tightly.


    Having been without a family for ages, Yvonne savored the moment, clinging to Rose and inhaling her delicate fragrance. She blurted, "You smelt so lovely, Rose! I''m going to sleep holding you tonight!"


    It would be just like when they were kids.


    Jonathan arrived backstage just in time to hear Yvonne''s bold statement. Seeing Yvonne holding his wife and nuzzling her hair, he couldn''t tolerate it-not even from a woman. With amanding stride, Jonathan''s voice turned frigid as he demanded, "Release her!"

 Chapter 417 Will Not Let Her Escape Again

    The familiar voice made Rose''s body stiffen slightly. She hadn''t expected him to follow her here.


    Yvonne slowly lifted her head and saw the man behind Rose. She was first struck by his stunning appearance. With his chiseled features, sharp eyes, and height, he looked like a model. Even his hair seemed to exude charm. She immediately recognized him as the most attractive man she had ever seen.


    Yvonne quickly returned to her senses as she recalled what the man had just said to release Rose.


    "Are you talking to me?" she asked, still holding onto Rose.


    Something about this man''s gaze struck her as peculiar, brimming with an undeniable possessiveness.


    A sudden realization dawned upon Yvonne. Without giving Jonathan a chance to respond, she eagerly pushed Rose aside, her gaze rapidly shifting between the two of them.


    "Is he..." she began. She couldn''t help but suspect the identity of the man before her.


    Rose''s mouth twitched as she could see Yvonne''s unspoken question in her eyes. However, having already decided there was no future with Jonathan, Rose hesitated about how to introduce him. After a moment''s contemtion, Rose made up her mind. "He''s-"


    "I''m her husband!" Jonathan interjected, introducing himself before Rose could finish.


    Recognizing Yvonne as Rose''s closest friend, he reined in his previous hostility and politely said, "Rose mentioned you to me."


    Rose fell silent and thought, "When have I ever mentioned Yvonne to him?"


    Yvonne, however, was thrilled upon hearing the word "husband".


    "So, you''re her husband!" she eximed, her initial suspicion now confirmed.


    A me of excitement ignited in her eyes as she reassessed Jonathan, exchanging a conspiratorial nce with Rose.


    Her gaze seemed to convey, "It''s only natural that you would say yes to such an irresistible charm."


    She was thrilled that her dear friend had snagged such an undeniably attractive man. However, Yvonne''s expression abruptly turned stern as she addressed Jonathan.


    "You haven''t mistreated her, have you?" she questioned, waving her clenched fist to emphasize her point.


    The underlying message was clear. If he had mistreated Rose, Yvonne would not hesitate to defend her friend, regardless of his good looks.


    Jonathan smiled and nced at Rose. "Have I ever treated you poorly?"


    His gaze was anything but innocent. A series of inappropriate scenes invaded Rose''s mind, causing her face to flush with heat.


    She struggled to dismiss the thoughts, but her mind remained in turmoil, and the burning sensation on her cheeks persisted.


    As she met Jonathan''s gaze, her eyes held a silent warning. However, to an outsider, the exchange appeared as a silent, flirtatious conversation.


    Standing nearby with her fist still raised in the air, Yvonne was at a loss for words. Feeling suffocated by the couple''s affectionate atmosphere, she grabbed her bag.


    "Alright. I''ll leave you two alone. I need to change for the celebration party. See you there."


    Rose was rendered speechless and couldn''t help but wonder what Yvonne meant by leaving them alone.


    Noticing Jonathan''s intense gaze, which seemed ready to devour her, Rose was determined not to be left alone with him. As Yvonne began to walk away, Rose swiftly grabbed her hand. "Let''s go together!"


    Jonathan caught on to Rose''s n and tried to grab her hand, but she skillfully slipped away like an agile cat, dodging his grasp once more.


    When Finley and Leonard found Jonathan, the theater had already emptied out. Jonathan was leaning against a wall by the backstage exit, clearly waiting for Rose.


    "Mr. Finch, are you waiting for your wife?" Finley asked, using a question for the sake of Jonathan''s pride, though he was certain Jonathan was indeed waiting for Rose.


    Jonathan didn''t respond and simply nced in the direction of the backstage.


    "But Mr. Finch, didn''t your wife just leave with Ms. Spencer? They got into a car together..." Leonard trailed off when he noticed Jonathan''s expression darken.


    A sinking feeling settled in his gut, and he forced himself to finish the sentence.


    Jonathan''s expression grew even more displeased. He had been waiting here the entire time and hadn''t seen theme out. However, he soon realized there had to be more than one exit backstage.


    Realizing that Rose might be trying


    to avoid him Jonathan was determined not to let her slip away again. With the celebration party approaching, he knew Yvonne would be in attendance, and it was likely that Rose would join her.


    "Find out where the celebration party is being held today," Jonathanmanded before striding away from the backstage area.


    As Yvonne filled Rose in on thetest gossip, they arrived at the location for the celebration party. Just as they were about to enter the building, Yvonne received a phone call.


    ...


    After a few brief words, she hung up and shrugged at Rose. "We need to change venues," she said.


    With no other choice, they returned to the car and drove to the new venue, arriving as night fell. The newly designated location for the celebration banquet was a private club in the suburbs.


    Upon arrival, they found that most of the dance troupe members had already gathered. This celebration was undeniably more extravagant than usual.


    "This ce belongs to the Finch


    family. I heard that someone from


    the Finch family attended our performance today and was impressed. That''s why they offered this venue for our celebration, Yvonne exined, holding Rose''s hand as they entered the club.


    As they stepped inside, Rose overheard murmurs amongst the crowd and abruptly stopped in her tracks.


    Noticing her friend''s unease, Yvonne asked, "Rose, what''s wrong?"


    Rose''s mind raced with the snippets of conversation she overheard the Finch family, and more specifically, Jonathan, had attended the performance.


    Realizing she had inadvertently entered Jonathan''s domain once again, Rose couldn''t help but suspect it was an intentional trap.


    However, upon seeing Yvonne''s concern, she knew she couldn''t dampen her friend''s celebratory spirit, even if it meant facing Jonathan.


    "Nothing''s wrong. Come on. Let''s dance," Rose said, ncing at the dance floor where couples swayed together to the music.


    Exchanging a look, Rose and Yvonne reached an unspoken agreement. They hurried to the dance floor, where Rose took on the role of a gentleman. With a slight bow, she extended an invitation to Yvonne. "May I have this dance, prettydy?" she asked, deliberately making her voice gruff.


    Usually, Yvonne yed the


    gentleman''s role during their yful dances at school parties. But that


    day, Yvonne wore the dress Rose had designed for her, looking elegant and beautiful-the epitome of a princess. As such, Rose decided to take on the role of the gentleman that night.


    Yvonne cleared her throat, yfully lifting her head and offering her hand to Rose in an exaggerated motion. They began to dance, theirughter and joy filling the dance floor.


    At that moment, Rose forgot the pain of her grandfather''s passing. It felt as if she had returned to her carefree student days with Yvonne.


    Upstairs, on the second floor of the club, Jonathan watched Rose intently as she danced.


    After a while, Finley, who stood behind him, remarked, "Mrs. Finch seems very happy tonight."


    Indeed, Rose was truly happy that evening.


    "Should I find a way to get Ms. Spencer out of the way?" Leonard offered.

 Chapter 418 You Want To Use Me

    Leonard noticed that Jonathan was staring longingly at the dance floor, likely wishing that he was the one dancing with Rose. However, his suggestion only earned him a cold nce from Jonathan. "You seem to have a lot of free time, huh?" Jonathan said coolly.


    Leonard was momentarily stunned and wondered if he should help Yvonne out of the dance. He usually prided himself on being Jonathan''s best assistant, always understanding his intentions with just a nce. But when it came to matters involving Rose, he couldn''t figure out what Jonathan was thinking.


    He nced helplessly at Finley, who looked both amused and sympathetic. Finley gestured for Leonard to keep his mouth shut, which he wisely did.


    Meanwhile, Jonathan''s focus never strayed from the captivating figure on the dance floor. Rose''s enchanting smile seemed to have a magical quality, effortlessly transcending the distance between them and lighting up his own expression.


    Outside the club, Miles sat in his car, having just finished a video conference. He rubbed his temples wearily and turned to look toward the club. His assistant was walking toward him.


    "Where is Ms. Shaffer?" Miles asked, his tone softening at the thought of her.


    Standing beside the car, his assistant reported, "Ms. Shaffer is dancing with Ms. Spencer, and she appears to be having a great time."


    Pleased to hear this, Miles nodded thoughtfully. Then, he continued, "What about Jonathan? Has he been pestering her?"


    "Mr. Finch is outside the dance floor, merely observing her from a distance. He hasn''t approached her," the assistant exined.


    This response took Miles by surprise. After all, earlier at the theater, Jonathan had disyed such evident possessiveness toward Rose. Afterward, he even took the trouble of changing the celebration venue and followed her here. Miles had assumed that Jonathan would relentlessly pursue Rose, but apparently, that was not the case.


    "Mr. Miles, at this hour, Mrs. Yones is likely meeting with several partners of Young Group. This may be an opportune moment to visit her," the assistant suggested.


    Chloe, also known as Mrs. Yones, had been fervently trying to secure alliances to gain control over the Young Group.


    Although the Young family appeared calm on the surface, an undercurrent of conflict was steadily intensifying.


    Chloe was doing everything in her power to consolidate her hold, but the Young Group, as left by Oliver, would never be hers.


    Miles opened his eyes, a rare glint of determination shining within them. He cast a nce toward the club and, after a contemtive pause, instructed his assistant, "Let''s go."


    He decided to give Jonathan the chance to watch over Rose. Once he had dealt with everything that rightfully belonged to Rose, he would make his move.


    Miles refocused his gaze, seemingly immersing himself in the uing battle.


    In a spacious room inside the club, surveince screens covered all four walls, disying various locations within the building.


    Jack satzily on a couch, his eyes fixed on one of the screens. His gaze was both fiery and covetous like a predator eyeing its prey and eager to devour it.


    On-screen, Yvonne was dancing with the same woman who had joined Jonathan on stage at the theater earlier that day.


    "Her name should be... Rose..."


    Jack had heard from Yosef that Jonathan had met a woman in Aquastead, and though he was curious about the kind of woman who could capture Jonathan''s interest, he hadn''t expected to see her in person.


    He studied Rose intently as she danced. Even in her simple attire, her exquisite figure, rosy lips, and sparkling eyes made her a rare beauty indeed.


    Just then, the sudden sound of knocking interrupted Jack''s thoughts, followed by a woman''s domineering voice.


    "Why knock? Just open it! I know he''s in there, but I''m not here for him!"


    The voice was haughty and displeased, and Jack recognized it immediately as Yara''s.


    "Move aside!" Yara snapped, snatching the key card from the manager.


    The door beeped and swung open. Without sparing a nce at the people inside, she immediately started searching the electronic screens on the walls. "The person you''re looking for is over there," Jack said suddenly, pointing to an inconspicuous spot in the lower right corner of the left wall.


    Yara strode oyer in her high heels


    and spotted Jonathan standing by a


    railing, seemingly gazing at


    something with a hint of


    vel


    amusement on his face. She wondered what he was looking at


    that made him so happy.


    Following his gaze, she realized that whatever had his attention was off-screen. Yara gritted her teeth, then heard Jack''s voice.


    "There."


    She looked over to see Jack taking a sip from his ss, his gaze fixed on the electronic screen on the opposite wall, which showed the dance floor, where Rose was clearly visible.


    Yara wondered if Jonathan was also watching Rose and if she was the reason behind his seemingly joyous expression.


    The thought made her heart burn with jealousy. Suddenly, she turned her attention to Jack on the couch.


    Although Yara and Jack didn''t


    interact much, they were indeed cousins. She knew enough about Jack to understand his true nature. While he presented a respectable front, he was notorious for his


    unsavory behavior.


    If it weren''t for Be protecting his public image and the Maize family privately handling his escapades involving women, Jack would have likely be a source of disgrace for the Finch family long ago.


    As Yara fixed her gaze on Jack, a wicked n began to form in her mind. Meeting her gaze, Jack saw through her thoughts with a single nce.


    "You want to use me?"


    Yara''s face briefly stiffened at being called out so directly, but she quickly regained herposure and walked over to sit beside Jack.


    She poured herself a ss of wine, her gaze following Jack''s to the screen showing the dance floor.


    "Use you? That sounds a bit too harsh, don''t you think?" Yara said with a smile.


    Jack downed his drink and chuckled. "No wonder Jonathan isn''t interested in you."


    Yara''s smile froze. Displeased, she turned to Jack. "Who says he isn''t interested? Your parents want me to marry him, and I will eventually be his bride!"


    Jack chuckled softly. He was well aware of his parents'' intentions and wasn''t opposed to theming to fruition. However, this did not mean he liked his cousin.


    Yara had initially nned to negotiate amicably with Jack, but she was no longer in the mood to y nice. Nevertheless, she knew they still had to discuss the matter at hand.


    "I know you''ve taken a liking to her," she began, referring to Rose. "She certainly has a charm that surpasses all those other women you''ve been with in the past."


    Unbeknownst to her, Jack''s current target was actually Yvonne. As for Rose, he didn''t want to risk his life meddling with Jonathan''s woman.


    Besides, even though Rose was just an adopted granddaughter of the Young family, her rtionship with Miles seemed anything but ordinary.


    Jack remained silent, so Yara


    continued, focusing on her own


    elet


    agenda, "This club may belong to the Finck family, but Jonathan is too preupied with the family''s


    business empire to involve himself with it. In reality, this club is under your family''s control."

 Chapter 419 Yaras Scheme

    The reason why Jonathan was currently observing Rose from a second-floor railing rather than in the monitoring room was due to his ignorance of its existence.


    Even Yara, who knew more about this club than the Finch family''s leader, demonstrated how well Yosef''s family had concealed this ce.


    "What are you getting at?" Jack casually continued pouring himself a drink, his gaze still fixed on the figures dancing on the electronic screen.


    Seemingly tired from their revelry, the pair on the dance floor stepped away from the crowd. Yvonne whispered something to Rose, and the two disappeared from view.


    Jack''s eyes eagerly searched the screens until he spotted them again on another panel. Grabbing the remote, he erged the image and reced the previous view of the dance floor. Witnessing this series of actions, Yara became even more convinced that Jack was interested in Rose.


    "Why watch her from afar? Wouldn''t it be better to bring her here and observe her closely? It can be arranged right now if you desire," Yara hinted suggestively.


    This thinly veiled proposition, almost explicitly stating that they could abduct Rose and force her into submission, struck a chord with Jack. He regarded Yara with a meaningful nce. "Great idea!" he eximed.


    Unbeknownst to her, Jack had already set the wheels in motion. His decision to change the celebration''s venue to this location was deliberate and all part of a carefully orchestrated n for an indulgent night ahead.


    What he hadn''t anticipated was Jonathan''s presence at the party. Although Jonathan had likely attended the event for Rose''s sake, Rose and Yvonne''s constantpanionship effectively meant that Jonathan''s watchful gaze was fixed on Yvonne as well.


    This posed a considerable obstacle to Jack''s ns for the night. He nced at the screen that had disyed Jonathan moments ago, only to find that he was no longer in the frame. As expected, Jonathan was following Rose''s every move. Displeased, Jack downed his drink in one go before turning to Yara and asking, "What do you propose we do?"


    Seeing that Jack was finally open to cooperation, Yara cast aside any pretenses. She was prepared to go to any lengths to achieve her desires.


    "I can help you keep Jonathan preupied, giving you the chance to pursue Rose while I focus on him," she proposed.


    Jack chuckled lightly, skeptical of her ability. "You think you can keep him upied? From what I''ve heard, you''ve been trying to catch his attention for quite some time now. Has he ever shown the slightest interest in you?" Jonathan''s disinterest in Yara was evident, leaving Jack doubtful about her ability to distract him.


    Yara felt a sting of resentment at Jack''s words, but she kept herposure and said, "His mind is just elsewhere right now. Once his fascination with Rose wanes, he''lle around. As long as I end up with him, that''s all that matters. As for tonight..." She continued in a tone dripping with craftiness, "Just have your men assist me a little, and I guarantee Jonathan won''t have time to focus on Rose. Without his vignt gaze, you can do whatever you want with her." Jack''s interest was piqued. "How do we cooperate?"


    Yara outlined her n briefly, and he immediately nodded in agreement.


    After Yara left the room and the door closed behind her, Jack let out a sinisterugh. Then, he picked up his phone and dialed a number, instructing the person on the other end, "I need you to do something for me..."


    ...


    Rose and Yvonne left the dance floor and found their way to a garden for some fresh air. Under the dim lighting, they could still see the flowers in full bloom.


    "I haven''t had this much fun in ages! Thest time we went wild like this was back in school," Yvonne said, pulling Rose to lie down on a grassy patch among the flower beds.


    The night sky was filled with twinkling stars that night, reminiscent of the starry sky over Aquastead.


    Lying beside Yvonne, Rose felt a sense of peace. Dancing had been a physical release, and now, gazing at the stars, she felt a deep mental rxation.


    Yvonne seemed chattier than usual. As she gossiped about Rose''s "husband," Nixon suddenly came to her mind.


    "If you ask me, Nixon deserved it. Kelly''s not a good person either. Those two cheaters got what they deserved. It''s just a shame that..."


    Her voice trailed off as she thought about the unfortunate fate that had befallen Oliver. A wave of sadness washed over Rose as she thought of her beloved grandfather.


    Yvonne realized she had touched on a sensitive topic for Rose and quickly changed the subject. "I wonder what''s happened to Nixon and Kelly now?"


    "Who knows?" Rose replied.


    Kelly disappeared after that fateful day. In the aftermath, everyone''s attention was focused on the funeral arrangements for Oliver, leaving no time to dwell on Kelly''s whereabouts. However, Rose was determined not to let Kelly off the hook. She nned to return to Aquastead to find Kelly and ensure she paid for her actions.


    Turning to Yvonne, Rose said, "Yvonne, I''ve booked a flight back to Aquastead for tomorrow."


    It was time for her to leave. She had dyed her return to Aquastead for Yvonne''s performance, but now that it was over, she could go back and focus on her mission.


    Recognizing the resolve in Rose''s eyes to confront Kelly upon her return to Aquastead, Yvonne''s heart ached at the thought of their impending separation. Still, she understood the importance of Rose''s mission. Yvonne sat up and opened her arms, inviting Rose into a warm embrace. With a gentle pat on Rose''s back, Yvonne offered words of reassurance.


    "Go back to Aquastead and do what you must. There will be plenty of time for us to catch up. Rose, just remember," she said softly, "if you need any help in Aquastead, don''t hesitate to reach out to my parents.


    "The Spencer family may not be as influential as the Young family in Regalia, but they have connections in Aquastead that you can count on."


    Yvonne knew Rose well enough to


    understand that despite being adopted by Oliver, Rose had never sought anything from the Young family. Now that Oliver had passed


    away, it was even less likely for her


    to rely on their support.


    Rose nodded and asked, "What are your ns?"


    As the lead dancer of their troupe, Yvonne had enjoyed tremendous sess with their recent global tour, but Rose knew her friend''s passion for dance was far from satiated. Yvonne''s eyes sparkled with excitement as she shared her aspirations.


    "I want to further my studies at the Sardovia Royal Dance Academy. It''s where my idols and dreams reside! Sadly, the admission process is quite unique. The only way to get in is through a professor''s


    rmendation."


    Her voice carried a hint of disappointment, but she quickly regained her usual optimism. "But who knows? Maybe one day, by some stroke of luck, I''ll get the chance to go there..." After all, dreams were meant to be pursued and believed in.


    Rose couldn''t help but be captivated by the passion and hope in Yvonne''s eyes, but her friend''s attention soon shifted back to her, showing genuine concern.


    "What about him?" Yvonne asked, referring to Jonathan.


    It took a moment for Rose to realize who Yvonne was asking about. "I''m going back to Aquastead alone," she replied.

 Chapter 420 Ready To Face It

    Rose chose not to disclose Jonathan''s true identity to Yvonne. Given his background, their time in Aquastead might have been for business purposes. Their shared experiences there were just fleeting episodes in their respective lives intertwined with the weighty legacy of the prestigious Finch family. The two would soon return to their separate worlds, and Rose had no desire to be swept up in unnecessary conflicts.


    Yvonne gently pulled Rose back and noticed a hint of bitterness in her eyes. Convinced that the couple was experiencing a rift, she was about to console Rose when a voice suddenly interrupted them. "Excuse me, are you guests at tonight''s celebration party?" They turned to see a staff member smiling politely outside the garden.


    "Yes, we are. Is there something you need?" Yvonne asked, puzzled.


    The staff member gestured to another worker, who brought out a raffle box. "We apologize for disturbing you, but in celebration of your dance troupe''s sessful performance, we''ve arranged a lucky draw for our esteemed guests. Please pick a number, and we wish you both the best of luck."


    Neither woman objected, and they each drew a number from the box. After the staff members left, Rose and Yvonne put the event out of their minds until ten minutester, when faint sounds ofmotion drifted over from the crowded area nearby. "Number 12... who has number 12? Is it you?"


    "No, unfortunately not. I wonder who got that lucky number?"


    Even from a distance, Rose and Yvonne could sense the regret on the guests'' faces, as if having that number meant gaining something unexpected.


    "Rose, it''s you. Number 12!" Yvonne eximed, ncing at the number Rose had casually ced on the grass beside her. Yvonne was visibly excited, even more so than if she had won the number herself.


    Upon hearing themotion, a staff member quickly approached them.


    "Excuse me, is it you?" the staff member asked, noticing the number 12 in Yvonne''s hand.


    Yvonne quickly shook her head and handed the number to Rose. "It''s her. Rose has always been the luckiest! She is now and will always be blessed by the goddess of luck!"


    Her gaze held unwavering sincerity, her heartfelt blessing woven into each word. She wished for Rose to experience eternal happiness and a carefree existence.


    Moved by Yvonne''s profound emotions, Rose felt a lump form in her throat as tears welled up in her eyes.


    Before she could find the words to respond, the staff member''s polite voice intervened, "Congrattions, Miss. Would you please apany me to im your prize?"


    "Of course," Rose replied. Yvonne stood up and gently pulled Rose to her feet.


    The two women followed the staff member back into the main hall, where the dance floor was located. As they made their way through the crowd, numerous gazes filled with envy settled upon them. Among those gazes, one seemed especially fervent. Rose followed the gaze and spotted a familiar figure at the edge of the crowd, which caused her heart to skip a beat. It was Jonathan.


    She quickly looked away and nced down at the number in her hand. Considering that this club belonged to the Finch family, Rose suddenly felt uneasy about this so-called luck. She suspected it might have been orchestrated at Jonathan''s behest. "Excuse me, but I..." she began, intending to refuse the number in her hand. However, before she could finish, she found herself ushered to the center of attention by the crowd.


    The staff member''s voice echoed through the hall via a microphone, announcing, "Congrattions to our lucky guest! You''ve won a rmendation slot to the Sardovia Royal Dance Academy!"


    A hush fell over the crowd. Most of the attendees were dancers or industry professionals, and the Sardovia Royal Dance Academy was an esteemed institution coveted by almost every dancer. The words "Sardovia Royal Dance Academy" echoed in everyone''s minds as they tried to process what they had just heard.


    After a moment of silence, someone in the crowd eximed, "A rmendation to Sardovia Royal Dance Academy... that''s practically an admission letter, isn''t it?"


    "Oh my god! I can''t believe the lucky prize is this! Why couldn''t it be me?" another person cried.


    "But she''s not part of our dance troupe..." a voice protested.


    The crowd stared at Rose, some envious, others hoping she wasn''t in the dance industry and would give up the opportunity for a redraw.


    Amidst these gazes, Rose''s eyes sought out Yvonne in the crowd. She recalled Yvonne''s words from the garden.


    "I want to further my studies at the Sardovia Royal Dance Academy. It''s where my idols and dreams reside! Who knows, maybe one day, by some stroke of luck, I''ll get the chance to go there..." "Could this be... that chance?" Rose mused, looking at the stunned Yvonne. In that instant, she wanted to seize this opportunity for her friend.


    "Can this rmendation be transferred?" she suddenly asked.


    The crowd fell silent once more. Even the staff member paused for a moment before responding, "Of course. As the lucky guest, you have the freedom to decide what to do with your prize."


    Rose''s gaze locked with Yvonne''s across the crowd. At that moment, Yvonne seemed to realize what Rose intended to do. Overwhelmed with excitement, Yvonne stomped her feet and blew Rose a big kiss.


    Seeing that the prize could be transferred, others in the crowd grew eager as well.


    "Prettydy, please consider me..."


    "Lucky goddess, pick me! Please pick me!"


    Amidst the mor, everyone vied for Rose''s attention, hoping for a chance at the coveted rmendation. However, amidst the noise, a staff member quietly approached Rose with a request. "If you wish to transfer this rmendation, you''ll need to meet someone," he whispered.


    Rose immediately thought of


    Jonathan. When she first heard


    about the prize, she had been


    perplexed as to why it to


    dance. Now, she began to


    s rted


    understand that Jonathan was


    probably using this as a way to see her.


    She searched the crowd for


    Jonathan. She had caught a glimpse of him earlier. But now, scanning the entire hall, she couldn''t find him anywhere. Unable to locate him, Rose decided not to delve further


    P.ne


    into the matter.


    "Alright," Rose agreed. She was willing to go through with this for Yvonne''s sake and was determined to secure this opportunity for her friend.


    "This way, please," the staff member said, leading Rose away from the crowd.


    As she left, Rose nced back at Yvonne. For some unknown reason, her heart started racing, and an inexplicable difort began taking hold. She couldn''t understand what was happening.


    "Miss?" The staff member''s concerned voice brought her back to her senses.


    Taking a deep breath, Rose reassured herself and nodded, signaling that she was ready to proceed. "It''s nothing. Let''s go."

 Chapter 421 Stepping Into The Trap

    Intending to share the good news with Yvonne upon her return, Rose followed the staff member through the club''s winding corridors until they reached an elevator. Surprisingly, the staff member remained outside as she stepped in.


    "Aren''t youing?" Rose asked, puzzled.


    "The boss has instructed you to proceed alone," the staff member responded respectfully.


    The mention of "boss" reaffirmed Rose''s suspicion that Jonathan was behind all this. As she contemted the impending encounter, she tried to suppress her thoughts.


    However, as the elevator doors closed, that peculiar feeling resurfaced. Her eyes twitched uncontrobly as if sensing an ominous foreboding.


    The sensation lingered until the elevator came to a halt at the top floor. As the doors opened, an expansive room came into view.


    ...


    Meanwhile, downstairs, Jonathan had returned after taking a phone call, only to discover that Rose had disappeared. A sense of unease crept over him.


    Just then, someone bumped into him, leaving a piece of paper in his hand. When Jonathan turned to look, the person had already blended into the crowd.


    He carefully unfolded the paper, discovering Rose''s recognizable earring tucked inside. As he read the message, his lips curled into a knowing smirk. Gripping the earring and note, Jonathan purposefully strode toward the club''s exit.


    Inside the surveince room, Jack watched Jonathan''s retreating figure with a satisfied smirk. Relieved that his n was progressing smoothly, he refocused his attention on the woman he had been watching all evening-Yvonne. Yvonne was still among the crowd, where people continued to buzz about the prize-a rmendation slot for Sardovia Royal Dance Academy.


    "She said she would transfer the prize. I wonder who the lucky person will be," someone remarked.


    "Well, it probably won''t be me. She didn''t even notice me earlier, and she doesn''t even know me. Why would she give such an amazing opportunity to aplete stranger?" another person voiced the thoughts of many. "Whoever who knows her is truly fortunate!" The crowd sighed.


    The realization suddenly dawned on someone. "Wait! I saw her dancing with Yvonne earlier. Is she Yvonne''s friend?"


    "You''re right!"


    Simultaneously, the members of the dance troupe began searching for Yvonne.


    "There she is!" a voice eximed.


    Suddenly, a throng of people surrounded Yvonne, their faces filled with envy and admiration. Some even started offering their congrattions in advance.


    Yvonne was well aware that Rose intended to give her the opportunity. After all, thest look Rose gave her seemed to say, "Wait for me. I''ll deliver the rmendation slot to you!"


    Her heart swelled with excitement, knowing that having Rose in her life was truly a blessing. Yet, as Rose left with the staff member, an uneasy feeling crept into her mind. She couldn''t shake the worry that something might go wrong with Rose venturing off alone. Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the crowd, a provocatively dressed woman stood with her arms crossed, watching Yvonne with a mix of envy and epicaricacy.


    She knew that Jack was fickle in his affections. Despite being his currentpanion, she was aware that her position was precarious and could change at any moment. Thus, she had to continuously prove her worth and y to his interests. Right now, Jack''s interest was Yvonne.


    The rmendation for the Sardovia Royal Dance Academy was nothing more than a ruse to get rid of Rose, allowing Jack to make his move on Yvonne. The woman couldn''t help but marvel at Jack''s cunning tactics.


    Throughout the evening, she observed that Yvonne was not someone who could be easily swayed by materialism or superficial charm.


    This made her curious about how things would y out, knowing that Jack was ustomed to getting his way, no matter the cost.


    It seemed that Yvonne had been


    well-raised, disying hope and dreams in her eyes upon hearing about the rmendation for the Sardovia Royal Dance Academy and her friend offering to transfenthe reward.


    "Dreams?" the woman thought cynically.


    She knew that if someone like Yvonne were to fall into Jack''s hands, they would surely be entering a living hell. The woman chuckled softly, feeling no sympathy.


    As the dancers surrounding Yvonne gradually dispersed, each returning to their drinks and paying her no further attention, the woman exchanged a nce with a nearby staff member. Catching the cue, the staff member made a beeline for Yvonne.


    Yvonne recognized him before he even reached her he was the one who had led Rose away just moments ago. She peered behind him, but Rose was nowhere to be found. Without hesitation, she approached him and asked, "Where''s Rose?"


    The staff member was contemting how to lead Yvonne away when she inquired first, making his task easier.


    "This Rose she''s talking about must have been the lucky guest number 12 from earlier," he mused.


    Taking advantage of the worried expression on Yvonne''s face, he asked, "Are you Yvonne Spencer?"


    "I am," Yvonne confirmed, not suspecting anything.


    The man exined, "Well, the lucky winner from earlier has expressed her wish to transfer the prize to you. Our boss has agreed, but he needs you to meet with him to finalize everything." Unconcerned about the details, Yvonne''s only focus was on reuniting with Rose. "Alright," she agreed.


    Surprised by Yvonne''spliance, the staff member immediately led the way. They followed the same path Rose had taken earlier, but instead of stopping at the first elevator, they continued down the corridor to another one, where they finally came to a halt.


    "After you, Ms. Spencer," he said, gesturing for Yvonne to enter the elevator.


    As Yvonne stepped inside, she asked the same question Rose had earlier. "Aren''t youing?"


    The staff member maintained his respectful demeanor. "Ms. Spencer, your friend is upstairs. You''ll meet her there."


    Reassured by the promise of seeing Rose, Yvonne didn''t press further. Her primary concern was reuniting with her friend, not the Sardovia Royal Dance Academy rmendation slot.


    The elevator ascended swiftly and came to a stop. Yvonne stepped out of the elevator and found herself in an empty room.


    She quickly scanned the room, her gaze frantically searching for Rose, but she was nowhere to be found. An inexplicable sense of unease crept over her.


    Her heart pounded faster in her chest as she called out tentatively, "Rose?"


    Receiving no response, she called again, louder this time, but no one answered. The unease in her heart grew stronger.


    "Rose?" Yvonne cautiously stepped


    around a targe folding screen and


    finally spotted someone-a man


    sitting on a couch with his back to


    her. She couldn''t see his face, and


    there was no sign of Rose.


    "Excuse me. Could you tell me where Rose is?" Yvonne asked, her voice steady despite her rising anxiety.


    She assumed this man might be the one behind the lucky prize and possibly connected to the Finch family, who held significant sway in Regalia. It was prudent to remain polite.


    Jack turned around, revealing a smile that seemed weing. "Ms. Shaffer went to the restroom. She''s been there for a while now but should be back shortly."

 Chapter 422 Roses Safety Is Her First Priority

    "She went to the restroom?" Yvonne muttered and nced around the room as if searching for the restroom''s location.


    Noticing her concern for Rose, Jack gestured for Yvonne to take a seat. "Ms. Spencer, please have a seat."


    Yvonne took a moment to observe the man on the couch. He wore a ck shirt and gold-rimmed sses and appeared to be in his 20s. Despite his friendly smile, something about his gaze made her ufortable. "Come. Sit down and have some coffee," Jack said, pouring her a cup. "While we wait for Ms. Shaffer, we can discuss the rmendation slot for the Sardovia Royal Dance Academy."


    Yvonne hesitated before finally approaching, her unease lingering. Jack noticed how mentioning Rose seemed to ease Yvonne''s tension and recognized the advantage it offered.


    Once she took a seat, Jack engaged her in conversation. "Ms. Shaffer told me you''re her best friend. Is that true?"


    "Yes," Yvonne responded, feeling slightly on edge and deliberately choosing a seat as far from Jack as possible.


    Although irritated, Jack maintained his calm demeanor, reminding himself there was ample time to bridge the gap between them.


    He sipped his coffee and eyed the untouched cup in front of Yvonne. "Ms. Shaffer mentioned that this coffee is excellent. You should try it."


    Yvonne nced at the coffee table, noting an empty cup that had seemingly been used. Despite this, she remained wary.


    With growing concern over Rose''s continued absence, she suggested, "Perhaps I should check on her in the restroom? She''s been gone a while, and I''m getting worried." She knew she wouldn''t feel at ease until she saw Rose with her own eyes.


    Jack''s hand momentarily tightened around his cup, but he swiftly regained his calm demeanor before leisurely taking a sip. "Of course, the restroom is over there," he said with a warm smile, gesturing toward its direction. Feeling a surge of relief, Yvonne thanked him and quickly made her way to the restroom. As soon as she was out of sight, Jack''s genial expression morphed into a chilling, predatory gaze, his eyes glinting with malice. Arriving at the restroom door, Yvonne knocked, her unease intensifying at theck of response. Overwhelmed by concern for Rose''s well-being, she turned the doorknob, finding it unlocked.


    Upon opening the door, she called out "Rose," only to be greeted by an unfamiliar figure-a slender woman with an unsettling smile.


    Yvonne''s immediate instinct was to search for Rose, but before she could grasp the situation, the woman pulled out something and sprayed it in her direction.


    She instantly felt an overwhelming weakness spread through her body. Her legs gave out, but she managed to support herself against the doorframe, preventing her from copsing to the floor.


    "What... did you do to me? Where''s Rose?" Yvonne demanded, her speech unaffected despite the weakness in her body as she held onto the doorframe for support.


    The woman in the restroom scrutinized Yvonne, her eyes shing with a hint of envy. She couldn''t understand why Jack had chosen her even though there were so many dancers on stage who were more beautiful than Yvonne. Receiving no response, Yvonne gritted her teeth and growled, "Where''s Rose? What have you done to her?"


    "Shouldn''t you be more worried about yourself?"


    A male voice sounded from behind. Yvonne''s heart skipped a beat as she turned to face the man from the couch, his smile sending a chill down her spine.


    "Who are you?" She struggled to remain standing, leaning against the wall for support.


    "You don''t know me?" Jack replied, clearly enjoying the situation. His eyes gleamed with a predatory light. "I''m Jack Finch. I''ve done a lot for you, you know? Like sponsoring today''s performance and providing the venue for the celebration party."


    "For me?" Yvonne thought. The man in front of her instilled a sense of fear in her, but there was something else she needed to confirm. "Where''s Rose?" she asked again.


    Jack was surprised by Yvonne''s continued concern for her friend, which only served to intensify his interest in her.


    "I want you. As long as you be my girlfriend, I won''t harm her," he promised. He knew better than to cross Jonathan over a woman.


    Yvonne understood the implication behind his words. Being his "girlfriend" would likely mean submitting to his desires.


    "It''s not like you''ll let me go if I refuse


    anyway," she said, struggling to keep herself upright. She was utterly powerless at that moment, like amb to the ughter. Yet, she refused to submit without a fight.


    "I need to make sure she''s safe!" She didn''t trust Jack.


    Jack raised an eyebrow, enjoying her defiance despite her vulnerability. Her struggle made conquering her even more satisfying.


    "Fine. I''ll let you confirm her safety."


    He pulled out his phone and made a call. "Make sure Ms. Shaffer is safely escorted out," he instructed.


    The phone was on speaker, and after receiving confirmation from the other end, Jack turned to Yvonne with a smirk. "Are you satisfied now?"


    There was no way Yvonne would feel satisfied knowing she was now in the clutches of this devilish man. She understood what he expected in return for Rose''s safety, but at least she knew Rose would be safe.


    She clenched her teeth. "As long as Rose ispletely out of your grasp, I''ll be your girlfriend." She could start making ns only when Rose was free from his demonic clutches.


    ...


    Rose woke up to find herself in the backseat of a car, her body feeling groggy and disoriented. As her eyes fluttered open, memories from before she lost consciousness began to surface.


    She recalled exiting the elevator and searching the entire room for Jonathan before realizing something was amiss.


    Just as she was piecing things together, she inhaled a strange scent, and everything went ck. Now, as she stepped out of the car onto the dimly lit, deserted street, she wondered where she was. "Yvonne!" Rose cried out, immediately taking out her phone to call Yvonne''s number.


    , it rang endlessly with no answer. Panic set in as she repeatedly tried to reach Yvonne, only for each attempt to be met with the same result.


    Feeling a growing sense of dread,


    she swiftly pulled up her navigation app. Discovering that her current


    location was several miles away.et


    from the club, she wondered Yvonne was still there. Regardless, Rose knew she had to retum and search for her friend.

 Chapter 423 Discovering Rose to Be in Danger

    When Rose entered the car, she noticed it was missing a key and couldn''t start the vehicle. The street was empty, and there weren''t any other cars either.


    As such, she could only follow the navigation and ran along the route. Her phone''s battery was depleted, and she was unfamiliar with Regalia''s roads.


    She had no choice but to memorize the route on her GPS while she ran. Atst, right before her phone died, she saw a shared bicycle by the road and sessfully rented it with her device. With the assistance of the bicycle, she finally moved faster.


    The night was particrly chilly, not only because of the wind but also because of her worry for Yvonne. She wished she could appear beside Yvonne and confirm her safety. She hoped that Yvonne happened to lose her phone and that she merely wanted to dance on a whim.


    However, the memories of tonight rendered her more anxious. Thest-minute change of venue for the celebration party... The club under Finch Group... And that rmended-based admission spot from the Royal Dance Academy of Sardovia... She hoped she was horribly wrong, but all the arrangements tonight were seemingly targeted at Yvonne.


    Then, her mind suddenly led her to Jack. For a second, she felt fear and stopped herself from thinking more. All she wanted was for Yvonne to be okay. Just as long as she was safe...


    ...


    With one hand on the steering wheel, Jonathan gripped the earring with his other hand. Since he received the note, he had been filled with anticipation and excitement.


    Rose had been keeping a distance from him since they came to Regalia. Hence, this was the first time she had wanted to see him alone.


    Jonathan asked Leonard and Finley to head home, while he drove to the location Rose wrote on the note. On his way, he even bought a fresh bouquet. He followed the address on the note and sped over.


    There was also another line on the note. "Let''s talk." He didn''t know what she wanted to talk about. Regardless, he would confess his feelings to her.


    Their rendezvous was at a hotel under the Young Group. Upon arrival, Jonathan went straight to their designated room. The door was left ajar, so he headed in.


    As the sound of water running echoed from the bathroom, his dark eyes were tinted with a touch of lust.


    Suppressing his myriad of emotions, heid the bouquet on the table and raised his brows at the already-poured red wine. Beside the red liquid was the counterpart of the earring he had.


    He took the other earring into his palm and examined the pair together. The sight of Rose wearing them with a bright smile appeared in his head.


    His heart couldn''t help but race. When it came to her, he truly had no control. This ambiguous atmosphere instantly diminished the sense of willpower he was usually proud of.


    Behind him, the water continued running in the bathroom, adding a touch of sensuality to the air. Not wanting Rose to notice his strangeness, he nced at the wine she had prepared. With just a tilt of the ss, he downed the red wine. However, the alcohol didn''t help calm him down like he wished. Instead, he felt a strange warmth coursing through his veins.


    This wine... Jonathan furrowed his brows and stared at the ss. Then, he realized the wine had been spiked. He knew Rose wouldn''t have done that to him, which meant...


    He looked at the earrings in his hand. Suddenly, his gaze turned fearful. Rose was in danger!


    Almost by instinct, Jonathan put down the wine ss and wanted to escape. Right then, the room dimmed into darkness before a figure came from behind and enveloped him. "This isn''t Rose!" he thought. He was well familiar with how her body felt.


    Reflexively, he seized the hands wrapped around his waist, his force almost unbearable. "Who are you?"


    Yara screamed in fright. She distinctly saw Jonathan drinking the wine, so how did he have the strength to do this?


    "I''m..."


    She was overwhelmed by his aggression despite being in a pitch-ck room with him. Then, she hesitated to say her name.


    Apart from fear, she was also jealous. She didn''t want to acknowledge that Jonathan was in love with Rose.


    Out of options, she resorted to using the earring to lure Jonathan over in Rose''s name. He had probably lowered his guard earlier and drank the red wine because of the earring on the table. "What did you do to Rose?" Jonathan''s voice rang again. This time, he gripped her wrist harder.


    Feeling like her hand would be snapped soon, Yara bit her lip, endured the pain, and feigned ignorance.


    "Who''s... Rose?" In the dark, the man squinted his eyes. She acted startled and clueless about who he was. "And who are you?"


    Before he could say anything, Jonathan felt a wave of dizziness. He shook his head, but it couldn''t drive away his wooziness.


    At that moment, Yara knew the drug


    had taken effect. It was all thanks to her deviant cousin, Jack, that she had ess to these substances. To fulfill his kink, he had all kinds of things.


    All she needed to do then was wait for the drug to take over Jonathan''s sound mind. Once he couldn''t contain himself, things would fall into ce. And even if he weren''t initiating it, he would beg for her


    help.


    Time ticked by, and Jonathan''s body gradually felt more uncontroble. It felt like he would drop to the ground any second now, but he couldn''t. He needed to ensure Rose''s safety!


    As such, he quickly fished his phone out and called her. However, her phone was switched off. Without hesitation, he scrolled to Finley''s contact number.


    Yara couldn''t possibly let him look for help. He was supposed to be all hers tonight!


    "Ah..." She pretended to struggle.


    By then, Jonathan had lost all his strength from earlier. With a simple push, she knocked over his phone to the floor. Finely''s number remained undialed.


    Jonathan used all his might to bend


    down and pick up his phone. Just as


    he was about to reach it, his body could no longer withstand the drug out of his sheer willpower. Witka bang, he dropped to the floor The air suddenly turned eerily quiet.


    Yara knew he had sumbed to the drug''s effects fully, but he remained still for a long time.


    "Isn''t he supposed to pounce on me? Why is he..." she wondered.


    After watching the motionless man on the floor, she quickly turned on the lights and realized Jonathan''s eyes were closed. It seemed he was unconscious. "Mr. Finch?" she tentatively called out.


    Other than his breathing, the man waspletely still. After several attempts to wake him up, Yara confirmed he was unconscious.


    "Why is he dead asleep? How will he do anything with me if he''s..." sheined in her mind.


    With a darkened expression, she looked toward the red wine and deduced that the drug was defective. "Did Jack fool me? Damn!" she silently cursed. Shaking with anger, she took out her phone and decided to confront Jack over the phone.

 Chapter 424 But I Like You

    Despite ringing for a long time, the call was not connected.


    Yara angrily tossed her phone aside. She was unwilling to give up on solidifying her rtionship with Jonathan tonight. Not to mention, she had also contacted Be and the media. Tomorrow morning, they would happen to show up and catch their "affair". She stared at Jonathan and couldn''t help but admire his handsome face. She didn''t believe there would be any consequences she couldn''t face when Jonathan found out he had been tricked.


    As long as the Maize family and media pressured him, he couldn''t escape from her ws, even if he was the ruler of Finch Group.


    As for his impression of her, she wasn''t worried about it. After they got married, she could tackle him with charm and tricks as time passed.


    Hence, she had to seize the opportunity before her. This was her closest chance! She had to get it done!


    "You''re mine, Jonathan. I will be Mrs. Finch no matter what!" She was determined. So, she used all her might to hold him up and plopped him onto the bed.


    ...


    At Finch Group''s club, the celebration party continued in full swing. In one of the rooms, a sudden phone call awakened the unconscious Yvonne.


    Jack let his phone ring without a care. He had no ns to answer the call. As he sat on the chair, his hunter-like gaze fixed on Yvonne, whose body had plopped onto the floor. He looked like he would take his time in devouring her.


    In contrast, the woman in the bathroom was anxious. "Hey, Yvonne. We got rid of your friend as you wished. You saw the photo too. Now it''s time to thank Mr. Finch."


    Mr. Finch, huh... Yvonne gritted her teeth. Perhaps she had constantly tried to exert her strength, or because she feared for her life, her body had formed ayer of cold sweat.


    "How do I thank him with you here?" Yvonne nced at that woman, her inner full of resentment.


    "You..."


    The woman was enraged. She wanted to go up to Yvonne but was interrupted by Jack''s words. "Aren''t you gonna leave?" It was directed at her, but he didn''t spare her a nce.


    "I..." The woman was displeased. She couldn''t believe Jack wanted her gone!


    Afraid to enrage him, she knew he was about to enjoy his newpanion and didn''t want to be a third wheel. As such, she nced at Yvonne with jealousy. However, she soon took pleasure in what Yvonne was about to experience. "Of course. I''ll leave now... Ms. Spencer, be a good girl, will you?"


    With that, she purposely walked past Jack while showing off her voluptuous body, as if to remind him not to forget about her after getting a shiny new toy.


    Jack was unamused by it. He had long been sick of such a bold woman. Rather, he adored women like Yvonne.


    Before the woman exited the room, he was reminded of something and instructed her, "Take the phone away." He didn''t want anything else to interrupt his fun tonight.


    After the door closed, the spacious room was left with Jack and Yvonne. He rose to his feet and unbuttoned his shirt.


    His movement provoked a spike of anxiety in her, and she wanted to stand up and run. However, after her futile attempts, she understood she couldn''t escape with her mere strength. Still, she couldn''t let herself be humiliated like this. What could she do? "Looks like you can''t go over there. I''ll help you." Jack''s voice sounded above her head, and she felt she couldn''t escape him.


    "Go over where exactly?" she pondered.


    Without a chance to struggle, Jack


    n¨¦


    carried her in his arms, like a prince holding a princess. However, Yvonne was disgusted by what was supposed to be a romantic gesture. She didn''t know where he wanted to take her, but she had a hunch it wouldn''t be anywhere good.


    As expected, Jack went to his desk and activated a button. Soon, a secret door opened. Although she was restless, her mind was clear.


    She distinctly saw that there was another room behind the door. The room had bright lights and an array of "toys" that revolted her. This man had a kink!


    "Do you like it?" Jack lowered his head and took in Yvonne''s reaction. The shock and contempt on her innocent face amused him.


    "You..."


    Had they been under normal circumstances, Yvonne would''ve called him a freak. Since she was in his territory, however, she couldn''t enrage him. She had a hard time faking her admiration, nheless. She paused momentarily, and it widened the smile on Jack''s face. "It''s okay. You can call me a freak!"


    She was speechless. This man was undoubtedly a freak! A psychopath! To enchant him, she had no choice but to share his interest.


    "We''re doing this?"


    She scanned her surroundings and suppressed her disdain. She couldn''t possibly imagine how much torture a woman would be put through after experiencing this.


    He looked at her plump skin. "It breaks my heart to do it, but I really like you."


    It was precisely because he liked her that he wanted to use all of his toys on her. At that moment, Yvonne was engulfed with a sense of hostility. Still, she couldn''t break character.


    Heaving a deep, silent breath, she struggled to conceal her nervousness despite her mental preparation. Her voice came out shaky.


    "If we''re doing this, I''ll get all exhausted. That''d be boring, wouldn''t it?"


    Jack looked suspiciously at her.


    With just a nce, he deciphered her


    intention. Was she nning to


    escape after she gathered her strength? She had nownded in his territory and entered the room.


    There was no way she could run.


    He effortlessly saw through her intention, which increased his confidence. Even if she had strength, she couldn''t outsmart him and escape.


    "You''re not entirely wrong," he said.


    A hint of delight shed across Yvonne''s eyes, causing Jack to be more excited. He put her down and walked to the corner before retrieving an item from the box. Then, he returned with a ss of water. "Drink it. Once you do, you''ll regain your strength." His smile was mischievous.


    Yvonne was unaware of the water''s content, but what could be worse than this? She epted the ss of water and downed it.


    "Aren''t you scared that it''s spiked?" He couldn''t help but chuckle upon looking at the emptied ss.


    She returned him a smile. "Since you like me, I suppose you won''t kill me here."


    "Indeed, I''m getting more infatuated with you." So infatuated that he wanted to use all the items on her Scanning the room, his source of happiness, he began to feel an irresistible sense of excitement. "Take your pick. Whatever you like."


    His tone sounded like he was offering a woman a shopping spree at a luxury store, authoritative and romantic. In reality, he was a monster. Yvonne couldn''t help but worry for her safety.

 Chapter 425 It Disgusts Me to Die in Your Hands

    Pick anything she liked...


    Yvonne had never seen any of these items, and revulsion slowly garnered within her chest. Still, she gradually scanned the room, taking her time to select her equipment in hopes of stalling.


    After drinking the ss of water earlier, she could feel her arms regain their strength. It seemed that man had given her a drug to restore energy after picking up her "seduction". Despite her limited strength, defeating this man would be difficult. As such, she needed more time.


    At that moment, she swept her gaze across the collection and carefully picked an item she could utilize. Then, she settled on one of the whips.


    "I like that."


    Jack followed her gaze and saw the whip, his grin filled with menace and ambiguity. "Sure. Whatever you like!"


    He was enthusiastic. When he dashed to grab the whip and turned back at Yvonne, she caught the visible ruthlessness in his eyes.


    She could almost feel how painful it would be when the whipshed against her skin. To further lower his guard, she had no choice but to grit her teeth.


    Holding the whip high in the air, Jack delivered a strike that was as painful as expected.


    "Ah..."


    Yvonne didn''t suppress her pain. She knew a freak like him would rather enjoy seeing her agony more than anything. The more satisfied he was, the more he would let down his guard, and the quicker she could find her way out.


    After a few consecutive whips, Yvonne''s reaction made Jack even more fanatic of her. He couldn''t believe he had found himself such a stunning beauty. Tonight would be his most unforgettable night!


    His gaze became more mesmerized. As if sick of the whip already, he wanted a change of equipment and went to take his pick, though this time without Yvonne''s input.


    The moment he released the whip, she knew her time hade. Despite the pain, she had restored her strength. When the man turned around, she knew it was time. Thanks to her foundation in dance, she silently flipped her body and acquired the whip. When she swung the whip and strangled the man, Jack knew he had been reckless. Before he could defend himself, Yvonne yanked him backward and brought him to the floor. Then, gripping both ends of the whip, she increased the tension around his neck.


    "Yv... onne!" His breath hitched, and his fierce gaze shot at the woman above him. "You tryna... kill... me?"


    Yvonne had only thought about subduing him as her only way to escape. But killing him... She suddenly came to her senses.


    Noticing her reaction, Jack quickly added, "If you kill me, the Finches will not let you, your friend, or your family off!"


    Of course, Yvonne understood the power and influence of the Finch family. Even if she escaped today, Jack would have no issue dragging her back down to this hellhole. Regardless, she had to try. She continued tightening the grip on the whip, turning the man''s face purple. Jack didn''t expect her to be this ruthless. Was she seriously nning to take his life?


    Just as he was nearing suffocation, the whip loosened.


    "Killing you is a disgrace to my being!" Yvonne gritted her teeth.


    When she released the whip, her gaze had already locked down a pair of handcuffs. Without giving him a chance to resist, she acquired the cuffs and quickly secured him to the bed foot.


    "The Finches aren''t thew!" She had no respect for that family and harbored only disdain at that point. With that, she turned around, ready to leave this ce for her safety.


    Opening the door of the hidden


    room, she charged toward the


    elevator, As Jack began to catch his


    breath, he was filled with fury. He


    vowed to make her realize that she could only escape in her dreams.


    Although he didn''t have a phone with him, the hidden room had other things that allowed him to send signals.


    As he nced at an unassuming spot, he extended his hand and pushed a button. What it did was rm his bodyguards. Within a minute, his security would show up and capture Yvonne!


    Outside the hidden room, Yvonne had just arrived at the elevator when its door opened, revealing a few burly men. Her heart shuddered, and she instinctively retreated.


    One of the bodyguards entered the hidden room. By the time Jack came out, Yvonne had been cornered to a window. There was nowhere else to go.


    Jack''s gaze was cold and harsh.


    "How dare you fucking trick me! Was


    I too nice to you earlier? Did you


    want something worse? To feel like you''d have to beg for your life? I''ll grant your wish!"


    Even if he toyed her to death, it wouldn''t be a big deal.


    Truth be told, Yvonne was threatened by what he said. As much as she feared for her life, she didn''t want to die at his hands and end her life with humiliation. Yvonne nced at the window, and the timing looked just right... As though she had made up her mind, she looked at Jack andughed strangely. "Sorry, I can''t let that happen. You disgust me way too much!" Before he could react, she opened the window and climbed through it.


    Jack furrowed his brows at that sight. He didn''t believe she would jump off the building. His mocking grin conveyed that he was unthreatened by her.


    "Tie her up! Wait till I finish her, then you guys can have a taste of our beautiful principal dancer." Jack disyed an evil expression.


    The bodyguards had just stepped forward when the figure on the windowsill leaped off...


    The scene suddenly froze. It took about 30 seconds for Jack to realize Yvonne had actually jumped!


    "Mr. Finch, what should we do?" The bodyguard panicked.


    Taking a deep breath, Jack kept hisposure without a tinge of terror. Instead, he nced at the bodyguard with dissatisfaction.


    "What are you panicking for? Who cares if she''s dead? It''s not like this is our first time! Give me the phone. Go down there and make sure she''s dead. Got it?" Startled, the bodyguard promptly responded, "Got it." Even if she weren''t dead, they would end her life themselves. After all, the dead posed no threat. When the bodyguards left, Jack called Be. She was on her way to Finch Manor.


    Not long ago, she received Yara''s call, saying she would spend the night with Jonathan and trick him into sleeping with her. Thus, she returned to the manor.


    On the surface, she was there to apany Eleanor. In reality, she wanted to take Eleanor to Yara''s location tomorrow morning. What else could be more convincing than letting Eleanor witness it all?


    "I''ve just killed another woman." Jack sounded calm on the line as if he had informed his mom he wouldn''t be home for dinner tonight.


    Be''s face froze. After ensuring no one was around her, she rushed back to her room and scolded him in a whisper, "Why would you get into such big trouble again?"

 Chapter 426 Get Your Hands off My People

    "What do you mean by ''big trouble''?" Jack sounded unfazed, barely ncing at the window''s direction.


    Be''s expression turned grim. "You killed someone. How is that not big?"


    He chuckled over the phone, sounding even more ruthless. "And? It''s not like this is the first time this has happened. Didn''t we suppress it effortlesslyst time? Just have it handled, Mom!" Then, he ended the call. Be was full ofints. Just because she had resolved such an issue before didn''t mean there wouldn''t be any mishaps this time.


    On top of that, she had been hiding her son''s mistakes from Yosef all this time. If he found out about that, he might favor his secret, illegitimate son instead!


    That bastard child... She inhaled deeply. For now, she had no ns of disclosing the existence of that illegitimate son to Yosef.


    She scrolled to the phone number from earlier and sent a text.


    "I''ll handle the matter this time, but you cannot do this again. Focus more on your work and achieve something. Only through that can you be your dad''s greatest aid!"


    As long as Yara was married to Jonathan, and Jack behaved himself, Yosef would continue to have Jack as his "only" son!


    At the club, a loud bang crashed through the pulsing music and drew everyone''s attention. When they arrived at the scene, they saw a person lying on the ground. Someone recognized the body.


    "It''s Yvonne! It''s her! What happened to her?"


    "I think she fell from above. Is she dead?"


    Despite being members of the dance troupe, they dared not go near her and only surrounded her with pitiful looks.


    "It looks like she''s dead already. Should we still call 911?"


    "What a pity. She''s the principal dancer. If she''s dead, does that mean someone else will rece her?"


    Riding on her shared bike, Rose finally arrived, breathless. Before she started her search, her attention was pulled toward a moving crowd. Upon seeing that, she couldn''t help but feel unsettled and followed them. The crowd''s murmurs and discussions traveled to her ears, as though confirming with every word that the person inside was Yvonne.


    At that moment, she could feel her legs weaken, but that didn''tst long as she found her bearings the next second.


    "Step aside! All of you!"


    Rose squeezed through the crowd and finally arrived before a figure on the ground. It felt like her world had crumbled when she confirmed it was Yvonne! Her eyes were shut, and her gown was torn and stained with blood. "Yvonne..." Rose dropped to her side. Amid the panic, she could feel Yvonne''s breathing, instantly pulling her out of dread.


    "She''s alive! She isn''t dead yet! Someone please call the ambnce..." Rose''s phone had died, so she continued begging the bystanders.


    "Please, I''m begging you. Call the ambnce. Please..." Rose was about to cry.


    "Yes. I''ll call the ambnce..."


    One of the bystanders finally came to their senses. They fished their phone out to dial 911, but their device was soon snatched and destroyed by a brawny man before the call was made. "What are you..." They wanted to resist but were tamed by the bodyguard''s fierceness.


    Then, the bodyguards dispersed the crowd. "Apologies to our guest. As there has been an ident, our club won''t be operating for the rest of the night.


    "Please evacuate from the scene. The Finch Group will handle this matter. Let us remind you not to spread unnecessary rumors to the public!"


    Everyone knew the club was managed by Finch Group, which also made that a warning to them. The crowd knew their ce and gradually dispersed, leaving Rose alone by Yvonne''s side. Rose didn''t know her condition and was afraid to touch her. "Medic... Ambnce..." Her tears were about to overflow her eyes.


    The bodyguard came forward to get rid of her. "Why are you still here? Please leave the premises. We''ve dialed 911, and the ambnce will be here soon."


    Rose didn''t believe them. The more they dered it an ident, the more suspicious she was. What were they nning to do after dispersing everyone?


    She held Yvonne''s hand and lightly touched her blood-stained cheek, as though telling her that she would not leave her side.


    The bodyguard went on to pull Rose away. However, she seized his hand and threw him over her shoulder. Soon enough, the bodyguard ended up on the ground and wailed in pain.


    Seeing that the woman had somebat skills, the others became cautious but not to the point of fearing her. After all, the odds were against her when faced with these burly men.


    As a crack sounded, Rose sessfully broke the first bodyguard''s hand. She then looked at the rest like she was ready to battle. With her around, nobody could touch Yvonne! "Get her!" the leader of the bodyguards instructed.


    The bodyguards charged toward her. In the beginning, Rose was able to handle them alone. As time passed, however, her stamina depleted.


    Each bodyguard grew increasingly brutal, and her face showed signs of injury. Gradually, she found herself at a disadvantage.


    Yvonne remained on the floor.


    Reminded of Jack''s instruction, the leader of the bodyguards was ready to finish her off. He nced at the woman surrounded by attackers, then walked past them and came to Yvonne''s side...


    When Rose noticed him, she ignored the encircled attacks and forced her way out toward that bodyguard. She sent him a flying kick, but her leg was grabbed by him. Losing her bnce, she fell to the ground. Instantly, the others seized her hands.


    "Don''t touch her!" Rose gritted her teeth and screamed at that bodyguard.


    She wanted to break free, but her limbs were restrained. Despite her several attempts, they only subdued her even more. They were clearly afraid to let loose of her. Atst, she begged, "Please just leave her alone! Don''t touch her!"


    The bodyguard looked at Rose with


    a hint of emotion. Soon, he resumed to his normal demeanor. That was because he would face serious consequences if he didn''t follow Jack''s instructions.


    Thus, he had to make sure Yvonne was dead. Even if she wasn''t, he had to make it happen. He crouched down and extended his finger near her nose...


    Gritting her teeth, Rose used up her remaining stamina and broke free one of her hands. Then, with all her might, she lunged at the man beside Yvonne and bit into his hand. "Ah..." the bodyguard screamed in pain and punted Rose away.


    When Miles arrived, he witnessed that scene.


    "Rosie..."


    He strode forward, intending to catch her, but he was toote.


    Her back crashed against the ground, sending pain coursing her body. Then, she looked at the face above her and pleaded, "Miles, please save Yvonne. Don''t let them hurt her..." When Miles looked over, he saw the unconscious Yvonne lying on the ground, while the bodyguard was seemingly examining if she was still alive.


    Instantly, he dashed forward and kicked off the bodyguard. With a sharp gaze, he positioned himself in front of Yvonne.


    The bodyguard recognized Miles. "Mr. Miles..."


    Without letting him finish, the usually gentle Miles reprimanded, "Get your hands off my people! Scram!"

 Chapter 427 Its Surprisingly Her

    The situation changed when Miles showed up. Afraid to confront him, the bodyguard led the others away.


    "Yvonne..." Rose struggled as she propped herself up and walked to Yvonne''s side. She nervously held thetter''s hand. It wasn''t until she felt a pulse on her that she breathed a sigh of relief. "Miles, Yvonne... She..." Rose finally teared up, her face full of helplessness. She dared not touch her friend either as Rose dreaded hurting her.


    Miles understood her worry andforted her. "Don''t worry. I''ve called the ambnce. They''ll be here soon."


    The Youngs had invested in a private hospital in Regalia. Within minutes, the ambnce stealthily carried her away with a stretcher.


    Meanwhile, the bodyguards wanted to report the situation to Jack but found him absent in the room. Since he ended his conversation with Be earlier, he left the club.


    After tonight''s ordeal, it greatly affected his mood, prompting him to look for another partner. He arranged to meet with an Inte influencer at a hotel, and they were currently having a great time. At the hospital, Rose sat on the bench outside the operating room after cleaning the wounds on her face and body. She stared fixedly at the red light of the operating room without a word. Miles had a look of worry on his face. He wanted to console Rose, but he knew his feeble words were futile on her, considering her close rtionship with Yvonne.


    After a brief silence, he suggested, "Rosie, why don''t we contact her family?"


    "Yvonne''s family..." she pondered. Atst, she finally reacted and realized he was right. "With Yvonne still inside the operating room and her condition unknown, it would be toote if she..." Rose was reluctant to finish that thought. However, she knew Yvonne would want to wake up and see her family by her side.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Spencer, Evan..." Rose fished her device from her pocket, but her phone was dead.


    Just then, Miles passed her a phone. Her gaze trailed along his hand andnded on his eyes. "Use mine," he said, with the number pad disying Evan''s number.


    Evan! Of course! She took the phone with her shaky hand and dialed the number. After a few rings, the call was connected.


    "Evan, it''s me..." She stifled her sobs.


    The person on the other end stayed silent for a few seconds. Then, a feminine voice rang out. "Rose..."


    Rose was slightly taken aback. She recognized the voice, but her mind was too upied by Yvonne''s matters to care about who it was. During her pause, the person on the phone spoke again. "Evo, it''s Rose..."


    When Evan heard Rose''s name, his face shifted. He quickly retrieved the phone and tentatively called out, "Rosie?"


    It had been so long since theyst spoke. At that moment, his heart couldn''t help but clench his fists at the thought of her.


    However, due to the sudden contact, he quickly became concerned as he was worried something bad had happened.


    After a momentary silence, he asked anxiously, "Rosie, did something happen to you?"


    Rose finally returned to her senses. "No, not me. It''s Yvonne. Something bad happened to her. It''s all my fault that I didn''t protect her. She..." Rose was full of regret. "Evan, can youe to Regalia..." "Okay. I''ll be right there." Evan didn''t hesitate to respond.


    After ending the call, he walked toward the door but was followed by the woman behind.


    "Evo, did something happen to Rose? I''lle with you. No matter what, we must help her." He nced at her silently as a form of tacit agreement.


    Taking the earliest flight, Evan


    "Evo, why don''t we get a room to rest first? I''m kinda tired."


    Evan nced at her, looking like he couldn''t be more annoyed by her. His mind was upied by Yvonne, so his response sounded irritated.


    "Sure. Go ahead by yourself." Without hesitation, he hopped into a cab.


    The woman was displeased. She didn''t want to be abandoned by him. It gave her more reasons to tag


    ve


    along since he was about to see Rose. As such, she hurriedly followed him and entered the car before the door shut.


    When Evan arrived at the hospital, he saw Rose, but the light of the operating room had not dimmed.


    "I''m sorry, Evan. Yvonne, she..." Rose was expressionless. She had been crying since the beginning, but as time passed, the surgery carried on endlessly. She knew Yvonne''s condition was not looking good.


    Evan had known Rose to be his sister''s best friend since the start of time. Their friendship was stronger than anyone thought.


    Hence, he could sympathize with how she felt because they both loved Yvonne the same. Not to mention, she looked haggard and was covered in injuries as well... "She''ll be fine. Eve has been an optimistic girl since childhood. No matter what happens, she can get through it." This was directed to not only Rose but also himself.


    "Yeah. Don''t worry, Rose." That feminine voice made Rose look in her direction.


    The moment she did, she was surprised because she didn''t expect Dawn and Evan toe together. The woman on the phone with her earlier was also Dawn.


    However, that surprise didn''tst long as she resumed her thoughts on Yvonne. She had no interest in why the two had arrived together. On the flip side, though, Dawn wanted Rose to know about their rtionship. "Rose, with Evo here, we''ll wait for Eve toe out."


    Dawn affectionately used the


    siblings''s nicknames and even


    grabbed Evan''s arm while doing so Despite Evan instinctively avoiding her, she still managed to seize his hand. All those movements were


    taken in by Rose, but she didn''t care about it.


    She watched the red light above the operating room''s door and gradually felt her heart tightened in anxiety. She paced back and forth as though it was the only way to ease the tension.


    Her "ignoring" Dawn''s intimacy with Evan made Dawn frustrated. In particr, when he deliberately avoided her, it pained her heart.


    "Rose..." Dawn piped up again.


    This time, however, the previously silent Miles didn''t give her a chance. "Evan, since you rushed overnight here, your friend must be tired. I''ll have someone prepare a room for her to rest." Although he had an elegant demeanor, his stern expression couldn''t help but exude an intimidating authority without showing a hint of anger.


    It was his first meeting with Dawn, and thetter easily deduced he was the famous Miles Young. Since the Youngs were one of the Three Greatest Families of Reglia, she dared not be presumptuous. "Go take a rest." Evan''s voice was emotionless.

 Chapter 428 A Great Show

    Dawn knew that if she insisted on staying, it would further annoy Evan. As such, she nodded meekly, bid farewell to Rose, and left.


    Outside the operating room, the atmosphere was so tense that one could hear a pin drop. When the sun rose, the red light finally dimmed. Rose hurriedly grabbed onto the doctor as soon as the doors opened. "How is she?" Her voice was shaky.


    "She''s safe, but... having fallen from a height, several bones in her body have been fractured. While we have treated and repaired the injuries, the recovery process will need to be monitored. Please be aware that the healing process will be excruciating." The doctor''s words echoed in Rose''s ears. "She''s safe... Well, that''s all that matters. As for the recovery, I''ll be there for her!" she thought.


    The oue wasn''t as terrifying as she had expected. Her tensed body finally rxed, but she was so frail that even the wind could knock her down.


    As a wave of dizziness engulfed her, all she could see was darkness. She heard two frantic voices calling her name, but what happened next... was out of her knowledge.


    The morning air in the mountains was especially fresh. Eleanor was habitually a morning person. She was apanied by Be as she did her morning stretches in the courtyard.


    After her routine exercise, Be suggested, "Eleanor, shall we try something different for breakfast today? I have a ce in mind which I think you''d love."


    Since Eleanor had not left the mountains in a while, and Be had taken her time out to apany her, she thought it was only right to say yes.


    At the hotel, Yara stood by the bedpost and stared at the man on the mattress. "What a handsome man," she thought.


    They were supposed to have an intense night yesterday, but... When she thought about it, she couldn''t help but feel frustrated.


    After she carried Jonathan to the bedst night, he remained unconscious the entire time, and she barely managed to strip him naked. He couldn''t do anything to her, but she needed some sort of evidence to prove their rtionship.


    To make the whole thing convincing, she called a man over. The two shared an intimate encounter, leaving all sorts of marks and traces on her body. Naturally, the room was also filled with an air of debauchery.


    The man had left, and she made sure he left no traces of himself before she arrived at the bed.


    She didn''t know when Jonathan would wake up, but ording to the time she had set with Be, the Maize family and Eleanor would be here soon.


    Instantly, Yara slid under the nket and nced victoriously at Jonathan. The sense of determination in her gaze was undeniable.


    Meanwhile, the Finch family''s vehicle halted outside the hotel. Eleanor looked suspiciously at Be. "A hotel? What kind of breakfast is in store for me here?" Although she was old, she was still shrewd.


    At that instance, Be became nervous. She frantically pointed at a bistro not far away. "No, we''re not going to the hotel, Eleanor. We''re going to that ce!"


    "Oh, we are?" The suspicious Eleanor took her word for it. "Let''s go then."


    Be heaved a deep sigh of relief. Eleanor was wise. Even if Be could fool her now, she would soon know that Be had lured her here.


    Yet, for Yara''s sake, she could only risk it. If Eleanor ever med her for it, time could help her forget it once Yara and Jonathan got married.


    Looking at the time, Be couldn''t


    help but look around as though she was searching for something. When they arrived at the bistro entrance, a group suddenly alighted from two cars and gathered together. Thatmotion attracted Eleanor''s attention.


    "The Maizes, huh?" Eleanor thought. She easily recognized them and looked suspiciously at Be. "That''s your brother and his wife. Hm. What a coincidence!" Be forced a smile and was relieved that they had finally arrived. By then, she couldn''t overthink the situation and immediately went up to them.


    "Rupe, Cindy, what''s wrong? Why are you guys so frantic?" She asked a question which she knew the answer to, putting on a show for Eleanor. "Yara is in trouble!" said Cindy Lohau, Yara''s mother. Her face seemed anxious as if her daughter was in grave danger. Be gasped. "Yara? What happened to her?"


    Cindy spoke in between sobs. "She


    didn''t say much. An hour ago, I received her call. She was crying and


    trying to tell me where she was so.1


    could pick her up. Then, she


    !!


    mentioned..." She paused. Then, they acted like they just saw Eleanor


    standing nearby.


    Be returned to Eleanor''s side. "Eleanor, my sister-inw said Yara is in trouble. I want to see her, but I can''t leave you here alone. Do you mind if youe with me to see Yara?" "Yara? You mean the renowned international actress, Ms. Maize?" Eleanor wasn''t positioned that far from the Maizes and had heard everything Cindy said.


    She had lived a long life and encountered many situations, so she easily saw through their little act no matter how good their acting was.


    "Yes. Eleanor, look at..." Be assumed Eleanor would need more convincing to go to the hotel, but before she could continue her words, thetter interjected.


    "If it''s her, I must go see her. We can''t let anything happen to her, can we?" Eleanor naturally wanted to see the second act.


    As soon as she said that, Be and the Maizes heaved a silent breath of relief. The second act, set in the hotel room, was about tomence. As such, the Maizes began to perk up. The group headed straight into the hotel and took the elevator to a specific room, where the door was shut.


    At that moment, a hotel staff happened to pass by. The Maizes used abination of persuasion and coercion to make the staff unlock the door for them.


    Inside the suite, a strange scent, mixed with the smell of alcohol, filled the air. Amidst that was the faint sound of crying. As they followed the source, Be was the first to enter the room. Seeing that Yara had curled up at the corner of the bed and sobbed pitifully, Be quickly gasped. "Yara, w-what happened here?" The rest followed her cue and entered the room.


    In the room, the cocooned Yara


    wrapped herself in the nket and crouched at the corner of the bed. Her exposed body parts-the arms and neck-revealed several fresh bruises. It was easy to tell what had happened. She wept till her face was wet, looking extremely aggrieved.


    On the other side of the bedy a man on his side covered with a nket. His back faced the door, but his figure was distinctly a man.


    "How dare you touch my sister, Jonathan!" One of the men from the Maizes charged up to Jonathan like he was ready to get physical.

 Chapter 429 Jonathan Must Take Accountability

    Meanwhile, Jonathan sensed a raging noise in his ears. The next moment, a fistful punchnded on his face. He couldn''t help but finally wake up.


    When he opened his eyes, he examined his surroundings and saw arge crowd of people with either anger or disappointment on their faces. As the memories fromst night resurfaced, he knew he had fallen into a schemeful trap. "Don''t hit him, Paxie!" eximed Yara.


    Even at that moment, she protected Jonathan. He looked at the woman beside him and frowned at the sight of her bruised body.


    "Yara, why are you still defending him after what he''s done?" The son of the family, Paxton Maize, pretended to hit Jonathan again, but his father''s roar halted him. "Enough!" Yara''s father, Rupert Maize, looked solemn. But underneath the facade, he was secretly suppressing his fear.


    Being in the business world, he was aware of Jonathan''s tactics. Initially, he objected to Yara''s idea of scheming Jonathan. After all, if thetter found out the truth, the consequences would be unbearable for the entire Maize family. However, Be and Cindy both persuaded him to take the risk. After some contemtion, he decided to bet on it. If the oue of the bet was favorable, he would be the father-inw of Finch Group''s ruler! Rupert interrogated Jonathan, "What''s going on here?"


    Jonathan was extremely irritated by the event before him. His icy gazended on Yara, who had used Rose''s earring to lure him overst night.


    "Where is she?" He ignored Rupert''s question.


    Yara''s eyes flickered, her heart growing increasingly envious toward Rose. Even under such circumstances, all Jonathan could think about was Rose! She shrunk a little.


    "Who are you talking about? Did you walk into my room by ident after getting drunk and mistaking me for someone else?"


    Jonathan was furious by her usation. What did she mean by "mistaking her for someone else"? Knowing that he wouldn''t get an answer from her, he became fierce.


    "Scram!"


    The crowd was taken aback by his intensity. The Maizes were supposed to have the upper hand in this conversation by confronting him. Yet, a single word from him was enough to spook them.


    Rupert stood his ground and chided Yara, "For Pete''s sake, get dressed!" Then, he left the room.


    Be was baffled by it. Why did he leave just because Jonathan said so? As much as she wanted to stop him, she couldn''t be too obvious about it.


    Hence, she and Cindy could only cover Yara with a towel and assist her out of the room. The group didn''t leave and waited in the suite''s living room instead.


    When Jonathan got dressed, he used the hotel''s telephone to dial Rose''s number after realizing his phone was missing. However, her phone was still switched off. As his worry intensified, he suddenly thought of calling Miles. "Where''s Rose? Is she home?" he quickly asked as soon as the call connected.


    On the other end, Miles seemed exhausted. "She''s not..."


    He could sense how anxious Jonathan was over the phone. Just as thetter was about to end the call, Miles decided to be nice this time.


    "She''s with me." He ended the call after that saying that.


    It took Jonathan a while before he heaved a long breath of relief. If she was with Miles, it meant she was safe. Jonathan''s expression darkened when he recalled how he had been schemedst night.


    Outside the room, Yara continued sobbing while her mother cried, "Yara, how could you... let him do that do you? Rupert, say something! How is Yara going to face the world if this gets out?"


    "That''s right. I don''t care who he is. I''ll make him take ountability with my fists if ites to that!" Paxton sounded aggressive.


    While saying that, he was ready to head into the room but was stopped by Yara. "Paxie, don''t... I''m sure he walked into the wrong room b-by mistake... Plus, he was drunk. That''s why... I don''t me him, really..."


    If Yara was set on marrying Jonathan, she had to present herself as extremely forgiving despite being "humiliated" by Jonathan.


    After all, Eleanor was watching. She thought Eleanor would adore her, but from the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a faint, mocking smile from her.


    She thought she was mistaken, but Eleanor finally spoke, "Why did you bring such arge crowd over if you don''t me him?"


    Her simple question rendered everyone, especially Be, in a panic. Yara was even more anxious to be exposed.


    Be took the lead and exined,


    "Yara must''ve been terrified. That''s


    why she called Cindy. You''ve seen it yourself, Eleanor. Jonathan just did that to Yara..." She implied that the Finches needed to take ountability for Jonathan''s actions.


    SOV


    Be thought that was enough for Eleanor to understand her meaning and prompt a reply from her. Yet, thetter stayed silent. Rupert became anxious. "Jonathan must... marry Yara to fulfill his responsibility as a man and as a sign of respect to us Maizes." Regardless, Eleanor remained quiet as though she didn''t hear a thing. At that instance, Cindy and Be locked eyes.


    Despite knowing that this was Yara''s trap, they were rather pissed off at Eleanor''s silence, which signified the Finch family''s stance.


    Seeing theck of response, Be continued, "Jonathan is a kind man andes from a prestigious family. I''m sure he won''t desert Yara. Not to mention, they make a good couple..." She spoke as if they were nning the wedding already.


    Just then, Jonathan came out of the room. He leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his chest. Then, his gaze swept across the people in the suite, followed by the messy bedroom. Yet, his eyes revealed no emotion. "Aunt Be..." he spoke suddenly. Her heart trembled, and she subsequently heard hisposed voice. "I''m nowhere near kind. Never have, never will," he said with a faint smile.


    His words sent a chill down


    everyone''s spine because it sounded like a warning. Still, Rupert and Cindy remained calm. After all, it was true that Jonathan and Yara had an intimate exchange. For that reason, they had nothing to be afraid of.


    Jonathan had no intention of ying this game with them. He simply nced at Eleanor and strode out of the suite.


    The people watched his retreating figure but dared not stop him. It wasn''t until Jonathan left that they realized he was gone.


    Luckily, Eleanor was still present. Yara''s suppressed sobs rang even louder. By then, Cindy had be impatient.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior, I hope your family can take ountability for what he''s done to Yara!"


    "Exactly. You''re known for your integrity, Mrs. Finch Senior, so you must help my daughter out..." Rupert urged. Be echoed, "You see, Eleanor..."

 Chapter 430 An Unexpected Twist

    Seeing that the Maizes had encircled her, Eleanor couldn''t help but smile mockingly. She didn''t say anything but intentionally stared at Yara. Although she was covered with a towel, the bruises on her arms and neck remained exposed, as if she wanted to show them off. Getting stared at by Eleanor made Yara quite anxious, but she was confident in her acting skills. After ensuring she had not broken character, she acted aggrieved, helpless, and frightened-all to garner Eleanor''s attention. "Be..." Eleanor finally spoke.


    "Yes, Eleanor." Be knew she was about to say something and quickly went up to her. She highly expected Eleanor to promise them what they wanted.


    When Eleanor extended her hand, Be quickly held her. Then, the former rose with her help and announced, "I''ve had enough breakfast today. It''s time for me to head home and rest."


    Everyone was speechless and didn''t understand her meaning. But for Be, she was extremely embarrassed as her face froze. "Eleanor, let me..." She forced a smile.


    Before she could finish, Eleanor raised her hand. "It''s okay. I can return by myself. You should stay and handle thisplicated matter." She broke free from Be''s grip and headed toward the door.


    Following Eleanor''s words, Be had no guts to bother her further. Even after she had left, the room of people remained in dead silence. The atmosphere was eerie.


    Yara dropped her pitiful facade since Jonathan and Eleanor were no longer around. "Aunt Be, did she just... leave?" She couldn''t believe it.


    ording to their n, Eleanor was supposed to make Jonathan marry Yara to maintain the reputations of both families. Be was perplexed because Eleanor had previously shown support for their union. However, the reactions she received confused her even more. Despite all that, she knew she had angered Eleanor.


    "What should we do now, Be?" Cindy turned to her. "You''ve been supportive of this marriage alliance. Now that Yara has be entangled with Jonathan, the Finches must do something!"


    Rupert also turned to Be. At that point, she was getting overwhelmed. Had this marriage alliance not been beneficial to Jack, she wouldn''t have involved herself in this scheme.


    She calmed her chaotic mind and reassured them. "Don''t worry. Eleanor saw it with her own eyes. As long as Jonathan has done things to Yara, he can''t run away from this marriage!" As long as they had done it...


    Yara bit her lip and looked away from Be nervously. Nobody noticed her expression either. Upon hearing that, Rupert and Cindy locked eyes and came to an understanding.


    "Don''t worry, Yara. Jonathan will have no choice but to marry you!" His gaze was determined as he didn''t n to back out from this bet at that point.


    Atst, Be left first. When recalling Eleanor''s double entendres from earlier, she was more sure that Eleanor had seen through her n from this morning-that taking her out to breakfast was a plot. On her way back, she became more irritated as she thought of it. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was a call from Jack. Reminded of the mess he had made, she impatiently answered the call. "Rx. I''ll get it handled."


    "Mom." Jack sounded annoyed on the phone. "There''s been some changes..."


    Be froze momentarily. "What have you done again?"


    "Nothing. I was..." He nced at the naked woman flirting with him on the bed. "I was well-behaved, but..."


    He looked away, and his expression turned solemn. "My bodyguards were supposed to handle itst night, but Miles Young took her away."


    Jack had only found out about it this morning. Even if Yvonne were dead, it wouldplicate the matter more as it had involved the Young family. He recalled Miles'' words.


    "Get your hands off my people." But Yvonne was a Spencer...


    "Mom, can you investigate the connection between Yvonne and the Youngs?" After some thought, he added, "And also Rose Shaffer..."


    At the mention of Miles, Be


    couldn''t help but feel restless. He was Oliver''s most capable and


    beloved grandson. On top of that et


    the Youngs and Finches had always maintained an unspoken rule, which was staying out of each other''s business. Now that Miles had taken Yvonne...


    "You shouldy low for a while." Be wanted to be careful despite being confident she could handle this.


    Yet, Jack was reluctant. He didn''t want to argue with her and responded with an "okay" before ending the call.


    "Lay low? I don''t care if he''s involved!" he thought. As he locked eyes with the seductive woman on the bed, he tossed the phone away and began another passionate exchange.


    After Jonathan left the hotel, he called Miles again. He wanted to know where Rose was, but Miles quickly ended the call.


    Jonathan stared at his phone, his face grumpy. When Leonard returned with news about Rose''s tracks, they found out she had booked flight tickets to Aquastead which would take off today!


    As Jonathan looked at the time, he instantly drove toward the airport. Upon arrival, he searched the halls but couldn''t see her. It wasn''t until the flight took off, and he made sure she wasn''t on board that he kept his emotions under control.


    "She hasn''t taken off yet. She''s still here." He undid two buttons on his shirt, frustration evident in his eyes. Even if she returned to Aquastead, he would follow her.


    His priority remained to search for Rose. Regalia was the Finches'' territory. Locating someone here should be a stroll in the park for Jonathan. However, it was a miss this time.


    For three days, Rose had seemingly


    disappeared from the face of the earth. No matter what methods he used to locate her, it was futile. He knew someone had intentionally covered her tracks, and the only person who could do that so


    seamlessly was Miles.


    In the top floor office of the Young Group building, Miles was exhausted after days of intense work. Despite that, he was fully alert at that moment.


    That was because Jonathan had


    strode into his office and sat on the


    couch since early morning. Leonard and Finley delivered Finch Group''s documents andid them all on the coffee table, creating mountains of paperwork. Evidently, Jonathan was brazenly using Miles'' offic like his


    own!


    As the sky darkened, the employees of Young Group gradually disappeared from the office.


    Miles nced at the stacks of documents on the coffee table and casually smiled. "Finch Group has been doing quite well, hasn''t it?"

 Chapter 431 Their Relationship

    Jonathan looked up and met Miles'' eyes, but he didn''t respond. The only words he had for Miles were "Where''s Rose?", but obviously, he wouldn''t get an answer. Jonathan nced at him briefly and lowered his head. Upon noticing that, Miles continued his work.


    The sky outside gradually dimmed, and the whole building was left with Miles and Jonathan. The two were highly in sync in the sense that they minded their business and focused on their work.


    Two hourster, Miles was ready to leave. As soon as he rose, Jonathan simrly put down the document, grabbed his coat, and walked out of the office.


    The footsteps echoed behind Miles, but he didn''t turn back. Instead, he headed straight to the garage, where he saw Jonathan''s car parked beside his. When Miles entered his vehicle, Jonathan did the same. The two cars lined up on the road with a decent distance between them. It wasn''t until Miles drove into Young Estate that Jonathan stopped following him.


    ording to his information two days ago, Rose wasn''t there. After ncing at the ce, he defeatedly did a U-turn.


    The following three days, Jonathan replicated the scenario from yesterday and did his work in Miles'' office.


    When two of the richest bachelors in Regalia became so "intimate", rarely leaving each other''s side, the employees in the Young Group building began to spread rumors and gossip about their "scandal". On the fifth day, Jonathan arrivedter than usual. At that time, Miles was in a meeting.


    When Jonathan passed the conference room and glimpsed through the ss, he could feel the tension inside despite not hearing a sound. Crossing his arms, he stared absentmindedly at Miles'' grim expression.


    It was already lunchtime when the meeting ended. Coming out of the conference room, Miles received an invitation from Jonathan.


    "Care to join me for a meal?" Miles nced at him without a rejection.


    That day, the cafeteria in Young Group was buzzing with a crowd many of whom came for that duo. "Oh my. They''re so hot!" Not even the delicious food could entice them like this.


    Since the duo spent most of their time in Miles'' office, not everyone had seen them together. Yet, they surprisingly shared a meal that day. "Since when have they be so close?"


    "You newbies might not have heard, but the veterans here all know that Mr. Miles and Mr. Finch used to be best friends until...


    "Other than them, they were also close with Mr. Young Senior''s adopted granddaughter. But since she died, they stopped hanging out." "The adopted granddaughter died? So it''s not Ms. Young, right?"


    "Well, yes and no."


    One of them became confused. "What do you mean?"


    "She was Ms. Young, the eldest


    granddaughter of the family, but et


    we''re not talking about Anastasia. Back then, Mr. Young Senior adored thete Ms. Young very much. "She was also exceptionally talented, so no one truly gave a damn about Anastasia. She was... pretty much invisible. It was only after thete Ms. Young died that Anastasia became who she is now..."


    So that was the story.


    Just as they wanted to hear more about theplication between the Young siblings and Jonathan, they were interrupted by a chilling, cold gaze sent their way. One of them casually looked over and saw Anastasia. His face froze before he frantically got up and fled, not daring to sneak another nce at Miles or Jonathan.

 Chapter 432 Shes Finally Awake

    Anastasia looked extremely sullen. She hated her past self the most back when she was constantly overlooked. Had it not been brought up, she would''ve forgotten it after all those years. To her dismay, some veterans in thepany knew about Harriette. As the gossiping individuals dispersed, Anastasia naturally saw Miles and Jonathan. Since she had not been at the headquarters recently, she only heard about Jonathan''s daily visit today.


    "Is it because of Rose?" she pondered. Soon, she confirmed her guess.


    The only person other than Harriette who could bring those two men head-to-head was Rose. At the thought of her, she couldn''t help but frown. She hadn''t seen her in days!


    When Anastasia took a seat, she vaguely heard someone saying, "I can help you... the Youngs'' inheritance."


    Jonathan finally broke the silence for the first time since they arrived at this cafeteria. Miles lowered his head as though he didn''t hear him.


    Momentster, Jonathan restated, "What Chloe has as her bargaining chips is somewhat rted to Finch Group. Just say the word, and I''ll make sure she ends up with nothing." Although Chloe was absent during the meeting earlier, Jonathan could tell from the participants that they were there to confront Miles under her instructions.


    "Being generous, aren''t you?" Miles gradually lifted his head, his face disying a faint smile.


    When faced with Jonathan, one resembled the warm sun while the other resembled the winter. He knew fairly well that Jonathan had offered his help to exchange benefits. However...


    "I won''t tell you where Rosie is." Miles was calm. To him, confirming her safety to Jonathan that day was the best he could do.


    Jonathan''s smile froze. He was about to reach his limit after spending days following him around. Nheless, he had no choice but to endure his impatience, even if Miles refused to tell him. After that, the two stayed in silence.


    Later, Anastasia watched as the two left. She reconfirmed her suspicion that Jonathan was looking for Rose and couldn''t contain her jealousy. When he mentioned the "bargaining chip", it had gained her interest, unlike Miles. During this period, she had been consolidating support in secrecy. Yet, regardless of whether it was the Young Group subsidiary or partnerpanies, they favorably leaned toward Miles. Even Chloe had a better chance than she did.


    If she were really pushed out of the game, she would be even less worthy of Jonathan. But if she could gain his support... Caught in a dilemma, she made a decision.


    That night, Anastasia returned to Young Estate. She saw Miles entering the garage, with Jonathan''s car parked outside their home for a long time until midnight.


    After Miles retired to his room, he didn''te out again. As such, Anastasia secretly probed a servant and found out he would stay in his room after he returned home.


    That phenomenonsted for a few consecutive days. Just as she thought it would be a fruitless night, he opened his door.


    "Yeah. I''ll be right there. Just... look out for them." With hurried steps, Miles headed out while wearing his jacket. Through the crack in the door, Anastasia watched him descending the stairs and unhesitantly followed suit. Meanwhile, at the hospital, the unconscious Yvonne finally woke up. Shey on the bed, her eyes staring emotionlessly at the ceiling.


    In the ward, Evan and Rose held each of Yvonne''s hands with anxious looks. Since she woke up, she had been silent even after the doctor''s examination. Her eyes seemed dead and empty. Despite waking up, it felt like her mind and soul were still in deep slumber. "Yvonne?" Rose called out to her with a subdued volume, afraid to scare her.


    No matter how many times Rose said her name, Yvonne stared fixedly at the ceiling without any reaction. Worry began to brew within Rose.


    "Hey, Yvonne. Evan is here. He''se all the way here just to see you. He''s been staying by your side for thest few days. You don''t have to be afraid..." Rose whispered.


    She kept telling herself that Yvonne needed more time. Perhaps if she knew her family was here, she would finallye back to her senses. However, she remained the same after some time.


    A strong wave of remorse and


    self-me slowly ate Rose alive. She


    thought that if she had been more cautious or had arrived at her rescue earlier, Yvonne wouldn''t have turned out like this...


    At that moment, Rose wished she was the one suffering instead of her best friend.


    "I''m sorry, Yvonne. I''m sorry that I didn''t protect you. It was all my fault... Yvonne, it''s me, Rosie. Would you look at me, please?"


    Perhaps her grief and self-reproach were so strong that her breath felt irregr as she sniveled. Her tears filled the brims of her eyes and dripped onto the back of Yvonne''s hand. "Ro... sie..." The voice, as faint as a mosquito''s buzz, was hoarse from not speaking for so long.


    Recognizing her voice, Rose instantly raised her head and met Yvonne''s concerned eyes. "Yvonne..." Almost by instinct, Rose grabbed her hand tightly and could feel her friend reciprocating it. Rose ced Yvonne''s hand on top of her palms. "Rx your hand, or it''ll hurt."


    Although her hand was uninjured, a fall from such a height had fractured her limbs. The doctor said that even if her bones healed, it was uncertain whether her mobility would return to normal.


    Yvonne listened to her advice and loosened her grip. She looked at Rose, and while her face was too bandaged to reveal her expression, her eyes finally showed some emotions. "Don''t... cry..." Her lips parted. "I don''t want you to... It... isn''t... your fault. Don''t... feel bad..."


    Yvonne knew that person had targeted her and even used Rose as a pawn. She jumped off the building but didn''t lose her life. If that person found out, would hee for her?


    A seed of terror imnted within


    her. She wanted to advise Rose to stay away from the Finches, but she knew her hot-tempered best friend would immediately seek them out once she found out who hurt her.


    As such, she swallowed her words and turned to Rose. "R-Rosie, I''d like a bouquet... of white tulips. Will you get them... for me?"


    Rose bit her lip and nodded. "Of course. I''ll be right back!"


    When the door closed after Rose left, Evan held his sister''s hand. "She''s gone. What did you want to tell me?"


    Yvonne nced at her brother, her eyes crinkled into a smile. "How... did... you... know?"


    "Where is she supposed to get


    flowers thiste at night? You wanted to get rid of her. She''s usually smart, but she''s too worried and remorseful to realize it tonight. I''m afraid that even if you''d asked for the moon, she''d steal it for you."


    Yvonne knew that very well, which was all the more reason why she couldn''t put Rose in danger. "Evan, do you know about the Finches?"

 Chapter 433 Shes Pregnant

    "I do." Evan had a hunch that this had something to do with the Finches when he heard that.


    To his expectation, Yvonne looked at him with seriousness. "Don''t... let... Rosie... near... the Finches. I don''t... want her..." She had a hard time speaking.


    Evan''s heart wrenched at that sight. He also knew what she meant. Without letting her finish, he quickly responded, "I get it. Don''t worry. I''ll make sure she doesn''t interact with them."


    It was only then Yvonne felt relieved. What they didn''t know was that Rose had returned at some point. Her hand froze on the door handle, and she was stunned.


    It took her half a minute until she released her hand. As though her soul had escaped her body, she emotionlessly left the ward she wanted to enter.


    "Rose?" A voice called to her as she took a corner turn.


    Rose didn''t hear it, so the voice sounded again. Finally, as if awakened from a daze, she turned and saw Dawn. Her gaze remained dull.


    "Evan is inside the ward." Rose pointed her in the direction.


    Dawn pursed her lips awkwardly. "Let''s have a chat, Rose."


    A chat? Rose was still troubled by what Yvonne said and took a second to look at Dawn. "About what?"


    Dawn was a high school student she sponsored. She was innocent. Every time they talked during their scheduled calls, she was full of gratitude for Rose.


    "Let''s talk outside, Rose." Dawn held Rose''s arm, and thetter didn''t reject her.


    After a few minutes, the two exited the hospital. There was a 24-hour convenience store nearby, and Dawn bought Rose a bottle of water.


    The two then sat at the seats near the window. Despite being physically present, Rose''s mind was somewhere else.


    Naturally, Dawn noticed that she was distracted. During this period, she had been looking for an opportunity to talk alone with Rose. Now that she had the chance, she wanted to reveal something. "Rose, I''m pregnant."


    Although Rose was distracted, she was still shocked when she heard the news. Her gazended on Dawn''s belly, but soon, her initial shock gave way to understanding. "Congrattions." She smiled.


    If her memory served her right, Dawn should be in her second year of university. Rose wasn''t sure whether to congratte her, but seeing she was here instead of at school, she knew she had made her choice. Dawn felt rather nervous. She caressed her belly and bit her lip with determined eyes. "Rose, I know you sponsored me to go to school, and I didn''t finish my academics. But I... I truly love him." She was referring to Evan. Between love and academics, Rose had noments on which to choose. Since Dawn had made her choice, she could only give her blessings.


    "Congrattions," Rose repeated and swirled the bottle in her hand.


    Her indifferent response intensified Dawn''s existing difort. She knew from the start that Evan liked Rose, which remained a fact until now. But she...


    She knew what methods she had resorted to staying by Evan''s side. Whether it was in Finterra or Aquasteadst time, she would follow him around if distance kept them apart.


    No matter how much she knew he had never forgotten about Rose, she was content enough to just stay by his side.


    Things took a turn when Rose and Evan started seeing each other every day. As the two shared their worry for Yvonne, it was inevitable for them to appreciate each other''s presence. Hence, she had been panicking.


    "Rose, we were supposed to hold our wedding at the end of the month. But because Evo is worried about Eve, he wants to postpone the wedding..." Dawn sounded aggrieved.


    "I know I should be understanding, and I also support his decision since the wedding will happen either way. It''s just that... my belly will show if... I wouldn''t want to ruin Evo''s name."


    Rose had heard about Evan''s


    marriage from Yvonne, but she only


    discovered it was with Dawn until now. Still, she didn''t understand why Dawn was bringing this up to her. She didn''t want to specte and stayed silent.


    Dawn, on the other hand, was getting impatient. She suddenly grabbed Rose''s hand.


    "Rose, why don''t you tell Evo not to postpone the wedding? The Spencers have already prepared for the wedding, which will only take a day. After that, Evo can go back to apanying Eve." Rose found that funny. "Shouldn''t you be discussing this with him? Why am I involved?"


    On top of that, why would Evan listen to an outsider''s advice? She didn''t want to stick her nose in someone''s business. "This is your matter with him, Dawn. You need to deal with it yourself," she said gently. Dawn''s expression became awkward. She didn''t expect Rose to reject her so unhesitantly. "Oh... Alright."


    She tried her hardest to squeeze out a smile. "You''re right. I''ll discuss it with him. Evo loves me and our baby. I''m sure he''ll listen if I talk to him about it."


    Then, she released Rose''s hand, her smile more natural. "I was too hasty and worried about Eve. That''s why I didn''t want to talk to him myself..." Was she too hasty? Indeed, she was. But it was questionable when she said she was worried about Yvonne.


    Although Dawn had been by Evan''s side these few days, Rose couldn''t sense her worry for Yvonne during her few limited visits.


    To Dawn, Yvonne was merely a stranger to her without Evan''s existence. Nevertheless, Rose didn''t want toment more on that.


    "Is that all? If so... Thanks for the water."


    She wanted to leave. For some reason, she felt something odd with Dawn since their reunion in Regalia. She couldn''t pinpoint what exactly, but she knew she wanted to avoid her.


    Rose raised the bottle and politely smiled at Dawn before leaving the convenience store. She remembered to buy Yvonne her tulips. However, the florists nearby had all closed for the day. "Rosie, why are you out here alone?" Miles had just exited the car and didn''t see Dawn inside the convenience store. While asking that, he arrived before Rose. "Miles, can I..."


    "Yes." Without waiting for her to finish, he nodded in agreement.


    Rose looked at him strangely. He said yes before even knowing what she wanted. Wasn''t he afraid that her request would be overboard?


    However, when she met his eyes,


    she couldn''t help but feel a sense of


    warmth inside her. Suddenly, she realized the man before her would unhesitantly do her any favor no matter what she asked. Almost as if he was...


    "Miles, I''ll return to Aquastead and..." Rose wanted to reinstate that he and she...


    While pondering how she should approach this conversation, she heard his softugh and gentle voice. "Even if you''re back in Aquastead, you''ll always be my sister no matter where you are!"

 Chapter 434 Exchange of Interests

    Forever his sister... The startled Rose silently heaved a deep breath. He had misunderstood her. Thankfully, he did.


    Before the atmosphere could turn awkward, he ruffled her hair. "You still haven''t told me what you wanted." That gesture left her in a daze.


    When she was little, she would watch Evan messing with Yvonne''s hair and admired their sibling rtionship. Suddenly, she felt like she had a brother too.


    "Miles, I''m looking to buy flowers."


    "Okay. I''ll take you to a florist."


    "Miles, I don''t have enough money."


    "It''s okay. I do."


    "Miles..."


    On their way, it felt like a switch had flipped within Rose, prompting her to keep talking. She no longer addressed Miles with distance and respect.


    Instead, she addressed him like a sister would her older brother. At that moment, she realized she wasn''t alone after Oliver passed. She still had him!


    Miles brought her to a florist, which was the only one still operating. Its warm lights shone upon them and the flowers.


    That imagery was particrly stimting to Anastasia, who was in a car parked outside a store on the street. Amid her daze, she thought the person beside Miles was Harriette.


    "No! That can''t be her!" Panic shed across her gaze, but she soon regained herposure.


    The woman in her sight finally became Rose, but Anastasia couldn''t rx her hands, which were gripping the steering wheel.


    While the two selected their flowers, Anastasia suddenly had an idea and fished out her phone to take a picture of them.


    She no longer stalked them after Rose and Miles entered the car. Instead, she looked for Jonathan''s number and sent him the photo.


    It was already past midnight when the insomniac Jonathan came out of the shower and saw Anastasia''s message.


    He initially wanted to ignore her but saw the word "Rose" on his screen. Instantly, he grabbed his phone and opened the message.


    Surprisingly, Rose and Miles were in the photo together. Thetter dressed casually,pletely unlike his usual style. Had he not paid attention, he wouldn''t have recognized Miles. He couldn''t believe that man had worn a disguise just to shake him off!


    A burning wrath brewed within Jonathan. Seeing how Rose held the bouquet while gently looking up at Miles enraged Jonathan.


    Even though it was a still picture, he could sense the warmth in her eyes. His expression gradually darkened.


    It had been ages since he saw her! She was his wife, for Pete''s sake, and he had to turn the city upside down just to see her.


    The more he thought about it, the more riled up he was. He needed to know where she was at that instance!


    Jonathan quickly zoomed into the picture and tried to uncover any details that could lead to a location. To his dismay, the photo was so poor quality that he could hardly see anything useful. He gritted his teeth.


    At that moment, another message popped up. "Do you wish to know where she is? Lucky you, ''coz I know!"


    Anastasia... Without a second thought, Jonathan called her.


    Outside the florist, Anastasia instantly perked up when she saw Jonathan''s iing call. As she expected, he had taken the bait.


    She took her time to answer the call and let it ring until it ended. Secondster, he redialed her number. This time, though, she picked up the call a second before thest ring.


    Once the call connected, Jonathan''s voice sounded. "What do you want? I can give you anything you wish for." Had his tone not been tinted with annoyance, it would''ve sounded like music to one''s ears.


    Anastasia snapped back to reality


    and quickly found her bearings. "Jon,


    I heard you could help Miles with the Youngs heritance by making Chloe lose everything. That must mean you can do the same for me, if not more, right?" She revealed her desire nakedly.


    "It''s Young Group you''re after?" Jonathan wasn''t surprised. "How much of it?"


    Was that it? Was that all it took? Anastasia had mixed feelings. She took a deep breath and refocused her priority on dealing with Jonathan.


    "It has to be more than Miles'', at least. Of course, it''d be the best-case scenario if Miles is out of the game." In other words, she wanted Young Group to herself. "You''re ambitious." Jonathan''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    With Anastasia''s capability, he believed she couldn''t manage Young Group even if she owned it. As for kicking Miles out...


    Jonathan nced at the photo, his dark gaze making it hard to discern his feelings. "I need to know where she is now."


    Anastasia stayed silent on the phone. Deep down, she didn''t want the two to reunite. It took her a while until she suppressed her jealousy and spoke softly. "Prove that you''re sincere enough for this cooperation then!" With that, she ended the call.


    In the room, a faint glow lit up Jonathan''s face but not enough to show his emotions. All he did was type on his phone like he was sending someone a message. About ten minutes passed, and Anastasia received a call from her assistant. "Ms. Young, Mr. Heath from Skyward Corporation just called..."


    Elliot Heath from Skyward


    Corporation was one of the main coborators of Young Group-the biggest bargaining chip for Chloe Anastasia couldn''t believe Jonathan could settle him this quickly How impressive!


    Despite her reluctance and contemtion, Anastasia sent him the hospital address. Jonathan didn''t hesitate either.


    The moment he found out Rose was at the hospital, his heart sank, and he nearly suffocated. He didn''t even change his clothes and simply ran out of his house in pajamas.


    As the car sped toward the destination, he finally arrived at the hospital.


    In the meantime, Rose held a bouquet of white tulips and entered the ward only to find Yvonne asleep. Evan sat by the bed. The two exchanged a nce and, with mutual understanding, remained silent. After a moment, he whispered, "You should rest, Rosie. I''ll be here."


    Rose didn''t n to leave. She looked at Dawn standing at the door. "You should take Dawn to rest. I want to be with Yvonne alone."


    "That''s right. Rose is here. Evo, you


    haven''t rested well in days. Since Eve is awake now, she''s no longer in danger. You don''t have to worry


    about her. Come on, let''s rest." Dawn out


    tugged his arm affectionately, but


    Evan avoided her touch again.


    He looked at Rose, who was focused on Yvonne, and felt incredibly uneasy when Dawn touched his arm. Afraid Rose would notice his strangeness, he quickly left.


    Dawn followed him out of the ward, her smile slowly fading away. What else could she do when Evan still cared about Rose?


    "Evo..." With unease lingering in her heart, she finally called out to him after turning a corner.


    Evan looked at her and saw her regretful and aggrieved face. "I''m sorry, Evo. If it weren''t for me, you could''ve still pursued Rose. That night..."

 Chapter 435 Have You Looked Enough

    Evan frowned. Without waiting for her to finish, he interrupted her.


    "Enough. I told you I''d take ountability for that night." He didn''t want to remember or bring up that night.


    With her, he only saw ountability. Dawn hated that word the most, but that was the only thing she could use to hold him down. She wiped her tears as she med herself.


    "If it weren''t for me, you and Rose might have..."


    "Rosie and I..." Evan couldn''t hide the disappointment in his voice. Even without Dawn or the event that transpired that night, he and Rose were not meant to be.


    There was never a rtionship, to begin with, so why dwell on how things could''ve gone? When he reunited with Rose this time, he was confident she had someone in her heart. What was surprising was that it wasn''t Miles. "But..." Dawn wanted to say more, but Evan was reluctant to continue the conversation. He simply repeated his usual words.


    "I''ll take ountability for you."


    This time, he eased her worried heart better than before. Dawn bit her lip and embraced Evan. He visibly trembled when their bodies touched, but due to her relentless pleading, he didn''t push her away despite his aversion. "Don''t push me away, Evo. Just don''t..." Her voice was shaky. Seeing that he froze in ce and didn''t resist her, she added eagerly, "I''m scared, Evo. I know you''re marrying me because of the baby, but..."


    But she was unwilling to ept that fact. Still, she couldn''t say that aloud. "But I''m scared, Evo. Except for that night, we''ve never... Can we please stay at the hotel tonight?"


    The air seemingly froze. They usually slept in the same hotel room but were separated by different beds. What Dawn implied was that she wanted to share a bed tonight.


    With bated breath, she eagerly anticipated the answer she hoped for, but all she heard was, "You should go rest."


    Yes. Just her. He wanted her to check into the hotel alone.


    Dawn tightened her grip on his hands. Evan frowned, and after some hesitation, he offered, "I''ll drop you off at the hotel."


    "Sure." She no longer pressured him. Some things were not meant to be rushed, and she understood that. Yet, deep down, she had hopes that he would stay once they arrived at the hotel. Near the hospital, Evan located a hotel. Just as he saw her off at the hotel room door and was ready to leave, Dawn grabbed onto him.


    "Evo..."


    "Have some rest." He didn''t let her finish and gently detached his hand from her grip.


    Dawn''s expression stiffened as she realized she couldn''t make him stay. Without a choice, she watched reluctantly as his figure disappeared at the end of the hallway.


    ...


    Inside the ward, Yvonne seemed to be having a nightmare. Her forehead kept sweating, and Rose wiped them off while attempting to wake her up.


    However, Yvonne seemed trapped inside her dream no matter how much she struggled. At times, she even mumbled words like "Rosie", "Finches", and "Let her go".


    The Finches...


    Rose felt like her heart had been stabbed. Was it the Finches who had harmed Yvonne? She also remembered that the celebration party venue belonged to Finch Group. Then, she thought of Jonathan... Could it be him?


    She didn''t want to believe it, but Jonathan''s presence and proximity when Yvonne mentioned Sardovia''s Royal Dance Academy to her made it hard for her to dismiss him as the suspect.


    Not only that, but she also asked Miles to investigate the sponsors behind Yvonne''s dance troupe. Aside from Miles, the other person was Jonathan. It felt like every clue was pointing toward him. "Yvonne, I''ll avenge you. No matter who he is, I''ll make the perpetrator pay for his crime." Rose held Yvonne''s hand, mumbling and vowing simultaneously.


    Gradually, Yvonne calmed down. It was only until she fell asleep peacefully that Rose walked to the window.


    At about 3:00 a.m., she looked out the window and saw a street outside the hospital. Then, she saw someone parked their car and alighted. The person looked like Jonathan.


    She couldn''t believe her eyes. There was no way she saw him when she was so far away from the car.


    Rose shook her head and went to wash her face. She needed a n to figure out who had harmed Yvonne. Just as she exited the ward, arge hand seized her wrist. "Don''t say anything and just follow me," a familiar voice said.


    She immediately recognized it as Jonathan''s, but why was he here?


    Rose allowed him to drag her to the hospital''s rooftop through the fire escape route. When they stepped onto the rooftop, she was pulled into an embrace.


    Jonathan wrapped his big arms around her, his embrace shifting from gentle to firm. As he recalled how she had booked a flight ticket back to Aquastead, he tightened his grip even more as though wanting to merge with herpletely. Perhaps that was the only way she would stop leaving him.


    Rose distinctly felt his anxiety, so mixed feelings started to brew within her. When the cold wind grazed her skin, it awakened her from the daze.


    "You''re hurting me." Rose furrowed her brows.


    Immediately, Jonathan released her. For the past few days, he had been watching Miles like a hawk. Earlier, he even avoided thetter as if he were a thief afraid to be caught. After all the ordeals, his heart finally settled into peace when he saw her.


    He stared at her topensate for all the days he spent missing her. His passionate gaze deepened Rose''s frown. "Have you looked enough?"


    "Nope." Jonathan shed her a


    smile that was unusual and rare of


    him. When faced with Rose, he was


    no longer the same person. He stared at her longingly. "I''ll never get


    enough of looking at you. What


    should I do?"


    I


    Rose felt ufortable by his look. What did he mean by what to do? If she didn''t break the eye contact, the man might do something out of line.


    At the thought of Yvonne, Rose dimmed her gaze and took a step back. In the darkness, she locked eyes with him. "Yvonne is heavily injured."


    There wasn''t much fluctuation in his gaze as he was relieved it wasn''t Rose who had gotten injured. Although unsure of Yvonne''s condition, he naturally understood Rose''s worry about her dear friend.


    Heforted her, saying, "The hospitals under Young Group are staffed with professionals and the best equipment. If it doesn''t help, the Finches-"


    Rose was revolted to hear the mention of the Finches. She cut him off without waiting for him to finish. "Did you sponsor the show that day?"


    "You found out?" Jonathan looked like a child awaiting praise after doing a good deed. "She''s your only friend in Regalia. Of course, I must support her career."


    He even selected the ticket that Yvonne had given her. For Rose, he had done everything he could to make her happy.


    Right then, he wondered how she would reward him. He took a step forward in anticipation. "Wifey..."

 Chapter 436 Relieved That It Wasnt Him

    However, he was unaware that Rose did not share the same sentiments as him. He walked up to her, but she retreated and looked at him with a wary gaze.


    "Does the venue of the celebration party belong to Finch Group?"


    "Yeah." Jonathan was confused but soon shed her a ttering smile. "Do you like that club? If you do¡ª"


    "I don''t!" Rose cut him off again. This time, her sudden change in tone made Jonathan realize something was bothering her. Not only did she dislike the ce, but she even showed disdain. "Wifey..."


    Since Jonathan wanted to understand, Rose exined, "That''s where Yvonne got harmed!"


    His body froze. Instantly, he realized something had gone south after he was tricked to leave. His expression darkened.


    She probed further, "Were you the one who changed the venue to the Finch Group club?"


    "No!" He had always thought the celebration party carried on at its original venue.


    "Did you use the rmendation-based admission from Sardovia''s Royal Dance Academy to lure..."


    "What admission are you talking about?" Jonathan denied sternly.


    When Rose saw his unsettling gaze, she knew she had misunderstood him. He couldn''t let her further misconstrue this.


    "Yvonne is your friend, so hurting her is hurting you. I would never hurt you!" His tone was firm.


    Rose looked at him and stayed silent for a while. After some time, her suspicious and hostile gaze suddenly softened. "He... wasn''t lying. It''s not him!" she figured.


    Unbeknownst to her, she was secretly relieved that it wasn''t him. Still, the question remained-who then if not him?


    Since Yvonne mentioned the


    Finches, Rose was confident it was one of his family members. Despite her limited knowledge of the family, she vowed to get to the bottom of things! She needed a channel to track down that perpetrator


    Under the night sky, she locked eyes with Jonathan, a thought popping up in her head. "Should I use him?"


    No, she hated that idea. Using Jonathan would only make her feel indebted. After some contemtion, she lowered her eyelids.


    "I''m tired. Yvonne is recuperating here at the hospital, and I hope you won''t bother us." With that, she left the rooftop.


    Jonathan could''ve followed her but


    didn''t. Her ?omber eyes when looking at him were enough to tell him what was on her mind. After a long while, he forced a smile and murmured, "Why didn''t you just say so?


    Rose had her suspicions that Yvonne''s perpetrator was a Finch She asked him to identify


    the person or aid her in tracking


    them down, but she didn''t.


    "Does she want nothing to do with me?" hemented. Momentster, he took out his phone and called Leonard.


    As he was sleeping, Leonard was awakened by his ringtone. He found his phone and answered the call with closed eyes.


    "Mr. Finch?" Only his boss would call him thiste at night, and it had to be an emergency.


    As expected, Jonathan ordered, "I want you to find out if any Finches, other than me, were present at Yvonne''s celebration party at the club."


    The celebration party, huh? Leonard''s instinct told him this was rted to Rose, and he quickly awoke from his daze.


    On the phone, Jonathan paused and asked, "Is ten minutes enough?"


    "M-more than enough!" Leonard quickly hopped out of bed and got the investigation going.


    On the hospital rooftop, Jonathan stared at the running time. In ten minutes, Leonard returned his call.

 Chapter 437 Ill Help You

    "Other than you, Sir, there weren''t any other Finch members at the club. However... Mr. Jack is a regr at the club."


    Jack? He was there at the performance too.


    "Where is he?" Jonathan''s gaze turned cold.


    Leonard had also investigated Jack''s whereabouts for the past few days.


    "He''s been on boat parties with models and stars, like another normal day. There''s nothing unusual in his activities. However, he had not visited the club once since the celebration party. It''s odd as it''s inconsistent with his previous frequency." There had to be a reason for that then.


    Jonathan mumbled to himself for a while, then instructed Leonard, "Keep an eye on him. Also, I remember Uncle Yosef managed the clubst time."


    The club was rted to Yosef''s family, which meant they could be involved with Yvonne''s incident. No matter what, he swore to give Rose an exnation.


    After Rose descended from the rooftop, the first thing she did was contact Miles to investigate the suspects from the Finch family who were rted to the party. The next morning, she received updates from him.


    "That club used to be managed by Yosef Finch, and his son, Jack, is a regr there. Speaking of Jack, he''s mediocre, yet gutsy. And he''s a womanizer too. He might very well have a hand in Ms. Spencer''s incident."


    Jack Finch was a name foreign to Rose. Regardless, she would find out everything about him. She needed a ce to start.


    As if seen through her intention, he maintained his seriousness over the phone. "Rosie, I don''t support your decision to get involved. Although Yosef and his family are under Jonathan''s oppression, they shouldn''t be underestimated. I''m worried that you''d..." "Miles..." She interrupted him.


    As Rose stood outside the ward and glimpsed through the ss, she could see Yvonne''s utter state of ruin as her legs were stered with casts and her bones fractured all over her body.


    Every time Rose thought of her, her heart was in pain. How could she not seek justice for her poor best friend?


    "That night, I was first tricked into a room and fainted. When I woke up, I was in a car, untouched, miles away from where I was.


    "I hurried back to the club, but it was toote. Yvonne was already on the ground!" Her tone might have sounded calm, but her emotions fluctuated inside.


    Since Yvonne woke up, she had never brought up the incident of that night. The people around her knew not to mention it either.


    However, Rose remembered Yvonne


    instructing Evan to protect her no matter what. Rose could only


    ???


    imagine how her friend had donen everything to ensure Rose''s safety at the club. She couldn''t sit around and not avenge her.


    Miles remained silent on the other side of the line. Although Rose didn''t outright state her n, he knew what she was thinking. Still, it was undeniable that the Finches were not to be underestimated.


    "I''ll help you, but you must promise me you''ll go through your ns with me first. I don''t want you in any form of danger." If he couldn''t stop her, he could only protect her. But... When Miles thought of Jonathan, he hesitated briefly and spoke, "Jonathan was at the club that night."


    "It wasn''t him!"


    Rose''s resolute denial affected Miles, but he soon regained hisposure. "I know he won''t hurt your friend. It''s just that... He left the club during the party and went to a hotel. "It was only the next morning that he left. I''m not sure if it was a coincidence, but the Maizes were at the hotel that morning too."

 Chapter 438 Youre Nothing Like Her

    "The Maizes? The family of Ms. Yara? The way Miles brought it up sounds like they..." Rose dismissed her thought. "Rosie, he "


    "Miles, is there a way I can get close to the Finches?" She cut him off, and her eagerness prompted a quick reply from him.


    "Tomorrow is Jonathan''s father''s birthday. I''m sure all the Finches will show up for the asion."


    Other than Jonathan and Ezra, that was... Cyrus was never close with his sons. Jonathan had not attended his birthdays previously, thus this year wouldn''t be an exception.


    "We''ll go together tomorrow." Without Jonathan''s presence, Miles had more reasons to tag along and protect Rose.


    The next morning, Yvonne was still asleep when Rose left the hospital. When she woke up, she only saw Evan in the room. Noticing Rose''s absence, she spoke with difficulty. "Where''s Rosie?"


    "She was watching you the whole night and only left after I came to take over this morning. Don''t worry, Eve. I saw her heading into her room."


    When he recalled how exhausted Rose was that morning, he couldn''t help but feel pity for her. However, that feeling was soon reced with bitterness. He had long lost the right to care for her that way. "She''s resting? That''s good." Yvonne seemed relieved. Then, she suddenly thought of something. "Evan, have you seen my ne?"


    "What ne?" he asked. Her belongings were all ced into a bag, which had been handed to her family since her operation concluded. Evan didn''t recall seeing any nes.


    A glint of disappointment shed across Yvonne''s eyes. What a shame! That ne was a gift from Rose. They shared a twin pair, but she had now lost hers.


    Meanwhile, inside a mansion, a woman stood in front of the mirror in her usual bodycon dress that wrapped tightly around her body.


    Her curves and morous makeup reflected in the mirror as she tried on a ne. After some scrutinizing, she pouted.


    "It is nice, but..." It wasn''tpatible with her style. Still, she appreciated it because it was a gift from Jack. "I''ll just change the dress and put on lighter makeup!"


    The woman willingly removed all her essories except the ne and chose a set thatplemented the gift.


    Just as she removed her earrings, she heard the maning out of the bathroom and walked up to him. nting a kiss, she said endearingly, "Thank you for the gift, Mr. Finch. I love it." The two had shared an intimate night. At that moment, Jack was only adorned with a towel. "Gift?" What gift?


    The woman toyed with the ne on her chest. "Who''s the designer behind this, Mr. Finch? Since you''re so nice to me, I''d like to show you my appreciation."


    She pressed her body against him with a flirty gaze and was bold enough to hold his neck as an invitation.


    However, Jack had no intention to get entangled with her. He nced at her ne and instantly shifted in emotions.


    "This isn''t a gift for you!" Without a hint of empathy, he started yanking the ne off her neck.


    "Ouch!" she screamed in pain without forgetting to get his sympathy. "It hurts, Mr. Finch..."


    For someone with an erratic temperament like Jack, taking something without his permission had crossed his line. His gaze seemed brutal. "Who allowed you to steal my stuff?"


    It was only then the woman realized he was genuinely angry. All for that ne?


    As Jack dressed himself and kept the ne in his pocket, she finally recognized where the ne came from-Yvonne wore it at the celebration party! Was he still into her?


    "Mr. Finch..." She meekly embraced him from behind, pressing her chest against his back. "Have you had funtely?"


    Since the celebration party, Jack


    kept his word and got her into the


    dance troupe. Through her arrangements, he got to have fun with a few other beauties from the a dance troupe. She truly thought he


    had moved on from Yvonne


    "Not quite." He sighed when thinking of Yvonne''s figure. What a shame that he couldn''t have a piece of her. Since Miles took her away, he had not heard about her or known whether she was alive. "Mr. Finch, I''ve mastered the lead dancer''s choreography from our final act performance that day. Would you like to see it?"


    The lead dancer was none other than Yvonne. As such, he easily saw through her intention.


    Jack pried open the arms around his body and distanced himself from her. Scrutinizing her from head to toe, he revealed a mocking smile. "You''re nothing like her!"


    Her expression stiffened. "Mr. Finch..."


    "It''s my uncle''s birthday today. Goodbye!" Without any hesitation, Jack nonchntly left the mansion.


    ....


    As the former ruler of Finch Group, many elites in Regalia would show up for Cyrus birthday every year. Since he handed over the position to his son, he had been inactive in the business world. Instead, he immersed himself in painting, as evidenced by the time he spent in


    ve


    his art studio.


    He knew his birthday this year would attract fewer guests than before, so he didn''t want to celebrate it. However, he couldn''t help it because someone had prepared a surprise for him.


    At an art gallery under Finch Group, a few exquisitely dressed noblewomen sat in a private lounge and enjoyed their tea.


    "You''re so sweet to your husband, Mrs. Finch. I can''t believe you organized this art exhibition on your own."


    "Isn''t that right? She''s so thoughtful about everything. I never knew Mr. Finch liked painting. Perhaps because of your love for art, he became a painter too, Mrs. Finch." "What a mutual love. You two are the model couple of Regalia!"


    The noblewomen chattered with praises, while Lizzie sat in the most prominent seat. She was dressed in luxury from head to toe, looking exquisite yet professional. "You guys got it wrong. It''s because Cyrus stepped down from thepany and had too much time on his hands that he started painting. He''s far from a painter.


    "Of course saw that he''s been


    spending too much time in his art studio and wanted him to get some fresh air, which is why we have this exhibition here. It''s all for fun but I didn''t expect the turnout."


    Lizzie was full of smiles, but she was displeased with the phrase "because of your love for art". Indeed, Cyrus started painting out of love for someone, but it wasn''t the Mrs. Finch of now. "Anyway, just enjoy the paintings and don''t overspend, alright?" Lizzie smiled warmly.


    Everyone there knew what she meant by that. Seated on the side the entire time, Be couldn''t help but scoff at her. Was Cyrus'' family in dire need of money?

 Chapter 439 Encounter

    Lizzie telling them not to overspend on the artworks would only result in them doing the opposite clearing the artworks in the entire exhibition.


    As expected, the noblewomen agreed on the surface but hurriedly went to purchase the paintings as they visited the exhibition. Within 30 minutes, the gallery had sold half of the avable paintings. "That painting is so strange..." A person noticed a painting in the corner and looked at it strangely.


    When Rose and Miles arrived at the exhibition, she was startled by the crowd. Wasn''t this supposed to be a birthday banquet? One could''ve mistaken this as an artist''s exhibition.


    Miles sensed her confusion and exined, "Cyrus'' second wife used to be a somewhat well-known painter. Ever since he retired, he began to paint too."


    That exined it. Cyrus was Jonathan''s father, so his remarrying meant that Jonathan''s biological mother had... Suddenly, she remembered him bringing her to a mountain vi in Aquastead.


    "Mr. Miles..." While she was lost in thought, someone had recognized Miles. Following that, many began to rush over.


    "Mr. Miles, I''m surprised to see you here. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "Mr. Miles, I heard Young Group will organize an antique convention in a month. Mr. Young Senior must be proud to have you inherit his legacy."


    "I agree. Let''s work together in the future, Mr. Miles."


    Since Oliver''s passing, the inheritance dispute between the adopted family members had been intense. Almost the entire city awaited the oue. As Oliver''s most trusted and beloved grandson, Miles'' capability was beyond doubt.


    Miles wore a polite smile and looked for Rose, who had been squeezed out by the crowd. When he saw her, she signaled him to handle the guests alone.


    Then, she headed to the washroom, turned around, and entered a hallway. At that, he wanted to follow suit but the opportunistic guests held him back.


    Her path to the washroom was her way to the Finches. Beforeing here, she had read some information about the family online.


    Aside from Eleanor, the eldest of the family, Cyrus and Yosef were the only ones in the older generation. On the flip side, the younger generation was mysterious. Aside from Jonathan, whom she knew well, there was also the second son, who was mildly exposed on the Inte. As for the eldest and youngest children, they were so secretive that even their genders remained a mystery.


    At that moment, a painting caught Rose''s attention. Almost instinctively, she walked toward the artwork.


    In the painting stood a t area at the mountain''s summit. On the left, mountain ranges ovepped, while the sea met the horizon on the right, with a faint yellowish glow illuminating the water. The red sun was just rising... Wait. She had seen this before.


    "It''s that ce!" These words came out of Rose''s mouth abruptly as she thought of something.


    Wanting to confirm if the ce in the painting was the same mountain Jonathan brought her to, she stepped forward and explored the details close up.


    With the help of her recollection, she found a vi among the woods within the painting. Although the vi looked abstract, she was confident she had been there with Jonathan. ording to him, his mother used to live there!


    As though entranced, Rose appraised every detail in the painting. She was so immersed that she didn''t even notice a man by her side ncing at her.


    Ezra had long stood in front of the painting before Rose came. He was engrossed in the artwork when a strange voice snapped him back to reality.


    It was surprising that he would see Rose here, let alone her knowing the ce in the painting! Had Jonathan brought her there? She had to be special to him then.


    "And we meet again!" Ezra chuckled.


    His sudden voice brought Rose''s attention to him. She recognized him instantly despite the lowered cap and ck mask concealing most of his face.


    On top of that, his signature almond eyes had sold him out. He was none other than the top visualist in the entertainment industry, Ezra Turner!


    Recalling his face, Rose couldn''t


    help but be surprised. "You''re here for the exhibition too?" Although she didn''t find him to be an artistic person, she didn''t think that he could be here for Cyrus'' birthday


    He raised his brows. "I guess so. Are you here alone?"


    "Nope."


    She came with Miles, but Ezra deduced she was here with Jonathan. As such, he was surprised to know his brother had finallye to their dad''s birthday after so many years. He wondered if Jonathan hade for this painting too.


    Ezra''s gaze flickered gently toward the painting. Then, he offered, "Do you like this? If you do, I''ll purchase this as a gift for you."


    Rose was taken aback. Why would he do that?


    "N-No, thank you," she quickly rejected him. Yet, she had a strong desire to buy the painting the moment she saw the artwork again. "Excuse me. I need the washroom."


    She nodded to him in farewell, and the seemingly immersed Ezra only grunted lightly in response. Before heading into the washroom, she purchased the painting from a staff.


    Within five minutes, Lizzie, standing on the gallery''s second floor, heard her female assistant''s report-the painting had been sold!


    "That''s quick." A cold glint shed across Lizzie''s eyes. She walked toward the railing and precisely saw the painting on the first floor.


    At that moment, a man stood before the artwork. Although he wore a cap and an oversized shirt that concealed his silhouette, she could easily recognize a Finch family member regardless of the disguise.


    "Did he purchase it?"


    Then, she saw Ezra turning to a staff member and saying something.


    "No. It was ady."


    Her assistant, ire Hilton, presented the purchase history to Lizzie. When she saw Rose''s name, Lizzie was shocked.


    Meanwhile, on the first floor, Ezra''s expression darkened upon hearing the painting had been sold. "To whom?" he asked coldly.


    The staff shed him a polite smile. "I''m sorry, sir, but we can''t disclose the customer''s information."


    Ezra remained in ce after the staff left. As if reminded of something, he quickly scanned his surroundings and found Lizzie on the second floor.


    As their eyes locked, a burning wave of resentment ignited in his eyes, scaring her into retreating.


    "What''s wrong, Mrs. Finch?" ire swiftly held her.


    Without responding, Lizzie looked downstairs and saw Ezra missing from his original spot. "Quick. Let''s get out of here." Her voice was shaky.


    Her peculiar reaction rendered ire


    confused. All she could do was follow Lizzie''s lead. As they arrived at the door of a private lounge, Lizzie suddenly halted. The previously fearful woman suddenly changed her mind.


    "Do me a favor."

 Chapter 440 Deliberate Provocation

    After taking a deep breath, Lizzie calmly instructed ire and released her hand, which was ced on the door handle.


    "Got it. Be right back." After ire left frantically, Lizzie revealed a cold smile as she adjusted her gown. She slowly made her way to the third floor and entered thest room at the end of the hallway. When Ezra rushed to the second floor, he didn''t see Lizzie. Instead, her assistant was standing near the staircase.


    "Mr. Turner, you can''t..." ire looked anxious as she blocked his way, but his furious gaze made her retreat in fear.


    In reality, Lizzie had said to act scared when blocking Ezra so they could seamlessly lure him into her room on the third floor. However, ire was genuinely afraid when faced with him. "Scram!" he growled with gritted teeth.


    ire was scared to her core. She had heard that Ezra had a wild temperament but had never seen him this frightening-like a ferocious beast escaped from a cage.


    She instinctively nced toward the third floor, her voiceing out shaky. "Mr. Turner, it''s Mr. Finch''s birthday today. Please don''t be impulsive." That was a line taught to her by Lizzie.


    As expected, Ezra seemingly became more enraged and pushed ire away. Then, he dashed to the third floor.


    Finding her bnce, she quickly ran after him and screamed panickingly, "Mr. Turner, you can''t go up there. Mrs. Finch isn''t there!" The more she resisted him, the quicker the situation escted.


    Soon, Ezra arrived on the third floor but was halted by ire. It looked like she wanted to stop him, but in reality, she nned to lure him into a certain direction. As they neared the end of the hallway, she put on an expression of panic, prompting him to stop. "Get lost!" Ezra stared at the door and was confident Lizzie was inside.


    "Mr. Turner..." Without waiting for her to finish, he yanked her off. He opened the door and closed it almost immediately.


    In the meantime, Lizzie sat on the couch and faced backward to the door. She leisurely ced the cup in her hand, and her victorious gaze soon turned into a menacing one.


    As Ezra edged closer to her, he questioned sternly, "Where is the painting?"


    On the surface, Lizzie organized the art exhibition today to celebrate Cyrus. However, Ezra knew this woman wasn''t as loving to his father as she presented to the world. Her ultimate goal was to discard his mother''s painting rightfully.


    "What painting?" Lizzie turned her head. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ezra had removed his cap and mask. His face was undoubtedly exquisite. How simr!


    Ezra, the A-plus celebrity, as seen on TV and in the media, might appear strikingly handsome or rebellious, with every facet of him dazzling enough to attract countless admirers. Yet, who would have known that he had another side concealed from the public? Perhaps he was unaware of it too.


    Lizzie reacted even more dramatically as she turned to stare at Ezra momentarily, as though considering whether she could unleash his unhidden side today.


    When recalling that rainy night from ten years ago, she couldn''t help but feel a heightened sense of resentment.


    "Ezzy, which one of the paintings downstairs are you into? I''ll tell them to reserve it for you." Lizzie smiled warmly, and Ezra hated that look on her face.


    The way she called him "Ezzy" also sent a striking pain to his head. All he wanted at that moment was to retrieve the painting.


    "You know damn well which one I want!"


    She burst into a smile. "I do? Ezzy, how will I know what you''re thinking?"


    "Ezzy..." Every time she said his nickname, his head felt closer to exploding.


    "Ezzy,e on. I''ll show you the album so that you can point it out to me. Luckily, we have all the digital copies of the paintings here. Look..." Lizzie arrived beside Ezra and passed him her phone.


    The copies of each painting yed automatically. At first, there was nothing special-just the paintings from the exhibition downstairs. But suddenly, a photograph mixed in with the paintings shed by.


    One of the artworks depicted a woman holding a paintbrush while painting by thekeside. Only her side profile was captured, with the wind gently blowing her dress and hair, creating a scene of beauty and serenity. However, the woman in the painting... tugged at Ezra''s heartstrings for some reason and worsened his headache.


    The paintings continued to sh before his eyes like a slideshow. Amid those paintings sat some photographs, which all had the same woman.


    He couldn''t help but wonder who she was. Despite noticing Lizzie''s trick as she shuffled the photos into the paintings, he had an indescribable desire to find out who the woman was and ignored looking for the painting. Sensing his strange expression, she smiled coldly. "Don''t you know her?"


    "Who is she?" Ezra was eager to know.


    "She... is a vicious woman who has abandoned you. Have you forgotten?" Lizzie suddenly withdrew her phone.


    Due to her actions, Ezra became more enraged and looked slightly crazed. Instinctively, his hands balled into fists as he roared, "She didn''t abandon me!"


    His confidence and firmness


    surprised her, Even if he had


    forgotten about her or her face, he still defended her with the utmost belief that she had not abandoned him, just like back then. They were bonded by blood, after all,


    Lizzle felt disdainful. Mother-and-son bond, was it? Could that also be the thing that destroyed them?


    She sighed. "Looks like you''ve forgotten. You''re here because of this painting, right?" She showed him a photo of the painting that Rose had bought.


    As the painting appeared in his sight, Ezra became more unstable. "That''s my mom''s painting! You have no right to sell it."


    "Your mom''s painting?" Lizzie scoffed. "You remember the painting but not your mom."


    He was visibly bothered by that.


    She continued her open provocation. "You forgot about her! Well, it''s a good thing that you did. All these years, our family was forbidden to mention her for fear of reminding you of her and the things she''d done toyou. Ezzy-that''s what your mom used to call you, right?"


    In his memory, no one had ever called him Ezzy. Yet, it sounded so familiar to the point where it felt like he was brought back to a moment in time-a time when a voice said


    "Ezzy, Mommy didn''t mean to... Ezzy, I''m sorry..."


    The voices were vague and indistinct, seeming both real and surreal simultaneously. His headache intensified, and Ezra held his head, gritting his teeth in pain.


    It felt as if something was trapped behind a gate. Once the gate was opened, those things would surge forth.


    "Ah..." he groaned.


    Watching from the side, Lizzie knew the time hade. "There''s a door over there, Ezzy. Go in, and you might be able to see her..."

 Chapter 441 Crumbs of Information

    At the sight of the door, Ezra walked in. When Lizzie watched the door close, her victorious gaze became more visible.


    She was d to have organized the exhibition in this gallery, which was Cyrus'' private property. All these years, he had not visited this ce because of "her", but the content of the room remained inside. Lizzie was proud of her perfect n.


    Taking ast look at the door, she exited the room. Outside, the anxious ire quickly went up to her upon her appearance. "Mrs. Finch, is Mr. Turner-"


    "He''s fine. So am I." Lizzie''s calm voice interrupted her. Then, she said, "Bring Jonathan over."


    The sound of his name was enough to scare ire. After many years of being Lizzie''s assistant, she had never seen Jonathan show up for his father''s birthday. What had Lizzie done that could convince him toe over? "Mrs. Finch..."


    Sensing her reluctance, Lizzie shed her a cold smile. "Send him an anonymous email containing the list of purchased paintings and their receipts." She was confident she could lure him over with Rose.


    ...


    Inside the conference room of the Finch Building, the atmosphere was so oppressive that everyone was afraid to make a noise. Jonathan sat silently in the main seat, his expression gloomy and menacing.


    A chief financial officer of one of Finch Group''s subsidiarypanies was making his report, drenched in cold sweat.


    It was supposed to be a joyous report as they had achieved more than the expected profit, yet the atmosphere felt like they had lost a couple of millions.


    The chief financial officer nced cautiously at Jonathan but instantly retracted his gaze upon meeting his grim gaze. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and despite being in the air-conditioned room, his back was drenched in sweat.


    Leonard and Finley locked eyes and exchanged an empathetic look. They knew Jonathan would have a bad day ahead, with one of the reasons being...


    A "ding" sounded and broke the silence in the room like a pebble creating a ripple in a peacefulke. Everyone present was startled and looked toward the phone''s owner. Surprised by the notification tone, Leonard quickly clutched the phone in his pocket. "Silence your phone during the meeting. Have you not remembered such a basic rule, Mr. Spencer?" Jonathan''s icy voice rang. "Forget about your bonus this month!"


    Everyone present was speechless because Leonard was Jonathan''s right-hand man, after all. Nevertheless, the careless mistake of forgetting to silence his phone during a meeting was enough to cease his bonus.


    Leonard wailed silently. He knew begging for forgiveness would only worsen things on a day when his boss was pissed. As such, he made the best decision by epting it.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Finch. I''ll switch it off now." He took out his phone.


    Just as he was about to turn the device off, he glimpsed a message from the screen and saw "Rose Shaffer". Without paying heed to anything else, he quickly expanded the message.


    His focused and brazen action annoyed Jonathan even more. "Mr. Spencer..."


    "Sir..." Leonard interrupted him and ignored his darkened expression. Then, he walked toward Jonathan. "Look at this..." He ced his phone before Jonathan.


    With just a nce, Jonathan saw something, and his demeanor turned even colder. "Are you sick of staying here, Leonard?" Leonard had shown him Cyrus'' art exhibition despite knowing it was taboo. "No, sir! Look..." He knew Jonathan had not understood his actions and scrolled to reveal the words "Rose Shaffer" on his screen.


    Only then did Jonathan notice it and perk up before snatching the phone. He saw Rose had purchased a painting titled "Nance", which meant she had gone to Cyrus'' exhibition!


    Without any hesitation, Jonathan rose and left the conference room.


    "Sir..." Leonard signaled Finley with his eyes, as though saying, "You''l stay here to wrap things up while I catch up to him." Atst, he arrived at the elevator before the doors closed. en


    Inside the elevator, Jonathan was visibly anxious.


    "Sir, Mr. Finch''s birthday banquet is being held at his gallery on 113 Sunrise Avenue," informed Leonard He knew Cyrus'' birthday was taboo, so he didn''t report it to him


    beforehand despite knowing the


    venue.


    "Got it." Jonathan sounded nervous.


    He should''ve anticipated Rose would show up at Cyrus'' birthday banquet to connect with the Finches. After all, that was the best opportunity to uncover Yvonne''s perpetrator. Regardless, facing a Finch member would not be easy. No matter what she nned to do today, he would not let her be in danger.


    At the gallery on 113 Sunset Avenue, Rose sifted through the crowd attempting to meet the Finches.


    Suddenly, she heard a voice say, "You better give me an exnation for that day, Jack!"


    She recognized that voice to be Yara''s. Although Rose was never interested in her, the man she was talking to attracted her attention...


    Rose quickly followed the source of the voice. Despite Yara wearing a mask, Rose easily recognized her figure. Jack, however, seemedpatible with the pictures of him she saw online. "Are you sure you want to do this here?" Jack raised his brows as though unfazed by her confrontation.


    Yara''s face shifted, and she gritted her teeth. "Come with me!"


    Rose made her way through the crowd and stealthily followed the two to the third floor. Since no one was there, Yara randomly selected a lounge and invited Jack in.


    "Sure!" He followed suit.


    Before the door closed, she had already removed her mask and started questioning him usatorily. "Those drugs you gave me were defective, weren''t they? You did it on purpose, Jack!" Yara looked grim. The drugs were supposed to be aphrodisiacs, but Jonathan slept through the whole night. Due to that, she had no choice but to find a man and get the job done. With a mocking smile, Jack sat on the couch. "Oh? You two didn''t... do it?" His words were like a stab in her heart.


    Following that was a wave of guilt. She quickly put on a confident look. "Pfft, as if. Of course, I slept with him!" She couldn''t let anyone know what had happened that night. Jack shot her a strange look. "So, why are you questioning me if you''ve slept with him?"


    He was right. What was theshing out for if she had achieved her goal?


    Yara suppressed her emotions. She had been trying to connect with Jonathan for the past few days, but it had been futile. She needed channel to vent. Seeing his


    arrogance, she couldn''t hold in her anger.


    "It''s not like you got Rose that night either!"

 Chapter 442 He Wasnt Looking at Rose

    Either? Jack saw through her but didn''t expose her.


    Their conversation was audible through the slit of the door, and Rose, standing just outside, kept repeating these words-I slept with him in her head.


    Did Jonathan and Yara... Miles'' words about the two leaving the hotel resurfaced in her head, and things started to make sense.


    It felt like her heart was being clenched tightly, suffocating her. Before she could calm herself down, she distinctly heard a voice.


    "Who said I was going for Rose?" Jack lit his cigarette and blew out the smoke.


    Yara was shocked. "But that night at the club in the surveince room, you were looking at..." She was sure Jack was staring at Rose. Then, she paused as if reminded of something. "You weren''t looking at Rose!"


    The surveince footage appeared in her mind. That night, she was busy focusing on Rose and didn''t notice that there was another woman with her!


    "You..." She stared at Jack in disbelief.


    Putting out the cigarette, Jack seemed indifferent. "She''s the principal dancer of the Regalia Drama House. She caught my eye as soon as she got onto the stage."


    He couldn''t help but sigh upon recalling her figure on stage. He even fished out the ne from his pocket and examined it fondly.


    Yara''s expression turned grim. She thought Jack was on her side. At that moment, she was relieved that she hadn''t revealed what truly happened with Jonathan that night. Regardless, she was filled with bitterness and red at Jack before leaving the room. The hallway was empty, and Yara walked away in her high heels.


    Rose, who had hidden in another room, reyed the words she had heard... It was Jack who had harmed Yvonne!


    She subconsciously tightened her fists and soon concocted a n to avenge Yvonne. Just as she was ready to leave, a strange sound rang out behind her.


    She turned her head and had barely seen anything when an object smashed against her head. The next moment, a raging pain spread across her forehead, and she descended into unconsciousness.


    At some point, she awoke and felt a strong headache. When she touched her forehead, it felt like her wound had been bandaged.


    The room was pitch-ck, but she could tell her wound was wrapped with a dress shirt. "Who treated me? And who knocked me unconscious? And Jack..." Thoughts ran across her head.


    All Rose wanted to do at that moment was look for Jack. As soon as she moved, she heard a sound within the dark room, but that was it.


    Following the source of the sound, she turned on the torchlight from her phone and slowly made her way in that direction. Under the faint light, she entered a room but found nothing peculiar. "Stay away." A male voice, tinged with fear, suddenly echoed.


    Rose halted her steps and found the voice familiar. When she matched the voice to a person in her mind, she instinctively shook her head in denial. How could it be him?


    She wanted to confirm that this fearful voice belonged to someone other than the person she thought of. Instantly, she switched on the room light and was stunned to see the space turn red.


    After regaining herposure, she


    realized this was a darkroom, a space for developing films. In the corner of the room, a person curled up and hugged his head, obscuring his entire face. en


    When Rose took a step forward, the voice sounded more terrified. "Stay away! Just... stay where you are!"


    His curled-up body was visibly shaking, and she finally confirmed his identity upon hearing his words.


    "Ezra, what..." she spoke amidst her fear-filled heart.


    He had always been charming and dazzling whether on TV or in person. Yet, at that moment, he seemed disheveled and unlike himself. He even tensed up his body after hearing his name. "What happened to you?" Rose asked, tentatively moving forward.


    Noticing her movements, Ezra frantically screamed, "Stay away! You''re awake... so just go! Now!"


    His voice seemed to carry a sense of restraint, and he even avoided looking at her. He held his head tightly with his elbows pressed firmly against his face, blocking it from view.


    At that, Rose frowned. With his condition, how could she leave him to his own devices? The two were acquainted in both Aquastead and Regalia.


    Although they weren''t close, she knew he was a kind person. How could she leave him to be when he was at his worst? She couldn''t do it.


    Refusing to leave, she stared at Ezra in the corner and softened her tone. "Are you feeling sick anywhere?"


    "No!" It was obvious that he was lying through gritted teeth.


    "If you need any help, you can tell me. I can-" Rose acted cautiously for fear of overstimting him and remained in her ce. Before she could finish, however, Ezra cut her off.


    "I don''t need your help, Rose. Please, just go. Or else..." He didn''t say more, but it was undeniable that he was holding himself back through gritted teeth.


    The red lights shone onto his body. It wasn''t until Rose identally knocked over something that she noticed photographs hanging in the darkroom.


    In the photos were the same


    woman. She looked gentle and serene, and her side profile and


    silhouette were equally stunnin


    Just by looking at them, Rose could feel the affection of the person who had captured these photos.


    Who was the woman, and who photographed her?


    Lifting her hand, Rose examined the person in the photos. Amid her distraction, ¨¨zra suddenly unveiled his head upon noticing her action, and as if taken over by a monster, his gaze disyed hints of craze.


    That gaze awakened Rose. She quickly looked at him and felt her heart drop. A wave of danger and warning engulfed her body, and her mind told her, "Danger!" "Hey, Ezra..." Rose stood in ce.


    The originally curled-up man had seemingly transformed into a monster and lunged at her. Despite taking a step back, it was toote.


    With a ruthless gaze, Ezra choked her as if wanting to tear her apart.


    "Ezra, wake up! Let me go!" The asphyxiation and pain in her neck put Rose into terror. The man before her was no longer the Ezra she knew.

 Chapter 443 How Much He Loved Rose

    The pressure on her neck increased, and the gaze before her was filled with hatred. There was no conflict between Rose and Ezra, so why would there be any resentment? She deduced that he had mistaken her for someone else. "Ezra, look at me. It''s me, Rose..." She squeezed out her words amid the chokehold.


    Ezra visibly froze when he heard her name. The person before him was Rose, but the headache caused him to jolt his head. When he reopened his eyes, he saw the person he resented again.


    "Give her back to me!" he yelled, resuming the force on her neck. His eyes even showed signs of murderous intent as he repeatedly mumbled, "You''re a vicious woman. Give her back to me! Now!" Vicious woman? Give her back to him? Rose became more confused at this point.


    The air was thinning in her lungs, and she exerted great strength to pry open the fingers on her neck. However, she had underestimated his power.


    Soon, the inevitable suffocation led her to unconsciousness. Amidst her weakness, she called out his name. "Jon... nathan..."


    ...


    Almost all of the paintings in the exhibition had sold out. In the gallery, Cyrus'' birthday banquet officiallymenced.


    When Jonathan arrived, he saw Cyrus encircled by a group of guests in the center of the exhibition. Beside him was Lizzie, who was locking arms with him. Although the gap in their ages was very wide, they lookedpatible nevertheless. "Mr. Finch, you''re so lucky to have a wife like her. I heard Mrs. Finch has put a lot of effort into organizing this art exhibition."


    "That''s right. You guys are the epitome of love."


    Cyrus smiled in response, while Lizzie looked like a beloved wife beside him.


    ncing at the "couple" among the crowd, Jonathan quickly withdrew his cold gaze as he focused on something more important.


    "Mr. Jonathan..." an unknowing person called out in shock.


    Allegedly, Jonathan and Cyrus shared a poor father-and-son rtionship. Back when Cyrus managed Finch Group, Jonathan had never shown up for his father''s birthdays.


    Despite stepping down, many still attended his birthday banquet this year. To their surprise, they got to see Jonathan!


    "Mr. Jonathan, what a pleasure to see you here. I''m..."


    "Mr. Jonathan, I''m sure you don''t remember me, but we met..."


    "Mr. Jonathan..."


    Everybody rushed to meet the new ruler of Finch Group, who was rarely essible, hoping to get a chance to introduce themselves.


    All of a sudden, the original focus in the gallery, Cyrus, shifted to Jonathan. Just like the power of the Finch family, the Finch Group had long been under Jonathan''s control.


    Standing some distance away, Yosef nced at the encircled Jonathan and gritted his teeth. He was supposed to take over thepany, but this young man had snatched his chance.


    For most of his life, he had always been just the second choice. The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he was.


    He turned to his brother and


    bis


    sarcastically asked, "Hey, Cyrus. Your son sure is enjoying the


    limelight. I''m surprised he decided to show up for your birthday this year. Why didn''t I know that you two have made up?"


    Regardless of whether it was in private or public, everyone knew the father and son were not close. They had never made up either.


    Cyrus smiled faintly and looked toward his son among the mob, his gaze undecipherable. On his side, Lizzie''s gazended on Jonathan as well.


    "Cyrus, Jon must be here because of your birthday. I knew he always cared. What issue can there be between a father and son?"


    Her gentle smile and soft tone could convince anyone to believe she was the loving, amicable Mrs. Finch. Yet, only she knew why Jonathan was here today.


    As expected, Rose held an important ce in Jonathan''s heart. But that didn''t matter because she had fallen into Lizzie''s trap.


    Thetter initially thought she would have to put more effort into luring her into the room. To her surprise, Rose entered the room after attempting to hide from Yara! Everything fell into ce just as Lizzie wished. By then, it was a matter of whether she came out alive from Ezra''s ws.


    A dilemma awaited Jonathan. One was his younger brother, while the other was supposedly the love of his life. Lizzie couldn''t wait to see how much he loved her. She secretly scoffed and tugged Cyrus'' arm, advising gently, "Cyrus, since Jon is here, why don''t we approach him? Come on, let''s go."


    She almost looked like she sincerely wanted the father and son to mend their broken bond, as if that was her n the whole time. Naturally, Cyrus caressed her hand and dly


    followed her to the crowd.


    As the mob grew, Jonathan had had enough. "Get out of my way!" he piped up among the eager introductions.


    Everyone was startled. Simrly, Cyrus and Lizzie halted in their steps. Looking at Jonathan''s darkened expression, the crowd finally realized they had pushed him to his limit.


    The crowd gradually sensed eye contact between Cyrus and Jonathan and realized they were in the duo''s way. As such, they swiftly cleared a path.


    Without any hesitation, Jonathan strode forward, his speed stunning Cyrus. He had never seen such an enthusiastic expression on his son in a long time. As Jonathan came closer, Cyrus'' smile widened. "Jo..." Cyrus had just uttered a syble when Jonathan brushed past him. The unfinished name and smile froze on his face.


    Jonathan''s steps quickened, and he headed toward a random hallway. He grabbed hold of Miles, who had just arrived, and asked anxiously, "Where''s Rose?" He nced around and didn''t see her.


    The downcast Miles looked up and finally say Jonathan. He instantly grabbed Jonathan''s hand and said, "Rosie is gone. I searched the entire gallery and couldn''t find her. She''s not picking up her calls..."


    "You''ve searched every corner of this gallery?" Jonathan''s worry increased. He looked back and scanned the crowd.


    Knowing that Rose hade here to uncover Yvonne''s perpetrator, he confirmed that Yosef and Jack were in his sight. Still, he couldn''t rx his anxious heart.


    Miles suddenly thought of something. "No. There''s still a spot..."

 Chapter 444 Please Help Him

    "The third floor!"


    The hallway to the third floor of the gallery was locked. Miles had asked the staff about it but was told that was where Cyrus stored his important items. As such, it was not open to the public year-round. They had also assured him nobody was on the third floor. Without a second thought, Jonathan dashed toward that floor.


    All the hallways on the third floor were equipped with high-tech digital locks. Since this gallery belonged to Cyrus, Jonathan nced at Leonard, who was following behind, and tacitlymunicated what he needed. Immediately, Leonard fished out his phone and dialed a number.


    Downstairs, everybody remained stunned in ce. When a phone rang, the crowd simultaneously looked toward Cyrus, who wore a gloomy expression.


    When he looked at his phone, he furrowed his brows. The ringtone continued echoing throughout the gallery, creating an eerie atmosphere. After some time, he finally answered the call.


    On the other side of the call, a cold voice sounded. "Give me the password!" Jonathan was referring to the password to ess the third floor.


    Despite being in the same building, the father and son would onlymunicate through phone calls. Without receiving an answer, Jonathan piped up again.


    "If you wish to stay in Regalia, give me the password now!" He had millions of ways to banish his father from the city.


    Cyrus narrowed his eyes. Suddenly, he smiled. "All for a woman?"


    He couldn''t believe his son would threaten him over a woman. Was it Rose? He vaguely heard her name earlier and thought it sounded familiar, but...


    "She''s not up there!" Why would this woman he was looking for be on the floor locked all year round?


    Jonathan locked eyes with Miles and came to a tacit agreement. No matter what, they needed to find out themselves!


    "Give me the password!" Jonathan raised his voice as if issuing his final ultimatum.


    The atmosphere on both floors remained eerily quiet. For almost a minute, the two didn''t respond to each other.


    Lizzie, who was standing beside Cyrus, could vaguely hear their conversation. "Reluctant" to watch them at a stalemate and affect their rtionship, she quickly intervened to help.


    "Let''s just unlock the third floor if that''s what Jon wants." Sensing hisck of movement, she added, "You don''t have to go. I''ll do it." That was another way of saying he could unlock the floor without conceding to Jonathan.


    All these years, Lizzie had always been the mediator between the two whenever things like this happened.


    Looking at her back, Cyrus could feel his heart soften. His son had always harbored animosity toward her. Afraid that Jonathan wouldsh out at her, he quickly followed suit.


    On the third floor, Jonathan spared Lizzie a cold nce before averting his gaze. Despite facing his hostility, she was immune to it and even wore a smile. "Let me do it, Jon."


    She was just about to step forward when Cyrus shielded her. "Stay there. I''ll do it." He was extremely gentle toward his wife.


    After ncing at Jonathan, Cyrus walked to the door and scanned his fingerprint. The moment the door unlocked, Jonathan and Miles dashed through the hallways. Though they were clearly anxious, Cyrus also became curious about Rose. "Cyrus, I don''t think this is a good idea. The stuff up there..." Lizzie discarded herposure from earlier and suddenly disyed hints of worry. Cyrus naturally understood her intent.


    "It''s my fault. If they get to that room and see..." She trailed off as Cyrus had already gone to the third floor without her.


    A cold glint shed in her eyes. Looking at his frantic shadow, she knew he hadn''t forgotten about an important detail.


    Not only did the third floor store important paintings, but it also consisted of a sealed room that had been left untouched for a long time. Not wanting to miss anything, she rushed behind Cyrus.


    The third floor consisted of many rooms, thanks to therge gallery. Jonathan, Miles, and Leonard searched the rooms while screaming Rose''s name. However, it was futile.


    Meanwhile, Cyrus and Lizzie stood at a spot in one of the hallways. When the trio arrived, Cyrus blocked their paths.


    ncing at his father, Jonathan realized the rooms behind Cyrus were the only ones left unsearched. His worry intensified, and he wanted to find Rose immediately.


    Ignoring Cyrus, Jonathan marched forward but was soon halted by his father. The duo locked eyes, then came Cyrus'' firm tone.


    "Any rooms but these!"


    Jonathan couldn''t care less about the reason. All he wanted was to confirm Rose''s presence. "Scram!"


    The two reached a stalemate again, and the air was particrly eerie.


    "Jon, there''s no way Ms. Shaffer is in there. Listen to your dad..." Lizzie wanted to advise him but stopped when Jonathan''s harsh gaze swept over her. His already enraged state made him ignore their resistance and shove Cyrus away.


    The stumbling Cyrus turned furious. "Stand right there, Jonathan!"


    Jonathan paid no heed to him and continued searching each room. As he was about to arrive at thest room, Cyrus rushed forward


    swnl


    attempting to stop him but was toote. Jonathan had opened the door.


    The room was pitch-ck with a slither of red light bleeding through. Cyrus could feel his heart drop.


    Unbeknownst to the rest, Lizzie curled her lips into a sinister smile.


    "Is Rose dead? Has Mad Ezra gotten to her?" she wondered.


    Despite being eager to know the oue, she had to put on a show. "Why are the lights on?" she eximed with feigned surprise.


    Perhaps someone was inside since the lights were on! Her words instantly pulled everyone''s attention back.


    "Rose."


    "Rosie."


    Two voices rang out in unison, and they barged into the red-lit darkroom. Their hearts clenched in suspense as a sense of foreboding enveloped them. Leonard followed behind them and turned on the main lights.


    Inside the red-lit darkroom, Rose turned around and saw the iing men as her life saviors. After struggling to get up, she lunged at the two and grabbed them tightly. "Jon, save him. Miles, please save him..."

 Chapter 445 No Scars Are Allowed

    Save him? Who else was in the room besides Rose? Jonathan and Miles had no time to pay attention to anything else in the secret room. They helped Rose up and immediately checked on her. Seeing her clothes slightly disheveled and a bloodstain on her forehead, Jonathan''s heart skipped a beat.


    "What did he do to you?" Miles asked, gritting his teeth and holding his breath. He was afraid to hear the answer.


    What had Ezra done to her? Rose recalled the earlier moments. She had thought she was going to die, but Ezra suddenly released her, and... Rose dared not dy any longer. "Quick, save him. Ezra... Ezra... he..."


    The memory was too painful for her to recall. She quickly turned her head to look at the man lying in the corner.


    Jonathan and Miles looked over, following her gaze. Under the red light, the many with his eyes closed, and his face...


    Ezra... Something seemed to hit Jonathan inside.


    How could it be Ezra? He instinctively resisted the idea of Ezra being involved in this matter. He didn''t want either Rose or Ezra to be hurt.


    At this moment, Ezra''s condition...


    Jonathan''s gaze shifted down and noticed a patch of blood on the floor under the red light. His mind buzzed. The scene ovepped with a memory from the past.


    "Ezra!" Jonathan didn''t hesitate to rush forward to grab Ezra''s wrist. The wound was bandaged, and blood was no longer flowing out.


    "Leonard, call an ambnce and have the doctors on standby!" There was panic in Jonathan''s voice. He quickly picked up Ezra and rushed out the door. Rose felt slightly relieved as she watched Jonathan run into the distance. "The Finch Group has a professional medical team. Ezra will be okay, right?" She seemed to understand something. She recalled Jonathan''s reaction upon seeing Ezra and Ezra''s incoherent words after letting go of her neck.


    "He''ll be fine." Miles held Rose''s shoulders and looked at her with deep concern.


    Although she herself was hurt...


    "I''ll take you to the hospital. No scars are allowed on my dearest sister."


    Miles didn''t ask how she got the wound on her forehead. He carefully brushed away the hair stuck to her wound. His gentle voice was as soothing as a spring breeze. Rose''s tension eased. Miles led Rose out of the room, leaving only Cyrus and Lizzie with somber faces. Lizzie hadn''t expected Ezra to only have a forehead injury. And Ezra''s wrist...


    Lizzie''s mind shed back to a scene from over ten years ago. She instinctively clenched her fists.


    She knew how irrational and aggressive Ezra could be when he was ill. How could he only injure Rose on the forehead while he himself was so badly hurt?


    A wound on his wrist... Lizzie''s face darkened, and she was lost in thought. She didn''t notice that Cyrus had entered the secret room. It wasn''t until she heard his voice that she realized. "Nancy..."


    Lizzie''s body tensed. She hurried to the door of the secret room and saw Cyrus crouching on the ground, holding a stack of photos he had just picked up. He was staring at one of them, lost in thought. Instinctively, she reached out to snatch the photo from his hand. But at the crucial moment, she stopped herself.


    Lizzie forced a smile. "How did this happen? The photos are scattered everywhere. Don''t worry, Cyrus. I''ll clean it up."


    Cyrus had left the secret room untouched for years since the house fire. After a renovation, Nancy''s photos were thest items to remember her by.


    Lizzie knew how much these photos


    meant to Cyrus. Even though she had gradually won his heart over the years, she never dared to destroy them She feared that she might not be able to exin herself if Cyrus asked about them.


    But today''s destruction of the photos wasn''t her doing!


    A gloating look shed in Lizzie''s eyes. She squatted down to clean up the mess. Before she could touch the photos, Cyrus grabbed the one she was reaching for. "Don''t touch!" His tone was harsh. But upon realizing something, he softened his voice and said, "I''ll do it myself. You can leave first."


    Lizzie''s body stiffened, but she put on apliant smile. "Okay. I''ll be waiting outside. Call me if you need anything."


    As she stepped out of the secret room, the smile on her face vanished and was reced by a cold, fierce look.


    She hadn''t expected the secret room to still remain off-limits to others. Cyrus still hadn''t moved on from Nancy Logans!


    Lizzie nced back at Cyrus carefully sorting through the photos and silently gritted her teeth.


    Damn it! None of today''s schemes had gone as nned, and now she had to deal with the aftermath. But what she needed to do next... Lizzie turned and left the room with a chilling look in her eyes.


    ...


    Miles took Rose out to the exhibition hall, where an ambnce was already waiting.


    Leonard saw them and approached. "Mrs. Fi..."


    He had almost blurted out the words "Mrs. Finch", but he noticed her slight frown showing her resistance toward the title. He immediately corrected himself.


    "Ms. Shaffer, Mr. Finch has left ahead. He''s very concerned about your injury and wants me to take you to the hospital."


    He was referring to the hospital under the Finch Group.


    "No-"


    The Youngs had their own hospital, so there was no need for the trouble. But halfway through Miles'' rejection, Rose interrupted him.


    "Miles, let me visit Ezra." Rose sought Miles'' approval.


    "Okay."


    The two then got into the ambnce.


    At the hospital, Jonathan had arranged for doctors to be on standby. As soon as Rose arrived, she underwent an examination. Leonard promptly reported the results to Jonathan.


    Ezra was lying on a hospital bed.


    "Mr. Finch, the patient has a deep wound, but fortunately it''s well dealt with, so he didn''t lose too much blood. Hisa is due to his mental condition."


    The director, Noel Collins, personally handled the case. He was the only one in the hospital who knew Ezra''s identity and true condition. It used to be worse than it was now. "He hurt himself again!"


    Jonathan stood by the bed, staring


    at Ezra''s face. The sight of him lying there ovepped with memories and brought forth even more memories that shed through his mind. Even Jonathan felt a tinge of fear.


    "Uncle Collins, he seems to have recovered after all these years, so how could this happen again?" Jonathan looked at Noel, seeking an exnation.

 Chapter 446 She Hasnt Left

    Noel stared at Ezra and couldn''t help but sigh.


    "Back then, all indicators showed he was fine. There have been no abnormalities over the years. It shouldn''t have rpsed that easily, unless..."


    "Unless what?" Jonathan seemed to have his answer.


    "Unless there was a trigger."


    Noel''s answer matched what Jonathan had in mind. A trigger.


    His gaze fell on Ezra''s uninjured hand, which was tightly gripping something. He and the doctors had tried to pry open Ezra''s hand but failed. Could it be rted to the trigger?


    "I understand. I''m leaving Ezra to you." Jonathan knew what Ezra''s condition would be like after his rpse.


    They had walked out of it together once, and he was certain that they could do it again. Noel left the room after giving a few more instructions.


    After having confirmed Ezra''s condition, Jonathan hurried to find Rose. He followed the information Leonard provided and arrived at Rose''s ward just to see her push open the door to Ezra''s room. Miles had gone to inquire about Ezra''s condition and left Rose alone to approach the bed.


    The events in the secret room were still fresh in her memory, but Rose firmly believed that the Ezra who had strangled her was not the real Ezra.


    She seemed to have called out Jonathan''s name in the daze brought by suffocation.


    "Ezra, you let me go because you heard his name, right? He must be really important to you," Rose muttered.


    The man lying motionless on the bed suddenly moved his uninjured hand. Rose noticed he was holding onto something. She curiously reached out to check and pull out a photo.


    She remembered the photos in the secret room and naturally assumed this was something Ezra had brought out from there.


    In the secret room, she had seen the beautiful woman in the photo, but she didn''t know her identity.


    She did, however, have a rough idea. Rose was about to examine the photo closely when footsteps approached. She instinctively clutched the photo in her hand.


    Before she could turn around, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her from behind.


    "I''m sorry." The familiar voice dismissed Rose''s thoughts of resisting.


    Jonathan had gone to her ward and thought she had left. "It''s a good thing that you haven''t left."


    The word "left" stirred something in Rose''s heart. She would eventually have to leave.


    Rose took a deep breath as Jonathan turned her around. Seeing the wound on her forehead, he felt even more guilty. "I''m sorry. He didn''t mean to hurt you. He..."


    Despite handling everything with a clear mind, Jonathan now found himself at a loss for words. Rose was hurt no matter what he had to say.


    All he could do was repeatedly apologize. "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry."


    His self-reproach moved Rose. She knew Ezra was not in a great condition when seeing Jonathan''s bloodshot eyes. Although she could guess their rtionship, she still needed confirmation. "You and Ezra-"


    Before Rose could finish, Jonathan frankly answered, "He''s my brother. My biological brother."


    Such directness surprised Rose. She hadn''t expected Ezra to be the fourth grandson of the Finches.


    Theyer of Ezra''s identity involving the Finches waspletely unknown to the public despite him being in the entertainment industry. It showed how well the Finches had kept it a secret.


    Jonathan didn''t intend to hide anything from her either.


    "My mother discovered Cyrus had fallen in love with someone else when she gave birth to Ezra. She delivered the baby alone in Aquastead and couldn''t forgive his betrayal.


    "After giving birth to Ezra, she cut off contact with the Finches for several years."


    Jonathan began recounting the past, telling Rose about what he had never shared with anyone else.


    "Ezra was very young when I first met him. My mother returned to finalize the divorce with Cyrus, who still clung to her and refused to let go despite his betrayal." Jonathan remembered the timid look in Ezra''s eyes when he first saw him.


    "With the powerful Finches backing him up, he selfishly trapped my mother in a withering marriage. She too began to wither with Ezra being the one most affected." Jonathan looked at theatose Ezra. The monitoring equipment emitted a steady beeping sound.


    Right now, Ezra was dreaming. In his dream, he was reliving the first time he returned to the Finch Manor and met Jonathan.


    He had always heard his mother, Nancy, speak of Jonathan. She missed him dearly.


    Whenever he woke up from nightmares in the middle of the night and rushed to Nancy''s room, he would often see her crying over a photo of Jonathan.


    He saw a photo of Jonathan, and Nancy said they looked alike. He had always wanted to meet Jonathan, but when he did, he found Jonathan seemed to dislike him. In spring, the flowers in the garden of the Finch Manor blossomed.


    He handed Jonathan a handkerchief when he saw blood at the corner of Jonathan''s mouth and asked, "Jonathan, why did you fight? Mom said children shouldn''t fight." He was too young to understand the self-mockery and sorrow in Jonathan''s eyes. Jonathan said nothing and just knocked the handkerchief from his hand. Later, he learned that after Nancy left the Finch family, Jonathan spent a difficult time with the Finches. There was no one to protect him in the Finch family.


    That day, Nancy had a big fight with Cyrus, the man he was supposed to call "Dad", and was locked up. His father''s friend, Lizzie, had "kindly" offered to look after him. When she took his hand, Jonathan appeared out of nowhere to push Lizzie away and drag him off amid reprimands from Cyrus.


    That was the first time Jonathan held his hand. Jonathan''s hands were big were fresh scars from the fight still on his face.


    Jonathan led him along the road outside the manor and suddenly stopped to say, "Don''t get close to the Finches, including those around them."


    That was the first time Jonathan spoke to him. He was overjoyed but...


    "Does that include you? You''re part of the Finch family, and so am I," Ezra asked, looking curiously at Jonathan.


    In the night, he saw Jonathan frown in displeasure. The Finch family was huge, but Jonathan seemed to dislike it and their identities as Finches.


    Jonathan shot him an impatient look and shook his hand off to continue walking. He panicked when Jonathan let go. As he ran to catch up, the distance between them grew.


    Just when he was losing his


    strength and thought he would be left behind, Jonathan stopped to tie his shoces. He took the


    opportunity to run harder and finally reach Jonathan while he finished tying his shoces.


    "Jonathan..."

 Chapter 447 He Actually Trusts Her

    Ezra panted heavily and grasped Jonathan''s hand in joy. This time, he was determined not to let go.


    As they walked through the night, he noticed Jonathan seemed getting tired. Jonathan''s steps slowed significantly, so he could easily follow. They ran into the Young siblings not long after. From that day on, he always followed Jonathan around. Although Jonathan remained aloof, rarely spoke, and never smiled, he could sense Jonathan''s protection and love for him.


    He heeded Jonathan''s advice and avoided the Finches. But when Lizzie offered him the chance to visit Nancy, he went with her. He missed Nancy dearly.


    He could sense Jonathan''s worry for Nancy from the fact that Jonathan often called out "Mom" in his sleep. It suggested that Jonathan was probably dreaming of her.


    Ezra told Jonathan that Nancy had often cried over his photo after leaving the Finch family, and Jonathan would always respond with a scornful smile, not believing his words.


    He wanted to tell Nancy that Jonathan missed her too. He wished Nancy could express her love for Jonathan directly, but she never got the chance.


    As he rushed to see Nancy for thest time, he saw her lying in a pool of blood with a long gash on her wrist and blood continuously flowing from it.


    He stood frozen as if his soul had left him. He had heard Nancy call him "Ezzy" in a voice filled with remorse.


    "Ezzy... Ezzy..." Her voice grew fainter until it faded away and left only the smell of blood in the air. The air came to an eerie still.


    He called out "Mom" but was responded with a thunderp. His mind buzzed, and he knew nothing about what happened next.


    When he woke up, he was in the Finch Manor. They told him Nancy was dead and Jonathan had carried him back to the Finch Manor in the rain. From that day onward, he didn''t see Jonathan for a long time. Every night, he dreamed of Nancy in a pool of blood, calling out "Ezzy" several times over.


    Rumors of Ezra being driven mad by the shock went around the helpers of the Finch Manor. They spected that the prestige of the Finch family in Regalia would soon be tarnished by his madness. They said Cyrus decided he would no longer bear thest name Finch and would be known as a Turner from then on.


    They said many things, but he gradually learned to block out their voices. They locked him in a room and brought him meals and strange pills three times a day.


    One day, Jonathan started visiting him. The previously silent and unsmiling Jonathan began to smile and talk to him.


    He couldn''t hear what Jonathan was saying, but he had read his lips that seemed to mouth the words, "You have me!"


    But Nancy was dead! Ezra hadn''t told Nancy that Jonathan missed her and got her to tell Jonathan that she loved him too.


    Each time, he lowered his head and refused to listen. The look in Jonathan''s eyes turned from heartache to helplessness.


    He noticed Jonathan had new injuries every time he visited. He wanted to ask Jonathan how he got them, but he found that he couldn''t speak.


    That life continued until he found a sharp de in his food one day.


    That night, it rained again. Thunder boomed and frightened him into a corner, where he saw Nancy in the blood again, weakly calling out, "Ezzy".


    Ezra missed her and wanted to go to her. He took the de out and grazed his hand, but he felt no pain as the blood oozed.


    His consciousness started fading away. He thought he would see Nancy soon, but when he woke up, he saw Jonathan instead.


    From then on, Jonathan no longer stayed at the Finch Manor. He stayed in a hospital instead, never leaving Ezra''s side.


    He heard from Harriette that Jonathan was assigned to Azure n for ten days of training. They made a promise that he could get to see Jonathan face ten skilled fighters and defeat them. Harriette felt that Jonathan could never seed because he was wasting time on visiting Ezra instead.


    Ezra was told that after Nancy left, Jonathan would check on him every night but he had been too sick to remember.


    He was informed that Jonathan had excellently defeated all ten fighters and immediately left to check on him, only to see him nearly dying.


    The night Jonathan and Nancy had


    left, the Youngs had sent Ezra to the hospital in the heavy rain. Ezra had to thank Miles for donating blood while he had been suffering from severe blood loss. FindNovel


    Ezra was told that Jonathan had fought Cyrus for his sake.


    While Harriette was saying all that, she had a disdainful look in her eyes as if Ezra wasn''t worth Jonathan''s efforts. Yet, whenever Jonathan was around, she seemed especially caring instead.


    He stayed in the hospital for a long


    time. After getting discharged, he wasn''t sent back to the Finch Manor. Instead, Jonathan took care of him by renting a ce and cooking meals for him every day.


    Though he still missed Nancy, he felt reassured seeing Jonathan''s face.


    Eventually, a doctor began visiting daily, talking and ying games to help him forget many things. Though he forgot fragments of his memory, blurry images sometimes lingered in his mind, elusive and unclear.


    Dreams shed as buried memories resurfaced and pieced together.


    On the rooftop of the hospital, city lights illuminated the night. The wind blew Rose''s hair as she stood by the railing.


    Jonathan''s voice continued after a pause, "I suspect Lizzie took Ezra there on purpose. When I confronted Cyrus, I found Lizzie crying beside him.


    "She imed Nancy asked her to bring Ezra out of longing for him, and she couldn''t bear to reject Nancy''s pitiful request.


    "She regretted not recognizing Nancy''s intentions to take her own life earlier, and Cyrus trusted her! He actually trusted her words!"

 Chapter 448 Playing Dumb

    Jonathan''s tone wasced with sarcasm. Rose felt his anger and helplessness, but she was unsure how tofort him. She reached out and grasped his hand, the warmth in her palms seemingly injectingfort into his cold heart. Jonathan turned to look at Rose, almost instinctively gripping her hand tighter. He silently recited the oath he had long made. As for the past...


    He withdrew his gaze. The warmth of Rose''s palm eased the bitterness in his voice when he spoke of the past.


    "After Ezra injured himself with a de, I found that the de came from a helper in the Finch Manor. When I interrogated him, he mmed up. I''m still suspecting Lizzie..."


    Lizzie... Rose was reminded of the seemingly gentle and kind woman.


    "Is she the woman Mr. Finch fell in love with when Nancy had Ezra?"


    When Jonathan spoke of the past, Rose noticed he would try to avoid addressing Cyrus. She knew the enmity between them and avoided referring to Cyrus by his name.


    To her surprise, Jonathan answered, "No."


    If it wasn''t Lizzie, who was it?


    Just as Rose was puzzled, Jonathan continued, "The woman is long gone. Grandma drove her away with a sum of money, and she vanished in Regalia. But even so, there will always be a second woman when Cyrus no longer loves her. "Cyrus was never a faithful man and Lizzie..." Jonathan sneered. "She was once my tutor. She was a university student, and Grandma thought she was gentle and sensible.


    "To her, Lizzie knew her ce and excelled in her studies, so she was allowed to continue teaching me.


    "But we didn''t know that soon after she entered the Finch Manor, her thoughts were on Cyrus.


    "She hid it well until she managed to hook up with Cyrus. Everyone else was unaware of their rtionship. Later..."


    Jonathan refused to recall the sordid details between the couple, but Rose understood that Lizzie eventually became Cyrus'' second wife. The couple lived harmoniously and lovingly as the world saw them.


    Looking at Jonathan, Rose realized that she had thought losing Celeste and not receiving Jamie''s love was tragic enough, but Jonathan seemed to have gone through a lot more than she did.


    "It''s all in the past. Ezra..." Rose remembered the scene in the secret room. "He seemed like a different person. He strangled my neck..."


    When Rose said this, Jonathan tightened his grip on her hand. There was instant panic in his eyes as he was overwhelmed with self-me. "I''m sorry, I-"


    "There''s no need to apologize. You saved me," Rose interrupted him. "While I was losing consciousness, I seemed to have called your name, and Ezra loosened his grip. I think he regained some sanity after hearing your name, butter..." Rose''s voice trembled as she recalled the scene. "Later, he hurt himself, but I couldn''t stop him in time."


    Rose was equally filled with guilt. Jonathan couldn''t me her. Instead, he was feeling even more pain because he knew how aggressive Ezra could be when he had an episode.


    "I''m so thankful, so thankful..." Jonathan suddenly hugged Rose.


    The sudden action caught Rose off guard. Rationally, she knew she couldn''t let either of them get too attached and that she should push him away. But a voice in her heart told her not to push him away at this moment.


    The gentle breeze blew. Rose didn''t realize she had raised her arms and hugged him back. It was until Jonathan''s phone rang.


    The phone rang for a long time, but Jonathan didn''t pick up the call. He refused to let Rose go until she struggled out of his embrace.


    "Answer it. It might be urgent."


    Jonathan looked at Rose with burning eyes until she turned around. He then picked up the phone.


    The call was from Leonard. As soon as the call came through, Leonard''s voice rang in his ear. "Mr. Finch, Mr. Cyrus is asking for you at the Finch Manor." Cyrus?


    "Okay!" Jonathan answered without hesitation, surprising Leonard.


    Jonathan and Cyrus were at odds. Though they were father and som they were like sworn enemies. Jonathan had fought for the position of ruler of the Finch Group with Cyrus. en FindNovel


    Leonard thought Jonathan wouldn''t obey Cyrus'' instructions.


    Just as Jonathan was about to hang up, a thought shed in Leonard''s mind. He hurriedly added, "He''s also asking for Mrs. Finch." "What?" Jonathan couldn''t believe his ears.


    Leonard exined, "ording to Mr. Cyrus, Mrs. Finch shoulde over to the Finch Manor since she''s fine. She was present today, so..." "I''ll being to the Finch Manor, but she won''t." Jonathan turned down the invitation without hesitation.


    Rose overheard Jonathan''s words. She was smart enough to guess he meant she couldn''t go. Did Cyrus want her to go to the Finch Manor? While she was lost in thoughts, Jonathan''s arms wrapped around her from behind. His voice sounded gentle in his ear.


    "I''ll have to leave for a while, and I''ll


    be back by dawn. Stay in the hospital No..." A thought seemed to cross his mind as he changed his words. "I''ll have Miles take you to the Youngs'' hospital instead."


    Rose understood his concerns. Cyrus could interfere if she stayed in the hospital under the Finch Group.


    She wondered what Jonathan would face at the Finch Manor. She stepped out of his embrace and turned to meet his gaze. "Are you going to the Finch Manor?"


    "Yes."


    "Is he asking for me too?"


    Jonathan cut her off by saying, "You don''t have toe."


    "But I want to."


    Jonathan was slightly stunned. He saw the worry in her eyes and figured she was worried about him facing Cyrus and Lizzie alone.


    A warm feeling surged in his heart, and his happiness made him forget everything else. "Okay."


    Rose finally wanted to stand by his


    side and face the challenges with


    him, but all he wanted to do was


    protect her. Jonathan held her hand and myttered something before


    leaving the rooftop, but Rose


    couldn''t catch it.


    "What?" Rose asked, but Jonathan just smiled with his face full of contentment.


    The satisfied smile made Rose''s heart tremble. She dared not ask further, but Jonathan''s grip on her hand tightened.


    It was as if the more she was avoiding him, the more he wanted to open her heart so she could see her feelings clearly.


    "You called my name." His voice was light with a hint of triumph.


    Calling his name meant she had him in her heart! Rose was instantly blushing. She knew it!


    She took a deep breath and gave him a serious look. "Yes, I also called everyone else''s name, including Miles, Celeste, and anyone I could think of." She could y dumb better than anyone else.

 Chapter 449 Waiting for Him

    The smile on Jonathan''s face visibly stiffened. As they descended the stairs, they ran into Miles leaning against the wall, seemingly waiting. With just a look into his eyes, Jonathan realized Miles had known that both of them were on the rooftop and had not interrupted them. "Miles, I''m going to the Finch Manor with him."


    When Rose informed Miles about where they would be heading, Jonathan had expected Miles to object. However, Miles handed Rose a woman''s coat instead. "It''s chilly at night. Wear this."


    "Thanks, Miles."


    Even after they got into the car, Jonathan kept reying the scene in his mind. He had a vague feeling that something had changed between Rose and Miles.


    He remembered that Miles had always harbored romantic feelings for Rose, but the look in Miles'' eyes seemed genuinely like the love of an older brother instead.


    Cyrus'' birthday was ongoing at the Finch Manor, but this day held no particr significance for Eleanor. The annual birthday banquet was just an opportunity for the Finches to interact with other prominent families in Regalia.


    The old Eleanor had no interest in these social events and refused to attend the art exhibition. She was supposed to go to bed early, but Jonathan hurrying Ezra to the hospital couldn''t escape her notice.


    She was informed by a phone call and summoned back to the Finch Manor. Both the art exhibition and birthday banquet were abruptly ended due to the sudden incident.


    At this moment, the Finch Manor seemed to have fallen into deep sleep. The entire scene was eerily quiet and serene. Each family member was in their own room, but none of them could sleep except for Eleanor. They listened attentively for any sounds outside as if not wanting to miss out on any incident that could take ce. Finally, the sound of a car engine startled them and woke the entire family. "He''s here!"


    Be ran eagerly to the window to draw the drapes. From her angle, she could see Jonathan''s car parked outside the manor.


    There was a sh of excitement in her eyes. "He''s here! Jonathan''s back!"


    Sitting on the couch, Yosef put out his cigarette. He was expecting a good show since Jonathan was here but...


    "Something''s really strange. What might have happened on the third floor?"


    They only knew that Jonathan took Ezra to the hospital. When Cyrus and Lizzie were asked about it, the couple remained silent about what had happened on the third floor.


    But his informants at the hospital reported that Rose, the adopted daughter of the Youngs, was injured. And as for Ezra...


    He was informed that Noel, the director of the hospital, had attended to Ezra himself. Noel was one of Jonathan''s men and had been the one to treat Ezra that fateful night years ago. No one apart from Noel knew Ezra''s true condition.


    "Could it be the same as before? Ezra..." Be couldn''t help connecting today''s situation with what had happened years ago.


    Back then, everyone in the Finch family knew about Ezra''s illness. They had thought Ezra was doomed, but Ezra was seemingly cured a year after moving out from the Finch Manor.


    For so many years, Ezra had been no different from a normal person that they had almost forgotten about the dark past.


    Yosef sneered at hearing the door open downstairs. "Who knows? But someone will surely know whatever we''re itching to probe into."


    Cyrus and Jonathan had always had a feud. The father and son were like enemies, and if a conflict arose from such a major incident... Downstairs, Jonathan and Rose walked hand in hand into the Finch Manor.


    Unlike the Young Estate, a strong cold air enveloped Rose the moment they entered the Finch Manor. Everything she saw seemed to exude a sense of discipline that reminded her not to overstep. Cyrus'' assistant, Paul Griffins, was standing by the door.


    "Mr. Finch, Mr. Cyrus is waiting for you in the study." He spoke in a low voice, seemingly not wanting to disturb the rest of the manor.


    Jonathan didn''t even nce at Paul as he led Rose straight up to the second floor.


    The study was in the eastmost room on the second floor, but Jonathan stopped at one of the rooms on the west.


    "Get some rest in my room." Jonathan gently held Rose''s shoulders.


    Rose frowned with concern seeing the fatigue in his eyes. She knew he was about to face Cyrus, and the father and son would likely want to seek answers from each other regarding today''s events.


    "Alright." Rosepiled.


    Jonathan opened the door for her and watched her enter before he turned to leave. He had only walked a few steps when Rose called out to him. "Jonathan..."


    Jonathan stopped and turned. The previous stern look on his face now softened with a gentle smile. "Yes?"


    He waited for her words of concern. It felt like a gentle reminder from a wife before a husband left for important matters.


    "I''ll be here waiting for you." Rose closed the door after saying that.


    Jonathan, however, continued to stare at the door. His smile was filled with satisfaction like never before. Rose had told him that she would be here waiting for him! "Alright."


    After hearing Rose''s words, Jonathan felt a surge of strength. He turned again and looked at Cyrus'' study across the hall.


    Since their major fight years ago, he had never been alone with Cyrus. They had never been alone with each other even after Jonathan took over as the ruler of the Finches.


    But today, he needed to get an answer from Cyrus. Why had Ezra been in the secret room?


    ...


    The sound of footsteps gradually faded, but Rose''s heart was still pounding wildly.


    "I''ll be here waiting for you." It was such a simple sentence, but she realized just how ambiguous it sounded after she blurted the words out.


    "He won''t misunderstand, will he?" Rose murmured to herself.


    She noticed him pausing at the door


    and knew that he most likely did. But so what if he did? Rose patted her slightly warm cheeks and took a deep breath, trying to distract herself.


    The dark room felt particrly spacious. She turned on the lights, only to be startled by what she saw.


    The spacious room contained a


    desk. There were no other


    furnishings, and the closet


    contained a few sets of school uniforms. There were no other clothes.


    Was this... Jonathan''s room?


    Rose soon realized that this must have used to be Jonathan''s room. Every corner of it showed signs of extended abandonment.


    The uniforms in the closet were stitched with his high school logo. Had Jonathan stopped staying in the Finch Manor after high school?


    Recalling moments at the rooftop of the hospital when Jonathan had spoken of Ezra''s past, Rose began piecing together fragments of Jonathan''s youth from those bits of information. Were there more to his sufferings beyond what he had mentioned?


    Deep in thought, her gaze fell on a photo album on the desk. Could it be a photo album from Jonathan''s youth? Rose walked over to it curiously.

 Chapter 450 Kiss

    On the desk was a thick photo album. Rose flipped to the first page and saw a young Jonathan. The youngd was handsome and tall with features identical to his current self, but his facecked the coldness it now possessed. As Rose flipped through the album, she asionally saw the man''s lips curve into a slight smile. Besides Jonathan, the album also contained photos of a young Miles and another woman.


    Rose had seen her before. She was the woman in the photo Rose had seen in the building behind the Young Estate in Aquastead. Her name was Harriette!


    Rose examined Harriette in the photos. Harriette was full of youthful vitality and had a bright smile.


    She knew that all the granddaughters Oliver had adopted had eyes that resembled Celeste''s. Butpared to Anastasia, Harriette''s eyes seemed to smile and were warmly contagious.


    Jonathan must have liked her before. Rose was certain that in the photo she had seen in Aquastead, Jonathan was the man with scribbles on his face. And Harriette liked him too! They seemed quite like a perfect match. "Jealous?" A voice seemed to sound in Rose''s mind.


    She raised her eyebrows and murmured with a light smile as if trying to hide her feelings, "How could I be?"


    How could she be jealous?


    But the next second, her hand froze when she turned to the next page and saw Harriette''s lipstick print on Jonathan''s face.


    Harriette''s eyes were full of admiration, while Jonathan''s expression overflowed with gentleness at the click of the camera.


    Rose stared at the photo with an indescribable feeling growing in her heart. It pressed so heavily on her that it hurt. She could no longer escape from what she had refused to admit.


    She took a deep breath and told herself that those times were long gone. Everyone had their first love, and Jonathan was no exception.


    She was just having a brief encounter with Jonathan, so what right did she have to get jealous?


    She continued flipping through the album, but she couldn''t concentrate any longer.


    Meanwhile, the door to Cyrus'' study was ajar before Jonathan arrived. The people in the room seemed to have been waiting for him.


    Jonathan pushed the door open and was only expecting to see Cyrus. But to his surprise, Lizzie was also there with ire. Lizzie looked full of guilt as if she had just cried.


    The scene was eerily simr to the night he had questioned Cyrus after Nancy''s death. Jonathan''s lips curved into a sneer.


    Cyrus'' face grew darker seeing that. He suppressed his anger and spoke in a cold voice, "Where''s she?" He was referring to Rose.


    Jonathan didn''t bother looking at Cyrus. He sat on the couch furthest from the desk and responded in his usual distant voice, "Don''t you already know?"


    No one coulde and go unnoticed to Cyrus in the Finch Manor. Plus, Cyrus'' men had been guarding the door downstairs.


    Jonathan sneered at the redundant question, and Cyrus'' face stiffened. Though he was used to Jonathan''s attitude, he was still displeased. But tonight, he had something to rify. "What about Ezra?" Cyrus asked urgently, wanting to know Ezra''s condition.


    But how could Jonathan tell him? He retorted with a sarcastic smile still on his face, "Are you concerned about him?"


    "Of course I am! I''m his father!" Cyrus raised his voice.


    Jonathan questioned in return as soon as he spoke, "So you do know that you''re his father?"


    Memories of Ezra hurting himself in the Finch Manor and the de had constantly been gnawing at Jonathan''s heart. He had tried hard to investigate, but Cyrus had been indifferent.


    The helper had such a lousy exnation that he didn''t believe it. It was obviously ame excuse for a scapegoat, but Cyrus took it. Jonathan nced at Lizzie in disdain. "I thought you only cared about your wife."


    "Jonathan!" Cyrus shot to his feet and threw a pen at Jonathan.


    The pen flew past Jonathan and hit the wall with a loud thud. The sound reverberated in the quiet night.


    Cyrus was trembling with anger, and Lizzie hurried forward to soothe him. "Cyrus, Jon is just saying that to piss you off. Don''t get upset."


    Cyrus calmed down with herfort. The two standing together still looked loving andpatible despite their age difference, and Jonathan was disgusted by that. "Jon, you have many misunderstandings about me and what happened in the past, but Cyrus has always cared about you brothers. He just doesn''t know how to express it. "After you brought Ezra away from the art exhibition, Cyrus ended the event early. He couldn''t eat anything when he got home. He kept asking about Cyrus'' condition but..." Noel was Jonathan''s man. He said nothing to Cyrus about Ezra''s condition.


    "Jon, how''s Ezra?" Lizzie exined to Cyrus whileforting him. If Jonathan didn''t know that she was never as kind and gentle as she seemed, he might have believed that she truly cared about Ezra.


    Jonathan shook his head with a lightugh. Lizzie''s hypocritical face was truly disgusting.


    Lizzie bit her lip seeing the scorn in his eyes. Her grievance was evident to Cyrus, who immediately reprimanded Jonathan.


    "What kind of attitude is this?"


    Jonathan''s eyes turned cold as he met Cyrus'' gaze. A trace of diffidentness shed in Cyrus'' eyes.


    "Father? Ha... Would you like to know how Ezra''s doing? If you find the person who hurt him, will you seek justice for him?" Jonathan sneered.


    This left Cyrus speechless. Finding the person who hurt Ezra... After a long while, Cyrus spoke.


    "Rose was in the room with him."


    "Are you saying that Rose hurt Ezra? Ha!" Jonathan scoffed.


    He had expected Cyrus to involve


    Rose, which exined Cyrus'' reminder to bring Rose along to the Finch Manor. But how could


    Jonathan let Rose take the me? He had long lost faith in Cyrus.


    "The hospital''s diagnosis is that the injury on his wrist was self-inflicted. He lost so much blood. Doesn''t it remind you of the past? "Instead of involving people who aren''t rted, why not figure out why he was triggered? Why was Ezra locked on the third floor?"


    Jonathan was still terrified at the thought of Ezra lying in the pool of blood. If Cyrus refused to ept reality, he would have to unveil the truth himself.

 Chapter 451 Questioning

    Cyrus was too guilty to look Jonathan in the eyes. As he reflected on the situation, he realized his first concern had not been Ezra''s injury. It was only after he returned to the Finch Manor that he thought of Ezra. Now faced with Jonathan''s questioning, he felt even less confident, but Jonathan demanded an answer.


    "The third floor of the exhibition hall holds all your important belongings with locks to every passage. How did Ezra get up there?"


    As Jonathan spoke, he nced at Lizzie, already suspicious.


    "Jon... Jon, it was my fault. I overlooked it," Lizzie suddenly spoke with a look of self-me in her eyes.


    Jonathan was surprised that Lizzie admitted it was her doing.


    "I went to the third floor that day to check Cyrus'' painting. After I finished, I left and didn''t realize the door wasn''t properly closed."


    Every word was filled with regret, but they were equally piercing to Jonathan. He let out a mockingugh.


    ire, who had been silent, quickly chimed in, "Mr. Jonathan, it''s not Mrs. Finch''s fault.


    "Whenever she goes to the third floor, she unlocks the door, and I''m responsible for closing it. Last night I..."


    ire bit her lip as she followed Lizzie''s instructions to take the me. But when she looked up and met Jonathan''s gaze, she was startled by the sharpness that seemed to see through her. Almost instinctively, she lowered her head in panic.


    "Ha!" Jonathan scoffed. The coldness in his voice indicated he saw through ire''s lie.


    ire nearly faltered, but Lizzie intervened timely. "Jon, don''t me her. She made a mistake, but she''s been with me for years. I know her enough to know that she didn''t do it on purpose. "With so many things going on at the art exhibition, it''s normal that she forgot to close the door.


    "Who could have imagined that Ezra woulde to the art exhibition? Or that he would mistakenly end up on the third floor and in that room?"


    Mistakenly? So they turned it all into a mistake and med it on coincidences?


    "Ms. Quinn, you''re still as eloquent as ever."


    Jonathan met Lizzie''s gaze. Lizzie was clearly taken aback by the way Jonathan addressed her.


    Few knew she was once hired by the Finch family to tutor Jonathan, and only she knew how she made her way from being an art tutor to bing Cyrus'' wife.


    No one knew the things she did, but the sarcasm in Jonathan''s eyes felt like a p on her face.


    Lizzie avoided eye contact. She leaned closer to Cyrus, looking pitiful and wronged just like she used to. As expected, her subtle disy of grievance prompted Cyrus to step up and protect her.


    "Jonathan, those past events have nothing to do with Lizz!" Cyrus put his arms around Lizzie''s shoulder, protecting her against the world. He seemed like the perfect husband unconditionally protecting his wife. p, p, p...


    Jonathan couldn''t help but apud, and the sound echoed in the study. Each p was filled with sarcasm that darkened Cyrus'' face.


    "Jonathan..." Cyrus started angrily, but Jonathan cut him off.


    "Mr. Finch!"


    The atmosphere in the study tensed. The scene ovepped with that night years ago. As Jonathan recalled it, his hatred for Cyrus grew deeper. "Do you remember her death?" he asked.


    Her? Nancy... A trace of emotion flickered in Cyrus'' eyes.


    "She died, and you didn''t investigate. You all said she was mentally ill and took her life, but there were so many suspicious points. Why was she mentally ill? Don''t you know that?


    "You had another love, but you wouldn''t free her. You kept her locked up and withered in this cage.


    "She took her life? That''s the biggest joke I''ve ever heard. She had someone she loved, so how could she leave him alone and go along her way?"


    Jonathan lowered his gaze. Nancy could leave him alone with the Finches, but she could never abandon Ezra.


    At that moment, Jonathan suppressed the deepest sorrow in his heart. His hatred intensified when he looked at Cyrus once more.


    "And for Ezra, who was behind the helper giving him the de? You didn''t care. Cyrus, who is it that you actually care about?


    "Her!" Jonathan nced at Lizzie, who Cyrus was protecting. He felt deeply sorry for Nancy.


    His gaze sent a hint of guilt in Lizzie''s eyes. She hurriedly tried to exin herself. "No, Jon. Cyrus cares about="


    "Lizz. No need to exin." Cyrus stopped her before she could finish.


    Lizzie looked troubled. There was a fleeting look of triumph in her eyes that was too quick to catch, but Jonathan''s sharp eyes noticed it. He was even more certain that yesterday''s events were not so simple.


    enover


    "Cyrus, I will get to the end of this. You better protect her well," Jonathan dered.


    This was not like the past. Back then, he had fought hard for Ezra''s justice but was met with Cyrus'' indifference and bias. He had fought, argued, and eventually moved Ezra out of the Finch Manor away from these people.


    Over the years, he had nned step by step to be the ruler of the Finches. He was no longer his young innocent self. Jonathan walked out of the study. As Cyrus watched him leave, blood rushed to his head as he struggled to breathe.


    "Cyrus, what''s wrong?" Lizzie panicked when noticing his condition.


    Cyrus clutched his chest, wanting to speak but failed to. "Cyrus, Cyrus! Quick, call the doctor!" Lizzie frantically urged ire.


    "Okay! I''ll call an ambnce." ire hurriedly took out her phone.


    Lizzie coldly ordered before ire could dial the number, "No need. Go ring the bell for Mrs. Finch Senior''s doctor."


    Eleanor had her own medical team stationed in the west wing of the Finch Manor on call twenty-four-seven.


    The house was equipped with several rm bells. If Eleanor had any health issues, pressing the bell would immediately summon the medical team. ire hesitated. Cyrus had instructed not to cause a bigmotion tonight, and summoning Eleanor''s doctor would undoubtedly cause a stir. "What are you waiting for?" Lizzie urged.


    ire snapped out of it and quickly ran out of the study. She had no idea Lizzie wanted to make a scene. The rm sounded in less than ten seconds.

 Chapter 452 Standing Before Him

    The rm red and instantly woke up the entire Finch Manor.


    Yosef''s family, who had been keeping an eye on the situation outside, saw Jonathan leaving the study and thought the matter was over, but they perked up upon hearing the rm. "What happened? What''s going on?" Yosef pretended to have been woken up by the sound and stepped out of his room to check. Be followed closely behind.


    Anna and helpers in the manor also began waking up one after another. The medical team arrived just after the rm rang for a moment.


    The previously silent manor was bustling with activity. Everyone was focused on Cyrus'' study.


    In the room, Rose had put down the photo album. Jonathan returned to the room just as the rm sounded.


    "What happened?" Rose was unaware of the situation outside but guessed that themotion was rted to Jonathan.


    The icy coldness in Jonathan''s heart melted a little upon seeing Rose. He strode up to her the moment he entered the room. "Jonathan..." Rose was startled by the intensity of his gaze. She called his name, but Jonathan simply tightened his embrace.


    His actions made Rose even more worried. She soothingly returned his embrace and asked again, "What''s wrong?" "Nothing. I''m taking you out of here." Jonathan reluctantly released Rose and held her hand.


    As they walked out of the room, Rose noticed that the originally dim residence was now brightly lit. Many people were on the second floor, all focused on a particr room waiting for news.


    As they descended the stairs, she saw medical personnel. She quickly scanned the crowd and noticed that everyone beside Eleanor, Cyrus, and Lizzie were present.


    Was it Cyrus?


    Rose eyed Jonathan. Sensing her nervousness and concern, Jonathan squeezed her hand in reassurance and diverted her attention.


    "We need to get back to the hospital to change the dressing on your forehead."


    "Okay." Rose agreed.


    Jonathan didn''t want her to be involved in themotion, but Rose couldn''t shake her worry and had a feeling that leaving the Finch Manor wouldn''t be easy.


    Sure enough, they hadn''t even reached the bottom of the stairs when a voice called out from above, "Jon, Cyrus is in such a condition, and you''re leaving in a hurry. Where are you going?"


    Yosef stood at the railing with a face full of concern for Cyrus. He gave Jonathan a reproachful look. Jonathan continued walking and ignored Yosef''s question.


    "Jonathan!" Yosef''s face darkened further as he shouted. He was about to chide Jonathan when Be noticed Eleanor descending from the third floor with sharp eyes. "Mom, why are you up? Did we wake you?" Be went forward to help her down.


    "Don''t worry, the doctor''s in the room. Cyrus will be fine." Be''s voice was soft, and her face showed concern.


    Eleanor''s presence piqued Rose''s curiosity, so she instinctively looked back. Even though Eleanor was over 70, she was in excellent spirits and didn''t need support.


    Seeing the scene before her, her brows furrowed with a stern look. "He''ll be fine? Then why make such a big fuss?"


    "Mom, it''s early. You should get some rest. We and the doctors are here for Cyrus. See? Jonathan is also back."


    Yosef mentioned Jonathan on purpose before shifting the topic to say, "But he seems to be in a hurry to leave. What else could be more important than Cyrus at moments like this?"


    Eleanor paused and looked at Jonathan, who had reached the ground floor. She could understand Yosef''s implication well. But...


    "If it''s urgent, he should hurry along," Eleanor said.


    Everyone was shocked.


    "Mom?" Yosef was the first to protest.


    He wanted Eleanor to get Jonathan to stay so he could watch the drama unfold and the intensified conflict between Cyrus and Jonathan. He also wished to make Jonathan look bad in front of Eleanor. But he was shocked to learn that Eleanor was sending Jonathan away.


    "Mom, Cyrus'' condition isn''t promising. If Jonathan leaves-"


    Eleanor cut Yosef off halfway through his words with a calm gaze. "Jonathan is not a doctor, so why should he stay? The doctors are here for Cyrus."


    "But..." Yosef wanted to speak, but Lizzie rushed out of the study seemingly unaware of Eleanor''s presence.


    She called out, "Jon! Where''s Jon?"


    Everyone''s eyes turned to Jonathan on the ground floor. Lizzie saw him when following their gaze and ran downstairs. She was so anxious that she almost tripped on the stairs and twisted her ankle. Ignoring the pain in her ankle, she finally reached Jonathan and knelt before him. "Jonathan..."


    Her actions shocked everyone present. Be couldn''t help but exim, "Be, what are you doing? You''ve always been poised, so how can you kneel before Jonathan? He''s your stepson..."


    Although she seemed to be


    reprimanding Lizzie for her inappropriate behavior, the underlying message of her words was clear. What did Jonathan do to make the gentle and kind Lizzie kneel before him in front of


    everyone?


    Jonathan became the center of attention. Instinctively, Rose stepped forward and shielded him with her body. This caught everyone''s attention, and their expressions shifted.


    It was shocking to see Jonathan, the


    dignified ruler of the Finches, be


    protected by a woman. Was


    protection even necessary for


    Jonathan? Was Rose overestimating herself, or was she underestimating Jonathan?


    But to Jonathan, Rose''s action filled him with warmth. His cold eyes seemed to ignite a fiery amber spreading warmth through his heart. Eleanor gave Rose an extra nce.


    Lizzie was momentarily stunned but


    quickly recovered. She looked past


    Rose at Jonathan. "Jon, you can me me for this. Do whatever you want to me, but you should have angered your father like that


    "And Mrs. Finch, how did I do that?" Jonathan asked with a cold sneer.


    How had Jonathan angered Cyrus? Was Jonathan not afraid that she would expose the truth to everyone?


    Lizzie felt a sense of admiration mixed with frustration. Her tactics never seemed to work on Jonathan both in the past and the present.

 Chapter 453 Always Standing By HIm

    "Jon, no enmitysts between father and son. You''ve misunderstood him!" Lizzie didn''t answer directly.


    Her ambiguous reply was meant to make everyone believe that Jonathan was the main cause of Cyrus'' current condition.


    Jonathan was all too clear with the trick. He didn''t even bother to nce at Lizzie, and nor did he want to waste time dealing with her. He reached forward and took Rose''s hand.


    "Let''s go." His voice was warm, unlike the cold indifference he had shown Lizzie. It surprised everyone present.


    Jonathan was known for his cold demeanor in the Finch family and rarely showed any warmth or even a smile.


    There was a hint of gentleness in his voice just now, but the Jonathan they knew had nothing associated with the word "gentleness".


    The people present couldn''t help but look at Jonathan and Rose beside him again. They had just been astonished at Rose''s act of protecting Jonathan, but upon closer examination, they noticed the unusual way Jonathan looked at her. Rose was tall and had striking features. Though she was inly dressed, she made an unexpectedly perfect match with Jonathan when standing next to him.


    Hand in hand, the two walked past the kneeling Lizzie. Tears and grievances marked Lizzie''s face, but a shadow of gloom flickered across it. How could she let them leave just like that?


    "Ms. Shaffer..." Lizzie suddenly called out.


    Jonathan and Rose were just at the door when the voice from behind made Rose pause slightly.


    She looked up when feeling Jonathan''s grip tighten a bit, and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his handsome profile. However, Jonathan showed no intention to stop, and Rose followed him. "Ms. Shaffer..." Lizzie didn''t expect Rose to ignore her.


    Turning back, she raised her voice and called out again, but there was still no response. Jonathan and Rose were walking further away.


    The hatred in Lizzie''s heart nearly overshadowed her feigned "grievance". She copsed in a kneeling position when realizing everything had just been in vain. The Finches watched her.


    "How could Jon do that? Even after Lizzie knelt to beg him, he still..." Be''s words wereden with reproach, but her gaze toward the kneeling Lizzie was dull of disdain.


    She thought Lizzie would make a powerful move to bring Jonathan down, but Lizzie had him leave just like that.


    "Lizzie, get up. We don''t know how Cyrus is doing." There was a hint of glee in Be''s tone, but she gave Lizzie the chance to regain her dignity.


    "Cyrus..." Lizzie''s eyes were filled with worry as she got up and nearly lost her bnce in haste. She steadied herself by holding onto the staircase railing before hurrying upstairs. Cyrus'' condition had stabilized in the study. Eleanor walked in as the doctor reported, "Mr. Finch is fine now."


    It was just an outburst of anger and was nothing serious.


    Cyrus leaned on the couch as Lizzie rushed forward to hold his hand. She touched his cheeks with concern and apologized. "Jonathan left. I''m sorry, Cyrus. I..."


    To the outside world, the apology seemed to mean that Lizzie felt sorry for not stopping Jonathan, but Cyrus understood the true meaning behind it.


    "It''s not your fault." Cyrus patted Lizzie''s hand. The couple was affectionate as always.


    Lizzie''s brows remained furrowed. Her mind reyed the scene of Rose and Jonathan leaving hand in hand. "It''s a pity that you didn''t get to talk to Ms. Rose."


    Her words brought everyone''s


    attention back to Rose. Bemented, feeling threatened on Yara''s behalf, "Jon seems to give her the special treatment. I wonder what her background is and if she''d be a good match for the Finches."


    The Finches had long investigated Rose''s background. She was the daughter of an affluent family in Aquastead and only held a nominal position in the Young Group, even when she was adopted by Oliver.


    She wasn''t involved in the power and control of the Young family and had no chance of inheriting their wealth. How could she match the Finch family if she had nothing to offer?


    The Finch family needed alliances that would benefit theirmercial expansion, like the Maize family.


    Everyone tacitly understood so, but Eleanor suddenly spoke up. "It''s alright if they didn''t get to talk. Invite her over another day."


    Yosef, Be, and even Lizzie were taken aback as they wondered what Eleanor''s words meant.


    Before they could ponder on it, Eleanor turned and walked upstairs, seemingly unconcerned about Cyrus'' condition.


    The others gradually dispersed with Eleanor''s departure. Cyrus and Lizzie returned to their bedroom.


    Lizzie felt utterly defeated, but she maintained her gentle and considerate facade. She saw Cyrus lying on the bed with his expression dazed and his eyes unfocused She immediately knew he was thinking about Nancy.


    She regretted involving Ezra in today''s scheme. It had probably driven Ezra mad and brought the long-dead Nancy back into Cyrus'' memory. "Cyrus, the photos..." Lizzie began.


    Ezra had destroyed the photos in the secret room.


    In their youth, Nancy loved to paint, and Cyrus loved photography. Though it was an arranged marriage, they were happy for the first few years.


    Cyrus had bought the building where the art exhibition was held to store her paintings. She would paint, and Cyrus would take pictures of her.


    A fire destroyed all of Nancy''s works and most of the photos Cyrus took of her. Cyruster renovated the building and kept the remaining photos in the secret room.


    People believed Cyrus took up painting in his retirement out of love for his artistic wife. But Lizzie knew the truth.


    Cyrus loved his wife, but she was


    not the wife they were talking about. It was histe first wife, Nancy Logans. Even today''s exhibition featured paintings Cyrus recreated from memory originally done by Nancy.

 Chapter 454 When Shes Ready

    Lizzie cried in self-reproach. "It''s my fault for not telling ire to close the door, otherwise Ezra wouldn''t have stumbled in. Those photos were your only memories of Nancy but now..."


    Destroyed! She was pleased that the photos were destroyed! Without those photos, Cyrus could only remember Nancy in his memories, but how long could he remember? Memories would eventually fade until he could no longer recall Nancy''s face. "It''s not your fault." Cyrus snapped back to reality. Lizzie''s understanding and generosity made him feel guilty.


    For years, Lizzie had been by his side and was attentive to his needs. He shouldn''t be thinking of someone from the past anymore.


    Cyrus looked at Lizzie and asked a question he had never asked before. "Do you regret marrying me?"


    Regret? How could she possibly regret it? Everything she had done back then, open and in secret, was to seize the opportunity to marry him.


    Lizzie shook her head. "I only regret not having done my best when you had me take care of Nancy. Nancy..."


    Was Lizzie still ming herself even after all these years? Cyrus reached out.


    When Lizzie leaned in, he gripped her hands in his palm and said, "It''s not your fault. I''m responsible for her death. If I had agreed to the divorce when she asked, she and Ezra would still be doing fine."


    Lizzie remained silent. He would never know what she had done to him and Nancy back then. Lizzie managed to appease Cyrus with just a few words, but deep in her heart, Rose lingered.


    At dawn when Cyrus was asleep, Lizzie slipped out of the room and went to a secluded spot in the Finch Manor garden. She dialed a number.


    "You must know Rose well! I want to know Rose''s weakness. You''ll tell me, won''t you?" Lizzie squinted.


    Though her words were phrased as a question, her tone left no room for objection. It was as if she was sure that the person on the other end wouldn''t disappoint her.


    "I know her better than anyone else!" The woman''s voice on the other end was filled with undisguised hatred at the mention of Rose.


    She hissed, almost gritting her teeth, "Rose''s biggest weakness is her mother!"


    Lizzie frowned. "My investigation shows her mother died long ago in a car ident."


    "She indeed died in a car ident, but her death remains Rose''s weak spot. She''s always been fixated on her mother''s death, and she''s still investigating what happened back then." Lizzie sensed something and smiled. "Are you saying her mother''s death was not an ident?"


    "Who knows?" The voice paused slightly. The woman dared not reveal that Rose''s deceased mother was the missing daughter of the Youngs.


    As she understood the reason behind Lizzie''s inquiry, she added, "It''s enough to know she cares about her mother''s death, isn''t it?"


    Indeed! Lizzieughed coldly. "Alright. Thank you for telling me this."


    Just as she was about to hang up, the woman on the other end suddenly called out, "Mrs. Finch... When can I leave this ce?"


    The woman''s hand tightened around the phone, and her voice sounded urgent.


    "You may leave when you''re ready."


    They ended the call, and before returning to her room, Lizzie picked a bouquet from the garden. Celeste''s death... Ha, Lizzie knew exactly how to make Rosee to her.


    In an empty room, a woman sat on a hospital bed surrounded by stark whiteness. Her head was wrapped in bandages and only revealed her eyes.


    She slowly raised her hand and


    touched the bandages on her face with her hand trembling slightly. The words from the call echoed in her mind. "You may leave when you''re ready."


    "When I''m ready..." the woman murmured. She understood what Lizzie meant.


    A sinister smile appeared in her eyes.


    "Rose, I''m almost ready. Just wait for me!" She was going to destroy everything Rose was about to have!


    ...


    It was morning when Rose and Jonathan returned to the hospital.


    The morning light seeped through the window and cast onto Ezra''s face. Worried that the light might be ufortable for Ezra, Jonathan immediately drew the drapes.


    "Don''t worry too much. He will wake up," Rose gently reassured Jonathan, whose brow was furrowed with concern.


    Jonathan had full trust in Noel''s medical skills and knew Ezra would wake up, but what would Ezra be like when he did? Jonathan felt a vague unease.


    Ezra slept for several days. The wound on Rose''s forehead gradually healed as she moved between hospitals of the Finch and Young Group.


    Yvonne remained bedridden, but every time Rose visited, she would smile to put Rose at ease. But one day, Rose saw her in tears.


    As Rose entered the ward, she saw


    Yvonne looking at something. Before she could find out what it was, Yvonne noticed her and quickly hid what she was holding. Even a slight movement caused great pain


    to her injured hand.


    She managed to hide the item under the nket, but a corner was still visible. It was a group photo of a dance troupe. Rose''s heart tensed upon seeing the photo.


    "Rosie, why are you so early today? Look at your dark circles, did you not sleep wellst night?" Yvonne''s radiant smile still bore traces of tears.


    Rose felt her heart ache for Yvonne as she approached to hug her. Yvonne''s smile stiffened. She knew Rose had seen it, but...


    "Rosie, the doctor said that if I do my rehabilitation well after I get out of bed, I''ll definitely get better. Then I can get back on stage," Yvonne said cheerfully.


    When she was out of Rose''s sight, she struggled to maintain her smile, but she failed even after several attempts.


    She knew her body all too well. Even if there was a chance of recovery, returning to the stage seemed impossible.


    She had lost hope, but that shouldn''t be the same for Rose. so she pretended to be optimistic and cheerful by keeping it all to herself.


    They had grown up together and shared a deep bond, so Rose knew Yvonne too well to be fooled by her act. She gritted her teeth and forced a smile.


    "Eve, you''ll definitely get back on stage. That''s a promise."


    Her heart ached at seeing the wilting white tulips by the bedside. She silently vowed that she would not watch the bright flower that once lit up the stage wither away. After Yvonne fell asleep, Rose left the hospital and went to a flower shop. She chose Yvonne''s favorite tulips.


    Just as she was about to leave the


    shop, she saw some familiar faces of livelydies full of energy like Yvonne used to be. Rose recognized them as Yvonne''s colleagues from the dance troupe. FindNovel


    "I wonder whose flower picked today will catch Mr. Jack''s eye."

 Chapter 455 Finding an Opportunity

    Jack... Rose paused at the door.


    "What kind of flowers does Mr. Jack like?"


    "Who knows? But someone like him would probably prefer something fiery and passionate, so I chose roses. Red roses."


    "That''s not necessarily true. Maybe he likes something fresh and elegant." The woman speaking stood among countless flowers and picked a white jasmine.


    The other youngdies were carefully selecting their flowers, some even choosing and putting them back. They constantly reconsidered their choices as if the chosen flower held extraordinary significance. Rose seamlessly blended into the group picking flowers, and the conversation continued.


    "I heard that Mr. Jack invited a few friends to tonight''s gathering. I wonder who they''ll be."


    "Mr. Jack''s friends are also elites. It''d be great to get to know them."


    Tonight''s gathering? Rose subconsciously tightened her grip on the flowers as she thought of Yvonne still lying in the hospital.


    A n to approach Jack started stirring in her mind. She needed to get close to Jack and find the opportunity to avenge Yvonne.


    Rose had made up her mind, but where was the gathering taking ce?


    Suddenly, several phone notifications rang out. Thedies pulled out their phones, and upon reading the content, someone eximed, "At the vi in Royal Garden! The gathering tonight is at the Royal Garden vi!" Royal Garden was a high-end residential area in Regalia with each vi worth hundreds of millions. It was equipped with tight security so ordinary people couldn''t get in.


    "He''s Mr. Jack indeed!" No one could doubt the Finch family''s wealth.


    Thedies finished selecting their flowers, paid, and left in anticipation. Rose waited until they got into their cars outside the shop before leaving.


    Back at the hospital, Rose ced a bouquet of tulips in the vase and stayed by Yvonne until it was dark.


    "Evan, I''m leaving Eve to you." Rose entrusted Yvonne to Evan.


    The night in Regalia was extraordinarily lively. Rose took a cab to Royal Garden and coincidentally arrived just as thedies from the dance troupe were entering the vi area. Cars passed through the gate one by one with staff verifying their identities.


    When it was Rose''s turn, she rolled down the window and told the verifier, "I''m with them, Mr. Jack''s guest."


    The staff only nced at Rose and let her pass without further questions.


    When Rose got out of the car, she wore a baseball cap and followed thedies to a vi. The vi''s exterior alone was majestic, and thedies'' exmation could be heard from up in front.


    Rose noticed a woman standing at the entrance. She was someone Rose could vaguely remember but couldn''t ce.


    Each of thedies handed the woman an invitation as they entered the vi, but Rose had no invitation. She couldn''t enter through the main door.


    To be safe, Rose slowed her pace and chose another path at a fork, but she memorized the vi''s location.


    She observed her surroundings. The vi had surveince cameras around it, and Rose stared at the asional flicker of their red lights. She could climb over the walls if there were no cameras, but what should she do now? She stared at the asional flicker of red surveince lights with a frown. But then, the red light flickered once more and stayed off for a long time.


    "1, 2, 3..." Rose silently counted, but the red light remained off even when the numbers wereing to twenty.


    Were the cameras off? The realization lit up Rose''s eyes. A wall wouldn''t stop her if there were no surveince cameras.


    Meanwhile, Jack was drinking with several men in a room inside the vi. A bodyguard entered, and Jack immediately looked over. "Are the cameras off?"


    "Mr. Finch, all vi cameras are off," the bodyguard respectfully replied.


    The other raised their sses.


    "That''s more like it. With the cameras on, we can''t rx and have fun. This is better!"


    "Thank you, Mr. Finch."


    "Mr. Finch has good taste. Those we''ve had before only had looks and bodies. I must enjoy your pleasures tonight."


    The men


    gathered were Jack''s


    regrpanions in Regalia. Most


    of them were rich kids from wealthy families in Regalia and were always looking for some fun and trouble.


    Jack enjoyed theirpliments. Loungingzily on the couch, he dered, "Everyone should have fun tonight. There''s plenty of wine and beautiful women!" "Long live Mr. Finch!"


    "Now that we have your words, we won''t hold back."


    "Shall we... stick to the rules?"


    Everyone knew what the rules meant. Their eyes lit up with excitement as they eagerly waited for Jack''s consent. Rose frowned slightly recalling Be''s warning.


    He hesitated to go over the board, but he couldn''t back down especially when seeing the expectant faces.


    "Do it, of course. It''s only fun that way!" he announced assertively.


    "Mr. Finch''s the best!" Everyone cheered and drank more.


    Jack''s phone rang. He frowned upon seeing the caller ID. Though annoyed, he left the room to take the call. He closed the door and isted himself from the room''s noise. He answered, and Be''s voice came. "What are you up to? Why did it take so long to answer?"


    Jack was annoyed by her control,


    but he knew that she always


    covered for him when things went wrong. Yosef was solely focused on the power of the Finch Group and didn''t care.


    He suppressed his irritation and replied, "What could I be doing? I was in the shower and couldn''t answer."


    Somewhat skeptical, Be


    continued, "Stay out of trouble for a


    swney


    while. I just got word from your uncle. Jonathan is investigating Yvonne''s fall from a few days ago, why is he interested in Yvonne?"


    Be couldn''t understand. Jack''s expression changed upon hearing the name "Yvonne".


    "Didn''t you have the traces cleaned up?" He thought of the connections between Jonathan, Rose, and Yvonne. Jonathan might be investigating Yvonne''s fall for Rose.


    If they discovered his involvement... Yvonne wasn''t the one he feared. He dreaded Jonathan.


    "I did, but you know Jonathan''s capabilities. Even Yosef and Cyrus aren''t his match!" Be rebuked.


    Jack''s face grew darker. He hoped Jonathan found nothing but...


    "Mom, how''s Yvonne?" Jack asked.

 Chapter 456 Rose Was There That Night

    "Your uncle only found out that Yvonne is at the Young family hospital, but Miles has kept all other details under wraps," Be said, a hint of frustration in her voice.


    She couldn''t resist scolding Jack. "Of all the people you could''ve gotten involved with, you chose her! I told you to handle it discreetly, but you just had to..." The situation exasperated her. "Also, why would Jonathan be interested in Yvonne? As far as I know, there''s no connection between them," Be said, bewildered.


    After a moment of hesitation, Jack decided toe clean. "Yvonne and Rose are best friends. Rose was also there that night."


    "Rose?" Be echoed, recognizing the name immediately. "That exins why Jonathan is investigating! It must be because of Rose!"


    A hint of unease crept into her voice as she gave Jack strict instructions. "You need toy low, Jack. This isn''t something you can brush off.


    "I''m booking you a flight out of the country. You need to leave and stay out of sight. We''ll use the excuse that you''re handling business abroad."


    Be''s urgency was palpable as she spoke. Before hanging up, she reiterated, "Stay put until you hear from me. You need to be out of Regalia by tonight or tomorrow morning at thetest." Jack stared at his phone, deep in thought. Suddenly, the door behind him opened, and hispanion asked impatiently, "How long until the show starts, Mr. Finch?"


    The others in the room were eager with anticipation.


    Just then, a woman entered and approached them. "It''s time," she announced. Jack raised an eyebrow and gestured toward the others in the room. "Shall we... take our seats then?" The crowd buzzed with excitement, their enthusiasm overshadowing the fine, unfinished drinks in their hands.


    They promptly exited the room, following the guidance of the woman who had just arrived, eager to take their seats and experience the uing event.


    As everyone else made their way downstairs, Jack remained in ce, lost in thought. Be''s phone call had rattled him, especially with the revtion that Jonathan was involved.


    The gravity of the situation finally sank in, and he knew he couldn''t afford to ignore his mother''s instructions this time.


    Jonathan''s investigation suggested that Yvonne hadn''t exposed him yet. Jack hesitated for a moment before dialing a number from Aquastead.


    "Is there a Spencer family in Aquastead?" he asked.


    The person on the other end hesitated. "Are you referring to the Spencer family of Spencer Group?"


    Jack didn''t know the specifics of Yvonne''s family business. He just knew they were wealthy.


    "Yes, the family with a daughter named Yvonne," he replied impatiently. "ed you to cause them some trouble, but don''t go overboard. Just make i clear they''ve crossed the wrong people."


    He intended to intimidate Yvonne by threatening her family, ensuring her silence about that night''s events. Little did he know that Yvonne was already determined to keep quiet, primarily to protect Rose.


    ...


    Meanwhile, preparations were underway for a private event at a luxurious vi in the Royal Garden. The vi, known for its privacy, had a beautiful stage set up in the garden.


    Bright lights illuminated the stage, making every detail visible, while the area below the stage was shrouded in darkness, obscuring any view from below.


    The women from the dance troupe were led into a spacious room within the vi, where the vi''s helper brought in a rack of clothes.


    Thinking that these were the gowns prepared by Jack, the women admired his thoughtfulness. However, they were taken aback upon removing the silk cloth covering the rack. "These are..." The women were bewildered.


    The helper conveyed Jack''s instructions. "These are the gowns prepared by Mr. Finch for everyone. Please change into them, and once you''re ready, you can go outside." The women appeared troubled. "Is there a mistake?" they inquired, surveying the selection of revealing garments before them.


    Upon closer inspection, each piece of fabric seemed scant, barely covering the essential body parts. These outfits were even more revealing than swimsuits.


    "There''s no mistake. These are indeed the gowns." The helper checked the time and smiled politely. "Ladies, there''s not much time left. Mr. Finch is waiting for you!"


    Upon hearing that, one of the women set aside her hesitation and modesty and bravely approached the rack. She chose the outfit she liked best and made her way to the changing room.


    Seeing her take the lead, the other women reluctantly followed suit. Soon, all the "gowns" on the rack were selected. As the women emerged from the changing rooms, they received another set of instructions. "Ladies, please take a flower from those you brought and wear it in your hair as an essory. This will also help Mr. Finch to identify each of you."


    The flowers they brought were originally meant for Jack to choose from. While the stated purpose was for him to choose his favorite flowers, everyone understood that he would actually be choosing a person. The position of Jack''s wife was still vacant, and the women were there to win his favor. If any of them could marry into the Finch family, it would bring them wealth and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. The women meticulously arranged flowers in their hair as they checked their reflections in the mirror.


    "It''s a shame Yvonne isn''t here," one of them suddenly remarked.


    Yvonne had fallen from the upper floor during the celebration party, and they were unsure of her current condition. Recalling how she had looked dying on the ground, it seemed like her situation was not optimistic.


    At the mention of Yvonne''s name, the other women fell silent. Yvonne was undoubtedly the best among them in both skill and appearance. With Yvonne present, they feared they wouldn''t stand a chance. Someone chuckled. "Even if she were here, she wouldn''te to a ce like this. That stubborn old-fashioned woman only cares about dancing and nothing else."


    "Yeah. She always acts so high and mighty!" the women agreed.


    They brushed aside their thoughts about Yvonne and, after adorning their hair with flowers, followed the person arranged by Jack to the vi''s rear garden. Upon seeing the prepared stage, the women were once again baffled.


    "Mr. Finch enjoys watching people dance, so this shouldn''t be too difficult for you all," the helper exined.


    The women were troubled. Although it was true that none of them would struggle with any type of dance, to perform on stage in the gowns they were wearing was another matter entirely. Just then, a voice came from beneath the stage. "Are you unwilling?"


    The girls looked toward the sound,


    but all they could see was darkness in the area beyond the stage. With the lights on them, the area below the stage was even more shadowed, making it impossible to see anything clearly. However, the voice was unmistakably Jack''s.


    Hidden in the shadows, Rose immediately recognized Jack''s voice as well. She was thankful for the darkness beneath the stage, which concealed her presence and traces. She peered into the darkness, straining to make out any discernible shapes.

 Chapter 457 Jacks Game

    Amidst the darkness, Rose could vaguely make out Jack''s silhouette, But he wasn''t alone in the shadows. More than a dozen figures were seated around him, their identities obscured by the gloom. Meanwhile, the women on stage feared that disobeying Jack''s instructions would anger him and jeopardize their chances of earning his favor.


    Remembering their purpose foring here, one of them spoke up. "I''m willing, Mr. Finch."


    "I''m willing too." "I am as well."


    "We''re all willing."


    Once the first woman broke the ice, the others followed suit, letting go of their inhibitions. The women looked toward the shadowy area below the stage, assuming that only Jack was watching them perform. "Excellent. Then let''s begin," Jack said, his tone filled with satisfaction.


    After a brief discussion, the women swiftly decided on a routine they often practiced. As the music began, their graceful movementsmanded the stage. Yet, their revealing costumes lent the performance an unsettling air. In the shadows beyond the stage, the watchers'' eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger, like hunters selecting their prey.


    No one uttered a word. In a group chat specially created for the asion, those who had chosen their prey sent names of various flowers.


    "Jasmine."


    "Rose."


    "Lily."


    "Bellflower."


    Each flower corresponded to a woman on stage.


    As the performance concluded, each person in the audience finalized their decision. The women lined up on stage, their eyes fixed on the darkness below, filled with anticipation. They knew that Jack would choose his favorite flower next.


    As Jack ascended the stage, his rxed demeanor and striking looks made the women''s hearts race. He was the epitome of a charming and sessful young man, holding a significant position in his family''s business empire.


    His reputation for being generous with his public girlfriends added to his allure, making him highly sought after, even among celebrities.


    Jack walked along the line of women, his gaze sweeping over them before stopping in front of one wearing a red rose in her hair. He smiled, his eyes glinting with interest.


    "That red rose looks stunning on you," he said, his voice low and captivating.


    He paused as if recalling who had chosen the "red rose" before letting a smile spread across his face. "May I invite you for a drink?" he asked, fixing his gaze on the woman.


    The woman blushed with delight.


    "Of course," she replied, a victorious smile on her face. She felt she had made the right choice with the red rose, believing that Jack favored boldness and passion. An invitation for a drink from him was precisely the opportunity she had been hoping for. "But you''ll have to wait a moment," Jack added, frowning slightly.


    "I don''t mind waiting, Mr. Finch," she responded eagerly. She would wait as long as it took to be with him, believing it would give her a chance to win him over.


    "Go ahead," Jack instructed, signaling her to follow the helper to a designated area.


    The woman nodded excitedly and was about to leave when Jack leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Oh, one more thing... I prefer dim lighting. Do you understand?"


    The woman froze for a moment, her face turning crimson as realization dawned on her. "Yes... I understand. I''ll wait for you, Mr. Finch," she replied coyly.


    The other women on stage couldn''t hide their disappointment as she left. However, their spirits lifted when Jack''s gaze swept over them again before finallynding on another woman.


    "White jasmine... It''s so pure and refreshing. Truly a breath of fresh air," Jack mused, appearing contemtive.


    The woman wearing a white jasmine flower in her hair perked up, her face lighting up with hope. "I love white jasmine for the same reason! It''s so pure and refreshing," she quickly said, eager to catch his favor. "But..." Jack appeared troubled.


    Fearing she might miss her chance, the woman hastily interjected, "Mr. Finch, I don''t mind waiting for you either."


    "Hmm..." Jack nced at her, masking a smirk of disdain with a look of consideration. He hadn''t even set the trap, and she was already eager to spring it herself.


    Instantly losing interest in her, he nevertheless couldn''t ignore the fact that others would be interested in her. After a moment of feigned uncertainty, he chuckled.


    "Well, I can hardly refuse now, can I? How about we also have a drink?"


    The woman eagerly responded, "Of course. I''ll be waiting, Mr. Finch." Without waiting for further instruction, she eagerly stepped down from the stage, following the helper out of sight.


    The women on stage watched the scene with bated breath, realizing that even with one woman having been chosen, the game was far from over.


    There were still opportunities to catch Jack''s or perhaps someone else''s attention. Encouraged, they began speaking up, one by one.


    "Mr. Finch, the lilies are beautiful, too..."


    "Mr. Finch, the bellflowers are lovely..."


    "Mr. Finch..."


    The woman with the lilies had caught the eye of the heir of Lowe Group, while a scion of the Hunt family favored the woman with the bellflower. Jack''s expression grew subtly amused as he considered the situation.


    These friends of his hailed from prominent families within Regalia. Yet, despite their noble lineage, these young men were notorious. yboys, known more for their indulgence in pleasures than for any significant achievements.


    "Well then... let''s all have a drink. It''s just a drink, but you''ll have to wait a bit longer." Jack maintained his polite smile, giving the impression that it was all just about sharing a casual drink.


    All the women except one excitedly left the stage. Jack looked quizzically at the remaining woman. "You... don''t want a drink?"


    d in the most conservative "gown" amongst them, she felt a tinge of humiliation under Jack''s gaze.


    She hadn''t wanted to be there in the first ce, and even when Jack asked them to choose flowers, she hadn''t participated. It was only when a friend handed her a small white daisy and coaxed her insistently that she reluctantly joined them.


    She had believed it to be just another ordinary gathering hosted by Jack, and even as she donned the "gown," she thought he wouldn''t choose her, so she had no reason to be afraid. However, she now realized the unsettling truth. This wasn''t merely about choosing a bride. There was more to it than that.


    "I''m allergic to alcohol, so I can''t drink. Mr. Finch, may I leave?" All she desired at that moment was to escape.


    However, her subtle, yet palpable, resistance intrigued Jack. It reminded him of Yvonne, who had also resisted him that night.


    He couldn''t quite understand his own reaction. ncing at the small white daisy on the woman''s head, he smiled politely, looking every bit the refined gentleman.

 Chapter 458 Dont Forget To Save Me

    "Of course, you may leave, but it would be inappropriate for you to leave dressed like this. Please understand it wasn''t my intention to have you all wear these gowns," Jack exined earnestly, seeking her understanding. The woman had no idea what she was supposed to understand, nor did she want to specte. All she wanted was to escape. Nodding quickly to appease him, she showed her willingness toply. Jack looked at her with what seemed like genuine concern. "I''ll have someone take you to change your clothes."


    While she was scared to stay, she couldn''t walk out wearing the skimpy outfit that barely covered her. Her clothes were still in the dressing room.


    "Alright," she agreed.


    Jack''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as soon as she epted the offer. He wasted no time and immediately arranged for her departure before turning his attention back to the stage.


    As he turned back toward the stage, Rose quickly hid behind a tree, using it as cover. She watched Jack standing in the spotlight on the stage, his smile sending chills down her spine.


    "It''s your turn," Jack announced, spreading his arms wide toward the darkness surrounding the stage, "Enjoy your meal."


    The women were the "meal" for the night.


    Following Jack''s deration, several men emerged from the shadows beneath the stage, their faces filled with unmasked excitement.


    Though Rose recognized none of them, she could guess their intentions toward the women were far from innocent.


    "Thank you, Mr. Finch."


    "We appreciate your hospitality, Mr. Finch."


    The men approached Jack, exchanging handshakes and greetings as if beginning a ceremonial ritual before entering the vi.


    Thest man noticed Jack standing motionless on the stage for a while and couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Finch, aren''t you joining us? That ''Daisy'' you''ve chosen seems intriguing." "Daisy" was the nickname for thest woman who remained.


    "You go ahead," Jack replied calmly.


    Once everyone had left, Jack pulled out a ne from his pocket. "Yvonne..."


    Jack''s face wore a disconcerting smile as he murmured Yvonne''s name. Even from a distance, Rose could clearly see the ne in his hand.


    Almost instinctively, she touched her neck, where an identical ne hung. She was sure the one in Jack''s hand belonged to Yvonne.


    Rose clenched her teeth. From Jack''s demeanor and the ne, she could almost piece together the story between him and Yvonne. It was clear that Yvonne had be Jack''s prey.


    As these thoughts coalesced in her mind, Rose watched Jack tighten his grip on the ne, smiling eerily as he stepped off the stage.


    Rose snapped back to her senses and turned her attention to the vi. Determination surged within her, and she clenched her fists tightly.


    She wondered how she could avenge Yvonne. That night was an opportunity she couldn''t afford to miss. After pondering for a while, she quietly entered the vi, avoiding the helpers.


    At the staircase, she heard a voice from upstairs saying, "Mr. Finch has instructed everyone to go to bed early tonight. No matter what you hear, do note out, lest you disturb the guests'' enjoyment."


    Most of the helpers in the vi were


    trusted by Jack and were well aware of his peculiarities. With such arge gathering that night, they knew better than to pry into things they shouldn''t see or hear. It was best to


    return to their rooms and retire early.


    As the helpers made their way downstairs, Rose hid behind a wall. Once they were gone, she proceeded upstairs, only to hear one of them ask, "Where''s Yael?" Yael was one of the helpers.


    "Yael is in Mr. Finch''s room, waiting for him to finish his bath. He knows toe down once he''s done. Don''t worry. He knows the rules," someone answered. "Jack is in his room?" Rose mused.


    She reached the second floor, where over a dozen rooms lined the sides of the left corridor alone. The entire second floor was eerily silent.


    Rose moved quietly, noticing a fresh flower hung on the wall outside each room-red rose, white jasmine, and lilies.


    Every flower corresponded to the ones worn by the women on stage earlier. She immediately understood Jack and his friends'' twisted game for the night.


    Rose wondered which room Jack would enter among so many. Just then, she thought of thest woman who was about to leave.


    She quickly searched and found a small daisy hanging on the wall of the veryst room at the end of the corridor. She knew this was Jack''s choice for the night.


    She tried the doorknob, and the door opened with a gentle turn. She peered into the dark room before noting that Jack was not there yet.


    Entering quietly, she heard a weak female voice in the darkness. "Who are you? I want to leave."


    Rose recognized the voice as the woman wearing a daisy from the stage earlier. Moving closer, she used her phone''s light to illuminate the room, revealing the woman lying on the bed, struggling to move but unable to do so.


    "They drugged you," she stated firmly.


    Upon seeing Rose, the woman was visibly surprised. Then, she seemed to recognize Rose. "You''re Yvonne''s friend!" she eximed, recalling seeing Rose with Yvonne at the celebration party. "But what she''s doing here?"


    Before the woman could ponder further, Rose moved closer. "Jack isn''t a good person. If you have any intentions toward him, I suggest you abandon them."


    "I know he isn''t, but right now..." The woman''s eyes were filled with helplessness. She looked at Rose pleadingly. "You can save me, can''t you?"


    "If you need my help, I''ll do my best," Rose promised. However, she had her own tasks to aplish first.


    Rose helped the woman up, but her body was too weak to even stand. She could only lean on Rose as they stopped in front of a closet. The woman didn''t know what Rose was nning, but she could tell there was no malice. "ed you to stay in this closet for a while," Rose instructed. "No matter what you hear, don''t make a sound. If you do..." Rose nced at the woman, her words trailing off.


    She believed the woman wouldn''t


    make


    sound, but she couldn''t


    afford to take any risks. Before closing the closet door, Rose rolled a piece of clothing into a ball and stuffed it into the woman''s mouth to muffle any potential noises.


    The panic in the woman''s eyes made Rose hesitate, and she softly reassured her, "Don''t be afraid. I won''t harm you."


    The woman''s frightened gaze gradually calmed. As the closet door closed, she looked at Rose with urgency as if saying, "Don''t forget! Don''t forget to save me!"

 Chapter 459 Mistaken

    The look in the woman''s eyes sent a shiver through Rose. It made her wonder if Yvonne had hoped for someone to save her that night. She felt a deep sense of guilt toward Yvonne, who thought only of her safety, even in danger. Rose couldn''t help but think that if she had been quicker or had noticed something was amiss earlier, perhaps Yvonne wouldn''t have suffered such a terrible fate.


    As she closed the closet door, she stared into the woman''s eyes and firmly stated, "I will save you!"


    Rose vowed to save the woman, but first, she had to deal with Jack.


    Using her phone''s light, she searched the room for anything useful. Her eyes fell on the bedside table, where a collection of adult toysy. Her expression hardened with disgust, for she knew Jack intended to use these on the woman. Rose picked up a pair of handcuffs and a heavy iron tool from the table before sitting on the bed. The light on her phone went out, and darkness enveloped the room once again.


    She waited silently for Jack''s arrival.


    Not long after, the sound of the door opening echoed, and a sliver of light from the hallway illuminated the room before the closed door blocked it out again. Footsteps approached, steady and deliberate.


    As Jack moved closer, his heart pounded with an uncharacteristic intensity. He realized that he was treating "Daisy" as a stand-in for Yvonne. Unlike the other women, she had been given spiked water under his orders. "How are you feeling?" Jack asked, peering into the shadows where Rose''s silhouette sat.


    Remembering the celebration party, he felt aplete sense of control and superiority. He took out a ne and handed it to the figure at the head of the bed.


    "Put this on," he said.


    Rose frowned. She couldn''t see what Jack was offering her, but her body stiffened when she reached out and touched it. It was a ne. She took it without hesitation and gripped it tightly in her hand. "You''re quite obedient today." Jack hadpletely regarded the woman before him as Yvonne''s substitute. The corners of his lips curved up in satisfaction.


    However, upon recalling that fateful night, he grew increasingly dissatisfied. "I shouldn''t have fallen for your sweet words that night and given you the antidote. Look at you now... You''re so much better this way."


    Jack watched the figure in the darkness from his position of power, casually swirling the wine ss in his hand.


    The person in front of him waspletely under his control, so he was in no hurry as he leisurely took a seat beside her.


    "Heh, I wonder what''s be of you. The Young family''s hospital has kept everything about you so tightly under wraps. Is it because of your friend Rose?" Jack muttered, his voice carrying a mix of curiosity and malice.


    "I often think about whether you''re dead or not. Maybe you''re still alive but can''t speak. Otherwise, why would Jonathan be investigating what happened that night?"


    He continued, his wordsced with both excitement and madness, slightly slurred from the alcohol. "If you could talk, you''d surely tell Rose and Jonathan that I was the one there that night. Jonathan wouldn''t have needed to investigate then."


    He knew that if Yvonne had revealed his identity, he would have already suffered the consequences of Jonathan''s revenge. As Jack spoke, Rose listened, her grip tightening around the ne in her hand.


    What Jack didn''t know was that Yvonne was awake, lying in the hospital, enduring the torment of her injuries.


    Even so, Yvonne refused to tell her what had happened that night. She was protecting Rose by keeping quiet, but Rose couldn''t stand by and let her friend suffer alone.


    In the darkness, Rose''s resolve hardened. Regardless of Jack''s affiliation with the formidable Finch family, she would ensure he paid for his actions.


    Rose carefully pocketed the


    ne and reached for the iron


    ????


    tool she had prepared in advance. Lost in his monologue, Jack remained oblivious to her actions. He continued to sip his drink leisurely, a low chuckle escaping his lips.


    "You really care for Rose, don''t you? But I''m so disappointed," he murmured, a tinge of bitterness in his voice.


    "You tricked me into sending her away, and I did as you asked. But instead of keeping your promise and ying along, you chose to jump... throwing away your life, just like that." The image of Yvonne leaping down reyed in Jack''s mind. For some reason, aside from the initial anger and coldness, a different emotion had begun to grow within him. "What a shame..." He sighed before his tone turned cold again. "But it''s okay. This vi isn''t high enough for you to get seriously hurt if you jump." Jackughed coldly. Suddenly, he turned to Rose, gazing at her with eyes clouded with desire. He began, "Tonight, I''ve prepared the same entertainment as before. I''m sure you''ll enjoy it." With a careless flick of his wrist, Jack discarded his wine ss onto the bed.


    He intended to conquer the "Yvonne" before him, even if this person was merely a stand-in for the real one. Reaching out, Jack suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head as if


    something had struck him hard. He


    let out a muffled groan.


    He was taken aback by the unexpected resistance from "Daisy," just like Yvonne had done. Strangely, her defiance only fueled his excitement.


    In his eagerness, he failed to consider how the woman, who had supposedly drunk the drugged water, still had the strength to fight back.


    By the time he realized something was amiss, it was toote. After hitting him, Rose swiftly handcuffed one of Jack''s wrists to the bed frame.


    "You..." Jack finally grasped what was happening. Rose stood beside the bed, having reversed their positions. Still in shock, Jack couldn''t believe what was unfolding. "You didn''t drink the water?" He was confused as Yael had assured him that he had seen her drink it.


    Ignoring his bewilderment, Rose knew that Jack''s free hand was still a threat. She swiftly grabbed his other wrist. This time, Jack reacted and struggled instinctively.


    He believed that even with one hand cuffed, she was no match for him. After all, the strength of a man like him should easily surpass that of a woman, regardless of her dance-honed agility.


    However, he had underestimated his opponent. Rose''s grip was firm and unyielding. Despite his attempts to break free, she managed to cuff his other wrist and secure it to the opposite bedpost.


    Without wasting a moment, Rose


    turned her attention to his legs.


    Relying on her memory from earlier, she quickly found two ropes on the nightstand and deftly tied Jack''s legs to the bedposts at the foot of the bed. FindNovel

 Chapter 460 Begging Her To Let Him Go

    Jacky spread-eagle on the bed. Even in the darkness, he felt utterly humiliated. Initially, he had felt confident in handling the situation, thinking he could y a game of resistance and domination with "Daisy." That was why he hadn''t made any noise.


    However, the situation was clearly getting out of hand.


    Just as he thought of calling out for help, something was shoved into his mouth, gagging himpletely. His tongue was pressed down, and his mouth was filled to the point where he could only make faint, muffled noises. Even if he could call out, it wouldn''t travel very far. Jack red at the shadowy figure before him and finally realized that this person might not be "Daisy." The scent and presence were clearly that of a woman, but not the one he had expected. Panic began to set in as he tried to figure out who she was.


    As expected, a woman''s voice cut through the darkness. "I''m not the woman wearing the daisy from earlier but don''t worry. I''ll make sure you enjoy everything you prepared. We''ll y every game you had in mind."


    The voice was unfamiliar to Jack. Even though he knew for certain now that she wasn''t "Daisy," she still hadn''t revealed her identity.


    He struggled against his restraints, his muffled protests growing more frantic as he tried to warn her of who he was.


    Rose heard him and scoffed. "Are you trying to say you''re a member of the Finch family, and if I dare to do anything to you, you won''t let me off?"


    Jack''s muffled response was desperate, filled with a menacing edge. He was trying to convey that he would not only not let her go but also make her suffer in ways she couldn''t imagine.


    Rose couldn''t help butugh out loud. "Oh, Mr. Finch, you may have the support of both the Finch and Maize families, but what of it? Whatever consequences that maye, they''lle after tonight."


    Nothing, not even the threat of powerful families, would stop Rose from carrying out her n. For Yvonne, she was determined to make Jack pay.


    Without giving Jack a chance to respond, a sudden rush of air cut through the darkness. The next moment, the sound of a whip cracking filled the room, striking Jack''s chest.


    He was stunned momentarily before the burning pain set in. He barely had time to react before anothersh followed.


    The room echoed with the sound of the whip and Jack''s muffled cries of pain. As theshes continued, Jack''s attempts to stifle his voice gave way to louder, more desperate noises.


    He knew shouting wouldn''t bring help, but he hoped that making more noise and struggling against his restraints might draw attention.


    He was right. While the sound wasn''t loud enough to be heard throughout the vi, it was enough to reach the room next door.


    In the adjacent room, a man nced at the wall near the bed, momentarily taken aback before chuckling lowly.


    "What''s that noise, Mr. Finch?" a woman asked, puzzled by the soundsing from the other side.


    The man dly epted her addressing him as "Mr. Finch." After examining the wall, he withdrew his gaze and said, "It''s nothing. Come. Let''s have a drink."


    All of Jack''s friends were aware of Jack''s peculiar tastes and didn''t think much of the noises. They were used to his antics and assumed he was indulging in his usual escapades.


    The man thought Jack''s antics were particrly intense that day, which clearly indicated his immense delight with "Daisy."


    He even contemted questioning Jack about the charm of that "Daisy" the next day. Unbeknownst to him, Jack was currently in a precarious situation.


    Jack struggled for quite some time, but there was still no sign of activity outside. Rose understood his intentions and mercilessly pointed out, "You wanted to make noise to attract attention, but don''t you remember?" Jack stared into the darkness at the silhouette before him, confused about what he was supposed to remember.


    Apanying anothersh, Rose continued, "Your friends know you too well. Even if they hear themotion, they''ll assume you''re just having a grand time and won''t interrupt your pleasure."


    Jack froze in realization. Indeed, even if they heard the noise, they would assume he was engaged in his usual routine, as it was his norm. Besides, they were presently immersed in their own activities.


    He suddenly recalled their proposed "usual rules." At this moment, they were probably too caught up in excitement to be aware of their surroundings.


    The thought only intensified Jack''s


    panic, and his muffled cries grew


    more desperate. When he realized his protests had no effect, he switched from anger to pleading. He was silently begging for mercy, pleading for Rose to stop.


    Rose listened to his voice, her pupils shifting slightly. Her fury surged when she thought about the night when Yvonne had jumped from the building. Her friend had most likely pleaded with Jack for mercy as well, only for her pleas to fall on deaf


    ears.


    The thought of sparing Jack seemed absurd to Rose, considering the pain and humiliation he had inflicted upon Yvonne during their twisted game.


    As the hours passed, Rose utilized every toy Jack had prepared, inflicting upon him the same pain and degradation he had once enjoyed imposing on others. Many women had suffered, and some had even lost their lives under his cruel hands. Now, he was the one suffering, and his strength and pride were shattered. Jack''s cries grew weaker until he could no longer muster the energy to make any sound. Eventually, he passed out from the pain and exhaustion.


    Rose scoffed. "How pathetic."


    The object in her hand filled her with disgust, a reminder of Jack''s heinous actions. She yearned to throw him off the building, just like he had done to Yvonne, but she knew the vi wasn''t as high as the club. He wouldn''t suffer the same fate even if she dropped him from here. It was infuriating to think he would get off so easily. As she red into the darkness, she suddenly released her grip on the object in her hand. Rose was ready to move on to the next step, but before she left, she remembered the woman she had locked in the closet, who had been silent all this time.


    Rose walked over and opened the closet door, sensing the woman''s gaze even in the darkness.


    Gently, she removed the cloth from the woman''s mouth. "Are you okay? I''m sorry I had to keep you quiet, but I couldn''t risk him finding out," she said softly.


    "Thank you... thank you for remembering me," the woman sobbed, her voice trembling.


    Trapped in the closet, she had heard everything that had transpired outside. She understood that Jack had used her as a stand-in for Yvonne and that Rose hade seeking revenge.


    Initially, the woman had feared that


    Rose wouldn''t be able to handle Jack. Later, she worried that Rose might leave after exacting her revenge, forgetting about her. Relief washed over her now, knowing she hadn''t been abandoned.


    Exhausted and overwhelmed, the woman copsed into Rose''s arms, her voice weak and trembling. "Thank you... thank you for remembering to save me..."

 Chapter 461 Meeting Acquaintances

    Rose guided the woman out of the room and into the corridor. As they passed by the other rooms, faint sounds emanated from within.


    The two exchanged nces, fully aware of what was likely happening behind those closed doors. Rose hesitated momentarily, and the woman noticed.


    "Are you going to save them?" the woman asked tentatively.


    She hade to realize that tonight''s gathering was merely a game orchestrated by Jack. The other women, probably unaware of the true nature of their drinking partners, might be in danger. Rose remained silent, pondering the situation. The woman bit her lip, understanding the gravity of their circumstances.


    "If you try to help them, we might not make it out of this vi alive," she cautioned, fully aware of the potential consequences.


    "Don''t worry," Rose reassured, patting the woman''s shoulder as they made their way downstairs.


    Luckily, due to Jack''s strict instructions to not be disturbed, the entire first floor was devoid of staff. The two made their way through the empty hallways and out of the main hall without any obstacles. However, instead of leaving through the main gate, they headed toward the spot where Rose had initially entered the vi by scaling the wall. Rose helped the woman climb over the wall before following her.


    Under the enchanting night sky of the garden, Rose took onest look at the vi before taking out her phone and dialing the number for the police station.


    "The police will be here soon. I hope your friends haven''t suffered too much harm," she whispered, knowing that she had done all she could.


    Now that they were out of the vi, the woman noticeably rxed. However, a sudden realization struck her, filling her eyes with a mixture of fear and apprehension.


    She blurted, "What if Mr. Finch manages to get the police under his thumb? After all, he has the Finch Group backing him, and when he wakes up, he will certainly seek revenge on us!"


    She looked at Rose, her expression growing increasingly anxious. Jack might not have clearly seen Rose in the dark room, and it seemed she had been careful not to reveal her identity. However, if Jack decided to investigate, there was a chance he could uncover who Rose was.


    The woman felt vulnerable, knowing that Jack knew her identity and could potentially retaliate against her and even the entire dance troupe.


    Her eyes brimmed with unease. Suddenly, she grasped Rose''s hand and spoke earnestly. "Don''t worry. If Mr. Finch finds me, I won''t tell him who you are. I promise!"


    Although she didn''t know if Jack would ultimately discover Rose''s identity, she could guarantee that the information wouldn''te from her.


    The sincerity in the woman''s voice was palpable, and Rose could feel her earnestness. As they made their way further away from the vi, Rose pondered the potential fallout of her actions. She knew what she did to Jack would undoubtedly provoke his wrath.


    If Jack couldn''t find her, he might direct his anger toward the other women in the dance troupe. Even if Jack himself were incapacitated, those backing him wouldn''t hesitate to seek retribution.


    Looking across Regalia, the Young Group was the only entity that could stand up to the Finch Group. However, with Oliver''s recent passing, the Young Group was now embroiled in a power struggle.


    Miles had been workingte into the night daily dealing with the Young Group''s issues, and Rose didn''t want to burden him further.


    For now, there was one more person she could think of-Jonathan. However, Ezra was still unconscious at the hospital, and he was already quite overwhelmed. Rose reckoned that adding this matter to the mix would onlyplicate things further.


    "Aside from Miles and Jonathan, who else could suppress Jack and the people behind him to protect this group of women?" She furrowed her brow in deep contemtion.


    As they walked along the road in the vi district, Rose was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn''t notice a car speeding toward them.


    The piercing sound of screeching tires filled the air as a blinding light flooded their vision. Startled, Rose and the woman fell to the ground, but thankfully, the oing car came to a halt.


    Inside the car, Clover frowned, relieved that they had narrowly avoided a collision.


    Not wanting to get out and check on


    the fallen pair himself, he instructed Emily, who was in the passenger seat,


    are, tasee if they''re hurt. If they


    take them to the hospital and give them some money. If they''re not give them some money anyway."


    Emily rolled her eyes at her boss, who had a tendency to solve problems with money. Nevertheless, she was genuinely concerned about the two individuals who were nearly hit by the car. She quickly got out and approached them. She began, "Are you two... Rose?" Before Emily could finish her sentence, Rose lifted her head, revealing her face. When Emily recognized Rose, she eximed, "Rose! What are you doing here? Are you hurt?"


    Seeing Rose trying to stand up, Emily quickly stepped forward to help her, carefully checking her over to ensure she wasn''t hurt.


    "Emily?" Rose said, surprised to see her there. Noticing Emily''s concern, Rose quickly reassured her, "I''m fine. I just fell, but I''m not hurt. See?" She extended her arms as if to prove her im.


    Emily let out a sigh of relief. "Good, good. As long as you''re okay. You scared me."


    Meanwhile, the person in the car was growing impatient. Clover eyed the scene outside, seeing only a silhouette from his angle. Emily was holding the person''s hand, smiling as if reuniting with an old friend.


    Knowing Emily had grown up abroad and had never been to Regalia, he was puzzled by her familiarity with this person. Thinking the matter could simply be resolved with some money, he frowned.


    After mentally counting to three, Emily was still holding the person''s hand. Unable to wait any longer, Clover honked the horn.


    The horn made Emily frown as she nced at the visibly annoyed person in the car. Rose followed her gaze and turned around. When Rose''s face appeared in Clover''s line of sight, the hand that was about to honk the horn again suddenly froze. Stunned for a moment, he finally realized what was happening. He hastily unbuckled his seatbelt, exited the car, and rushed to Rose''s side. He grasped Rose''s hand and anxiously examined her, but he couldn''t find any visible injuries. Looking into Rose''s eyes, he asked with concern, "Are you hurt anywhere? Are you in any pain? Come on, let''s get you to the hospital for a check-up." As he spoke, he started guiding Rose toward the car.


    "You must have been frightened. We can''t be careless about that fall. We need to check thoroughly for any internal injuries," Clover insisted, pulling Rose along.


    Clover''s frantic concern was a stark


    contrast to the impatient person he


    had been just moments earlier in the luxury car. Rose tried to reassure him, "Clover, I''m really fine. I didn''t even get a scratch. You didn''t hit me, and I wasn''t scared."


    Clover retorted, "If you weren''t scared, how did you end up falling?"


    Rose found herself at a loss for words, but she was certain she wasn''t hurt. After pondering for a moment, she decided to redirect Clover''s attention.


    "Clover, why are you in Regalia? How did you end up here?"


    She knew his family''s business was based overseas, and thest time she saw him in Aquastead, it was for work. As expected, her question sessfully made Clover pause.

 Chapter 462 Watch Him Get Taken Away

    Clover''s brows remained furrowed. His concern shifted to confusion as he listened to Rose. He echoed her question, "Why are you in Regalia? How did you end up here?"


    Rose hesitated. Thinking of the recent events, her eyes filled with sadness. "Well, I came to Regalia because... Grandpa passed away."


    Clover paused, momentarily taken aback. He knew that Rose was Oliver''s adopted granddaughter. When he had left Aquastead, he had been in a rush due to family issues, and he hadn''t even had the chance to say goodbye to Rose.


    He hadn''t paid much attention to the changes in the Young family as both the Xanth family and Lerain Group had their business operations overseas.


    Seeing the sorrow in Rose''s eyes, Clover felt a pang of sympathy. He tightened his grip on her wrist, not wanting her to dwell on unhappy memories. To lighten the mood, he changed the subject.


    "So, what brought you to this ce?"


    As soon as he asked, he realized the redundancy of his question. Royal Garden was a prestigious vi district in Regalia, and with the Young family''s wealth, it wasn''t surprising if they owned property here. He thought she might be living here, but Rose''s answer was different from what he expected.


    "I''m here because..." Rose hesitated, her smile turning awkward as she recalled her actions. She thought carefully about how to phrase it, and finally said, "If I told you I came here to teach someone a lesson, would that sound too violent?"


    She couldn''t help but remember the force she used on Jack earlier. Every action had been delivered with full strength. Now that Rose thought about it, the deed did seem a bit violent.


    Clover was momentarily stunned by her answer. He did not expect that she was here to teach someone a lesson. Nevertheless, his tension and seriousness from before dissipated, and he smiled at Rose.


    "Who''s the unlucky person? Tell me, and I''ll teach them a lesson too!"


    Rose knew Clover''s background well. The Xanth family and the Finch family wereparable in terms of wealth, one being a top-tier presence overseas and the other domestically. Given Clover''s personality, if he really were to deal with Jack, Jack might not be able to handle it.


    For a moment, she considered whether Clover could help protect the women in the dance troupe from Jack''s retaliation, making him a probable candidate aside from Miles and Jonathan.


    However, she quickly dismissed the thought. While she and Clover were friends, they weren''t particrly close, so she could never drag him into this mess.


    "It was just a despicable person, but I''ve already handled it," Rose replied, not intending to involve Clover.


    Just then, the sound of police sirens interrupted their conversation. They all turned toward the direction of the sound, and soon after, several police cars drove into the neighborhood, passing by them.


    Clover gave Rose a strange look. "This... Could this have something to do with the person you were teaching a lesson?"


    Rose chuckled awkwardly and nodded but didn''t borate. Her priority now was to get the woman out of there quickly.


    However, before she could bid farewell to Clover and Emily, the woman spoke up, her voice filled with desperation. "Sir, please help us..."


    Emily had already helped the woman up from the ground. The woman observed the friendly interaction between Rose and the couple, particrly the man who appeared to care deeply for Rose. His luxurious attire and car were a testament to his affluence. To her, the man represented a beacon of hope.


    Clover''s brows furrowed. "Help you?" he asked, assuming the woman''s use of "us" included Rose. Instantly, his demeanor became serious. "Rose, get in the car."


    He had a hunch that the person Rose had taught a lesson to was no ordinary individual, and he was determined to understand the situation clearly.


    Knowing the roadside wasn''t ideal for discussing the matter, Clover signaled Emily, who immediately understood and helped the woman into the car. Rose, however, was still outside the vehicle.


    "Rose, get in the car. Mr. Xanth just bought a new vi here, and we''re going to check out the renovations Emily said as she got out of the car and took Rose''s arm. "If you don''te, I won''t have enough nice things to say to him."


    ?


    Rose hesitated for a moment but eventually got into the car. The luxury vehicle drove straight to a vi right next to Jack''s residence. Although Emily mentioned checking the interior design, that


    their


    actual purpose.


    "Let''s start with the third floor," Emily announced as soon as they entered the vi, guiding the way with apparent determination. Clover nced at her but remained silent.


    The group took the elevator to the third floor and entered a study, where a luxurious telescope immediately caught their attention. Both Rose and Clover were momentarily stunned.


    This was Clover''s first time in this vi. The entire selection and furnishing process had been handled by Emily.


    "Since Mr. Xanth likes astronomy, I


    thought this spot with a good view would be perfect for stargazing in


    his leisure time," Emily exined,


    settling the woman on a couchet


    before walking over to the telescope. As she spoke, she adjusted the t¨¦lescope, changing its direction from the sky.


    Emily''s meticulous and warm demeanor caught Rose by surprise. Even Clover''s gaze seemed to show a hint of something different.


    "Rose,e try out the telescope," Emily called with a smile.


    Rose approached and looked through the lens. However, instead of stars, what she saw was something entirely different.


    Through the telescope, a vi came into sharp focus-it was Jack''s vi. Despite the considerable distance between the two properties, Emily had already adjusted the focus, making the scene crystal clear.


    Inside the vi, fully armed police officers were escorting numerous men wrapped in bath towels. These men appeared to be in an abnormal mental state.


    Rose anxiously scanned the scene for Jack, feeling a twinge of concern. Given the influence of the Finch family in Regalia, she wondered if the police might hesitate to act decisively.


    She couldn''t spot Jack for a long time, and her frustration became palpable, a tension that even Clover and Emily noticed.


    Finally, a group of people emerged carrying a stretcher. Although the person on the stretcher had a swollen face and was covered in injuries, Rose immediately recognized him.


    "Jack Finch!" she eximed, feeling a mix of relief and satisfaction. She did not even realize she had called out his name aloud.


    Hearing the name, Clover quickly deduced that he was the "despicable person" Rose had mentioned earlier.


    "Jack Finch?" he mused. Although he hadn''t heard of this man before, Jack''s surname immediately caught his attention.


    Clover exchanged a nce with Emily. With their long-standing rapport, she instantly understood his unspoken request. Clover wanted to find out who this Jack was and what his background entailed.

 Chapter 463 Let Jonathan Know

    The police quickly escorted everyone from Jack''s vi, including the women. Rose knew that the news would soon reach the Finch family, and they wouldn''t just sit by idly.


    "So, how was it? Were the stars beautiful?" Emily asked as Rose stepped away from the telescope. Having already notified her subordinates, Emily was now waiting for their report. "They look great! Really beautiful!" Rose replied, feeling a sense of satisfaction from watching Jack being taken away by the police.


    However, her worry about the Finch family''s potential retaliation made her response seem absent-minded.


    Clover and Emily noticed her unease but didn''t press her further. "How about we have some drinks?" Clover suggested.


    Before Rose could respond, Emily chimed in. "Yes. It''s Mr. Xanth''s first time staying here, so let''s take this opportunity to celebrate his new move and enjoy some of the excellent wine in his cer!"


    With such a reason, Rose couldn''t refuse. They headed downstairs, and Emily went to the wine cer before returning with a few of the finest bottles.


    The woman who Rose had rescued seemed to be slowly recovering from the effects of the drugs she had been given. Perhaps due to her narrow escape, she inadvertently drank a bit more than she should have.


    "Ro... Rose? Can I call you Rose too?" the woman asked, her eyes still holding a cautious look despite her intoxicated state. She wanted to call Rose by her name but feared she wasn''t worthy. "Of course, you can," Rose replied, meeting the woman''s gaze.


    Receiving Rose''s approval, the woman''s face lit up with a bright smile. "Thank you, Rose. My name is Sadie Luxe. About Yvonne..." Sadie''s eyes dimmed as she mentioned Yvonne.


    The haunting memory of Yvonne lying on the ground at the celebration party came rushing back to her, filling her with guilt.


    She could vaguely piece together what Yvonne had gone through that night. To avoid being vited by Jack, Yvonne had chosen to jump out of a window.


    Tonight, Sadie had nearly faced the same fate. If it weren''t for Rose, she was certain she wouldn''t have escaped Jack''s clutches. She shuddered to think of what her life would have been like afterward. She thought, "Rose has saved me. But Yvonne..."


    "Is she okay?" Sadie finally asked, unable to contain her concern.


    Thinking of Yvonne lying in the hospital bed, covered in injuries, yet always smiling andforting everyone despite her pain, Rose felt a pang of sorrow. "She''s... alive," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.


    Hearing that Yvonne was still alive, Sadie sighed in relief, yet her expression remained solemn. She knew from Rose''s demeanor that Yvonne''s condition was likely far from good.


    Sadie raised her ss and clinked it against Rose''s before dering with resolve, "She''ll get better."


    These words seemed to inject a bit of hope into Rose''s heart. Rose met Sadie''s eyes and firmly repeated her words. "She''ll get better."


    She was confident that the ever-optimistic Yvonne would recover.


    Clover and Emily did not interrupt the conversation between Rose and Sadie, nor did they inquire about Yvonne or the meaning behind Sadie''s plea for help. After all, they could easily piece together the events with Emily''s investigation and somemon sense. Since the women had drunk alcohol, Clover insisted they stay the night, given the vi had plenty of rooms. Emily arranged amodation for them and then shared the information she had gathered with Clover.


    "Jack Finch..." Clover was seated by the window in his bedroom, freshly showered and dressed in a loosely fastened bathrobe.


    The night light entuated his handsome features, giving him a captivating and dangerous allure. Even Emily, who was used to seeing him daily, found herself momentarily captivated.


    She quickly regained herposure and focused on the information at hand, effectively shifting her attention.


    "I didn''t expect Jack to be part of the Finch family. Rose is quite bold," shemented, unable to hide her admiration for Rose.


    Jack, who presented himself as a polished professional within the family business, was actually an idle yboy with some disturbing tendencies.


    Emily flipped through the file. "Jack''s rtionships have always seemed consensual on the surface. But about a year ago, he was seen frequently with apany employee, who soon disappeared without a trace." She continued, "Two years ago, he dated a florist, and not long after, she also vanished."


    She flipped through more pages. "Three years ago..." Emily recounted her findings from the investigation.


    "Jack seems to have a pattern. He has a different girl each year, and they all disappear shortly after meeting him. There might be more to this story, but we''ll need a thorough investigation to find out."


    Emily was impressed with how much they had uncovered in just a few hours. However, she hesitated before asking, "Jack is from the Finch family. Are you sure we want to dig deeper?"


    She already knew what Clover''s answer would be. As expected, he didn''t hesitate. "Yes. Investigate further and do it quickly. But first, we need to handle the matter that''s troubling Rose."


    Understanding immediately, Emily nodded. "With Jack''s arrest, the Finch family will likely act swiftly to get him out.


    "Jack won''t take tonight''s events lightly, and even if he doesn''t retaliate directly, those trying to help him might target Rose and the other women."


    She had considered all possible scenarios. Clover looked at her, noting the meticulous care she took in nning. His gaze softened slightly as he appreciated her thoroughness and reliability.


    Emily didn''t notice the subtle change


    n¨¨t


    in Clover''s gaze. She knew that he would see things through once he decided to get involved. Their long-standing rapport meant she could handle most of the details without his constant oversight.


    MS


    "Although the Xanth family isn''t based in Regalia, they''ve maintained some connections over the years. Keeping Jack detained shouldn''t be too difficult, but it might require your intervention," Emily suggeste


    Clover snapped back to attention. "Arrange a dinner meeting," he instructed, quickly shifting his gaze away as if to dismiss any personal thoughts.


    His focus returned to the matter at hand, and he frowned. "As for the Finch family..." He paused, his voice growing colder. "Let Jonathan know about Jack''s actions tonight."


    "Jonathan, the recently appointed


    head of the Finch family?" Emily mused. She was surprised by this decision but epted the


    instruction without question.


    "Understood, I''ll handle it as you''ve directed. You should rest now."


    As Emily turned to leave, Clover called out, "Wait."


    She looked back, meeting Clover''s gorgeous eyes.


    "Stay," he said, leaning back in his chair and extending an inviting arm toward her.

 Chapter 464 Forgot Our Agreement

    Emily was caught off guard. Although their rtionship extended beyond the professional boundaries of a boss and assistant, as she had once been his closest confidante and lover, that was all in the past. Now, she was merely an assistant. Nothing more. "It seems you''ve forgotten our agreement, Mr. Xanth," she said with a smile.


    Clover''s outstretched arm hung in the air, his eyes subtly narrowing. It had been so long since they made that agreement. He couldn''t believe she was still holding onto it after all this time. "Emma-" he began.


    Maintaining her professional smile, Emily gently cut him off. "You should rest, Mr. Xanth. I''m going to check on Rose. She''s had quite a lot to drink tonight, so I can''t help but worry about her." Without waiting for Clover''s response, she turned and walked toward the door. His expression darkened as she left.


    Outside the room, Emily''s professional smile immediately faded. She knew precisely what he was about to say that she shouldn''t be so stubborn. But she didn''t perceive it as stubbornness.


    A glimmer of sadness filled her eyes as she took a deep breath, attempting to regain herposure before making her way to Rose''s room.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Jack had been taken to the police station. When the station called Be, it waste at night, rousing her and Yosef from their slumber.


    "What''s going on?" Yosef grumbled, clearly irritated.


    Be took the phone and ended the call, but not before noticing the name on the caller ID. Her expression shifted momentarily, and a sh of something unreadable passed through her eyes before she quicklyposed herself. "Nothing. It''s just Yara. You know how she''s infatuated with Jonathan. She keeps calling metely, asking about his preferences. But it''s really inconsiderate of her to call at such odd hours!" Be fabricated an excuse.


    Yosef looked skeptical. "Is that so? It''s good that she''s interested in Jonathan, but Jonathan... You should teach Yara some strategies. She needs to use the right methods with him."


    "Yes, I know," Be responded absentmindedly.


    After soothing Yosef back to sleep and waiting long enough to ensure he was deep in slumber, Be carefully slipped out of bed. She tiptoed out of the room, getting outside the vi before calling the number back. When the call connected, she asked urgently, "Jorge, has Jack gotten into trouble again?"


    On the other end was Jorge Lennon, who had some distant rtion to the Maize family. Initially just an ordinary police officer, he had cultivated close ties with the Maize family due to Jack''s antics over the years, eventually bing the deputy chief. He frowned deeply. "Jack did get into some trouble, but this time it''s different. You''d bettere over and see for yourself."


    His words made Be grow increasingly uneasy. However, with Yosef still asleep, she knew she couldn''t just leave.


    If Yosef woke up and found her missing, he might grow suspicious. She needed to keep him in the dark about Jack''s situation.


    After weighing her options, Be said, "Jorge, I''lle by first thing in the morning. I''ll call my brother now and have him handle things in the meantime.


    "Please keep an eye on Jack. You know he''s always been troublesome, and we really appreciate your help. Both the Maize and Finch family will be grateful." Normally, Jorge would have exchanged a few polite words, but this time he was silent.


    After hanging up, Be immediately dialed the Maize family''s number. Despite howte it was, Rupert, Yara''s father, got up and headed to the police station. Not long after, Be received a message from Rupert. "The situation isplicated. Jack has been seriously injured."


    Be''s heart ached


    with pain and


    anger upon reading the message. She had assumed Jack had caused trouble again, and maybe even hurt someone, but she hadn''t expected that he was the one who had been beaten.


    "My son was hurt? How could this have happened?" she thought. She considered waking Yosef to take him to the police station by using Jack''s injury to elicit sympathy from him as a father.


    However, just as she was about to


    act, she received another message


    that made her abandon the idea entirely Jack is suspected of


    organizing an illicit gathering and providing illegal substances


    Be''s heart sank. She nced at the still-sleeping Yosef, grateful she hadn''t woken him up. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts.


    Early the next morning, as soon as Yosef left the house, she rushed to the garage and drove straight to the police station. When she arrived, she found Rupert already there.


    As they walked inside, Be fumed, "Organizing gatherings is a minor issue that we can easily handle, but whoever assaulted my son must not be spared!"


    Compared to past incidents involving more severe usations, this was indeed a lesser offense. Rupert tried to soothe her anger.


    "Of course, we''ll handle it. I''ve already had Jorge question the others, but no one seems to know anything about Jack being beaten, let alone who did it. "We''ll have to wait for Jack to regain consciousness. He must know something."


    "Regain consciousness?" Be stopped in her tracks and looked at Rupert with concern. "What do you mean by ''wait for him to regain consciousness"?" Rupert knew how much Be loved Jack. To prepare her for the worst, he gently exined, "Jack is still unconscious..."


    Be staggered and nearly lost her bnce. When she regained herposure, she quickened her pace. "Where is Jack? Take me to him now!"


    Soon enough, Be saw her son. Due to his severe injuries, Jack was separated from the others who were arrested the previous night.


    The police station''s medical staff


    had assessed his condition and


    determined that, while he had sustained numerous external injuries he didn''t require


    hospitalization. Thus, he was ced in a private room.


    When Be saw Jack, her legs nearly gave way.


    "Jack? Jack!" she called out, rushing to his bedside. Jack was lying in bed with tattered clothes, his body covered in whip marks and burns of varying severity. It was a heart-wrenching sight. "Who did this to you? Who beat you like this?" Be''s initial shock quickly turned to fury. Then, noticing the handcuffs securing Jack''s wrists to the bed, her anger red even more.


    She began berating the officer on duty. "My son is in this condition, and you still have him handcuffed? Are you blind? My son is the victim here!"


    The officer frowned and was about to exin when Jorge entered the room.


    "Mrs. Finch, given that your son is involved in other matters, this is standard procedure," he exined, trying to ease the tension.


    However, Be was having none of it. "Other matters? What other matters? How can those trivial thingspare to my son''s injuries? Release my son from these handcuffs immediately!"


    Both the officer and Jorge appeared troubled. Despite Jorge''s connections with Be, he was bound by protocol and had to maintain a semnce of impartiality.


    At that moment, Jack began to stir, seemingly awakened by themotion. As he slowly opened his eyes and saw Be, tears welled up in his eyes. "Mom..." he whimpered.

 Chapter 465 A Woman Beat Him Up

    Jack''s cry instantly silenced the room. Abandoning her outburst, Be quickly leaned over him, wanting to touch his face.


    However, she hesitated when she saw how swollen and bruised it was. There was nowhere shey her hand on without causing him pain.


    "Jack, your injuries look terrible. Do they hurt?" Be asked, her voice quivering with concern.


    Every part of Jack''s body felt like it was on fire, the pain excruciating and relentless. He had never experienced such agony in his life, and now, in front of Be, he felt utterly helpless and miserable. His expression alone conveyed the extent of his suffering, intensifying Be''s anguish and anger toward whoever had done this to him.


    "Your friends all im they don''t know who did this to you. Now that you''re awake, you can tell me who the culprit is."


    Be stared at Jack, desperate for a name. She needed to know who was responsible so she could exact her revenge and make that person pay dearly.


    It was then that Jack fullyprehended his situation. "Where am I? How did I end up here?"


    He seemed disoriented, struggling to process the reality that he was in a police station. Normally, he wouldn''t have been so shaken, but now, he was like a frightened animal.


    Be quickly reassured him. "Don''t worry. You''ll only have to stay here for a little while longer. I''ll get you out soon."


    Upon hearing this, Jack began to calm down. Regardless of why he was at the police station or what he might have done, he knew his mother and the Maize family would smooth things over for him. "Now, tell me who did this to you." Be couldn''t wait any longer.


    Jack''s anger red as he struggled to recall the previous night''s events. His memories were flooded with images of a woman using the same tactics he had once used to torment women on him. The pain, humiliation, and rage he experienced made him want to kill her. Nheless, he had no idea who she was.


    "I... I don''t know," he spat out through gritted teeth.


    This unexpected answer surprised Be. "How can you not know? Think harder! Could it be that you''ve forgotten?"


    The very thought that he may have forgotten something made Jack''s anger surge. "How could I forget someone who did this to me? I didn''t see her face. If I knew who she was, I''d make sure to tear her apart!" Be''s eyes widened in shock. "Her? Are you saying the person who did this to you was a woman?"


    Jack''s humiliation grew as he confirmed, "Yes. It was a woman!"


    The woman''s actions had felt personal as if she bore a grudge against him and wanted him to suffer. His mind raced with thoughts of revenge.


    "That woman had it out for me! Mom, you have to find her for me. I''ll make her experience everything she did to me!" By the end of his plea, Jack''s emotions were running high.


    Be quickly reassured him. "Don''t worry, my son. I will find her."


    The Maize family could easily find someone within Regalia without involving the Finch family. However, the current priority was to address the matter at hand.


    Be looked toward Jorge and walked up to him. "Jorge, can I have a word with you in private?" she said, indicating that she needed to discuss getting Jack released on bail without too many prying eyes around. Understanding her message, Jorge agreed. Be left the room first, and Jorge followed shortly after. In no time, they were in Jorge''s office.


    Upon arrival, Be immediately took a seat on the couch and said, "Jorge... Deputy Chief Lennon..."


    She continued, "That ''Deputy'' on your doorte looks rather striking. If I remember correctly, you assumed this role three years ago, didn''t you?"


    Three years ago, Jorge had aided the Maize family in concealing a scandal involving a young woman.


    Jorge was slightly taken aback but quickly regained hisposure and served Be a cup of coffee. "Mrs. Finch your memory is impressive. Indeed, it was three years ago


    around this same month."


    In public, Jorge maintained a certain distance from Be to avoid suspicion about their rtionship. However, in private, he showed her apparent deference.


    Be took a sip of coffee and then


    gave Jorge a meaningful look. "You have a good memory too. But if I were in your shoes, I''d be tired being the deputy chief for three years. Have you thought about


    moving up?"


    Moving up meant vying for the position of chief. Jorge''s heart raced at the implication. Noticing Be had consumed a significant portion of her coffee, he promptly refilled her cup. "Who doesn''t aspire to rise in the ranks? The challenge lies in finding the right opportunity."


    "Opportunities are easier toe by than you think. A golden one is just right in front of you. If you seize it, not only will you get the chief''s. position, but you can also rise even


    higher," Be exined with a slight


    smile.


    Jorge fully understood what opportunity she was referring to.


    It wouldn''t be difficult for him to smooth things over for Jack. He had done it many times before. Still, some things needed to be explicitly stated by the other party.


    He smiled and said, "We''re all on the same side here, Mrs. Finch. Just tell me what you need."


    This was precisely what Be was waiting for. "First, I want you to get Jack out of here."


    Jorge looked troubled. "You see...st night''s incident involved too many people. There''s the charge of public indecency, and it involves drugs. Moreover, the location was Mr. Finch''s vi..." Be''s expression darkened. "Public indecency? Drugs? Jack wasn''t involved in any of those things!"


    Jorge immediately tried to soothe her. "Mrs. Finch, please don''t worry. Yes, it''s a bit tricky, but haven''t I always handled things well for you? I just need a bit of time." Be''s expression softened slightly. "How much time?"


    "Three hours," Jorge replied confidently. "I guarantee that Mr. Finch will leave this ce within three hours. I hope you can give me these three hours, Mrs. Finch." Be thought three hours was eptable. She stood up, not wishing to stay any longer. "You said three hours. Jack must be out by then."


    With that, she walked out of the office. For Jorge, three hours was more than enough time to take care of things.


    As family members, Be and Rupert couldn''t stay long at the police station. Thus, they found a nearby coffee shop to wait in.


    Inside the coffee shop, Be looked serious as she continuously reyed Jack''s words in her mind. "That woman had a grudge against Jack!" she thought.


    Over the years, although Jack had done some outrageous things, the Maize family had managed to settle most of them.


    Moreover, Be had kept an eye on the families of those women. After so much time had passed, it was even less likely that they woulde after Jack.


    "The most recent incident... " Be suddenly thought of something. "Yvonne? Could it be her?"


    Her grip tightened around her coffee cup as she urgently looked at Rupert sitting across from her. "Is there still no news about Yvonne?"


    After all this time, they still didn''t know whether she was alive or dead.

 Chapter 466 It Must Be Rose

    Rupert was frustrated about this matter as well.


    "I''ve looked into it. Even though Yvonnees from the Spencer family in Aquastead, the Spencer family has no business dealings with the Young family, nor do they have any private connections. So why is Miles protecting Yvonne so closely?" The mention of the Young family deepened Be''s frown. It wasn''t just the Young family, but also Jonathan.


    She mused, "The Young family... Jonathan... Yvonne..."


    There was a connection between the three, and one person came to her mind suddenly. She identally knocked over her coffee in her realization.


    "Rose! It''s Rose! The Young family is protecting Yvonne because of Rose, and Jonathan is investigating that night because of her!"


    She continued, "Yes, it''s Rose! It has to be her! The one who hurt Jackst night must be Rose. I will never let her off for doing this to my son!"


    Be''s eyes shed with a mix of hatred and ruthlessness. She wished she could find Rose at this moment and teach her a good lesson. However, she had to wait for Jack to be released first. As for Rose...


    She said to Rupert, "Find out everything you can about Rose. I want to know why Miles and Jonathan are so protective of her and even her friends."


    Even though she had already reviewed the information about Rose in Yosef''s study, she sensed there was more to this woman than the data suggested.


    ...


    Back in Royal Garden, at Clover''s vi, Rose had indulged in a few extra sses of wine the previous night.


    Watching Jack being taken away by the police after she had personally confronted him had felt incredibly satisfying. The first thing she saw when she woke up in the morning was Emily entering the room.


    "You''re awake. Did you sleep wellst night?" Emily was dressed professionally, with her astute and elegant demeanor on full disy.


    She walked over to the window and pulled the curtains open slightly. The sunlight streaming in cast a beautiful glow on her, and Rose found herself momentarily captivated by the sight.


    When Emily turned back, their eyes met. Rose snapped back to reality, giving Emily a bright smile before saying, "I slept very well." She had not dreamed at allst night. Emily ced the clothes she had brought on the bed beside Rose.


    "Mr. Xanth had some business to attend to early this morning, so it''ll just be the two of us for breakfast. These clothes were sent over by him. Why don''t you change into them?" Rose was momentarily taken aback. Clover was really good to her. His care felt different from Jonathan''s and was more akin to what she now experienced with Miles. "Thank you, Emily," she said with a hint of yful affection.


    "Hurry up and change. I''ll be waiting downstairs. Sadie has already been waiting for a while." Emily gave Rose''s nose a gentle, affectionate tap before leaving.


    When Rose came downstairs after changing, Sadie immediately approached her. "Rose, you''re up! Come, join us for breakfast."


    Dressed in fresh clothes, she looked at Rose with a mix of excitement and gratitude. Rose responded with a smile.


    Over breakfast, the three of them chatted about light-hearted topics, seemingly unaffected by the previous day''s events.


    It wasn''t until after breakfast when Rose was about to leave that Emily stopped her. "Let me send you home."


    "No..."


    Rose began to refuse, but Sadie chimed in, "Rose, let Emily take you. After what happenedst night, they''ll be looking for you. If they find out you left from here, it could expose you. You can''t take that risk." Sadie''s words made sense.


    "I''ll be troubling you then, Emily," Rose said, quickly adding, "But what about Sadie?"


    Last night, most of the women from the dance troupe were taken away. Jack and his people knew that Sadie was there. If they couldn''t find her, they would surelye after her.


    Noticing Rose''s concern, Emily smiled reassuringly. "You don''t need to worry about her. She''s staying here with me, and she''ll be perfectly safe. It''s you we need to be careful about."


    She squeezed Rose''s hand. "I know you have things to deal with outside, but don''t worry too much about this. They won''t be able to get to you." Or rather, they wouldn''t have the chance or the courage to try.


    Rose knew that Clover had


    intervened. She wasn''t exactly sure


    of the extent of the Xanth family''s power overseas, but seeing how- Clover handled things with Jonathan, she was confident that Sadie and the other women would be well protected.


    "Thank you, Emily," she said sincerely. "And thank Clover for me as well."


    Emily raised an eyebrow. "I''m just following orders. As for thanking Clover, you can do that yourself."


    Rose knew that she now owed Clover a huge favor.


    Emily soon led Rose to the underground garage, where they got into Clover''s luxurious car before driving out of Royal Garden in broad daylight.


    Shortly after their departure, officers


    from the police station arrived at the Royal Garden property management center to retrieve surveince


    footage from the past day. The ne


    meticulously reviewed every frame of the footage.


    Not long after, Be received a call from Jorge in a nearby coffee shop.


    "How''s it going?" she inquired urgently.


    Jorge''s expression was grim. "Mrs. Finch, I had my team check Royal Garden''s surveince footage from yesterday and even today. They didn''t find the person you mentioned appearing in the Royal Garden at all." "No?" Be found it hard to believe. She suspected that it was Rose but wanted to be sure. "Are you sure? Could the footage have been tampered with?" She considered all possibilities.


    Jorge paused, not ruling out the possibility. "It''s unlikely they didn''t see clearly. The team is very meticulous in their work. However, we''ll need to send the footage to the tech department to determine if it has been tampered with."


    "Then what are you waiting for? Send it to the tech department right away."


    Be was convinced Rose had been at the Royal Garden. As long as the tech department could detect any tampering, there would be a way to recover the original footage. Then, she would make Rose pay for what she had done. She clenched her fists, thinking about Jack still being at the police station. She checked the time. "Jorge, two hours have passed. What''s the situation over there?"


    "Everything''s going ording to n. Please continue being patient, Mrs. Finch," Jorge replied.


    Be had no choice but to wait. Half an hourter, she called Jorge again.


    "It''s almost done. You can prepare to pick up Mr. Finch now," he said.


    Be was quite satisfied. Before hanging up, she kept her promise. "Deputy Chief Lennon, you''ve done a great job. It won''t be long before you''ll be called Chief Lennon."


    She didn''t waste any time and headed straight to the police station. Following the procedure outlined by Jorge, she was ready to pick up Jack.


    However, when she exined her purpose to the officer on duty, he gave her a strange look.


    "Jack''s case is very clear, and he can''t be released on bail. Not only that, but I''m afraid he won''t be getting out anytime soon."

 Chapter 467 Jonathan Made His Move

    Be''s head throbbed as she shouted at the officer.


    "What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean his case is clear, and bail can''t be granted? What do you mean he won''t be getting out anytime soon?"


    Her loud outburst attracted numerous curious nces. Emerging from the chief''s office with a serious expression, Jorge heard themotion and hurried over. Be spotted him immediately. "Jorge, tell them I can take Jack home!" she demanded, arms crossed, waiting for him to handle the situation.


    However, Jorge remained still, his eyes apologetic.


    "Jorge..." Be''s voice trembled with frustration.


    Afraid that she would cause an even bigger scene, Jorge pulled her aside. "Mrs. Finch, pleasee to my office. We need to talk about Mr. Finch''s situation."


    Be nced at him but didn''t refuse. Once inside Jorge''s office, she mmed her bag onto a chair and demanded sharply, "What''s going on?"


    Jorge sighed. "Mrs. Finch, I had everything set up for Jack''s release. It was all clear. But then-"


    "But what?" Be''s patience was wearing thin.


    Jorge hesitated before continuing, "But the chief suddenly took an interest in the case. He made it clear this situation is more serious than just an illicit gathering and drug use.


    "Someone testified that Jack misled those women into thinking they were spending the night with himst night when it was with his friends."


    Be''s face darkened. She knew Jack enjoyed these kinds of amusements. "But these are all small matters..." she began.


    "These are not small matters," Jorge interrupted, shaking his head. "The Finch and Maize families have the power to suppress these issues, but it''s evident someone doesn''t want this matter to be buried." "Someone doesn''t want it buried? Who could that be?" Be fumed inwardly, her body trembling with rage.


    Her immediate suspicion fell on Jonathan. If he was indeed involved, she feared that resolving the matter could prove to be far more challenging than anticipated.


    Meanwhile, Jonathan was on his way back to the Finch Manor. He had just finished a call with Rose, confirming that she had safely arrived at the Young family''s hospital. Finley and Leonard were in the car with him. Seated in the front passenger seat, Leonard reported on the task Jonathan had assigned him.


    "The surveince at Royal Garden has been handled. Any traces of Mrs. Finch have been erased. You can rest assured, Mr. Finch. A top-notch hacker did the job. Even if the footage is examined, no traces will be found." Jonathan nodded. "Good." He knew it was crucial not to leave any evidence behind.


    He suddenly realized that he had been so preupied with Ezra''s situation that he had neglected Rose and had not followed up on Yvonne''s incident. The fact that Rose had confronted Jack spoke volumes about the potential implications. The person involved in Yvonne''s fall that night was, in fact, Jack. If there had been no evidence, Rose wouldn''t have acted rashly. Her actions the previous night, however, left Jonathan feeling uneasy.


    The thought of Rose facing Jack alone and the potential consequences made him shudder.


    Leonard''s voice broke through his thoughts. "Mr. Finch, I called Mr. Chambers and asked him to handle Jack''s matter thoroughly.


    "Mr. Chambers mentioned quite a few people are interested in this case. But apart from you, who else could have called? Could it be Mr. Young?"


    Leonard''s spection was understandable. Those concerned about the matter would likely be doing so for Rose. In Regalia, besides Jonathan, only Miles from the Young family would have that level of concern. However, Jonathan knew it wasn''t Miles. The person had to be someone else.


    A peculiar glint appeared in his eyes. He then addressed Finley. "Select a few of your most trusted and capable men from the Azure n to protect Rose."


    Without waiting for Finley''s response, he continued, "Protect her discreetly. Don''t let her notice, or she might feel ufortable."


    "Understood, Mr. Finch," Finley replied.


    He and Leonard exchanged a nce, both recognizing the thorough care Jonathan always took when it came to Rose.


    Meanwhile, the person Leonard mentioned, Warren Chambers, was sitting in a coffee shop with Clover. They had arranged to have breakfast together, a meal that had stretched into several hours. Warren was well aware of the powerful family behind Clover. He found himself reminiscing about past connections.


    "Thest time I saw your uncle was over 20 years ago. It''s been so long. He might have forgotten what I look like."


    His rtionship with the Xanth


    family stemmed from Clover''s uncle, who had saved Warren''s life back in the day. So, when Clover called early in the morning to invite him to breakfast, Warren rescheduled his entire morning to make it.


    The breakfast turned into a leisurely affair, extending until now.


    "Uncle Elijah is still the same. When he heard I wasing to Regalia, he reminded me to find you if eded anything. He said you two share a bond forged in life-and-death situations," Clover said with a smile. Warren felt a wave of emotion at the mention of their bond. "Yes. Elijah saved my life," he said, taking a sip of coffee.


    Reflecting on the matters Clover had


    brought up during their


    conversation, Warren assured him "Don''t worry, Clover. I will personally ensure that Jack''s past deeds are thoroughly investigated. If there''s any wrongdoing, thew will not let him go unpunished."


    "Thank you, Uncle Warren," Clover responded, lifting his cup in a gesture of respect and gratitude.


    Their conversation continued amiably, punctuated by moments of shared memories and mutual respect.


    Warren felt a sense of closeness to Clover upon hearing him say "Uncle Warren". As such, he didn''t conceal the conversation he had with Jonathan''s assistant earlier.


    "Clover, this matter has also caught the attention of Mr. Jonathan. Is it rted to the Ms. Young you mentioned earlier?"


    Clover merely smiled in response, opting not to say too much about Rose. Jonathan''s involvement didn''t surprise him.


    After all, he had deliberately let Jonathan know about Jack''s deeds. Jonathan had acted swiftly, making his regard for Rose clear.


    Meanwhile, Jonathan''s car pulled up outside the Finch Manor. He had received word that Yosef had returned to the manor early in the morning to have breakfast with Eleanor. Jonathan''s visit was specifically aimed at Yosef.


    He stepped through the entrance to


    find Yosef and Eleanor tending to the flowers in the garden. Ever since Jonathan became the head of the Finch family, Yosef often sought to make his presence felt, especially around Eleanor.


    Upon seeing Jonathan, Yosef greeted him warmly from a distance. "Jonathan! What brings you here? It''s almost lunchtime. I suppose you''ll be staying to have lunch with your grandmother, right?" Given Jonathan''s busy schedule, particrly with the recent incident at the art exhibition involving Ezra, he hadn''t been back to the manor in a while. Yosef was confident Jonathan wouldn''t stay for lunch. Jonathan approached, first greeting Eleanor before turning to Yosef. "Uncle Yosef, are you staying for lunch?"


    "Of course!" Yosef replied with a broad smile.


    Jonathan had expected this response. However, he furrowed his brow slightly.


    "I thought you might not have the time, Uncle Yosef. But don''t worry about Jack''s situation. With the Finch family''s influence in Regalia, we can handle it even if he''smitted a serious offense."

 Chapter 468 The Witty Side Of Jonathan

    Jonathan usually ignored Yosef, but he unexpectedly offered words offort and concern that day. Yosef was initially taken aback, but his expression drastically changed as he reflected on the meaning of Jonathan''s words.


    "What do you mean he''smitted a serious offense? Jonathan, Jack has always been well-behaved and diligent at work. Don''t tarnish his reputation with baseless usations," Yosef retorted, knowing full well that Jack''s abilities at work were average. However, in Eleanor''s eyes, Jack represented him. He had maintained Jack''s image and couldn''t tolerate Jonathan tarnishing it.


    Jonathan''s demeanor shifted from concern to shock and puzzlement. "Uncle Yosef, does this mean you don''t know?"


    Yosef had no idea what Jonathan was talking about. He looked at his nephew, feeling a sense of foreboding rising within him. He couldn''t help but wonder if Jonathan was trying to use Jack to attack him.


    Refusing to take the bait, he attempted to change the subject. He forced a smile and said, "Jonathan, since you''re busy, I won''t have the kitchen prepare lunch for you. Rest assured, your grandmother has me to keep herpany. If you care, just visit her asionally." He was subtly reminding Eleanor that Jonathan rarely returned to Finch Manor. Naturally, Jonathan saw through Yosef''s tactic but had no intention of letting him off the hook so easily.


    "Uncle Yosef, I thought you cared about Jack, but it seems..." Jonathan shook his head and easily brought the conversation back on track.


    Upon seeing the stiff smile on Yosef''s face disappear, he sighed. "Jack probably got involved in that illicit gathering and drug abuse case because he felt neglected by you." Yosef''s mind went nk, and the smile on his facepletely vanished.


    "What do you mean by illicit gathering and drug abuse? Jonathan, how could you spread such nder about Jack? As his cousin and a member of the Finch family, you should be ashamed of yourself!" he scolded angrily, for he knew such serious usations against his son were also a direct blow to him.


    Jonathan looked at Yosef innocently. "But Uncle Yosef, I''m not ndering him. I only heard about this incident this morning when I overheard some chatter at thepany.


    "Apparently, someone''s neighbor works at the police station and caught wind of a story involving Jack.


    "Curiosity got the better of them, and after a phone call, the news spread like wildfire. I made sure to scold those involved, emphasizing that we mustn''t spread rumors without evidence. After all, seeking the truth is what matters most.


    "But with the reputations of Jack, yourself, and the entire Finch family on the line, I knew I had to get to the bottom of this. I wanted to prove that the gossip surrounding Jack''s alleged involvement in promiscuous behavior and drug abuse waspletely baseless. "Unfortunately, when I sent someone to investigate at the police station, the truth was more distressing than I could have ever imagined..." Jonathan let his sentence trail off, but the implication was clear.


    Yosef''s face had turned beet-red with rage. Recalling Be''s strange behavior when she received a calltest night, he feared that what Jonathan said might be true.


    However, even if it was true, he could never admit it in front of Eleanor.


    "Jonathan, you can plot against me, but you can''t-" He gritted his teeth, preparing to y the victim in front of Eleanor, but Anna hurried over with a phone before he could finish his sentence. "Mrs. Finch Senior..." She handed the phone to Eleanor. "It''s from thepany..."


    While Eleanor remained detached from thepany''s daily operations during her time at Finch Manor, her deep-rooted involvement from her younger days, when she actively worked alongside her husband, meant she needed to be informed of certain matters. As she took the call, her expression darkened with each passing moment, casting a tense and cold atmosphere around them.


    Eleanor carried on tending to her flowers, carefully pruning them as she had been doing before the phone rang.


    Once shepleted her task, she shot a nce at Yosef. Beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead due to his growing anxiety, and her gaze only intensified his unease.


    "Why are you so nervous?" Eleanor asked, a smile ying on her lips, though her demeanor was anything but gentle.


    "Mom..." Yosef began, but Eleanor cut him off.


    "Perhaps your nervous energy would be better spent checking on your dear son. He must be quite frightened being all alone at the police station."


    The biting irony in her voice was impossible to ignore. Eleanor''s obvious anger further validated the truth behind Jonathan''s words.


    "Mom, don''t worry. If Jack has truly disgraced the Finch family, I won''t let him get away with it!" Yosef was seething with anger. Everything Jack did affected Eleanor''s perception and judgment of him.


    "Damn that Jack!" he fumed inwardly. Wasting no time, Yosef set out to confront his ungrateful son and ascertain the extent of the chaos he had caused.


    Upon departing, he cast a resentful,


    je


    venomous re in Jonathan''s direction. With Yosef gone, Eleanor stood up and headed inside, deliberately ignoring Jonathan. She was furious. en FindNovel


    Given her keen intellect, it was impossible for her not to discern the machinations of Jonathan''s n. While Jack had undeniably erred, the rapid dissemination of this news throughout thepany undoubtedly bore the mark of Jonathan''s involvement.


    Eleanor believed that family scandals should never be aired in public. To her, this was equivalent to disregarding the Finch family''s reputation.


    Even knowing this would anger Eleanor, Jonathan still acted this way because it was the only way to make her aware of Jack''s deeds. He was using Eleanor to pressure Yosef.


    Through this calcted maneuver, Jonathan sought to utilize Yosef to obstruct all future avenues for Jack, ensuring his utter defeat.


    Only by making Jack powerless would he stop clinging to this issue, allowing Rose to have peace of mind.


    Jonathan was about to leave when Eleanor, who had just reached the hall''s entrance, suddenly stopped. "Jonathan..."


    Jonathan looked over.


    Eleanor continued, "Ms. Young, who visited our home the other day, left too quickly, and we didn''t get a chance to talk. Have here over tomorrow for a visit."


    She left Jonathan no room to refuse. Almost instinctively, he clenched his fists. He knew this was his grandmother''s way of punishing him, spurred by her anger. "Rose..." he mused. Even after leaving Finch Manor, his brow remained furrowed.


    "Mr. Finch, is everything alright?"


    Noticing Jonathan''s troubled expression, both Leonard and Finley exchanged worried nces. This wasn''t how things should have transpired.


    After all, they had just witnessed Yosef''s furious exit, confirming that Jonathan''s objective in returning to Finch Manor had been fulfilled. "Mr. Finch, could it be that you''re thinking about Mrs. Finch?" Leonard took a guess.

 Chapter 469 Utterly Humiliated

    As expected, the moment Jonathan got into the car, he instructed Finley, "Head to the Young Family Hospital." Finley raised an eyebrow in curiosity.


    As Jonathan made his way to the Young Family Hospital, Rose took a taxi to the Finch Family Hospital.


    Meanwhile, Be''s outburst was still ongoing at the police station. "Do you have any idea who I am? Do you know who my son is? If you don''t release him, I''ll make you pay dearly!"


    She had lost all sense of rationality, casting aside the grace andposure befitting the name Mrs. Finch.


    After all, Jack was her everything. The thought of him being beaten and locked up drove her to madness. The onlookers, who were aware of her status in the Finch family, didn''t dare to drive her away. When Yosef arrived at the police station, he witnessed Be arrogantly scolding an officer, her finger pointing usingly at his nose.


    Yosef''s grim face darkened further. He immediately stepped forward and pped Be across the face.


    The resounding p echoed through the police station''s lobby as Be staggered and fell to the ground, clutching her face in shock. When she looked up and saw Yosef, her eyes flickered with unease. "Why are you here?" she asked, her voice trembling.


    "If I hadn''te, you''d have kept this from me, wouldn''t you?" Yosef retorted, his tone sharp and usatory. "How long were you nning to continue this madness and disgrace us?"


    Acutely aware of the judgmental stares around him, his expression darkened even further. This was neither the time nor ce to discipline Be.


    With a piercing re, hemanded, "We''re leaving. Now!"


    As he turned to go, Yosef caught sight of Rupert standing nearby. "You''reing too!" he ordered brusquely.


    Although Rupert held significant influence within the Maize family, the power disparity between the Maize and Finch families was immense. Faced with Yosef, Rupert could only respond with respectfulpliance. Rupert stepped forward to help the still-dazed Be to her feet. "Let''s go. I told you not to make a scene earlier, and now look what''s happened..."


    Be appeared remorseful, yet her true concern was the possibility of Yosef learning about Jack''s actions.


    "Yosef doesn''t know about what happened to Jack, right?" She grabbed Rupert''s wrist anxiously, desperately clinging to a sliver of hope.


    Rupert sighed helplessly. "Given that he''s already here, he probably knows."


    "He knows..." Be felt a wave of weakness wash over her. Thankfully, Rupert supported her as they walked out of the police station.


    Her mind was in turmoil. "What should I do? In Yosef''s eyes, Jack had always been well-behaved. If Yosef knew what he had been doing in secret..." "Get in the car!" Yosef''s voice cut through Be''s thoughts as they reached his vehicle.


    They climbed in, and Yosef''s expression was so dark it seemed almost menacing. Be swallowed nervously and tried to exin.


    "Jack is the victim..."


    "Victim?" Yosef sneered. "Was someone forcing him to hold an illicit gathering? Did someone hold a knife to his throat, coercing him into drug abuse?"


    "It''s not like that," Be insisted, her voice trembling. "There''s more to the story. Didn''t you see Jack? He was beaten mercilessly, his body covered in bruises. You have to seek justice for him!"


    She emphasized Jack''s injuries, hoping to evoke Yosef''s sympathy. Unfortunately, in Yosef''s eyes, there was never such a thing as sympathy.


    He red at Be''s disheveled appearance in the rearview mirror and scoffed. "I will uncover the truth myself. Just look at you. You''re no different from a madwoman!


    "Return home immediately, and don''t you dare show your face in public without my permission!"


    Without another nce at Be, he stepped out of the car.


    "Rupert,e with me," hemanded. Feeling like a mere underling, Rupert reluctantly followed Yosef back into the police station.


    As they made their way inside, Yosef questioned, "What''s the situation?" His tone made it clear that if Rupert concealed anything, there would be severe consequences.


    Thus, Rupert ryed the events truthfully-from his visit to the station the previous day to Be''s arrival that morning.


    "Jorge was about to secure Jack''s


    release, but the chief suddenly intervened and took over the case asserting that the evidence was conclusive. It seems that Jack may not only face detainment but potentially charges as well, he exined.


    The sudden involvement of the chief piqued Yosef''s interest. However, he remained quiet. Leveraging his connections, he arranged to see Jack in his cell. Upon witnessing his son lying bruised and battered on the bed, Yosef''s expression hardened.


    "Dad?" Jack hadn''t expected Yosef''s visit. His first instinct was to reassure him, "Dad, don''t worry, I¡ª"


    "You ungrateful brat!" Yosef coldly interrupted him.


    At that moment, all he could picture was Jonathan standing before him with a sarcastic sneer. This time, Jack had truly disgraced him.


    "Dad, I''m sorry. I..." Jack stammered, feeling guilty.


    "Don''t call me Dad!" Yosef snapped, his gaze icy. His eyes had nothing but anger. He had entered the cell merely to see Jack, and now that he had, he turned to leave without another word. However, Yosef didn''t leave the police station.


    "ed you to arrange a meeting with the person in charge," he instructed Rupert.


    Rupert immediately understood. "Of course. I''ll contact Jorge and set up the meeting right away."


    "Not him-I want to meet with the chief himself," Yosef rified.


    Since the chief had taken over Jack''s case, he knew he needed to speak with the man directly. Rupert was momentarily taken aback but quickly grasped Yosef''s intentions.


    Half an hourter, during lunchtime,


    Yosef had reserved a table at an


    upscale restaurant for a private meeting with the chief. He waited patiently, and finally, a waiter


    §ï§Ý§Õ


    ushered someone into the room.


    However, the person who arrived was not the chief, but rather Rupert.


    "Where is he?" Yosef asked with a frown.


    Rupert looked helpless. "I asked Jorge for help, and I did meet the chief, but he said his position is too sensitive, and it wouldn''t be appropriate for him to dine with the family of a criminal." Yosef''s face darkened. Beingbeled as "the family of a criminal" when he was from the esteemed Finch family was beyond insulting. He was seething with anger, and he had no outlet for it. "Yosef, what about the meal then?" Rupert, who had been working tirelessly since the previous night, was in dire need of sustenance.


    Yosef shot him a fierce re. "Forget the meal. We''re leaving!"


    With the chief''s absence, he had lost his appetite. Rupert could only follow suit, his own hunger mounting.


    He thought Yosef might give up on Jack after such an encounter, but to his surprise, Yosef returned to the police station right after leaving the restaurant.


    They waited until lunch had passed, and when the chief finally arrived at the station, Yosef intercepted him outside.

 Chapter 470 Poor Jonathan

    Yosef introduced himself with a smile. "Mr. Sullivan, I''m Yosef Finch."


    The police chief, Carson Sullivan, frowned, clearly trying to remember who he was. "Finch?" he mused.


    Seeing Carson still not making the connection, Yosef helped him out, which he rarely did. "About the case you took today involving Jack..."


    Recognition finally dawned on Carson. "Ah, yes. The family member. How may I be of assistance?" he asked politely.


    Yosef attempted once more to invite Carson to dinner that evening, only to be swiftly declined. Left with no alternative, he initiated a conversation outside the police station.


    He began, "Regarding Jack''s case, while it should be thoroughly investigated, he''s always been well-behaved and couldn''t possibly havemitted those crimes. Plus, he''s injured. Is it possible to release him on bail for recovery? As for the rest..." He nned to smooth over the situation once things calmed down. However, Carson only sighed in response.


    "I empathize with family members standing by their loved ones, but facts are unyielding, and thew is absolute.


    "Even ancient kings were subject to the same justice asmoners. As a public servant in our modern society, I must enforce thew impartially.


    "Mr. Finch, your son''s transgressions are quite severe, so, unfortunately, bail isn''t an option." He remained resolute, offering no opportunity for negotiation.


    Yosef''s displeasure grew. "Mr. Sullivan, you may not know me, but you should know the Finch family, right?"


    Carson paused briefly before a smile spread across his face. "Of course, I''m aware."


    He was not only familiar with the Finch family but also with Yosef himself. After all, it was nearly impossible to find someone unfamiliar with the prominent Finch family in Regalia. "Doesn''t the thought of offending the Finch family concern you?" Yosef''s voice grew cold. He decided to apply pressure since Carson seemed unresponsive to subtlety.


    However, Yosef had severely underestimated the character of the man before him. Or perhaps his understanding paled inparison to Carson''s knowledge.


    The threat was evident, and Carson naturally picked up on it. However, he maintained his calm demeanor.


    "I wouldn''t dare to offend the Finch family, which is precisely why I must conduct a thorough investigation into your son''s case," he said.


    With that, he headed back into the police station, leaving Yosef standing there, contemting Carson''s words.


    "What did he mean by conducting a thorough investigation precisely because he didn''t want to offend the Finch family?" Yosef mused.


    Suddenly, he clenched his fists as a realization struck him. "Jonathan..." he muttered through gritted teeth.


    It became clear to him that Jonathan must have influenced Carson''s decision. "But to what end? Was his goal to see Jack behind bars or to humiliate me publicly?" he thought.


    At that moment, Yosef longed to confront Jonathan and deliver a well-deserved punch. However, he knew that losing his temper would only serve to give Jonathan more ammunition for mockery.


    Initially, his only concern was preventing Jack''s conviction to preserve his reputation. Yet, as this situation transformed into a battle of wills between him and Jonathan, Yosef became increasingly determined to prove Jack''s innocence and clear his name. If Jonathan could manipte the situation, he was equally capable of doing the same.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the lunch hour had just passed at the Finch Family Hospital. Having grabbed a quick meal outside, Rose entered the facility with the purpose of visiting Ezra.


    His room was situated in a secluded section of the hospital, guarded by a contingent of bodyguards. As soon as they saw Rose, they stepped aside without her even having to exin her purpose.


    Surprised, Rose asked, "That''s it? You''re just letting me in?"


    She was aware that the bodyguards were tasked with preventing anyone from entering the room or even approaching the area.


    One of the bodyguards responded respectfully, "Mr. Finch has expressly permitted your entry, Ms. Young. Any other individual would have been barred from this area."


    Rose''s heart skipped a beat. Trying not to read too much into it, she forced a smile and walked toward Ezra''s room.


    As she opened the door, she


    expected to find Ezra in bed, but it was unupied. Startled, she quickly regained herposure and was about to call for the guard when she heard a sound near the window beside the bed.


    Rose approached and found Ezra lying on the floor, making her wonder if he had fallen out of bed.


    Panic-stricken, she hurried to help him up. Thankfully, Ezra cooperated, and she got him to sit up. However, he refused to stand.


    Ezra repositioned himself to lean against the bed. His gaze was fixated on Rose''s forehead. Thinking that her bangs were in the way, he reached up. Before Rose could react, he brushed her bangs aside, revealing a scar hidden beneath. Ezra''s gaze flickered as he lowered his eyes remorsefully. "I''m sorry."


    Rose understood the unspoken meaning behind his words. "It''s not your fault... What happened that day was an ident."


    Naturally, Ezra knew it wasn''t as simple as an ident. His uncontroble, ferociously aggressive side had reared its head once more.


    "The floor is cold," Rose said. "You''ve just woken up. It would be best if you returned to bed, or, at the very least, sat on it. It''s better than being on the floor." Ezra remained motionless. After a long silence, he finally said, "I didn''t fall."


    Rose was puzzled.


    "Lying on the floor isforting. The coolness against my back clears my mind," he exined.


    Rose was rendered speechless.


    "You should join me." Ezra patted the floor beside him, sincerely inviting her.


    Rose hesitated but ultimately chose to sit beside him. Observing Ezra''s profile, she couldn''t help but notice his striking resemnce to Jonathan.


    Initially, she had chalked up their simr appearances to coincidence, never imagining they were actual brothers, sharing the same parents.


    Not only did their profiles match, but


    so did their noses, eyes, and facial features. The main differencey in their expressions-Jonathan appeared stern and aloof, whereas Ezra seemed gentler.


    Unbeknownst to Rose, Ezra had turned to face her as she was mentallyparing the brothers. It wasn''t until she met his amused gaze that she realized her mistake.


    A flush crept up her face as she hastily tried to exin herself. "I... I wasn''t..." She desperately searched for a way to rify without causing any misunderstandings.


    Her thoughts were in turmoil. But before she could find the right words, Ezra let out a soft chuckle. "I understand."


    Rose was taken aback, unsure of what he meant. "No, you don''t!" she blurted out impulsively.


    "I do understand..." Ezra repeated, his tone shifting from amusement to seriousness. "Are you aware that your eyes lit up when you were looking at me earlier?" Rose was left speechless, struggling to find the right words. She knew that an exnation was still within reach if she could articte her thoughts. "You really like this face," Ezra affirmed with unwavering certainty.


    Rose couldn''t refute it. "Who


    wouldn''t admire such a handsome face? Your fans adore you for your striking looks. As the entertainment industry''s top yer, it''s clear why you''re so celebrated!" sheplimented.


    Ov


    Ezra unexpectedly turned to face Rose head-on. "I wasn''t referring to my face."


    Rose''s brow creased in confusion. "It''s Jonathan''s face you''re drawn to," Ezra stated, holding her gaze intently.


    Rose froze, her expression betraying her. Ezra noticed the brief flicker of guilt in her eyes.


    "Poor Jonathan," he remarked.

 Chapter 471 Jonathan Is Acting Weird

    Rose was rendered mute, reeling from the unexpected assertion that Jonathan, the revered and feared head of the Finch family, could be considered pitiful. She reckoned she must have misheard Ezra''s words. But the confusion wasn''t limited to Rose alone. The man standing at the door, having arrived at an uncertain point in the conversation, also raised a brow.


    "I''m pitiful?" he mused.


    "Isn''t he pitiful?" Ezra queried, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he observed Rose''s reaction. "The woman he loves only appreciates his face. If he were to lose it, wouldn''t he also lose her affection?"


    Rose was momentarily taken aback. The statement seemed somewhat logical. However, she quickly focused on the phrase "the woman he loves", but decided to intentionally ignore it almost as if fearing to confront the idea. Nheless, Ezra''s im that she was only interested in Jonathan''s physical appearance didn''t sound right to her.


    Without much thought, Rose immediately retorted, "Who said it''s just about his face?"


    Ezra was intrigued. "Oh?"


    He looked at Rose, his gaze inviting her to borate. For some reason, facing him made Rose feel incredibly at ease.


    She pictured Jonathan in her mind, trying to summarize why she liked more than just his face. Memories of her moments with Jonathan shed through Rose''s mind. She pondered what else she liked about him beyond his face. She mused, "Was it the way he gazed intently into my eyes? Or perhaps the sense of security andfort I experienced while wrapped in his arms?"


    For a while, Rose remained silent. However, her expression and an involuntary joyful smile made it clear to Ezra that her feelings for Jonathan were far from superficial.


    "Jonathan..." Ezra wanted to say something but stopped short. The atmosphere in the ward grew tranquil, punctuated only by the soft breathing of the two upants.


    At the door, Jonathan, who had been on the verge of entering, abruptly retreated from the ward''s vicinity.


    "Mr. Finch, why did youe out? Isn''t Mrs. Finch inside?" Leonard questioned, ncing toward the room.


    The bodyguards had confirmed Rose''s presence inside, so it made little sense for Jonathan not to visit her.


    Leonard and Finley exchanged a look, both observing that something seemed off about Jonathan.


    As Jonathan''s mind reyed Rose''s silence, he wondered what it implied. It seemed to him that she had nothing else to like about him apart from his face.


    Lost in thought, he wandered forward until he halted in front of a reflective ss pane. He scrutinized his reflection, his focus fixated on his face.


    Finley and Leonard followed behind him, observing Jonathan touching his face as if looking in a mirror. First, he studied his entire face, then his profile.


    This behavior was unusual for Jonathan, who typically couldn''t care less about his appearance. His sudden fixation on his features was both baffling and concerning. Suddenly, Jonathan''s voice broke the silence. "Is my nose not high enough?"


    The question startled both Leonard and Finley, their hearts skipping a beat.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Jonathan continued, "Are my lips too thin? They say having thin lips means having a fickle personality..."


    Leonard and Finley exchanged wide-eyed nces, shock evident in their expressions.


    "Is my jawline too harsh? Does it make me look unapproachable?" Jonathan persisted, prompting Leonard and Finley''s expressions to mirror those of having seen a ghost. Jonathan''s behavior was undeniably strange, and they wondered if something was wrong with him.


    Finally, Jonathan proposed, "Should I find a top-notch stic surgeon?" Unable to bear it any longer, Leonard and Finley simultaneously interrupted him.


    "Mr. Finch!" Their hearts couldn''t take much more of this bizarre episode.


    "Mr. Finch, your face is already perfect. You don''t need a stic surgeon," Leonard assured him.


    Finley added, "Indeed, Mr. Finch, your features are even more exceptional than Mr. Jameson''s. There''s no need for any changes."


    Both Leonard and Finley felt distressed. They couldn''t help but wonder what terrible event could have triggered such a thought in Jonathan''s mind.


    Jonathan frowned at his reflection in the ss, still appearing somewhat dissatisfied. "Is that so?"


    Leonard and Finley nodded vigorously. "Yes. Absolutely!"


    "But..." Jonathan frowned, about to say something more, when Leonard swiftly interjected, employing his most convincing argument.


    "Mr. Finch, your wife adores your face just as it is. If you alter it and she no longer finds it appealing..."


    Jonathan''s expression stiffened. Leonard''s words rang true-Rose cherished his face in its current state. The risk of changing it and potentially inciting her disapproval loomedrge.


    He let out a deep breath. Looking at


    his reflection again, he changed his perspective. After a contemtive pause, he instructed Leonard, Hire a reliable facial care expert for me. No matter the cost."


    He thought his face needed to remain precisely as Rose cherished it.


    Oblivious to the shock on Leonard and Finley''s faces, Jonathan turned his thoughts to another pressing concern-Eleanor had requested he bring Rose to Finch Manor the following day.


    Recognizing his grandmother''s


    request as a form of punishment for


    his previous transgression, He was resolute in his determination not to allow Rose to face whatever


    unknown challenges awaited her alone.


    "Leonard..." Jonathan suddenly spoke.


    Leonard and Finley were still reeling from the shock of Jonathan''s unprecedented request for a facial care expert.


    Upon hearing his name, Leonard quickly snapped back to attention. "Yes, Mr. Finch? If there''s anything else you need, be it a facial care expert or another specialist, I''ll find the best one for you." Jonathan gave him a brief, unamused nce, displeased with the faint trace of amusement in Leonard''s eyes. The subtle reprimand was all it took for Leonard to return to hisposed self. "Mr. Finch..."


    "How''s the negotiation with Lerain Group going?" Jonathan asked, changing the subject abruptly.


    Lerain Group, with its extensive overseas businesswork, wasparable to Finch Group. Last year, Eleanor had expressed a de?ire to expand into international markets, prompting Jonathan to set his sights on a partnership with Lerain Group.


    During his time in Aquastead, Jonathan had met with Clover, the head of Lerain Group. Since then, Leonard had been handling the negotiations.


    However, Lerain Group''s stance remained unclear. They neithermitted to the partnership nor rejected it. Each meeting was positive and cooperative, yet they avoided making any definitive statements.


    Leonard was perplexed by this. "Mr. Finch, Lerain Group''s attitude has been consistently vague. Our interactions have been smooth, but I can''t identify the source of their hesitation."


    While he couldn''t identify the issue, Jonathan''s sharp intuition immediately recognized the root of the problem. "Clover..." he mused.


    Since Clover hade to Regalia, it was only proper for Jonathan, as the host, to meet with him personally.

 Chapter 472 Can We Have a Drink

    That night, Clover drank alone at a bar in Regalia.


    He had just ended a call, where he found out Yosef was actively using his connections for a favor. Was he still intent on bailing Jack out?


    When he heard the news, he stated that Jack could not be released. The more they resisted, the more Jack would suffer.


    Perhaps he was so focused on his thoughts that he became unaware of the constant admiring gazes thrown in his direction. His exquisite facial features and captivating vibe made him the most appealing man in the bar. Initially, the women only admired him from afar. Then, a woman broke the ice and made her move. "Can I have a drink with you, sir?"


    Clover lifted his head, revealing his handsome and heart-throbbing smile. However, his irresistible lips uttered the coldest words. "No, thanks."


    The woman felt her heart shatter. Even though he had rejected her, she maintained herposure to leave a good impression on him. As such, she didn''t insist and left with a gracious smile.


    A woman''s failure meant another chance of sess for others. Gradually, those who thought they had a shot proceeded to hit on him.


    However, without exception, all of them returned to their seats in disappointment. Despite the rejections, they stared longingly at the handsome man. Amid their admiration, they began to suspect a theory.


    All the girls who went up to him were undoubtedly bombshells, yet a man like him chose to drink alone instead of spending time with one of them.


    Perhaps... he liked men and not women? At least, that was their theory.


    As they made the assumption, they saw a man approaching him. A guy who was almost as alluring as he was had entered the picture!


    "Can we have a drink?"


    Clover was sipping his wine when he heard a sultry voice. "Is it another admirer? No..." he contemted with furrowed brows. "That''s a man''s voice!" he thought.


    He was straighter than a pole. He thought he hade to an ordinary bar where he could enjoy himself amid the boisterous scene. Yet, after multiple attempts from several women, a man was now hitting on him! Clover was slightly displeased. "I''m not into that."


    Jonathan was speechless. He was here to show goodwill and had purposely softened his tone to keep things polite. What was Clover mad about?


    "Mr. Xanth..."


    "Like I said, I''m not into that!"


    Clover had lost his mood to enjoy the night. He regretteding to this bar. Had he known he''d be approached by men here, he would''ve dragged Emily along when she rejected him. Clover didn''t want to stay another second. He disregarded the remaining wine in his ss and rose to his feet. Yet, when he turned and saw the person before him, he froze instantly. "Jonathan?" He was visibly startled.


    Jonathan shed him a rare smile. "You seem bothered, Mr. Xanth." His bad mood ought to affect the oue of his business discussion with himter.


    Recalling the reason for his displeasure earlier, Clover felt awkward and quickly drank from the ss before him to hide his emotions.


    As if it was water, he grabbed the wine bottle on the table and moved to pour Jonathan a ss. Seeing that there was no empty ss, he called out to the staff. "Another wine ss, please." His series of actions threw the admiring women in the bar into chaos. So, that was the truth!


    Not only was he into men, but he was also interested in this handsome dude! Otherwise, why the series of actions? He was obviously nervous! Was it... love at first sight?


    The two men surprisingly made a


    good-looking couple. The women


    instantly diminished their


    t from earlier andet


    started rooting for them. However,


    Jonathan and Clover were unaware


    of that.


    When the servant returned with an empty ss, Clover poured Jonathan some wine but saw him standing. He hurriedly said, "Have a seat. We''re old friends, so let''s save the courtesy." From what Jonathan remembered, Clover had always been arrogant. Why was he suddenly so enthusiastic?


    It took a while for Jonathan to get used to his energy. Since Jonathan was the one who had sought Clover out, he naturally didn''t refuse and sat down. After taking a sip, he stated his purpose. "Mr. Xanth, I''d like to know which aspect of our proposed coboration is not to your liking."


    Clover was surprised to know Jonathan was here to talk business. He instantly stopped feeling the awkwardness from earlier.


    "You''re mistaken, Mr. Finch. There''s nothing I dislike." He repeatedly downed his ss.


    At that moment, he was no longer the embarrassed man from before. Instead, every gesture and movement of his exuded an air of arrogance before Jonathan.


    Jonathan furrowed his brows. "Then, please enlighten me as to why you''ve been dragging out signing the papers despite our several attempts."


    He understood that the problemy with Clover. As for the reason that held him back...


    Clover maintained his smile. "I don''t like Finch Group."


    Disliking Finch Group? That was obviously not the reason. If it were, they wouldn''t have discussed the coboration in the first ce.


    Jonathan locked eyes with Clover and spoke straightforwardly. "Is it because of Rose?"


    Startled, Clover didn''t expect him to know that. "If you already knew why and want to seal the deal quickly, you should know what to do, right?"


    Jonathan had long anticipated this point of their conversation. Suddenly, he lowered his gaze and chuckled.


    "Rose is my wife, so I can''t possibly satisfy your wishes. However, given the Xanth family''s extensive businesswork abroad, I believe your family would never forgo such opportunities for a girl.


    "If we coborate, it means Finch


    Group gets to hit the overseas


    market while your family can establish a foothold domestically It''s a win-win situation. I suppose the Xanth family won''t oppose that.


    "If you intend to challenge me, why don''t you try a different approach? As long as you keep Rose out of the picture, I''m okay with anything."


    Hisst few words suggested a significant offer!


    Clover looked at Jonathan, and his gaze slowly shifted. Fiddling with his wine ss, Clover smiled half-heartedly.


    "Is Rose truly that important to you? Is she worth more than your dignity and life?"


    "My life?" Jonathan seemed indifferent. "believe my life has no value to you. As for my dignity..." He met Clover''s eyes. "What do you want me to do?" He implied that Rose mattered more than his dignity!


    As such, Clover responded, "What do I want? Well, I need time to think about that!"

 Chapter 473 What Did You Do Last Night

    Clover put a lot of thought into it. While sipping his wine, he stole nces at Jonathan as though he had a million ideas to crumble his dignity. However, he quickly dismissed each of them. Jonathan enjoyed his wine calmly. No matter what Clover proposed, he would ept it.


    After some time, Clover revealed a smirk, an indicator that he had arrived at a decision. Then, he swept his gaze across the bar.


    When the women saw him looking at them, they couldn''t help but feel shy. After filtering his searches among the women, he finallynded on a person.


    "See that person?" Clover downed the ss excitedly and raised his chin, signaling Jonathan to look over, which he did.


    Not far away from them, a guy sat by the end of the bar. He looked ordinary. However, Jonathan noticed he was looking in their direction with a fiery and intrigued look. When the guy realized the men had looked his way, he seemed slightly flirtatious. Jonathan stayed silent. What did Clover want him to do?


    "You should be his type. Did you see how he was staring at you? You should have a drink with him!" Clover''s voice sounded before Jonathan.


    Clover wanted Jonathan to hit on a man? Instantly, Jonathan shot the former a cold re. Before he could proceed to say anything, Clover was so shocked that he jolted backward and frightfully patted his chest.


    However, that onlysted briefly as his handsome face then showed unmasked provocation. "You''re not backpedaling, are you?"


    Due to the awkwardness he felt for mistaking Jonathan for flirting with him earlier, Clover wanted him to experience the same feeling.


    Jonathan''s sharp gaze slowly softened, but he maintained his dark expression. While the two locked eyes, both held their wine ss. One awaited a good show, while the other was filled with resentment. After a while, Clover smiled mockingly. "If you don''t want to¡ª"


    "I do!" Jonathan interrupted him.


    Clover was surprised to see him conceding. Soon after, he apuded him. "If so, go ahead, Mr. Finch!" He leaned against his chair, ready to enjoy the show.


    After Jonathan tidied his suit, grabbed his wine ss, and stood up, he stared at Clover and sternly reminded, "I''ve told them to prepare the contract. You can sign itter. If you don''t..."


    Jonathan didn''t finish his words but managed to convey his meaning through his chilly gaze. Clover understood him.


    If he had made a fool out of Jonathan, he would be doomed in Jonathan''s hands even if he had the Xanth family as his backing! Was he afraid? He naturally wasn''t, but...


    He met Jonathan''s eyes and shed him an innocent smile.


    Soon, Jonathan grabbed his ss and turned away. His action instantly attracted all the women''s attention in the bar.


    Seeing that the handsome beau behind them had stood up, they couldn''t help but hold their breath. Everyone else gradually paid attention as well.


    Amid the anticipating gazes, Jonathan slowly made his way to the end of the bar. It wasn''t until he arrived before the man Clover had selected that he halted his steps.


    "Can we have a drink?" Jonathan


    raised his wine ss. When he said that, he instantly felt a sense of deja vu. That was exactly what he said to Clover earlier... Such amon phrase held a different meaning when used in certain contexts.


    Amid Jonathan''s daze, the guy was surprised to receive his invitation and answered, "Of course. Come, have a seat." He pulled the seat out for Jonathan.


    Despite his reluctance, Jonathan had no choice but to sit beside him. Then, he could distinctly feel the guy''s hand traveling behind his back.


    Such an action was highly ambiguous. However, Jonathan was revolted by it. Even when faced with women, other than Rose, he was averse and always maintained a distance with them-let alone with a man!


    At that point, Jonathan desperately wanted to walk back to his seat and bash Clover. However, for the sake of the contract, he had to endure this.


    Once he sealed the coboration with the Xanth family, Eleanor would be content, and Rose would be out of trouble.


    "What would you like, sir? Do you want anything else? I know a ce where we can do more than just drink. It''s fun there. If you like, I can take you there."


    The man inched closer to Jonathan,


    not knowing he was straight. As he


    did so, Jonathan''s face darkened.


    When he swept his harsh gaze over


    the


    man, he turned terrified and instinctively straightened his back.


    "Drink!" Jonathan nced at the ss on the bar.


    The guy was startled but soon became more into it. Who wouldn''t like an aloof, handsome man? That type of man in question was sitting right beside him and asking him for a drink!


    He excitedly replied, "Sure, let''s drink."


    He raised his ss and downed it. Upon seeing that, Jonathan followed suit. He hadpleted the task of asking him for a drink! That meant he had no other reasons to stay.


    Jonathan rose to his feet and left


    without looking back. He revealed a


    victorious smile while returning to


    his original seat. Then, he ordered


    Clover as he stood before him,


    want to see the contract signed by 8:00 p.m. tomorrow. Get it ready, Mr. Xanth."


    Clover raised his brows. "Sure, as you wish. However, I''m afraid you''ve been marked as gay by everyone here!" He thought he could provoke Jonathan with that.


    Yet, Jonathan merely smiled faintly. "You do hold a grudge, Mr. Xanth. But I must rify-I didn''t drink with you because I wanted to hit on you."


    With that, Jonathan ignored the stiffened smile on Clover''s face. "Here''s to a great cob, Mr. Xanth!" Jonathan raised his empty ss and ced it on the table. With a flourish, he headed out of the bar. Left behind was Clover, who stood still and felt embarrassed.


    The next morning, all the necessary contracts regarding the coboration between Lerain and Finch Groups were handed into Jonathan''s hands.


    Leonard was more than surprised. "We tried so hard to seal the deal. How did you do it after a night..." He looked at his boss with shock and curiosity.


    Yesterday, Jonathan made him track Clover''s location. After knowing he was at a bar, Jonathan quickly dropped by. Out of curiosity, Leonard blurted, "What did you dost night, sir?"

 Chapter 474 Caught in Embarrassment

    Leonard''s question soon received a cold and brutal re from Jonathan, as if saying, "Whoever dares to bring upst night again will be dead meat!"


    Leonard trembled and quickly dismissed his curiosity. "Okay, I''ll stop."


    Perhaps he had lost his bearings from Jonathan''s intense re, so he started buttering Jonathan up. "You''re amazing, sir. You effortlessly resolved an issue that took others months to achieve! You''re so wise, sir. And..." He thought his words would ease Jonathan''s anger, but he saw Jonathan''s gloomy expression intensifying.


    "Sir..." Leonard became anxious and mindful.


    "You seem to have too much free time on your hands." Jonathan stared at him with intensity.


    Knowing that his fawning attempt earlier was a flop, Leonard dared not say anything more. "I''ll... go follow up with the project."


    He immediately disappeared from Jonathan''s sight for fear of being in the presence of this furious man.


    Finley, watching from the side, identally burst intoughter. When Jonathan nced over, Finley concealed his smile and reminded him of his schedule for the day.


    "Sir, I received a call from Finch Manor ten minutes ago. Mrs. Finch Senior stressed your attendance for tonight''s banquet."


    A reminder... It seemed that Eleanor still held a grudge. Jonathan nced at the document in his hands and answered, "Got it."


    He was confident that the coboration between the Finch and Lerain Groups could stop Eleanor''s will to see Rose.


    ...


    At the Young Family Hospital...


    After visiting Ezra yesterday, Rose felt relieved. She was ready to see Yvonne after a good night''s sleep. When passing the emergency fire door, she heard a woman weeping behind it. Who was crying?


    Rose frowned and immediately heard the woman begging in between sobs. "Evo, Eve is fine now. It won''t take you much time to go through with the wedding in Aquastead." It was Dawn and Eva.


    "Evo, you promised me. The wedding is in two days. I''ve already booked the flight tickets. Please return to Aquastead with me. Okay?" she sobbed.


    Rose recalled thest time Dawn requested her to advise Evan not to postpone the wedding, which she refused. Was their wedding just two days away?


    "We can postpone the wedding. You know Eve. She''s not exactly out of the woods." Evan sounded impatient.


    Dawn had always been kind and generous. Yet, when it came to Yvonne, she was overly indifferent.


    Although Yvonne had kept her life, her shattered limbs, stered in casts, and her bandaged face made Evan feel terribly sad for her. Nevertheless, Yvonne always forced a smile to console everyone, while Dawn only cared about her wedding and disregarded the former. "Evo..."


    "I promised I''ll marry you. I won''t renege on my words. If only you could give me more time and wait for Eve to get better...


    "Miles has arranged a vi for you to settle and nurture yourself during your pregnancy. There will be professionals looking after you. Just stay there so you don''t have to go back and forth between the hospital and the hotel. "I can''t leave Eve alone in the ward. I''ll head back in now."


    Evan had been mentally and physically exhaustedtely. At that moment, he was suppressing his impatience while consoling Dawn.


    Outside the fire door, Rose snapped back to reality. If she got caught eavesdropping on content she shouldn''t have known, it would only make the situation awkward.


    Almost reflexively, she turned around and retreated to the turn, hiding herself with the wall.


    After hearing the retreating footsteps, she waited another moment before turning the corner. Assuming they had left, she was surprised to see Dawn standing by the fire door.


    Startled, she soon locked eyes with Dawn who had turned around. The atmosphere turned strange. Recovering quickly enough from the awkwardness, Rose revealed a smile and casually greeted her.


    "Hey, Dawn. You''re here."


    During every shift change with Evan, Rose would see her beside him. She resembled a devoted wife who was always caring for him.


    Dawn, regaining herposure, quickly wiped the tears off her face. While doing that, she smiled contently.


    "Oh, Rose, this is embarrassing. I heard that pregnant women tend to have emotional fluctuations. I don''t know what just happened.


    "All I thought about was how my baby would call me Mommy and Evo Daddy, and I just..."


    Rose stayed quiet. Was that really what happened though? Both parties were trying their hardest to hide something, so Rose naturally wouldn''t expose her.


    She chuckled. "Congrats to you. I''m relieved to see you this happy." She truly wanted Dawn to find the happiness she desired.


    Dawn stroked her tiny bump. "I am happy now."


    The situation made Rose feel eerie. As such, she excused herself by saying she had to change shifts with Evan.


    Unbeknownst to her, the smile on Dawn disappeared as Rose passed by her. Instead, it was reced with coldness and darkness.


    "She heard us!" Dawn thought. She scoffed, and humiliation ignited within her and gradually engulfed her being. At some point, her nails had dug into her palms.


    "She heard it! But she pretended she didn''t. She must have been mocking me when she congratted me," she thought.


    As for Evan, she deemed his exnation a lie. It wasn''t that he wanted to stay for Yvonne but because of Rose! How could she know what he secretly felt?


    He had always been in love with


    Rose since young. Had it not been for Dawn''s calcted trick that got herself pregnant, she wouldn''t have gotten the chance to marry Evan.


    She watched her wedding, which was supposed to be in two days, get postponed right under her nose.


    How could Evan do that to her? It had to be because of Rose that he refused to marry her! All of that was Rose''s fault.


    Dawn pondered about what she could do. She stood still for a long time and only left the hospital dejectedly after a long while.


    What could she do then? Rose had Miles and Evan''s protection, while she watched her wedding and position as Mrs. Spencer slipped away through her fingers.


    If she did anything impulsive to Rose and was caught, she would gain nothing and even lose Evan for good. There was nothing she could do!


    She couldn''t help but feel extremely aggrieved. As she arrived by the roadside, she was pulled back to reality by a ring horn.


    Dawn turned to the luxury car, inches away from her, and apologized in a panic. "Sorry! I''m so sorry..."

 Chapter 475 A Glimpse of Her Old Self

    Dawn only got into Aquastead College thanks to Rose''s sponsor. When she worked at a high-end restaurant in Aquastead, she had met countless wealthy people and had been reprimanded harshly for minor mistakes. She had long gotten used to being mindful. However, it was as if the car horn had triggered her low self-esteem and humbleness.


    "I''m so sorry..." Dawn continuously apologized with a lowered head. She couldn''t take on the elites in Aquastead, let alone the ones in Regalia.


    The luxury car window slowly rolled down. Lizzie nced at Dawn and was caught off guard for a moment. It felt like she had seen her old self.


    But soon after, she regained herposure. After sweeping a cold nce over Dawn, she shifted into a smile and opened the door to walk toward Dawn.


    "Are you okay, youngdy?" Lizzie looked concerned.


    Her kind voice put Dawn into a trance. When she looked up and saw the noblewoman before her, she was stunned in ce momentarily and stared at the woman. "Hello?" Lizzie held Dawn''s hand.


    Recovering from her daze, Dawn realized she had been rude by staring at the noblewoman. She looked down. "N-No, I''m okay. I''m so sorry, madam-"


    "Why are you apologizing to me?" Lizzie frowned. "It should''ve been me. My driver red the horn and scared you. It was my fault too because I was too eager to see you."


    To see her? The startled Dawn thought she had misheard. "See me?"


    The person before her looked more than a typical noblewoman, based on her demeanor and manner of speaking.


    "Yeah, you. I have a favor to ask of you. Why don''t we... talk inside the car?" The kindness radiating from Lizzie''s gentle smile made one unable to refuse her. Even as Dawn entered the vehicle, she remained stunned.


    A shield separated the driver and the passenger''s backseat, leaving only Lizzie and Dawn in the ample space.


    Staring at Dawn, Lizzie wore a smile and seemed unreadable. Her gaze was amicable, but her unsolicited kindness made Dawn ponder this stranger''s intention. More importantly, what could she do for her?


    "I''m not from Regalia, madam. I just came here from Aquastead not long ago. I''m afraid I can''t help you."


    Dawn looked at the noblewoman before her with a hint of admiration. They were from two different worlds!


    However, Lizzie simply responded with a faint smile. "I''m aware."


    She was? How did this woman know she was from Aquastead? She easily read all the visible signs on Dawn''s face.


    "I also know you''re Dawn Stevens, a friend of Rose!"


    "Rose?" Dawn unknowingly revealed a hint of resentment in her gaze when hearing her name. Soon, she realized this woman wanted her help regarding Rose. However...


    She smiled. "I probably don''t deserve to call myself her friend yet."


    She was merely a student Rose had sponsored. It was only with her help that she got to go to school in Aquastead. Without her, she wouldn''t even meet Evan.


    All of these were enough reasons for her to thank Rose, yet for some reason, Rose''s "charity" made her feel small. When recalling what happened at the hospital earlier, she couldn''t help but tighten her fists.


    All her fleeting emotions reassured Lizzie that Dawn would be a good minion for her. "There''s no deserving or not when ites to making friends. You know, I do vibe with you, and I adore you."


    Lizzie patted the back of Dawn''s hand. Gradually, thetter rxed. She looked at Lizzie and asked, "What can I help you with?"


    "It''s simple heard Rose designs


    jewelry, so I would like her to custom-make me a set. I''m free tonight. Would you be able to bring her


    to this location?" Lizzie passed Dawn a note. en FindNovel


    "1 Mount Ebott?" Dawn was clueless about where that was.


    Without waiting for her response, Lizzie patted her hands gently again. "I believe in you. I''ll be waiting for you at 7:00 p.m. tonight."


    Even after exiting the vehicle, Dawn stayed in a daze. The luxury car was no longer in sight, but the note crumpled in her hand reminded her that everything was real.


    "1 Mount Ebott... Rose..." She read the address on the note. Other than that, there was also a phone number.


    Although Dawn didn''t know who thatdy was, her instinct told her that thedy''s reasoning was just a coverup.


    If she truly wanted her


    custom-made jewelry, she could''ve gone straight to Rose instead of going through her. If so, her true motive was... using her to trick Rose inte going to 1 Mount Ebott


    "It seems like I''m not the only one who dislikes you, Rose!" Dawn revealed a cold smile. Should she take the risk for thatdy? Soon enough, she decided to take part in it. As for the n...


    ...


    At the hospital, Rose found Yvonne asleep when she entered the ward.


    She thought Evan only sounded tired when she heard his voice at the fire door, but when she saw him, she realized he was in a haggard state. Compared to his usually carefree look, he looked messy with visible red veins in his eyes. She could tell he was worried sick about Yvonne.


    "Go ahead and rest, Evan." Rose lowered her volume to avoid waking up Yvonne.


    "Okay." Evan was simrly grateful for Rose. The only person, other than him, who truly cared about his sister in Regalia was her.


    "Thank you, Rosie. I''lle by earlier for tonight''s shift," he said before leaving.


    Although the hospital was equipped with medical workers, Rose and Evan only felt relieved if they watched over her in person.


    Usually, without any special asions, Rose would take the daytime shift until 7:00 p.m. before handing it over to him. As for tonight, though...


    "Don''t worry, Evan. I''m free tonight. Just rest more and spend some time with Dawn. It''s fine if you don''te tonight too."


    She wanted to add that he could carry on with his wedding in Aquastead worry-free while she watched over Yvonne in his stead. However, she instantly swallowed her words. Wouldn''t that be exposing herself to have eavesdropped on their conversation? As such, she dismissed her thought.


    Meanwhile, Yvonne was in a poor state that day, with pain in several spots and pale lips for almost the whole day.


    Rose couldn''t help but feel sorry for her. It wasn''t until the afternoon that she recovered slightly and fell asleep. Holding her hand, Rose prayed for her to heal soon.


    At about 6:00 p.m., Rose received a phone call.


    "Rose? Rose..." The person sobbed on the phone as soon as the call connected. The voice belonged to Dawn.

 Chapter 476 Its a Trap

    Why was Dawn calling her? If she remembered correctly, the two had not contacted each other over the phone for a long time. Not to mention, Rose felt like Dawn had turned into a different person when they had reunited in Regalia this time. Surprised, Rose quicklyforted her after sensing she was crying. "Dawn? What''s wrong? It''s okay. Calm down, and talk to me slowly."


    Her concern was genuine and contagious. Had Dawn actually been in a terrifying situation, she would''ve feltforted by her.


    On the other side of the call, Dawn became startled but only for a fleeting moment. As though discarding a part of her real self, she continued feigning terror and cried.


    "Rose, I was wrong. I lied to you. This morning at the hospital, I wasn''t crying out of happiness. It''s supposed to be my wedding in two days. I asked Evan to return to Aquastead with me, but he refused, saying he wanted to postpone the wedding..." Rose was surprised to hear her mention this.


    Dawn continued, "I cried because of that, Rose. I''m pregnant with Evo''s baby, and the baby needs this ceremony. That''s why I was anxious about it... I was mad, so I left the hospital to get some fresh air. I took a cab and told the driver to drive me around. "I was too focused on my thoughts and forgot about the time. When I realized, the fare meter showed an amount way out of my existing cash. I fought with the driver because I couldn''t pay the full amount.


    "After taking my money, he kicked me out of the car... Rose, what should I do? There are no cars here at all... I''m hungry and thirsty..." She sobbed helplessly.


    Rose softened her tone andforted her. "Hey, rx. Does... Evan know?" For some reason, she thought Evan should be the first person Dawn reached out to when she needed help.


    Dawn paused briefly and panicked. To avoid raising suspicion, she cried even harder. "Rose, I called Evo, but his phone was switched off. He''s been too tired taking care of Evetely. Maybe he''s sleeping. I don''t know... Rose, I''m scared..." Rose frowned upon hearing her sobs. If anything happened to a pregnantdy in the wild...


    "Rx, Dawn. Just tell me where you are, and I''ll pick you up." She maintained a low voice while ncing at Yvonne on the bed.


    When Rose exited the ward, Dawn described her location. "I don''t know where I am. After the driver left, I wandered and saw a signbeled Mount Ebott."


    Rose didn''t think much about that name. "Wait for me there."


    After ending the call, Rose told the nurses to look after Yvonne before leaving the hospital. She took a cab and tried to call Evan''s number but was informed that his device had been switched off.


    In the meantime, Dawn stood at Ebott Road, which she had carefully chosen beforehand. Just a distance away was 1 Mount Ebott, the designated location on the note.


    She also anticipated Rose calling Evan on her way here. In an attempt to make the settings real, she deliberately returned to her hotel and prepared a ss of water, dosed with sleeping pills, for Evan. After he fell asleep, she unplugged his phone from the charger, knowing that his remaining battery wouldn''t be sufficient tost the night.


    As such, she wasn''t lying when she told Rose that Evan''s phone was dead. Even if Rose were to check out the situation, she would only hear an automated message stating his phone was switched off. Dawn caressed her belly and smiled coldly. "Sorry, Rose." She was, however, not sorry at all.


    After a while, she thought of thedy she had met and quickly called the number on the note. The call soon connected.


    "Hello?" A voice rang from her speaker.


    Dawn''s tone was careful. "It''s me, madam."


    "It''s you, Ms. Stevens. Have you done what I asked?" Lizzie looked and sounded amicable, but her eyes were tinted with coldness.


    "I can only make Rose pass by your location, madam. That''s... all I can do." Dawn had thought of countless ideas, but she arrived at this n, which had the mildest chance of being exposed.


    She knew that thedy, with such exquisite appearance, probably had a way to lure Rose inside.


    As expected, Lizzie smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Stevens. That''s more than enough. Rest assured that I''ll repay you with my gratitude. Is your wedding in two days?"


    Dawn was shocked. How did she know that? "Yes- Well... no. It was supposed to be, but something happened. The wedding might be postponed." She didn''t hide the disappointment in her tone.


    Lizzie quickly knew what Dawn wanted. "There are still two days, Ms. Stevens. Perhaps things would fall back into ce," she hinted at her. To Dawn, however, her consoling words were merely out of courtesy and didn''t have any impact on her.


    After ending the call, Dawn sat by the road. She pondered thatdy''s intention and what she wanted to do to Rose.


    Nheless, she didn''t regret being an aplice. All she needed to do next was continue waiting. She had to finish the show without raising any suspicions.


    At Finch Manor, Eleanor organized


    the family banquet that night in a rush. Although it was supposedly a family gathering, she had invited people outside the family, like Anastasia, Yara, and Rose.


    Lizzie heard from Anna that Eleanor had personally sent Anastasia and Yara invitation cards while instructing Jonathan to bring Rose along.


    After asking around about the incidentstely, Lizzie easily deduced why Eleanor wanted Jonathan to bring Rose.


    If she could, so could Jonathan. Judging by his affection for Rose, he couldn''t possibly send her to the manor and face Eleanor''s obstacles. As such, she concocted a n.


    Since Jonathan prevented Rose from attending, Lizzie had set a trap for her toe! Recalling the phone call earlier, she revealed a sly look.


    It wasn''t a problem to her that Rose would only "pass by the manor" because she could easily make her stay! She burst into a coldugh and called a number.


    The garden of Finch Manor was


    especially busy at the moment. Yara had arrived early. Knowing Eleanor had green fingers and always stayed at the manor, she purposefully gifted her a few expensive nts


    Eleanor adored them and couldn''t stop smiling. As Jonathan entered the manor, he heard a cheerfulugh...

 Chapter 477 His Guest

    "Mrs. Finch Senior, I met a veteran actor during my shoot, and he loves saffron crocus. He''s very well-versed in them.


    "He spent a lot of effort nurturing this lc one. I had to convince him until he reluctantly parted with it.


    "Also, these Kadupul flowers are part of a botanist''s personal collection. It was one of his precious babies. And this..." Yara aimed to impress Eleanor, looking like she was presenting treasures.


    Since the day she and Jonathan became "entangled" at the hotel, Eleanor became extremely indifferent toward her. She had been looking for a chance to change Eleanor''s impression of her, so she hade prepared by learning all her interests.


    After multiple attempts, she finally received Eleanor''s invitation to attend the Finch family''s banquet. Coincidentally, she had prepared these nts in advance and brought them tonight.


    Looking at how Eleanor examined the flowers, Yara knew she had it in the bag. As expected, Eleanor had an added hint of adoration in her eyes when looking at her. "You sure know the way to my heart!"


    As she said that, she saw a figure passing by the garden and heading straight into the building... alone.


    She frowned. "Jon..."


    Jonathan didn''t want to participate in the garden scene. However, he had no choice but to return to the garden when he heard Eleanor''s voice.


    The iing poised and upright figure rendered Yara''s heart racing. This man, notwithstanding his identity, was enough to make one fall for him with his appearance. She deserved to have a man like him! Yet, he had never spared her a nce. Jonathan arrived before Eleanor and greeted her. "Grandma."


    She nced behind him. "Didn''t I tell you to bring a guest? Hm?"


    He didn''t reply to her question. "Grandma, I have great news."


    Great news? Eleanor stared at him briefly and instantly knew that this "great news" was aimed at suppressing her anger. Did he care so much about Rose that he shielded her from facing her wrath?


    She lowered her eyelids. "I assume it''s the ultimate great news then."


    "So... Shall we talk at the study?" Eleanor didn''t refuse and told the helpers to serve Yara well before leaving with Jonathan.


    Yara was reluctant to look away despite the two having disappeared from her sight. The family banquet had yet to start, but the guests had gradually arrived.


    Aside from Anastasia, Be was thest to arrive. She didn''t want to attend initially. After all, her son was still in lockup, and she was too troubled to enjoy a banquet.


    When she heard from Yosef that Jonathan was involved in Jack''s incident, she knew what it meant. Even without concrete evidence, she deduced that Rose was the one who had bashed Jack!


    She almost wanted to confront Rose, regardless of whether it meant killing her or not. However, Yosef''s p sent her back to reality.


    He said confronting Rose would only further anger Jonathan, seeing how he had protected her. Besides, Jack was still in the lockup.


    During thest 24 hours, Yosef had used all his connections to bail him out, but it was futile. He crashed the items in his house tosh out, while Be... couldn''t take it anymore.


    Whatever it took, she needed to get Jack out. As such, she showed up to the banquet.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior said Mr. Jonathan was supposed to bring a guest. What did she mean?" Yara had been curious and guessing while in the garden. When she arrived at the tea room, she decided to ask Be and Lizzie. "Is Jon bringing a guest?" Lizzie seemed shocked, as if clueless about that information.


    Yara nced emotionlessly at her. When faced with Lizzie, she wasn''t as enthusiastic as with others. Although she was Cyrus'' wife, Yara heard that Jonathan disliked her. As such, she naturally paid no heed to her since that was the case for her future husband, Jonathan


    She deliberately inched closer to Be. "Aunt Be, do you know who Mr. Jonathan is bringing?"


    "How would I know?" Be thought. She was already troubled enough to begin with, so her tone was stiff and cold. "I don''t know."


    Her response made Yara slightly awkward. To ease the atmosphere, she shifted her attention to a helper nearby, looking arrogant.


    "You must know who Mr. Jonathan is bringing!" She raised her chin and gaze with a mighty attitude. "Hurry up and tell me! That way, I can prepare beforehand and host the guest!"


    She behaved like thedy of the house with the way she spoke and acted. This left the helper in an awkward position.


    "..."


    "What are you stuttering for? Answer me!" Yara grew impatient.


    Her aggressive demeanor made the


    helper nervous. After all, how could she reveal such supposedly confidential information to an outsider? Still, she knew she couldn''t


    offend the guest. As such, she


    humbly lowered her head in apology.


    "I''m... unsure. Sorry, Ms. Maize..."


    Naturally, Yara wouldn''t let that slide. "You don''t know who your boss is hosting? Do you even work here?" "Ms. Maize..."


    "Enough!" Be had no choice but to stop Yara despite her already frustrated state.


    "Aunt Be..." Yara was displeased that she had been stopped. Be red harshly at her and dismissed the helper. She wanted to lecture Yara to act more humble right then but saw Lizzie''s anticipated gaze.


    Be''s face darkened, and she seized Yara''s wrist.


    "What are you doing, Aunt Be?" Yara was caught off guard.


    Having been dragged away by Be, she could only leave the tea room with her. When they arrived at an empty area, she flung Be''s hand away. "What are you doing?" "That''s my question for you!" Be chided. "You''re not even married to Jonathan, yet you''re already acting like it. People will see you as a joke!"


    Yara recalled her actions earlier and thought she had indeed been obnoxious. But still...


    "I ought to be his wife sooner orter. Isn''t it normal to question a helper?" She rolled her eyes. "If they dare to mock me, I''ll¡ª"


    "You''re not married to Jonathan, Yara!" Be unhesitantly cut her off.


    "I..." Yara''s face stiffened. She eagerly wanted to refute but was red at by Be.


    "If Eleanor or Jonathan had seen you earlier, did you think they''d like you still? You''re an actress who''s supposed to be good at acting. What''s wrong with you today?" What went wrong? Well, of course, it was because she had won Eleanor''s heart earlier! Yara looked smug.

 Chapter 478 Are You Nervous

    "I gifted Mrs. Finch Senior several valuable nts, which I spent a ton on. Luckily, she likes them and now has a better impression of me!" As soon as Yara said that, she heard a discussion from the kitchen.


    "Ms. Maize just asked me who Mr. Jonathan is bringing."


    "Did you tell her?"


    "Of course not! This is the Finch family! Besides, that was Mrs. Finch Senior''s instruction for Mr. Jonathan. Nobody can ever dare me to reveal their matters to an outsider!" An outsider? When Yara heard that, she felt humiliated.


    It was one thing that Be had warned her about others'' opinions, but when she heard others discussing her behind her back, her prideful self wanted to give them a lesson.


    Yara tightened her fists and was about to confront them when Be halted her. Before the discontented Yara could say anything, she heard the discussion continue. "But I think Mr. Jonathan truly adores Ms. Shaffer..."


    "You think? Didn''t you see how Ms. Shaffer defended him? When Mrs. Finch knelt before Mr. Jonathan that night, Ms. Shaffer''s first instinct was to shield him."


    "But Mr. Jonathan didn''t need a woman''s protection. At the time, I even thought she was overstepping. But upon reflection, I realized it was her instinct telling her she couldn''t let anyone harm Mr. Jonathan. That''s why she protected him unhesitantly!" "You''re right! Ms. Shaffer''s bravery and powerful presence make her deserving to be part of the Finch family. And her looks..."


    "Although we couldn''t see her clearly that night, she looked fairlypatible with Mr. Jonathan!"


    "Too bad Mr. Jonathan had just returned alone and didn''te with Ms. Shaffer..."


    Every word of the chatter traveled into Yara''s ears. At that moment, her pretty face contorted out of fury.


    "Ms. Shaffer? There''s only one Shaffer around Jonathan, and it''s Rose! How dare they say Rose should marry into the family and that Jonathan likes her? And they''repatible? As if!" she thought.


    Yara tried everything in her power to suppress her impulse to correct them. However, her rational mind took over this time.


    She grabbed the stunned Be, whose current thoughts were unknown, and quickly headed far away from the manor before ensuring nobody was around.


    She was just about to express her frustration when she heard Be''s voice.


    "Rose..." It sounded like Be had uttered her name through gritted teeth, making the resentment in her tone unmissable.


    "That''s right. Mr. Jonathan''s plus-one is Rose!" Yara finally got the answer to her question, but it was nothing like her expectations.


    "They said it was Mrs. Finch Senior''s order for Mr. Jonathan to bring Rose. What did she mean by that?" She was confused, which made the situation even more unpredictable.


    "Luckily, he didn''t bring her here." Yara was relieved because she didn''t want Rose to attend the Finch family banquet. After all, tonight was her opportunity to get closer to Jonathan.


    Be suddenly piped up, "He should''ve brought her!" That way, she could give Rose a lesson!


    Unbeknownst to them, Rose was currently at Ebott Road, getting closer to them. In the meantime, a car was parked by the roadside at the intersection outside the manor.


    Anastasia sat in the driver''s seat, her eyes darting around as if struggling with an intense dilemma. She looked into the darkness that spanned down the road and bit her lips. Atst, she finally made the call. "Madam Lizzie..." Her voice trembled.


    Lizzie, who was originally in the tea room on the ground floor, went up to the second floor after Yara and Be left. She could perfectly see the street outside the manor from the room she was in. When she heard Anastasia''s voice, she smiled faintly. "What''s wrong? Are you nervous?"


    Of course, Anastasia was nervous. What she was about to do next would pose a danger to herself. If she had a slight misstep...


    "I''m terrified, Madam Lizzie. Is there... another way?" Anastasia''s eyes wandered. However, her question only prompted more questions to be thrown at her.


    "And how will you get her inside? How about you and I give her a phone call and invite her in? Is that what you think will work?" As usual, Lizzie''s words were sharp and precise despite her calm tone.


    Indeed, that was the case. They


    didn''t have a proper reason to invite Rose into the manor. As such, they could only orchestrate an ident and me it on fateter on. Even if Jonathan had his suspicions, he couldn''t do anything without concrete evidence.


    ???


    "Anastasia, I''ve always had high hopes for you and Jon, but then... I know that you''ve been living separately from Anthony and are proceeding with a divorce, but he''s not letting you go. He doesn''t even want to meet you, let alone talk about the divorce. That is


    huge


    burden to you.


    "Besides, Yosef and Be are encouraging the marriage alliance between Jon and the Maizes. I''m worried for you, Anastasia.


    "You know, Anastasia. I''m actually acquainted with Anthony''s mother..."


    Lizzie didn''t hide her tempting offer. To Anastasia, this exchange of benefits was exactly what she needed right then. She couldn''t refuse the offer.


    Hence, she instantly dismissed her hesitance and said, "I know what to do, Madam Lizzie."


    Lizzie smiled contentedly. "Do it well, and be safe."


    "Yes." Anastasia bit her lip. After ending the call, she looked ahead at the road, determined. Suddenly, a car maneuvered toward her direction. Was it finally time?


    "Rose!" Anastasia murmured, her hands tightening around the steering wheel.


    Mount Ebott was a fair distance away from the Young Family Hospital. Following the winding path up Mount Ebott and entering Ebott Road, Rose examined the situation outside the car for fear of missing Dawn. Even then, she hadn''t found Dawn. As such, she could only ask the driver to keep going forward. As they drove, she told him to reduce his speed.


    When they passed by a spot, she saw a familiar-looking manor. Suddenly, Rose remembered where she was.


    At that moment, a screeching brake


    sound red in her ears. The next


    moment, a foud bang echoed in the still air before she felt a violent


    impact that caused her head


    throb painfully. Along with that came an intense pain from her body as


    she mmed against the back of


    the seat.


    Her brain instantly recognized she was in a car ident, however, she lost consciousness the next moment. The collision was deafening, especially on such a quiet night. As such, everyone in the manor was alerted.

 Chapter 479 Stealing His Attention

    Watching from the second floor, Lizzie revealed a smile.


    "What happened?" Cyrus asked upon exiting from his art studio.


    Sensing that he was behind her, Lizzie hid her smile and turned to him with a solemn and worried look. "Let''s go check it out." They could bring her in while they were at it.


    The pair descended the stairs and saw Yara and Be, who were simrly startled by the loud sound. "It sounded like... a crash..." Yaramented as she turned toward the source of the sound.


    Soon, Lizzie and Cyrus hurried outside. The two women locked eyes and followed the couple.


    In Eleanor''s study, when the loud crash pierced through the walls, Jonathan couldn''t help but feel his chest tighten, his breath hitching.


    "What''s wrong with me?" he wondered as he touched his chest, a sense of foreboding creeping in.


    Holding up the coboration agreement between the Finch and Lerain Groups, Eleanor was unperturbed by the booming sound as though she didn''t hear it. Instead, she stared at the document and nodded in satisfaction. "You did a great job, Jon."


    She was generous with herpliments. Undeniably, the Xanth family could be a huge stepping stone for Finch Group to expand its overseas market.


    "I''ll go see what happened, Grandma." Jonathan couldn''t ignore the growing anxiety within him. He believed it had something to do with that crash he had heard.


    Eleanor heard him but was unbothered. "What''s there to see? Just let Anna handle it."


    Her abundant life experiences made her apathetic toward minor things like this. All she cared about at that moment was this coboration!


    "Now that you''re the ruler of Finch Group, Jon, my biggest wish is for thepany to maintain its wealth and status, and to see it grow and thrive. With the Xanth family-"


    Jonathan''s ringing phone interrupted Eleanor. She watched as he fished out his phone. He wouldn''t disrupt their discussion no matter what pressing matter it was.


    As such, she was confident he would decline the call and continued, "With the Xanth family''s partnership, you must..."


    However, Jonathan wasn''t paying attention to what she said. His phone screen disyed an iing call from the bodyguard he had sent after Rose. Recalling the unsettling feeling from earlier, he quickly answered the call with bated breath. The caller spoke, "Sir, Mrs. Finch is in trouble..."


    Before they could exin any further, Jonathan had turned around to leave the study. When he reached the door, he anxiously asked, "Where is she?" His voice was audibly shaky. "Outside Finch Manor..."


    That meant the booming sound from earlier... Jonathan kept his phone and dashed outside.


    In the study, Eleanor scrunched her eyebrows. Anna rang the telephone in the room, which she answered.


    Thetter reported, "Mrs. Finch Senior, there''s been a car ident outside the manor. Two vehicles have crashed into each other. One of the drivers is Ms. Anastasia, while the other-" "Rose?" Eleanor interrupted her.


    Anna was shocked. "How did you know, Mrs. Finch Senior?"


    Eleanor ended the call without responding. How could she not know? Jonathan looked like his soul had left his body when answering the call Moreover, he even left in the middle of their conversation Who else but Rose could make him act that way?


    To excuse Rose from attending the family banquet, Jonathan had sealed the coboration between Finch and Lerain Groups as an exchange. Yet, here she was...


    Eleanor became more intrigued by Rose. "Now, let''s meet this girl from Aquastead and see what she has that got my grandson under a spell!" She grabbed her walking stick and slowly exited the study. Around the same time when Jonathan heard the news, Clover was at his vi, Royal Garden, and received the same call.


    "Car crash? Where is she?" He instantly put down the ss of wine, which he had been enjoying, and walked outside. Emily saw him and followed suit.


    "Sir, there''s another group who''s secretly tailing Ms. Shaffer. They''ve gone to take a look, so it''s best if we stay low first."


    Another group? Clover instantly guessed it was Jonathan''s bodyguards. "I got it. Send me the address. I''ll be there soon," he ordered in a low voice. When Clover ended the call, Emily had driven the car out of the garage. With that, the two headed straight to Finch Manor.


    ....


    When Jonathan rushed to the scene, there was already a crowd. Under themp post, they saw smoke emerging from the crashed vehicles.


    At that moment, his heart skipped a beat. Instantly, he found his bearings and squeezed through the crowd only to see Rose stuck inside the car.


    "Rose..." Jonathan was unaware of his trembling voice. He quickly went forward, while the bodyguard opened the car door, revealing the unconscious Rose in the backseat.


    "Step aside!" He felt suffocated by the sight of her.


    The bodyguard quickly made space, after which Jonathan carefully carried Rose into the manor. As he did so, he yelled, "Call the doctors!"


    There was a designated medical team within Finch Manor. Nobody dared to go against Jonathan''s instruction, so Anna summoned the doctor from another building to the main one.


    From the cars, the cab driver was assisted out of the vehicle while the othery on the steering wheel.


    Although Anastasia was prepared


    for the collision earlier, her head still knocked against the steering wheel and started bleeding. It was painful. Amid the chaos outside the car, she heard Jonathan''s voice.


    "Has he brought Rose inside? I did it! But... It seems like he didn''t notice me in the car," she thought.


    Filled with disappointment, she supported her aching head and looked up. It was only then that the people outside noticed her.


    "Anastasia? It''s her!" eximed


    Lizzie. She seemed worried, and her


    kind persona left her no choice but to dash toward Anastasia''s side and show he


    show her concern. "Somebody, help! Anastasia is hurt too!"


    Anastasia rolled down her window. Before the others coulde closer, she whispered to Lizzie, "I did it, Madam Lizzie."


    Lizzie was extremely satisfied with the oue. She leaned against the window and whispered back, "You can look forward to your divorce soon!"

 Chapter 480 An Unusual Jonathan

    Atst, Anastasia was assisted out of her car. Nobody knew about their secret conversation, nor the truth about the "ident".


    The crowd returned to the manor, while Dawn continued waiting further down the road. She repeatedly checked the time and confirmed that there was no activity at the end of the road. "I guess it''s done!"


    Lizzie should have already taken Rose in. Otherwise, thetter would''ve arrived by now. It was also about time Evan woke up as well. Indeed, he had.


    When he awoke, the room was in darkness. He searched for his phone on the nightlight and wanted to check the time but couldn''t find it.


    As such, he quickly turned on the light and saw his phone, with the charger, on the ground. He remembered he had plugged it in before sleep...


    Evan initially frowned but soon rxed his brows. Perhaps he had identally knocked his phone over amid his deep sleep.


    When he picked up his phone, he saw it had been switched off. By the time the phone regained its battery, he realized he had missed the hour for the shift change.


    He hoped Rose wasn''t too exhausted, so he quickly left. When he arrived at the ward, he saw Yvonne sleeping in a nurse''spany.


    "Where''s Ms. Shaffer?" he asked softly.


    "Ms. Shaffer left about an hour ago. She took a call and had an emergency I think."


    Evan didn''t think much about the emergency. What was strange was he hadn''t seen Dawn since he woke up. After much contemtion, he called her but realized that he couldn''t reach her.


    Despite several attempts, it remained futile. Recalling the fight they had this morning, he frowned. "She must be mad at me," he thought.


    He knew she wanted to proceed with the wedding. Despite knowing he was only marrying her out of responsibility, he still felt repelled by it. After dialing her number a few times, he gave up.


    Sitting by the road, Dawn watched as her phone rang repeatedly. It was Evan, but she dared not answer. She was afraid that he would find out about her deeds or be worried about Rose upon discovering her disappearance. Hence, she pretended not to see his calls and decided to hold off untilter.


    By then, even if Evan found out about Rose, Lizzie would''ve achieved her goal, and Dawn would have a better excuse for her absence.


    As she contemted her next steps, a searing pain struck her stomach. She held her belly and gritted her teeth, brushing the pain off. However, the pain persisted. She couldn''t help but feel anxious. "It''s okay. It''s probably nothing..." Dawnforted herself.


    The cold wind grazed her skin, sending chills down her spine. Faced with the increasing pain, she couldn''t take it anymore and fished out her phone to call Evan.


    "Hello?" Evan''s voice sounded.


    She was lethargic from the pain. Hearing his voice resembled a lifeline for her. "Evo, help... Help me..."


    "Where are you? What happened?" Evan asked anxiously.


    Dawn couldn''t possibly recite to him what happened. After a momentary daze, she knew she had to keep up the act. Ultimately, she cried, "I don''t know, Evo. I''m... I''m at Ebott Road. I don''t know where I am exactly. Help me, Evo..."


    As long as Evan traveled along Ebott Road, he would find her!


    At Finch Manor, 1 Mount Ebott...


    In the office of the healthcare building, the room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.


    Rose was unconscious, having suffered a concussion. Despite the doctor assuring him that she was fine, Jonathan remained solemn. The people in the room dared not rx.


    "Anastasia, what exactly happened? How did you crash into her?" Lizzie asked amid the haunting silence. That was a question that everyone in the room had. As such, she needed to exin. Anastasia had scrapes on her head. As if petrified from the "car ident", she seemed increasingly fearful and unstable when asked about the crash.


    "It was all my fault... I didn''t notice the oing car. If only I''d arrived earlier, this wouldn''t have happened...


    "It''s just that,tely, I''ve been pulling all-nighters at thepany. I was so happy that Mrs. Finch Senior had invited me to the banquet. That''s why I came immediately after work.


    "I wasn''t in my best state and didn''t want to be rude to Mrs. Finch Senior. As such, I parked by the road and retouched my makeup. Since I was exhausted, I decided to rest briefly.


    "I thought it was a quick nap, but


    when I opened my eyes and saw the


    time... I started driving in a panic


    because didn''t want Mrs. Finchoet


    Senior to wait. So, I forgot to check the road. Who''d have known that at the next second..."


    The next second, she crashed into an oing car. That sounded perfectly reasonable. Everybody in the room knew her family had been in an inheritance dispute since Oliver''s passing. Anastasia, as one of the managers in Young Group and Oliver''s adopted granddaughter, naturally had the right to fight for it. As such, it was perfectly normal for her to be busy with work. Retouching her makeup... Taking a power nap... It all made sense.


    Eleanor sighed. "You could''vee in and rested. It''s so dangerous to sleep in a car. No. This is on me. I shouldn''t have invited you when you''re busy and tired-"


    "This isn''t your fault, Mrs. Finch Senior. I''m d that you invited me. It was my fault that I wasn''t mindful of the road." Anastasia quickly interrupted Eleanor and took all the me.


    ncing over at Rose, she seemed extremely aggrieved. "Thank goodness, Rosie is safe. Otherwise, I don''t... Rosie..."


    At that moment, Rose opened her eyes and heard her voice. Meanwhile, Jonathan was asking the doctor to reevaluate her CT scan to make sure she was a hundred percent fine from the collision.


    As such, Anastasia was the first to


    notice her. She even strode toward


    Rose white calling her "Rosie"


    intimately. At that point, she needed to show everyone she was


    ye''


    S


    §Ö


    remorseful for what she''d done to Rose. , FindNovel


    Before she could act her script or get near her, she was blocked by an arm. She stopped and looked up only to see Jonathan intercepting


    her. His face was grim, as though preventing her from nearing Rose.


    The moment he turned toward Rose, however, his sullen expression vanished. "You''re awake! Are you hurt anywhere? What about your hands? Your legs? And your head is it still dizzy?"


    He shot her a series of questions. More importantly, his gentle and caring voice shocked everyone in the room.

 Chapter 481 She Cannot Be Afraid

    They had never seen this version of Jonathan before. Although they were aware of how differently he acted toward Rose from the other night, they never knew such an aloof and cold man could be thispassionate. Eleanor looked at Rose with an added hint of curiosity. Cyrus, on the other hand, rxed his shocked expression and focused on Rose. As for Lizzie...


    Although she wore her usual, gracious smile, an unmistakable coldness shed in her eyes. However, she wasn''t looking at Rose, but rather Yara. Although she was crowned as a renowned international actress, it was obvious that she had the worst acting skills among everyone in the room. The way she looked at Rose revealed her utter jealousy. Had it not been for Jonathan''s presence, she might''ve gone up and attacked Rose.


    Lizzie raised her brows seamlessly. She thought luring Rose into the manor would make her susceptible to Eleanor''s challenges, but Jonathan''s actions gathered more resentment toward Rose. It seemed her efforts weren''t in vain.


    The surrounding gazes made Rose ignore her dizziness and quickly snap to reality. Then, she scanned the individuals in the room.


    Whether it was people she knew or didn''t know, they were all looking at her. She couldn''t help but raise her guard. "Rose..." Jonathan''s voice pulled her focus to him. Right then, she saw the concerned look on his handsome face. Seeing that Rose was in a daze, Jonathan wanted to call the doctor, but she grabbed his hand. "Where is this?"


    She vividly remembered that she was in the car, looking for Dawn at Ebott Road. For some reason, she got into a crash and...


    She looked at Jonathan, the only person in the room who would answer her question. Upon hearing her voice, he heaved a breath of relief and hurriedly replied, "This is Finch Manor. You were in a car crash outside just now. Are you in pain or anything?" Rose met with his concerned eyes; he remained worried upon not receiving any answers. "I''m... fine," she said while gripping his arm.


    She felt perfectly fine, but the thought of her being at Finch Manor and Ebott Road...


    At that instance, she finally realized why it felt familiar while she was on her way here. She had been here with Jonathan once!


    Due to the darkness and her distraction from the incident that night, she didn''t pay attention to the scenery outside. That was why she couldn''t recognize the ce earlier.


    "Did you say I was in a car crash outside the manor?" Rose thought it was too coincidental for some reason.


    Sensing her suspicion, Anastasia quickly said, "It''s my fault, Rosie. I didn''t know a car wasing, let alone see you inside..."


    Then, she repeated her story to Rose. In the end, she even held Rose''s hand worriedly. "Thank goodness the doctor says you''re fine. Rosie, why didn''t you tell me you wereing to the Finch family banquet tonight? I could''ve picked you up and gone together..." Since they were both Oliver''s adopted granddaughters, it made sense for them to be close. However, only Rose knew how unnatural it all felt.


    She knew better than anyone that she didn''t share such a rtionship with Anastasia. She hated pretenses and facades. Moreover, she wasn''t there for the family banquet.


    When recalling her reason for being at Ebott Road, she sprung up. "ed to get going. Sorry about this."


    Perhaps due to the concussion earlier, she was rather wobbly in her steps. The next moment, Jonathan''s arms held her.


    "I''ll take you." His voice sounded above her head.


    Yet, before they could step forward, Eleanor asked, "Anna, how''s the kitchen doing?"


    "Everything is ready, Mrs. Finch Senior." The dinner was ready long ago but had been interrupted by the car ident.


    ???


    "If it is, let''s start. Jon..." Eleanor supported herself with the walking stick. Her tone was gentle and amicable yet carried a note of authority. "Help out Ms. Shaffer, I bet she hasn''t had dinner. Since we''re all here, let her join us." That could only mean one thing.


    "Grandma..."


    Jonathan locked eyes with Eleanor. He thought he had reached an agreement with her. Their coboration with Lerain Group was supposedly the cost for excusing Rose''s attendance, yet... "Is Ms. Shaffer unwilling to ept my invitation?" Eleanor ignored Jonathan and looked at Rose. Her smile made her look amicable.


    Rose fell silent. The person before


    her was none other than the most respected member of the Finch family. If she refused her invitation, it was equivalent to embarrassing her. That would be rude. But Dawn though...


    At the thought of her, Rose was about to speak up when someone interjected. Ms. Shaffer, you better not disappoint Eleanor. You said you needed to get going. What''s so important that requires your presence? If it''s not important, just order anyone here to do it


    It was Be who had suddenly spoken. Not only did Eleanor intend for Rose to stay, but so did Be.


    "Be is right. Ms. Shaffer, why don''t you tell us about the matter?" Lizzie appeared eager to help.


    It seemed like everybody wanted her to stay... Faced with their "enthusiasm", Rose knew it would be hard for her to leave.


    "Don''t be scared. If you want to leave, I''ll go with you." Jonathan''s deep voice sounded above her and warmed her heart.


    Still, was she scared though? Of course not. However, that would be their perception if she left then....


    Showing weakness meant a chance of being manipted. Even if she would leave Regalia soon, she had Yvonne to care for. She couldn''t back down!


    Rose shed everyone a smile and changed her mind. "Thank you, Mrs. Finch Senior, for your generous invitation. I happen to be hungry, so don''t mind me if I stay." While the crowd assumed she would refuse and were prepared to gaslight her, they were stunned that she had actually epted the invitation.


    "Rose" Jonathan furrowed his brows and wanted to say something but was interrupted.


    Meeting his eyes, Rose said, "My friend had a little incident at Ebott Road, and I was supposed to pick her up. Can you ask someone to do that for me?"

 Chapter 482 Their Relationship

    "Rest assured, Ms. Shaffer. I''ll ask someone to handle that now." Lizzie enthusiastically took the lead without waiting for Jonathan''s approval.


    Looking at the smiling Lizzie, Rose hadn''t forgotten her first time at Finch Manor. That night, the former knelt before Jonathan and attempted to put him in a moral dilemma.


    Since she wanted to help, Rose naturally thanked her with a smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Finch."


    After all, they had no reason to target or harm Dawn. As such, she wasn''t worried about it. Lizzie soon asked Cyrus'' driver to pick up Dawn.


    The group went from the healthcare building to the main building. Jonathan kept Rose tightly by his side. The entire time, he was tense and solemn as though in high alert mode. He was nervous because Rose was unaware of Eleanor''s invitation. Not only did she request Jonathan to bring Rose, but she had also invited Yara and Anastasia. He saw through what Eleanor was trying to do. His uneasiness prompted him to call out to Rose. "Rose..."


    She turned toward him curiously. What did he want to tell her?


    "The family banquet tonight..." Jonathan furrowed his brows. He wanted to say the dinner was a trap.


    However, the intelligent Rose had long realized it. She nced at Yara and Anastasia before revealing a yful smile. "Are they here topete to be your wife?"


    Upon hearing that, Jonathan halted his steps and darkened his expression.


    Sensing his displeasure, she feigned pettiness. "One''s an international actress, while the other''s the Young family heiress. Both arepatible with the Finch family and your identity."


    Jonathan''s expression grew darker. She continued pondering who Eleanor would prefer. "Ms. Maize has a great image in the media, while the Young family is the second most influential in Regalia, just after the Finches. They-"


    She was just analyzing the situation when she felt her wrist being seized by arge palm. Before she could react, she felt a force pulling her. Instinctively gasping in shock, Jonathan kissed her lips before she could make a sound.


    The soft sensation rendered Rose''s mind nk. Returning to her senses, she looked around in a panic and only realized Jonathan had pulled her behind a tall floral wall, which shielded the twopletely.


    She was secretly relieved and subsequently heard his deep, seductive voice. "Don''t worry. They won''t see us."


    Jonathan sounded breathy when he spoke. It had been ages since hest kissed her. The way their lips touched prompted him to lose his rationality.


    Rose tilted her head up slightly. Without any care, he lowered his body but was stopped by her this time.


    Amid the panic, she grabbed his chin. Then, she dropped her volume for fear of attracting others'' attention, her tone stern. "Have you gone insane, Jonathan?"


    Had he? How could he not when he heard how she matchmaked him with other women? Displeased, Jonathan stared at Rose and said, "You seem to have forgotten our rtionship!"


    She was stunned briefly.


    "I''m your legal husband, wifey. How could you say those to me?" Amid her daze, he grabbed her hand, which was pinching his chin, and caressed it gently.


    Rose was distracted by the terms "husband" and "wifey" and didn''t notice his movements. Although she constantly reminded herself to cut ties with him, the two were a legal couple at the of the day. She felt regretful about it, but how could she not? They both knew how and why they got married in the first ce.


    Rose cleared her throat, intending to make things clear once and for all. But before she could say anything Jonathan suddenly embraced her Her face had no choice but to press against his chest as she listened to his heartbeat.


    Then, he spoke. "You''re the only one I''ll ever love, Rose. You''re my only wife! Nobody can stop me, not even you!"


    His unwavering confession shuddered her heart, intensifying her guilt.


    "Rose, I did something that angered Grandma. As punishment, she ordered me to bring you to this banquet tonight..." His voice rang above her head.


    Rose was shocked by that


    revtion. She wanted to look up at


    him but was resisted by his chin


    resting on her head. It felt like he had sealed her within his embrace, preventing her from breaking free.


    He continued, "She knows I care about you. That''s why she''s using you to punish me. But how could I let you face her?


    "I did the one thing I could and offered her an exchange to ease her anger, but who would''ve thought fate brought you into that ident right outside..."


    Was it fate though? She happened to be at Ebott Road and crashed into Anastasia''s car right outside Finch Manor... At that moment, they both suspected something. "Rose, no matter what happenster, just don''t consider me," Jonathan stated.


    Rose frowned. What could possibly happen? Would she be able to do what he asked? She was unsure.


    Meanwhile, the people ahead of them were all immersed in their thoughts. Yara walked with Be, forming a distance from the rest.


    At the healthcare building earlier, the former was extremely dissatisfied. Seeing that it was dark outside, she took the chance to let loose and reveal the frustration on her face.


    "I don''t understand you. Rose wanted to leave. Why did you have to convince her to stay? Didn''t you see how much Jonathan cares about her?"


    Yara had nned to use tonight''s opportunity to spend time with him and make a good impression. Yet, Be, who was supposed to be on her side, did her a "favor"!


    She couldn''tprehend Be''s


    thoughts. Of course, Be wouldn''t


    disclose her reason either. While Yarained, Be stayed silent and ignored her, only looking at the ground as though contemting something.


    Yara desperately wanted tosh out. Just as she wished to see Jonathan and Rose, she turned around only to see them gone. Where were they?


    Halting her steps, she asked, "Where''s... Mr. Jonathan and Ms. Shaffer?" How did they disappear?


    When the rest heard Yara''s words, they stopped and looked behind themselves simultaneously. Jonathan and Rose were gone!


    Some of them began to get suspicious. Since Jonathan had previously prevented Rose from attending "the trap", it wouldn''t be a shock if he ignored Eleanor''s orders and escaped with Rose.

 Chapter 483 Someones Coming

    This was something neither Lizzie nor Be wanted to see. Be was the first to speak up. "Anna, go and find them."


    Anna immediately turned around and retraced her steps. "Mr. Finch? Ms. Shaffer?" she tentatively called out as she searched.


    When the sound reached Rose''s ears from behind the floral wall, she froze. "Someone''sing!"


    At this moment, her body was pressed closely against Jonathan''s. She instinctively tried to push him away, but his hand on her back held her tighter. The footsteps grew nearer outside the floral wall. "Jonathan!" Rose''s voice carried a trace of urgency.


    If anyone from the Finch family saw her so intimately intertwined with Jonathan, she figured that she would face more scrutiny and attacks from Yara, Anastasia, and the rest of the family tonight. The more nervous she got, the tighter Jonathan held her. With a mischievous tone, his voice came from atop her head as he said, "Call me something else."


    Rose was at a loss for words before she eventually decided to give in. It was just a change of address, right?


    "Jon..." Surely that would suffice.


    To her surprise, Jonathan frowned. "That''s still formal."


    Was that still too formal for him? Rose forced a smile and tried again. "Jo... Jonny?" That wouldn''t sound formal, would it?


    However, Jonathan visibly stiffened, and he abruptly pulled away from her. Just as Rose thought the nickname "Jonny" finally pleased him to let her go, she met his cold, intense gaze. Only one thought crossed her mind-the nickname hadn''t satisfied him at all! What should she call him then?


    As Rose pondered, Jonathan leaned in as if to punish her. His handsome face magnified in her vision, and in the next moment, she felt his lips on hers... Her mind went nk.


    The sudden pain on her lips snapped her back to reality. When realization struck her, Jonathan had already released her before she could struggle or cry out.


    The sudden start and abrupt end left Rose dazed. The instigator, however,ughed.


    Jonathan pulled her back into his arms. "Silly, I just wanted to hear you call me hubby. It''s been a long time since I heard it."


    Hubby... Rose''s mind buzzed.


    Jonathan''s actions and voice were filled with fondness. "Never mind if you won''t say it, but no matter who we faceter, always remember that I''m your hubby! I''m yours..." The words "I''m yours" buzzed louder in Rose''s mind. Her thoughts muddled together.


    She vaguely heard Jonathan warning that she''d be in big trouble if she were to push him to anyone else. She didn''t even realize that he had let go of her until a voice woke her. "Ms. Shaffer, Ms. Shaffer?"


    Rose snapped back to reality and saw Anna in front of her. A sh of panic crossed Rose''s eyes.


    "Where''s Mr. Finch?" Anna asked again.


    Rose quickly nced around and realized Jonathan was nowhere to be seen, but she knew he was watching her from the shadows.


    Taking a deep breath, she calmly replied, "I don''t know."


    Anna looked around but didn''t see Jonathan. After deciding that Eleanor''s priority was Rose, she stopped searching for Jonathan.


    "It''s dark, Ms. Shaffer. Please follow me so you won''t get lost," Anna said respectfully.


    Rose nodded and followed her. Without the cover of the floral wall, those waiting ahead saw Rose. They felt relieved that she hadn''t left and that the trap would proceed as nned. Only Yara found it odd. Why did both Jonathan and Rose disappear, but only Rose returned? Where was Jonathan? She nced behind Rose, but Jonathan was nowhere to be seen. "Weren''t we in a hurry to eat? Why aren''t we moving?" Jonathan''s voice broke the silence.


    Everyone waiting turned to see him at the main building, leaning casually against the wall at the main entrance. His arms were crossed, and he was looking rxed.


    When did he get there? Rose couldn''t hide her surprise when she looked at Jonathan.


    "Hurry up, I''m starving!" The nervousness Rose had given him was gone. Right now, he wasposed as he walked into the main hall.


    His attitude didn''t escape Eleanor''s notice. She understood her grandson well. Jonathan''s current demeanor suggested he had things under control and was certain about something. "Let''s go," Eleanor said.


    Everyone snapped out of their thoughts and followed her into the hall.


    This was Rose''s second visit to the Finch Manor. Compared to the Young Estate in Regalia, the Finch Manor was more traditional and rustic.


    Thest time she was here was at night, too tense to appreciate the house. But tonight... Since it was a family dinner, she felt a sense of rxation as if she were "home".


    As Rose walked through the main hall to the dining room, she admired the furnishings in the house.


    She noticed the walls of the house disyed several rare evening gown designs. The soft lighting cast a glow on the gowns, making them appear almost alive through the ss disy cases. When passing by one particr gown, Rose stopped. Yara noticed this, and a sneer formed at the corner of her mouth.


    She said, "Ms. Shaffer, you''ve probably never seen anything like this, right? Well, you''re from Aquastead.


    "Although Aquastead is a big city, the Young family is just a small household. You definitely haven''t had the chance to see these kinds of treasures."


    Yara pointed to the evening gown collection on the wall. "Grandma Eleanor loves these clothes. These items were all crafted by famous designers, most of whom are no longer alive. These are unique pieces that are incredibly valuable!"


    Yara had researched Eleanor''s preferences. Eleanor liked flowers, nts, and evening gowns.


    Yara had initially nned to gift Eleanor a valuable evening gown today, but all the best collectible designs were already disyed on this wall. Hence, she had to settle for choosing rare flowers and nts instead.


    As for Rose... Her longing expression clearly showed she hadn''t seen much of the world!


    However, Rose seemed not to hear Yara''s words. She was fixated on the evening gown in front of her. The indigo satin and the vividly


    ve


    embroidered red peony flowers on


    the gown were captivating


    This one undoubtedly had the best design, cut, and embroidery among all the evening gowns. However...


    Rose''s gaze fell on a certain spot on the lower left side of the evening gown, searching for a trace of something she remembered as if trying to confirm something...


    Although the lighting could deceive the eye and hide that trace, Rose still saw it.


    "What a pity..."

 Chapter 484 She Remains Outside the Game of Rising Tension

    Rose didn''t realize her sigh of regret had slipped out aloud.


    Yara was momentarily taken aback. Then, she let out a coldugh. "Pity? Ms. Shaffer, you probably don''t know its value, and you dare say it''s a pity..."


    She nced at the evening gown Rose was staring at. Although it was hanging in the furthest corner of the wall, it was still very valuable. What right did Rose have to call it a pity? "Ms. Maize, you don''t know this, but Rosie designs not only jewelry but also clothing," Anastasia exined when she noticed Rose''s unusual behavior.


    Yara was briefly stunned, but she quickly seemed to understand. Without hiding her mockery toward Rose, she sneered. "So she''s trying to act like an ''expert'' and mystify things... Ha!" "Trying to act like an "expert" and mystify things?" Rose withdrew her gaze, seemingly not hearing Yara''s taunt.


    Even after taking her seat, Rose couldn''t get that evening gown out of her mind. The imperfection on the gown kept nagging at her thoughts.


    "Today''s family dinner is a bit special. It was just the Finch family in the past, but it''s lively today. It''s time for the Finch family to add new members."


    Eleanor''s voice broke the silence at the dining table, while her words made everyone present sit upright and take notice.


    Adding new members... The younger generation of the Finch family was unmarried, and only Jonathan was present. Eleanor''s intention was clear-she was urging Jonathan to marry!


    Yara''s face lit up with the most eager smile. "Grandma Eleanor, bing a part of the Finch family is a great blessing. You should try this."


    She got up from her seat and walked to Eleanor''s side to offer Eleanor a piece of a fudgy brownie. "Grandma, I heard you like brownies. I enjoy making pastries, so how about I make some for you in the future?"


    Yara''s face was full of sweetness. Her intentions to please were unmistakable, and she wanted to be that new "Finch family member"!


    Lizzie observed without saying anything. Instead, she cast a nce at Anastasia. Anastasia understood immediately, but she disdained such ttery.


    To be a member of the Finch family, especially the wife of the ruler of the family, one neededmercial acumen.


    As a frequently mentioned businesswoman in Regalia''s business circles, Anastasia undoubtedly had the most potential.


    "Grandma Eleanor, I heard you n to build aprehensive special education school for children. The Youngs happen to have a good piece ofnd. If you''d like, I''ll have the design n drafted tomorrow and send it over for your review as soon as possible."


    A special education school for children. Such a charitable investment would benefit the Finch family immensely. This offer was far more valuable than Yara''s "fudgy brownie".


    Yara''s face stiffened slightly as she nced at Anastasia. Although she had lived abroad, she had heard of Anastasia, the eldest daughter of the Youngs.


    Be also mentioned that Eleanor once considered the Young family, but Anastasia paled considerably inparison to Yara. It seemed that Anastasia hadn''t divorced yet...


    In an instant, Yara''s expression returned to normal. Although the Youngs were more powerful than the Maizes, Anastasia was just an adopted granddaughter.


    Given the current situation of the Youngs, she would merely have the Young family name if she couldn''t oupete Miles for power. To Yara, Anastasia was never herpetitor. Her realpetitor was...


    Yara nced at Rose. Rose was focused on eating a piece of fudgy brownie,pletely absorbed in her actions as if nothing else mattered.


    "Ms. Shaffer, do you like fudgy brownies as well?" Eleanor suddenly spoke.


    Rose was still thinking about that evening gown, its imperfections bothering her greatly.


    Years ago when it was presented to her, she couldn''t figure out a solution despite much effort. By the time she found a method, the evening gown had been reimed by its owner.


    For years, it remained her regret, but she never expected to see it again at the Finch Manor.


    She hadn''t thought much about it before, but when she sat down, her mind couldn''t help but ponder ways to fix that evening gown.


    She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn''t notice the rising tension around her.


    At therge dining table, everyone was looking at Rose. After a while, she picked up another fudgy brownie without responding to Eleanor''s question.


    Everyone present was thoroughly at a loss for words. Was Rose so tantly ignoring Eleanor?


    At this moment, Eleanor''s face... Across from Rose, Jonathan frowned and lightly kicked her foot under the table. Rose was startled and looked up questioningly at Jonathan. Why was he kicking her and winking? What did it mean?


    The whole dining table fell silent. Rose didn''t want to speak out and attract attention, so she used her eyes to inquire. But to others, it looked like they were flirting.


    Eleanor''s face grew darker, but only for a moment before she resumed her "kind" smile. Her gaze fell on the second piece of fudgy brownie on Rose''s te. "It seems Ms. Shaffer really does like the fudgy brownies."


    Fudgy brownie? Rose followed her gaze, saw the brownie on her te, and felt embarrassed. Could she say she didn''t know what she was eating?


    "It''s quite tasty." Rose could only manage to chuckle to ease the awkwardness. "Eat more if you like it." Eleanor signaled Anna. "Bring all of these to Ms. Shaffer."


    Every spot on the long table had a te of fudgy brownies. Though each te had a small portion, it


    was quite overwhelming when


    when they were all ced in front of her.


    Eleanor added, "Eat them all!"


    All of them? No matter how much Rose liked them, she couldn''t eat them all! No one could eat that much! "Grandma..." Jonathan began, but Eleanor''s warning gaze that was disguised as a loving smile cut him off. "Jon, Ms. Shaffer wouldn''t reject my goodwill."


    The implication was clear. Rose


    would face more difficulties if she refused. Jonathan clenched his fists. Just as he was about to get up and take Rose away, Rose kicked him under the table.


    Then she spoke up. "Thank you for that, Mrs. Finch Senior. I''d dly ept it. "These fudgy brownies are really delicious. I haven''t anything this good elsewhere!"


    As she spoke, she took a bit and


    gave Jonathan a reassuring look. It


    was just a few tes of brownies, right? If eating them could avoid creating a rift between Jonathan and Eleanor, she''d dlyply.


    However, Jonathan''s expression remained grim.

 Chapter 485 Diverting the Disaster

    Everyone else at the dining table was gloating.


    Yara enjoyed the scene greatly. With so many fudgy brownies, how could Rose eat them all without getting sick? She was looking forward to enjoying Rose''s imminent embarrassment!


    After eating too quickly, Rose choked a bit. She was handed a ss of water, and she took it without thinking. As she took a sip to swallow the brownie, a fork reached into the te of brownies. Rose looked up to see Jonathan eating the brownies, gobbling one piece at a time as if afraid someone would take it from him. While she was in a daze, he had devoured an entire te. The people at the table, who had been enjoying the show, suddenly had their expressions stiffened.


    "Grandma Eleanor..." Yara couldn''t help but speak, trying to get Eleanor to stop Jonathan.


    But before she could state her purpose, Jonathan looked over and said, "Ms. Maize, do you want some? The fudgy brownies are really good today. They''re Grandma''s favorite. It''d be a shame if you don''t try some." Yara didn''t know what to say. She didn''t want to help Rose eat them. Besides, she didn''t even like fudgy brownies. But Jonathan looked at her expectantly as he continued eating.


    He suddenly thought of something and frowned, asking, "By the way, what were you going to tell Grandma?"


    In this situation, it''d be too obvious if she said anything to Eleanor.


    Yara didn''t want to displease Jonathan. "No, nothing much. I saw how much you and Ms. Shaffer were enjoying the brownies, and I just wanted to ask Grandma Eleanor if I could try some too." Yara smiled gently. She thought she could just eat one piece to cover up her lie. But to her surprise, Jonathan instructed Anna, "Anna, Ms. Maize wants to eat some too. Bring all of these to her." Did that mean that Yara had to eat all of them? Anna hesitated for a moment.


    Upon seeing Anna hesitate, Jonathan looked at Eleanor. "Grandma, I n to push the cooperation project in the next month. Do you think there''d be enough time?"


    His tone was casual, but how could Eleanor not understand his implied meaning? Both Rose and Jonathan had eaten enough brownies, so that was enough. Eleanor frowned slightly and suddenly smiled. "Yara loves it, so she should eat more."


    With Eleanor''s word, Anna dared not dy and immediately brought the remaining brownies to Yara. "Ms. Maize, please enjoy."


    Enjoy? These were clearly meant for Rose, so how did they end up in front of her?


    Yara forced a smile and shot Rose a hateful look. The anger in her eyes brought Rose, who had been taken aback by Jonathan''s series of actions, back to her senses. Meeting Yara''s gaze, Rose looked at the brownies in front of her. Ha... Jonathan didn''t have a shred of pity for Yara.


    The media had once "advertised" Yara''s appetite as a renowned international actress. If those advertisements were true, there was no way she could eat all these brownies! "Eat up!" Jonathan suddenly urged.


    His handsome face put on an innocent look that didn''t appear awkward at all. As he urged Yara, he nonchntly picked up a piece of food Rose liked and ced it on her te. Everyone was stunned. Yara was furious, but she couldn''t show it.


    "Alright, since Mr. Finch insists, I''ll enjoy it." Yara smiled and started eating under everyone''s gaze.


    After just one piece, she felt overwhelmed and didn''t want to continue. But how could Jonathan let her stop?


    "What? Are the brownies made by the Finch family not up to your taste?" He frowned.


    Finch family chefs were top-notch, so how could the brownies not taste good? Yara quickly replied, "No, no, it''s delicious."


    "Then keep eating! Finish it all." Jonathan assigned her the task and showed no mercy.


    Yara couldn''t refuse and had to eat the brownies piece by piece. Jonathan kept serving Rose her favorite dishes, asionally giving Yara a cold look to urge her on.


    sw ng


    On one hand, he was gentle and doting, but on the other, he was indifferent and ruthless. He switched seamlessly between the two personalities.


    Every action was a clear reminder to


    everyone at the table-Rose was his, and no one should get any ideas about her. His threatening aicmade the dining table a lot quieter.


    But Rose noticed the asional nces directed at her, each one enough to make her heart race. She knew it was all because of Jonathan''s "special treatment".


    As Jonathan served her food again, Rose couldn''t take it anymore and kicked him under the table. Jonathan was slightly stunned and looked at her.


    "You don''t want to eat this? No problem, try this instead..."


    He ced a piece of shrimp on her te. Rose didn''t know what else to say.


    She didn''t want to try anything else. She just wanted to stop Jonathan from giving her "special treatment" in such a high-profile manner. Didn''t he notice that the atmosphere at the table was bing unbearable for her?


    "Ha... excuse me, I need to go to the restroom." Rose forced a smile and decided to leave for a while to catch her breath.


    But before she could get up, Jonathan stood up and pulled out her chair. "I''ll bring you there!"


    Rose was utterly baffled at his words. Was he offering to bring her to the restroom?


    "No..."


    "Jon..."


    Rose''s refusal and another voice simultaneously rang out.


    That voice... Rose didn''t have time toplete her refusal. She looked at the owner of the voice and saw Eleanor putting her cutlery down.


    "I happen to have to go to the restroom too. Jon, you don''t mind if Ms. Shaffer helps me, do you?" Eleanor looked at Jonathan.


    At that moment, Jonathan was fully on guard. Meeting Eleanor''s gaze, they locked eyes for a moment before Eleanor suddenly smiled.


    "I won''t eat her! Ms. Shaffer is my guest today, you don''t need to be so nervous." She then looked at Rose. "Ms. Shaffer, is that alright?" Rose smiled. "Of course!"


    Just as she was about to get up, Jonathan stood up even faster.


    Everyone watched Jonathan, but he didn''t care about their gazes at all. He just stared at Rose with a solemn look. His eyes seemed to tell her not to go.


    Eleanor wanting her help to the bathroom wasn''t just about going to the bathroom. Rose understood as much, but she wanted to see what Eleanor would say to her alone. She smiled reassuringly at Jonathan then walked toward Eleanor. When Eleanor extended her hand, she helped her up.


    Under everyone''s gaze, they left the dining room.

 Chapter 486 Facing It Alone

    However, Jonathan still followed. The remaining people at the dining table, who had been silent, finally spoke up.


    "ver thought Jon would care so much about Ms. Shaffer." Yara held up her wine ss.


    She had been drinking all this time. While others were jealous seeing Jonathan and Rose''s affectionate exchanges, she harbored deep malice.


    She was now convinced that Jonathan had intervened in Jack''s matter for Rose. Because of that, Jack was detained at the police station, and even Yosef had no clue.


    "Yes. It''s rare for Jon to treat a woman so well. It reminds me of anotherdy from the Young family..." Lizzie smiled gently.


    Her words made everyone present pause. Their curiosity was sessfully piqued.


    Yara was the first to ask, "Whichdy from the Young family?"


    Lizzie nced at Yara. "That was a long time ago. You went abroad early, so it''s normal that you don''t know her.


    "I remember her name was Harriette. She often spent time with Jon, and I''d say that they were childhood sweethearts. I used to think that Harriette and Jon would end up together, but unfortunately... Harriette disappeared. "It was a big deal back then, but it was eventually forgotten. Jon probably hasn''t forgotten her, otherwise..."


    Lizzie stopped abruptly, suddenly realizing something. But how could Yara hold herself back from asking when Lizzie stopped at the key point?


    "Otherwise what?" Yara pressed on.


    Lizzie hesitated, and Yara looked at Anastasia. "You''re also an adopted daughter of the Youngs. You must know the reason, right?"


    Anastasia wanted to ignore Yara, but she changed her mind when she thought of something. "Rosie''s eyes are very simr to Harriette''s!"


    Did it mean that Jonathan''s special treatment for Rose was just a transference?


    Ha! Yara''s frustration dissipated. She looked at Anastasia and recalled Rose''s appearance, and only then did she realize that their eyes were quite simr.


    It seemed that even if Jonathan''s feelings were transferred, he had no interest in the married Anastasia. So, Yara''s rival was Rose, but it seemed to Yara that Rose wasn''t as important anymore!


    "I''m full. You guys enjoy yourselves. I''m going to touch up my makeup."


    Yara didn''t want to stay at the table any longer. What was the point without Jonathan around? It was better to find Jonathan and perhaps seize some opportunity.


    After Yara left, Anastasia put down her wine ss and also left the dining room without a word. Meanwhile, Jonathan was stopped at the entrance of the elevator in the lobby.


    "Mr. Finch, Mrs. Finch Senior and Ms. Shaffer are going to the restroom. It wouldn''t be convenient for you to follow."


    Anna smiled respectfully, but inside, she was panicking. If Jonathan wanted to go against Eleanor''s wishes, how could she stop him?


    The elevator carrying Eleanor and Rose went upstairs and finally stopped on the third floor. Jonathan looked up and met Rose''s gaze. They reached a mutual understanding with just a shared nce.


    Rose reassured him that she could handle Eleanor, while Jonathan reassured her that he would be here waiting. He would be there for her whatever happened!


    "Ms. Finch..." Anna cautiously tried to persuade him again.


    Before she could finish, Jonathan took a step back and turned, walking decisively to sit on the couch in the lobby. From that position and angle, he could see the third floor.


    In full view of Jonathan, Rose and Eleanor entered the study. The door to the study closed, shutting out everything.


    The room was decorated in an


    old-fashioned style. On the other side of the desk was an antique sewing machine surrounded by various colored threads and embroidery tools. FindNovel


    Hanging in front of the sewing machine was arge photograph of the damaged gown disyed downstairs.


    Was Eleanor repairing that gown? But judging from the half-finished sample, she seemed to be on the wrong track.


    Eleanor noticed Rose''s special attention to that area, but she didn''t care much.


    "Take a seat." Eleanor sat in the chair behind the desk and nced at Rose before focusing on the stack of documents in front of her. Eleanor''s voice brought Rose back to reality, but she didn''t sit. "I''d rather stand."


    Jonathan had told her that Eleanor was mad at her for something he did, hence the family dinner to make things difficult for her.


    If standing and making things difficult for her for a while would ease Eleanor''s anger, then so be it.


    Eleanor looked up at Rose''s eyes thoughtfully. "Jon treats you specially, but you should know why, right?"


    The reason for Jonathan''s special treatment? Rose thought for a moment. "Because... of my eyes?"


    Eleanor''s eyes showed a hint of surprise, but soon her smile deepened. "So you know. Then you must know about Harriette." Harriette... The girl in the photo Rose had seen in Jonathan''s room shed in her mind. "I do."


    edan


    Eleanor raised an eyebrow and then lowered her gaze. "Harriette and Jon were childhood sweethearts, and Oliver and I intended for them to be a couple. They had deep feelings for each other, but then Harriette had an ident...


    "Jon seems cold on the outside, but he''s actually someone who values rtionships a lot. Naturally, he has more affection for those connected to his past.


    "Your eyes are very simr to Harriette''s. Oliver spent theter part of his life collecting these eyes, and Jonathan is no different."


    Eleanor spoke calmly without looking at Rose as if Rose''s response didn''t matter to her. Or rather, she didn''t care about Rose at all. For any other woman, being told she was just a substitute would be heartbreaking and discouraging, but Rose found it amusing. She had expected Eleanor to have more formidable means, but it was just about using "Harriette" tobel her as a substitute. "Mrs. Finch Senior... Do you know why Mr. Young Senior spent hister years collecting these eyes?" Rose suddenly spoke. "Why?" Eleanor frowned but still didn''t look up at Rose.


    "Because of his daughter, Henrietta Willis! Grandpa said that it isn''t just Harriette, but Anastasia and me, our eyes look very simr to Henrietta''s. Grandpa reminisced about her through our eyes." FindNovel


    Eleanor naturally understood Oliver''s obsession. "You seem well-informed."


    "Yes, I am. And I also know something else.


    "Whether we''re substitutes for Grandpa or not, the love and affection he gave us were real. That genuine bond was enough for me so... "Whether Jonathan sees me as Harriette''s substitute doesn''t matter to me!"


    When Rose finished speaking, Eleanor finally looked up at her.

 Chapter 487 Whats More Important Money or Him

    Eleanor didn''t expect Rose to say such things. Was Rose truly insightful, or did she see through the provocations and say those things on purpose? Either way, it was enough to make Eleanor take a second look at her. But nevertheless, there was one thing that couldn''t be changed.


    "But the background of Jon''s wife is important to both Jon and the Finch family. Your information was sent to me from the moment you arrived in Regalia."


    Eleanor didn''t hide it. If Rose was truly insightful, it would be better to be straightforward.


    Rose wasn''t surprised, and Eleanor continued, "Your mother left you a jewelrypany. Although it''s fairlyrge-scale, it''s far too insignificantpared to the Finch family in Regalia." These words were within Rose''s expectations. She admitted that the Finch family had a prestigious background, but as for who was not worthy of whom...


    Rose raised an eyebrow. "So how much would you like to offer to make me sensibly stay away from Jonathan and the Finches?"


    Eleanor was stunned. She couldn''t believe her ears. "What did you say?"


    Rose smiled. "Isn''t this the part in the drama series where you offer lots and lots of money to drive me away?"


    Eleanor''s face darkened immediately. She stared at Rose as if trying to see through her. After a long while, she spoke in a displeased tone.


    "Do you want money? Is Jonathan less important to you than money?"


    Was Jonathan less important than money to her? Rose contemted the question.


    Money wasn''t that important to her. As for Jonathan... She recalled his whispered words to her by the floral wall earlier.


    "No matter who we faceter, always remember that I''m your hubby! I''m yours..."


    He was hers... His tone had been like that of a fierce, yet deeply insecure, stray cat.


    If she told Eleanor that money was more important than Jonathan, it would perhaps make Jonathan believe that she had no intention of hooking up with the Finch family.


    But at the thought of Jonathan, her heart softened. Rose didn''t answer.


    Nevertheless, Eleanor didn''t care about her answer because, no matter what it was, it wouldn''t change the fact that the Finches needed thedy of the household to help the Finch Group, and Rose fell far short. What Eleanor needed to do now was make Rose retreat in the face of difficulty.


    "The Maize family may not match the Young family''s wealth and status, but only Yara is the best candidate for Jonathan''s wife in the whole of Regalia.


    "Although Yara is in the entertainment industry, she has a positive image and is a good fit.


    "She may have some small schemes, but they won''t matter. With some guidance, she''ll make a fine Mrs. Finch.


    "I know Jon''s mind is currently on you, but everything between you two will eventually be the past. Right, Ms. Shaffer?"


    Eleanor''s voice remained calm and steady. From beginning to end, Rose listened quietly until Eleanor called her out.


    She slowly said, "Jonathan and I will indeed be a thing of the past."


    What surprised Eleanor was that when Rose said so, she seemed utterly rxed if she had long been aware of this oue and was not attached to it. "Mrs. Finch Senior, your worries are actually unnecessary."


    Eleanor was slightly taken aback. "Oh? How so?"


    "You know I''m from Aquastead, and I''ll eventually have to return to Aquastead. If it weren''t for some matters in Regalia, I might have already left. "When I met Jonathan, he wasn''t Mr. Finch. After I learned that he was, I knew that some things weren''t up to me.


    "I had improper thoughts about


    Jonathan, but never had any about Mr. Finch. So, if you''re worried that someone like me from Aquastead, is unworthy of the Finch family and would like to hook up with any of the Finches, you can rest assured.


    "I have no intention of hooking up with, nor any interest in, Mr. Finch!"


    Jonathan had always been the one to make her heart flutter, not Jonathan Finch, the ruler of the Finches.


    Eleanor understood what she


    meant. Just now when Rose didn''t answer whether money or Jonathan was more important, Eleanor was certain Rose wouldn''t easily give up the chance to marry a wealthy family. But she hadn''t expected...


    Eleanor stared at Rose. "You love Jonathan, not Mr. Finch?"


    Love Jonathan? Love? Rose''s heart skipped a beat. Rose didn''t want to ponder on the question, but her expression already gave Eleanor the answer.


    "I see. I''m tired. When you go downstairs, please tell them I''m taking a rest. You young people can continue..."


    Rose had expected Eleanor''s difficulties for her not to end there. Was it just these harmless words that made her retreat?


    But soon, Rose understood. Eleanor cared about who Jonathan''s wife would be. As long as she confirmed it wouldn''t be Rose, she would be relieved. "Okay."


    As Rose was about to turn around, Eleanor''s voice rang out again. "Wait.


    "If you have time,e sit with me more often in the future. When your business in Regalia is done, and you''re returning to Aquastead, let me know."


    Rose was genuinely shocked. Was Eleanor inviting her toe visit more often? Was it to continue making things difficult for her?


    But Rose quickly dismissed this thought. Eleanor''s tone didn''t sound like she intended to continue making things difficult for her.


    Rose observed the elderly woman in front of her. Eleanor''s attitude toward her was something she couldn''t quite grasp.


    Since she couldn''t figure it out, Rose decided not to dwell on it. She nodded and agreed, then left the study.


    As she passed by the sewing machine, she paused. She thought of the evening gown in the disy case, her former regret, here with Eleanor...


    She couldn''t help but speak,


    "Although the French knot stitch is


    exquisite, it may not be suitable for this evening gown. Simply using the French knot stitch might not be enough to repair the burnt part."


    Rose''s unsolicitedment made Eleanor look up sharply. Seeing Rose standing by the sewing machine, and her words...


    "You understand embroidery and restoration?"


    Eleanor was visibly surprised. ording to what she knew about Rose, Rose was a jewelry designer and an honorary designer of K&K. Designing didn''t necessarily mean she knew embroidery and restoration. Rose humbly replied, "I know a little."


    After Celeste''s death, Jamie barely cared for her. One summer while traveling and studying in Herkleton, she met an elderly man.


    They were quite fated, and she spent two months as his apprentice. Every summer after that, she would visit him. The elderly man was a craftsman devoted to embroidery. Unfortunately...

 Chapter 488 Yes I Slap You

    Eleanor naturally saw through Eleanor''s modesty. The more she thought about Rose''s earlier remarks, the more intrigued she became.


    She set down the documents on her desk and hurried over to the sewing machine. Her gaze followed Rose''s and fell on therge photo of the evening gown.


    "This evening gown was burned years ago, and I''ve been searching for experts to repair it.


    "Actually, there was a master who could have restored the gown a decade ago in Herkleton. But unfortunately, he suddenly passed away..."


    Eleanor sighed,menting not only the gown''s irreparable damage but also the loss of such an excellent embroiderer.


    Rose''s eyes dimmed. She remembered thest summer she saw the old man. That summer, he had a car ident. She never returned to Herkleton after handling his funeral.


    "I heard that the legendary embroiderer had an apprentice. I''ve spent years trying to find them, but there''s been no trace of them anywhere. If we could just find that apprentice, perhaps the gown would have been restored by now. But s..."


    Rose felt a jolt in her heart. In her daze, Eleanor suddenly looked at her. "You mentioned that the French knot stitch isn''t suitable for this gown''s repair. Do you have any ideas?"


    Rose snapped back to reality and instinctively replied, "No, I... I just felt it wasn''t quite right. I don''t really understand anything, and I have no idea..."


    "Is that so?"


    A hint of disappointment flickered in Eleanor''s eyes. She had thought Rose''s modesty was a facade. Perhaps she had been too focused on the gown, wanting to grasp at any straw.


    "It seems I won''t live to see this gown restored to its original form." Eleanor shook her head, appearing like apletely different person from the one who had given Rose a hard time at the desk.


    As Rose left the study, Eleanor''s regretful silhouette and the gown lingered in her mind. Outside the study, there was no one around. Rose chose to take the stairs instead of the elevator. "Rose!" Just as she reached the second-floornding, a voice called out to her.


    Rose stopped and turned to see who it was, frowning as she did.


    Yara... At this moment, Yara stood with her arms crossed, ring at Rose with disdain as she approached.


    Recalling Eleanor''s earlier praise of Yara, Rose couldn''t help but chuckle. Yara''s public image was indeed very positive. But in Rose''s few encounters with Yara, she knew that Yara was far from kind-hearted. If Yara managed to hide her true nature, it was fine. But if her facade ever crumbled...


    "Ha..." Rose couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Just a short distance behind Rose, Yara heard Rose''sugh, and her expression darkened further. "You''reughing at me?"


    Laughing at her? Rose was momentarily taken aback. Had sheughed out loud just now?


    "Sorry." Rose acknowledged it was impolite if she hadughed out loud, but she didn''t mean to mock Yara.


    Rose didn''t bother to exin further and had no intention of standing there waiting for Yara to boss her around. She turned to go downstairs, but before she could take a step, Yara rushed forward and grabbed her wrist. Rose frowned. "Let go!"


    "Hmph! Rose, you''re just from a small family in Aquastead and not even considered a socialite there. What gives you the right to order me around?"


    Yara sneered. The thought of Jonathan defending Rose and making her eat all those fudgy brownies infuriated her.


    After leaving the dining room, Yara saw Jonathan sitting on the couch looking at the third floor like a bodyguard.


    She had wanted to approach and talk to him, but before she could say a word, he had coldly told her to get lost.


    Yara had never been treated like that before, and Rose was to me! As long as Rose was around, Jonathan wouldn''t notice her. Today was like that, and that night was the same.


    Thinking of her failed n that night made Yara even angrier.


    "Rose, you said you were leaving


    Regalia to return to Aquastead. You lied, didn''t you? How could you give up the chance to marry the Finch family after finally hooking up with Jonathan?


    "But Rose, the Finch family won''t ept you. You''re from a small family that''s unworthy of the Finch family. And oh, by the way..."


    Yara''s smile turned malicious. "I heard your mother died early. No wonder you''re so good at seducing men, you''ve probably practiced on many, right? "Ha! If I were your mother-"


    A crisp p interrupted Yara''s words, and the sudden pain stunned her. Clutching her face, she looked at Rose in disbelief. "You pped me?" "Yes, I did." Rose''s voice was cold.


    She could tolerate Yara belittling her background, but she couldn''t stand Yara insulting Celeste! The p was a warning.


    "If you keep your mouth dirty, I''ll p you again!" Rose red fiercely at Yara.


    Yara shuddered. She believed Rose would follow through, but what right did Rose have to p her? She was the eldest daughter of the Maize family and a renowned international


    actress, so how could national


    "You..." Yara gritted her teeth.


    swnov


    At that moment, footsteps sounded from downstairs. It was Lizzie and the othersing out from the dining room. From her angle, Vara saw Jonathan''s tall figure walking toward them.


    Her mind raced. Suddenly, she pulled Rose hard and swapped their positions. Rose, wary of Yara entangling her further, saw Yara suddenly smile. That smile was smug.


    In that triumphant smile, Yara let go of Rose''s wrist. Then she leaned back... Rose instinctively tried to catch her but missed.


    "Ah!"


    A scream and a loud crash echoed through the lobby. Lizzie and Anastasia came out of the dining room to see Yara tumbling down the stairs. Be was also present.


    Be hade out earlier and was looking for an opportunity to deal with Rose, but Yara had beaten her to it.


    She had seen the entire exchange on the stairs, including the truth behind Yara''s fall. However, she and Yara had the same goal.


    Realizing what was happening, Be''s gaze shifted to Rose standing in shock. Excitement surged through her.


    She wasted no time and screamed, "Murder! Murder! Help! Someone help!"

 Chapter 489 Not on Purpose

    Be''s shout startled everyone in the manor. Lizzle and Anastasia snapped out of their shock, exchanged a nce, and quickly ran up the stairs.


    The scene before them was shocking. Yara was lying on the floor.


    She had mentally prepared for this and had acted out the scene countless times, so she knew how to fall just right to make it look serious without causing real harm, although there was still a faint pain in her abdomen. However, the urgent situation left her no time to care about that. Yara looked at Rose still standing on the stairs.


    A faint trace of smugness shed in her eyes before she used in a pitiful voice, "Ms. Shaffer, why... why did you push me?"


    Why did she push Yara? Rose snapped back to reality, taking in the scene before her.


    Every moment shed through her mind. She was certain she hadn''t pushed Yara, and Yara had fallen on her own. Yet, Yara was using her of having pushed her?


    Rose was momentarily dazed but quickly understood Yara''s intentions. Soon, a crowd gathered at the stairway.


    Jonathan, who had just taken an important call, returned to the scene. He immediately rushed up the stairs.


    Yara saw his figure and pitifully called out, "Mr. Finch."


    She expected at least some sympathy from him, but the next moment, Jonathan walked past her without even a nce.


    He rushed to Rose and grabbed her wrist to pull her back a few steps as if afraid she might fall too.


    "Are you okay?" His eyes were filled with concern only for Rose.


    Yara felt a surge of frustration. She was the one who had fallen, not Rose. Shouldn''t Jonathan be concerned about her?


    Yara gritted her teeth. "Mr. Finch, Ms. Shaffer pushed me!" she used again.


    Jonathan finally looked at her, but his eyes held a cold anger instead of concern. The chill in his gaze made Yara shudder as if she had been seen through. How could it be? She had meticulously staged her fall and ensured all the witnesses would "see" Rose push her. Plus, Jonathan hadn''t seen it happen!


    The pain in her abdomen became more pronounced. Using this pain, Yara acted even more convincingly. "It hurts. Aunt Be, am I... am I going to die?"


    Be saw an opportunity to escte the situation. "Don''t worry, the Finch Manor has a doctor. Quick, tell the medical wing to get ready."


    She instructed a servant to carry Yara to the medical wing and nned to blow up the situation even if Yara wasn''t seriously hurt.


    The atmosphere in the lobby was tense. Rose, still held tightly by a strong arm, snapped out of her daze.


    "I didn''t push her!"


    She struggled to describe what had happened. Recalling the events, she realized Yara had orchestrated everything perfectly, making it hard for her to defend herself with just words. She seemed unable to clear her name with mere exnations. "I know." Jonathan''s voice came from above her head.


    Rose was stunned as she instinctively looked up. "You trust me?"


    "Silly, if I don''t trust you, am I supposed to trust her instead?" His voice was gentle.


    Rose wasn''t a malicious person. Even if Yara provoked her, she would openly retaliate, not push her down the stairs.


    Rose''s heart skipped a beat. The arm around her made her feel inexplicably secure.


    But to Lizzie and Anastasia, the scene was especially ring. They hadn''t expected Jonathan to trust Rose so much. He trusted Rose''s simple denial unconditionally.


    "Ms. Shaffer, don''t be afraid. We all believe you didn''t do it on purpose," Lizzie said with a smile.


    Her words seemed to offerfort, but they implied something else. Even if it wasn''t intentional, Rose still pushed Yara.


    "I..."


    "What do you mean by not on purpose?" Jonathan interrupted Rose before she could finish.


    His cold gaze swept over the people below the stairs, and he uttered slowly, "Rose said she didn''t push Yara, so she didn''t. Everyone, watch your words!"


    His tone was one of warning, and Lizzie flinched a little. She forced a smile. "I meant..."


    Jonathan had no interest in listening to whatever Lizzie meant. Without waiting for her to finish, he held Rose''s hand. "I''ll take you back to the Young Estate." "But..." Yara''s condition was still unclear, and the matter was unresolved.


    "Listen!"


    His voice was soft but firm, leaving no room for argument. He knew Yara''s fall wasn''t innocent. Yara would cling to the usation even if Rose didn''t push her. He didn''t want Rose to be tainted by such filth and would handle everything himself.


    Rose hesitated, but she eventually followed Jonathan out.


    Watching them disappear through the door, Anastasia nced at Lizzie. With Cyrus present, Anastasia dared not speak openly, but Lizzie''s calm demeanor reassured her that Rose wouldn''t leave the Finch Manor easily.


    Sure enough, amotion erupted outside.


    "You can''t leave!"


    It was Be''s voice. In the courtyard, Be blocked Jonathan and Rose. She red at Rose. "Ms. Shaffer pushed Yara down the stairs and now wants to evade responsibility?"


    She had expected Jonathan to try to take Rose away, but she wouldn''t let Rose go so easily after finally seizing an opportunity to teach her a lesson.


    "Move!" Jonathan didn''t want to waste words.


    His stern words made Be tremble. She feared Jonathan, but her hatred for Rose outweighed her fear, especially after how Rose had beaten Jack up, who was now detained at the police station. Be was determined not to let Rose off easily tonight.


    "Jonathan I''m your aunt. Is this how you should talk to me?" Be yed the elder card. "Yara is so badly hurt, and since I can''t protect her, l''have Mrs. Finch Senior do it instead.


    Anna!"


    She believed Eleanor was fully capable of controlling Jonathan. Anna was in a deep dilemma, but she still informed Eleanor. Eleanor emerged, still in her clothes from earlier, which indicated she hadn''t rested. She first looked at Rose.


    "What happened? Did you not ry my message?"


    Rose recalled Eleanor''s instructions and felt apologetic. "Sorry, I didn''t have time..."


    She hadn''t had time to tell anyone that Eleanor wanted to rest before Yara intercepted her. What followed...

 Chapter 490 Jonathans Child

    Rose felt helpless knowing that, with Eleanor here, there was no way she could leave. But that was fine. She wanted to get to the bottom of things anyway.


    Rose looked up at Jonathan and smiled. "ed to clear things up before I leave. Otherwise, I won''t even have a chance to defend myself if someone falsely uses me." Jonathan frowned. "Rose, I can-"


    "It''s fine. Only Ms. Maize and I know what really happened." Rose had made up her mind.


    Jonathan tightened his grip on Rose''s hand, thought for a moment, and finally agreed. "Alright."


    Be felt a surge of satisfaction when she saw Rose finally staying. She stepped forward to support Eleanor and began recounting the events.


    "Eleanor, Ms. Shaffer just pushed Yara down the stairs. Yara is currently being examined. I saw the whole thing, and Yara''s condition... is very pitiful.


    "Ms. Shaffer really did push her down the stairs. When I saw Ms. Shaffer trying to escape, I got so agitated that I brought you here.


    "Eleanor, you must stand up for Yara!"


    Be''s words were highly usatory. Even Jonathan couldn''t help but frown and wanted to say something, but Rose stopped him.


    Rose smiled faintly at Jonathan and waspletely unfazed by Be''s words. Meanwhile, Eleanor merely responded with a light hum and showed no clear stance on Be''s request for justice. In the medical wing, Yara cried out in pain and imed that it hurt everywhere as if she were dying.


    The doctor conducted a thorough examination in the shortest time possible and found no injuries but... The doctor frowned deeply as he held the report.


    "Eleanor, listen to how much pain Yara is in!"


    They heard Yara''s cries before even seeing her. Be was pleased. Yara was indeed following her instructions to act out exaggerated pain and was living up to her title as an award-winning actress. Eleanor furrowed her brows as Rose and Jonathan followed behind her.


    "Ms. Maize, it seems... you''re pregnant..." The doctor spoke with uncertainty, but his tone was firm.


    Yara''s cries abruptly stopped. She stared nkly at the doctor. "What did you say?"


    Pregnant? Had she heard it wrongly?


    "Ms. Maize, you''re pregnant," the doctor repeated.


    "Pregnant... pregnant..."


    Yara momentarily forgot her act as panic rose within her. She hadn''t been with any men recently. The only time was that night with that random man she had found. She was carrying his child! Her face turned pale as she thought about it.


    Just then, Eleanor and Be walked in, and they paused at hearing the doctor say, "Ms. Maize, you''re pregnant."


    As a thought crossed Be''s mind, she immediately let go of Eleanor and hurried to the doctor. She grabbed the report from him.


    "Pregnant... Yara is pregnant! Eleanor, Yara is carrying a child of the Finch family."


    Be was overjoyed as she momentarily forgot about her n to attack Rose. She looked at the report with great excitement. Her words brought the terrified Yara back to her senses. "A Finch family child..." she muttered.


    How could she forget? In the eyes of others, the man she had been with that night was none other than Jonathan! Yes, it was "Jonathan"! She was carrying "Jonathan''s child"! Be gave Yara a satisfied look. "See? You were so shocked by the news. Of course, it''s a Finch family child."


    "Yes, I... I didn''t know..." Yara''s fear turned into a mix of shock and excitement. Seeing Jonathan and Rose behind Eleanor, she found her courage. "Mr. Finch, I... I''m pregnant."


    That night in the hotel, Jonathan had


    left without saying anything and had avoided her ever since. But now, she was pregnant. With so many people present, Jonathan had to give her an exnation.


    Everyone turned to look at Jonathan, including Cyrus and Lizzie who had just arrived, and Anastasia. Yara was pregnant, and it seemed that the child was Jonathan''s. They had no idea Jonathan and Yara had developed such a rtionship. Jonathan was standing next to Rose, making the situation even moreplicated.


    Amid the myriad of expressions, Jonathan frowned and nced at Yara. His gaze was indifferent and dismissive. He then sneered.


    "You''re pregnant? What does that have to do with me?"


    Yara''s face stiffened. Just as she was feeling guilty, Be defended her. "Jon, how could you say that? Yara is a virtuous girl, and the report shows the pregnancy dates back to that night!


    "Jon, are you trying to shirk your responsibility? We saw you and Yara in the same bed that morning!"


    Yara''s words were sharp and clear.


    From the moment Rose heard the doctor announce Yara''s pregnancy, her mind had been buzzing. She immediately thought of Miles felling her about Jonathan and Yara leaving the hotel together. FindNovel


    She couldn''t hear any of Yara''s words, but the repeated phrase in her mind, "Yara''s carrying Jonathan''s child", tugged painfully at her heart. Jonathan''s grip tightened around her hand, and his strong voice sounded beside her. "ver had sex with Yara!"


    This statement was for everyone present, but mostly for Rose. But Be and Yara wouldn''t allow him to deny it. "Mr. Finch..." Yara bit her lip, looking pitiful.


    Be questioned sharply, "Jon, is it true that you''re trying to evade responsibility? If Yara''s child isn''t yours, whose is it?"


    "She should know best whose child it is!" Jonathan''s words implied much as he nced at Yara.


    His look made Yara''s heart skip a beat. As if trying to hide something, Yara looked at Rose.


    "Mr. Finch, I know you care about Ms. Shaffer, but I willingly gave myself to you that night.


    "As for the child, I have nothing to say if you won''t acknowledge their presence. You don''t have to take responsibility..."


    Not take responsibility? How could the Finches not take responsibility for a child of the Finch family?

 Chapter 491 Roses Way of Apologizing

    Yara''s words garnered more sympathy and made it more believable that she was carrying Jonathan''s child. As expected, Eleanor spoke up. "How''s the child in her womb?"


    "There''s no major issue, but it''s best to take care of it and ensure a healthy pregnancy," the doctor replied.


    Eleanor hummed with her face devoid of emotions. "I heard she fell down the stairs but is unharmed. This child is fortunate."


    Eleanor''s tone was ambiguous. Be quickly picked up on it. "Yes. Fortunately, the ancestors of the Finch family are looking over us!"


    "Ha..." Eleanor chuckled lightly and left the others unsure of her intent. She then told Yara, "Listen to the doctor and take good care of the child."


    "Yes, Grandma," Yara said, feeling pleased.


    Eleanor''s instructions implied her eptance of the child. Yara felt reassured, and Be also rxed.


    Be had been working to match the Maize and Finch families for a long time and hadn''t expected such good news today. She wasted no time bringing up the marriage between the two families. "Eleanor, I''ll inform the Maize family tomorrow morning to discuss the marriage. And about tonight''s incident..."


    Be hadn''t forgotten about Rose. She had nned to teach Rose a lesson tonight, but Yara''s pregnancy was already a significant blow to Rose.


    Be decided to hold off and nned to make Rose''s life miserable once Yara firmly secured Jonathan. That would make things a lot easier too.


    With this in mind, Be looked at Rose. "Eleanor, what should we do about Ms. Shaffer pushing Yara down the stairs? We need to give Yara justice." Eleanor nced at Rose when she heard the question. Rose''s lips twitched slightly.


    Then, Yara spoke up. "Grandma, forget it. Although I don''t know why Ms. Shaffer pushed me, I believe she didn''t do it on purpose.


    "Ms. Shaffer, I forgive you!"


    Yara was forgiving her? Rose found it amusing. "Ms. Maize, what are you forgiving me for?


    Yara was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered herposure. "For pushing me down the stairs, of course!"


    "Ms. Maize, you''re truly forgiving!" Rose sneered.


    Yara bit her lip with a grievance. "Ms. Shaffer, I''ve forgiven..."


    Rose stopped smiling. "When we arrived earlier, we heard you crying in pain as if your bones had fractured. It sounded like you were in a lot of pain. Howe you''re suddenly not in pain anymore?" Yara''s expression stiffened. "Who said I''m not in pain? I... ah..."


    Yara tried to act again, but her sudden switch felt unnatural. The others started doubting the severity of her fall.


    "If you''re in pain, you should have a thorough check-up to be sure. We''ve seen the pregnancy report, so we should check the other reports to feel assured..."


    As soon as Rose finished speaking, Jonathan strode forward and grabbed the stack of reports from the table. He began reading them one by one as a cold smile formed on his lips.


    "There''s no injury. Where''s the paining from? Your acting is indeed impressive."


    "I..." As Yara''s lies were exposed, she regretted not being tougher on herself earlier. But thinking about the pregnancy, she feared for her child.


    Luckily, she had been careful when she fell. She dared not think about the consequences if she had harmed the child when she fell.


    Yet, even though her lies were


    exposed, she had an excuse. "Although I''m not injured, Ms. Shaffer pushing me is a fact. don''t need anything else. She cangust apologize to me."


    Yara met Rose''s gaze. Yara had just said she forgave Rose, and now she wanted an apology.


    Rose frowned. Jonathan threw the stack of reports onto the table and walked over to Rose''s side. "Rose..."


    He wanted to tell Rose to ignore Yara, but Rose spoke up. "Alright!"


    Everyone was stunned, including Yara who hadn''t expected Rose to readily agree to apologize. Since Rose was going to apologize, Yara decided to dly ept it.


    Her lips curled as she waited for Rose to start apologizing, but Rose stepped forward and unexpectedly grabbed her wrist.


    Yara was shocked. "What are you doing?"


    Rose raised an eyebrow and smiled as she replied, "Don''t you want me to apologize?"


    Yara tried to break free, but Rose held her tightly and pulled her up from the bed.


    "Rose, just apologize. Why are you pulling me?"


    Rose didn''t mind exining why she was pulling Yara. "It''s to take you back to the stairs and actually push you down so I can apologize."


    "You..." Yara panicked when she saw that Rose wasn''t joking. Despite her struggles, Rose had a powerful grip and managed to drag Yara to the door of the medical wing.


    Yara knew that if Rose pushed her once more, she might not be able to guarantee the safety of her child.


    "Help!" Yara screamed. But besides Be who hurried after her, no one else came to her aid.


    Before Be could get close, Rose whispered in Yara''s ear. "Ms. Maize, exin what happened earlier, or I swear I''ll push you for real."


    The menacing threat was spoken in such a low voice that only Yara could hear it.


    "Rose!" Yara gritted her teeth. She tried to grab Rose''s hair but failed. Instead, her hand was caught and twisted downward by Rose. "Ah!" Yara cried out in pain.


    Rose continued dragging Yara forward, counting down as she walked, "Three, two..."


    "I''ll tell them! I''ll speak!"


    Before Rose could count down to one, Yara couldn''t hold out any longer. Rose was serious about pushing her down the stairs.


    Rose stopped and looked satisfied


    as the others approached. Be was the first to arrive and intended to help Yara, but a tall figure blocked her path. Be looked up to see Jonathan''s stern face.


    "Jon, are you just gonna let Rose do this?" Be chided sharply. Jonathan answered the question directly, "Yes. So what?"


    "Jonathan, you..." Be clenched her teeth.


    The thought of Jonathan being so protective of Rose that he would go to the extent of using connections to keep Jack from leaving the police station infuriated her.


    While Be seethed, Jonathan


    looked affectionately at Rose. He had understood her intentions the moment she dragged Yara out of the medical wing and threatened to push her down the stairs.


    "Speak!" Rose calmly urged.

 Chapter 492 The Truth Revealed

    "Speak" Rose urged as she eyed the approaching crowd.


    Yara gulped nervously. She didn''t want to confess, but Rose''s grip on her wrist tightened, and Jonathan was holding Be back. She was alone and helpless, so she had no choice but toply. "Rose... Rose didn''t push me..." Everyone had just arrived when they heard Yara''s voice.


    "Yara, what nonsense are you talking about?" Be panicked. She tried to stop Yara, but Yara had spoken and couldn''t back down.


    "Rose didn''t push me..." Yara repeated.


    Although Lizzie had seen through the truth, she feigned ignorance and asked, "It wasn''t Ms. Shaffer? How did you fall down the stairs then?"


    A look of guilt flickered in Yara''s eyes. "It was me. I didn''t watch my steps."


    She dared not admit that she had framed Rose on purpose, but Rose didn''t mind. It was enough to her that she had her innocence proven.


    "Yara!" Be was furious. It was the perfect opportunity to push the me onto Rose, but since Yara had said so, she had no choice but to go along with Yara''s words.


    She eyed Eleanor and forced a smile. "Yara must have been too frightened that she mistakenly thought Ms. Shaffer pushed her."


    The exnation was to preserve Yara''s dignity.


    Rose released Yara and raised an eyebrow. She asked with a smile, "No worries, Ms. Maize. Do I still need to apologize since I wasn''t the one who pushed you?" "No... there''s no need."


    Now free, Yara quickly retreated a few steps for fear of falling into Rose''s hands again. But Rose''s gaze still made her scalp tingle.


    Rose smiled. "Shouldn''t you apologize to me then?"


    To say that it was just a simple misunderstanding wasn''t enough for Rose. Just an apology was a concession for Yara! Yara gritted her teeth. She was always proud and now had to apologize to a woman from Aquastead. Why would she?


    But when Rose took a step forward, Yara shuddered and hurriedly apologized. "I''m sorry..."


    Clenching her teeth in frustration, she reluctantly continued, "Ms. Shaffer, I''m sorry for the misunderstanding."


    Rose responded with a hum and a nod in satisfaction. She then turned to the others present. "I said I didn''t push her. Mrs. Finch Senior..."


    Rose didn''t feel to stay any longer after having cleared her name. Just as she was about to say goodbye to Eleanor, a helper rushed over followed by a concerned man and woman. "Mrs. Finch Senior, these two guests..."


    "Rosie?" The man''s voice interrupted the helper before she could finish.


    Rose turned around and was immediately embraced by the two people who anxiously asked, "Rosie, are you alright? Are you hurt?"


    "Rosie, let me check."


    The man and woman had eyes full of concern only for Rose. Rose was shocked when she recognized them.


    "Clover, Emily, how..."


    How did they know she was here? And the worry in their eyes... They seemed relieved after having made sure she was fine.


    A thought crossed Rose''s mind. "How did you know that I had a car ident?"


    The question made Clover pause. He had secretly arranged for Rose to be protected, and Rose might feel ufortable if she knew.


    Clover looked around and saw Jonathan. "Mr. Finch told me about it. Right, Mr. Finch?"


    Clover''s arrival surprised Jonathan too. He hadn''t informed Clover about Rose''s ident, so it could only mean that...


    Jonathan met Clover''s eyes and caught a hint of threat that confirmed his suspicion that Clover had someone watching Rose just like he did. He yed along since neither of them wanted Rose to know. "Yes, I told him."


    Rose was skeptical.


    "Rosie, it''s good that you''re fine. You


    §Ö


    don''t know how frightened Clover was when he heard about youre ident." Emily cracked a joke now that the tension eased.


    Rose felt a warmth in her heart. Although she hadn''t known them long, their concern for her was genuine, especially Clover''s!


    "Thank you, Clover. I''m sorry to have made you worried. And you too, Emily. Thank you."


    After being targeted and wronged, and having fought back alone, the warmth in Rose''s heart prompted her to hug Emily''s arm. Clover felt a twinge of jealousy seeing Rose''s affection for Emily.


    "What''s with the thanks? We''re here to take you home." With that, he hooked his arm around Rose''s neck. Clover and Emily had arrived in a hurry, and now the three left happily together.


    Throughout the interaction, Clover and Emily had paid no attention to anyone else, but Clover''s innate air of eliteness caught Eleanor''s attention. "Jon, who is he?" she asked as Jonathan was about to follow them.


    "He?" Jonathan paused then truthfully answered, "Clover Xanth from Lerain Group."


    Lerain Group? Eleanor''s expression changed. She wanted to ask more, but Jonathan had run forward to catch up with the trio.


    Be begrudgingly watched them leave. She clenched her fist and shouted, "Jon, don''t forget Yara is pregnant with your child!"


    The trio abruptly halted, and Clover''s face darkened. When they came to the gate of the manor, he blocked Jonathan''s way. "Someone''s pregnant?" he bluntly questioned, displeased.


    Jonathan frowned and nced at Rose. "She had nothing to do with me!" He was referring to Yara.


    "Nothing to do with you? How is she pregnant then? Jonathan, if I remember correctly, you''re married to Rose. Care to exin what you''re doing?" Clover stepped up for Rose. Then his words took a turn. "That''s fine. Rosie deserves better. Rosie, let''s go. Don''te with us."


    Clover turned to leave with Rose and protected her with Emily, directing his final words to Jonathan. Jonathan, however, refused to obey and followed. Rose hadn''t shown any reaction to Yara''s pregnancy, but he needed to know how she was feeling.


    Before Rose got into the car, Jonathan called out, "Wifey..."


    Rose paused.


    "I have something to tell you," Jonathan said. He needed to speak to Rose alone.


    "Jonathan..."


    "Sure." Clover was about to speak when he got interrupted by Rose. "Clover, I happened to have something to tell him."


    Clover frowned and hesitated, but he eventually agreed to her request.

 Chapter 493 What Happened That Night

    At the Finch Manor, Eleanor stood in ce for a long time after they left. None of the others dared to leave without her permission.


    Lizzie noticed something unusual in Eleanor''s demeanor, and soon a suspicion formed in her mind. "Ms. Shaffer is truly something. A Xanth from Lerain Group. That man seems to treat her quite special." Special indeed! Eleanor lowered her gaze and was lost in thought.


    Be echoed, "She already knows how to deal with men so well at such a young age."


    She assumed her words would incite Eleanor''s dislike toward Rose, but Eleanor nced at her instead. Be inexplicably shivered under her gaze. Only after Eleanor left with a grave look on her face did Be rx.


    "It''ste, and it''s inconvenient for you to go back since you''re pregnant. You should just stay here tonight," Be said as she pulled Yara along and arranged for her to stay.


    Anastasia didn''t receive such treatment. She noticed Lizzie''s deep, contemtive gaze and decided not to disturb her.


    Tonight''s events clearly hadn''t pleased Lizzie. She had schemed to bring Rose here, but Eleanor''s attitude toward Rose remained ambiguous, especially the warning look Eleanor gave Be before leaving. Lizzie felt uncertain. Be arranged for Yara to stay in a guest room closest to her own. After they entered the room, they were silent for a long time before they spoke in unison.


    "Rose shall not stay!"


    They exchanged nces and understood that they shared the same thought.


    "Mr. Finch left with them. He still doesn''t care about me. What''s so special about Rose? She''s just a woman from Aquastead, from a powerless family..."


    Although Yara was trying to belittle Rose, her words exposed her jealousy.


    Be was reminded of Jack who was still detained at the police station. She had nned to wait until Jonathan married Yara and hoped that his interest in Rose would wane before dealing with Rose. But Clover...


    "The Lerain Group, the Xanth family..." Be hadn''t paid much attention to it, but she suddenly thought of the Lerain Group after returning to her room.


    She heard Yosef mention that Eleanor had always wanted to expand their foreign business with the help of the Lerain Group.


    Clover''s concern for Rose meant that she wouldn''t be easy to deal with even without Jonathan present. In that case, it was better to act sooner.


    "Yara, now that you''re pregnant, your top priority is to take good care of the baby. This child is your pass to marry Jonathan. You must marry him!" Be said firmly.


    Yara shot Be a questioning nce. "What about Rose?"


    "I''ll take care of everything." Yara''s eyes gleamed with determination.


    Yara was satisfied to hear that. "Don''t worry, Aunt Be. I''ll help Jack once I marry Jonathan. We''ll truly be one family then."


    Jack was the reason Be was doing all this. Yosef was just her husband to lean on, but Jack was her life.


    "Good. Remember your words, Yara."


    "I swear I will!"


    With that, their eyes met, reaching an agreement.


    Two luxury cars sped along on the roads of Mount Ebott. Rose had gotten into Jonathan''s car, while Clover''s car followed closely behind. Rose sat in the passenger seat. Jonathan had been silent since getting in, but he held her hand tightly and refused to let go.


    Rose had struggled at first, but since


    she couldn''t break free, she let him be. She thought they would remain in a stalemate until they reached their destination, but Jonathan


    suddenly spoke after leaving Mount


    Ebott.


    "I received a note that night. It was an invitation from you to meet at the hotel."


    Rose immediately knew he was referring to the night of Yvonne''s celebration party but...


    "ver sent you a note, and ver asked you to meet at a hotel!"


    Rose''s voice was panicked as she tried to clear herself. She could never have arranged such a suggestive meeting.


    "I know, but I didn''t. There was an earring with the note, and I recognized it as one of the pairs you wore that night. I was so happy thinking that you wanted to see me..."


    "


    Jonathan thought Rose wanted to see him as much as he did to her. His unfinished words made Rose''s heart skip a beat. She knew he was being vague by saying he wanted to see her.


    Her mind couldn''t help but recall


    their first encounter at the hotel, and


    UT


    she felt a rush of warmth. To stop her mind from wandering, Rose pinched her thigh and forced her


    thoughts back to the matter at hand.


    The earring... Rose thought carefully. She was sure that someone had taken her earring after she passed out to use it as proof to convince Jonathan. And that person...


    "So, Yara was the one waiting for you at the hotel."


    Jonathan didn''t deny it as he continued, "I found the other earring on the table. I drank the alcohol she spiked."


    Rose''s heart tightened. She realized she actually cared about what might have happened.


    "After that, I realized you weren''t the person in the room. I recognized Yara, but the drug had taken effect by then, and I passed out."


    Rose felt a heavy weight in her chest. She could easily guess what happened next that led to Yara''s pregnancy.


    Jonathan continued speaking, but Rose didn''t want to hear what he had to say.


    "Jonathan..." Rose tried to interrupt him.


    But in the next moment, Jonathan released her hand and pressed a button in the car. A woman''s voice sounded. "Damn it, how could he pass out? Even if you''re unconscious, I, Yara Maize, will get what I want tonight."


    The sound of rustling followed, and


    the frustration in Yara''s voice was evident "Damn it! It''s impossible. He''s like a dead man, and I can''t move him at all. What can I do? I can''t go on like this..."


    There was a pause. Yara seemed to be thinking of a solution before sheughed softly as if she had a brilliant idea.


    "No problem if you can''t do it. I''ll have someone else do it. As long as I have your mark on me by morning, you''ll have to take responsibility." Yara then dialed a number.


    The atmosphere in the car turned eerie. Apart from the static noise, Yara asionally muttered about how useless it was for Jonathan to be unconscious.


    There was a knock at the door after a long while, and the sound of it opening followed.


    Then, the sound of heavy breathing of a man and woman filled the car, mixed with asional low moans from Yara that echoed throughout the car.


    Rose''s face was burning hot. The sounds grew more explicit and indecent. Rose was stunned until Jonathan raised his hand and turned off the recording. Only then did Rose snap out of it, though she still couldn''t fully regain herposure.

 Chapter 494 Invite Her to the Wedding

    Jonathan''s voice suddenly sounded next to Rose. "Do you want to listen anymore?"


    Rose was caught off guard. She instinctively tried to defend herself as if she had just been caught red-handed, but Jonathan didn''t give her the chance to do so. "What''s there to listen about other people? If you want to listen more, we can-"


    "Jonathan!" Rose urgently interrupted him before he could finish his suggestive words. When she met his teasing gaze, she quickly looked away as if his eyes burned her.


    "I don''t want to listen. You were the one who yed it. How could you y something like that?" Rose was eager to prove that she wasn''t the kind of person who enjoyed such things. But the more she tried to clear her name, the more flustered she became, and the less convincing she sounded.


    Beside her, Jonathan shot her a doting look before suddenly bing serious. "I had no intimate rtionship with Yara, and the child in her womb isn''t mind, so I didn''t cheat on you."


    The air in the car tensed. Rose had to admit that the heaviness she had felt earlier dissipated and was reced by a sense of relief that was slowly spreading. But why? She would leave sooner orter. Rose lowered her gaze when she recalled what Eleanor had said.


    "Wifey, am I not well-behaved? I wouldn''t have done anything to Yara even if I hadn''t passed out that night. My heart only belongs to you, and I''d only="


    "Jonathan..." Rose suddenly interrupted him and met Jonathan''s gaze.


    Jonathan responded with a hum and an expectant face as if he were waiting for Rose''s praise.


    Looking at his face, the words Rose wanted to say got stuck in her throat. In the end, she couldn''t bring herself to say them and instead forced a smile.


    She changed the subject. "What do you n to do about Ms. Maize?"


    Now that everyone in the Finch family knew Yara was pregnant with Jonathan''s child, the wedding between the two families would likely be held soon. But how could Jonathan marry a woman carrying another man''s child?


    Jonathan let out a coldugh at the mention of Yara. He hadn''t wanted to bother with Yara at all, and he couldn''t even bother to nce at her.


    But since Yara and Be were so eager to bring about a marriage between the Finch and Maize families, he would have to respect their wishes.


    "The Maize family is a prominent name in Regalia, and Yara is a famous actress in the entertainment industry. The child in her womb needs aplete family."


    Jonathan raised his eyebrows. As he said this, Rose could see the faint, sinister smile on his lips.


    "What are you going to do?" Rose instinctively asked.


    Jonathan gave her a meaningful look. "When the timees, I''ll invite you to the wedding!"


    Rose was confused by his words, but Jonathan didn''t exin further. His smile was cryptic, and Rose found herself growing increasingly curious. She even felt a bit of pity for Yara. She was certain that Yara wouldn''t be able to handle Jonathan''s scheming. During the drive, Jonathan slowed down on purpose, but they eventually reached their destination.


    Since Yvonne had been hospitalized, Rose had been staying at the hospital under the Finch Group. Though Jonathan was reluctant to part with her, he still brought her there.


    The car pulled to a stop, but Jonathan wanted to spend some more time with Rose. "Wifey, I want to..."


    Rose, who seemed to have noticed something, panickedly opened the door.


    "Wifey..." Jonathan immediately followed her.


    Rose ran toward the hospital and finally caught up with the person she was chasing at the entrance. "Evan, what happened to Dawn?"


    Earlier, she had seen Evan hurriedly getting out of a car and carrying a figure to the hospital.


    Looking at Dawn in Evan''s arms, Rose noticed she had her eyes closed appearing to have fainted. The white dress she was wearing was stained with blood too. Rose''s heart skipped a beat.


    "Dawn..." Evan''s face was grim.


    Realizing what might have


    happened, Rose quickly arranged for medical assistance. The nurse


    recognized Rose as someone et


    importance and swiftly organized everything. Dawn was soon taken into surgery.


    Outside the operating room, Evan sat on a chair with a nk gaze.


    Rose stood beside him, feeling a deep sense of guilt. She was supposed to pick Dawn up earlier. If she hadn''t been dyed by the car ident, would things have turned out differently? After what felt like an eternity, the light above the operating room went off. When the doctor came out, his expression was heavy.


    "Mr. Spencer, Ms. Stevens is out of danger, but we couldn''t save the baby."


    Evan staggered backward. He remained silent even after Dawn was transferred to her ward.


    Later that night, Dawn woke up and immediately looked for Evan, but to her surprise, it was Rose she first saw by her bedside.


    "Dawn..." Rose began but then noticed the intense hatred that shed in Dawn''s eyes. The hatred disappeared as quickly as it had appeared as if it had just been Rose''s imagination. When Rose looked at Dawn again, her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with exhaustion and pain. "Rose, my baby''s gone, isn''t it?"


    Dawn''s hand moved to her


    abdomen. She had known she was going to lose her baby the moment she felt pain before losing consciousness. The ce had been deserted, and she wasn''t sure if Evan would arrive in time.


    Unable to bear the sight, Rose tried tofort her. "Dawn, you can still have a baby with Evan..."


    Dawn sneered at her words. Rose didn''t know that she had only had that one night with Evan because she had taken advantage of an opportunity.


    The baby was the reason a wedding was nned. Without the baby, she knew that the wedding, which Evan wasn''t eager for in the first ce, was off the table.


    Biting her lip, Dawn was filled with regret. If she hadn''t agreed to help set up Rose in the first ce, would she still be carrying Evan''s child?


    There was hope for a wedding with the baby around though it might be dyed, but now... Dawn couldn''t help but cry.


    "Dawn..." Rose didn''t know how to console her, and the guilt she felt grew stronger at the thought that maybe things wouldn''t have turned out this way if she had picked her up earlier. "I''m sorry. I was supposed to pick you up, but there was a car ident on the way."


    A car ident? Dawn''s sobs suddenly stopped. She knew that the car ident must have been set up, but Rose''s guilt provided an outlet for her resentment. It was Rose''s fault!


    "Yes. If you had arrived earlier, and if you had picked me up sooner, I wouldn''t have..." Dawn muttered, staring at Rose. "Rose, it''s your fault that I lost my baby."


    Rose found herself unable to argue when faced with this usation. All she could do was repeatedly apologize. "I''m sorry, Dawn. I''m so so sorry..."


    As Rose continued to apologize, Dawn seemed to forget that she had originally nned to set Rose up. She had known all along that Rose wouldn''t be able to pick her up. Nevertheless, she genuinely believed that Rose was the reason she lost her baby.

 Chapter 495 Like Her as a Sister Just Like Eve

    Dawn felt like pping Rose in the face but...


    "Rose..." She suddenly reached out to hold Rose''s hand. Seeing the guilt on Rose''s face, she concealed the hatred in her heart and forced a smile, albeit one that was incredibly bitter. "Could you promise me something?" Dawn looked at Rose.


    Given Dawn''s condition, Rose couldn''t refuse. "Alright. Just tell me, and I''ll do my best."


    Rose had prepared herself to convince Evan to return to Aquastead and marry Dawn, but to her surprise, Dawn didn''t ask for that.


    "Rose, could you please keep it from Evan that I called you to pick me up? The truth is, I was upset with Evan after our argument in the morning. It''s my fault..."


    Not letting Rose tell Evan about her call was Dawn''s way of hiding the fact that she had set Rose upst night by luring Rose to Mount Ebott. She had to eliminate all possibility of them discussing the incident and exposing her scheme. As for her and Rose...


    "Okay."


    Upon hearing Rose''s promise, Dawn contentedly released her hand. "Rose, I want to sleep for a bit."


    With that, Rose tucked Dawn in and left the room.


    As soon as she was gone, the look on Dawn''s face changedpletely. Gone was the pretense and disguise. Instead, her clenched fists were full of repressed hatred. A momentter, a cold smile crept onto Dawn''s lips. "Rose, you''ll do as I want, won''t you?"


    Rose was kind but not stupid. She had once financially supported Dawn, but after their encounter in Regalia, Rose decided not to intervene in Dawn''s rtionship with Evan and didn''t want to pressure him into marriage. Dawn knew why. Rose no longer saw her as the same Dawn she knew. But just now, Dawn had likely triggered Rose''s guilt. As her guilt mixed with pity, Dawn figured that Rose would help her now.


    When Rose found Evan, he was on the rooftop of the hospital. Beside him, Jonathan, Clover, and even Miles, who had arrived after hearing the news, were there. Each of them stood some distance apart as if they despised being too close to one another. As soon as Rose stepped onto the rooftop, several gazes fell on her at once. She was stunned before greeting each of them one by one.


    "Clover, Emily, Miles..."


    In her greetings, she skipped over Jonathan and Evan on purpose. After a brief exchange of nces, she walked straight to Evan''s side. "Evan..."


    Jonathan was the only one left out, yet he wasn''t disappointed. This meant he was different from the others in Rose''s eyes, wasn''t he?


    Clover and Miles exchanged nces and frowned. They were both annoyed at how Rose had greeted the other by their first name. It seemed a little too intimate, and that wasn''t how it should be. A surge of jealousy simmered between the two men. Unaware of the silent rivalry among them, Rose was focused on Evan with concern. After some thought, she spoke.


    "Evan, Dawn is taking a rest, but she doesn''t seem to be doing well. Would you like to go check on her?"


    It seemed as if Evan hadn''t heard her. Assuming he was still grieving the loss of the child, Rose consoled him. "The child''s gone, but you''re both still young. You can " "Rosie..." Evan suddenly interrupted her. He turned to look at Rose, wanting to tell her that the child wasn''t something he had ever wished for. It was just a responsibility.


    He had wondered if, without the mistake from that night, he might still have a chance with Rose, but reality told him that he had lost his chance.


    Evan nced over Rose''s shoulder, his gaze sweeping past the other men and finallynding on Jonathan.


    Even from a distance, he could clearly see Jonathan looking at Rose with undeniable affection in his eyes. Jonathan really loved Rose. "Rosie, I like you," Evan uttered these words after a pause, shocking Rose.


    When she recovered, she was flustered. "Evan, I..."


    "Ha ha. Look at you panicking... I don''t mean romantically. You''re like a sister to me. Just like Eve..." Evan chuckled softly.


    Only then did Rose breathe a sigh of relief. But she knew those words were just meant to ease her burden.


    "Evan, Eve is in the Young family''s hospital. I''ll be with her, but as for Dawn..."


    Rose struggled to find the right words. Although she felt sympathy and guilt for Dawn, she still found it ufortable to meddle in Evan''s affairs.


    But before she could finish, Evan


    interrupted her again. "I''ll take Dawn


    back to Aquastead tomorrow


    morning, and I''ll return after the


    wedding. I''ll need you to take care of Eve in the meantime."


    Evan had a rxed smile, but his eyes betrayed a deep sadness.


    Rose was stunned. Almost instinctively, she called out, "Evan, you-"


    Again, Evan didn''t let her finish. He maintained his smile and met Rose''s gaze. "You have to stay in Regalia to look after Eve, so I won''t invite you to the wedding the day after tomorrow. "But when it''s your wedding, let''s celebrate together with Eve."


    Rose remained in a daze even after Evan left the rooftop. She couldn''t shake the feeling of bitterness in Evan''s final smile, as if all life had left him.


    Early the next morning, Evan brought Dawn to the airport. Rose escorted them to the security checkpoint.


    When she returned to the hospital,


    she received a wedding invitation for the marriage alliance between the Finch and Maize families. Though no names were written on it, Rose knew that the bride was Yara


    At the Finch Manor, the Maize family rushed over eagerly after learning about Yara''s pregnancy before she had even returned.


    They finalized the wedding arrangements with Eleanor within an hour. Within another hour, the wedding invitations were designed and ready to be sent out.


    Yara sent the first wedding invitation to Rose. After Eleanor, Cyrus, and Lizzie''s departure, only the Maizes remained in the parlor.


    "Isn''t the wedding too rushed if it''s tomorrow?" Cindy was worried about the tight schedule.


    With only one day to prepare, she feared the arrangements would be insufficient. Yara deserved the grandest wedding, not something thrown together.


    Both Yara and Rupert agreed that


    the sooner the wedding, the better. It


    was best to hold the wedding quickly so everyone would know Yara had married Jonathan and be thedy of the Finch family. Once it was set in stone, there would be no turning back.

 Chapter 496 A Sense of Crisis

    Be noticed Cindy''s concern and smiled.


    "Cindy, I understand you''re worried that the wedding might be rushed and that things won''t be prepared in time, but Yara''s marrying into the Finch family.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior has given her orders, so don''t worry. Yara will definitely have a grand wedding tomorrow."


    After tomorrow, the Maize and Finch families would be united through marriage once again. Be pondered the possibility that the connection would soften Jonathan into leniency and let Jack out of the police station. Meanwhile, Yara was lost in thought staring at the wedding invitation.


    "The Finch and Young families... Why aren''t my and Jonathan''s names printed on it?" She was slightly displeased.


    Just then, Anna served her some juice and snacks. Yara stopped her, saying, "Anna, this won''t do. Have it redone with Jonathan and my names on it.


    "Also, add our photos. Just saying that it''s a wedding between the Finch and Maize families is too badly done." Yara was already acting like thedy of the Finch family.


    Anna politely set the refreshments on the table. "Ms. Maize, you don''t have wedding photos with Mr. Finch. As for the photo..."


    "Just find a picture of Jonathan and one of me and put them together. There are plenty of photos of me on the red carpet online, just pick one!


    "Ah no, that''s not right. If fans recognize that it''s a photo from the Inte... No, that won''t do. I need to take a new wedding photo!" Yara insisted and instructed Anna to arrange for it.


    Anna looked troubled. "Mr. Finch is busy with work. I''m afraid he won''t have time to take wedding photos with you, Ms. Maize."


    Yara''s expression darkened. Just as she was about to lose her temper, Be quickly intervened. "It''s just an invitation. If you want a photo, you can take one yourself, but the invitations have already been sent out.


    "I think it''s fine as it is. What''s important is the wedding!"


    Yara understood her words. Though she felt disappointed, she had to ept it.


    But after Anna left, Yara immediately called Kate and ordered, "I''m getting married tomorrow. Inform all the media outlets that they''re allowed to cover the entire wedding."


    She wanted everyone to know that she was marrying into the Finch family.


    Her ostentation was something the Maize family was happy to support. They couldn''t wait for everyone to know about the marriage alliance between the Maize and Finch families. The entire family eagerly anticipated tomorrow''s wedding. At the Finch Building, Jonathan was reviewing the first coboration project between the Finch Group and Lerain Group.


    "Mr. Finch, the hashtag #RuleroftheFinchGroup_MarriesARenowned InternationalActress started trending on Twitter. But as you instructed, we suppressed it before it could gain too much attention.


    "But now, #Reowned InternationalStar_MarriesFinchGroupHeir is trending instead. Are you satisfied with that?"


    Jonathan didn''t even look up. "It''s fine. If she wants to be in the spotlight, give her a few more trending topics. Make sure they''re at the top."


    "Got it. This is my specialty." Leonard quickly added a few more hashtags.


    "#DaughteroftheMaizes_Marries FinchGroupHeir."


    "#FilmStarAndHeir_TiestheKnot."


    "#WeddingoftheCentury_Between MaizeandFinchFamilies."


    Due to Leonard''s effort, any news rted to the marriage between the Finch and Maize families quickly topped the trending list.


    The Inte was abuzz with the news of Yara''s marriage to the Finch family. Everyone was discussing and admiring the marriage alliance. Yara was pleased with the attention that came like never before.


    After trying on her wedding dress,


    she was receiving the most expensive full-body treatment. She eagerly looked forward to presenting herself in the best light and basking in everyone''s admiration and praise the next day.


    At the Imperial Gardens, Clover''s face darkened when he saw the news. Emily was also worried when seeing his concern for Rose.


    "It''s almost noon. I''ll ask Rosie out for lunch. You wouldn''t mind, would you?" Emily asked Clover as she packed her bag.


    Lunch? "Perfect, I''m hungry too." Before Emily could leave, Clover was already heading to the garage.


    When they arrived at the hospital and got out of the car, they coincidentally ran into another person getting out of the car as well. It was Miles.


    Their gazes met briefly, and without greeting each other, they both headed straight into the hospital.


    In the hospital, Yvonne had just had her dressings changed. Rose fed her a simple meal, but Yvonne only took a few bites before falling asleep again.


    After tidying up, Rose walked out and saw the three of them. "Clover, Emily, Miles, what brings you here?"


    Miles was the first to step forward and affectionately ruffled Rose''s hair. "It''s noon, so I came to take you to lunch."


    His affectionate gesture feltpletely natural, and Clover frowned slightly.


    Rose looked at Clover and Emily. "Clover, Emily, you "


    "We''re here to take you to lunch too!" Clover smiled as he stepped forward. Just like Miles, he reached out and ruffled Rose''s hair, finally feeling satisfied. This time, it was Miles'' turned to be displeased. "Rosie, let''s go home for lunch. I''ve had them make all your favorite fishes."


    Home? The word caused Clover''s momentary satisfaction to vanish instantly.


    "Rosie, I noticed there are some nice properties near the hospital. I''ll pick a few for you to choose from, and once you''ve decided, I''ll buy you one.


    "Although you need to take care of


    Ms. Spencer, you shouldn''t stay in the hospital all the time. If you don''t like any of the nearby properties, you can stay at Imperial Gardens, where


    I live. Consider it your home.


    "As for Ms. Spencer, I have some free time, so I can drive you here every day," Clover spoke domineeringly.


    His words left Rose utterly bewildered. "Clover..."


    She forced a smile. Why was Clover suddenly talking about buying a house?


    "That won''t do!" Rose shook her head. How could she ept such a gift from Clover?


    The frown on Miles'' brows rxed. He was satisfied with Rose''s response. "Right, that won''t do. The Young family can afford it. How could Rosie just casually ept such generosity from someone else?" Clover frowned at the words "someone else". He ignored Miles and continued smiling at Rose. "Why not? What''s mine can be yours."


    His words left Rosepletely


    stunned. Even Miles looked at Clover in surprise. From his experience,


    Miles was sure that Clover''s gaze at Rose wasn''t one of romantic love, but what exactly were Clover''s intentions toward Rose?


    Miles couldn''t figure it out, but he was undoubtedly displeased with Clover.


    The atmosphere became so tense that Rose started feeling ufortable. While she was afraid that Clover might say something even more shocking, she noticed that Emily had been quietlyughing to herself. She seemed to have found her savior after being briefly stunned.


    Rose quickly avoided the two men and ran over to Emily to cling to her arm and whine. "Emily, I''m hungry. There''s a nice restaurant near the hospital..."

 Chapter 497 The Illusion of Being a Family

    "Shall we go give it a try?" Emily yed along.


    As the two women discussed dishes at the restaurant, they gradually walked away. Clover and Miles, who were still ring at each other, suddenly lost their interest in staying behind. They turned around to hurry after Rose and Emily. "I''m hungry too. I''ll join," Clover said with a smile.


    "Rosie, a friend of mine owns that restaurant. I''ll get him to rmend some dishes for us," Miles enthusiastically suggested.


    Clover retorted, "Ha! We can order for ourselves. We don''t need any rmendations."


    Miles responded, "Oh, I was just nning to rmend them to Rosie, not you."


    "Mr. Miles..."


    "Mr. Xanth..."


    As the two continued to bicker, Rose felt a headacheing on.


    "Ha... Emily, is this how Clover usually behaves?" Rose asked Emily as she shot Clover a weird look.


    The CEO of Lerain Group, who controlled the entire corporation''s decisions, was acting like a schoolboy.


    Emily shook her head. "Not at all. This is the first time I''ve seen him like this." Her tone carried a hint of disdain. Then, her gaze fell on Miles as she asked, "Does Mr. Miles usually act this way too?" "Of course not. He usually isn''t like this."


    Miles had always been calm andposed. But today, he was behaving like a schoolboy as well.


    The two men continued their childish bickering throughout the journey. If they weren''t in public and had to maintain their image, they would have given each other a beating.


    Rose initially felt stressed, but she gradually grew ustomed to their constant squabbling and became more at ease. She and Emily chatted about topics of mutual interest, ignoring Clover and Miles'' petty arguments. After observing their behavior, Rose concluded that the two men simply didn''t get along. Rose thought it would be best to avoid them meeting in the future.


    Just as this thought crossed her mind, both men simultaneously asked, "Rosie, are you free tomorrow?"


    Both spoke in unison. They then looked at each other and rolled their eyes in sync as they turned away.


    Rose was at a loss for words. With both men''s gazes fixed on her, Rose felt the need to answer carefully. Fortunately, she did have ns for tomorrow. Thinking of the wedding invitation, Rose rxed. "I''m attending a wedding."


    Though Rose''s tone was light, the mention of a wedding caused the other three to freeze mid-bite. A wedding? All three looked up and eyed Rose.


    Rose''s focus was on cutting her steak. Her smile made the other three more uneasy. Clover nced at Miles. Coincidentally, Miles looked back. Their eyes met as each silently questioned the other, "What''s going on?"


    Rose spoke of tomorrow''s wedding as if it were no big deal, and there was even a hint of anticipation in her smile. How could she be looking forward to it? That wedding was for Jonathan and Yara! Was she hiding her pain behind a facade of happiness?


    Clover frowned. He shouldn''t havee to see Rose after learning about the marriage alliance between the Finch and Maize families. He should have gone to Jonathan and beaten him up. "Rosie, there''s no need to attend the wedding tomorrow," Miles suggested.


    "Why not?" Rose asked, surprised.


    Yara had personally sent her the invitation and wanted her to attend. If she didn''t go, wouldn''t that spoil the bride''s mood? She didn''t want to dampen her spirit.


    "It''s just a wedding, not anything worth going to. Rosie, I happen to have a banquet tomorrow. How about you be my date?" Clover sincerely suggested.


    Emily nced at Clover and chimed in, "Yes. There''s a banquet tomorrow, and several renowned jewelry designers will be there. You can meet and exchange ideas with them."


    Was there even a banquet? Yet, if Clover said there was, there would be one. Though the Xanth family business was based overseas, they had connections in Regalia and could easily gather a few renowned jewelry designers.


    But Roseughed. "Clover, you already have Emily as your date. I shouldn''t intrude."


    "Rosie-" Clover began, trying to persuade her, but Miles interrupted him.


    "No need for the banquet. There''s been too much work at the Young Group recently, so let''s take a break tomorrow. How about we hike a mountain and rx?"


    "Right. The weather will be good tomorrow, perfect for a hike." Clover surprisingly agreed with Miles for once.


    Rose was taken aback but felt increasingly warm inside. How could she not understand their intentions? The moment she saw them at the hospital, she knew they weren''t just there for lunch.


    They were worried that she''d be


    upset about the Finch and Maize families'' marriage alliance tomorrow, so they came to apany andfort her. And when they heard she was attending


    the wedding, they tried everything to stop her from going.


    But for the wedding tomorrow...


    "I must go to the wedding tomorrow," Rose insisted. It wasn''t just because of Yara''s invitation, but she also wanted to see what Jonathan was up to.


    The air froze momentarily. For a while, no one spoke. But during this time, the three realized Rose was determined to attend tomorrow''s wedding. There was no stopping her.


    Since they couldn''t dissuade her, they had to change tactics. Clover and Miles'' eyes met briefly. In that instant, they both understood each other''s thoughts.


    "Rosie, try this..."


    "Rosie, this is your favorite."


    Suddenly, the tense atmosphere dissolved as if it had never existed.


    No one mentioned "tomorrow" again, and the harmonious atmosphere stunned Rose. She


    remembered how Celeste would et


    fuss over her meals and always


    made sure she had her favorite meals when Celeste used to be around.


    And now... the scene gave her an illusion. It was almost as if they were a family.


    The marriage alliance between the Finch and Maize families was one of the grandest events in Regalia recently. Despite the tight timeline, the Finch family''s preparations were impable.


    The wedding was set at the most luxurious hotel under the Finch Group. Nearly all media outlets had arrived at the venue early in the morning.


    The media had been invited to the wedding, but they still came early to secure the best spots for coverage.


    Yara had stayed at the hotel''s presidential suite the night before. She had been too excited to sleep, but she had taken medication to fall asleep to ensure she was in her best condition for the wedding. Now, she was getting her makeup done, admiring photos of the hotel''s beautifully decorated venue on her tablet. She was satisfied with every detail. The wedding venue was a dream, a fairytale brought to life.

 Chapter 498 Quick to Lose Composure

    The luxury was evident at a nce and was clearly the result of immense wealth. It was undoubtedly the most extravagant wedding ever held by a celebrity in the entertainment industry. Yara felt incredibly delighted as she swiped through photos of the venue. But when she reached an image, she stopped abruptly. Her expression darkened with displeasure. "What''s this?"


    The image was supposed to be her wedding photo. She and Jonathan hadn''t had time to take official wedding photos, but she had carefully taken a solo picture in her wedding dress yesterday. She had asked for post-production tobine her solo picture with a photo of Jonathan and create a wedding photo to be used at the ceremony today.


    But in the image before her, the groom was shown only from the back although her picture was used. His face was hidden. Without seeing his face, how would anyone know who the groom was? "They said it''s Mr. Finch''s decision. I think it''s cause Mr. Finch is usually low-key, and perhaps he doesn''t want his photo to be widely spread since today''s wedding is open to the media," Kate quickly exined.


    The mention of Jonathan''s decision immediately softened Yara''s attitude. Although she still wasn''t satisfied with the photo after calming down, she reasoned that Jonathan would eventually have to appear at the wedding today. No matter how low-key he wanted to be, it wouldn''t be possible for him to avoid being seen.


    "Fine. The media outlets will take photos of me and him together at the wedding anyway. At that point, everyone will see us together." Yara''s urgency subsided on second thought.


    "By the way, have the media outlets arrived?" Yara asked. She was now calm.


    Kate checked thetest updates and answered, "All media outlets are here. Every major media outlet will be broadcasting the wedding live."


    This response clearly pleased Yara and swept away her earlier irritation. She then instructed Kate, "Make sure to treat them well and give them extra wedding gifts. The Finch family isn''t stingy with small amounts like this. "When you give out the gifts, remind them to make sure photos of the groom and I turn out beautifully."


    Yara was well-versed in the ways of the entertainment industry. Treating the media outlets kindly and generously would ensure they portrayed her in the best light possible.


    "Yes, Ms. Maize," Kate responded, but her words were met with a sharp re from Yara.


    "What do you mean by Ms. Maize? Starting today, I''m Mrs. Finch. Do you understand?"


    Kate carefully adjusted her term of address. "Yes, Mrs. Finch."


    This made Yara smile with satisfaction. From now on, everyone would have to address her by that and highlight her identity as thedy of the Finch family.


    Thinking of Jonathan, a blush spread across her face. "Where''s Mr. Finch?"


    "We''re... we''re not sure yet." Kate knew this wouldn''t please Yara, so she quickly added, "I saw Mr. Finch''s bodyguard, Finley. He said "


    "What did he say?"


    "He said that Mr. Finch doesn''t like others knowing his whereabouts. But since Finley is here, I think Mr. Finch must have arrived as well."


    However, this response still didn''t satisfy Yara. After today, she wouldn''t just be another person. An image of Jonathan surfaced in her mind. Despite her thoughts, she knew better than to upset him, especially today. But after today, Yara believed she would have every right to know where Jonathan was at all times as his wife. Although she didn''t know where Jonathan was, there was one person she could keep tabs on. "What about Rose? Has she arrived yet?"


    "Yes, she has," Kate replied.


    Yara raised an eyebrow and smiled. She had thought Rose might not show up today, but it seemed she had arrived quite early. It was good that Rose was here.


    A glint of triumph shed in Yara''s eyes. Since Rose was here, Yara would make sure to give her a warm wee.


    She took out her phone, typed a message, and sent it. A sinister smile formed on her lips. "Rose, how dare youe today. I won''t be showing any mercy."


    Since Rose had threatened her the other night, she would make sure Rose paid for that with interest.


    At the poolside of the hotel, Rose shivered for no reason. There was no wind, yet she felt a cold chill down her spine.


    But it passed just as quickly as it came. Everything felt normal as if the chill had been nothing but her imagination.


    Rose looked around. The wedding ceremony was scheduled for noon, and though it was still early, many guests had arrived.


    Nearly everyone had smiles on their faces, both out of curiosity and excitement in looking forward to the uing wedding. Today''s wedding...


    Rose recalled hearing the indecent sounds she had heard in Jonathan''s car the other night, and she was equally curious about today''s wedding.


    As she was lost in thought, Rose didn''t notice that people were slowly leaving the poolside until she heardughter and somemotion beside her. "Come on. Let''s take a picture over here."


    Rose turned around to see a young


    group of women dressed as


    bridesmaids and yfully running toward her. The women were all famous actresses in the


    §ï§Ý


    entertainment industry, faces Rose recognized on TV.


    "Hurry up and get the entire pool in the shot," a woman urged.


    Rose knew they wanted to take photos, so she prepared to move aside to give them space. But just as she was about to leave, the women were already upon her.


    Linked arm-in-arm, the women seemed to not notice her presence and were pushing backward.


    Rose frowned and had to step back to avoid a collision, but the edge of the pool was just a few steps behind her.


    "Please move aside," Rose said.


    But the women acted as if they didn''t hear her. Rose continued to step back until she was at the pool''s edge.


    Suddenly, a hand pressed against her waist and shoved hard. Rose lost her bnce and fell headfirst into the pool. Water sprayed everywhere with a ssh, andughs rang out. "This angle is perfect! Take the shot!"


    "Yes, hurry up! We''ve got the perfect poses, capture every angle!"


    The women''sughter echoed around the pool. Rose surfaced, sputtering. If she had any doubts about their intentions earlier, she was now sure that they were targeting her.


    The sound of camera shutters


    clicking away mixed with their


    falling into the water. She frowned. It


    was obvious that Yara had sent


    these people. She smirked at how


    quick Yara was to lose her


    in''


    Ignoring the bridesmaids at the poolside, Rose turned and swam


    toward the other side of the pool,


    intending to climb out from theret


    But the bridesmaids seemed


    unwilling to let her go so easily.


    Just as Rose''s hand grasped the pool''s edge, she looked up to see the bridesmaids standing over her with their faces full of malicious intent.


    "Isn''t it fun in the water? Why rush to get out so soon?"

 Chapter 499 Roses Retaliation

    One of the bridesmaidsughed and said, "If it isn''t fun, should I find something entertaining for you?" She shed Rose an evil grin and pped her hands a few times. Soon, several men walked over.


    "Get in and keep herpany!" she ordered.


    The other bridesmaids giggled and urged, "Go on! Look at her, she''s all wet. Make sure to give her a change of clothes."


    Change of clothes? How could there be any clothes to change into at the pool? Were they nning to have these men strip her clothes off in the water? Were they trying to humiliate her? Rose''s eyes narrowed with a hint of disgust. Those men were obviously prepped in advance as they quickly jumped into the pool one after another.


    "Ha ha! Capture it! Hurry up! It''s such a wonderful scene.


    "Who knows? We might be able to sell it to the media outlets at a high price in a few days and stir up some buzz!"


    "Yes, but in a few days. We can''t let her steal the bride''s spotlight tonight." The women were high on malice.


    In the pool, the men swam toward Rose, who defensively pressed herself against the pool''s edge.


    Suddenly, a hand pressed down on her head from behind. Rose was easily submerged by that force as she was at a disadvantage in the water. "Ha ha ha! Look at her! How pathetic."


    Pathetic? Rose held her breath underwater. Thispletely enraged her.


    "Grab her hair!" The women by the pool were both enjoying the show and offering advice.


    The woman pressing down on Rose''s head was about to follow herpanions'' advice and grab her hair, but a wet hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.


    She frowned and felt herself being pulled downward without having the time to react. The next moment, she was dragged into the water.


    "Ah!" She screamed and wanted to curse, but Rose didn''t give her the chance.


    She only had time to let out a scream before Rose pulled her underwater.


    The sudden turn of events left the bridesmaids by the pool stunned. Even the men in the pool who were approaching Rose were momentarily taken aback.


    It wasn''t until someone onshore snapped out of it and shouted, "What are you all standing around for?", that the men finally woke up and rushed to save the bridesmaid from Rose''s grasp.


    But as they neared the pair, Rose let go of the bridesmaid. While they were busy saving her, Rose had already grabbed another bridesmaid by the ankle.


    "Ah!" There was another scream followed by a ssh that sent water flying everywhere.


    The chaos in the pool escted. Amid the chaos, Rose grabbed another leg and pulled another bridesmaid down just like before. One by one, they fell like dominos.


    The bridesmaids remaining onshore instinctively took a few steps back. They never expected Rose to have the guts to fight back.


    "Catch her!" someone shouted to the men in the pool.


    They had underestimated Rose and needed to subdue her to regain control of the situation, but was Rose that easy to control?


    She suddenly dove underwater like a fish. By the time the men submerged to find her, she had swum over to the other side. She gracefully emerged from the water and climbed out of the pool. Everyone thought Rose was going to flee, but she walked toward the bridesmaids instead.


    Seeing her approach, the bridesmaids couldn''t help but swallow nervously. "Wha... what are you doing?" Their voicescked confidence.


    Rose was drenched, and her hair was stuck to her body. Yet, she still looked drop-dead gorgeous. She smiled faintly as if without any malice.


    "I''m not gonna do anything. But you''re right, the water is fun." Rose sighed.


    Fun things should of course be shared with everyone. Rose quickened her pace. As she approached, she gave each bridesmaid a shove.


    The women, who had been so full of


    themselves when bullying her


    together, were now helpless against Rose. One by one, they were pushed into the pool, creating more


    sshes and chaotic screamshed


    swnave


    Only one person remained onshore. It was the photographer with a camera.


    Rose looked at the photographer, who took a step back. "I... I didn''t join in. I can''t swim. I''m sorry, please..."


    Rose wasn''t interested in determining if she really hadn''t joined in. She looked at the camera the photographer was holding and extended her hand. "Give it to me." Following Rose''s gaze, the photographer saw the camera and handed it over without hesitation.


    Rose took the camera and reviewed the photos. The photos captured the womenughing heartily with Rose in the background and appearing to be miserable in the water. "Not bad. Every angle looks great."


    Each shot had perfectly captured her humiliation. Were they nning these photos to curry favor with Yara?


    Rose sneered as she quickly deleted all the photos on the camera. She then raised the camera and targeted the people in the pool.


    The women struggled to get out while the men enjoyed helping them. It was supposed to be a chaotic scene, but Rose found the best angles and took a few shots.


    She turned the scene into one of wild revelry and instantly changed the atmosphere in the photos. It now looked like a scene of debauchery and scandal.


    Satisfied, Rose put away the camera and grabbed a towel from a nearby chair. She draped it over herself as she walked away from the pool. "Mrs... Ms. Shaffer." As she left, a voice called out.


    Rose looked up to see Finley hurriedly running toward her. "Ms. Shaffer, what happened? You''re all wet."


    Before he could finish, two voices followed. "Rosie?"


    Rose turned slightly and saw Clover and Miles walking briskly toward her from behind Finley.


    "What happened? Why are you soaking wet?" Clover''s face was grim.


    Miles'' eyes were equally dark. "Did someone give you trouble?"


    Rose didn''t hesitate. "Yes, but I''ve already taken care of it." She smiled in satisfaction as she recalled the bridesmaids'' miserable state.


    She raised the camera in her hand. "Also, this is for you, Miles."


    Simply dunking the bridesmaids in water was too lenient. She believed that the camera could be used to its fullest potential in Miles'' hands.


    Miles took the camera and immediately removed his jacket when he saw that Rose was drenched. He draped it over her shoulders. "Let''s get you changed." "I''ll get the car." Clover didn''t stay idle either.


    Finley hadn''t had a chance to speak all this while. He watched as Clover and Miles escorted Rose away, and he couldn''t help but feel a sense of urgency on behalf of Jonathan.


    Miles had always treated Rose differently, but now there was another contender, Clover. Both were top notch men. If they continued to court Rose like this, Jonathan''s ce as Rose''s legal husband might be in jeopardy.

 Chapter 500 Jonathans Warning

    Finley wasted no time and immediately dialed Jonathan''s number.


    In a room at the hotel, Jonathan sensed the urgency in Finley''s voice on the other end of the line. His dark eyes were ominous and cold. "Find out how she ended up in the water." Finely was momentarily stunned. "Wait, Mr. Finch. Shouldn''t you be looking for Mrs. Finch? Both Mr. Miles and Mr. Xanth are..."


    Jonathan had hung up the phone before Finley could finish. Finley looked at his phone, puzzled. That was strange. He knew better than anyone how much Jonathan cared about Rose.


    If it were in the past, Jonathan would have immediately instructed him to go after Rose, but it seemed that Jonathan wasn''t too concerned about Clover and Miles being close to Rose today.


    But then again, the reason Rose fell into the water was also important. Finley stopped overthinking and quickly requested the surveince footage.


    Soon, everything that had happened near the swimming pool was clear, including the conversation the bridesmaids had before they went to the pool.


    In the hotel suite, Jonathan sat on the couch. Finley entered momentster with a man.


    "Mr. Finch..." The man dressed in a suit was tall and imposing, but when facing Jonathan, he was slightly hunched.


    Perhaps it was a result of Jonathan''s oppressive aura before him, or maybe because of his guilty conscience. There was even caution in his voice. Jonathan nced at him indifferently. "Have you thought it through?"


    "I did, Mr. Finch. Thank you for giving me this chance. I had no idea there was someone else in the room that night, let alone know that it was you. "Mr. Finch, I..." The man was increasingly uneasy.


    He carefully observed Jonathan as if trying to confirm that Jonathan wasn''t too concerned about what had happened that night. Only then did he feel relieved. But for today...


    "Mr. Finch, if Ms. Maize finds out that I''m not you at the wedding." The man appeared worried.


    However, Jonathan remained unconcerned. "She''s carrying your child. Does she have any other choice?"


    With so many media outlets present, Yara couldn''t afford to embarrass herself, and neither could the Maize family.


    Seeing the man still nervous, Jonathan stood up, took the groom''s boutonniere from the table, and pinned it on the man''s chest. He then gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.


    "Don''t forget your identity. You''re worthy of Yara in this marriage alliance between the Finch and Maize families."


    The man''s gaze flickered slightly at the mention of his identity. Today was more than just a wedding for him.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Finch. I''ll y my part well." The man suddenly felt resolute as his previous unease swept away.


    Jonathan nodded. He too was eagerly anticipating today''s wedding that the Maize family had worked so hard to secure. He left the room after giving the man onest look.


    When the surveince footage Finley had retrieved arrived on Jonathan''s phone, he was already downstairs and ready to find Rose. He frowned at seeing the group of people bullying Rose in the footage.


    "If they like ying in the water so much, get them to stay there. Also, make sure Ms. Maize gets a good look at how her friends enjoy their swim."


    They had to pay the price if they dared toy their hands on Rose.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Finch. I''ll make sure they thoroughly enjoy themselves," Finley replied.


    At the swimming pool, the


    bridesmaids finally managed to get out of the water after much struggle and with the help of the men. They were soaking wet and looking like drowned rats, and they couldn''t help cursing Rose with resentment.


    "What are we going to do? Our makeup is ruined, and we still need to appear in the photos with Ms. Maize. This won''t do!"


    "Hurry up, and let''s go reapply our makeup. There''s not much time left till the wedding. As for that woman..."


    "We''ll tell Ms. Maize about her. She''ll teach that bitch a good lesson!"


    The bridesmaids hurried to leave, but a group of tall men in ck suits and sunsses swarmed in before they could get any further.


    The bridesmaids barely had time to react before the bodyguards approached. They shoved everyone back into the water without tolerating any resistance.


    "Ah!" Screams and sshes mingled together.


    After struggling in the water for some time, someone finally gathered the courage to shout at the men in ck, "What are you doing? Do you know who we are? We''re all Ms. Maize''s close friends."


    "The Finch and Maize families are having a marriage alliance. After the wedding, Ms. Maize will be Mrs. Finch. Aren''t you afraid she''lle after youter?"


    The bridesmaids tried to assert


    themselves, but the men in ck


    remained impassive and stood


    resolutely by the pool. Every timmet


    someone tried to climb out, they would be kicked mercilessly back into the water.


    The scene was streamed live onto a tablet which Finley delivered to Yara. At this point, Yara''s face was ashen. Beside her, Finley smiled politely as he handed over the tablet.


    "Ms. Maize, while today holds the marriage alliance between the Finch and Maize families, the wedding hasn''t started yet.


    "You''re not yet part of the Finches or Mrs. Finch. The Finch family doesn''t favor a daughter-inw who uses underhanded tactics.


    "If you still intend to cause trouble and can''t think clearly, perhaps a dip into the water like them will help clear your mind."


    With that, Finley retrieved the tablet, wiped it clean with a tissue, and turned to leave the room. Yara clenched her fists in fury, nearly exploding in rage.


    The room wasn''t empty. There were members of the Maize family beside Yara, including Be. Finley had spoken in front of them all without any attempt to hide it. However, they did not say a single word in defense Vara.


    Kon


    Yara felt humiliated and insulted by Finley in front of her family. She grew angrier by the minute, but before she couldsh out at her family for not defending her, they reprimanded her first. "Yara, how could you be so impatient?" Rupert scolded her with a gloomy face.


    Cindy echoed, "Exactly. Today is your wedding day, and you''re already the winner. Making things difficult for Rose is one thing, but angering Mr Finch..."


    Paxton chimed in, "If Jonathan decides to call off the wedding, it''d be a huge loss. I''d wait until after today if I were you. There will be plenty of ways to deal with Rose discreetly afterward." The entire family disapproved of Yara''s actions.


    Yara felt utterly stifled. "You didn''t defend me, and you''re ming me instead. Whose family are you really?"


    Be soothed her softly, "Yours of course! I know you hate Rose, but everyone is right. Today''s your big day, and nothing can go wrong. The big picture is what matters. As for Rose..."


    Be too harbored a deep hatred for Rose, but Jonathan had issued a warning. She rxed her clenched fist and reassured Yara.


    "I told you the other night that I''d handle Rose. Don''t worry. It''s on the way."


    "Really? Almost?"

 Chapter 501 The Couples Rift

    Yara suspiciously asked, "Really? Almost?"


    "Yes, really!"


    This assurance brightened Yara''s mood considerably. "You''re right. Today''s my big day. Everything can wait until after today."


    She checked the time and realized there was only half an hour left before the wedding ceremony. The thought that she would soon be Jonathan''s wife filled her with excitement. However, she had no idea that what awaited her was a shocking surprise that would make her wish she were dead.


    Meanwhile, Rose returned to the hotel and changed into a new outfit. Clover and Miles apanied her, one on each side. As they walked through the hotel, they drew everyone''s attention.


    The three of them took their seats and waited for the wedding to begin. Although the bride and groom had yet to appear, the media outlets were already in position and ready to capture every moment. Finally, the groom took the stage at the emcee''s invitation. He was tall and well-dressed in a tailored suit, but he kept his back to the audience the entire time as if hiding his face on purpose. His back alone was enough to stir excitement among the reporters. Everyone knew how low-profile Jonathan was. In the past, they wouldn''t dare publish photos without his permission even if they managed to capture his image. But today, Yara had invited them to document the entire wedding and even allowed them to livestream it. Jonathan had given instructions to capture the groom and bride well, indicating that he was ready to shed some of his mystique. This had everyone buzzing with excitement as the media all aimed their cameras at the groom on stage.


    Meanwhile, Yara was holding onto Rupert''s arm outside the hall, ready to enter. She looked around searching for Be, but she couldn''t find her despite scanning the crowd.


    "Where did Aunt Be go?" Yara asked. The others present were equally confused.


    Kate seemed to recall something and quickly answered, "Mr. Yosef came just now, and it seemed that she went with him in that direction."


    Yara followed the direction Kate pointed in. She heard the host''s lively introduction from outside the hall, so she shifted her focus back and decided not to dwell on it.


    In a deserted corridor of the hotel, Be lost her usual warmth and friendliness toward Yosef. She noticed his grim expression and knew that he was troubled by Jack.


    Yosef had been negotiating and running around for days, but to no avail. Be''s gaze toward him became increasingly disdainful.


    "Why did you arrive sote? This is an important day for the Finch family, and you should have been here earlier as one of the Finches," Be scolded, using a tone she had never used with Yosef before.


    Yosef noticed the sudden change in her demeanor and quickly understood the reason behind it. A hint of mockery shed in his eyes.


    "Now that Yara is about to marry Jonathan, you feel you have the upper hand? Don''t forget it''s Jonathan who has been keeping Jack in custody!"


    Indeed, it was Jonathan''s doing but...


    "You said it yourself. Once Yara is married to Jonathan, he''ll release Jack because of our family ties." Be believed that Jonathan would give her face due to the marriage alliance.


    "Fine. In that case, I won''t concern myself with Jack anymore. Your son..." Yosef sneered.


    In the past, Yosef had found Jack too mediocre and unfit for any significant role before he was aware of all the dirty things Yosef had done.


    He had been supporting an illegitimate son, and though he hadn''t nned to give up on Jack entirely, the idea was now beginning to take shape. Yara understood the implication of his words. "The son I have given birth to carries the Finch name, but that illegitimate child of yours won''t even be allowed to take it."


    Be decided not to hide it anymore. She had endured it for years, and now it was alling to an end. Seeing Yosef''s astonished expression brought a smirk to her face.


    "You hid it well, but I still found out. ver caused a scene, but that might change. Did you really think I was pushing this marriage between Yara and the Finch family for your sake?"


    She had done it all for Jack. After


    finding an outlet to release years of


    pent-up frustration, she could no longer hold herself back. She was


    finally seeing the reaction she had longed for from Yosef.


    "That illegitimate son of yours will never step into the Finch family!" Yara dered triumphantly with delight in her eyes before turning to head back to the wedding hall.


    She didn''t want to waste more time or energy on Yosef, especially when she could hear the ceremony beginning inside.


    Yosef''s face darkened as he watched her walk away. He had been nning to leave altogether, but he was stopped at the exit of the hotel.


    "Mr. Yosef, the ceremony is about to start. Pleasee this way," one of the security personnel said.


    Yosef recognized them as members of the Azure n, Jonathan''s men. He frowned and realized he had no choice but to attend.


    Had it been before, he would have publicly confronted Jonathan the moment he decided to give up on Jack. But now, Be''s intention was clear. She wanted to use the marriage to elevate Jack''s status.


    Unsure of Jonathan''s stance, Yosef could only suppress his anger and return to the wedding hall under the security personnel''s escort.


    At the wedding ceremony, arge


    screen was ying a slideshow of Yara''s photos. Her red-carpet


    appearances and film stills had been


    carefully selected. Each photo


    showcased Yara''s beauty and


    elegance.


    "Let us wee the bride on stage under her father''s escort," the emcee announced in an enthusiastic voice.


    The atmosphere reached its peak as all eyes turned to the entrance. The media outlets'' cameras were fixed on the doorway, ready to capture the bride''s entrance.


    The doors opened as the ethereal


    music yed Dressed in a white


    wedding gown and looking like a princess, Yara walked in slowly arm


    in arm with Rupert. Apuse, gasps of admiration, and praise filled the hall


    Yara''s heart began to race. She was used to being in the spotlight due to her career in the entertainment industry, but the intensity of the attention today made her unusually nervous.


    Her eyes were fixed on the groom, who still had his back turned to her on stage. Jonathan...


    Yara swallowed nervously. All she had to do was walk up to him andplete the ceremony, and she would be his wife, thedy of the Finch family! The thought filled her with anticipation. "Dad, let''s walk faster!" Yara urged. Her excitement was evident.


    Rupert was just as eager for the ceremony to proceed quickly, so the father and daughter quickened their pace in unison.


    All eyes followed them as they approached the stage until Yara finally reached the front and stood behind the groom. The next step was for Rupert to leave Yara''s hand in the groom''s, but...

 Chapter 502 The Second Piece of Good News

    "Thank you to Mr. Maize. You may now take your seat at the main table." The emcee''s voice echoed through the hall.


    The unexpected announcement caught everyone''s attention by surprise, but Yara gazed at the figure standing in front of her and dismissed any doubts about the order of the event. She assumed it was all part of Jonathan''s n. She even urged Rupert, "Dad, please go."


    With so many people watching, Rupert dared not question the Finch family''s arrangements although he was displeased. He stepped off the stage and headed to the main table.


    At the main table, Eleanor was seated at the head. The table was filled with members of the Finch family, including Cyrus and Lizzie, Yosef and Be, and one conspicuously empty seat next to Eleanor.


    Rupert sat beside Be. While all eyes were on the bride and groom on the stage, he whispered, "Whose seat is that?"


    He couldn''t figure out who could be important enough to sit in such a prominent spot, but Be didn''t seem to care much.


    "Who knows? It doesn''t matter who it is anyway. It''s just a guest." What mattered most was the bride and groom on stage.


    "See? I told you Yara and Jonathan make a perfect match." Yara looked at the stage with satisfaction.


    Rupert followed her gaze. The groom still had his back to everyone with Yara standing behind him.


    For some reason, the scene gave Rupert a strange feeling. But as he tried to understand what was unsettling to him, the emcee''s voice cut through his thoughts.


    "Today, we also have another very important announcement, which can be considered the second piece of good news of the day. The groom wants to take this opportunity to share it with everyone!"


    The second piece of good news? Everyone in the audience was momentarily taken aback before curiosity overtook them.


    "What''s the second good news? Come on! Tell us! Let''s share it!" Someone in the crowd voiced the question on everyone''s mind.


    "Yeah! Share it with us!"


    The lively atmosphere stirred something with Yara. Although she was initially surprised by the emcee''s words, her excitement quickly returned.


    "As for what this good news is, the groom would like the bride to announce it. Ms. Maize, would you like that?" The emcee walked over to Yara and extended the microphone to her. Yara''s heart was pounding. She had no idea what news Jonathan wanted to announce, but she could only think of one good news with the microphone in front of her-her pregnancy. Could Jonathan be nning to announce today that she was carrying his child?


    Yara felt a surge of joy. She had intended to announce the pregnancy to the media outlets right after the wedding, but it seemed that Jonathan was more eager than she was.


    She took a deep breath as her lips curled into a smile beneath her white veil, a smile that radiated both happiness and pride. "Of course I do. The second good news is that... I''m pregnant!" Her voice echoed through the microphone and filled every corner of the venue, causing ripples of shock like a stone dropping into the water.


    The media outlets could barely hide their shock at the announcement. "Ms. Maize is pregnant! This is major news!"


    A wedding and a pregnancy... Though it made sense to think that the wedding might have been hastened by the pregnancy, the media outlets were ever sensitive to the narrative. Their minds began spinning toe up with articles and headlines of "Double Happiness" and "A Match Made in Heaven",vishly praising the wedding.


    The words of praise and congrattions reached Yara''s ears, filling her with satisfaction. She even overheard people referring to her not as Yara, but as thedy of the Finch family. Yara was thrilled by the title. From that moment on, she was Jonathan''s wife. She gazed at the groom, who still had his back turned to her.


    Meanwhile, Rose sitting in the audience was lost in thought as she stared at the groom''s back.


    Ever since arriving at the wedding, Clover and Miles hadn''t taken their eyes off her: They never diverted their gaze even as the wedding.


    reached its climax onstage. The


    focused solely on her and her every expression.


    Earlier, Rose had seemed calm, even giving the impression that she was looking forward to the wedding. But now, she was frowning.


    The two men followed her gaze to the groom on stage and instinctively frowned as well. As expected, Rose did care after all. Her earlier lightheartedness had been an act.


    The two of them resisted the urge to disrupt the wedding. Miles leaned in closer to Rose. "Rosie, this wedding is boring. Let''s go home." As he spoke, he quickly grabbed Rose''s wrist. The gesture snapped Rose out of her thoughts, and her other wrist was taken by Clover at the same time.


    "Yeah, this wedding''s dull. The groom... He''s no good!" Clover''s expression was grim.


    Jonathan marrying someone else was bad enough, but to have a child too was intolerable. Clover sneered.


    After a nce at Miles, the two men seemed to reach a mutual decision with just a look. They would take Rose away no matter what. Staying would only make her more upset.


    They both stood up, pulling Rose''s arms. She looked at them, her expression showing her reluctance to leave.


    "The wedding has just begun!" The main event hadn''t started yet.


    The two of them standing up attracted the attention of the surrounding guests. These two were eye-catching enough, and not wanting them to steal the spotlight, Rose gently tugged at their hands.


    She was almost pleading as she said, "Let''s wait a bit longer. I want to see what happens."


    Yara had just announced her pregnancy to everyone, so what was next?


    Rose excitedly pried their hands off her wrist and coaxed them back into their seats. "You should watch too. Look. The groom and the bride are a perfect match."


    Her attention returned to the groom. She had to admit that the groom''s back did resemble Jonathan a little, but she knew perfectly well that the man on stage wasn''t Jonathan. If he wasn''t Jonathan, who could he be? Rose''s thought wandered back to the recording she had heard in Jonathan''s car that day, and she became lost in thought once more.


    Clover and Miles exchanged worried looks, sensing something was off with Rose.


    They nced at each other, silently weighing the possibility of stopping the wedding. If they joined forces, they wouldn''t have to fear offending


    the Finch family with the power of


    the Young family and Lerain Group.


    As they considered their options, the emcee on stage continued to guide the ceremony along.


    "The groom may now turn around and face the bride."


    As the music


    dramatic tuned to a more


    countless red flower


    petals began to fall from above like a downpour of romance and beauty that momentarily obscured


    everyone''s view. Amid the shower of


    petals, the groom turned around.

 Chapter 503 Jonathan Is Not the Groom

    Everyone in the audience was seated a bit far away, so they couldn''t see the groom''s face clearly. Even Yara, who was on stage, found her view obscured by the cascading petals. Although she couldn''t see the man''s face, his tall and imposing figure slowly approaching her was something she couldn''t look away from.


    Her heart skipped a beat with every step he took, and by the time he was almost in front of her, she felt like she could barely breathe.


    Jonathan... Setting aside his identity as the ruler of the Finches, his mere appearance was handsome enough to outshine any celebrity. It was enough to make her infatuated, and this outstanding man was going to be her husband.


    He stopped just a step away from her as the petals continued to fall more densely now. All he needed to do was reach out, and he could hold her hand.


    Yara gulped nervously, barely containing her excitement. She wished that the petal rain could stop so that Jonathan could lift her veil and admire her beauty.


    As the exhrating music stopped, the petals gradually stopped falling. Yara was ecstatic, but as she finally saw the man''s face clearly, all her anticipation seemed to freeze into ice.


    "No... Why is it..."


    She panicked. She recognized this man, and he wasn''t Jonathan!


    Guests who had seen Jonathan''s face were also stunned when they saw the groom, while those who hadn''t seen Jonathan before continued to praise the bride and the groom as a perfect match.


    At the main table, everyone''s expression changed, including Clover and Miles who were seated beside Rose.


    The moment they saw the groom''s face, they exchanged a nce, and both of them shared the same confusion. What was going on?


    Without receiving an answer, they immediately looked at Rose, who showed no sign of surprise when seeing the groom''s face. Instead, she was frowning as if she was still lost in thought.


    On stage, the groom took another step closer to Yara, reaching out to take her hand. The touch snapped Yara out of her panic, and she shook his hand off almost instinctively and pulled away.


    She stepped back and was trembling as she questioned him, "Why is it you?"


    She was so flustered that she didn''t even notice the microphone in the emcee''s hand was still near her.


    Just like when she had announced her pregnancy earlier, her panicked and disgusted voice instantly echoed throughout the venue and reached every corner.


    Even the media outlets that were broadcasting live transmitted her words to everyone following the wedding at home.


    The scene fell silent in an instant. Everyone stared at the couple onstage and was puzzled by Yara''s question. What did she mean by that?


    Realizing her loss ofposure, Yara tried to regain her bearings, but the groom smiled indulgently and looked at her with deep affection.


    "Today is our wedding. Who else could it be if not me?"


    Their wedding? These words shattered Yara''s calm she had been trying to maintain. She lowered her voice and hissed to the groom, "No, it''s not you. Jonathan is the person I''m supposed to marry-Mr. Finch. There must be some mistake!" Her mind raced. Yes, there had to be a mistake.


    The groom simply smiled and said, "Yara, what are you talking about? What Jonathan? What Mr. Finch? I''m the groom today."


    He stepped forward again trying to take Yara''s hand, but she pulled away once more. "No, that''s not right."


    Yara kept backing away. She didn''t want to be associated with this man. Today was supposed to be her and Jonathan''s wedding, and she didn''t want the man to ruin it.


    She red at the man and quickly shifted her gaze to find Jonathan, but she couldn''t see him anywhere after scanning the room.


    In desperation, she looked toward the main table where Eleanor was seated. "Grandma, where''s Jon?"


    All eyes turned to look at Eleanor, and Rose also nced over. Eleanor''s expression remained calm despite everything that had happened as if nothing had surprised her.


    Yara''s inquiry was met with silence from Eleanor, making her even more anxious. She then turned to Be. "Where''s Mr. Finch?"


    Her gaze at Be was filled with questions. How could this be happening? What was going on?


    Be was just as confused and panicked as Yara was onstage. After all, she recognized the "groom" standing on stage.


    Yara still didn''t get an answer. Just as she was about to handle the man on stage, there was suddenly a loud band as the door burst open.


    "Mr. Finch..." Yara''s face lit up with joy when she saw who it was.


    She immediately moved toward him, but the bodyguards stepped forward to block her path before she could get close.


    The title she called out confirmed Jonathan''s identity for those who hadn''t seen him before. All eyes were instantly on him, including cameras from media outlets following him closely.


    Without even ncing at Yara


    onstage, Jonathan deliberately


    walked past where Rose was


    seated. He paused slightly when he


    reached her and continued to the


    main table, sitting down in the


    empty seat beside Eleanor


    The entire wedding venue was silent, and no music was ying. Only an eerie stillness filled the air.


    Jonathan adjusted his suit and


    looked around. His smile carried an


    Imet


    intimidating presence. "Why is everyone staring at me? I''m just a littlete. The wedding''s not mine, so it doesn''t matter if I arrive date, right?"


    He seemed to be joking, but no one dared tough or even smile. Unhappy with the palpable tension in the air, Jonathan spoke up. "Go on, why is everyone frozen in ce?"


    The emcee realized his cue and quickly proceeded with the ceremony. "The flower girls are now ready to present the rings to the couple."


    Rings? Couple? Yara couldn''t take it anymore. She tried to rush toward Jonathan, but the bodyguards kept her onstage. Despite this, she refused to give up. With a forced smile, Yara shot Jonathan a begging look. "Mr. Finch, stop joking. Today is our wedding, and I don''t even know who this man is." Yara''s firm tone only drew a mocking smile from Jonathan. He looked at her coldly.


    "Our wedding? I only know that today is the wedding alliance between the Finch and Maize families, who said it was a wedding between you and me?"


    Yara was stunned. She instantly


    recalled the invitation and details at the venue. It seemed that none of it had Jonathan''s name on it, only the words Marriage alliance between the Finch and Maize families


    But in Yara''s heart, Jonathan was the only person she wanted to marry. As for this man...

 Chapter 504 Return to His Roots

    This man was not who Yara wanted.


    Her interactions with him were nothing more than a chance encounter at the bar, and she had yed with him a few times out of boredom. Though he was tall like Jonathan, his appearance and status were far inferior. Status? Yara suddenly grasped something.


    "Yes, the marriage alliance between the Finch and Maize families is today. I''m the daughter of the Maize family, so the man marrying me should be from the Finch family, but he''s not!" As far as she knew, Jack was her cousin, so marriage between them was impossible.


    There was said to be a mysterious fourth grandson in the Finch family, whom Yara knew was Ezra bearing thest name Turner. That left only Jonathan.


    Everyone was watching Jonathan, seemingly waiting to see how he would respond to Yara. But Jonathan suddenlyughed. He nced at the groom onstage and then at Be and Yosef. "For a marriage alliance between the Finch and Maize families, you''ll naturally be marrying a Finch. And this man..."


    There was a meaningful smile on Jonathan''s lips. "Uncle Yosef, aren''t you going to introduce him?"


    Still stunned, Yosef was suddenly jolted awake at the mention of his name. All eyes, including those of the media outlets, turned to him.


    Yara froze. Upon seeing Be''s grim expression, a bad premonition arose in her heart.


    Under the gaze of the crowd, Yosef suddenly stood up. He was about to step onto the stage when Be suddenly grabbed his clothes.


    "Yosef, you can''t!" Be''s voice trembled, her tone almost pleading.


    "Can''t?" A cold smile appeared in Yosef''s eyes.


    If it had been before their earlier conversation or before Jack''s affairs were exposed, he might have hesitated. But now, he had not the slightest hint of hesitation.


    Though he knew that speaking now was helping Jonathan, his mind was already made up.


    Yosef shook off Be''s hand and walked up to the stage. All eyes followed him as he walked to the groom''s side.


    When the crowd saw the two faces together, they noticed a slight resemnce in facial features. A suspicion formed in their minds and filled them with shock. Could it be what they were thinking? Yosef took the microphone from the emcee and said loudly, "It seems that today is not just a double celebration for the Finch family, but we have another happy event as well."


    He smiled warmly and looked lovingly at the groom beside him. "This should have been announced before today, but betterte than never. "This is my son, Liam Finch. I already had him before I got married. Over the years, he has been wandering outside and has suffered a lot.


    "I''ve always felt guilty toward him, but fortunately he has grown into an outstanding young man and is now working in the Finch Group.


    "Today marks his return to his roots!" Yosef''s voice was steady, and his intention to promote Liam was obvious.


    The crowd was still reeling from the shock of the news, and Yosef turned his gaze toward the table. "Liam, greet your grandmother."


    Yosef was sure that Jonathan had dealt with Eleanor before he took any action. He had once worried that Liam might not gain Eleanor''s approval, but it seemed that Jonathan had done him a favor. Liam immediately bowed to Eleanor. "Grandma!"


    The silence in the room was so intense that one could even hear a pin drop.


    Although Jonathan controlled the business empire of the Finch Group, Eleanor still held a significant sway over family matters. Recognition and return to the family would need her approval to make it official.


    Yara and Be were the ones most nervous present. If Eleanor did not acknowledge Liam, he could not enter the Finch family. He would not have the right to stand here and carry the marriage alliance of both families if he wasn''t a member of the Finch family.


    Be''s fingers nearly dug into her palm under the table.


    Liam Finch. She knew this illegitimate son did not have thest name Finch, but Yosef had changed hisst name during the introduction.


    She looked at Eleanor, her eyes pleading. Eleanor was silent for a moment, and hope began to rise in Be''s heart. As long as Eleanor did not approve, Liam could never be a Finch.


    But just as she thought her hope would be realized, Eleanor''s voice slowly rang out. "Hmm. We''re all family, so make yourself at home."


    Be''s mind went nk at the mention of the word "family". How could they be family?


    "Eleanor..." Be called out, but her voice was drowned in the surrounding congrattions.


    The Finch family now had three reasons to celebrate, and it was only fitting to offer congrattions.


    Onstage, Yosef and Liam epted the well-wishes with smiles. It seemed as if everyone present was delighted, and only the Maize family couldn''t bring themselves to smile. Yara stood on stage, muttering to herself, "This isn''t right... this isn''t right."


    Liam Finch? Who was Liam Finch? This man had suddenly be a member of the Finch family, but even if he was from the Finch family, what about it? Jonathan was the man she wanted to marry, and no one else was worthy of her.


    Yara''s eyes flickered with defiance. She was not willing to ept this situation.


    She looked at Jonathan and said loudly, "Jonathan, I want to marry you and only you. You promised me, and the Finch family also gave their word!"


    But despite her words, Yaracked


    confidence seemed that Jonathan had barely been involved in this marriage from the beginning to the end. He hadn''t shown up at


    jel


    yesterday''s wedding discussions between the two families.


    The surrounding congrattions gradually quieted down.


    Rupert, who had remained silent, suddenly realized something and quickly came to Yara''s aid. "Jon, you and Yara share a marital bond, and she''s carrying your child." "That''s right. Jon, Yara is carrying your child. How can someone else take your ce in this marriage?" Be suddenly came to her senses.


    Yosef might have managed to get his illegitimate son recognized by the Finch family, but Yara''s marriage to Jonathan could not fall through. As long as Yara married Jonathan, Be wouldn''t lose. She wouldter have plenty of means and confidence to deal with this illegitimate son. Their words were like a thunderbolt at the scene. Yara was pregnant, and that was the news no one had missed earlier. But now...


    Yara was pregnant with Jonathan''s child, but she was marrying this newly recognized Finch family member, Liam. Wasn''t that all too confusing?


    Everyone turned to look at Jonathan in amazement. The argument finally made Jonathan look at Yara, but his gaze was so chilling it made her scalp tingle.


    If the Maize family had stopped here and continued with the wedding, Jonathan would have let it slide, but they clearly weren''t done clinging to him.


    A cold glint in Jonathan''s eyes. If that was the case, there was no need for him to show any mercy. He scoffed.

 Chapter 505 Fallen Altar

    The unrestrained mockery in Jonathan''sughter made everyone''s hearts clench. Then, his clear and measured voice echoed throughout the room.


    "Ms. Maize''s pregnancy is indeed something to celebrate, but who said the child is mine?"


    The question rendered everyone speechless for a moment. Ignoring the numerous people present, Be questioned, "Jonathan, why wouldn''t it be yours? That night, you and Yara-"


    A flicker of disgust crossed Jonathan''s eyes as he cut her off. "Ms. Maize, haven''t you informed them of what actually happened that night?"


    All eyes turned to Yara, including those of the Maize family. The multitude of gazes intensified Yara''s mounting unease, and a sh of uncertainty crossed her eyes.


    Sensing something was off, Be rushed to the stage and whispered urgently, "Yara, what does he mean? What haven''t you told us?"


    "I..." Yara''s mind was reeling, unable to form a coherent response.


    Her reaction confirmed Be''s suspicions that night wasn''t as it seemed the next morning. But before Yara could speak, Be offered a solution in a low voice. "Don''t say anything. As long as you insist that the child is Jonathan''s, he can''t dispute it."


    Her words sparked an idea in Yara''s mind, offering a way out of her predicament. Yara thought, "That''s right! As long as I insist the child''s Jonathan''s..."


    She swallowed nervously and began, "Mr. Finch, that night-" She looked at Jonathan, but a voice suddenly echoed through the room before she could finish.


    "Damn it! Why did you pass out? Well, even if you did, I''ll have you tonight. Ugh, this isn''t working. He''s like a lifeless body. I can''t even move him! What can I do? I can''t just leave it like this...


    "No worries, if he can''t do it, someone else will. As long as I have his marks on me by morning, he''ll have no choice but to acknowledge it!"


    Despite emanating from an audio recording, the voice was unmistakably Yara''s. Everyone present instantly recognized her distinctive tone.


    "Hello? I''m at the hotel. I miss you. Will youe keep mepany?" Yara''s suggestive invitation, spoken in her own voice, continued ying for everyone to hear. The room fell into a stunned silence once again, with only the audio ying in the background. Struck by the realization of what was happening, Yara''s body swayed. "This... this was from that night... But how?" she thought.


    Her eyes darted instinctively toward Jonathan, only to find him coldly indifferent, his face an unreadable mask.


    However, there was no mistaking the look of triumph on Leonard''s face. He was standing behind Jonathan as if everything was unfolding exactly as he had nned. Before she could even begin to piece together how they had acquired the damning recording, the room''s attention was drawn toward the next revtion.


    "You''re here." Yara''s voice rang out once more from the recording, now apanied by the sound of a door opening. However, this time, it wasn''t just her voice.


    New content appeared on therge screen at the front of the stage, where Yara''s stunning bridal portraits and morous red-carpet moments had previously been disyed. This new development immediately drew in everyone in attendance.


    The screen revealed a woman dressed in a scandalously revealing outfit. The moment the door opened, she breathed, "You''re here", before pulling the man inside without hesitation.


    In an instant, they were locked in a passionate embrace, the scene unfolding in explicit detail as the sounds and images filled the entire wedding venue, leaving little to the imagination.


    The footage was crystal clear, and the faces of the two people were unmistakable. They were none other than the bride and groom on the stage-Yara and her fianc¨¦.


    The situation was evident, and it required little exnation. The guests had already pieced together the story.


    Yara, the internationally acimed actress renowned for her pure and innocent image and an heiress to a vast fortune, had been hailed by the media as one of the cleanest stars in the entertainment industry.


    Yet, no one could have fathomed that not only had she schemed against Jonathan, but the way she behaved in this video was a stark contrast to her public persona.


    Whispers filled the air as the crowd began to gossip.


    "Is this who she really is?"


    "No wonder she''s an international actress. She''s always acting."


    "What''s her game? Mr. Finch never even touched her, and she imed she was pregnant with his child... Talk about being ambitious!"


    "Ambition is one thing, but she didn''t consider who she was trying to manipte!"


    The once-adoring voices turned to


    harsh criticism, and the guests began pointing fingers at Yara. Their mocking and disparagingments cut through her like knives,


    dismantling the carefully craftene


    fa?ade she had built over the years and shattering her dreams of bing Mrs. Finch into a


    thousand pieces.


    This wasn''t what Yara wanted. "It''s not like that..." She attempted to defend herself.


    However, Jonathan was unwilling to watch her continue making a fool of herself. "Ms. Maize, surely you don''t expect me to marry a woman carrying another man''s child? Not only would that be utterly foolish, but it would undoubtedly upset someone," he dered.


    As he spoke, he briefly nced in a particr direction.


    Rose, who had been engrossed in the unfolding drama, found herself momentarily frozen. She couldn''t shake the strange feeling that she had been indirectly called out, yet she had no evidence to support this intuition. She turned her gaze toward Jonathan. She had already heard the audio recording, but it came as a shock to her that Jonathan possessed a video revealing that the man Yara had invited that night was Yosef''s illegitimate son. "Mr. Finch, Yara has been foolish to offend you. I beg you to be merciful..." Rupert interjected, seemingly ready to concede defeat.


    "Rupert!"


    "Dad!"


    Yara and Be eximed in unison. Yara stormed off the stage and headed straight for Jonathan, but her advance was halted as Rupert grabbed her by the wrist.


    Without hesitation, he delivered a resounding p to her face. The sound of it reverberated through the venue, and within moments, Yara''s cheek reddened visibly. Yet, the pain failed to bring her back to her senses. "Argh!" she shrieked in despair, disregarding her appearance entirely as she shouted, "I am supposed to marry Jonathan! Jonathan Finch, you must take me as your wife!"


    Another p rang out. Yara recoiled, her hand flying up to cradle her stinging face.


    "Yara, shut your mouth!" Rupert snapped harshly. "Haven''t you brought enough shame upon us already?"


    Their current predicament was already an utter embarrassment. If things were to escte and provoke Jonathan''s genuine wrath, the entire Maize family''s existence could be at risk.


    Rupert took a deep breath and addressed Jonathan, "Mr. Finch, please consider Yara''s mortification today as penance for her past misdeeds. Rest assured, I will discipline her thoroughly afterward."


    Jonathan dismissed the notion with


    a wave of his hand. "There''s no need


    for discipline. Today marks the union of the Finch and Maize families, and what happened earlier was merely a minor hup. hope it hasn''t dampened everyone''s spirits."


    He raised his hand slightly, and Leonard immediately understood the signal.


    In an instant, the incriminating footage on the screen vanished, reced by the earlier images of Yara in her beautiful wedding dress. The wedding music resumed, but what once felt romantic and perfect now seemed painfully ironic. Jonathan''s words hung heavy in the air. It seemed that despite the tumultuous events that had unfolded, this vtile wedding was, against all odds, going to proceed.

 Chapter 506 Will Only Marry Him

    The wedding would inevitably continue, as even Eleanor affirmed, "Let''s not dy the auspicious asion any further." Both Be and Yara resisted vehemently, but Jonathan''s gaze was fixed on Rupert, clearly awaiting the Maize family''s decision.


    Rupert was no fool. He knew that Jonathan''s insistence on continuing the wedding wasn''t just about punishing Yara-a more strategic purpose was at y, which was to sow discord within the family.


    If Yara were to marry Jonathan, it would undoubtedly bolster Jack''s position. However, should she wed Liam, the newly acknowledged Finch family member, the Maize family would be forced to choose between supporting Jack and Liam in the inevitable power struggle. Rupert found himself caught between a rock and a hard ce, yet he knew a decision had to be made. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for his choice.


    Finally, he let out a weary sigh and turned to Yara. "Go andplete the wedding."


    Be and Yara were both stunned, unable to fathom his decision.


    "Rupert, we cannot let this wedding happen!" Be eximed.


    "That''s right, Dad! I won''t marry him!" Yara protested.


    Rupert''s expression darkened. They were no longer in control of the situation.


    "Go now, or the Maize family will sever all ties with you! From this moment forward, you will no longer be a part of our family."


    Rupert had reached the end of his patience. Yara''s actions had not only disgraced herself but also tarnished the Maize family''s reputation. Allowing her to remain a part of the family was already an act of leniency on his part as her father. "Dad!" Yara cried out in desperation.


    "Get on with it!" Rupertmanded sternly.


    It was at that moment Yara realized that she was left with no choice. With a heavy heart, she nced at Liam on the stage, feeling a deep-seated revulsion. Despite her inner turmoil, she forced herself to walk up to him and take her ce by his side. "Now, let us proceed with the exchange of wedding rings," the officiant announced, moving the ceremony forward.


    As the ring slipped onto Yara''s finger, her pent-up resentment reached its apex. Unable to resist, she shot a bitter nce at Jonathan, her eyes filled with unfulfilled longing. However, she noticed that Jonathan''s gaze was fixed elsewhere. Following his line of sight, Yara saw Rose and clenched her fists unconsciously.


    At that moment, Rose was sitting between two men whom she recognized. One was Miles, the eldest son of the Young family, and the other was someone she had heard of at the Finch Manor-Clover from Lerain Group.


    The three of them were engrossed in a conversation, the content of which Yara couldn''t hear. However, the tenderness and adoration in their eyes as they looked at Rose were unmistakable.


    "Miles... Clover... Rose sure knows how to seduce men, huh?" Yara thought.


    ncing back at Jonathan, she noticed he was still fixated on Rose, his eyes filled with a warmth she had never witnessed before. At that moment, a new idea began to form in her mind.


    The union between the Finch and Maize families was expected to be a grand event, and it certainly was just not in the way people had anticipated.


    After the wedding, Yara returned to her room fuming with anger and began smashing everything in sight. Seeing the onught of ridicule and mockery directed at her online only intensified her rage.


    Unable to keep up with deleting the scornfulments on social media, she hurled her phone at Kate''s head. Blood immediately began to trickle down.


    "Get out!" Yara screamed, madness consuming her. "Don''t dirty my space! Scram!"


    Hurt and confused, Kate rushed out of the room. The bleeding from her head continued, yet no one seemed to notice. As she made her way to the bathroom to clean herself up, someone stopped her. "That could lead to an infection," the woman said, her voice brimming with concern. "You should go to the hospital."


    Kate turned around and was stunned to find Rose standing before her. Yara had always paid special attention to Rose, so much so that she had personally instructed Kate to deliver the wedding invitation to Rose. "I''ll get you a cab," Rose said when she saw the blood continue to flow from Kate''s head and realized that urgent care was necessary.


    She gently took Kate by the arm, determined to help her.


    The warmth emanating from Rose''s hand felt almost magical to Kate. Despite knowing that Yara would be furious if she discovered that Kate had been associating with someone Yara despised, Kate couldn''t resist foflowing Rose.


    Outside the hotel, Rose was about to call a cab to take Kate to the hospital when Clover''s car pulled up in front of them.


    Seeing the blood flowing from Kate''s head, he immediately got out of the car and opened the doors for them without asking a single question.


    "Get in," hemanded.


    Rose hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided not to refuse. After they both got in, Clover drove straight to the nearest hospital.


    The scene of Rose entering the luxurious vehicle didn''t go unnoticed. At that moment, inside a room on the hotel''s second floor, a woman wearing sunsses and a face mask stood by the window.


    The mask almost covered her entire face, and as she watched the luxurious car disappear from her view, a cold smile crept across her lips.


    "Rose... still so eager to help others, and still... so lucky," the woman murmured, her voice raspy as if her vocal cords had been damaged.


    She had assumed that Jonathan or Miles would show up to pick up Rose, but to her surprise, it was someone else.


    "Who is he?" she asked, her brow furrowed.


    She wasn''t alone in the room. The other upant was none other than Lizzie. Lizzie didn''t even bother looking out the window. She remained seated on the couch, seemingly busy with something on her phone. Upon hearing the woman''s question, Lizzie immediately knew who she was referring to. "That would be Clover, the CEO of Lerain Group.


    "I don''t know much about him, but I do know that he''s the sole heir of his generation in the Xanth family, destined to inherit both Lerain Group and the Xanth family''s vast assets."


    Mentioning Lerain Group elicited a visible reaction from the woman. Thepany held considerable sway overseas, rivaling even the influential Finch family.


    "Impressive," the woman remarked with a hint of surprise. "Rose certainly knows how to get things done."


    Lizzie nced up at her,


    unimpressed by thement.


    Shortly after, she stood up from the


    couch, leaning against it as she


    sized up the woman standing by the window. After a long pause, she nodded approvingly.


    "Not bad. You do resemble her a bit. How''s your recovery going?"


    The woman touched the mask covering her face, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I... I might need a little more time, madam."


    "Take all the time you need," Lizzie


    replied smoothly. "Use this opportunity to familiarize yourself with Regalia. Also, I''ve arranged some clothing options for you to try on andpiled notes about her habits. Review them thoroughly-they''ll be invaluable."


    After giving a few more instructions, she received a call from Cyrus and left the room.


    Inside the wardrobe, the woman discovered an array of garments, some understated and elegant, others bold and eye-catching. Each piece spoke of an intriguing woman who could capture Jonathan''s attention. "But how would I measure up to Rose?" The question lingered in the woman''s mind, sparking a glimmer of curiosity.

 Chapter 507 Bumped Into Him

    The woman''s lips curled into an excited smile as she scanned the clothes hanging in the wardrobe. Among them was a school uniform.


    She paused, staring at it momentarily before her smile took on a colder edge as if she had just made a crucial decision. She reached for the uniform and changed into it.


    Staring into the mirror, she saw a young schoolgirl reflected back at her.


    With the wedding concluded and the guests departed, the hotel settled into its usual rhythm. Eleanor had dyed Jonathan, but once he had seen her off, he immediately headed downstairs. "Where''s Rose?" Jonathan asked as he exited the elevator, with Finley and Leonard following closely behind.


    "Mrs. Finch left with Mr. Xanth in his car," Finley said, watching Jonathan carefully.


    He hesitated before finally speaking up. "Mr. Finch, Clover has been spending a lot of time with Mrs. Finch. Should we do something about it?"


    Jonathan frowned. "Can you stop him?"


    Finley fell silent, acknowledging that they couldn''t.


    Even though he had connections with the Azure n, he had recently been trying to dig into Clover''s background.


    On the surface, Clover had only brought a female assistant with him to Regalia, but in reality, there were bodyguards following him in secret.


    The Xanth family''s dark history spanned three generations. The previous generation had produced a legendary figure who, within a decade, hadpletely cleaned up the family''s business dealings.


    Since then, the Xanth family had undergone aplete transformation. Nheless, their martial influence remained unshaken.


    When Jonathan began dealing with Jack, he had specifically assigned bodyguards to protect Rose. But Rose also had another group watching over her-Clover''s people.


    "Mr. Finch, we can''t just let him keep bothering Mrs. Finch..." Finley was visibly concerned.


    Seeing Jonathan''s calm demeanor, he couldn''t help but voice his worry. "What if Clover has ulterior motives toward her?"


    "He won''t," Jonathan replied with absolute certainty.


    His unshakable confidence only served to puzzle Finley further. Jonathan gave him a cryptic nce, stating, "Zac has been in Jovea recently."


    "Zac? In Jovea? What did that have to do with Clover''s attention on Rose?" Finley thought, feeling at a loss.


    Leonard walked past him, dropping a hint. "The Xanth family has strong roots in Jovea."


    Finley was still as confused as ever. He had no idea what that implied. Seeing his bewildered expression, Leonard couldn''t help but shake his head in disdain, barely restraining himself from calling Finley foolish. Finley nced at him, wondering what that look was for. He wanted to press for answers, but Leonard ignored him and quickly caught up with Jonathan.


    Jonathan strode briskly through the hallway. As he rounded a corner, someone suddenly bumped into him.


    "Ah!" A startled cry escaped the woman as the force of the impact caused her to stagger back before she fell to the ground.


    The woman who had run into him wore sunsses and a mask. When she looked up at Jonathan, her eyes revealed a sh of panic, even behind the lenses.


    "I''m... I''m so sorry..." she stammered before quickly getting to her feet.


    Seemingly eager to escape, she hastily circled Jonathan and fled down the corridor without even a backward nce.


    Jonathan remained frozen in ce, lost in thought, until Leonard caught up, his voiceced with concern. "Mr. Finch, is everything alright?"


    He had seen the woman bump into Jonathan from a distance. Usually, Jonathan wouldn''t be one to make a fuss over something like that, but his reaction this time was unusual.


    Leonard''s inquiry pulled Jonathan back to the present. He quickly nced around, but the woman who had collided with him was nowhere to be seen.


    "Mr. Finch, is there... a problem?" Leonard asked again, his concern deepening.


    Jonathan shook his head slightly. "No, it''s nothing." But despite his words, the image of that woman kept reying in his mind.


    After the group had moved on, the woman emerged slowly from around the corner. She had seen the shock in Jonathan''s eyes, and it confirmed what she suspected. He had recognized "her".


    This was the first time "she" had appeared before him, and he had recognized "her" immediately. It seemed that in Jonathan''s mind, "she" held more significance than she had anticipated.


    A sly smile tugged at the corners of the woman''s lips, hidden beneath her mask.


    Now, she eagerly awaited the next time "she" would formally meet Jonathan. She wondered if Jonathan would choose "her" or Rose when that moment came.


    Meanwhile, the union between the Finch and Maize families was still making headlines when Yosef made a shocking announcement through the Finch family''s official tform-he was disowning his son, Jack.


    ...


    Before the public could fully process


    this news, the police released a statement connecting Jack to numerous cases of missing and abused girls from recent years The inte quickly turned against Jack, with people condemning his heinous actions.


    At Finch Manor, the serene morning was abruptly disrupted by the sound of anguished sobs echoing through the halls.


    In the garden, Eleanor paused briefly while pruning the flowers, her expression unchanged, before resuming her task.


    "It seems like Be''s causing a fuss again," she remarked calmly as if discussing the weather.


    Anna nced toward the source of the cries. "Mrs. Finch Senior, it''s understandable that Madam Be is distraught. With Jack being her only son, the recent events must have taken a toll on her. As for Mr. Yosef..."


    She hesitated before continuing, "He has repeatedly asked me to convey his messages to you. Mr. Liam has been back at Finch Manor for a few days now, visiting the ce daily in hopes of seeing you. Ms. Maize has alsoe by several times,


    requesting an audience with you..."


    If it hadn''t been for the surveince footage that Jonathan had presented before the wedding, Eleanor would never have allowed Liam to rejoin the Finch family.


    Ultimately, everything was Yara''s fault. Ever since the morning she discovered Yara and Jonathan together in a room, sharing a bed, Eleanor knew the situation was far from simple.


    She understood Jonathan well enough to recognize when he had been manipted. She didn''t approve of Yara''s behavior, but since Yara was pregnant, Eleanor had initially epted the marriage arrangement.


    However, the true extent of Yara''s


    audacity became clear when


    Jonathan revealed the incriminating video, exposing her attempt to


    deceive the entire Finch family ne


    From that point on, Eleanor had silently backed Jonathan''s


    subsequent ns.


    Her thoughts soon turned to Liam. "Yosef has been secretly grooming this child for a long time. Now that Jack is out of the picture, it''s time to meet this Liam," she said, her eyes narrowing.


    "As for Ms. Maize... That woman is not permitted to set foot in Finch Manor without my approval," she dered.


    Even though the wedding had taken ce, Eleanor''s refusal to acknowledge Yara as anything other than "Ms. Maize" made her feelings abundantly clear.


    "Understood," Anna replied.


    The mor from inside the main building intensified, with Yosef''s enraged shouts reverberating through the manor, apanied by the sounds of objects being shattered.


    Eleanor''s expression remained stoic throughout themotion, and she continued to tend to the garden until she was done. Calmly putting her tools aside, her thoughts drifted to the embroidery project awaiting her attention in the study. "That Rose from the Young family is rather interesting," she remarked, an unusual note of interest in her voice. Since the family dinner that night, Eleanor had mentioned Rose more than once.


    Upon hearing this, Anna suggested, "Shall I invite Ms. Rose to visit the manor again?"

 Chapter 508 Time To Go Back

    Eleanor immediately rejected the idea of inviting Rose to their home. She was worried that Jonathan''s fascination with Rose would only lead to more paranoia and surveince, which was bing a nuisance. Suddenly, she thought of something. "I heard that Anastasia has gotten a divorce. Is that true?"


    "That seems to be the case. Ms. Young and Anthony had been going through the divorce process for quite some time, but the Weasley family is resisting.


    "The media spected that the divorce would never happen, but it finally did," Anna responded, clearly well-informed about thetest gossip.


    However, she couldn''t quite grasp why Eleanor was suddenly interested in this. Eleanor didn''t borate further.


    Regalia''s high society had indeed been abuzz with recent events. First, the eldest daughter of the Maize family married the Finch family. Now, Anastasia had finally ended her own marriage.


    Rumors had long circted that she was enamored with Jonathan. Now that she was single again, spection ran wild that she might try to rekindle her connection with him.


    As expected, Anastasia didn''t waste any time.


    Merely three days after her divorce, she was already making her move. Under the guise of honoring thete Oliver, she hastily organized a charity auction scheduled to take ce in just three days. Invitations were swiftly dispatched to Regalia''s most elite and influential women.


    It was obvious to everyone that thememoration of Oliver was merely a facade. Anastasia''s true intention was to dere her newly single status publicly. However, despite the transparency of her intentions, no one dared to confront her openly.


    Completely immersed in ensuring the sess of the uing auction, she had temporarily put all matters rted to the Young family''s business on hold.


    As night descended, Miles stormed into the Young Estate, wasting no time in inquiring about Anastasia''s whereabouts from Patrick.


    Upon learning that she was in her room, Miles made a beeline for her door and kicked it open with a resounding crash that reverberated throughout the house.


    Anastasia, who had been leisurely enjoying a face mask, was taken aback by the sudden noise. She turned to see Miles standing in the doorway, his face contorted with the anger she had fully expected.


    "Anastasia, I don''t care what you''re up to, but exploiting Grandpa''s name is absolutely uneptable!" Miles roared, his voice trembling with rage.


    Anastasia remainedposed as she leaned against the sofa. In contrast to Miles'' anger, she was utterly calm.


    She began, "How am I exploiting Grandpa''s name? He was always passionate about charity work during his lifetime. Organizing this auction is my way of honoring his memory and carrying on his charitable legacy."


    She continued smoothly, "Don''t worry, Miles. All proceeds from this charity auction will be donated in Grandpa''s name."


    Anastasia''s self-righteous deration only served to stoke Miles'' fury further.


    However, before he could retort, Anastasia interjected with a smile, "Miles, I know you want to stop me, but the invitations have already been sent out. If the charity auction doesn''t go ahead as nned in three days, it will reflect poorly on the Young family and Grandpa''s legacy."


    "You..." Miles'' anger welled up, yet he found himself calming down as he maintained a fixed gaze on Anastasia.


    After a prolonged silence, he finally said, "Even if you''re single again, Jonathan won''t be interested in you."


    The underlying motive behind Anastasia''s organization of the charity auction in Oliver''s name was apparent. She aimed to leverage the event to publicly disclose her divorce, thereby presenting herself as avable, particrly to Jonathan.


    She had always harbored deep feelings for Jonathan, which had remained steadfast throughout the years. s, her affection was not reciprocated.


    Miles'' scornful gaze shredded Anastasia''s calm facade, causing her to rise instinctively to her feet.


    Noticing the intensified derision in his eyes, she snapped, "Miles, don''t you have feelings for Rose as well? Are you afraid you can''tpete with Jonathan? If I were you, I''d do whatever it takes to win her over from him!" Anastasia found herself growing increasingly bewildered by Miles'' behavior. She knew he harbored feelings for Rose.


    She had witnessed the undeniable intensity in his eyes whenever he looked at Rose back in Aquastead. Yet, since their return to Regalia, something had changed.


    While he still regarded Rose with tenderness and affection, distinct from his interactions with others, his gaze now held a serene calmness. The fiery intensity seemed to have been reced by an air of peaceful resignation. Nheless, Anastasia was certain that Miles still harbored feelings for Rose. She believed her words would provoke apetitive spirit in him, but to her surprise, he merely smiled faintly. Then, he spoke. "Anastasia, don''t even think about doing anything against Rose. Or else..."


    Even after Miles left, his warning continued to reverberate in Anastasia''s ears, along with his faint smile, which reyed in her mind incessantly.


    "Was it my imagination? There


    seemed to be a trace of


    helplessness in Miles'' smile as if he


    met


    had resigned himself to some inescapable reality. But what is it? What Could make him give up so willingly?" she mused as she tried to figure out what could have caused him to adopt such a resigned demeanor.


    As she was lost in thought, her phone rang, interrupting the silence. She nced at the screen, which disyed "Lizzie" as the caller. Quickly gathering herself, Anastasia answered the call.


    Lizzie''s gentle voice came through. "Anastasia, can I request an extra invitation for the charity auction three days from now?"


    Anastasia felt a deep sense of gratitude toward Lizzie, who had yed a significant role in her smooth divorce by coordinating with the Weasley family. As such, she agreed without hesitation. "Of course."


    Lizzie chuckled softly on the other end of the line. "Aren''t you curious about who I''m asking for an extra invitation for?"


    While Anastasia was undeniably curious, she opted to maintain her cordiality. "Madam Lizzie''s guest is also an honored guest of mine," she responded sincerely. "I just hope your guest has an enjoyable time at the auction."


    Unbeknownst to Anastasia, a


    coldness had crept into Lizzie''s gaze


    despite the warmth in her voice. The thought of that particr person made the smile on Lizzie''s lips grow even wider as she replied, "Oh, she''ll definitely have a wonderful time!"


    The following morning, Anastasia personally delivered the extra invitation to Lizzie. Soon after, Lizzie presented the invitation to the woman seated before her in a modest hotel in Regalia.


    "It''s time for you to make your return at the Young family''s charity auction in three days," Lizzie stated, her tone far from friendly.


    She was still displeased with the woman for wearing "her" clothes and intentionally crossing paths with Jonathan after the Finch and Maize family wedding.


    Since then, Lizzie had treated her with cold disdain, even forcing her to vacate the Finch family hotel that very night.


    Knowing she had been in the wrong, the woman dared not offend Lizzie further. "Madam, I apologize for my mistake. I was merely curious if Jonathan remembered ''her'', so I..."


    In truth, she had gambled on a hunch, and much to her surprise, her bet paid off-she hade face-to-face with Jonathan.


    "Avoid sumbing to such curiosity


    in the future. Jonathan is a


    suspicious, introspective man with


    deep,plex thoughts. You''re not fully prepared yet, and appearing before him prematurely could ruin all our ns," Lizzie warned sternly.


    "My apologies. I will strictly adhere to your instructions from now on," the woman replied submissively, her sunsses and mask still in ce. However, at this point, she was almost fully recovered. In three days, she would be making her return at the Young family''s charity auction.

 Chapter 509 Hiding Something From Her

    Having epted the woman''s apology, Lizzie decided not to dwell on the matter anymore. She gazed at the woman intently, a profound idea forming in her mind as she thought about the uing Young family charity auction. "You have yet to pay your respects to Mr. Young Senior since his passing. It''s only fitting that you do so now that your identity has been reestablished," she said.


    The woman felt a twinge of hesitation but knew better than to argue with Lizzie. "Alright. I shall visit him first thing tomorrow morning."


    Early the next day, the woman arrived at the cemetery with a bouquet of flowers. She gently ced them before Oliver''s grave, her eyes fixed on the weathered photograph on the tombstone.


    A mix of cold determination and satisfaction flickered in her gaze. Her eyes gleamed with a triumphant light as she removed her sunsses and mask.


    "Grandpa, I''m back. Do you still recognize me?" she rasped. Without waiting for a response, she continued in that same rough tone, "I suppose I am unrecognizable to you now. But look at my eyes. Do they not seem familiar?" She let out a chillingugh. "Grandpa, you always loved these eyes. Does seeing them make you happy?"


    She continued, "Grandpa, I''m about to meet them. Do you think they''ll be surprised to see me? I bet they won''t recognize me either."


    The woman had a defiant look in her eyes as if she was issuing a deration of war. After a brief moment, she rose to her feet.


    "I''d love to stay longer, Grandpa, but madam said I shouldn''t linger here. After all, this cemetery is under Mr. Miles'' watchful surveince..."


    She added, "Grandpa, Mr. Miles-no, I should say, Miles-is quite the dutiful son. Perhaps he''s already aware that someone suspicious came to see you by now."


    As she had anticipated, her actions did not go unnoticed. In a hospital owned by the Young family, Miles was reviewing the report from the cemetery. His brows furrowed in concentration.


    "Mr. Miles, a woman visited Mr. Young Senior''s grave. She wore sunsses and a mask, so we couldn''t see her face, but she seemed quite young."


    The vague description failed to jog Miles''s memory. Frustrated, he demanded, "Send me the surveince footage immediately." He needed to see it for himself.


    Momentster, the surveince footage arrived in his email. He opened the video and saw a woman in a ck dress.


    Although every angle failed to reveal her face, something about her figure stirred a vague sense of familiarity in Miles.


    "Miles, is everything alright?" Rose''s voice pulled him from his thoughts. She had just returned from a rehab session with Yvonne and noticed the serious expression on his face as he stared at his phone. Almost instinctively, Miles hid his phone and averted his gaze. "It''s nothing, Rose. But there''s apany matter I need to attend to."


    "Alright. Be careful on your way, Miles," Rose replied with concern.


    Seated in her wheelchair, Yvonne watched Miles'' hurried departure and frowned.


    "Something''s up! He''s definitely hiding something from you!" she said with certainty. "The way Mr. Miles acted just now, especially how he hid his phone, made it clear that he''s keeping a secret."


    Naturally, Rose had noticed Miles'' strange behavior as well, but she simply smiled without saying a word.


    Her nonchnt reaction surprised Yvonne. "Rose, he''s obviously keeping something from you, and you''re just... you''re being way too calm about it!"


    Rose chuckled. "He''s my family, Yvonne. He''s entitled to his privacy."


    Yvonne couldn''t argue with that. "But..." she began, still feeling a sense of unease about Miles'' behavior. Despite her reservations, she agreed with Rose''s perspective.


    After all the time they had spent together, Yvonne hade to understand that Rose considered Miles family, regardless of theirck of blood rtion, and family members didn''t need to pry too much into each other''s private matters. Meanwhile, the woman from the footage had already disappeared by the time Miles reached the cemetery. However, a bouquet left at Oliver''s grave immediately caught his attention.


    "Purple lilies of the valley..." he muttered.


    Acting on instinct, Miles picked up the bouquet and examined it closely. Once he had confirmed they were indeed purple lilies of the valley, he quickly scanned the area as if searching for something.


    However, no one was within sight. In his mind, distant voices echoed, resurrecting long-forgotten memories.


    "Miles, from now on, you''ll be my brother...


    "Grandpa gave me purple lilies of the valley today. They''re my lucky flowers from now on.


    "Miles, Grandpa allowed me to nt purple lilies of the valley in the garden. He even gave me seeds...


    "Miles, the lilies of the valley are so beautiful this year. I met someone at school who''s just as beautiful. His name is Jonathan.


    "Miles, I want to marry Jonathan and be his wife..."


    The voice in his memories shifted from the innocent tones of a child to the bright, hopeful voice of a young woman. Her image transformed from a sweet, timid child to a vibrant, spirited teenager. Buried deep within Miles'' heart, these memories had long been untouched. Yet now, they surfaced uncontrobly, filling his mind.


    A thought took root, and he couldn''t suppress his excitement. His hand trembled slightly as he gripped the bouquet.


    "Harriette... is it really you? Grandpa, was it Harriette who came to see you?


    A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees. Yet, no answer came to his questions.


    Miles reviewed the surveince footage once more. The woman had kept her head down, seemingly intent on avoiding the cameras. Even as she left the frame, he never saw her face. Despite this, her mere presence had undeniably stirred something within his heart.


    Over the next couple of days, Miles often seemed distracted. Ever perceptive, Rose couldn''t help but notice the change in his demeanor.


    One evening, after they parted ways at the hospital, Rose was on her way back to her temporary residence when she encountered Miles'' assistant carrying arge bag of alcohol. Looking flustered, the assistant nced nervously toward the stairs. Rose quickly pieced things together. "Give it to me," she said.


    The assistant hesitated but eventually handed the bag to her.


    T.no


    When Rose arrived at the rooftop, she found the ground littered with empty bottles. Miles was sitting a ping-pong table with his back facing her. It was clear that he was burdened by something weighing on his mind.


    "Was it because of the secret he was hiding that day?" She lowered her gaze thoughtfully. Approaching him from behind, she opened a bottle of beer and took a sip. "Miles, how could you drink without inviting me? That''s not very nice."


    Miles was slightly inebriated. The sudden voice startled him, sobering him up significantly. "Rose? How did you "


    "I happened to see your assistant


    bringing you some drinks, and I


    thought I''d join in. I hope you don''t mind me crashing your party. You wouldn''t be mean enough to send me away, would you?" Rose interrupted him with a yful wink.


    Miles'' gaze instantly softened with affection. "Of course not. Come here..."


    Rose walked over, handing Miles a beer and sitting beside him. The cool night breeze was refreshing as it swept over them. As they drank, Rose was about to ask what was bothering him when Miles spoke first. "Rose..." he began.

 Chapter 510 The Whereabouts Of Kelly

    "Rose, how would you feel if someone from your past, someone you haven''t seen in a long time, suddenly came back?" Miles asked, gazing up at the pitch-ck sky. "Someone from the past? Is this why he''s drinking tonight? Could it be rted to the secret he was hiding that day?" Rose mused.


    She smiled faintly. "Is this person a dear friend of yours?"


    Miles'' eyes flickered with an indiscernible emotion. Over the past few days, he hadn''t been able to track down the mysterious woman from the cemetery.


    However, he had watched the surveince footage countless times, growing more certain with each viewing that the woman was Harriette.


    After the tragic ident all those years ago, everyone believed that Harriette had perished, but her body was never recovered. She was neither found alive nor confirmed dead.


    "If it really is Harriette..." Miles thought as he stole a nce at Rose. He hesitated momentarily before deciding against mentioning Harriette.


    "She''s... someone closer than a friend."


    "An ex-girlfriend?" The thought crossed Rose''s mind almost instantaneously. It was apparent to her that Miles hadn''t forgotten this former lover and was drowning his sorrows with alcohol.


    She studied Miles, reflecting on the time they had spent together. Ever since she had known him, he had always been alone, never apanied by any woman.


    Perhaps if there was someone he loved, someone to share his life with, the depths of his loneliness wouldn''t run so deep.


    Rose made up her mind. "If it''s someone closer than a friend, then of course I''d be happy. The connections we share with others can be truly mysterious.


    "A second chance to meet again might just be fate''s way of giving me an opportunity to mend past regrets." Each word she uttered was carefully chosen to guide the conversation with purpose. "Mending past regrets..." Miles felt a sharp pang in his heart.


    Harriette''s supposed death was indeed one of his greatest regrets. But if that person was indeed Harriette, and she had returned, Miles couldn''t help but wonder what would be of Jonathan and Rose and how Jonathan would choose if he was caught between Harriette and Rose.


    These considerations consumed his mind. Gazing at Rose''s radiant smile, Miles felt a peculiar sense of guilt.


    "Rose..."


    "Hm?" Rose held his gaze steadily.


    However, when their eyes locked, Miles quickly looked away, unable to maintain eye contact. This reaction struck Rose as odd.


    "You seem different tonight, Miles," she noted, brushing aside the odd feeling.


    She gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. "Whatever you decide, whatever choices you make, just know I will always support you. I''ll always be here for you."


    Even if Miles didn''t rekindle his rtionship with his ex-girlfriend, there would be plenty of wonderful women who would adore him.


    As his family, Rose would remain by his side, offering support and blessings until he found his true soulmate.


    "I''ll always be here for you."


    Those words filled Miles with aforting warmth. For the time being, he didn''t want to dwell on the possible consequences of Harriette''s return.


    Miles reached over and yfully tousled Rose''s hair, prompting augh-filled protest from her. The somber mood that had engulfed the rooftop earlier dissipated, reced by the sound of their carefreeughter. Empty bottles littered the ground as the alcohol''s influence grew increasingly evident. Through the drunken fog, Rose heard Miles speak up beside her.


    "Rose, no matter what happens, I will fulfill Grandpa''s wishes. As his only blood rtive, the entire Young legacy is rightfully yours.


    "Just give me a little more time. I''ll make sure everything is in ce... and then... I''ll hand it all over to you..." His speech was slurred, and his words were not entirely clear.


    Rose turned to look at Miles, her mind swirling with questions. She pondered, "What did he mean by everything will be mine? What was he nning to hand over? And why did he need more time?"


    As she grappled with her confusion, one word echoed distinctly in her mind "Grandpa". A wave of longing for Oliver washed over her.


    "Grandpa..." Rose murmured. "Miles, I miss him," she admitted, a hint of sadness in her tone.


    "Mom said that people be stars after they pass away. Do you think Grandpa is up there now, watching over us?"


    She tilted her head back, her gaze fixed on the night sky as she fought back tears. The twinkling stars appeared to dance in her blurry vision, shining brilliantly.


    "Miles, I can almost sense his gaze upon us..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.


    Lowering her head, she continued in a hushed tone, "Miles, I need your help with something. Yvonne''s injuries have improved significantly. Once she''s better, I want to return to Aquastead. I need to find Kelly..."


    The memories of Oliver''s death remained vivid in Rose''s mind. Kelly had seemingly disappeared. It was as though she had vanished from the face of the earth.


    Yet, Rose''s resolve was unwavering-she would find Kelly and make her pay for what she had done, even if it meant going to the ends of the earth to unearth her whereabouts.


    ...


    The following morning, Rose awoke to a pounding headache as she groggily answered a call. Anastasia''s voice echoed from the other end.


    "Rose, let''s meet at Mobius Auction House tonight at eight. I have something important to discuss with you."


    Rose had previously heard about the charity auction that Anastasia was organizing at Mobius Auction House. It seemed Anastasia was attempting to persuade her to attend the event. "Sorry, I..." she hesitated, knowing that she and Anastasia didn''t see eye to eye and were wary of unnecessary interactions.


    However, before she could decline, Anastasia cut in with a measured tone, "It seems you''ve forgotten about Kelly."


    "Do you know where she is?" Rose blurted, her voice betraying her urgency.


    On the other end, a satisfied smile formed on Anastasia''s lips, knowing she had Rose exactly where she wanted her. Rather than answering directly, she reiterated her invitation. "Eight o''clock at the auction house. Don''t bete." With that, she hung up. She was certain that Rose would show up.


    As expected, Rose arrived at Mobius Auction House right on time at 8:00 p.m.


    The charity auction dinner, held in honor of thete Oliver, had drawn many of Regalia''s most


    distinguished figures. Every guest possessed an invitation, but Rose had only been invited verbally by Anastasia, leaving her without one.


    As a result, she found herself barred at the entrance.


    "Well, well, well. Look who it is. Can''t get in, can you?" A biting voice pierced the air from behind her.


    Rose didn''t need to turn around to identify its owner. It was Yara. Rose had no intention of acknowledging her presence.


    However, having spotted Rose, Yara wasn''t about to miss the chance to vent her frustration. She sauntered up to Rose and taunted, "Ms. Shaffer? Why, it''s you!"


    Rose remained unresponsive, acting like she hadn''t seen or heard Yara. This perceived indifference only served to aggravate Yara further.


    She mocked, "Rose, I thought you were more capable than this, but you can''t even get into the Young family''s charity auction, huh? Howughable!


    "It seems you only managed to


    acquire the title of ''the Young


    family''s adopted granddaughter'' by


    using some underhanded tactics


    But in the end, a fake is a fake it''s


    just a meaningless title. Ultimately, you''re a nobody!"


    Her coldughter was filled with malice. She wanted every word to inflict a deep wound and humiliate Rose.


    To her astonishment, Rose merely smiled a smileced with indifference and contempt, rendering Yara''s verbal assault ineffective. Yara''s face darkened with anger. She couldn''t believe that no matter how hard she tried to insult Rose, it seemed to have no effect.

 Chapter 511 We Are Friends

    Still reeling from her humiliation at the wedding and its aftermath, Yara finally snapped. She marched up to Rose and gave her a hard shove.


    Caught off guard, Rose staggered backward, only to be steadied by a pair of soft, delicate hands. The hands were gentle, yet firm.


    She instinctively turned to face her rescuer and found herself momentarily captivated by the stranger''s appearance.


    Long, lustrous hair framed the woman''s face, entuated by an elegant beret perched atop her head. A ck skirt and white blouse gracefully highlighted her slender figure.


    Though dark sunsses concealed her eyes, the woman''s refined features still managed to convey an unexpected warmth.


    "Are you okay?" the woman asked, her raspy voice taking Rose by surprise.


    Sensing Rose''s difort, the woman smiled wryly. "Sorry, my voice isn''t the most pleasant. I suffered an injury years ago, so..."


    Realizing her mistake, Rose quickly apologized. "No, I didn''t mean any offense. I..." She had no intention of dredging up painful memories.


    "It''s fine. You meant no harm. Besides, I''m used to it." The woman shrugged, her smile bright and radiant as if she really didn''t mind. Yet the simple phrase, "I''m used to it", alluded to the challenges she must have faced. Rose felt even more apologetic. "I''m really sorry..."


    "Really, it''s nothing," the woman reassured her before turning her curious gaze to Yara. "Anyway, what''s happening here?"


    From the moment the woman had appeared, Yara had been sizing her up. Even though she hadn''t been back in the country for long, Yara was familiar with the notable families in Regalia, and this woman didn''t seem to belong to any of them. Besides, she was certain she had never encountered someone with such a distinct, raspy voice. She scoffed.


    "Just another nobody trying to weasel her way in, huh? Whatever. Rose, I''ll let it slide today so that you don''t get in the way of my charity work."


    With a haughty smile, Yara dismissed them, her attitude dripping with arrogance.


    Despite her tarnished reputation in the entertainment industry following her disastrous wedding, Yara still held onto her status as the eldest daughter of the Maize family.


    Furthermore, though she was reluctant to acknowledge it, her marriage had made her a member of the Finch family too. Nheless, her haughty behavior only amused Rose.


    "She seems to have something against you," the woman remarked in her raspy voice.


    Rose shrugged helplessly. "Seems so."


    She had an inkling of where this resentment might have stemmed from but found the whole situation unjust. After all, she had always viewed herself as innocent in the entire affair. The woman then asked, "Are you trying to get in?"


    Rose nodded. "Yes." She was grateful to this woman who had helped her earlier and felt guilty about her unintended reaction to the woman''s voice. So, she let her guard down. "But you''re having trouble getting in, right?" the woman inquired further.


    "Yes," Rose admitted again, nning to contact Anastasia for assistance.


    However, before she could do anything, the woman affectionately linked arms with her. "Don''t worry. I''ll take you in."


    As she spoke, the woman presented an invitation letter to the staff member. "She''s my friend, and we came together. Is that alright?"


    It wasmon for guests to bringpanions to auctions, so the staff member didn''t object. Before Rose fully realized what was happening, the woman had already led her inside.


    "Hey! You! The one with your nose in the air..." the woman''s raspy voice called out, snapping Rose back to reality.


    Nearby, Yara turned in response to the voice, only to see the sunsses-d woman waving at her. It was clear that the snarky remark was directed at her.


    Yara''s face flushed with anger. The fact that this woman was invited and brought Rose in with her was unbelievable and infuriating. She clenched her fists, seething with frustration and resentment. Meanwhile, the woman seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself,ughing as if she had just scored a personal victory.


    Rose was taken aback by the woman''s audacity but couldn''t help feeling a sense of satisfaction as she watched Yara storm off in a huff.


    Although she knew that Yara''s grudge against her would only intensify after this, it was difficult not to feel a little victorious at that moment.


    When the woman turned her gaze back to Rose, they shared a knowing smile.


    "So, does this mean we''re friends now?" the woman asked, her tone sincere. Even through the sunsses, Rose could sense the genuine warmth in her eyes.


    "Of course!" Rose replied with a


    smile, knowing that their connection wasn''t just about being rescued


    from a tight spot. There was something else about this woman, a sense of familiarity that Rose


    couldn''t quite put her finger on.


    "I have to go. I''m meeting someone," the woman said, ncing at her watch before hastily bidding farewell to Rose and making her way toward the elevators.


    As Rose observed the woman''s departing figure, a sudden frown creased her forehead. For a fleeting moment, she could have sworn that she was looking at Kelly. "Kelly... It couldn''t be, could it?" she thought.


    Even though the woman had been wearing sunsses, Rose was certain that the face behind them wasn''t Kelly''s.


    Despite this, an unsettling feeling lingered, and Rose found herself stepping forward, almost instinctively following the woman.


    Upon reaching the elevator, the woman turned around, and their eyes locked. Rose abruptly halted in her tracks.


    With a bright smile on her face, the woman waved at Rose, causing her to pause momentarily. "No, that definitely isn''t Kelly. How could it have been Kelly?"


    A bitter smile graced her lips as that thought crossed her mind. Rose concluded that her intense longing to find Kelly must have made her see traces of her in someone else''s form.


    She then carefully reconsidered the woman''s silhouette. Although they were of simr height, there were discernible differences in their physique.


    Taking a deep breath, Rose tried to clear her mind and let go of the thoughts. There was no sense in dwelling on it.


    However, as the elevator doors slid shut, the woman''s bright smile vanished, reced by a dark, chilling expression.


    "Rose..." The woman whispered the name in her raspy voice, making it sound ominous and charged with something sinister.


    She muttered, "So, we''re friends now..." A twisted sense of anticipation filled her. She was genuinely curious about what it would be like to be friends with Rose.


    The charity auction that evening was


    held in the opulent auction hall on the top floor. Rose arrived to find the room already bustling with guests The auction hadn''t started, but Rose could see Anastasia engaging with the attendees from a distance.


    Anastasia was dressed in a champagne-colored evening gown that entuated her wless figure, with her long hair elegantly styled to one side. She exuded an air of grace and sophistication. "Congrattions, Ms. Young," a guest nearby said, their tone filled with a knowing undertone. Although they didn''t spell it out, everyone present understood the implication.


    It was widely known that Anastasia had been childhood friends with Jonathan and had harbored feelings for him for years.


    There were even rumors that the two were destined to marry. But a few years ago, Anastasia shocked everyone by marrying Anthony instead, leaving many in Regalia puzzled.


    A year ago, rumors began circting that Anastasia and Anthony were going through a divorce, with some specting that she could never forget Jonathan and was divorcing to be with him once more.


    Recently, the union between the


    Finch and Maize families, where


    Yara wed jam, who had only just


    been recognized as part of the Finch family rather than Jonathan, only added fuel to these spections.


    "Ms. Young, will Mr. Finch be attending tonight? Surely he wouldn''t miss a charity auction like this," someone inquired, their wordsced with innuendo.


    Their implication was clear-they were suggesting that Jonathan would be there to celebrate her newfound single status with her.

 Chapter 512 Stand Behind Him

    Many guests at that night''s charity auction saw through Anastasia''s underlying motive but chose not to mention it. "How would I know about Mr. Finch''s ns?" Anastasia replied with a coy smile. She didn''t mind being misunderstood.


    In truth, she had extended an invitation to Jonathan, but she wasn''t sure if he would attend. Nevertheless, she had dangled a tempting lure, one that she hoped would be irresistible to him.


    Just then, Anastasia felt someone''s gaze on her and looked up to see Rose approaching. "Ah, she''s here. Good," she mused.


    "Please excuse me for a moment," Anastasia said with a smile, gracefully excusing herself from the conversation and heading straight toward Rose.


    Upon reaching her, Anastasia slipped her arm through Rose''s in an intimate gesture.


    Rose frowned. "You asked me toe, and here I am. You promised to tell me about Kelly''s whereabouts. I hope you''re not going back on your word."


    "I wouldn''t dream of it," Anastasia replied, her smile taking on a more enigmatic edge as she locked eyes with Rose.


    She continued, "But now that you''re here, don''t you think it would be a waste to focus solely on Kelly''s whereabouts?


    "This charity auction is held in Grandpa''s name, and he was very fond of you. Surely, you wouldn''t want to see something he cherished fall into someone else''s hands, would you?" Rose was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?" She scrutinized Anastasia closely.


    "Is she suggesting what I think she is?" Rose thought.


    Rose''s reproachful gaze caused a ripple of displeasure within Anastasia. However, her smile only grew more carefree.


    "It''s nothing, really. I just thought that since this charity auction is in Grandpa''s name, it would be fitting to include something of his to encourage guests to bid generously."


    She went on, "Do you recall the suit Grandpa wore during his birthday celebration at Aquastead? I''ve actually brought it along with me."


    "Anastasia!" Rose''s fury erupted as she clenched her fists.


    That suit had been a birthday gift from Miles to their grandfather, one that Rose had personally designed and had custom-made. However, Anastasia remained unfazed by Rose''s anger.


    "Rose, it''s just a suit. Grandpa may have liked it, but it''s just a piece of clothing in the end. Why are you getting so worked up?" She raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence.


    But to Rose, that suit was far more than just a piece of clothing. "How can I get it back?" she asked, forcing herself to remain calm. She was determined to reim the suit.


    This was precisely what Anastasia had anticipated. "Well, getting it back might be tricky." She sighed. "All the auction items have already been handed over to a third party, and they''re part of the auction process now. I have no control over them anymore." Then, as if suddenly struck by an idea, her eyes lit up. "Oh, wait! The only way you could get it back is by participating in the auction and bidding for it yourself!" "Participate in the auction..." Rose mused. She could discern the intentional provocation in Anastasia''s smirk, and her fists clenched even tighter in response. Meanwhile, Anastasia seemed rather pleased with herself for sessfully inciting Rose''s anger. Just then, a server happened to pass by them with drinks. Seizing the opportunity, she casually picked up a ss and handed it to Rose. "The night is still young. I hope you enjoy yourself," she said. She was confident that Rose would stay and bid on the suit.


    Sure enough, Rose epted the ss. Not only did she take the drink, but she also took Anastasia''s suggestion.


    "Fine, I''ll stay and bid on the suit, and..." Her lips suddenly curved into a smile as she crooked a finger at Anastasia, beckoning her closer.


    Intrigued and unsuspecting, Anastasia leaned in further. In an instant, Rose lifted her ss high and slowly tilted it. The vibrant red liquid cascaded down over Anastasia''s perfectly styled hair and exquisite dress, causing her to gasp in shock. "Ah!" Her cry of shock drowned out the soft notes of the piano ying in the background, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.


    "Isn''t that Ms. Young?"


    "Someone just poured wine all over her!"


    "Who would dare do such a thing?"


    Before Anastasia could even process her anger, she heard murmurs of sympathy from the crowd. Forced to suppress her urge to retaliate, she put on a wounded expression. "Rose, how could you do this to me? I''ve done nothing to offend you!" she eximed, her face contorted with feigned hurt.


    However, Rose had witnessed such a dramatic change in expression from more than one person. As such, Anastasia''s sudden shift in demeanor wasn''t the least bit surprising to her. A faint smile graced her lips as she leaned in close to Anastasia, her voice cold as she delivered a warning.


    "Anastasia, while I''ve epted the situation with Grandpa''s suit, this," she gestured to the wine now dripping from Anastasia''s head, "is your punishment for disrespecting his belongings. "Should you forget, even for a moment, why I''m here tonight, just know that I won''t hesitate to use this ss to mar your face."


    Anastasia was well aware of Rose''s unwavering determination. This woman had never shied away from speaking her mind or acting upon her words.


    "You''re insane!" she hissed, clenching her teeth in fury.


    Rose was unfazed. She pushed Anastasia aside as she moved away from the crowd. The mix of sympathetic whispers and scathing remarks was nothing more than background noise to her.


    It wasn''t until she saw Miles


    standing a short distance away that


    she abruptly halted in her tracks. The satisfaction she had felt from teaching Anastasia a lesson quickly faded, reced by a feeling of being caught red-handed by an elder after misbehaving.


    After all, this charity auction was held in Oliver''s name. It was not the ce for a spectacle.


    "Miles, I" Rose began, prepared to admit her error, but Miles cut her off with a gentle pat on the head.


    His voice was full of affection as he said, "What did she do to upset you?"


    His demeanor suggested that he would support her unconditionally, no matter what had happened.


    Rose met his gaze, the urge to confess slipping away as she considered the suit. Instead, she replied, "ve already taught her lesson, She''s a mess


    eline


    now drenched in front of everyone.


    You should see how pitiful she looks."


    Both of them turned their attention toward Anastasia, who was making her way out of the venue, covering her disheveled makeup and maintaining an air of unjust indignation. "She does look quite pathetic," Milesmented. He was pleased with how Rose had stood up for herself but still feltpelled to offer his support.


    He gently tucked a stray lock of Rose''s hair behind her ear, saying, "Next time, let me know if something like this happens again. No matter who it is, you can always stand behind me."


    Rose was overwhelmed with gratitude. Not only had she been blessed with Oliver''s care, but she also had Miles as a brother. Their protection gave her aforting sense of warmth. "Okay," she replied with a yful nod. "After all, I do have a big brother to rely on!"


    Miles'' smile grew increasingly fond as he gazed at Rose.


    Meanwhile, a woman wearing sunsses observed them from a distance, her gaze lingering on the pair. Shrouded behind the dark lenses, it was apparent that her concealed eyes held untold intentions. As the auction began, Rose took her seat beside Miles. Clover entered the room soon after, his eyes scanning for Rose.


    Although he had received the invitation to this charity auction well in advance, he hadn''t been interested in attending.


    However, half an hour ago, when his


    bodyguard had informed him that Rose was present at the event, he had promptly canceled a scheduled video conference with the Xanth family and rushed to join her at the auction.

 Chapter 513 Determination to Win

    Emily and Clover arrived together and were soon led to their seats by an attendant. She followed his line of sight and quickly understood his mind. After scanning the room, she glimpsed Rose first and said, "Mr. Xanth, Rosie is right there!" When Clover saw Rose, he couldn''t help but notice Miles beside her. Why were they together? They seemed to be chatting about something.


    Despite the distance, he could see Rose''s distinct smile. He scoffed and stared disdainfully at Miles. At that moment, he had an impulse to sit beside Rose.


    "Sir, miss, the auction is about to begin. Here are your seats," the attendant reminded them.


    Clover furrowed his brows, and Emily grasped his intention. "Mr. Xanth, there isn''t an empty seat... over there. We shouldy low here in Regalia."


    He had no words to refute. Watching Miles stroking Rose''s head, he huffed and reluctantly sat down, clearly jealous.


    Taking it in, Emily couldn''t help but tease him. "Mr. Finch is the one Rosie likes, but why are you more jealous of Mr. Young than Mr. Finch?" Jealous? Clover nced displeasedly at her and scoffed. "Who says I''m jealous?"


    Why would he be jealous? He had nothing to be envious of! However... When he looked in their direction again, his dissatisfaction overflowed. Momentster, he coldly uttered, "I dislike Miles because... our birth charts sh."


    Emily raised her eyebrows and decided not to expose him.


    "Wee, distinguished guests, to the Young Group Charity Auction. I''d like to thank the esteemed individuals who have generously contributed their collections for today''s auction. You''re all great phnthropists, and I believe Grandpa would be very pleased with today''s event."


    Anastasia, the organizer of the auction,menced the event onstage. Having been sshed with red wine by Rose earlier, she had changed into a new gown. It was white on the top and ck on the bottom, reminding Rose of the woman who had helped her outside the venue earlier.


    Why did she think of her? They simply shared the same colorbinations in their outfits, which was perfectly normal at this event. Was she in attendance at this auction too?


    Then, Rose frowned slightly when she realized she didn''t ask for the woman''s name.


    On stage, Anastasia finished her speech and received a warm round of apuse, pulling Rose back from her thoughts. Following that, the auction items were brought up to the stage in session.


    Rose waited patiently. However, with the auction halfway through, Oliver''s suit remained out of sight.


    In the meantime, Jonathan''s luxury car was stuck in traffic on the busiest street in Regalia during the peak hour.


    Time passed by quickly, and he was visibly impatient and frustrated. The atmosphere in the car became suffocating.


    "Sir..." In the driver''s seat, Finley glimpsed through the rearview mirror and saw Jonathan''s brows increasingly furrowed.


    He cautiously stated, "Sir, don''t worry. The bodyguard has confirmed that Mr. Young and Mr. Xanth are at the auction venue, so Mrs. Finch''s safety is assured."


    Yet, his constion only darkened Jonathan''s expression. "How much longer?" he asked coldly.


    After returning to the car from checking the traffic conditions, Leonard reported, "Sir, there''s been a car ident ahead involving several vehicles. It looksplicated and will likely hold up the traffic for some time."


    A car ident on the busiest road in the city during the peak hour... Finley nced at Jonathan and suddenly saw him opening the car door. "Sir..."


    Leonard quickly followed suit. "Sir..."


    The two were baffled by what


    Jonathan nned to do until they


    Vel


    saw him passing through the vehicles and arrived at a row of shared bicycles by the road. After some tinkering, he rode off on a bike and left the two stunned.


    After some time, Finley casually asked, "How''s Mr. and Mrs. Finch''s wedding nning going?"


    Back in Aquastead, Jonathan had ordered Leonard to prepare for the wedding. "Everything is in ce, but Mrs. Finch..." He trailed off and seemingly sighed.


    He could tell that Jonathan had not won Rose''s heart, as she was the key to whether the rtionship worked.


    Not long after the marriage alliance between the Finches and Maizes, he was always seen staring at the ring and grinning foolishly. The longing in that smile was something he had never seen before. "The wedding can''t wait any longer." Finley sounded firm.


    Among the long line of cars, a


    bicycle struggled to maneuver


    forward. The wind roared in his ears, and sweat trickled down his hair. A drop fell onto the ring on his ring finger, making the red hue of the ring shine more brightly.


    Back at the auction, an item had been delivered on stage, followed by the auctioneer''s introduction. "This exquisite item holds great significance. It was a suit worn by thete Mr. Young Senior."


    The staff removed the white cloth


    from the suit revealing it to the


    crowd. Although the craftsmanship and materials were of visibly high quality, this suit, custom-made ording to Oliver''s measurements, could only be purchased for collection purposes without any practical use.


    Given that this item belonged to Oliver, the attendees naturally would participate in the bidding to show their respect for him. However, the price... Almost everyone in the audience had calmly set a limit on their bid, but Rose was far from calm. The moment she saw the suit, she was on high alert.


    Miles, sitting beside her, was stunned by the sight. "Anastasia..." He gritted his teeth, deducing it was Anastasia who auctioned it.


    When the auctioneer announced, "Starting bid is ten thousand dors. Each bid increases by ten thousand. Bidding begins," Rose instantly raised her bid paddle.


    "Number 112, I have your bid of ten thousand." The auctioneer''s voice echoed.


    112 was the number on Rose''s bid paddle. At that instance, Miles knew she aimed to bid on this suit tonight, a thought-out scheme set by Anastasia. Still, why would she do that? He descended into thoughts... "Number 176 has raised the bid to 20 thousand."


    "Number 112, 30 thousand."


    "Number 356, 40 thousand."


    "Number 112, 50 thousand."


    ...


    "Number 239, raising the bid to 300 thousand."


    "Number 112..."


    The auctioneer''s voice continuously echoed in the venue. Some of the guests had raised paddles as a sign of respect, but each time, Number 112 would immediately follow with a higher bid, suppressing their offers. It was as if she was determined to purchase that suit at any cost.


    "Number 112, I have your bid of one million dors!"


    With each sessive bid, the price reached one million. Atst, the crowd couldn''t help but turn toward the bidder who held Number 112.

 Chapter 514 Its Her

    "Isn''t that the woman who sshed wine on Ms. Young earlier?"


    "Who is she? Do I live under the rock or what? How do I not know of such a figure in Regalia?"


    "One million? Sure, the suit has great craftsmanship and materials, and belonged to Mr. Young Senior, but one million dors far exceeds its original value." "Right? She''svish. Who is she?"


    Discussions from all corners of the venue began. Suddenly, a person noticed Miles beside her. "You guys, look! It''s Mr. Young!" They were shocked to see them seated together.


    "Oh, I remember now. You guys, tell me that isn''t the young woman who carried Mr. Young Senior''s memorial photo at his funeral!"


    That reminder quickly refreshed their memories. "You''re not wrong..."


    "See? I''m right!"


    "Is she a Young family member? Why have ver seen her? What''s her connection to the Youngs?"


    The numerous questions piqued everyone''s interest in the crowd, but they were sure of one thing.


    "Regardless of who she is, having the honor to carry Mr. Young Senior''s memorial photo at his funeral signifies that her status is extraordinary!"


    "Exactly. Not even Mr. Miles got to hold it. Does that mean her status is greater than..."


    That assumption led many to be curious about this young woman who held the Number 112 paddle.


    However, the unfolding scene was nothing like what Anastasia desired. She simply wanted to make Rose stay by using the suit as bait but didn''t anticipate her to steal the spotlight so effortlessly!


    Anastasia tightened her fists. A million dors? Did Rose even have that kind of money?


    Averting her gaze from Rose, who was fixated on the suit, Anastasia nced in a certain direction. As though receiving her signal, a person quickly raised their paddle.


    At the same time, another person in a corner had their paddle in the air. "Number 77 has raised the bid to one million and-"


    Before the auctioneer could finish, she was interrupted by a voice. "1.5 million dors!"


    What an amount! The crowd simultaneously looked in the same direction, and even Anastasia was shocked. Number 77 wasn''t the one she arranged to bid against Rose...


    Instead, the number belonged to a woman in a white top and ck skirt. Beneath her beret, with long hair cascading over her shoulders, she wore a pair of sunsses. Although her face was obscured by the eyewear, her facial features were exceptionally striking. At a nce, Rose recognized her. "It''s her!" she murmured in disbelief. Rose didn''t anticipate her to bid against her.


    "1.5 million dors, offered by thisdy. I must say, it is a very high price..." The auctioneer''s voice seemingly awoke Rose from her daze.


    She only had one goal, which was to retrieve Oliver''s suit. As such, she unhesitantly raised the paddle again.


    "Ah, Number 112 again. It seems that Miss Number 112 has taken a great liking to this suit. 1.51 million dors by Number 112..."


    "Number 77 has raised the paddle again, bidding at "


    "Two million dors!" The woman''s voice rang again.


    Everyone focused on her appearance when she raised the bid to 1.5 million earlier, but her voice became the main highlight this time. Her voice was... hoarse and even somewhat unpleasant.


    Yet, to Miles, hearing her voice sent a searing pain to his chest. Even if she was hidden by those sunsses, he recognized who she was!


    He struggled to recover from the shock at first nce. He had been seeking the woman he saw at the cemetery thest two days, and to his surprise, he found her here today.


    He was confident he had the right person the moment his gazended on her, but her voice... What happened to her voice? Suddenly, he felt suffocated.


    Nobody noticed Miles'' strangeness,


    including Rose, who fixed her gaze on Oliver''s


    firmnessit. She could hear the


    firmness in that woman''s tone when she bid two million dors, but Rose shared the same sentiment as her. No matter what, she vowed to retrieve that suit and would not rest until she had it!


    Once again, Rose raised her paddle. "2.5 million!" She added 500 thousand to her bid as well!


    The auctioneer was startled and ready to announce the bid when Number 77 appeared in the air again. "Three million dors..."


    Rose was surprised by her determination. Still, she proceeded without hesitation. "Four million."


    "Five million..."


    "Six million!"


    Without waiting for the auctioneer to announce the bid, the two shouted their bids back and forth.


    In their presence, the crowd couldn''t help but nce suspiciously at the suit on stage, wondering whether they had missed something. Perhaps it wasn''t a typical suit but a rare vintage. Soon, the bid had raised to a hefty 12 million dors. The crowd no longer focused on the suit but on the two women instead. Every time they raised their bids, they observed quietly.


    Sure, it had been established that thedy with Number 112 was an important member of the Young family, seeing that she sat beside Miles and spentvishly. But... what about Number 77?


    She sat in the corner, and someone


    noticed she didn''t lift her head once when announcing her bids. It was as if tens of millions of dors were so insignificant to her that she didn''t bother to bat an eye. So,


    Swas


    she?


    The same question gued Rose''s mind. She wanted that suit because it belonged to Oliver. No matter the price, she would retrieve it because it was worth it. But what sentiment did that suit hold for that woman? Rose couldn''tprehend that.


    12 million dors was just the amount that she could pay with her card, but...


    Amid the silence, the hoarse voice rang again. "15 million!"


    Anxiety spiked within Rose. If this persisted, she would lose Oliver''s suit!


    "30 million!" A voice stunned the whole crowd, thinking they had misheard.


    Even the auctioneer was taken aback. However, she quickly found her bearings and locked her gaze on the paddle in the air.


    "Sir, how much are you bidding again?" She wanted to confirm.


    "30 million dors!" The voice repeated.


    This time, everyone in the audience heard it loud and clear. Indeed, it was 30 million dors... But who was that extravagant individual?


    Immediately, everybody turned toward the bidder. A man sporting a custom-made suit sat with crossed legs, yet his demeanor remained distinguishable and imposing. He was none other than... "Clover!"

 Chapter 515 Reunion With an Old Acquaintance

    When Rose saw Clover, she instinctively murmured his name. Her volume was low, but the people around her still heard it amid the dead silence.


    At first, Clover seemed cold with an unwavering gaze. However, upon sensing Rose''s eyes on him, he met her gaze despite knowing everyone was watching and smiled affectionately. He seemed to be saying, "Leave it to me to secure this suit!" Soon, he withdrew his gaze and resumed his cold demeanor. He lifted his chin slightly as if warning everyone in the crowd, "Whoever dares to bid against me, bring it on!"


    His imposing presence made the woman in the corner frown. It was also then the audience looked in her direction, anticipating her next bid. Yet, they didn''t hear that hoarse voice again.


    As such, the auctioneer spoke, "This gentleman has raised the bid to 30 million dors. Do we have any other offers?"


    The audience was silent. Then, the auctioneer announced, "30 million, going once... Going twice... Sold!" Nobody raised their paddles anymore before the hammer finalized the bidding.


    Clover nced at Rose again and raised his brows with a smile, seemingly awaiting her praise. Undeniably, she felt touched by his action. He quickly sensed her gratitude through her expression and straightened up in his seat.


    He was ready to nce at Miles and unt how much better he treated her, yet he noticed that thetter was in aplete daze. Nheless, he brushed it off and didn''t overthink it.


    The auction continued. More items were sold one after another, but none exceeded the final price of Oliver''s suit. It seemed that everyone was still absorbed in the earlier bidding. Anastasia could no longer maintain her smile. She had nned for Rose to embarrass herself, yet she had be the event''s highlight! And the suit, purchased by Clover...


    She knew all too well that he had bought the suit, at a hefty price of 30 million dors, for Rose. At that thought, she looked at Rose and was even more infuriated by her look of relief. Damn it!


    Then, she thought of Number 77, wondering why thedy didn''t bid against Rose. She looked mysterious, keeping her head down with sunsses the whole time when bidding.


    Anastasia didn''t take a good look at her earlier and wanted to check her out again. However, the woman was no longer in the corner.


    "Has she... left?" Anastasia wondered with a frown.


    Meanwhile, Miles was the other person who had noticed the woman''s disappearance. He caught it as soon as she stood up.


    More urately, he had been focusing on her. Even after she left her seat and walked out of the venue, his attention followed her. "Miles? What''s wrong?" Rose finally noticed his strangeness.


    He snapped back to reality. "I..." Saw her! He was confident it was her!


    "Rosie, I''m... sorry."


    He looked at Rose. His gaze disyed visible remorse, prompting a frown on Rose. "Hey, Miles, what''s wrong? You''re scaring me." She had never seen such an expression from him. Why did he apologize to her?


    Miles knew the reason well enough. He should''ve been the one helping her bid the suit earlier, but he hesitated because...


    That figure continued lingering in his mind. As if afraid to lose sight of that person again, Miles made a decision.


    "Rosie, I''ll head out for a second." He gently caressed her head as usual.


    Looking at his receding figure, Rose furrowed her brows. How strange Miles acted way too peculiar tonight! What was the reason? Could it be rted to the "old acquaintance" he mentionedst night?


    Amid her thoughts, Miles had already exited the auction venue. He jogged along the way, searching everywhere for that figure. Despite flipping the whole building upside down, it was in vain. Just as he drowned himself in disappointment for losing sight of her again, a voice rang behind him. "Miles..."


    That hoarse voice made Miles'' heart skip a beat. He swiftly turned his head and saw her standing a few feet away.


    Standing in her ck and white outfit, she smiled so charmingly that even the sunsses couldn''t conceal her joy. "Harriette..." he uttered shakily. It had been ages since hest said her name.


    Harriette was momentarily stunned. Then, she removed her sunsses, exposing her entire face before him. She met his gaze and gradually became overwhelmed.


    "I thought... I thought you''d forgotten about me. I thought... you wouldn''t recognize me and..."


    Although it was just a few words, they seemed to carry so much meaning. It was as if she had many grievances to express but was too overwhelmed to articte them. Without finishing her words, she rushed toward him, closing the distance between them to just a single step. Harriette looked at Miles with a grin. "Miles, I''m back."


    "You''re back... That''s great..." he muttered. It wasn''t until he saw her face up close that he confirmed it was her. She had returned! "Miles, don''t you wanna know where I''ve been? Don''t you wanna know what happened to me all these years?" she asked surprisingly.


    Little did she know, her hoarse voice was enough to break Miles'' heart. Wasn''t her damaged vocal cords enough to reflect the experiences that she had been through?


    He couldn''t bear to ask her and simply held her hands with sorrow. "Harriette, no matter what happened, it''s all in the past. Now that you''re back, you have me and the family..."


    "That''s right. I have you, Miles. I''ve always had you as my brother, but Grandpa..." The grief in her eyes intensified.


    Atst, she couldn''t hold back any longer and cried. "Grandpa isn''t around anymore. I saw the news of his passing. That''s why I...


    "I only wanted to visit him at the


    grave. I knew the charity auction was organized in Grandpa''s name and I thought I''de here and feel his presence. But then, the auctioneer said Grandpa wore that suit, so I..."


    She let out a dryugh. "I don''t actually have that kind of money No matter how much I bid, I knew wouldn''t get the suit. I just wanted to hold onto something, even if even if it''s just an illusion..."


    "Harriette!"


    Miles understood her bond with Oliver more than anyone. When Oliver adopted them, he was practically their parent. However... He stared at Harriette. "Why didn''t you return sooner?"

 Chapter 516 Get Back What Was Hers

    Had she returned earlier, she would''ve seen Oliver before he passed. But... why didn''t she?


    A look of sadness brimmed in Harriette''s eyes. "Whether it''s around Grandpa or the Young family, there''s no ce for me to stick around."


    Back then, they rarely made any public appearances. Many knew of the Young family heiress and that there was only one of her. While Harriette used to hold that position, the Youngs kept that information from the public after what happened that year. Without her, Anastasia became the heiress of the Young family in session. At that thought, Harriette revealed a bitter smile.


    Feeling extreme heartache, Miles suddenly regretted his question. "Sorry, Harriette. I shouldn''t have asked. Back then..."


    It had been a long time. Back then, everything seemed to confirm Harriette''s death. However, he didn''t believe it and continued searching for her traces.


    Yet, one day, Anastasia barged into a party where Oliver was at. At the event, she saved a highly esteemed socialite.


    When the socialite inquired about her identity, a flustered Anastasia blurted that she was the Young family heiress.


    It was precisely that event that brought Anastasia to the public eye. Since then, she had repeatedly exined that it was an ident and that she had been too panicked in that situation that she gave such a response. However, Miles knew she had waited for that moment all along. With Harriette''s disappearance, she took the chance and announced herself as the Young family heiress.


    "It''s okay." Harriette forced a smile and looked at him. "Miles, I know I don''t have a ce in the family anymore. But don''t worry. My return won''t be permanent this time. I came back simply because I missed Grandpa... a lot." "Harriette!" Miles frowned, refusing to listen to such words. He looked at her long face and solidified the decision he had made long ago.


    He held her hand. "Now that you''re back, you should stay. It took me so long to find you. Grandpa would''ve been ted to know you''re back. As for the others..."


    He narrowed his gaze and seemingly made a promise. "Whatever was yours, I''ll get it back for you."


    Whatever was hers... Harriette''s gaze brightened briefly but soon reverted to her initial look of indifference. She didn''t respond because she knew what he meant by that.


    Feeling Miles'' care and remorse, she found herself somewhat intrigued. If he realized there was more to what she felt she deserved, would he get them back for her too?


    She soon had an answer-yes! Her heart couldn''t help but skip a beat. She looked forward to what was toe...


    Inside the auction venue, Rose became bored as she watched each item getting auctioned off. She couldn''t leave until she discovered Kelly''s traces from Anastasia, who sat in the front row. As such, she could only wait. She nned to get some fresh air when Miles returned to his seat.


    "Miles."


    "Rosie." He stroked her head affectionately, his warm smile a stark contrast to his expression earlier. It was as if he freed all his strangeness from earlier after returning from outside.


    What happened to him outside? Rose nced curiously at the door.


    Following that, Miles'' excitement became contagious as Rose couldn''t help but notice his constant gazing in a direction.


    She followed his line of sight and


    saw someone. It was her-the woman who helped her outside and bid against her just now! Harriette still had on her sunsses at that moment.


    Initially, Rose thought she was looking at her. Gradually, she realized she was looking at Miles instead!


    Not only that, but Rose could also distinctly see the warm smile they shed at each other. Recalling the previous night, she suddenly had an epiphany.


    By then, she was almost confident that the woman in sunsses was Miles'' "old acquaintance"! An ex-girlfriend... perhaps?


    Examining their eye contact, Rose became increasingly certain of her guess. The auctioning onstage was suddenly tossed into oblivion.


    She sat quietly by his side and delightfully enjoyed the scene. Her tant observation quickly caught Miles'' notice.


    Rose didn''t conceal her excitement either and raised her brows. "Aren''t you going to introduce me to someone, Miles?"


    Miles recalled his promise to Harriette earlier. "Yeah. I willter." Not only to Rose but to everybody!


    Then, he nced at Hariette again. He became more resolute in his decision when he thought of all the possible grievances she had experienced during her disappearance. "Alright!" Rose was full of anticipation. Thanks to Miles, she then looked at the woman with an added hint of friendliness.


    She continued admiring their interaction while waiting for the auction to end. Of course, a certain someone wouldn''t let her off so easily.


    "The next item up for auction is the


    highlight of today''s event. The item''s owner is none other than the


    organizer of today''s charity auction, the Young family heiress, Ms. Anastasia Young!"


    Hearing Anastasia''s name from the auctioneer pulled Rose''s focus back to the stage. Simrly, Miles'' expression shifted when hearing her title.


    On the other hand, Harriette looked at her recement and saw her donning a ck and white gown-the same colorbination as hers. How coincidental!


    Anastasia gradually made her way to the stage with elegance, acting like how a real heiress would. Harriette took it in and smiled, murmuring, "Long time no see... Anastasia!"


    On stage, Anastasia weirdly felt a chill. When she looked into the crowd, she received all sorts of admiring gazes.


    She had just received news that Jonathan was on his way to the auction. As expected, he would do anything to be here as long as Rose was.


    She was incredibly jealous of how Rose could win his heart, yet she couldn''t afford to let envy control her. After all, she had more important things to do now.


    Faced with anticipating gazes,


    Anastasia smiled gently. "Thank you


    everybody for attending the charity


    auction today. Actually, I have a


    personal motive when organizing


    this event as well.


    toFindNovel


    "I''m divorced. As of now, I remain only as the Young family heiress. As for any new titles in the future... Well, I look forward to it!"


    Her announcing her rtionship status and the ambiguous statement at the end led some to think of her entanglement with Jonathan. "Do you mean a new identity as Mrs. Finch?

 Chapter 517 Misled

    A random person in the audience raised that question.


    The identity of Mrs. Finch naturally meant being Jonathan''s wife. The crowd soon looked at Anastasia with suspense, awaiting her response. Of course, she meant being Jonathan''s wife, but she couldn''t make it obvious. She grumbled yfully with a smile. "Hey, I didn''t say that." Although her words denied it, her tone added more ambiguity to her statement.


    ncing at the entrance and finding no sight of Jonathan, Anastasia was slightly relieved, continuing, "The item I''m auctioning today is a ring I received not long ago."


    Following her words, the staff moved the disy stand onto the stage. The item on the stand was covered with a silk cloth.


    When hearing that the item was a ring, Rose was taken aback and almost instinctively thought of the red diamond ring on Anastasia''s hand. With bated breath, she watched Anastasia remove the silk cloth and reveal the ring... Not only Rose, but the audience also held their breath with shock in their eyes. That diamond ring...


    "Red diamond!"


    "I can''t believe it''s a red diamond. And it''s so big!"


    "The design is full of ingenuity, and the cutting craftsmanship is absolutely perfect. More importantly, the size! It''s a scarce item!"


    "How did you get such a big red diamond cut, Ms. Young?" a curious person asked.


    Everyone knew Young''s House of Jewels was the leading yer in the industry. Still, such arge cut with a perfect red hue was a real rarity.


    The audience quickly caught the look of tenderness in Anastasia''s eyes. Suddenly, their assumption from earlier solidified. Could it really be...


    "A friend of mine gifted this to me. As for how he acquired the red diamond, I have no idea." Anastasia''s voice echoed in the venue.


    A friend of hers... Was it who they thought it was?


    "I heard that arge red diamond was discovered at the Finch Group''s overseas mine not long ago..."


    "Yes, I heard that too. Well, only Finch Group has that kind of money."


    "So, does that mean Ms. Young''s ring was Mr. Finch''s..."


    The more they connected their theories, the more they believed they were right. Anastasia and Jonathan had been friends since childhood. Even if she had been married once, what mattered more was that they genuinely loved each other. Amid the heated discussion, a person piped up. "During the Young family inheritance disputetely, Mr. Finch had seemingly helped Ms. Young."


    "Seemingly? He did. One of my coborators even received a specific order from Mr. Finch..."


    "If that''s the case, then Ms. Young and Mr. Finch..."


    By then, the audience had reckoned their theory was true. Still, Anastasia should announce the good news herself.


    Regardless, the dynamic had shifted between her and the audience. Some were even ready to treat her with the respect that only the wife of the ruler of Finch Group should receive. Although the chatter was inescapable, Rose stared nkly at the ring. How could she not recognize it? She had the same ring!


    In any case, she wasn''t the only one who recognized it as Miles was stumped to see it too. He was about to say something to her but was interrupted by the sound from the entrance.


    The noise wasn''t subtle, prompting many to look toward the door. When they saw the person who had entered, they were stunned. Wasn''t that... Jonathan?


    His hair was slightly damp, as if dripping with sweat, and his ck shirt clung tightly to his chest. His rapid breathing made him look like he had been through an intense workout.


    The first thing Jonathan did upon


    entering was to look for Rose. After scanning the room, he caught sight of her figure, but she didn''t look in


    his direction. Despite feeling


    §ï§Ý


    dejected, he was pleased enough to see her.


    Not wanting to attract more attention, Jonathan simply found an empty seat and sat down amid the concentrating gazes on him. However, those looks felt rather ambiguous.


    He frowned and crossed his arms across his chest, visibly impatient. Instantly, the crowd retracted their gazes.


    Perhaps... Jonathan disliked others discussing his private business. At that thought, they pretended like nothing had happened.


    The entire time, he spared no nce at Anastasia on stage. Although disappointed, she had a way of making him see her soon. Curling her lips into a smile, she continued her speech.


    "I hope this ring will find its rightful owner!"


    It was only then the audience realized Anastasia wanted to auction off the ring Jonathan had gifted her! If it was a present from him, why not cherish it? Why would she sell it? Everybody was baffled.


    Meanwhile, Jonathan''s expression


    darkened when he saw the ring on


    the disy stand. He radiated


    coldness and prompted the Poet


    around him to nce over


    cautiously, only to see him staring at


    the ring with a menacing gaze.


    When Anastasia descended the stage, a person raised their paddle. "100 thousand dors..." As though knowing the price was far from the actual value, their voice sounded visibly hesitant. "200 thousand."


    "300 thousand..."


    Bids came in one after another, and soon the price reached five million dors.


    "Ten million!" The powerful, resounding voice was unmistakablymanding. The crowd followed the source of the sound and saw Jonathan, who had acquired a bid paddle at some point. The auctioneer announced, "Number 36 has offered ten million dors! Do I hear more?"


    The audience was dead silent. Who would dare to bid against Jonathan?


    His expression was filled with anger, as though unwilling for anyone else to get it. Connecting the theory from earlier, the audience seemed to have found the answer to their question.


    Perhaps the couple had a fallout,


    and Anastasia was auctioning off the ring out of spite. Still, it was a bizarre sc¨¦nario, seeing one was selling it while the other was buying it back with ten million dors. How extravagant!


    Just as the crowd thought the ring would be auctioned off at ten million dors, another voice rang in the venue.


    "20 million!"


    Those two simple words resembled a thunderstrike, pulling everyone''s focus to the owner of that voice. They were stunned when they saw who it was.


    "20 million, offered by the gentleman with Number 95!" the auctioneer announced.


    Wasn''t Number 95 the person who purchased Oliver''s suit at 30 million dors earlier?

 Chapter 518 Handing the Ring to Him

    He had just spent 30 million on Oliver''s suit and was now bidding again! Who was this extravagant fellow? Rose was just in the middle of feeling bitter about Jonathan''s bid when Clover''s voice pulled her back to reality.


    When she looked at him, he wore a mischievous smile. Although others did not decipher the meaning behind his smile, Jonathan saw it vividly. What did Clover n to do? "Number 95 has raised the bid to 20 million. Do I have a higher offer?" The auctioneer carried on with the event.


    At that point, everyone looked toward Jonathan. He was probably the only one who could bid higher than 20 million dors. As expected, Jonathan raised his paddle. "30 million." The crowd descended into utter silence.


    Without waiting for the auctioneer, Clover followed up with a 40 million dor bid.


    This time, even the experienced auctioneer was astounded by the scene, let alone the audience. She regained herposure and said, "Number 95 has raised the bid to¡ª" "50 million!" That imposing voice interrupted the auctioneer.


    This round, the crowd was startled and even thought they had misheard his bid. An increase of ten million dors each time... Who bid like that?


    Despite the baffled crowd, the auctioneer continued, "Mr. Finch... has offered 50 million. Does anyone..." She deliberately slowed down her words, as though ready to be interjected again. However, there was no interruption this time. "No other offers?" she inquired again.


    All the gazes were directed toward Number 95. Clover continued smiling despite all eyes being on him, seemingly prepared to increase his bid. However, Emily halted him.


    "That''s enough, Mr. Xanth. Don''t forget. We have a coboration with Finch Group..." She understood his intention as soon as he bid.


    His goal wasn''t the ring onstage, but to provoke Jonathan. He raised his brows. "Fine. He can have it." With an increment of 40 million dors, that ought to avenge Rose and give him a lesson!


    Emily smiled without saying a word. She knew Clover couldn''t stand Rose experiencing even a bit of grievance.


    "50 million, going once... Going twice... Sold! Congrattions to this gentleman for acquiring Ms. Young''s diamond ring!" The auctioneer hit the hammer, officializing the deal.


    The crowd remained silent, as though stunned from the previous bidding. That was 50 million dors from Jonathan! Why was he so intent on getting the ring, though? The crowd soon arrived to a conclusion.


    It was because of... love!


    By then, everybody was confident that Anastasia had auctioned off the ring out of spite after her fallout with Jonathan, which caused the following event they witnessed earlier. No matter the price, he was intent on retrieving the ring!


    That should be enough to earn Anastasia''s forgiveness, right? The crowd turned toward her and distinctly saw the gentle smile on her face.


    "She must be so happy!" they thought.


    Well, of course, she was. During the National Jewelry Design Award in Aquastead, Jonathan spent 30 million dors purchasing the couple rings Rose designed. This time he had spent 50 million in buying hers. Rose had to be heartbroken by then.


    Anastasia looked smugly at Rose, who seemed upset and in a daze.


    Even if Rose stopped looking at the ring, its image continually resurfaced in her mind. Countless spections arose in her heart, only to be dismissed with her feigned nonchnce.


    The way Jonathan bid for the ring with utter determination made her feel extremely upset like a rock was sitting on her chest.


    "Rosie..." Suddenly, Miles held her hand.


    Rose turned and met his consoling eyes. Almost instinctively, she forced a smile. "I''m fine, Miles."


    But how could she be fine with such a bitter smile on her face? Miles frowned. He knew she cared about the ring and Jonathan, but she fooled herself to think otherwise. "Rosie, I know him. He''s got nothing to do with Anastasia." Miles was probably the only person who could guarantee that.


    "The girl they thought had grown up with Miles isn''t Anastasia. Jonathan has no feelings for her at all!" He eagerly wanted to dismiss all the spection that could upset her. However, Rose''s mind was flooded with that ring. She smiled at Miles and mncholically withdrew her gaze.


    "Mr. Finch has just signed the contract. From now on, this ring belongs to Mr. Finch. Earlier, Ms. Young mentioned wanting to hand this ring over to him. What do you say, Mr. Finch?" the auctioneer asked.


    This was a procedure that none of the previous auction items had. As such, many anticipated to see what was next and even wanted to cheer.


    However, that person was Jonathan... They suppressed their excitement and turned toward him, awaiting his response.


    Under countless gazes, Jonathan


    rose from his seat. Most of the audience was excited, but Rose, Miles, Clover, and Emily frowned. Was he really nning to retrieve the ring from Anastasia?


    The crowd seemed to be expecting the romantic gesture between Jonathan and Anastasia. As soon as he got on that stage, it should confirm their guesses, right?


    For a moment, even Miles couldn''tprehend Jonathan''s intention.


    Clover''s face darkened after ncing at Rose. "Jonathan Finch..." While frowning, he vowed to himself that he would punish Jonathan if he did anything to hurt Rose on that stage.


    In actuality, Jonathan felt all the burning gazes and anticipated cheers from everyone. He even felt Miles'' confusion and Clover''s fury, yet... Rose did not even look at him.


    With a frown, he stopped briefly upon arriving at her row and continued forward. When he went onto the stage, a wave of apuse sounded.


    Even Anastasia was surprised by how quickly he came onstage, saving all her premeditated tricks to lure him there.


    She looked at Jonathan, her heart skipping a beat. Amid the loud apuse, she found her bearings and ascended the stage with a smile.

 Chapter 519 A Public Confession

    The handsome ruler of Finch Group and the stunning heiress of the Young family stood side by side, looking utterlypatible to the eyes of the audience.


    The way she looked at him was full of affection, and even the auctioneer felt like she was third-wheeling. After cing the ring into Anastasia''s hand, she quickly descended the stage. With that, the two stood onstage, fueling the ambiguity in the air. Anastasia almost couldn''t contain her excitement. She held the ring and couldn''t help but think of the n she had concocted to provoke Rose.


    She initially wanted to sow discord between Rose and Jonathan, but at that moment, she desired more. She wished she could freeze time and stand by Jonathan''s side forever, epting the praising and admiring gazes as they did now. Only she deserved to be with him! "Aren''t you going to give that to me, Ms. Young?" Jonathan piped up, piercing the silent yet ambiguous air.


    The way he urged her sounded like he couldn''t wait to get the ring. But what would he do after he received it? Would he return it to Anastasia as a gift in front of everyone? Yes, that had to be it! The crowd became increasingly excited.


    Jonathan''s reminder pulled Anastasia back to reality. She handed the ring, together with its exquisite box, to him with a smile. Knowing Rose was watching, she gazed at him even more affectionately.


    As expected, Rose felt her heart clenching at that moment. Even Clover couldn''t help but stand up.


    Meanwhile, Jonathan retrieved the ring box from Anastasia and closely appraised the ring. "What a ring," heplimented.


    "Jonathan..." Clover growled.


    Before he could say more, Jonathan interrupted him. "Too bad..." He sighed and shook his head.


    Too bad? What went wrong?


    The crowd couldn''tprehend him. Despite that, they still firmly believed that Jonathan would give the ring to Anastasia by putting it on her finger.


    As such, they watched with anticipation but slowly realized that wasn''t happening. Instead, Jonathan held the ring with an indecipherable look.


    After some time, he slowly recounted, "Last time, at the National Jewelry Design Award organized by the Young''s House of Jewels in Aquastead, I purchased a pair of couple rings." His voice was calm.


    The crowd assumed he was retelling the ring''s origin and quickly became invested. Everyone perked up and paid attention to his words but failed to notice Anastasia, standing beside him, looking stiff. Her anxiety spiked at that moment.


    "Those pair of rings were designed by an exceptionally talented designer. I used the red diamond from my family to craft them ording to the design blueprint."


    Instantly, the crowd was shocked to know Jonathan had partaken in making the ring. Since Young''s House of Jewels was the leading yer in the industry, while Anastasia was a jewelry designer, it all made perfect sense. On top of that, the red diamond came from the Finches!


    "I spent an entire day and night on this. I shall consider this a coborative work between the designer and I," Jonathan continued. Suddenly, his lips curled into a content and optimistic smile.


    When retelling the stories about the ring and its designer, the crowd noticed that the originally cold and harsh Jonathan had transformed into a gentle and warm man.


    That version of him was unlike anything they had seen, and it was precisely because of that designer that revealed this side of him!


    "When I purchased these couple rings, I gave one of them to her. At that time, I even saw myself spending the rest of my life with her. I believe she knows how I feel as well."


    Then, Jonathan gazed toward the audience. Rose looked up, meeting his burning gaze. The image of his solemn side profile when gifting her the ring resurfaced in her mind, leaving her in a daze. His words, "I saw myself spending the rest of my life with her", continued to echo in her ears, rendering her so shy that she couldn''t meet his eyes.


    Jonathan''s public confession instantly sent the crowd into a frenzy. They didn''t expect him to be such a romantic! With such a genuine and grand confession, one would expect he would propose next! That assumption made everyone in the audience perk up, while some women directed their admiring gazes to Anastasia.


    At that moment, the doors to the venue swung open with a bang, prompting the crowd to look over in unison. Some recognized the man to be Jonathan''s right-hand man, and he was pushing an object.


    When Jonathan saw Leonard, he


    revealed a smirk. "It''s about time he


    thought. He nced indifferently at the red diamond ring in his palm, his gentleness from earlier converting inte harsh coldness.


    The object Leonard brought piqued everyone''s curiosity. However, the words that came out of Jonathan next shocked them.


    "The pair of rings belong to a man and woman, while this... Well, since this is an extra one, there''s no point in keeping it!" By the time he finished his words, Leonard had already moved the object onto the stage.


    While the crowd was still confused by Jonathan''s words, Leonard removed the lid on the handcart. Instantly, a burst of fiery red steam erupted. "What''s that?" The audience couldn''t see it.


    However, Anastasia saw it crystal clear. That was moltenva! Was Jonathan nning to...


    "You can''t, Jon!" She instinctively stopped him.


    However, that was the moltenva


    Jonathan had Leonard arrange to be transported by helicopter from a researchboratory in Regalia! Why would a few feeble words from Anastasia stop Jonathan from doing what he wanted?


    He smiled faintly and extended that diamond ring toward theva-filled container.


    "Jon, you can''t destroy it. It''s mine..." Anastasia blurted out of panic.


    Jonathan''s hand, holding the ring, trembled slightly, and his mocking smile deepened. "It''s yours? If I remember correctly, I''ve just spent 50 million on this ring and even signed the contract. "Then, you handed the ring to me. I thought this ring belonged to me now. Isn''t that right? What do you guys think?"


    He looked at the audience, but the crowd was too stunned to think by then.


    What was happening? Didn''t he purchase the ring to give it to Anastasia? He looked so gentle when making his confession. Why did he seem so cold and nonchnt when looking at her? And what did she mean by "you can''t"? What was she preventing him from doing?


    The audience gazed at Jonathan, and his question lingered in their mind. Almost instinctively, they nodded in agreement.


    "Of course, the ring belongs to you, Mr. Finch!"

 Chapter 520 There Can Only Be One of This Ring

    Since Jonathan had spent 50 million dors on the ring, it naturally belonged to him!


    He raised his brows at that answer. Then, he nced at the container filled with moltenva. "Since it belongs to me, nobody can tell me what I can or can''t do with it, right?"


    Of course, he meant Anastasia, who felt embarrassed by his words. However, things only got worse for her from then on. What could she do when Jonathan could bear destroying a red diamond ring? She had no solutions against him. Anastasia''s hand remained frozen in the air, a pleading look evident on her face. Yet, Jonathan spared no nces at her before tossing the ring into the container, causing sparks to fly.


    It was only then the audience understood something. "That''s... moltenva..."


    "The high temperature of moltenva is enough to melt diamonds. Did Mr. Finch just..." Destroy the diamond ring!


    "But why?"


    Suddenly, everyone looked at the two figures on stage. By then, they had detached from their theories and slowly understood Jonathan wouldn''t have destroyed it if he cared about it. So, it could only mean...


    He hated that ring and would spend 50 million dors to obliterate it if it meant erasing it from existence!


    When they recalled Jonathan''s confession earlier, they were confident he was expressing his love for that designer. Why would he...


    "I think everyone here misunderstood something. Like I said, this ring is an extra one. The one I made ording to the blueprint is with the designer.


    "It''s unique, and there shouldn''t be another simr one," Jonathan exined calmly. His voice mixed with theva-melting sound created an eerie atmosphere.


    Jonathan had called them out for their false assumptions. Since the one he melted was the extra one, it meant...


    "The designer wasn''t Ms. Young!" a person voiced out the crowd''s realization. They looked in unison at Anastasia with strange looks and realized they had been misled and misunderstood the situation.


    Intending to protect her dignity, Anastasia quickly rified, "Uh, I saw the design blueprint at the time and really liked it. That''s why I made one myself. I was aware that the copyright for that design belongs to Young''s House of Jewels. I just liked it too much." Was that why she replicated the ring? Because she liked it too much?


    Below the stage, Miles and Clover paid no heed to her words. Regardless of her intention when making the ring, it was evident she wanted to mislead everyone when auctioning the ring. Of course, she wouldn''t have anticipated Jonathan to melt a ring he had spent 50 million dors on!


    Clover nced at Jonathan onstage, scoffing. "That''s much better."


    Not only did Jonathan destroy the ring, but he also expected Anastasia to misdirect the crowd. However, he crossed the line at the possibility of Rose believing her lies. Hence, he had to rify.


    "I did not grow up with Ms. Young, let alone was her childhood sweetheart. We don''t interact much generally, and we definitely don''t have any romantic entanglements.


    "So, I ask everyone to stop specting. If my loved... one took this wrongly, I''d have to face her wrath at home!" Jonathan smiled.


    Although it sounded yful, his


    words shocked many in the


    audience. It sounded like Jonathan was about to say "lover" but changed to "loved one" in the end. He also said he''d have to face her wrath at home. Huh? That sounded like what a married man would say!


    Since everyone had made a blunder earlier, they dared not create more assumptions. However, one person couldn''t contain their curiosity. "Mr. Finch, may I ask you a question?"


    Jonathan replied, "Sure."


    "Who''s your loved... one?"


    Upon hearing that direct question,


    everyone held their breath and secretly apuded that person''s bravery, Everyone gazed at Jonathan with suspense, knowing for a fact that all of Regalia would


    focus on his "loved one" as soon as


    he answered the question.


    In the audience, Rose could feel her heart in her throat. She was stunned by Jonathan''s actions and knew his confession was directed at her, no matter how much she looked away from him. His loved one... She sighed faintly to ease her emotional fluctuations, stimted by Jonathan.


    Despite that, her heart continued pounding. Especially after the question from that random person, she felt her breath hitching.


    On her side, Miles'' expression. He knew that as soon as Jonathan exposed Rose under the limelight, all the scrutiny and discussion would focus on her. Inevitably, she would be ufortable.


    Even if she had to publicize her rtionship with Jonathan one day, she needed to have enough confidence andposure to handle any external scrutiny.


    What Miles had been doing was to aid her in that aspect. However, it wasn''t the right time to expose her yet.


    He frowned and vowed to elerate his n. After making the decision, he looked at Jonathan onstage and was ready to stop him at any moment.


    Clover carried the same sentiment and concern as Miles. While preparing to interrupt Jonathan, he was also considering the possibility of something else...


    "Well... She''s here today!" Jonathan locked his gaze in a specific direction. His gaze was passionate, prompting Rose to gulp her saliva nervously.


    The crowd quickly followed his line of sight but missed her when he averted his gaze. As such, they hoped he would announce the mysterious woman who had captured his heart. However... Jonathan smiled faintly. "But she prefers to keep a low profile. If I expose her to you guys, she might actually get mad at me. So, please spare me from upsetting her."


    The formidable Mr. Finch, known for


    his dominance in the business


    world, now seemed like a henpecked husband. The crowd was startled and gradually felt the


    disappointment, while Rose, Miles, and Clover were relieved.


    "That''s what I thought!" Clover scoffed. Since Jonathan had resolved the "crisis", he could now fully consider his new idea. Amid his thoughts, he suddenly asked Emily a question.

 Chapter 521 Getting Involved

    "Say, what do you think about adding a daughter to the family? Do you think the elders would be happy?" Although it was a question, Clover seemed to already have an answer when asking it.


    Emily was at a loss for words. The two had always had a tacit understanding in their cooperation, and she could always grasp his intention from just a sentence. But... what did he mean this time? She was clueless. Just as she pondered, Clover nodded with satisfaction. "That''s it."


    Emily was perplexed. "Mr. Xanth..."


    However, he had no means of responding to her, making her even more baffled by the sudden situation. Suddenly, she saw him rising from his seat.


    A series of crisp and loud ps sounded in the venue, with the one apuding being...


    Pulling the crowd''s attention from the henpecked husband that was Jonathan, Clover, who held the Number 95 paddle earlier, became their new focus.


    "Have you done what you came here for, Mr. Finch?" Clover urged Jonathan with a hint of impatience, as though saying, "If you have, get off the stage now!"


    Jonathan frowned. Indeed, he hadpleted his mission. ncing at the long-vanished ring inside the container, he smiled contentedly and descended the stage.


    At that moment, Clover gave Emily some instructions before heading toward the stage. When the two men crossed paths, Jonathan nced at him but eventually suppressed the words he wanted to say.


    By the time Jonathan returned to his seat, Clover had taken the stage. He nced at Anastasia, still on the tform, and frowned.


    "Ms. Young?" He was loud, but she was visibly in a daze. As such, he called out to her again.


    "Ms. Young?" He raised his tone and even snapped his finger before her this time.


    The sudden noise shook Anastasia. Then, he yfully asked, "What''s left you so deep in thought, Ms. Young?"


    What else could she be thinking? What kind of silly question was that? Whatever had just transpired was way out of her expectations. She was reluctant to ept reality, exining her daze. It wasn''t until Clover''s appearance that she regained her senses. In response, she quickly smiled. "N-Nothing. Maybe..."


    Her mind was in chaos. She was so stunned that she didn''t notice Jonathan had returned to his seat. She wanted to make up another excuse but couldn''t think of anything. As such, she awkwardly tucked her hair behind her ear.


    "Is there any other matter, Ms. Young?" Clover''s intention to get her off stage was evident from his frown.


    Despite her anger, Anastasia knew she couldn''t afford to further humiliate herself. Amid the strange gazes being shot at her, she bitterly forced a smile when descending the stage.


    The more she suppressed her true emotions, the more reluctant she felt. Never in her wildest dreams would she expect the oue where Jonathan dered to everyone he had no feelings for her.


    How horrible was that? All of this was caused by Rose! Without her, there wouldn''t be such an oue!


    Anastasia secretly clenched her fists and seamlessly nced toward Rose. Seeing the smile on her face, Anastasia was taken aback. What was that? Was she being smug and victorious?


    At that moment, her resentment toward Rose grew. Yet, unbeknownst to her, Rose''s smile had nothing to do with her.


    Clover was onstage gazing at Rose. With him, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Ever since they knew each other, he and Emily had been nothing but kind to her. It was the type of kindness that was pure and genuine. As such, Rose greatly appreciated their friendship.


    Locking eyes with Clover, Rose could feel the smile in his eyes. Naturally, she reciprocated it.


    Subsequently, he saw Emily gesturing at him. It was then he knew the job was done. He unhesitantly asked, "Since Ms. Young had presented Mr. Finch with his auction item earlier, may I enjoy that privilege too?"


    The crowd was stunned, especially Anastasia. Did Clover want her to hand him his purchase too? Since he had bought Oliver''s suit with 30 million dors, he should naturally take advantage of this "privilege". "Clo-"Anastasia couldn''t see through him. She had just spoken when Clover interrupted her.


    "But I don''t need Ms. Young to hand it to me. I just need the organizer to send the item I bought onto the stage. My assistant has just signed the contract and footed the bill. That suit is now mine!"


    His tone was serious. Of course, the item belonged to him after he signed the contract.


    "It is yours." Anastasia stared at Clover, still deciphering his intention.


    Although she couldn''t understand him, she knew he wasn''t to be underestimated. After all, he was part of the Xanth family and Lerain Group holding great power and wealth. He also happened to be the only heir of thepany.


    "Send it on stage then," Clover ordered.


    Despite her unwillingness, Anastasia couldn''t afford to disobey him. That would give people plenty to talk about. After some hesitation, she signaled one of the staff.


    Soon enough, the staff delivered the suit onstage. Sitting in the audience, Rose couldn''t help but perk up and wonder what Clover was up to.


    Not only her, but Miles, Jonathan, and Harriette also frowned in confusion. Only Emily saw through his intentions.


    "Oh, Mr. Xanth. Always attention-seeking and leaving no room for others to enjoy the spotlight," she thought. Then, she nced at Rose.


    When the suit was brought upon the stage, Rose straightened her back. Her gaze was tinted with reverence, as though the owner of the suit was wearing it and standing before her.


    Amid the shocked crowd, Clover''s


    crisp and boastful voice sounded.


    "This suit used to belong to Mr. ¨¨ Young Senior. I''m aware it shouldn''t carry any sentiment to me, but t` holds great significance to a person I care about.


    "That is why I purchased it as a gift for the person I''m about to acknowledge as my family."

 Chapter 522 Miles Objection

    Clover''s voice echoed in the venue. His words carried too much information at once, sending the crowd into a daze. Who was the person he cared about? Spending 30 million on a gift was definitely a choice, and avish one. While everyone focused on his extravagance, those who knew who Clover was talking about were confused. Acknowledgment as his family?


    "Don''t tell me..." Emily was the first to guess it. Although she knew Clover like the back of her hand, she was still immensely shocked by the revtion. Other than one possibility, she couldn''t think any others. Soon enough, Clover''s next words confirmed her assumptions.


    "I may not have known her for long, but it feels like we''ve known each other forever. It''s as if she were my long-lost sibling. Today, I''d like to take the opportunity and ask everyone to witness this moment for me." He smiled and looked into the audience. "Rose, will you be my sister?"


    Immediately, everyone followed his line of sight and saw thedy who had bid on Oliver''s suit earlier-Number 112!


    So, thevish gentleman with Number 95 wanted to recognize Number 112 woman as his sister? With a 30 million dor gift, it was more than enough to show his sincerity!


    Rose was too stunned to notice the surrounding gazes. All she could think about was his words, "Rose, would you be my sister?" His sister...


    Without waiting for her answer, Miles became the first to object. "What on earth are you talking about? Mr. Xanth, you can''t just go around taking anyone in as your sister. You''re acting foolish, and I suggest you stop the act!"


    The usually elegant and gentle Miles looked grim at that moment, as though radiating hostility toward someone who tried to steal his undivided belongings.


    He had always thought Clover harbored romantic feelings toward Rose. Thus, this came as a surprise to him. How could he sit still and do nothing?


    His hostility was so intense that anyone around could feel it. Some were even scared to breathe aloud upon sensing his coldness.


    His reaction prompted some thoughts in Harriette. Wasn''t she supposed to be his most beloved sister? But why was he...


    It was clear that Miles was filled with anger and jealousy at that point. He looked at Rose and descended into his thoughts. But despite facing Miles'' objection, Clover couldn''t be more unbothered.


    "I''m not just taking in anyone. I''m serious. If Rosie agrees, I''ll inform the Xanth elders to take a trip here to Aquastead. Then, she''ll be one of us. What do you think, Rosie?" His gaze was full of love.


    Still in a daze from his previous statement, Rose remained stupefied when cued. "Clover, I... This is too big of a matter. I..." Her thoughts were in a mess.


    The Xanth family''s influence abroad wasparable to the Finch family''s influence domestically. She didn''t befriend Clover for those external factors, and the fact that he wanted her as his sister was undoubtedly a steal of a deal. Things would be simpler if it were just them. However, considering the family members behind Clover, it was uncertain what kind of impact she would bring to the family if she joined them.


    "Mr. Xanth, that''s Rosie''s way of rejecting you." Anastasia suddenly piped up, afraid Rose would agree if she didn''t reject him in her stead.


    Her words quickly angered Clover, who red at her and questioned, "Who are you to chime in?"


    His harsh stone shuddered


    Anastasia''s heart, but she persisted through. "Rosie is part of the Young family. There''s no precedent for an adopted member to arbitrarily recognize someone from another family as their own.


    "Or... Will you cut ties with the Youngs and im kinship with Mr. Xanth instead, Rosie?"


    She had set Rose up. If she couldn''t stop Clover from acknowledging Rose as his sister, she might as well get her out of the Young family. However, her "suggestion" was


    quickly dismissed.


    toFindNovel


    "No way!" It was Miles. He even held Rose''s hand, looking emotional. "Rose will forever be part of the Youngs! Nobody can ever change that!"


    His intense reaction stunned everyone, including Rose. Wasn''t he... overreacting? Meanwhile, Harriette sat in the corner, and her hands formed into fists at some point.


    Clover frowned and was surprised at how "possessive" Miles was with Rose. Regardless, he wouldn''t be affected by Anastasia or Miles'' opinions if he had set his mind on something.


    "I don''t care about the Young family''s rules. All I care about is Rosie''s opinion." Clover remained headstrong and asked for the third time, "Rosie, would you be my sister?"


    This time, his gaze was sincere and full of hope. Rose even had an illusion that if she didn''t say yes, he would...


    "Rosie, if you reject him, he''s probably going to be heartbroken." A woman spoke up beside her. It was Emily. "He may look carefree and indifferent about everything, but..." She sighed.


    For some reason, Rose was affected


    l.ne


    by her simple sigh. Emily continued, "I''ve never seen him treat anyone like this. He once told me you felt extremely familiar to him the first time he saw you. It''s like you guys were family."


    Like family... Wasn''t that how Rose felt toward him?


    "From my understanding, Rosie, he''s probably going to hide from you for the rest of his life if you reject him. Or perhaps... leave the country."


    Rose was rendered speechless, knowing Emily had exaggerated. However, she knew she couldn''t maintain her friendship with Clover if she rejected him now.


    Miles was getting anxious and even red at Emily. "Rosie, don''t listen to her. Clover-"


    "I think, you should do it." A voice interrupted Miles.


    Rose looked at Jonathan and frowned. Why was he getting involved now?


    "Jonathan!" Miles'' voice carried a warning tone.


    Yet, Jonathan merely raised his brows. "I''m very touched by the way Mr. Xanth treats Rosie. Besides, Oliver''s suit..."

 Chapter 523 Having Her Back

    "I can pay for that..." Miles hurriedly interrupted Jonathan. However, he realized Clover had purchased it and wouldn''t give it to him even if he offered a higher price.


    Clover was so calcted to foot the bill and sign the contract beforehand. That way, Miles couldn''t do anything about it!


    At that point, Miles regretted his action earlier. Had he not been distracted by Harriette, he could''ve prevented Clover from purchasing the suit! He looked at Clover onstage and saw his annoying smile. Although Clover was shocked to receive Jonathan''s support, he quickly seized the chance and added, "It''s okay, Rosie. Even if you refuse to be my sister, I''ll still gift this suit to you!"


    His genuine expression, paired with Emily''s characterization of him, made the usually arrogant man look rather pitiful at that moment. It would be hard to hurt someone with a face like that. He stared at Rose, awaiting her decision.


    "Clover!" Miles tightened his fists. He didn''t expect the CEO of Lerain Group to resort to such dirty tricks! The worst part was... Rose fell for it.


    He gripped tighter on her forearm. "Rosie..."


    "Rosie, if you reject him, he''ll feel extremely humiliated." Emily gave no chance to Miles.


    It was three people against Miles. The oue was all too predictable. As expected, Rose couldn''t bear to hurt Clover.


    "Miles, you''ll always be my brother, but Clover... He''s a friend I appreciate very much," she said with difficulty. Miles was great to her, but so was Clover!


    Rose could vividly feel Miles'' disappointment when she said those words. She knew she had angered him. However, it remained a mystery to her as to why he was so opposed to the idea.


    "That''s right, Rosie. Come on. I''ll lead you up there." Emily tugged Rose''s hand. That was the crucial and final push Emily needed to grant her boss'' wish.


    With Emily''s force, Rose slipped away from Miles'' grasp. Feeling the emptiness in his palm, he instinctively tightened his grip but missed her. After sensing a gaze on him, he turned in that direction.


    When he saw Harriette nodding at him with a smile, he froze and immediately felt guilty. Clover did everything he could to purchase Oliver''s suit for Rose, but what did he do?


    His mind was upied by Harriette and her return,pletely ignoring the bidding war between her and Rose, and how thetter was in trouble. It was all thanks to Clover''s help that Rose got the suit, so how could she reject him after all that he had done? Miles chuckled dryly and withdrew his hand. He sat pathetically and recalled his promise to Harriette earlier. For a moment, he hesitated.


    When he looked up and saw Rose beside Clover, he strangely found the two physically alike. Not only him, but Emily felt the same way. However, she didn''t overthink it. Jonathan, who had returned to his seat, looked mysterious.


    "Sir, why do I feel like... Mrs. Finch and Mr. Xanth look... kinda alike?" Leonard couldn''t help but whisper to Jonathan.


    Without waiting for thetter''s response, he continued, "Mrs. Finch is stunning, while Mr. Xanth is handsome. I can''t deny that all hot people have simrities."


    Was that the only reason though? Jonathan stared at the two onstage. When recalling the conversation with Zac on the phonest night, he smiled and said nothing.


    Meanwhile, everyone''s focus was directed at Rose and Clover. He caressed her head and asked, "Would you like to be my sister?"


    Rose naturally agreed. She smiled and nodded. For some reason, she had always harbored an inexplicable sense of familiarity with him.


    After agreeing, it felt like something had opened up inside her. It was a strange feeling. Yet, it wasparable to the one she experienced when she first met Oliver. "Clover..." Rose piped up.


    Clover scrunched his originally smiling face. "Still with that formality?"


    She understood him. "No, Clo!"


    "That''s right!" Heughed heartily.


    Apuse soon echoed in the venue, and the crowd finally knew Clover''s identity, He announced, "From now on, the Xanth family and Lerain Group will have your back!" His voice echoed loudly.  en FindNovel


    Lerain Group... The Xanth family... It was only then the crowd realized the situation.


    "You mean the Lerain Group?"


    "There''s only one Lerain Group by the Xanths..."


    Although the Xanth family was primarily involved in international ventures, they still had considerable fame domestically.


    To their surprise, the Number 95 gentleman was a member of the Xanths! No wonder he could purchase a suit with 30 million dors!


    In the meantime, the crowd looked at Rose with strange looks.


    One might consider her lucky when


    Oliver adopted her into the Young family. But when Clover spent so much money and effort, while ying the pity card simultaneously, just to win Rose''s heart, it couldn''t have just been luck.


    On top of that, she was the one who held Oliver''s memorial photo at his funeral.


    "This is my first gift for my sister. Whatever you want in the future, I''ll buy them all for you!" Clover handed the suit to Rose.


    If the idea of acknowledging Rose as his sister had sprouted out of excitement and on a whim, now, seeing his sister before him made him feel inexplicably fulfilled.


    At that moment, he would love nothing more than to bring all the good things in the world to her. Rose was naturally touched by his kindness and affection.


    As enthusiastic as Clover was, she hadn''t forgotten about Miles. When she looked at the audience and saw


    him, he broke eye contact with her. She was slightly taken aback


    "He must be mad," she thought.


    "Miles..." she mumbled. She was just about to descend the stage when she saw a figure arriving beside him. Rose easily recognized that person with those sunsses. It was the woman who helped and bid against her earlier!

 Chapter 524 Harriette Is Back

    "What''s wrong, Miles?" Harriette''s concerned voice rang out beside him.


    Miles flinched slightly, feeling theforting warmth of Harriette''s hand in his. She continued speaking, her voice soft and reassuring. "Miles, her name is Rose, isn''t it? I''m d you''ve found a new sister during my absence. I''m grateful to her for being there when I couldn''t." Harriette spoke with a smile, but Miles could sense the underlying sadness in her words, which tugged at his heart.


    "Etta, Rosie... she''s..." Miles subconsciously attempted to exin everything.


    However, Harriette''s smile brightened as she interrupted him gently. "Miles, you don''t have to feel guilty. You can be my brother and someone else''s brother too, just like Rose. She can be your sister and someone else''s sister simultaneously. It''s not a big deal." She continued, "As long as you still have a ce for me in your heart, that''s enough for me. So, I don''t need to feel sad, and neither do you, Miles!"


    Miles'' frown deepened as he considered, "Indeed, Rose could be my sister and someone else''s sister, but is it really that simple not to be saddened by it?"


    He couldn''t deny the irritation that surged within him when Rose acknowledged someone else as her brother. It felt wrong, so he could only imagine Harriette feeling the same way.


    "Is she feeling the same way I was? Concealing her difort behind a forced smile, pretending to be okay for my sake?" he wondered.


    As Miles grappled with his emotions, he couldn''t help but be acutely aware of Harriette''s forced smile and the rasp in her voice, which only intensified his guilt.


    His mind wandered back to the promises he had made to her in the past, and he knew he had to uphold them.


    Miles cleared his mind with a deep breath and allowed a gentle smile to resurface. "Etta," he began softly, "I promise I won''t let you suffer anymore from now on."


    He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, the firmness of his grip an unspoken pledge.


    Feeling the warmth of his hand and the strength in his grip, Harriette couldn''t help but feel a spark of happiness kindle within her.


    "He won''t let me suffer, huh? I''m looking forward to it then," she mused.


    A hint of yfulness appeared in her smile as she said in a seemingly coquettish tone, "Miles, you have never let me suffer any grievances before."


    Miles had always been Harriette''s shield, defending her from life''s adversities. She was sure he would continue to do the same.


    With renewed determination, Miles suddenly raised his voice. "It seems like today is a day for celebration, with everyone having their own joys to share. So why don''t I join in the festivities as well?"


    His words drew everyone''s attention. Up until that moment, most of the crowd had been focused on Clover and Rose. But now, all eyes turned toward Miles, curious about what he had to say.


    The sight of Miles standing there, hand intertwined with a woman''s, instantly sparked spection. They wondered if the eldest son of the Young family was finally in a rtionship and was about to announce some exciting news.


    The guests, filled with anticipation and brimming with excitement, suddenly felt that their attendance at this auction had be even more worthwhile.


    Meanwhile, a certain someone''s expression changed upon seeing the woman beside Miles.


    Anastasia''s face turned ashen, and her eyes widened in shock and horror as she thought, "How could this be possible?"


    She shook her head, trying to steady her thoughts and see more clearly. Yet, as Miles'' voice rang out once more, introducing the woman by his side, Anastasia''s fear only escted.


    "Today, I''d like to introduce someone," Miles began, carefully avoiding Rose''s gaze. "This is "


    "Miles!" Anastasia''s trembling voice interrupted him.


    Miles frowned, casting a cold nce her way. However, he didn''t acknowledge her interruption. Instead, he carried on.


    "This is the eldest daughter of the Young family, Harriette Young!"


    The room fell into a stunned silence.


    "The eldest daughter of the Young family, Harriette Young?" The same thought echoed in everyone''s mind.


    "Isn''t Anastasia supposed to be the eldest daughter? What''s going on?" Whispers of confusion spread among the crowd.


    Almost instinctively, all eyes turned


    to Anastasia, who looked visibly shaken. Her face had gone deathly pale, and her entire body trembled uncontrobly. Any semnce ofposure she had managed to maintain earlier had now crumbled.


    She stared at Miles, her voice rising in desperation. "Miles, where did you find this woman? Have you forgotten that she''s already dead-" "Anastasia."


    The harsh, raspy voice that cut her off sent chills through the air. It belonged to the woman Miles had just introduced as Harriette. Her voice was hoarse and grating, unpleasant to the ear. Anastasia''s heart raced as Harriette gradually released Miles''s hand and approached her. Removing her sunsses, Harriette''s face held a gentle smile as she began speaking. "Anastasia, it''s been a while. Back then, I thought I was surely going to die, but it seems the ancestors of the Young family were watching over me. Aren''t you d I''m back? Anastasia recoiled from the intensity of Harriette''s gaze, but Harriette took hold of her hand, her warm touch sending a chill down Anastasia''s spine.


    "She''s asking me if I''m d that


    she''s back. Well, of course, I''m not!"


    she thought as she met Harriette''s


    eyes. The woman standing before her was the spitting image of the Harriette she once knew. Panic welled up within Anastasia.


    Anastasia couldn''t help but wonder what she should do now that Harriette was back.


    "I... I don''t know you." She forced herself to look away.


    "Miles, you know better than anyone the state of our family after Grandpa passed. I can''t fathom why you''d bring in a woman with an unclear background!" she snapped, her voice sharp and usatory.


    Harriette''s smile faltered, giving way to a bitterugh. "So you don''t want me back. Huh... I thought you might have missed me too, Anastasia. Miles, maybe I shouldn''t have"


    "You did nothing wrong." Miles cut her off firmly before she could finish. After all, The Young family did not belong to Anastasia. Her disapproval of Harriette''s return would have no impact.


    Upon seeing the hurt in Harriette''s eyes, he immediately stepped forward, addressing the crowd with a clear, unwavering voice.


    "What you all may not know is that Anastasia is not the eldest daughter of the Young family. The real heiress is her-Harriette!"


    The revtion struck everyone like a sudden p of thunder, leaving the crowd shocked and confused.


    "What do you mean by that, Mr. Young?" someone finally asked.


    For all these years, they had believed Anastasia to be the true heiress. Yet, they were now facing the possibility that they had been mistaken.


    "Miles, you''d better stop spouting nonsense!" Anastasia shouted, her voice filled with desperation.


    However, Miles was determined. "Let me finish, and then you can decide if I''m lying," he replied firmly.


    His mind was made up-Harriette deserved to reim her rightful ce, and everything needed to return to how it should have been.


    He continued, "Years ago, Grandpa adopted three


    grandchildren-myself, Harriette, andter Anastasia. When Anastasia joined the family, she was physically weak and ill, so Grandpa chose not to make her identity public. The world only knew about me and Harriette.


    "Grandpa was always a humble man. Even when Ipleted my studies and joined the Young Group, I was simply Miles and not Oliver''s grandson. As for Harriette..."

 Chapter 525 The Real Eldest Daughter

    Miles'' voice was steady as he continued, "Grandpa adored Harriette, both publicly and privately. She had always been the true eldest daughter of the Young family. If you need proof, there''s someone here who can confirm it." "Who?" someone in the crowd asked.


    Miles'' gazended on a figure in the corner of the room, drawing everyone''s attention to the person he was looking at. A murmur of recognition swept through the crowd.


    "Mr. Finch?" Indeed, the man standing before them was none other than Jonathan.


    Then, realization dawned on them. "That''s right! Ms. Young and Mr. Finch were childhood sweethearts. If anyone could vouch for Ms. Young''s identity, it would be him." However, the crowd wondered if Jonathan would be willing to involve himself in this delicate matter.


    At that moment, Jonathan appeared uninterested, his attention seemingly fixed on the ring he was absentmindedly toying with. His indifference was palpable, dimming Harriette''s hopeful gaze.


    Upon seeing this, Anastasia felt a glimmer of hope. Despite her earlier misstep with Jonathan, she silently prayed that he would remain a passive observer in the Young family''s affairs.


    Just as Miles was about to call out to Jonathan, Harriette''s raspy voice cut through the tension first. "Jonathan, it''s been a while."


    Her smile was a blend of hope and apprehension as she addressed him. Harriette yearned to capture his attention, yet feared what he might see or see through.


    Nheless, given their history as childhood sweethearts, she thought it was only appropriate for her to greet him.


    Her voice hung in the air, and the room seemed to hold its breath as silence enveloped them. Jonathan didn''t respond immediately, making the silence stretch out ufortably. Finally, Miles'' patience wore thin. "Jonathan, Etta is back!"


    This statement seemed to stir Jonathan from his reverie. His eyelids fluttered as he nced at Miles before turning his gaze to Harriette.


    "She''s back? But didn''t we cross paths recently?" he questioned, his tone slightly puzzled.


    Seemingly afraid of being misunderstood, he hurriedly exined, "After the Finch and Maize family''s wedding the other day, I bumped into someone. Wasn''t that you? Why did you just run away without even saying hello?"


    Harriette was caught off guard when Jonathan openly mentioned what had happened that day, but she quickly regained herposure, her smile brightening with a hint of joy.


    "So, you recognized me back then, huh?" she asked softly. "I didn''t greet you because it had been so long, and I wasn''t sure how to face you... especially with my voice..." she confessed, her words trailing off as a flicker of sadness crossed her eyes.


    Noticing her distress, Miles quickly interjected, "Jonathan, since you''ve recognized her as Harriette, would you mind confirming her identity for everyone here?"


    Jonathan met Miles'' gaze, and after a brief pause, he raised his eyebrow slightly. "Indeed, she is Harriette the eldest daughter of the Young family once known by that name."


    His words hung heavy in the air, and the implication was clear-Anastasia was not the true eldest daughter of the Young family. No one present dared question his word.


    A triumphant smile spread across Harriette''s face, while Anastasia visibly faltered. She swayed slightly, dizziness oveing her as she stammered, "No... that''s not true... I... I..."


    "Then how did she be the Young family''s eldest daughter?" someone in the crowd muttered, still puzzled.


    After all, for as long as they had known, Anastasia had always been presented as the eldest daughter of the Young family. Her face, her presence it had been ingrained in their minds. Some people even recalled the banquet where Oliver first introduced Anastasia to the public eye.


    Miles'' voice cut through the murmurs, exining, "During that banquet, Grandpa didn''t bring Anastasia, but she appeared at the event anyway.


    "By chance, she saved someone''s life, and when that person asked for her identity, she instinctively replied that she was the eldest daughter of the Young family."


    His tone dripped with sarcasm. He had suspected back then that Anastasia had attended the banquet on purpose and taken on an identity that wasn''t hers.


    Miles'' gaze hardened as he delivered his usation. "She deliberately took over the identity that rightfully belonged to Harriette!"


    "No! It wasn''t like that!" Anastasia instinctively protested, but after Jonathan confirmed that Harriette was indeed the eldest daughter of the Young family, her confidence began to crumble.


    The disdainful nces from the crowd bore down on her, making her feel even more vulnerable.


    Nevertheless, she mustered what little strength she had left to speak up, even if her words felt empty.


    "I didn''t mean to take her identity on purpose. Harriette was gone... I just wanted to honor her memory..."


    "Honor her?" Miles repeated, his voiceced with cold disbelief. "By taking her identity for yourself?"


    "No... that''s not what I meant..." Anastasia tried to exin, but the growing murmur of the crowd drowned out her voice.


    "Who tries to honor someone by stealing their identity?" one person muttered.


    "Exactly! If she truly wanted to remember Harriette, she should''ve let everyone know she existed in the first ce," another remarked.


    "She''s really crossed the line here-taking advantage of someone''s disappearance to im their identity. How is that different from someone who''s preying on the vulnerable?"


    "I have to agree with Mr. Young. This was deliberate. After all, when the real eldest daughter was still around, everyone knew about her."


    "We all heard that the eldest daughter was well-mannered and had a close bond with Mr. Finch."


    "Now that the real one''s back, what should we do with the imposter?"


    The incriminating voices grew louder, eachment apanied by piercing stares that disintegrated Anastasia''s resolve.


    "No, it''s not like that..." she muttered, her voice trembling.


    Unable to face the crushing judgment any longer, she pushed her way through the crowd and fled.


    The remaining crowd turned their attention to Harriette, noticing her slightly furrowed brow and the unconcealed worry on her face.


    "Miles, do you think Anastasia will be all right? never meant for things to unfold like this. If she loved being the Young family''s eldest daughter so much, she could have


    continued... I..."


    "You are the true eldest daughter! She is not!" Miles interrupted her firmly, his tone leaving no room for debate.


    Harriette''s expression remained troubled and tinged with guilt. "If I had known this would happen, I would not have returned... But I missed Grandpa and you far too much."


    Miles took her hand gently. "Don''t worry. From now on, you''re back where you belong... at the Young family''s side."


    He wanted to say, "by my side", but as the words formed in his mind, he suddenly thought of Rose. His gaze shifted to her.


    Rose had been silently observing everything, still struggling to process it all. Harriette... That name had been familiar to her for a long time.


    She knew Harriette as the sister Miles cherished and even more so as Jonathan''s childhoodpanion. She had seen photos of Harriette, bright and full of life.


    However, she never anticipated the person in those pictures, believed to be gone, would be here before her now.


    "Harriette has returned..." she thought.


    "Rosie, let me introduce you to someone," Miles said, guiding Harriette toward Rose.


    Miles couldn''t shake the faint feeling of guilt that had begun to settle in his chest as they approached. He forced a smile as he spoke.


    "Rosie, this is-"


    "Miles, there''s no need for introductions. We''ve already met," Harriette interrupted.

 Chapter 526 Making Him Angry

    Miles was momentarily stunned as he tried to process Harriette''s words. "You''ve met before? How did I not know about this?" he asked, clearly surprised.


    "We met at the entrance. I didn''t know you were Miles'' sister then and earlier during the bidding..." Harriette turned to Rose with an apologetic expression. "I got carried away when I heard the suit belonged to Grandpa. "I''m so d it ended up with you. Otherwise, I would have felt truly guilty. Would it be all right if I called you ''Rosie''?"


    Harriette''s gaze held warmth and sincerity, leaving Rose unable to refuse. "Of course."


    She blinked away the lingering shock and returned Harriette''s smile. "Actually, I should be the one thanking you for your help at the entrance earlier." Rose''s gratitude was heartfelt, but the unfamiliarity between them still hung in the air. After all, they had only met twice.


    However, Harriette closed that distance in an instant, stepping forward and taking Rose''s hand. "No need to thank me! If anything, I should be thanking you." "Thank me?" Rose thought, confused.


    Before she could process Harriette''s words, she found herself wrapped in a warm embrace. Harriette''s raspy voice whispered in her ear, "Thank you, Rosie.


    "I felt an immediate connection the moment I saw you, but ver expected you to also be Miles'' sister. Thank you for being there for him and Grandpa while I was gone."


    Rose stood frozen for a moment. Despite Harriette''s seemingly warm embrace and expressions of gratitude, she couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off, making her uneasy.


    She tried to find the hidden meaning in Harriette''s words, but there was nothing totch onto. She wondered if she was simply being too sensitive.


    "Etta..." Rose uttered the name for the first time, intending to acknowledge her appreciation. However, someone else interrupted before she could continue.


    "Ms. Young, since you''ve expressed your gratitude, don''t you think it''s time to let go of my sister?" Clover''s voice was sharp and unmistakably unfriendly.


    Harriette hesitated before quickly releasing Rose from the embrace. "I''m sorry. I just felt such a connection when I saw you, so I..."


    "It''s okay..." Rose tried to reassure her, but before she could finish her sentence, her wrist was seized by Clover''s firm grip. She looked up and saw his dark, impatient expression. "We''re leaving," Clover said curtly, pulling Rose away without further exnation.


    Emily followed closely behind, and upon seeing Rose leave, Jonathan decided there was no reason for him to stay either. So, he turned and exited as well.


    For a moment, everyone in the room stood in stunned silence, their gazes shifting between Miles and Harriette.


    Harriette''s face flushed with embarrassment. "Miles, Rosie... She left. Could it be that she''s not happy about my return?"


    Miles frowned. "Not happy? Rosie hadn''t shown any signs of displeasure. It was Clover who had been the issue..." he mused.


    "Rosie is kind. She wouldn''t be unhappy about you returning," he reassured Harriette with a forced smile, trying to soothe her worries.


    As for Clover... Miles silently resolved to ensure that the next time they met, Clover understood Harriette''s true status as the eldest daughter of the Young family and treated her with the respect she deserved.


    With the charity auction over, the evening''s program transitioned to the nned banquet. However, with Anastasia''s abrupt departure, someone couldn''t help but ask, "Should we continue with the banquet now that Ms. Young... I mean, Ms. Anastasia has left?"


    It was a reasonable concern. Although Anastasia had left, Miles was still present, and canceling the event could damage the Young family''s reputation. Naturally, Miles wasn''t about to let that happen.


    "The banquet will continue as nned. The proceeds from today''s auction have been fully ounted for and will be directed to the charity fund my grandfather established.


    "The Young Group will publicly disclose the list of auctioned items and their buyers afterward. Thank you all for your generosity today."


    The guests, having attended for the sake of charity, nodded their agreement.


    "I will be joining you for the banquet," Miles announced.


    Standing beside him, Harriette couldn''t help but feel ted at the thought of Anastasia''s humiliation Now that she had reimed her position as the eldest daughter of the Young family, she was determined to curate her image.


    With a smile, she suggested, "Miles, may I join you in hosting the guests?"


    "Of course!" Miles responded warmly, taking her hand. "You''re a part of this family, and as the eldest daughter, it''s only fitting that you help host the event with me."


    "Thank you, Miles." Harriette''s smile was radiant. "From now on, I''ll always stand by your side!"


    The promise of constantpanionship should have been heartening, but Miles felt a growing sense of unease instead. Visions of Clover leading Rose away flooded his mind, an image that remained strikingly vivid.


    ....


    Rose followed Clover down the stairs, still puzzled by his anger. Even after leaving the building, she couldn''t quite understand why he was so upset.


    Clover''s expression remained dark, and Rose could tell that besides anger, there was also a hint of worry. "What is he worrying about?" she wondered silently.


    "Clo, what''s wrong?" Rose finally asked, her tone softening as she called out his name. The familiar address seemed to ease some of the tension on Clover''s face. He stopped in his tracks and frowned. "Are you really asking me what''s wrong?"


    Rose hesitated, uncertain if his anger pertained to her actions or, perhaps, to Miles. "You''re not mad because of my brother, are you?" she began cautiously.


    "Your brother? What about him?" Clover interjected sharply, his tone tinged with condescension. "I''m not angry because of Miles. I''m angry because of that so-called ''Harriette''!" "Harriette?" Rose mentally retraced the event, unable to recall Harriette provoking him in any way. Her confusion must have been evident as Clover''s expression deepened into a scowl. With a gentle tap on Rose''s forehead, he rified, "Stop overthinking it. Harriette didn''t provoke me directly, but her presence might spell trouble for you."


    Rose''s confusion only deepened upon hearing that.


    "But Clover, Harriette just returned to


    the Young family. Earlier at the entrance, when I couldn''t get in without an invitation, she helped me. She seemed... friendly," she exined, recalling the incident. At the very least, she thought Harriette had been helpful.


    "Friendly?" Clover scoffed, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "You''re usually sharp. Didn''t you pick up on her subtle maniptions?"


    Being well-acquainted with people of all sorts, he knew Harriette''s character wasn''t as innocent as it seemed.


    Her return to the Young family signified potential chaos, and considering Rose''s position as their adopted granddaughter, Clover grew increasingly uneasy the more he thought about it. "No. I can''t allow this. You need to keep your distance from the Young family," he dered firmly.


    "And that friend of yours,


    Yvonne-her condition is much better now, right? After she''s discharged from the hospital, both of your should move into my vi at Royal Garden. It''s spacious, and you''ll be safe there."


    Before Rose could respond, he quickly added, "If you find that inconvenient, I''ll buy the vi next door, too. You and Yvonne can stay therefortably.


    "But remember-no more returning to the Young family, and definitely stay away from that Harriette!"

 Chapter 527 Planning To Divorce

    Clover continued his relentless monologue, barely pausing for breath. Rose was a bit overwhelmed, and even Emily, who had just caught up, couldn''t help but chuckle. The two women exchanged amused nces, their smiles mirroring each other. Noticing their mirth, Clover frowned and delivered another light tap on Rose''s forehead. "What''s so funny? I''m giving you advice, and you''re not even taking it seriously!"


    "I''m listening!" Rose protested, rubbing the sore spot on her forehead.


    However, Clover remained unconvinced. "I don''t think you''re actually paying attention."


    Rose contemted Clover''s words, understanding his genuine concern for her well-being. Still, something nagged at her. "Harriette..." she muttered.


    While she couldn''t define her feelings toward the woman, there was no denying the sympathy Harriette''s raspy voice evoked. "She must have endured a lot over the years." Clover, however, remained skeptical. "If she really suffered that much, she would have returned sooner. Why wait until now?"


    He refused to believe that Harriette''s sudden reappearance was solely due to Oliver''s passing.


    "In any case, just keep your distance from her," Clover reiterated firmly.


    Knowing she couldn''t win this argument, Rose quickly nodded. "Alright, alright. I''ll keep my distance."


    Finally sensing her sincerity, Clover finally rxed. Just then, his car pulled up to the curb.


    "Get in," he instructed.


    "Okay, Clo!" Rose replied sweetly.


    Linking her arm with Rose''s, Emily couldn''t resist teasing them. "Tsk, someone''s turned into a real control freak now that he''s a big brother. Looks like you''ve lost your freedom, Rosie!"


    Clover frowned at the remark. He didn''t see himself as a control freak. As Rose''s brother, he felt responsible for every aspect of her life. Since this was his first time being an older brother, he was determined to be the best one in the world. Rose and Emily shared a knowing look before climbing into the car. As Rose settled into the car, her thoughts drifted back to the purpose of her visit-she hade to confront Anastasia about Kelly''s whereabouts. However, after everything that had transpired, even if Anastasia hadn''t fled, she doubted the woman would have willingly given her any information. It seemed she would have to find another opportunity. Just then, a figure outside the car window caught her eye, and her heart skipped a beat. It was Jonathan.


    He was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, looking as though he had been standing there for quite some time. Their eyes locked through the window, and they held each other''s gaze until the car finally pulled away.


    Leonard, who had been observing the scene beside Jonathan, couldn''t hide his surprise. He had fully expected his boss to follow Rose and confront Clover, but Jonathan had merely watched as Rose interacted warmly with her newfound brother.


    In the past, even if Clover had just imed Rose as his sister, Leonard believed that Jonathan would have taken Rose away and ensured there was no opportunity for Clover to get close to her. So, Jonathan''s behavior that day was unexpected, to say the least. "Mr. Finch, are you just going to let her leave like that?" Leonard couldn''t help but voice his concern.


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow but didn''t respond.


    Leonard continued, "Mr. Xanth''s actions today were unexpected. By recognizing Mrs. Finch as his sister, he''s elevated her status even more, even though she doesn''t need the Xanth family''s support. "Earlier, Mr. Xanth mentioned that the elders from the Xanth family would being to Regalia to acknowledge Mrs. Finch''s identity officially. I wonder wonder which of them wille..."


    He trailed off, his words fading into the air as if he were simply thinking aloud. All the while, Jonathan''s intense, dark eyes grew even more profound.


    "The Xanth family... It would be best if he came," Jonathan murmured cryptically.


    With a start, Leonard asked, "Who?"


    However, Jonathan didn''t answer. He just walked away, leaving Leonard standing there, stunned. It took him a moment to gather himself before he hurried to catch


    M


    up. Throughout the entire exchange, Leonard never figured out who Jonathan was referring to.


    Clover''s luxury car soon pulled up in front of the Young family hospital.


    "I''m letting you stay here this time, but tomorrow, you''re going back to the vi in Royal Garden. As for Yvonne... I''ll make arrangements for her," Clover instructed before Rose got out of the car. ncing at the rearview mirror, Rose could see Clover''s displeased expression. She forced a smile and replied obediently.


    "Got it." This was thepromise she made to get his approval to return to the hospital.


    After she got out and the car disappeared from view, Rose finally released the breath she had been holding. Watching the direction the car had vanished in, she frowned.


    Ever since acknowledging their familial ties, it seemed as though Clover had transformed into a different person.


    Before, he had always been friendly and approachable, but Rose had experienced his overbearing side firsthand during the drive. To make matters worse, he had be exceedingly talkative.


    "What''s going on?" she mused. She couldn''t decipher his behavior and concluded that Clover''s emotions must have been running high due to recent events.


    As Emily had mentioned, it was his first time having a sister, and he was likely just enjoying the novelty of looking after her. Once the excitement subsided, he would probably return to his usual self. "Yeah... That has to be it." Nodding to herself, Rose dismissed the thought and headed back into the hospital.


    Yvonne was already resting inside the ward. Rose found sce in her steadily improving condition. She stepped out of the room, intending to store her grandfather''s suit in her temporary quarters at the hospital.


    "Rosie..." A sudden voice startled her, and as she turned around to see the person standing behind her, she couldn''t help but freeze in ce.


    "Evan?" The person standing there was indeed Evan. It had been roughly ten days since he and Dawn had returned to Aquastead toplete their wedding ceremony.


    Evan had previously said he would


    return after the ceremony, but Rose figured it was normal for him to spend some extra time with Dawn, especially considering Dawn had just gone through a miscarriage and needed support.


    However, the Evan who was standing in front of her now was nearly unrecognizable. His face was covered in stubble, and his usually immacte hair was a tangled mess.


    As someone who had always been meticulous about his appearance in the fashion world, Evan could only be described as aplete mess.


    "Evan, what happened to you?" Rose asked as she immediately stepped forward. However, as soon as she approached him, Evan grasped her wrist tightly, causing her pain. Despite the difort, she didn''t resist, knowing Evan would never intentionally harm her and understanding that something serious must be bothering him.


    Evan looked into her eyes, his gaze


    initially intense but gradually shifting to a mixture of self-mockery and despair A flurry of emotions


    flickered in his eyes before he finally looked away and released his grip on her wrist.


    Observing the turmoil on his face, Rose pressed further, "Evan, what''s going on? Does this have something to do with Dawn?" She could only think of Dawn as the reason for such a drastic change in him. Evan suddenly let out a bitterugh. "Rosie, I''m nning to get a divorce."


    Rose was taken aback by his words. "A divorce? But you two just got married. How could you..."


    Evan''s smile was filled with anguish. "Yeah, we just got married. But some things..." He trailed off, staring at Rose as if he wanted to say more but couldn''t find the words.


    Eventually, he lowered his gaze and softly muttered, "I''m sorry, Rosie."

 Chapter 528 Returning To The Young Estate

    Rose couldn''t understand why Evan was apologizing to her. She wanted to ask more questions, but Evan had already turned away, his guilty and self-reproachful aura lingering in his silhouette. "Evan..." she called out softly.


    Her voice made Evan''s guilt grow even stronger, but he didn''t dare to face her, and he couldn''t bring himself to reveal that Dawn had yed a part in her ident that night. Thinking about what had happened on this trip back to Aquastead, his eyes darkened with sorrow.


    Even after Evan''s figure disappeared, Rose remained standing there, still trying to make sense of everything. "What in the world happened on his trip to Aquastead?" she pondered. It was evident that he wasn''t ready to discuss it. She yearned to know more, but some matters required patience. Perhaps, in time, Evan would feelfortable opening up to her. Rose sighed softly. After cing her grandfather''s suit in her room, she received a call from Miles. When she answered, a woman''s hoarse voice came through the line. "Rosie..." Rose paused for a moment before she recognized the voice. "Etta?"


    "See that, Miles? Rosie recognized my voice right away. Rosie, Miles and I are waiting for you outside the hospital," Harriette chirped. However, the phrase "recognized my voice right away" made Miles, who was sitting in the driver''s seat, feel a pang of heartache.


    "You''re waiting for me outside the hospital?" Rose was puzzled. "Is... something the matter?"


    "Come out, and I''ll exin everything," Harriette replied, promptly hanging up the phone before Rose could respond.


    Rose stared at her phone, her brows furrowing slightly. Given the current situation, she realized she had no choice but to go out and meet them.


    Upon leaving the hospital, Rose immediately spotted Miles'' car from afar. Harriette quickly exited the passenger seat and greeted her as she walked toward it.


    "Rose,e on. Get in the car," Harriette said, opening the rear door for her. A flicker of realization crossed her face, and she smiled apologetically.


    "Rose, I''d like to sit next to Miles. You won''t mind, right?"


    Rose hesitated briefly before forcing a smile. "No, I don''t."


    "I knew you were easygoing! Miles kept singing your praises on our way here, Rosie. He thinks you''re just wonderful," Harriette teased, casting a yful nce at Miles.


    Then, as if remembering something, she suddenly urged, "Let''s get going, Miles!"


    "Let''s get going?" Rose thought as she inquired, "Where are we headed?" She looked at Miles through the rearview mirror, expecting him to answer.


    But before he could speak, Harriette chimed in. "Well, I thought you were staying at the Young Estate, Rosie. So, when Miles mentioned that you''ve been here at the hospital for some reason, I thought it would be great to see you tonight.


    "I casually mentioned how much I missed you, and Miles suggested we pick you up so we could all go back to the Young Estate together. Rosie, I hope you don''t mind that we didn''t ask for your consent first. Miles speaks highly of your understanding nature, so I just..." Harriette gazed at her expectantly, her eyes pleading. "Please, Rosie, won''t youe back with us to the Young Estate?"


    Rose fell silent. For some reason, an odd feeling began to creep over her. She couldn''t help but recall Clover''s words. "Subtle maniption..."


    However, a momentter, she inwardly mocked herself with a wry smile. She didn''t want to be someone who would judge others arbitrarily. Besides, it seemed that if she didn''t agree to go back to the Young Estate, it would hurt Harriette''s feelings. Since Harriette was Oliver''s granddaughter, Rose didn''t want to be unkind.


    "Rosie, let''s just go back together," Miles said gently, noticing Rose''s hesitation. Their eyes met in the rearview mirror.


    "Okay," Rose agreed with a slight smile.


    Harriette''s face brightened, and her excitement was palpable. "Wonderful!"


    However, her expression shifted to one of slight disappointment at the next moment. "I guess Rosie will only listen to Miles'' words, huh? But that''s okay. I''m sure that once we spend more time together, we''ll be the closest of sisters!" Her words were filled with warmth and affection, revealing a genuine liking for Rose. This made Rose wonder if she had been too distant toward the woman.


    "Is it due to Harriette''s past as Jonathan''s childhood friend? Or is it because of the photograph I had discovered in Jonathan''s room at the Finch Manor?" she mused as she took a deep breath, making an effort to warm up to Harriette.


    Throughout the drive, Harriette was


    particrly chatty. However, as


    soon as they entered the Young Estate, her mood seemed to shift and she became unusually quiet. She looked at the various buildings on the estate, pausing deliberately at each one.


    "This was where Harriette had grown up..." they mused.


    To Miles and Rose, it was clear that this ce held many memories for Harriette. After being away for so many years, it was only natural that Harriette would feel deeply moved upon her return.


    "Etta, you''re finally home," Miles said gently, giving Harriette''s hand aforting squeeze. "From now on, you can live here in peace. Grandpa would surely be overjoyed to see this, even from the heavens." "Yes, I''m back." Harriette nodded, though deep down, she yearned to say, "I''m finally here!"


    "Mr. Miles, Ms. Rose, wee back." Patrick greeted them as he emerged from the house.


    He was surprised to see Rose at the estate and even more astonished by the person standing beside Miles and Rose. He froze in his tracks.


    He stared at the familiar face before


    him, convinced that his eyes were ying tricks on him. He rubbed them, attempting to refocus his vision. When he looked again, the


    face remained unchanged. Still,


    Patrick struggled to believe what he


    was seeing.


    It wasn''t until Harriette spoke that he finally epted the reality. "Patrick... It''s me, Harriette. I''vee home."


    "Ha-Harriette. Patrick swallowed


    hard and, with growing excitement,


    stepped forward. He carefully


    examined the person in front of him


    again, and only after a thorough look did he confirm that the person standing before him was, indeed, Harriette.


    Tears welled up in his eyes. "M-Ms. Harriette, you''re back... Why did you return only now? Sir, he''s..."


    "Grandpa..." Harriette''s voice trembled with guilt. "I should havee back sooner, but I..."


    It was apparent that she was struggling with something she couldn''t easily express.


    Upon noticing the change in her voice, Patrick asked with concern, "Ms. Harriette, your voice..."


    "I... I injured my throat back then, so... Patrick, does it sound unpleasant?" Harriette forced a bitter smile.


    To those around her, the smile only deepened their empathy for her.


    "Etta..." Miles squeezed her hand reassuringly.


    Understanding the delicate nature of the situation, Patrick chose not to push further. "Ms. Harriette, you must have endured much over the years. Even though sir is no longer with us, you still have Mr. Miles and all of us here." "Yes, I still have Miles and all of you. And now, I have Rose too. I''m truly blessed," Harriette replied, her smile radiating warmth and optimism.


    It was as if neither the injury to her voice nor the hardships she faced over the years had left any negative marks on her. She remained cheerful and radiant.


    Patrick couldn''t help but feel relieved. "Ms. Harriette, your room has been kept just as it was. I''ve had it cleaned regrly, so you can stay there tonight. Coincidentally, Ms. Rose''s room is right next to yours."

 Chapter 529 Kelly Is Dead

    "That''s wonderful! If I can''t sleep at night, I can easily find Rosie for a chat," Harriette eximed, her face lighting up with joy.


    Although it was gettingte, Patrick still prepared a celebratory feast to honor Harriette''s return. Harriette requested that they serve the meal in the garden.


    As they dined and drank, she often gazed at certain spots, lost in thought, as if recalling something significant. The purple lilies of the valley in the garden were in full bloom.


    "ver imagined these lilies would not only survive but also thrive like this," Harriette murmured while walking amidst the beautiful flowers. Her expression turned somber as her thoughts seemingly drifted back in time. Understanding her longing for Oliver, Miles said softly, "Grandpa tended to these flowers himself throughout the years. I''m sure he missed you greatly."


    Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Harriette couldn''t hold back her tears as she quietly wept for their grandfather. Miles tenderly consoled her.


    Watching from the side, Rose felt like an outsider intruding on a family reunion. Yet, she missed Oliver just as much. She took a sip of her drink, her thoughts a jumble.


    Anastasia returned just then, witnessing the touching scene unfold before her. Harriette leaned on Miles''s shoulder while Rose sat back in her chair, creating an atmosphere that simultaneously felt warm and strangely disquieting. "Harriette''s back! And why is Rose here too? Didn''t she stop staying at the Young Estate for a while? Why is she back today?" she thought, her heart filling with resentment as she recalled the events of the charity auction earlier that day. Adding to her misery was the fact that after she had fled the event, Miles had allowed Harriette to take over as the eldest daughter of the Young family, presiding over the remainder of the evening''s activities.


    "The eldest daughter of the Young family..." Anastasia balled her fists in frustration as that thought filled her mind.


    Years ago, she had gone to great lengths to snatch the title of the Young family''s eldest daughter.


    "But Harriette was supposed to be..." Anastasia''s thoughts flickered as she recalled something, her eyes showing a brief glimmer.


    Unexpectedly, Rose lifted her gaze, meeting Anastasia''s just as she instinctively tried to look away. Their eyes locked.


    Rose paused briefly upon noticing Anastasia. She hadn''t forgotten her primary reason for attending the charity auction that day.


    She had nned to seek out Anastasia afterward, but since they had run into each other, she was determined to get an answer that night. Upon noticing Rose''s gaze, Anastasia quickly retreated into the house.


    "Miles, Etta, I''m feeling a bit tipsy, so I''ll retire for the night," Rose excused herself, feigning drunkenness, and followed Anastasia inside.


    Just as Anastasia was about to close the door, Rose''s foot caught it, keeping it open a crack.


    Anastasia turned around, her expression shifting as she saw Rose. Instinctively, she tried to force the door shut, but Rose''s foot firmly held it in ce, rendering her efforts futile.


    "You haven''t fulfilled your end of our agreement today," Rose said, cutting straight to the chase.


    Anastasia frowned, realizing there was no escaping the confrontation unless she gave Rose the answer she sought.


    "Come in," she said coldly before releasing her grip on the door and allowing Rose to enter.


    "You said you know where Kelly is. Where is she?" Rose''s voice wasced with urgency, causing her to overlook the door left slightly ajar in her wake.


    Anastasia tossed her bag aside and sank onto the couch. A cold expression washed over her face. "Kelly''s whereabouts, huh?" she mused.


    "Hasn''t he told you?" Her tone wasced with mockery.


    "He?" Rose questioned.


    "Yes, him-Jonathan," Anastasia replied, lifting her gaze to meet Rose''s. Seeing the surprise on Rose''s face, she couldn''t help but sneer.


    "I thought he''d be more honest with you, but it seems that he hasn''t mentioned Kelly''s whereabouts. He must know how much you despise her, so why..."


    She trailed off, pouting as if to emphasize her point-that Rose might not be as special as she believed in Jonathan''s eyes.


    Upon noticing Rose''s furrowed brows, Anastasia''s smirk widened with satisfaction.


    She continued, "When Kelly fled the Young Estate in Aquastead, she fell right into Jonathan''s grasp. I thought he would bring Kelly to you so you could deal with her as you pleased, but s... it''s unclear how he chose to handle her in the end."


    Anastasia''s words snapped Rose out of her thoughts. She nced at Anastasia, recognizing the deliberate provocation but knowing a part of it held truth. If she wanted to discover Kelly''s whereabouts, it would be more effective to question Jonathan directly.


    Without another word, Rose turned on her heel and hastily left the room. As she emerged, she nearly collided with Harriette, who was passing by.


    "Rosie?" Harriette''s surprise was palpable, her eyes widening as if she hadn''t anticipated seeing Rose exiting Anastasia''s room.


    "I... I have some matters to attend to. Sorry," Rose mumbled, her mind preupied with Kelly''s whereabouts. She brushed past Harriette and returned to her room.


    Their rooms were adjacent, but to reach them, they both had to pass by Anastasia''s door. As Rose entered her room, Harriette''s smile instantly vanished.


    She gazed at the slightly ajar door of Anastasia''s room, her expression filled with deep contemtion. After a brief pause, she withdrew her gaze and walked into her own room. Standing on the balcony, Rose let the cool breeze sweep through her hair, ruffling the strands gently. She dialed Jonathan''s number, and he picked up immediately. "Wifey, did you miss me? I cane to see you right away..." Jonathan''s voice was noticeably excited, a stark contrast to the cold and distant demeanor he showed others. Rose frowned. "ed to ask you something. Where is Kelly?"


    There was a brief pause on the other end before Jonathan replied, "I had her detained, but she fell ill unexpectedly. On the way to the hospital, she got into a car ident..."


    "A car ident?" Rose thought before she said, "Don''t tell me she''s dead." She refused to believe that Kelly could have died just like that.


    However, Jonathan''s response confirmed her fears. "The Azure n identified the body."


    The revtion felt like a deafening explosion in Rose''s mind, and it was followed by a persistent ringing in her ears.


    "Identified the body? Is she truly dead? How is that possible?" Countless thoughts swirled in her mind. Unable to fully process the news, she swayed on her feet, her legs threatening to give way.


    Rose harbored a strong dislike for


    Kelly due to her numerous


    transgressions. Now that Kelly was dead, she couldn''t help but think about the unresolved matter


    1-over.


    concerning Kelly''s actions toward


    Oliver.


    She had longed for Kelly to face legal consequences or even suffer under her own hand as retribution. However, with Kelly''s demise, it felt as though the woman had gotten off too easily. "Wifey..." Jonathan called out tentatively from the phone.


    However, Rose hung up, ignoring him. Jonathan''s words kept echoing in her mind, filling her with a deep sense of dissatisfaction. She gritted her teeth.


    "Kelly, how could you just die like that? We haven''t settled our scores yet. How could you leave like this?"


    She had nned to return to Aquastead to confront Kelly, but now, everything was moot. Rose''s emotions churned within her.


    Meanwhile, on the balcony of the adjacent room, Harriette leaned against the wall, absorbing every word Rose uttered with chilling rity.


    "Kelly..." She mouthed the name silently as an eerie and unsettling smile formed on her face.

 Chapter 530 Changed Identity

    Harriette wondered if Rose had discovered Kelly''s death. The truth was that Kelly was indeed gone, and in her ce stood Harriette, the eldest daughter of the Young family.


    Harriette gently touched her face and throat, feeling the changes she had undergone. To be Harriette, she had not only undergone stic surgery arranged by Lizzie but also purposefully damaged her vocal cords. All she had done deserved to bepensated ordingly, and thepensation she sought was...


    Gazing out at the balcony, she recalled her initial shock upon entering the Young Estate. She had to suppress her emotions, using a great deal of effort to immerse herself in the role of "Harriette".


    The Young Estate in Aquastead was already grand, but she hadn''t expected the Young Estate in Regalia to be even more so. After all, this was the legacy of one of Regalia''s three major families. And now, she held the key as its eldest daughter. "Harriette... I am Harriette now, not Kelly..." she mused.


    A sly smile yed on Harriette''s lips as she listened to the sound of Rose returning to her room from the balcony next door. She then whispered softly, "Rose, I''ming for you."


    She would now achieve what Kelly had never attained as Harriette and this time, with Miles and Lizzie by her side, she was no longer alone in her fight.


    ...


    The following morning, Rose was greeted by Miles and Harriette''sughter as she descended the stairs. The blend of Harriette''s hoarse voice and Miles'' deep tone hung strangely in the air.


    Observing the tenderness in Miles'' eyes, she wondered if he felt pity for the supposed hardships Harriette had endured over the years.


    "Rosie, you''re awake," Harriette said, her bright smile warm and inviting. "Miles said this was your favorite breakfast. Come. It''s ready for you."


    "Thanks," Rose replied, taking a seat.


    Throughout the meal, Harriette kept reminiscing with Miles about the past, repeatedly mentioning Jonathan''s name. Every time she did, that photograph from the past would sh in Rose''s mind, leaving her feeling inexplicably uneasy. "Rosie, I heard you''re into design. I studied design too. Maybe we can share some ideas sometime!" Harriette had shifted her focus to Rose at some point, her tone light and friendly.


    Rose snapped back to reality, smiling as she replied, "Sure."


    "Miles, aren''t we runningte?" Harriette inquired, ncing at the time.


    Miles indulged her with a smile. "It''s our family''spany. A bit of tardiness won''t hurt."


    "But it''s my first day at Young Group. I don''t want to bete," Harriette pouted, her peculiar voice oddly harmonious with her coquettish demeanor.


    Rose was mildly surprised by the revtion of Harriette''s new role at Young Group, but she concealed it effectively.


    Remembering that Yvonne had a scheduled rehabilitation session that morning, she finished her breakfast quickly to prepare for it.


    After bidding farewell to Miles and Harriette, Rose retreated to her room to change into fresh attire before heading out.


    Outside the Young Estate, Jonathan stood by a luxury car, waiting for Rose.


    "Jonathan..."


    A raspy voice rang out, prompting Jonathan to look up. He spotted Miles and Harriette walking out of the estate together. Upon seeing him, Harriette released Miles'' arm and ran toward Jonathan. For a fleeting instant, Jonathan saw an echo of the past-Harriette running to him just like that. The memory was brief, and he swiftly brushed it aside, his expression hardening as she drew near.


    Perhaps sensing the coldness radiating from him, the woman who had initially wanted to throw herself into Jonathan''s arms hesitated, stopping just short of doing so.


    Harriette stopped in her tracks just as she was about to reach Jonathan and lifted her face into a bright smile, trying to replicate the expressions she had seen in the old photos. She gazed at him and said, "Hi, Jonathan. Long time no see."


    Jonathan furrowed his brow. "Didn''t we just see each other yesterday? Have you already forgotten, Ms. Young?"


    Harriette faltered, a shadow of unease crossing her eyes. "Yes, we did, but there were so many people... it''s not like today."


    "And what about our encounter at the hotel?" Jonathan''s tone remained detached andposed.


    His attitude clearly rubbed Miles the wrong way as he approached from the side, displeasure evident in his expression.


    "Jonathan, this is Harriette!" He red at Jonathan as if reminding him of something significant.


    Yet, Jonathan was unfazed. "I know she''s Harriette, the eldest daughter of the Young family. We did cross paths at the hotel, didn''t we?" "You..."


    "Miles..."


    Miles'' face hardened with frustration. Just as he was about to speak further, Harriette interjected with her characteristic gentleness.


    "Miles, I did bump into Jonathan. I recognized him immediately, but..." Her voice wavered, and a hint of sadness flickered in her eyes. "I wasn''t ready to return to the Young family. I couldn''t let him recognize me and I was even more terrified of him hearing my voice."


    "Etta..." Miles felt a pang of grief in his heart. He couldn''t conceal his sorrow whenever her damaged voice was mentioned.


    However, Jonathan maintained a faint smile. "But haven''t you let me hear it now?" he asked, indifferent.


    "Jonathan..."


    "Miles..."


    Two voices sounded, and Jonathan saw Rose emerge from the doorway at that moment. His icy demeanor instantly melted, reced by a nearly palpable warmth. He smoothly maneuvered past Miles and Harriette, swiftly making his way toward Rose. "Wifey..." Jonathan''s voice was low, yet Rose immediately tensed upon hearing it. She red at him.


    "Don''t call me that!"


    Her gaze flicked past Jonathan, observing Harriette and Miles standing behind him. She instinctively tried to keep her marriage to Jonathan a secret.


    Understanding her concerns,


    ???


    Jonathan consoled himself by acknowledging that while Rose might not want to publicly reveal their rtionship, there was indeed unweepany around, and it would be best to avoid unnecessaryplications. He decided to let it be.


    "Are you heading back to the hospital? Let me give you a ride," he said, walking beside Rose with a charming smile.


    The Young family had no shortage of cars, and Patrick had already instructed the driver to fetch one from the garage. Rose only needed to wait.


    She nced at Jonathan. "Is the industrious Mr. Finch suddenly free from his usual duties?"


    "That''s right! I''m so free that I''m bored out of my mind. So, Ms. Shaffer, would you grace me with the opportunity to be your driver today?" Jonathan inquired, his toneced with charm as he leaned in closer.


    With his ridiculously handsome face mere inches away, his wless skin entuated his already impable features. Rose felt her heart betray her with a sudden, unexpected flutter.


    "No, I-"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Jonathan''s hand had already wrapped around hers. His grip was firm yet gentle, and his smile held a hint of possessiveness as he led her toward his car.


    In one smooth motion, he opened


    the car door and practically forced Rose into the passenger seat before closing the door swiftly behind her. The entire process happened so quickly that Rose found herself sitting in the car before she even had time to react.


    "Wait a minute... I was nning to refuse him. Didn''t he get that?" she thought.


    "Excuse me. Could you please step aside?" Jonathan''s smooth voice cut through her thoughts as he spoke to someone outside the car.


    Rose looked through the window and watched as Miles and Harriette stepped aside, allowing Jonathan to slide into the driver''s seat. His wless face looked as perfect as ever from every angle. He turned to her. "Your seatbelt..." he said.


    Before Rose could grasp his words, Jonathan''s handsome face was suddenly closer, leaning toward her.

 Chapter 531 More Than Sibling Affection

    With Miles and Harriette watching from outside, Rose couldn''t believe Jonathan''s audacity. Her face flushed red, her heart started pounding wildly in her chest, and she momentarily forgot any form of resistance until Jonathan suddenly stopped. "There. All done," he murmured.


    Rose blinked in confusion before realizing he had fastened her seatbelt. An awkward silence descended upon them.


    Her mind buzzed, and she didn''t dare look at anyone, but she caught Jonathan''s teasing smile out of the corner of her eye. It seemed to say, "What were you thinking? I was just fastening your seatbelt!"


    Rose''s face turned an even deeper shade of red. As the car pulled away, she rolled down the window, letting the breeze cool her heated face.


    Outside the Young Estate, Miles frowned slightly. He had long epted the reality of Jonathan and Rose''s rtionship and hade to terms with his ce in their lives.


    However, Harriette had always been fond of Jonathan, a fact he was keenly aware of. Over the years, Harriette had repeatedly dered her intention to marry Jonathan and be his wife.


    Even during her absence, Miles had subconsciously regarded Jonathan as hers, rejecting the idea of him having feelings for any other woman.


    Now that Harriette had returned, Jonathan was already with Rose. This would undoubtedly be a blow to Harriette.


    "Etta..." Miles cautiously began.


    However, as soon as he uttered her name, Harriette looked at him. "Miles, Jonathan and Rosie... Last night, when Jonathan mentioned a designer, he meant Rosie, didn''t he?"


    Miles hesitated, searching Harriette''s expression as he tried to gauge her emotions. He noticed the slight frown on her face and assumed she was heartbroken.


    Nheless, the reality was undeniable-Jonathan and Rose were in love. He knew he had to encourage Harriette to ept it.


    "Yes, Etta," Miles began gently. "You''ve been gone for a long time. It''s only natural that Jonathan has found someone he cares for. Rose is a wonderful woman, and they''re good for each other..."


    His stance was clear, and Harriette understood what was being conveyed. Even though she and Jonathan were once childhood sweethearts, and she had loved him deeply, Miles was now supportive of Rose. He wouldn''t simply back Harriette because of her feelings for Jonathan.


    Despite a flicker of displeasure stirring within her, she knew better than to let it show. Instead, she needed to demonstrate grace and empathy, and perhaps even offer her blessings.


    Summoning a warm smile, Harriette said, "I understand, Miles. The past is in the past. Even though Jonathan once vowed to love only me, I realize that those promises were made in the heat of the moment and don''t really count."


    Miles was visibly surprised. "You truly believe that?"


    "Of course," Harriette replied with a casual smile. "Besides, we''re talking about Rosie.


    "When I firstid eyes on her, I felt a connection. At first, I thought it was her eyes, butter, I realized it was something more. There''s a special bond between us, and I intend to cherish it, Miles."


    Her words left Miles both moved and relieved. He reached out to affectionately pat her head. "Etta, you''re still as kind and thoughtful as when we were kids."


    However, the moment he touched her hair, his hand stiffened. An image of Rose flickered through his mind, prompting him to draw back his hand swiftly. "Don''t worry, Etta," Miles reassured her. "One day, you''ll find a man just as exceptional to be your husband."


    "An equally exceptional man? Who in all of Regalia could possibly match Jonathan?" Harriette mused.


    Looking up at Miles, she yfully clung to his arm, her tone light and teasing. "As long as I can stay by your side, that''s enough for me, Miles!"


    Harriette knew that Miles would be her strongest ally this time, so she had to secure his support.


    Her mind drifted to Lizzie''s words. "Miles'' feelings for Harriette may run deeper than mere sibling affection."


    "Deeper than sibling affection, huh?"


    she repeated in her mind. A subtle smile formed at the corners of her lips. She knew that if she yed the role of "Harriette" well enough, she could keep Miles under her


    influence.


    Resting her head against Miles'' arm, she failed to notice the brief stiffening of his expression. Yet, it onlysted for a moment before Miles'' face softened into a look of contentment. With Harriette back and Rose close by, Miles seemed to have everything he could possibly desire.


    In the luxury car, Jonathan expected Rose to bring up Kelly once again, but to his surprise, she remained silent until they arrived at the hospital.


    ...


    Just as Rose made to exit the


    vehicle, he couldn''t hold back any


    longer. "Wifey, ver intended


    things to unfold as they did with Kelly. I only intended to detain her until you resolved matters with your grandfather. I nned to hand over to you, but then the ident happened..."


    Caher


    Neither of them could have foreseen the tragic event that had imed Kelly''s life.


    Rose frowned. Her thoughts had been in turmoil the entire night. She didn''t want to believe Kelly was


    dead, but deep down, she knew


    was just her unwillingness to ept


    such a convenient ending forKelly.


    Yet, as she reflected further, she realized that in death, Kelly would inevitably face Oliver and atone for her transgressions in his presence. So, Rose didn''t want to dwell on Kelly any longer. "Thank you," she said, turning to Jonathan. She knew how much he had done for her, even in ways she couldn''t see.


    Ever since arriving in Regalia and discovering his true identity, Rose had carefully maintained a certain distance from Jonathan-near enough to keep him intrigued, yet far enough to elude his grasp. However, as she expressed her gratitude at that moment, Jonathan caught a fleeting glimpse of the intimacy they had once shared.


    "Wifey, you don''t ever need to thank me," he murmured. "For you, I wouldy down my life if¡ª"


    "Jonathan!" Rose cut him off, her voice rising sharply as she stared at him with a serious expression. "Don''t say things like that. I don''t want your life!"


    For some reason, his deration had caused her heart to seize with a sudden feeling of unease. Leaving that warning hanging in the air, Rose stepped out of the car.


    Meanwhile, Jonathan remained seated, still reeling from the intensity of her reaction. Rose''s sharp tone echoed in his mind, but a smile soon graced his face. "She cares for me!" he mused as he chuckled with satisfaction.


    Seeing that Rose had already made her way to the hospital''s entrance, Jonathan swiftly exited the vehicle and followed suit.


    Upon reaching Yvonne''s ward, Rose found it unupied. After inquiring with the medical staff, she learned that Yvonne was in the rehabilitation area.


    "Evan must have taken her there," Rose deduced. She hurried over but was surprised to see two unexpected people there as well.


    "Rosie..." Clover''s face brightened with a charming smile upon spotting Rose, exuding an inviting warmth that instantly put her at ease.


    "Clo, are you here... to see Yvonne?" Rose asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. Considering that Clover and Yvonne had no significant connection, there was no reason why he would visit the hospital.


    To her further astonishment, Emily was assisting Yvonne with her rehabilitation at that moment. The two were immersed in an engaging discussion about dance. The scene appeared harmonious. However, Clover''s expression abruptly changed.

 Chapter 532 Discovering the Will

    "Have you forgotten our promise from yesterday?" Clover was displeased.


    Rose quickly recalled their promisest night and was surprised at his need for swift execution. "Clo..."


    She remembered their promise and thought they could take their time. There wasn''t a need to hurry, was there? However, he ignored her resistance.


    "I''ve arranged for a team of professional caretakers for Ms. Spencer. She must be bored staying at the hospital for so long. It''s better if she has a change of environment." Then, Clover shot Rose a warning gaze as if he would be mad if she further refused him. "That settles it!"


    Rose was at a loss for words. She had yet to inform Miles about this! What would he think if they left just like that?


    Clover noticed she was in a quandary. "I''ll talk to Miles about it!"


    Clover talking to Miles? When Rose remembered how unfriendly they were when running into each other at the hospital, she couldn''t help but make a decision. Fine!


    "I''ll tell him." She sighed and turned to the hallway. After preparing herself, she dialed Miles'' phone. "Miles..."


    Once the call connected, she unhesitantly stated her purpose. "I''d like to discharge Yvonne from the hospital since she''s been recovering. Clover, he..."


    Before she could continue, she felt a chill behind her back. Turning her head, she met Clover''s cold and upset face. Almost instinctively, she tugged her lips and restarted.


    "Clo has arranged a ce for Yvonne to recuperate. Don''t get this wrong, Miles. It doesn''t mean anything. It''s just that..." She trailed off cautiously, her heart pounding after receiving no response from Miles. "Rosie?" A hoarse female voice sounded.


    A stunned Rose took a second to react. "Etta?"


    "Yes. It''s me, Rosie." Harriette smiled, sounding warm and friendly despite her scratchy voice.


    As if realizing she had answered Miles'' call, she quickly exined, "Miles is in a meeting and left his phone in the office. Regarding what you said... Don''t worry, Rosie. Miles is too mature and generous to be petty about things like this. "So, go ahead with your ns, and I''ll ry your message to him. How does that sound?"


    "Okay. Thanks, Etta." Rose met Clover''s eyes and thought that was her only option.


    Indeed, Miles was mature and generous. She believed she had overthought the situation. With that, Rose instantly switched to a good mood. After ending the call, she followed Clover''s instructions and discussed Yvonne''s discharge with Evan. Meanwhile, on the hospital bench, Clover and Jonathan sat silently beside each other. When they gazed at Rose from far away, they looked undeniably gentle.


    "Do you sincerely believe that Rose is your sister after you recognized her as one, Mr. Xanth?" Jonathan''s cold and discontented voice pierced through the silence.


    Clover''s expression dimmed for a moment before seeming unbothered. "She acknowledges me as her brother and calls me Clo!"


    How were they not siblings? But... "She calls Miles her brother too, you know..." remarked Jonathan.


    That was something Clover couldn''t refute. Besides, he was extremely annoyed by how Rose still treated Miles as her brother.


    Jonathan took in his sour


    expression. "Thete Mr. Young Senior held a banquet when introducing Rosie as histest


    adopted granddaughter back in


    §Ö


    Aquastead. He dered to the public that her position was nowhere different than Miles'' and


    that she would be a Young, just like


    the rest.


    "But you and Rosie, however..." Jonathan became even more smug at the sight of Clover''s darkening face. He paused briefly and added, "You acknowledged her at someone else''s event. I gotta admit, that''s perfunctory." Perfunctory? How dare Jonathan call his effort perfunctory!


    Clover eagerly wanted to refute him but had no words for it. He was exasperated, not wanting Jonathan to belittle his effort in iming kinship with Rose while also wanting to prove himself as better than Miles.


    Slowly, he calmed his nerves. He turned to Jonathan and dered, "That''s too early to assume, Mr. Finch. I can assure you that I''m more capable than the Youngs could ever be in acknowledging Rose as family."


    "Is that so?" Jonathan raised his brows. A glint of shrewdness evident in his eyes indicated he had reached his goal. As such, he no longer said another word.


    At the Young Group headquarters,


    Miles had been buried in work. He


    was so busy that he didn''t have time to give Harriette, who had followed him to thepany, a tour or introduce her to everyone. Thus, he left it to the secretariat to bring her around.


    Harriette was visibly disappointed. However, she learned to conceal her emotions this time. Especially with Miles, she had to be the perfect "Harriette".


    She strolled around thepany, finally witnessing the vast scale of the Young Group''s empire. At that revtion, she quickly disguised the fleeting greed in her gaze. Suddenly, Miles'' phone rang. It wasn''t a new number calling, and it came after Rose''s call. Harriette supposed the hospital had called to notify Miles about Yvonne''s discharge.


    "Ms. Young, aren''t you going to pick up the phone?" Allison Sadler, the secretary, reminded.


    Harriette smiled faintly. "No. This is the personal phone Miles left behind. If I answer the call... I might create misunderstandings. I''ll wait for Miles toe out of the meeting and let him return the call. "Also, I''m kinda tired. I''ll rest in Miles'' office. You can return to your work now." She held her forehead.


    Allison naturally needed to amodate Harriette but hesitated letting her into Miles'' office. However, she dismissed her hesitation after recalling his instruction to treat Harriette with the utmost hospitality. Harriette unattendedly entered Miles'' office, which was a huge upgrade from his office at Young''s House of Jewels in Aquastead.


    She examined the room and finally settled into the chair behind the desk. Her adrenaline surged as she imagined herself as the Young Group leader.


    Opening the left drawer, she saw a


    document indicating a will inside. Immediately, her heart skipped a beat. She carefully retrieved the document and flipped it open, realizing it was Oliver''s will,


    announced by thewyer in


    Aquastead.


    Then, she found the most triggering line in the will. "In the matter of the estate of Oliver Young, it is decreed that all assets and responsibilities of the Young family be inherited by his granddaughter, his direct maternal descendant." Thest thing Harriette expected was for Miles to keep this will! What did he do that for? She racked her brain for the answer.


    "Where''s Ms. Young?" Miles'' voice sounded from outside the office.


    Amid her panic, Harriette quickly slid the document into the drawer. She hadn''t even gotten out of the chair when the door creaked open...

 Chapter 533 A Foreboding Thought

    "Miles..."


    Harriette smiled. It was best to act casual in that scenario. She believed Miles wouldn''t suspect anything, given his feelings for "Harriette". As expected, he didn''t find her sitting at his desk strange. "Are you hungry? It''s time for lunch. Let''s go." Miles reciprocated her smile.


    "Right on time! I''d like to try what you always eat!" She cheerfully ran toward him and unreservedly linked arms with him. Then, the two left the office.


    The phone continued ringing unattended in the office. It wasn''t until they returned from lunch that Harriette rushed into the office and saw the many missed calls on the phone.


    "Miles... I''m sorry. I forgot about this..." Harriette seemed apologetic.


    Miles reacted calmly and affectionately. "What''s there to be sorry about? It''s just a few missed calls. Don''t worry about it."


    He grabbed the phone, knowing that not many knew his private number. When he saw multiple missed calls from the same number, he knew it was probably important and promptly returned the call.


    The originally calm Miles shifted his expression after hearing the hospital director''s words. "Come again?"


    "I thought you knew, Mr. Miles..." How would he know?


    His first reaction was to find Rose after the call, but Harriette stopped him. "Miles, is this about Rosie?" He frowned, refusing to say anything.


    "Oh, right. Rosie did call just now, but I forgot about it. Me and my memory! She said she feels uneasy having you look after her all the time. Now that she has a new brother-a family-she believes Mr. Xanth can take over the role to save you the hassle!" Harriette''s words undoubtedly angered Miles. What did she mean by a new brother and family? Wasn''t he a family to her too? Why was he considered nobody when Clover came into the picture? He had to confront her about this!


    With that in mind, Miles turned around and was ready to leave. However, Harriette suddenly gasped in pain.


    Halting in his steps, he turned around only to see her painful expression. "What''s wrong, Etta?"


    "I''m... fine. It''s just a stomachache. It''s an old issue I''ve had for a while. I bet it''s the ice cream from earlier. I''m fine, Miles. It''ll get better soon." Her look of agony rendered him concerned. "Weren''t you going to see Rosie? Go on. I''ll be fine by myself," she said thoughtfully. She forced a smile tofort Miles, but her excruciating expression only made him more worried.


    "How could I leave you here? I''ll take you to the hospital." He quickly went up to her.


    In reality, Harriette was faking her pain. "That''s not necessary, Miles. Go check on Rosie, quick."


    Stuck at a crossroads, Miles hesitated briefly and chose Harriette over Rose. "Let''s go to the hospital!"


    Despite her visible reluctance, Harriette couldn''t resist his insistence. After all, she would be exposed for faking her pain once she arrived at the hospital.


    Just as she pondered how to get out of this, the assistant, Victor Hughes, called to inform Miles of a seemingly pressing matter on their way to the hospital. "Mr. Miles, please drop by soon. Mrs. Yones..." He was talking about Chloe.


    Amid Miles'' dilemma, Harriette spoke. "Miles, it''s the hospital right in front. I''ll head in myself. You should go resolve your matters. You know how important thepany is."


    Indeed,pany matters were imperative at that stage as they affected the overall well-being of the Young family empire.


    During this period, Miles had been working hard to consolidate all decision-making power over every asset of the Young family into his own hands. That way, he could ensure everything was passed on to Rose, per Oliver''s will.


    Now that the crucial moment had arrived, he couldn''t afford any mistakes. "Okay." Miles left after leaving Harriette outside the hospital.


    As the luxury car slowly disappeared from view, Harriette revealed a look of menace. Since Oliver''s passing, the Young family had been plunge into a whirlwind of inheritance disputes. As of then, Miles had consolidated the majority of the Youngs'' assets.


    When Harriette recalled the will she found in the drawer, she had a foreboding thought. Was Miles intending to execute Oliver''s will and transfer all of the Young family assets to Rose? Had he found out about Rose''s true identity?


    Those assumptions gradually became more usible by the minute. Her face darkened at that moment.


    After all the sacrifices to transform into Harriette, how could she watch the Youngs'' inheritance slip away from her under her nose?


    "No! No way on earth!" She slowly calmed down from her panic and fished out her phone to dial a number. After two rings, the call connected. Lizzie''s voice sounded over the receiver. "What''s up?"


    "Madam, I..." Harriette became extremely humble when faced with Lizzie, even sounding cautious when suggesting, "Can you... eliminate Rose?"


    With no one around, Lizzie raised her brows and scoffed. "Oh? Are you that eager to kill her off? Looks like you still fall short of her even with a new identity."


    As much as Harriette hated that notion, she couldn''t refute Lizzie''s words. She had hidden Rose''s true identity from Lizzie and decided to keep it that way. "Please help me, madam!" "Help you? Don''t you forget about Jonathan in the picture!"


    Jonathan? Harriette shuddered in fear when recalling the time he apprehended her in Aquastead. She knew the grave danger she would face if he ever linked Rose''s death to them.


    Despite her disappointment, Harriette was reluctant to sit back and do nothing. If Miles actually executed Oliver''s will and transferred all the assets to Rose, her identity would inevitably be publicized then. "However, there''s still a way to do it. You can simply get someone to do your dirty work," Lizzie suddenly suggested.


    The initially downcast Harriette immediately perked up. "You mean..." She was delighted by the idea, which could conveniently scrape her from the list of suspects and save her from Jonathan''s vengeance. "But... who''s doing the dirty work?" Lizzie was her onlyrade in Regalia.


    Lizzie wore a gentle smile, but her gaze was cold. "That''s none of your concern. All you need to do... is cooperate."


    Although Rose hadn''t been in Regalia long, she had made plenty of enemies. Gazing at the person helping Eleanor in the garden, Lizzie suddenly revealed a sinister smile.

 Chapter 534 Using a Proxy

    Be... Lizzie knew well enough the reason Be surrounded Eleanortely. From afar, she watched Be engaging in an emotional conversation with Eleanor before angrily storming off. It seemed that Eleanor didn''t concede to Be. Lizzie raised her brows. Soon enough, she heard Be smashing objects down the floor and ascending the stairs in high heels. She had arrived at the second floor.


    Lizzie smiled faintly, exited her room, and called for Be before she entered her room. "Be..."


    Be stopped and saw Lizzie standing on the other side of the hallway. Assuming she was enjoying her misery, Be became furious and refused to deal with her. However, Lizzie walked up to her. "I have some wine in my room. Shall we have a drink, Be?"


    A drink? Although they were sisters-inw who lived together for many years, they were never at a point in their rtionship to share a drink privately. "I''ll pass-" Without waiting for her to finish, Lizzie tugged at her. "It''s a great wine. You have to try it, Be." She pulled Be into her room, ignoring her resistance.


    It wasn''t until the door closed that Be regained her senses and flung Lizzie''s hand away. "What do you want? Were you nning to mock me like I''m some joke? I''m telling you, Lizzie, that I''m in no way near a joke..." She exposed her pent-up emotions. Ever since Liam entered the Finch family tree, he received Yosef''s rightful approval to enter the Finch Group businesses and the treatment of a Finch family member. But how could Liam, a bastard, deserve to be part of the family? What about Jack?


    At that point, Lizzie embraced her. Be froze and subsequently heard Lizzie''s voice. "I understand your hardships, Be. Just get everything out of your system. I''m here because I truly feel sorry for you."


    It had been ages since someone told Be they felt sorry for her, and it was surprising that it came from Lizzie.


    She looked dazedly at Lizzie, who released her and poured the wine into a ss for her. Even then, she remained dubious. "You feel... sorry for me?"


    Lizzie understood her meaning. She breathed in deeply and released a heavy sigh. "We both have our fair share of hardships marrying into the Finch family. At least, you have Jack while I..." She lowered her head and looked at her belly.


    Be took in her expression. Since marrying Cyrus, Lizzie had gotten pregnant once but had a miscarriage that led her to infertility ever since.


    Some even said that Eleanor forbade her from carrying Cyrus'' child. Rumors had it that she was involved in Lizzie''s miscarriage, but no one dared to validate it.


    Faced with a bitter-looking Lizzie, Be immediately got the gist and huffed. "Eleanor... All she cares about is the family business. She doesn''t care whether each of the descendants gets fair treatment. As long as they''re a tool to Finch Group, she won''t even hesitate to acknowledge a bastard!


    "Besides, the Turner family heavily opposed your marriage with Cyrus back then. The Turners were influential, while you were... powerless and alone."


    Be sipped her wine. She felt a shared sense of sympathy and pain when Lizzie revealed her vulnerability. Thetter smiled bitterly.


    "It''s all in the past. I''ve gotten used to life without a child. I love Cyrus, and he loves me the same."


    At the mention of Cyrus, Be thought of Yosef. Immediately, she couldn''t suppress the frustration and resentment she had built up.


    "Don''t even get me started on Yosef. Not only did he desert Jack, but he even told everyone he''d cut ties with Jack. Jack is his son!


    "Is that what a father does? Not even Eleanor has anything to say about that! All he ever cares about is himself, while she only has eyes on thepany''s interests. Where does that leave Jack..."


    Be suddenly burst into tears and downed her ss.


    "Jack indeed deserves better, Be. I heard the police discovered more dirt about him from a few years ago¡ª"


    "What dirt?" Be harshly interrupted Lizzie. "That wasn''t Jack''s fault! He was just overly yful. The family of those dead women have long gotten theirpensation! Who would''ve thought they''d show up again?"


    By then, Be had let down her guard and downed one drink after another, gradually feeling tipsy.


    Lizzie took that in. "If anything happens to Jack... Be, you must do something. He can''t just spend the rest of his life in prison..." "No, I will not let him end up in prison forever! He''s my son. He cannot be a convict!" Be said emotionally.


    "You''re right. Jack was framed. But I wonder who did it." Lizzieid the groundwork.


    Be instantly thought of Jonathan. Jack could''ve been released, but Jonathan pressured the authorities otherwise.


    Not only that, he was also involved in orchestrating Yara and Liam''s marriage, and thetter''s introduction into the family tree.


    Be deeply resented Jonathan. However, she knew she could do nothing about him. Rose, on the other hand...


    "Rose!" She clenched her fists. Indeed, everything started because of Rose!


    Although aware of Rose''s involvement in Jack''s incident, Lizzie feigned ignorance. "Ms. Shaffer? How can it be her?"


    "Why can''t it be her? She''s a vixen with many schemes." Be gritted her teeth.


    Lizzie''s expression shifted. "I didn''t know you had such a grudge against her. I was just nning to invite Rose over. Since Jon has special feelings for her, I thought it''d be great to get close to my future daughter-inw. But now, it seems..."


    "You have a way to meet her?" Be frantically seized Lizzie''s hand.


    Lizzie looked uncertain. "Maybe... Well, I''m not so sure... After all, with Jon''s hostility toward me, Ms. Shaffer might not want to see me." "No. You have to get her to meet you." Be seemed hasty.


    Lizzie seemingly noticed her strangeness. "What are you... nning? Be, you must think straight. Ms. Shaffer isn''t just a random woman to Jon." "Oh, I''m not nning anything. Don''t worry." Be released Lizzie''s hand and continued sipping her wine.


    Despite saying that, Be returned to


    Finch Manor every day since then without pestering Eleanor like she used to. Instead, she was there to see Lizzie.


    After ensuring they were alone, Be asked, "Did you reach Rose?"


    Although the responses were negative every time, she received a different answer that day.

 Chapter 535 Beware of Harriette

    "Rose will be at Aurora Crest in two days."


    When Be received that news, she was immensely pleased. Naturally, she disregarded Lizzie''s reminder to refrain from doing anything foolish. "Pfft. Foolish? Letting Rose off the hook is foolish, I''ll tell you that," she thought.


    At the thought of Aurora Crest, she secretly fantasized it to be Rose''s ce of death. After all, any idents could happen on the mountain.


    ...


    Two days passed before Miles finally returned Rose''s call.


    "Miles?" Her brisk voice on the phone took him by surprise. It seemed she had been ratherfortable over at Clover''s.


    Miles initially wanted to question Rose about Yvonne''s discharge, but he choked up slightly when he heard her lighthearted voice. After a brief moment of silence, he said, "Let''s visit Aurora Crest as a family in two days." "Aurora Crest?" She was surprised.


    He exined, "Grandpa used to go there once every year. Back when Aunt Rietta was in Regalia, she would always go up there. It was Grandpa''s way of reminiscing about her."


    Though Rose was Henrietta''s daughter, she remained oblivious to that fact even till then. Sooner orter, she woulde to know her true identity.


    Once she heard that Oliver visited there yearly, Rose unhesitantly replied, "Sure."


    "Rosie..." Miles wanted to say something but paused and changed his mind eventually. "Have a good night''s sleep."


    "You too." After ending the call, she saw Clover approaching.


    "Was it Miles?"


    He saw the surprise in Rose''s eyes and knew he had gotten it right. He presumed Miles would immediately look for her once he discovered Yvonne had been discharged. But to his surprise... Well, it seemed he had overestimated Rose''s importance to Miles. Regardless, that wasn''t an issue to Clover because he would take great care of his sister, Rose, with or without Miles. On top of that, he was also excited that Elijah had promised to visit Regalia.


    "Rosie, I''ll take you to meet someone in three days."


    Elijah would arrive in Regalia in two days and hold a cocktail party the day after. Since Jonathan used Clover of not giving Rose a grand enough wee to his family, he decided to organize an event more impressive than the Young family''s. Rose was surprised. "Who are we meeting?"


    "That''s a secret!" Clover''s gaze disyed hints of admiration and respect at the thought of Elijah. He believed Elijah would adore Rose.


    Upon seeing the mysterious look on his face, she didn''t probe further. The timing was just right as she would be back from Aurora Crest by then.


    At the Young Group headquarters, Miles drew open the drawer in his office and wanted to retrieve something when he saw that the will had been tampered with.


    He believed Victor wouldn''t go through the document in his drawer. Besides, he never had any uninvited guests to his office. So, who could''ve done that? Suddenly, he recalled Harriette sitting in his seat the other day. Was it her?


    Miles revealed a faint smile, feeling relieved that it was just her. He knew Harriette well enough to know she wouldn''t object to anything even if she saw Oliver''s will.


    After all, she had no interest in the Young Group businesses or any idea that Rose was Oliver''s biological granddaughter.


    "Miles, are you still buried in work? Let me keep youpany!" Harriette pushed open the office door and peeked her head inside.


    Dismissing his thoughts, Miles shut the drawer and stood up with a smile. "No need. It''ste. Let''s go home."


    "Okay." She nodded happily, passed his jacket to him, and clung to his arm while walking out of the office.


    The employees, who were working overtime, saw how intimate they were and were no longer surprised. For thest few days, they were introduced to the true Young family heiress and got to know her. Although her vocal cords were damaged, resulting in an unpleasant voice, her face remained undeniably stunning. Not to mention her bright and charming personality, which was far better than Anastasia''s.


    Besides, she was extremely close


    with Miles. Although they were siblings in name, they shared no blood rtion as they were both adopted by Oliver. At times, they even found them more like a couple than a pair of siblings.


    "Miles, I haven''t been to Aurora Crest in a long time. I remember Grandpa would always be there whenever went." A glint of nostalgia was evident in Harriette''s eyes, but


    beneath it was a dar but ne


    glow.


    Aurora Crest... A perfect ce and opportunity to execute her n. This morning, when Miles mentioned


    how Oliver would habitually visit Aurora Crest yearly, she immediately concocted an idea. She knew Rose would not miss a day like this!


    Harriette shot a nce at Miles. "Too bad we''re missing a member this year." That would naturally be Oliver.


    He consoled her. "Grandpa would be delighted to know you''re back and see you at Aurora Crest. Also, we''re not missing anyone. We''ll have Rosie joining us this year."


    "Rosie too?" Harriette looked surprised. Then, she pretended to be apologetic for forgetting something. "Oh, right. Rosie is also Grandpa''s adopted granddaughter. Of course, she muste with us."


    "Exactly. Rosie is Grandpa''s granddaughter," Miles murmured.


    At that, Harriette felt her heart drop. It wasn''t until then that she was fully convinced Miles knew about Rose and Oliver''s true rtionship.


    Almost instinctively, she clenched her fists, praying for the mission at Aurora Crest to be a sess. In the blink of an eye, two days had flown by.


    Since Rose and Yvonne moved to Royal Garden, Clover did as he promised and bought the vi beside it. Considering Yvonne''s rehabilitation, he purchased all the necessary equipment and stationed it in the vi.


    "You got yourself an awesome brother." After her rehabilitation, Yvonne enjoyed afternoon tea with Rose in the garden, feeling rxed and at ease.


    Rose nced at her. Since her recovery, Yvonne had returned to her regr optimistic state. Rose could tell she was smitten by Clover whenever she mentioned him.


    "And? Are you into him? You know he''s sorta taken, right?" Rose took a bite of the ice cream.


    "Of course, I do. No matter how much he and Ms. Gill conceal their emotions, I can tell they''re in love from miles away! Sure, it''s a pity, but they''repatible."


    Clover and Emily would visit the vi every day, and watching them "cover up" their feelings for each other became Yvonne''s new form of entertainment. "By the way, regarding Harriette... For some reason, I just don''t like her. You better beware of her!"


    Yvonne had a habit of pivoting her topics. Just a second ago, she was talking about Clover. The next second, she had focused on Harriette.

 Chapter 536 A Happening Day

    Still, telling Rose to beware of Harriette was slightly dramatic.


    She chuckled. "You''ve only heard me talk about her a few times, and you already dislike her? She''s nice. Plus, I don''t interact with her much."


    "Is she?" Yvonne pursed her lips. "I have a hunch... But yeah. She feels off to me. Anyway, ording to my instinct, she''s more than she seems!"


    Suddenly, Rose recalled Clover''s words from the other day but dismissed them. "Clo said the same thing and told me she''s not as nice as she seems. I think you guys worry so much about me that you''re overthinking this." Yet, Yvonne held onto a point. "See? Even Mr. Xanth says so. Now, I think you should trust our instincts."


    Rose stayed silent, but Yvonne red "fiercely" at her. "You must!"


    Pretending to be fazed, Rose nervously nodded and said, "Okay. I will."


    It wasn''t until Rose seemed to have taken in her words that Yvonne was satisfied. "That''s better."


    Rose might interact with Harriette during her trip to Aurora Crest the next day.


    The following morning, Miles arrived outside Royal Garden to pick Rose up. Before she left, Yvonne reminded her again, "Remember my words from yesterday!"


    "Yes, yes. I do. I remember every single word you said and dare not forget it!" Rose replied yfully.


    Arriving outside Royal Garden, she saw Miles'' car and noticed Harriette standing beside it, waving at her. "Rosie, over here..."


    Without waiting for Rose toe over, Harriette enthusiastically approached her with a bright smile that almost rendered Rose in a daze. She resembled the breeze of the morning air. Why would Clover or anyone deem her as unkind? "Rosie, what''s wrong? You look off." Harriette waved her hand in Rose''s face.


    She quickly snapped back to reality. "N-Nothing. It''s just... I haven''t seen you in days..."


    "Oh? Did you miss me? If that happens again, remember to call me, and I''ll be by your side at lightning speed." Harriette patted her chest.


    Amused by her, Rose burst into augh. Miles watched the two inside the car and was pleased by the scene.


    When they entered the car, Harriette seemingly hopped into the passenger seat out of habit, but Rose didn''t mind such a detail. The three soon headed toward Aurora Crest.


    In the meantime, a car simrly maneuvered toward Aurora Crest. Finley took the driver''s seat, while Leonard sat beside him, passing a document to Jonathan behind him. "Sir, I''ve listed everything about Ms. Harriette Young on this. Please have a look."


    Jonathan perused it. Her background and history filled a few pages, from the moment Oliver adopted her to when she returned to Regalia.


    He scanned the document quickly and focused heavily on the period from when she disappeared and returned. On the surface, everything seemed ordinary.


    "Sir, why are you investigating Ms. Young?" asked the curious Leonard.


    Jonathan and Harriette were considered childhood sweethearts. Although Leonard and Finley were not posted around him then, they were aware of their past. Besides, Harriette looked the same in the pictures from then and now.


    Jonathan stayed silent. Despite the information about "Harriette" seeming normal, he frowned deeply, knowing his suspicions remained intact.


    "Continue investigating her. As soon as any unusual movementes up, inform me." His gaze dimmed.


    "Yes, sir." Leonard subsequently received a call. After answering it, his face shifted. "Sir, the hospital called... They said Mr. Turner has been discharged."


    Discharged? Immediately, Jonathan was taken aback. Although Ezra''s condition had improved greatly, he was still rather unstable.


    When Jonathan found out about the Young family''s trip to Aurora Crest two days ago, he freed up the day to head up the mountain and watch over Rose. Finley and Leonard were well aware of his worry for her, but... ncing at the rearview mirror, they carefully took in Jonathan''s expression. After a while, they heard his deep voice saying, "To the hospital!"


    ...


    At a high-end cafe in Regalia, Lizzie seemed satisfied after a phone call. Jonathan took a U-turn, huh?


    Given his feelings for Rose, she


    knew he would follow her to Aurora


    Crest. That was why Lizzie had resorted to using Ezra. She also wanted to confirm who Jonathan would choose between Rose and


    Ezra, and she had her answer now.


    "Oh, Rose. You''re just a woman to him, after all." Lizzie chuckled coldly. Her dislike toward Rose seemed to have thinned outpared to the past.


    Even if Jonathan had "given up" on Rose, she needed to proceed with today''s n regardless.


    While sipping her coffee, Lizzie waited for another phone call. After some time, her phone finally rang. She quickly answered the call and heard a male''s voice.


    "Lizz, we did it. Jack has escaped."


    Lizzie was extremely pleased with the oue. "How did you do it?"


    "I followed your instructions, of course. I made him pretend to have an acute medical episode and stage a car ident on the way to the hospital..." The car ident was naturally his idea.


    He waited for Lizzie''s praise but received her cold, reprimanding voice instead. "A car ident? How could you fake another car ident?" She purposely lowered her volume but couldn''t suppress her dissatisfaction. "Why not, Lizz?" The man on the phone was confused.


    She was frustrated by hisck of deliberation. "Did you forget about the car ident in Aquastead? With Jonathan''s intelligence, he could easily connect the dots when he found out Jack had escaped through a car ident!" The person on the phone paused briefly. "W-Will he? Jonathan is smart, but he can''t possibly presume Kelly is still alive or that she''s be another person, can he? Trust me, he won''t, Lizz. You''re overthinking this." Lizzie gradually calmed down. Had she overthought this? She inhaled deeply, her gaze dimming. "Let''s hope... he stays out of the loop."


    Lizzie believed she had seamlessly


    orchestrated Kelly''s ident, going so far as to manipte Harriette''s track record during her disappearance. Even if Jonathan investigated her, he would only find "ordinary" information about


    "Harriette". He would never connect Kelly to Harriette.


    Thinking of that, she finally relieved her tense heart. She smiled sinisterly as she centered back on her n that day.


    "It''s bound to be a happening day at Aurora Crest."

 Chapter 537 He Mustve Loved You

    Aurora Crest was a mountain located on the outskirts of Regalia, not far from the city. As such, Miles and the others soon arrived at the mountain''s base.


    Other Young family members, like Anastasia, Gabriel, and Chloe, arrived after them. When Anastasia saw Harriette, her face was grim.


    Chloe simply nced at Harriette once but couldn''t contain her sarcasm when faced with Miles, with whom she was in a business dispute.


    "You''re so full of schemes, Miles. I heard you''ve stationed this newly returned Ms. Young at thepany already. Are you that eager to use her as your new bargaining chip and im more of the inheritance shares?"


    Then, she chuckled coldly and shifted her gaze to Rose. "You missed one here. Why aren''t you including her in Young Group yet?"


    Chloe had been losing the upper hand in the business battle with Milestely. Despite her unkind words, Miles took the high road.


    "Back when Grandpa was still around, we never talked about work when we came up here as a family, only our love and memories about each other."


    "Love and memories about each other?" Chloe scoffed. "I don''t have any love for you guys. I''m telling you, Miles, even if our family''s assets are divided equally, I''m still entitled to my share! Don''t even think about taking that from me!" Miles ignored her antics and signaled to Rose and Harriette. "Let''s go."


    Aurora Crest consisted solely of trails and stairs that led up to the mountain. Hence, they could only hike up without the use of motorized vehicles. Not many people were there that day.


    During their hike, Miles would retell interesting stories about Oliver at every corner. He wanted Rose to hear all of them.


    Those stories allowed Rose to visualize Oliver with them on the trek. When she gazed at Miles, she suddenly realized the person who missed Oliver the most wasn''t her, but rather him. The person who shared the fondest bond with Oliver was also him. "Miles..." Rose couldn''t help but call out to him.


    He turned around to meet her gaze and, almost instinctively, patted her head. "What''s up?" He seemed extremely affectionate.


    "Grandpa must''ve loved you very much, Miles." She smiled.


    He was slightly taken aback. He understood her meaning and that she had seen through his longing for Oliver. That was why she said those words.


    His love was greater than just a familial bond but rather an acknowledgment. Not only did Oliver acknowledge him, but so did Rose.


    For a moment, Miles couldn''t contain his brewing emotions. He looked at Rose with a note of determination. "I can never repay what Grandpa has done for me. All I can do now is try my best to grant his wishes.


    "Rosie, tomorrow-"


    "Miles..." A hoarse voice interrupted him.


    Harriette was displeased the moment he caressed Rose''s head. He had done it once to Harriette, but his movement was brief and awkward. Since then, he hadn''t acted affectionately with her. Yet, with Rose, she saw how easily it could be done.


    At that moment, Harriette realized that Miles was no longer her foolproof bargaining chip. And what did he mean by "tomorrow"? What was his n?


    "At least you have the chance to repay Grandpa. I can''t say the same for me though." She acted disappointed.


    He took in her expression and quicklyforted her. "Maybe Grandpa never wanted us to repay him. It''s okay, Etta."


    However, she simply sighed in response.


    The group continued on their journey. At some point, Rose turned around and asked, "Where''s Etta?" Not only was Harriette missing, but so were the rest.


    She frowned. Then, Miles'' phone suddenly rang, and he quickly answered when he saw the caller. "Etta? Where did you go?"


    "Miles, I... I think I''m lost. I saw a beautiful butterfly earlier and wanted to catch it, but... I don''t think I can find my way back. Miles-" Harriette screamed before the call was disconnected.


    "What happened? Where is she?" Rose was worried.


    Miles couldn''t help but look slightly dazed. That was how Harriette went missing back then. She lost her way, and they never found her again.


    Harriette''s scream continued echoing in his head. Despite his usualposure, he had lost his bearings at that moment.


    "She''s lost. I gotta find her." A sense of apprehension bubbled up within Miles.


    It took him back to the time when Harriette disappeared. He had searched for her in vain time after time. At that moment, that sense of foreboding returned from the past and shrouded him once again. He retreated with quickened steps, and amid his anxiety, Rose took it all in. It was only natural to look for Harriette since she was lost.


    When they arrived at a branching path, Rose saw Miles taking one of the routes, and she unhesitantly strayed to the other. Surely, the more manpower, the quicker they would find Harriette.


    She walked along the trail and


    couldn''t find Harriette after a long time. As she was prepared to turn back and search for her on the main trail, she saw a person descending from a distance away. Between them stood a pavilion, and that


    person rested at that spot.


    Since that person had just descended the hill, Rose thought it wouldn''t hurt to ask if he had seen Harriette. Without so much as a second thought, she headed toward the pavilion.


    When she arrived, she noticed


    another man sitting inside the pavilion. When Rose identally locked eyes with him, she could feel an inexplicable chill and uneasiness. Luckily, the man only nced at her briefly and closed his eyes before resting against the pir  Shifte


    As such, she shifted her gaze toward the middle-aged man and found him looking at her as well. Although the eye contact felt strange, it didn''t radiate any disturbing feeling like the previous man did.


    "Sir, I saw you descended from the hill earlier. May I ask if you''ve seen a young girl around my height?" Rose inquired politely.


    However, that man continued staring at her as though he didn''t hear her. Taken aback, she suddenly felt like she had made a mistakeing here. These two men were strange!


    Rose took a silent breath. Since they were in the isted wilderness, she believed she should refrain from being alone with strangers if they weren''t being helpful. Thus, she turned around to leave. Unbeknownst to her, the man resting against the pir opened his eyes when she turned around. "I think I saw her!"


    When Rose turned toward the voice, she realized it wasn''t the middle-aged man who spoke, but rather the creepy man.

 Chapter 538 Rescuing Her

    Albeit momentarily startled, Rose suppressed her uneasiness and asked, "Could you tell me where you saw her?"


    The man pointed toward the hill. "There. A pretty girl about your height seemed to have twisted her ankle. She just sat there silently," he spoke with certainty.


    Rose quickly thanked him. "Thank you so much." The man didn''t respond to her and simply closed his eyes to resume his rest.


    She headed in the direction the man had pointed in and went up the stairs. On her way, she paid attention to the areas around the trees so she wouldn''t miss Harriette. Moments after Rose left, the man resting in the pavilion opened his eyes once again and trailed after her. Meanwhile, the other man...


    Since Rose entered the pavilion, Elijah Xanth had been dazed by her eyes and kept staring at her. A voice in his head repeatedly told him, "This girl... looks just like her!"


    Naturally, he didn''t hear a word Rose said and dazedly watched as she left the pavilion and ascended the hill. Filled with countless questions, he wanted to follow her but found that his limbs had gone weak. He couldn''t stand up.


    It wasn''t until he noticed the murderous intent of that man leaving the pavilion that Elijah realized something. As if motivated with a force, he stood and trailed after them.


    ...


    "Etta?" Rose had walked a distance, but her search for Harriette remained fruitless.


    She continued calling Harriette''s name as she searched for her. When she arrived at another branching path, a voice behind her halted her steps.


    "Stop calling for her."


    The man''s voice sounded unkind. When she turned around, she realized it was the man who had given her directions earlier. Instantly, she knew Harriette wasn''t around. But this man... "What do you want?" Rose shot him a hostile look.


    Kevin Baker studied her body and scoffed. "What do you think I want when I run into a prettydy in the wild?"


    She frowned. No matter what, Aurora Crest was situated in Regalia, where modernws existed. She didn''t believe this man intended to assault her in the spur of the moment.


    "Aren''t you afraid of the police or thew?" Rose quickly examined Kevin and believed she could handle him.


    Suddenly, another figure entered her vision. She saw from the corner of her eye that it was the middle-aged man from the pavilion.


    Just as Rose presumed they were aplices, Elijah made a shushing gesture at her. Instantly, she understood she needed to keep Kevin unaware of his presence.


    Thankfully, the stone path was free from leaves, making it easy for Elijah to keep his steps quiet and presence unannounced.


    "Afraid? Why would I be?" Kevin''s tone suggested otherwise. He seemed to be awless lunatic, or perhaps... he was someone who knew he could escape even if hemitted uwful acts.


    Rose watched as Elijah slowly inched toward them. Then, she feigned terror. "You want money, don''t you? Here you go. You can take as much as you want. Just let me go!" "Money?" Kevin chortled coldly. "Sorry to break it to you, but what I want is " Then, he gasped, not being able to finish his words, and felt a searing pain in his head.


    A hiking stick had struck the back of his head. His piercing cries echoed throughout the forest, startling countless birds into flight.


    However, that strike wasn''t enough to knock him out. Instead, he suppressed the pain and recognized Elijah from the pavilion. "You..." Kevin red ferociously at Elijah, full of murder intent.


    Before he could do anything, Rose picked up a rock from the ground and bashed him just like Elijah had.


    Kevin staggered slightly. It seemed


    like he hadn''t expected her to strike back. He tried to turn around but was attacked halfway, causing him to wobble slightly and fall to the ground.  en FindNovel


    The air descended into an eerie quietness. Still shaken by the ordeal, Rose watched Keviny on the ground and wanted to check if he was still alive. However, Elijah was a step ahead of her. "Not dead." He skillfully checked Kevin''s breathing and seemed quick on his feet despite being in his 50s.


    Then, he turned Kevin over and checked the injury on his head. "He''s knocked out, but the injury isn''t fatal. About time we put him to sleep." Elijah rose and was prepared to leave when he saw Rose motionless. He turned to her and asked, "Aren''t youing?"


    She snapped back to reality. "Yeah. Of course."


    met


    Rose followed him behind. After settling her emotions, she slowly examined the middle-aged man before her. He was tall, dressed sportswear, and carried a hiking stick. He walked with steady and solid steps.


    "About earlier... Thanks a lot for your help." Rose expressed her gratitude when arriving at the pavilion.


    When Elijah looked at her again, he


    had suppressed the initial emotions from when he first saw her. "No problem. Why are you searching for someone here, missy?"


    Rose thought of Harriette. "One of our fellow hikers got lost. My brother and I split up to search for her."


    "Your brother?" Elijah knitted his brows. "What''s your name?"


    "My name is Rose Shaffer!" She had thoroughly let her guard down.


    Although he seemed strange when Rose first approached him, his reaction felt harmless. Especially after the episode earlier, Rose felt that he was a good guy. "Rose..." Elijah''s expression shifted, and he murmured strangely, "Rosie..."


    Rose took in his unusual reaction. Amid her confusion, he looked at her with a warm smile. "If I had a daughter, she''d be named Rosie too."


    That exined his reaction, but...


    "What do you mean ''if''?" asked Rose.


    Elijah averted his gaze and recalled the past. "My wife and I had a promise. If we had a baby girl, we''d call her Rose."


    So that was why. Somehow, Rose could feel the love between him and his wife. "Where''s your wife, then? Is she here with you?" she casually asked. However, upon seeing his stiff expression, Rose instantly realized she had asked the wrong question. After a fleeting moment, his face softened. Then, Elijahughed, possibly detecting her embarrassment. "We have been separated for many years. I''ve long gotten used to it.


    "It was my fault for not keeping her by my side back then. When I tried to look for her again, it was toote."

 Chapter 539 His Wife

    Although Elijah''s tone sounded light-hearted, it was filled with guilt and remorse.


    Rose naturally noticed that andforted him. "Perhaps one day, you''ll find her!"


    Her words caught him off guard. When he looked at her eyes, he was in a trance. "You''re right. Perhaps I''ll find her one day!"


    But would there be such a day? Elijah took a deep breath.


    "Miss, it''s easy to get lost while searching for your friend on a mountain with so many branching paths. What if you encounter another man like that guy? It''s dangerous out here. "If you trust me, why don''t I keep youpany during your search?"


    Elijah dismissed his thoughts. For some reason, he didn''t want to separate from this girl.


    "Will that take up much of your time?" Rose naturally trusted him. The more she looked at him, the more she found him amicable.


    Heughed. "Of course not. I''m free the whole day. Plus, I came here to find my wife. During her time in Regalia, we met here once. It''d be great if I could see her again."


    His gaze was undeniably affectionate when he mentioned his wife. Rose''s eyes once again caught him in a daze, but soon enough, he returned to normal.


    The pair headed down the path, not going further up but backtracking instead. They nned to try their luck by taking a different branching path.


    During their trek, the two chatted happily. When he mentioned hisst name, Rose instantly thought of Clover but didn''t overthink it.


    Elijah told her about the stories of his wife, and through his words, she could imagine his wife was a stunningdy.


    After trying a couple of different branching paths, they found no sign of Harriette. However, she noticed there were people at every branching path who made her feel uneasy. But when they saw her with Elijah, they seemed surprised. "The person we knocked out earlier might not have been here by chance." Elijah suddenly pivoted the topic away from his wife.


    Rose met his gaze. "You thought so too?"


    Her answer took him by surprise. She was quick-witted! He seemed d. "Do you know anybody who might harm you?"


    Harm her? A few figures shed across Rose''s mind. Although she hadn''t been in Regalia long, she had already made quite a few enemies. And the suspect for this incident...


    "I''m not sure." She shook her head.


    He frowned. "Why not?"


    "I have too many enemies. I don''t know which one it is." Rose smiled self-deprecatingly.


    Surprised by her answer, Elijahughed out loud. "Oh, missy. You look like an endearing girl. What offensive stuff could you possibly have done?"


    Endearing? Rose was surprised because no one had ever described her this way. However, she had heard plenty of it being used on Kelly. Knowing her charming personality was a facade, Rose didn''t care to be called endearing. When Elijah said it, however, it somehow gave her a nice feeling.


    "Etta... was it? I suggest you stop looking for her." His gaze dimmed.


    "Why not?" She frowned.


    "Don''t you have a feeling that these people are somehow connected to her being lost?" He implied that Harriette was attempting to harm her.


    "How can that be? Etta..." Rose recalled how Harriette defended her at the charity auction event and had been friendly to her since. How could it be her?


    "You don''t think so? I guess Etta did a great job disguising herself then. Or perhaps this is all a coincidence." He knew the possibility of thetter was low though.


    It had been eerily strange at Aurora Crest that day, with every branching path posted with people. It had to be someone influential to be able to orchestrate that.


    If Rose stepped foot on any of these paths alone, she would be defeated by a strong man. In the wilderness, anything could happen. By then, she would be brushed off as another "ident".


    Elijah stopped and looked at Rose. "Are we still doing this?"


    His voice pulled her back to her senses. After some hesitation, she made a decision.


    "No, we''re not. Perhaps my brother has already found her. We''re here at Aurora Crest today because our grandpa came here and hiked to the summit every year while he was alive."


    She gazed at the summit. "Grandpa came here because he missed his daughter, while we came here to reminisce about him."


    An act of longing... It seemed they were here for the same purpose.


    "Okay then. I''ll hike the summit with you," Elijah unhesitantly offered.


    Rose was shocked. "But... didn''t you just descend from there? You..."


    She knew he was sticking around for the sake of protecting her. Despite her gratitude, she refused to trouble him further.


    She wanted to tell him they could return to the main path and separate since it would be more crowded there, and they wouldn''t have to worry about the attackers.


    Yet, before she could say that, Elijah chuckled. "I didn''te from there. It''d be a pity if I don''t reach the summit while I''m here. Luckily, I met you and saved myself the regret. Let''s go! To the summit!" With that, heted the way.


    Watching him from the back, Rose was momentarily speechless. She wasn''t sure if he was telling the truth, but one thing was clear-Elijah was a samaritan!


    "Come on!" he urged. Snapping back to reality, she grunted and followed suit.


    Although Aurora Crest wasn''t considered a very high peak, it still took a few hours to reach the summit. During their journey, Rose called Miles and confirmed Harriette''s safety, finally rxing.


    In contrast, Harriette seemed slightly grim. "Miles, was that Rosie?"


    She sat on one of the rocks, looking normal.


    Miles ended the call. "Yeah, Rosie said to meet at the summit."


    "But... Isn''t it dangerous for Rosie to


    hike alone?" She disyed a look of worry and self-me. "I shouldn''t have strayed away all for that


    butterfly. If I hadn''t gotten lost and fallen off the trail, Rosie wouldn''t have..."


    Miles looked at Harriette''s injuries located on her leg, which had arge scrape and was painful to look at.


    "Don''t be sorry. Rosie won''t me


    you for it. She won''t hesitate to look for a stranger, let alone family." He crouched and stroked her hand tofort her before turning around. "Here. Get on my back. I''ll take you up there."


    He wanted to carry her on his back to the summit. "That''s not a good idea..." She was rather hesitant. "That''ll take a toll on you."


    "What does that matter? I carried you on my back for like a gazillion times when we were kids," he joked.


    After some hesitation, Harriette hopped on Miles'' back. Suddenly, she understood how lucky Harriette had been. If only...

 Chapter 540 Shes Here

    If only she were the real Harriette. Otherwise, she didn''t care for such brotherly love. Shey against Miles'' back but kept thinking about Rose.


    How could she still call Miles when she had strayed away for so long? Lizzie did guarantee Rose would encounter "idents" no matter which path she took.


    However, it wasn''t Lizzie who nned the arrangement, but someone else. Did that person not do their job well?


    Despite her initial panic, Harriette gradually calmed down and turned optimistic. Perhaps it was still early, and they hadn''t attacked. Since every path was posted with attackers, she supposed the "ident" would ur as nned nevertheless. Perhaps, Rose wouldn''t show up even after they waited a long time at the summit!


    At the mountain''s base, Be looked grim while sitting in an ordinary-looking MPV.


    She received one call after another, telling her that their attempts were a failure. All of them pointed to the same reason, which was the fact that Rose was apanied by a middle-aged man. That meant the risks had increased, thus lowering their sess rate. "Damn it!" Be gritted her teeth in anger. She had put in a lot of effort and made thorough arrangements, stationing attackers on all paths. How could this happen?


    She was relentless. No matter what, she would not give up on this golden opportunity today!


    ...


    A sanctuary was located atop Aurora Crest. It was usually bustling, but it was quiet today.


    When Miles and Harriette arrived at the top, the first thing he did was look for Rose. However, she was nowhere in sight. He hurriedly called her, but the call never connected.


    "Don''t worry, Miles. Maybe she''s out of signal. I''m sure she''ll be here soon." Harrietteforted him on the surface but was thrilled on the inside. Out of reach, huh... She deduced that the "idents" had taken ce.


    "No. I gotta find her." Miles was worried and even felt sorry for Rose. He had abandoned her alone and went to seek Harriette. If anything happened to Rose... He dared not expand that thought.


    He was ready to leave when Harriette called out. "But Miles, I..." She disyed a fleeting hint of fear in her eyes before forcing a smile. "Go ahead, Miles. I can''t tag along with my injury, but I''ll stay here at the sanctuary and pray for her safe return." "Okay."


    He left in a hurry, and she no longer put up a facade. "What''s the point of looking for her? By the time you find her, she''s probably dead." Her smugness was unmissable, and she scoffed coldly at the sanctuary.


    Her expression swiftly turned solemn, and she sped her hands, praying, "Pray for blessings, that Rose Shaffer will rest in peace in the mountains, and that I will get everything I desire."


    She wanted everything Rose had, the insurmountable assets and power of the Young family...


    "Rosie?"


    Harriette had just finished praying when she heard a gasp behind her. It sounded joyous and excited, the sound of relief. Naturally, she recognized the voice and felt chills down her spine. "Rosie, you scared me! Your phone was out of reach. I thought... I thought you got into trouble." Miles emotionally embraced Rose, slowly easing his fear-filled heart.


    "I''m sorry, Rosie. I shouldn''t have left you alone. You could''ve... could''ve..." When he thought of all the possible dangers, he went weak in his knees. "Thank goodness, you''re fine..." He kept rambling on. Rose hadn''t gotten a chance to speak since she saw Miles. She didn''t expect him to worry so much about her.


    "Miles, look. I''m fine. What can happen to me in broad daylight? I''m not a kid. Here, look..." She wanted to ease Miles'' anxiety and yfully twirled before him." See? I''m fine!"


    It was then that he slowly calmed down. He looked at Rose with eyes full of contentment.


    As if realizing something midway,


    Rose turned to Elijah and tugged at Miles. "This is Mr. Xanth, who..." She wanted to say he saved her but


    didn''t


    ''t want to worry Miles. As such, she quickly adapted. "Helped me and got me to the summit. It was all thanks to him that I''m here."


    "Thank you, Mr. Xanth." Miles sized up the person before him.


    With just a nce, he could tell Elijah was extraordinary. But... who was he? He sifted through all the influential figures in Regalia from his recollection and couldn''t recognize him. Elijah naturally took in his scrutiny and thought the young man before him carried exemry poise.


    "Mr. Xanth, this is my brother, Miles Young," Rose introduced enthusiastically.


    Elijah noticed something amiss. "He''s a Young, while you''re a Shaffer. Are you two... siblings?" AS soon as he asked that, he became more confused because, despite their closeness, they seemed


    tonic.


    He was about to apologize when Miles piped up, "Due to some reasons, Rosie hasn''t changed herst name. But rest assured, she''s a true Young!"


    The Young family... Elijah had studied a little about Regalia. Could they be one of the Three Greatest Families in Regalia? He didn''t probe further and simply nodded at Miles'' exnation. "I see. My apologies."


    "Miles..." Harriette''s voice suddenly rang out.


    When Miles turned around, he saw Harriette struggling with her injured leg and making her way toward him. He quickly rushed up and held her, tenderly lecturing her.


    "Careful. What happens if you fall again?"


    "Miles, I heard your voice calling out for Rosie, so I thought she must be here. That''s why I..." she spoke meekly.


    She quickly nced toward Rose.


    "You''re finally here, Rosie. I''m sorry


    that I caused Miles to leave you


    behind. He was so worried about you. Now that you''re here, Miles and I can finally rx."


    toFindNovel


    Her bright and charming smile seemed as innocent as it could get. That was her best attempt to feign sincerity.


    For some reason, Rose noticed the coldness in Harriette''s eyes despite wearing a sunny smile. However, it quickly disappeared.


    Rose was surprised. Was that her hallucination?


    "Rosie, you didn''t encounter anything earlier, did you?" Harriette probed, hoping to get an answer to ease her brimming suspicion and reluctance.


    Rose snapped back to her senses and was shocked. "No. Why did you ask that, Etta?"


    Afraid to have revealed herself, Harriette swiftly exined...

 Chapter 541 Youre Etta Too

    "Miles was worried about you, and so was I!"


    Was she genuinely worried about her? Rose couldn''t seem to ignore the fleeting coldness she saw in her eyes.


    Amid her thoughts, Elijah asked, "Etta? Your name is Etta?" He hadn''t heard this name from someone else in a long time, looking visibly agitated.


    Miles, Rose, and Harriette couldn''t help but look at him curiously.


    "You''re Etta?" he asked again after receiving no response.


    Harriette felt nervous immediately. She thought her disguise as Harriette had been exposed, but upon recalling the information provided by Lizzie, such a middle-aged man didn''t exist in Harriette''s world. As such, she became bold. "Yeah, I''m Etta. What''s wrong, sir?" she asked with utmost politeness.


    Elijah stared quizzically at her, almost like seeking someone''s shadow in her. However, after some time, he calmed his emotions. "Sorry. It''s just that my wife has the same nickname. I call her Etta too." Was that it? Harriette instantly felt a relief. "Oh, we have the same. How coincidental!"


    "Yeah, what a coincidence!" Rose thought the same.


    Yet, Miles couldn''t help but connect it to something else. "Is that even... possible? Maybe it''s just a coincidence," he pondered.


    He was just about to examine Elijah again when thetter prepared to leave. After bidding his farewell, Elijah took another meaningful look at Harriette before leaving. That action rendered everyone confused. "He''s kinda strange. Rosie, who is he?" Harriette asked after Elijah took off.


    Rose only mentioned they met on their way and traveled together, nothing else. At that moment, Harriette understood why Rose had reached the summit unscathed. It was because of that man! Despite her burning fury, she knew she couldn''t disy it. Meanwhile, Anastasia, Chloe, and Gabriel had simrly arrived. When the family members saw each other, there was an undercurrent of tension. Rose wasn''t involved in the inheritance dispute, so she naturally didn''t feel their wrath.


    She entered the sanctuary and started meditating. With no desires or requests, she felt extremely at peace. At some point, Miles came and sat beside her.


    "Young Group will soon be unified." His tone was firm. It sounded like he was reporting to thete Oliver but also informing Rose of his progress simultaneously. "Rosie, I''m going to make an announcement tomorrow."


    She was taken aback by his solemn demeanor. "Is it important?"


    He replied, "Yeah. Very."


    "What is it?" Rose was curious.


    Miles simply said, "I''ll tell you about it tomorrow."


    Since that was the case, Rose didn''t probe further. However, Clover also said he would introduce her to someone on that same day.


    "Will I have to be in two ces at once? Probably not. Meeting someone and making an announcement doesn''t take long, does it? It should be fine," Rose contemted.


    Due to the discordant rtionship caused by the business disputes with Miles, Chloe descended the mountain first.


    Amid the Young family inheritance dispute, Chloe gained no advantage and even lost control of all the assets she originally had, which were now under Miles.


    Although Anastasia had received help from Jonathan and gained a great portion, it was stripped away by Miles almost immediately. As of then, he was the one who held full control of Young Group.


    Both Chloe and Anastasia shared the same feelings of resentment. Yet, ever since Harriette''s return, Anastasia had lost the motivation to continue the fight. She was over it!


    Her usual aggression and bitterness were reined in today at Aurora Crest, but someone decided to provoke her.


    "Ms. Young?"


    The hoarse, scratchy voice sounded behind Anastasia, frightening her. When she turned around, she saw Harriette as expected. However, her smile was no longer the bright and charming one she showed others. Instead, it was cold with a hint of mockery. Along with the arrogance and contempt on her face, it brought back Anastasia''s memories of the old Harriette.


    "It''s you. You are Harriette!" Anastasia scoffed.


    Since the day of the auction event, Anastasia had hoped it was a fake Harriette that had returned. Yet, when she saw the same expression that Harriette had years ago now, she was certain it was her! Harriette thought Anastasia had suspected her. She raised her brows andughed. "Of course, it''s me. What''s wrong? Did I ruin your heiress dream? Do you hate me?"


    Did Anastasia hate her? Of course, she hated her-she resented Harriette the most!


    From her experience, Harriette was the most schemeful woman she had ever met. On the surface, she was the most loving, endearing girl that everyone adored. In reality, she was malicious, cold, and cruel. Naturally, she had a talent for putting on a facade as she had never given away any clues.


    Anastasia took a deep breath. "Are you here to mock me?"


    "Yes. Not only am I here to mock you, but I''m also contemting how I''ll kick you out of the Young family." Harriette was honest.


    Anastasia''s face dimmed. "Aren''t you afraid everyone will see the real you? Especially Miles?"


    "Afraid? Oh no! Are you nning to tattle on me?" Harriette jeered. Then, she smiled smugly. "He went to the sanctuary. There''s no one else here. Do you think he''ll believe what you say about me?"


    Negative! Anastasia knew Miles'' love


    for Harriette all too well. Perhaps even if he found out about her true colors, he would still love and eare for her. That was a result of their long-standing friendship.


    Not to mention, Harriette''s damaged voice was a constant reminder to him of how much hardship she went through and how much she deserved his empathy.


    Anastasia knew better than to fight Harriette. "I won''t tattle on you. Harriette, let''s... talk it out." She looked at Harriette.


    Her humility undoubtedly caught Harriette by surprise. However, she chuckled coldly. "Talk it out? Aren''t you supposed to beg for forgiveness?"


    Indeed, making peace and asking for forgiveness were vastly different concepts, but Anastasia didn''t mind it.


    "Forgive me, please. I was never your worthy opponent since the beginning of time," she said self-deprecatingly.


    Her words rendered Harriette


    stunned. ording to Lizzie''s


    information; the real Harriette was a bright and charming girl, without even the slightest dirt. Yet, it seemed that Anastasia had witnessed the true, imperfect Harriette.


    Still, was that half-hearted apology considered pleading for forgiveness?


    "If you''re begging for my forgiveness, shouldn''t you at least act like it?" Harriette raised her chin.


    When their eyes met, Anastasia instantly understood her meaning. She wanted her to get on her knees and beg... Clenching her fists, she decided to yield under Harriette''s frosty gaze.

 Chapter 542 Foricng Her To Submit

    A thud echoed as Anastasia fell to her knees.


    "Ha ha ha!" Harriette was utterly pleased. She couldn''t believe Anastasia had actually knelt before her.


    She hadn''t forgotten the humiliation of that day when the video was released in Regalia when her shame was disyed for all to see-mocked, ridiculed, and scorned.


    At the time, she thought Rose was behind it. Butter, she discovered it wasn''t Rose. It was Anastasia. As such, she thought that merely asking Anastasia to kneel was far from enough. Harriette''s gaze darkened. "Go on."


    Anastasia froze for a moment. "Go on? Is kneeling not enough? What more does she want?" she thought.


    Realizing what Harriette was implying, she slowly lifted her head and met the woman''s cold gaze. Then, realization struck her kneeling wasn''t sufficient. She wanted Anatasia to bow down and grovel.


    "Why? Are you unwilling? It seems like your plea isn''t sincere enough then." Harriette scoffed, observing the anger and struggle on Anastasia''s face. She knew that, in the end, Anastasia would do as she wished.


    Sure enough, after a moment of bitter hesitation, Anastasia lowered her head further until her forehead struck the floor with a heavy thud.


    Harriette watched, her satisfaction growing with each passing second.


    "Ha ha ha!" Her raspyughter echoed in the room eerily.


    She stepped forward, her toes nearly touching Anastasia''s bowed head. "Anastasia, oh Anastasia, I bet you never imagined I''d bring you to your knees, did you?"


    At that moment, she was no longer Harriette, but rather Kelly. Even back in Regalia, when she had deceived Oliver to be a member of the Young family, she had never imagined crushing Anastasia beneath her feet. But now, she had seeded. With her triumph reverberating through her every step, Harriette turned around and made her exit.


    Left alone, Anastasia remained sprawled on the ground, Harriette''s words echoing relentlessly in her mind.


    "I bet you never imagined I''d bring you to your knees, did you?"


    Harriette had always been the one to keep her downtrodden, even during their childhood. The Harriette she knew would never utter such words.


    Anastasia''s mind swirled with confusion and disbelief as she pushed herself up to her knees, her eyes settling on the vacant space where Harriette had just stood.


    A nagging doubt gnawed at her. "Harriette wouldn''t speak like that. But since she did, what could it mean?" she pondered.


    A flurry of thoughts raced through her mind, one in particr rising above the rest. It was a thought so shocking she could hardly believe it.


    "Maybe... maybe "Harriette" isn''t Harriette," Anastasia whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of the revtion.


    "But if that isn''t Harriette, then who is she? And what does she want?" she mused.


    Anastasia bit her lip, determination recing her earlier fear. She had humiliated herself, kneeling and prostrating before this woman, and now, she had to find out the truth. She needed to know who this imposter was.


    Her first instinct was to go to Miles, but she quickly dismissed the idea. She knew all too well how deeply Miles cared for Harriette. He would never believe her.


    With Miles out of the question, there was only one other person who might be willing to listen. A certain figure appeared in her mind, and she made her decision.


    ...


    On the road from Regalia to Aurora Crest, Jonathan found Ezra and then doubled back, wasting precious time. His usuallyposed expression was now tinged with urgency.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Finch. Mr. Miles is with Mrs. Finch at Aurora Crest-nothing will go wrong." Sensing Jonathan''s agitation, Leonard tried to reassure him.


    However, his words did little to ease the gnawing unease in Jonathan''s gut. The involuntary twitch in his right eyelid only served to intensify his mounting anxiety.


    As their vehicle glided into Aurora


    Crest''s parking lot, Jonathan sprang into action, swiftly alighting from the car. Just as he was about to reach for his phone to call Rose, he spotted a group of people heading


    er


    toward them.


    "Mr. Finch... It''s Mrs. Finch and Mr. Miles!" Leonard pointed out as he recognized them from afar. "I''m sure Mr. Finch can finally rx now that he''s seen Mrs. Finch," he mused. Without a moment''s hesitation, Jonathan sprinted toward Rose, his beaming grin as radiant as the midday sun.


    Leonard and Finley exchanged knowing nces, their eyebrows rising in silent acknowledgment.


    "Have you noticed how Mr. Finch seems to transform into a different person around his wife?" Leonard remarked, still somewhat puzzled by the transformative power of love.


    A yful glint danced in Finley''s eyes as he responded, "Perhaps you''ll understand once you find someone you love."


    "Someone I love, huh?" The thought sparked a sense of curiosity and longing in Leonard.


    Unbeknownst to them, as their banter filled the car, danger was stealthily encroaching beyond the parking lot, biding its time to unleash chaos.


    ...


    Rose''s eyelid twitched incessantly. Ever since they started descending from the mountain, her right eyelid had been dancing restlessly, showing no signs of subsiding.


    The uneasiness that loomed in her heart grew, and an ominous foreboding engulfed her, making her feel as if something dreadful was about to happen.


    She recalled those peculiar individuals she had encountered on the mountain, and Elijah''s words echoed in her mind. "Perhaps the appearance of that person who got knocked out earlier was not a mere coincidence." "Rosie, are you okay?" Miles noticed the change in her expression and asked with concern.


    However, before Rose could respond, Harriette let out a sudden yelp. "Ah!"


    Miles instinctively spun around to find Harriette sprawled on the ground, her face contorted in pain. Worry flooded his face as he rushed to her side.


    "How can you be so careless? I told you I could carry you the whole way, but you insisted..." But upon witnessing her pain-stricken face, he couldn''t bear to chastise her further.


    Instead, he gently helped her up. Once she steadied herself, he crouched before her, insisting, "Let me carry you the rest of the way."


    Harriette gazed at Miles, reminded


    of how he had carried her from the beginning of their descent. When a passerby had given her a walking stick on the mountain trail, she had feltpelled to show her concern for Miles and was determined to use it instead of burdening him further.


    As such, she decided to walk for a while, relying on the walking stick. She could have continued for a longer, but seeing how Miles''


    attention diverted to Rose up


    letting her down, she couldn''t allow that to happen. So, she stumbled strategically.


    As expected, Miles immediately rushed to her side, leaving Rose behind.


    A surge of satisfaction swelled within Harriette, though she maintained an innocent expression. "I just slipped. I didn''t mean to... I just didn''t want you to get too tired, Miles," she said, feigning meekness.


    "Tired? I don''t ever get tired when ites to taking care of you, Etta," Miles reassured her with a gentle smile, ncing back at her. "Now,e on!"


    Harriette paused, keeping up the facade, before finally relenting and allowing Miles to carry her once more. As she settled onto his back, a glint of triumph briefly sparkled in her eyes. "You''re always so good to me, Miles."


    "Of course. You''re my sister. Who else would I take care of if not you? You and Rosie..." Miles trailed off, reminded of Rose''s unusual expression earlier. Guilt washed over him.


    He turned his gaze to where Rose had been standing, but to his surprise, she was no longer there. Frowning, he quickly scanned the area.


    Although the base of Aurora Crest had be busier, with more people present than before, he soon spotted her amidst the crowd. "Rosie..." he called out, determined to uncover the reason behind her strange behavior.


    However, just as he was about to approach her, the scene unfolding before him made his blood run cold.

 Chapter 543 Cares About Him

    At that moment, Rose was standing near the edge of the road, close to the crosswalk. Just beyond ity the parking lot. She waited for the traffic light to turn green, but she remained frozen in ce even when it did. Her attention was fixed on a car speeding toward her, growing faster and seemingly out of control. It mounted the curb and headed straight for her.


    Her instincts screamed at her to move and to get out of the way. But in that terrifying moment, her body refused to respond. She was paralyzed, rooted to the spot as the car hurtled toward her. "Am I going to die?" The chilling thought shed through her mind.


    "Rosie!" A frantic voice pierced through her terror.


    It was Miles, shouting her name in a desperate attempt to alert her to the danger. But Rose was already acutely aware of the threat. Her body, however, remained unresponsive.


    As the car closed in on her, she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the inevitable collision. Some irrational part of her hoped that closing her eyes might somehow make the pain less real.


    A powerful force mmed into her, but instead of the hard impact of a car, she felt the warm presence of a person.


    Rose found herself on the ground, but instead of the searing pain she had expected, she felt nothing. Instead, a deep, pained groan reached her ears.


    Her eyes snapped open to a familiar face twisted in agony above her. Despite the pain etched on his features, his expression softened immediately as he began frantically checking her over, making sure she was unharmed. "Are you hurt? Did the car hit you?" he asked, his voiceced with worry even as his hands carefully examined her for injuries.


    Stunned, Rose stared at Jonathan, her mind struggling to catch up with the situation.


    "Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?" Jonathan''s face grew increasingly anxious and concerned as Rose remained silent. "Come on. Tell me where it hurts?"


    His tone had softened, almost as if he were coaxing her. Finally, Rose snapped back to her senses, and she managed to find her voice.


    "I''m fine," she assured him.


    However, her attention swiftly shifted to Jonathan''s well-being, and she anxiously checked him for any signs of injury.


    "What about you? Are you injured?" she asked.


    "Let me see..." she insisted, her hands moving over his arms, shoulders, and chest in search of wounds. She had heard that pained groan earlier and was certain it hade from Jonathan.


    Her worry was evident, and Jonathan, seeing the distress in her eyes, hesitated briefly before smiling. Rose blinked. She couldn''t understand what he was smiling about.


    "Tell me, are you hurt?" she asked again, more urgently this time, but Jonathan''s grin only grew wider.


    Rose frowned, confused by his reaction. Just as she was about to demand an exnation, Jonathan pulled her into a tight embrace.


    Caught off guard, she froze, and Jonathan''s voice reached her ears. "You''re worried about me!"


    Rose''s thoughts came to a standstill as she tried to make sense of his words. Of course, she was worried about him.


    "Does this mean you care about me, wifey?" Jonathan asked, his voiceced with excitement.


    Rose''s lips twitched in annoyance. He had just saved her life, so it was only natural that she would be concerned for his well-being. That didn''t imply anything more.


    "How did he manage to twist my concern into something else entirely?" she pondered.


    "Wifey, you gave me quite a fright just now," Jonathan confessed as he held Rose in his arms. "When that car barreled toward you, my only thought was that I wished it had been me instead. If anything had happened to you... I can''t even fathom what I would have done." He held her closer as if reaffirming to himself that she was truly safe in his arms. "Fortunately, fate must have been moved by my love for you and spared both of our lives. Thank goodness we''re both okay."


    Rose''s soothing scent calmed his nerves, anchoring him back to the present after the distressing event. With Rose securely in his embrace, his heart gradually regained its steady rhythm.


    Upon hearing Jonathan''s reassurance that he was also unscathed, Rose rxed into his arms, allowing him to hold her without resistance. His heartfelt words echoed in her mind, causing a surge of emotions. Meanwhile, not far away, others were processing the same shocking event, albeit with very different emotions. Seated on the ground, Harriette winced in pain from her injured leg.


    Earlier, she had deliberately hurt herself on the mountain to dispel her own suspicions and gain Miles'' trust, and now, the agony was even more intense.


    She couldn''t believe that Miles had literally dropped her to the ground, discarding her like a meaningless object as he raced to Rose''s side.


    The memory of his abandonment and desperate sprint toward Rose reyed on a torturous loop in her mind, each recollection amplifying the throbbing ache in her leg.


    To make matters worse, the car had ultimately failed to hit Rose. Jonathan had intervened, rescuing her just in time.


    Harriette clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms as she bitterly observed the frenzied activity unfolding nearby. Jonathan''s assistants had swiftly apprehended the driver and were now forcefully extracting him from the car. "Useless," Harriette seethed under her breath, her frustration and anger reaching a fever pitch. She knew this had to be part of the arrangement Lizzie had mentioned earlier that day.


    "But ultimately, the n failed..." she mused.


    As the weight of failure pressed down on her, Harriette''s gaze shifted back to Miles. "Is today''s n doomed to fail? And if so, what will be of tomorrow?" she wondered.


    After what had just transpired, Harriette was now certain that despite Miles'' affection and care for "Harriette", his feelings for Rose had clearly surpassed those for Harriette.


    She couldn''t believe this was happening. After all, she had poured her heart and soul into transforming herself into an entirely different person. She couldn''t allow herself to lose to Rose once more.


    Taking a deep breath, Harriette


    looked at Miles and called out, "Miles..." This time, she didn''t even need to pretend. The pain in her voice was all too real, making Ker seem even more pitiable than before.


    Miles, who had been focused on Rose and Jonathan, suddenly realized something when he heard her voice. He quickly turned around and saw Harriette struggling to get up from the ground. "Etta..." He rushed to her side, guilt flooding his expression. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to¡ª"


    "It''s okay, Miles," Harriette reassured him. "You saw that Rosie was in danger, and you had to save her. I understand, and I''m not angry. It''s just that..." She winced, ncing at her injured leg. "It seems the pain has worsened."


    Miles'' frown deepened, his guilt nearly overwhelming. "This is all my fault..."


    "Miles, don''t me yourself," Harriette insisted, knowing that the more she soothed him, the more his guilt would intensify.


    She needed to capitalize on his remorse if she had any hope of diverting his attention from Rose to her.


    As expected, Miles appeared even more guilt-ridden. He looked at Harriette as if making a promise. "Etta, I swear it won''t happen again."


    Harriette could only hope that this wouldn''t happen again. Without giving anything away, she subtly nced in Rose and Jonathan''s direction.


    By this time, Rose and Jonathan had gotten up and crossed the street, hand in hand. Their silhouette seemed to taunt Harriette, fueling the bitterness in her heart.


    Suddenly, she noticed someone approaching them. The unmistakable glint of a knife in their hand was blinding, and she instantly knew what was about to unfold. A flicker of anticipation danced in her heart. Despite her eagerness, Harriette averted her gaze. "Miles, it seems like you really need to carry me to the car this time," she said with aposed smile.


    With his back to Rose and Jonathan, Miles was oblivious to the events transpiring behind him. "Of course," he replied, preparing to turn around. However, before he could move, amotion erupted from behind them.


    "Ah! Someone''s been stabbed!"


    "There''s so much blood!"


    Rose found herself at the center of the chaos, her surroundings bing a muted drone as she focused on the scene before her.


    "J-Jonathan..." Her voice trembled uncontrobly as she spoke, trying to grasp the reality of what had just happened.


    The knife meant for her had struck Jonathan instead, the sickening sound of metal piercing flesh reverberating in her ears.


    "Run, wifey..." Jonathan pushed her away, his voice filled with concern.


    The force of his shove sent her stumbling, and when she looked back, she saw him gripping the wrist of the knife-wielding man. The assant was none other than Jack.


    "Jack... do you have a death wish?" Jonathan''s voice was icy, his gaze as sharp as ever despite the blood steadily flowing from the wound in


    his back. His presence alone was enough to strike fear into Jack.


    "I..." Jack hadn''t intended to harm Jonathan. His target had been Rose, but he never expected Jonathan to take the blow meant for her.


    "What should I do now?" For a moment, panic filled Jack''s mind.


    He knew he would be in for a fate worse than death if he fell in Jonathan''s hands. Even if he managed to evade thew, he wouldn''t be able to escape Jonathan''s wrath. Desperation fueled his resolve to strike again, but Leonard and Finley arrived on the scene before he could make a move.


    "Mr. Finch!"


    "Mr. Finch!"


    The two men worked in tandem, one supporting Jonathan while the other quickly subdued Jack.


    "Mr. Finch, your wound..." Leonard''s face was etched with worry.


    Before he could finish, Jonathan gripped his arm. "Where''s Rose? It''s dangerous here. Get her out of here."


    First, there had been a car ident, and now, there was an assassination attempt. It was clear that someone was determined to end Rose''s life. "Understood." Leonard nced at Rose.


    Rose snapped out of her shock and immediately stepped forward to help Leonard support Jonathan as they hastily made their way to the car.

 Chapter 544 Injured

    Just then, a figure burst through the crowd. But instead of charging toward Rose and Jonathan, she rushed toward Jack. "Jack..." Be''s voice trembled, her expression frozen in shock as she recognized Jack''s face among the sea of faces.


    Just moments ago, she had been gloating over Jonathan''s injury, but seeing Jack had thrown her into utter disbelief.


    She had been the one to orchestrate the car ident earlier, along with everything else that had transpired. She had been ready to remain in the shadows to avoid suspicion. However, the sight of Jack had shattered her resolve.


    Be lunged forward, trying to shove Finley aside to free Jack from his grasp. However, her strength was no match for Finley''s, and he sent her tumbling to the ground as if she were nothing.


    "Jack, why... why are you..." Be''s mind was filled with questions. "He''s supposed to be locked up in jail, so how is he here?" she thought as she stared at Jack, searching for answers.


    However, before Jack could utter a word, he was knocked unconscious by Finley.


    Ignoring Bepletely, Finley focused on the task at hand. Jonathan and Rose, who were now in their car, exchanged a look as they observed Be. It was apparent she had been involved in that day''s chaos, and they knew she couldn''t escape the consequences. Leonard swiftly drove off, leaving Finley to drag the unconscious Jack toward Miles.


    "Mr. Miles, may I borrow a car?" he asked.


    Everything had happened so quickly that Miles remained rooted to the spot even after witnessing Jonathan''s injury and Rose''s departure. Only Finley''s voice jolted him back to reality.


    "Of course... Yes, of course," Miles stammered, his voice thick with conflicting emotions. As if on autopilot, he even let go of Harriette''s hand without realizing it.


    "Miles..." Harriette called out softly, but her voice barely registered as Miles hurried away without looking back. He continued forward to join Finley by his vehicle.


    "Jonathan, he..." Miles opened the car door and handed the keys to Finley, trying to articte his thoughts. However, any words he meant to say were left unspoken as his gaze darkened, and he fell silent.


    Once Finley drove off with Jack, Miles didn''t immediately rush to Harriette''s side. Instead, his eyes locked onto Be, his expression hardening as he pulled out his phone and made a quick call.


    Not long after, a group arrived to take Be away, and the police, who had arrived earlier, took the reckless driver into custody.


    Only after handling everything did Miles seem to remember Harriette''s presence. He hurried over to her.


    Harriette''s face had been twisted in anger, but as soon as she saw Miles looking at her, she suppressed her fury and bitterness.


    Sheposed herself and asked with concern, "Miles, earlier... Are Rosie and Jonathan alright?"


    Miles'' brows furrowed deeply. "They should be fine... Etta, I''ll have someone take you home."


    "Have someone else take me? Is he noting with me?" The question bubbled up in Harriette''s mind, but before she could voice it, Miles had already signaled for the driver.


    With a firm, yet gentle, touch, he guided Harriette toward the waiting car before instructing the driver repeatedly to ensure she was safely returned to the estate.


    "Miles..." Harriette tried to call out to him again as she watched him rush off, but her words were lost in the distance. Miles didn''t seem to hear her, and momentster, she saw him get into a different car before speeding away.


    Rage simmered within her heart.


    The driver reminded her gently, "Ms. Harriette, please get in the car first. We''ll depart once Ms. Anastasia gets in."


    "Anastasia?" Harriette questioned, ncing at the driver.


    The driver flinched under her gaze. "I''m Ms. Anastasia''s driver..."


    "Anastasia''s driver, huh?" Harriette thought as a cold smile tugged at her lips. "No need to wait for her. We''re leaving now."


    "But..." The driver hesitated, his eyes instinctively searching for Anastasia.


    Harriette''s gaze followed his, her haughty disdain unconcealed. When Anastasia drew near, she asked, "Are you nning to ride with me?"


    Anastasia instantly understood what Harriette implied-she didn''t want to share the car.


    Lowering her eyes, Anastasia wisely replied, "I''d like to stay a bit longer. You can send Ms. Harriette back first."


    Upon hearing Anastasia''s words, the driver could only open the car door for Harriette.


    Harriette cast a triumphant nce at Anastasia, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction from this small victory. However, once she had settled into the car, the weight of her dissatisfaction lingered.


    As Harriette''s car disappeared into the distance, Anastasia remained in ce, lost in thought about Harriette''s unusual behavior. However, she wasn''t the only one mulling over Harriette''s actions. Unseen by all, another figure watched from the shadows, deep in thought.


    This person was none other than


    Elijah, who had descended the mountain but hadn''t yet departed from Aurora Crest. He had


    witnessed the car ident and the attempted assassination earlier.


    It was evident that everything had been aimed at Rose. "What has this youngdy done to provoke such deadly enmity? And that woman, Etta..." he mused.

 Chapter 545 Silenced

    "Etta..." Elijah murmured the name, his voice barely audible. He had almost developed a sense of fondness for her simply because their names were simr.


    However, as he watched her descend the mountain, his eyes never left her, and that was when he saw through her facade.


    Harriette''s envy of Rose was palpable. She yed her role so convincingly in front of her so-called brother, masking her deep, calcting intentions with remarkable ease. Elijah did not doubt that this woman harbored ill will toward Rose. The car ident and assassination attempt just moments ago further fueled his growing concern for Rose''s safety.


    Furrowing his brow, his thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. ncing at the caller ID, he answered the call absentmindedly.


    "Uncle Elijah, I went looking for you but heard you went to Aurora Crest. What brings you there, especially since you''ve just arrived in Regalia?" Clover''s voice filtered through the line, brimming with curiosity.


    For a brief moment, he considered the possibility that the Young family was also headed to Aurora Crest that day, but he didn''t dwell on it.


    "Uncle Elijah, you should return soon-no, I''lle get you. We need to go over the details for tomorrow''s recognition ceremony."


    It was clear that Clover took this matter very seriously. Elijah''s interest was piqued.


    "I must admit, I''m actually curious to see what kind of woman has made you value her so much, Clover. Have you thought this through? If you''re only acknowledging a sister, it won''t necessarily bind her to the Xanth family. "But if I were to step in and represent the family, the inheritance of our family''s assets might no longer rest solely with you."


    "So what? As long as she wants it, she can have the entire Xanth family," Clover replied without hesitation.


    Elijah was taken aback by the response. "The entire Xanth family, huh?" he mused.


    Surely, Clover had to understand the weight of his words. Knowing Clover, these weren''t simply empty promises. If that "sister" truly desired it, he would, without a doubt, give it all to her.


    "I''m looking forward to meeting this woman tomorrow then," Elijah said with increasing interest.


    However, another person also captured his attention. The image of Rose''s eyes, so strikingly simr to Celeste''s, emerged in his mind.


    "But today, I need you to do something for me first," he requested.


    Elijah recalled the injured man from earlier. "I want you to find a woman who should be in the hospital by now and arrange for someone to protect her discreetly."


    Although Rose had remained unharmed that day, he sensed that Harriette wouldn''t let things rest so easily.


    Clover was baffled. "Uncle Elijah has just arrived in Regalia today. How could he already be searching for a woman and arranging her protection?" he thought.


    But before he could inquire further, Rose''s call came through.


    "ed to take this call, Uncle Elijah," Clover said abruptly before ending the conversation with Elijah.


    When he answered the call, his voice was filled with anticipation. "Rosie..."


    "Clo, Jonathan''s been hurt... I..." Rose''s voice was shaky, full of worry.


    With Jonathan being taken to the operating room and herself waiting outside, the memories of Jonathan''s blood-soaked body overwhelmed her. Unsure of what to do, she instinctively dialed Clover''s number. Clover was surprised to hear that. He knew that Jonathan was usually well-guarded, especially with someone like Finley by his side. For him to get hurt, something must have gone terribly wrong.


    Sensing the urgency, Clover immediately tried to calm Rose down, asking her which hospital she was at and speeding toward her location.


    He kept the call connected throughout the drive, piecing together the details of what had happened. He soon found out that someone had tried to take Rose''s life.


    Clover''s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white as his veins bulged with tension.


    Upon arriving at the hospital, heforted Rose and immediately questioned Leonard, "Who did this?"


    His presence was no less intimidating than Jonathan''s, and Leonard didn''t hold back. "It was Jack... and Be."


    Clover recognized both names.


    However, Jack had been incarcerated at the police station, and he couldn''t understand how the man had managed to escape and attempt an attack on Rose at Aurora Crest. The whole situation seemed off to him.


    "Jack was subdued by Finley. As for Be..." Leonard paused, having just received an update. "Miles had Be taken back to Regalia, but there was a car ident on the way. The car was destroyed, and she died."


    The news immediately struck him as suspicious. It felt too convenient, almost as if someone was silencing Be. If true, their situation would be far moreplicated than it seemed.


    "She''s dead?" Clover''s expression darkened as he, too, recognized the oddity of the situation. "Miles..."


    Despite his strained rtionship with Miles, he didn''t believe that Miles had orchestrated the ident. It was more usible that Miles had ordered Be to be taken away for an investigation into the day''s events. "What about Jack?" Clover asked. Be might be gone, but Jack was still alive.


    "He''s at the Azure n," Leonard replied.


    The Azure n was a secretive


    faction that the Finch family used to cultivate loyal followers. Its Discipline Hall was infamous for its vast array of torturous devices f Finley had taken Jack there, it was clear that he aimed to extract information through any means necessary.


    Meanwhile, within the Azure n, Finley had already thrown Jack into the Discipline Hall. Jack was still unconscious, so Finley stood guard, waiting for him to wake. Unbeknownst to him, a shadowy figure lurked within Azure n, concealed in the shadows cast by the walls.


    "Lizz, making a move in the Azure n is too risky. If we''re discovered..." The man on the phone sounded hesitant.


    Lizzie''s expression was dark and grim on the other end of the line. She hadn''t expected that, despite her dualyered n, Rose would emerge unscathed. As for Jonathan... A peculiar glint shed in her eyes, but it was quickly reced by discontent. "Be... is she really dead?"


    "Yes, she''s dead."


    "Good. Her death minimizes our risks. As for Jack..." Lizzie''s gaze sharpened. "Since we can''t eliminate him, we''ll pin everything on the dead."


    That dead person would be Be. Even if Jack''s escape raised suspicions and Jonathan began investigating it, all the clues would lead back to Be, putting an end to the trail.


    "You''re right, Lizz. You''re always the intelligent one." The man sighed in relief. With no risks to take, his exposure would be minimal. Being part of the Azure n, he knew the consequences of crossing those in power.


    After hanging up the phone, the man stepped into the sunlight,pletely unaware that his conversation had been overheard by Finley, who had just stepped out for some fresh air.


    "Lizz..." Finley murmured the name he had caught. Only one person could have "Lizz" as their nickname among the people he knew.


    As the realization struck him, his expression shifted.


    Meanwhile, at the hospital, Jonathan''s surgery concluded swiftly. Although the de missed his heart by half an inch, the significant blood loss had left him severely weakened.


    In the ward, Rose sat beside him, her concern unabating. She had never seen him so vulnerable before. His once strikingly handsome face was now pale as a sheet, devoid of any color as if it could shatter with the slightest touch. He was a far cry from the usualmanding, cold figure she knew.


    His hand was cold to the touch, and Rose held it gently, hoping that her warmth could provide him with some semnce offort.

 Chapter 546 He Will Like Her

    Time ticked by, and the sky began to lighten with the approaching dawn. Rose remained by Jonathan''s side, holding his hand.


    Her mind wandered through a myriad of memories where he had fearlessly shielded her from harm, stood up for her, and protected her.


    She could feel an undeniable shift within her heart. Something she had once held so firmly was beginning to change.


    "Jonathan..." she whispered, gazing at his pale face. She seemed to have made a decision.


    When Clover and Emily entered the room, they heard Rose muttering something indistinctly but couldn''t make out exactly what she was saying.


    "Rosie, you need to rest," Clover urged, his voice filled with concern. Rose had stayed up all night, and her exhaustion was evident.


    He exchanged a nce with Emily, who immediately stepped forward. "Rosie, I made some breakfast. Let''s go eat something," she said, pulling Rose along before she could refuse.


    As they left the room, Clover turned his gaze to Jonathan, his eyes showing a rare hint of admiration.


    "You truly care for Rosie, huh?" he muttered. Jonathan''s willingness to take a hit for Rose was something Clover hadn''t expected.


    His words were meant to be private, but to his surprise, Jonathan suddenly opened his eyes.


    "You!" Clover eximed, a mixture of confusion and surprise washing over his face. "How long has he been awake? Was he pretending to sleep?" he thought.


    The bewilderment in Clover''s eyes was impossible to miss, even without words, and Jonathan caught on quickly. He rolled his eyes.


    "I wasn''t pretending to be asleep. I just..." He trailed off as the memory of Rose''s words echoed in his mind.


    His gaze softened as he confirmed to himself that she had indeed said what he thought she had. A satisfied smile tugged at his lips.


    "I just woke up a moment ago," Jonathan continued, his tone lighter.


    It was Rose''s voice that had pulled him back to consciousness. He had wanted to wake up immediately, but what she said next had left him in a daze until Clover''s voice fully brought him around.


    "Is that so?" Clover was skeptical, especially with the odd smile lingering on Jonathan''s face. The sight of it irked him.


    However, he had more pressing matters on his mind. Now that Jonathan was awake, there were important things to discuss.


    "The car ident today and Jack''s assassination attempt were both aimed at Rosie," Clover said with certainty.


    Jonathan''s smile vanished instantly at the mention of the incident, reced by a stern expression. "I know."


    "I don''t believe that Be had the brains to orchestrate all of this," Clover continued, his tone skeptical.


    His research into Be painted a picture of a woman who, while cunning, seemed incapable of orchestrating such a scheme.


    Moreover, from what Leonard had told him, Be''s reaction upon seeing Jack at the scene didn''t seem like someone who was in on the n.


    Just as Clover finished speaking, Leonard entered the room. He paused briefly upon seeing Jonathan awake and Clover present but nheless proceeded without hesitation.


    "Mr. Finch, Finley has some results. He just called..."


    Jonathan took the phone and put it on speaker. Finley''s voice came through. "Mr. Finch, how are you feeling?"


    "I''m fine. What''s the update?" Jonathan asked, referring to Jack.


    "Mr. Finch, when Jack regained consciousness, he confessed that someone provided him the opportunity during his transfer to the hospital.


    "We traced this lead back to Be, who seems to have facilitated the escape. However..." Finley hesitated, recalling Be''s shock when she saw Jack at Aurora Crest. Her reaction wasn''t one of someone expecting to see him. Combined with what he had overheard earlier at Azure n...


    "Mr. Finch, someone else may be involved in this, but that person is..."


    Finley paused, aware of the implications of what he was about to say. After all, the only person around them who could have the nickname "Lizz" was Lizzie. But after a moment of deliberation, he


    hey


    decided to reveal what he had


    overheard.


    "Lizzie..."


    At the mention of this name, a cold glint shed in Jonathan''s eyes. He never imagined that Lizzie would set her sights on Rose.


    A cold fury washed over him as he fell momentarily silent, seeminglying to a decision. "Finley, I need you to handle something for me."


    He then ryed the task to Finley, unperturbed by Clover''s presence in the room.


    After ending the call, Jonathan met Clover''s gaze. "Mr. Xanth, have your family''s elders arrived yet?"


    Clover was a bit taken aback by the question but answered honestly. "Yes. They have."


    "Is it your uncle?" Jonathan probed further.


    "It is," Clover confirmed.


    Upon hearing Clover''s confirmation, which aligned with his own assumptions, Jonathan''s lips curved into a knowing smirk, his gaze adopting a depth that intrigued Clover. "What are you getting at? How did you know it would be my uncle?" Clover pressed, his instincts telling him there was more behind Jonathan''s question.


    However, instead of providing a


    direct answer, Jonathan shifted the


    topic slightly. "The recognition ceremony for Lerain Group is a significant event, isn''t it? Shouldn''t there be media coverage? And shouldn''t the elite of Regalia be invited to witness it?"


    "Of course!" Clover responded with enthusiasm. He had always intended for the event to be grand so that everyone would know that Rose was his sister. "Good." Jonathan nodded approvingly, his smile widening with a hint of mischief as he looked at Clover. "Your uncle is going to be very fond of your new sister."


    "Naturally," Clover replied, his tone brimming with pride and confidence. He was certain that Elijah would be as charmed by Rose as everyone else who met her. He had no idea of the deeper meaning behind Jonathan''s words and didn''t bother to question them further. After Clover left, Jonathan made a phone call to Miles. As the first rays of dawn filtered through the windows of the Young Estate, the soft glow illuminated a figure seated on the couch.


    Harriette had spent a sleepless night, haunted by the images of Rose and Jonathan driving off together and Miles hastily leaving her behind. The unspoken message was crystal clear. Whether it was Jonathan or Miles, and regardless of her identity as Harriette or Kelly, everyone''s focus remained solely on Rose, overshadowing even Harriette''s presence. "Damn it!" Harriette clenched her teeth in frustration.


    A suddenmotion upstairs caught her attention. She quickly turned around to see Miles emerging from his room, engrossed in a phone conversation.


    She initially attempted to eavesdrop, but Miles appeared only to be listening to the person on the other end of the call.


    He didn''t utter a single word until he was about to leave the living room, prompting Harriette to call out to him.


    "Miles..."


    Her raspy voice caused Miles to pause. He couldn''t hide his bewilderment as he turned to face the figure shrouded in darkness.


    "Etta, why are you here? Why aren''t you sleeping in your room?"


    His tone was filled with concern, which gave Harriette a slight sense offort.


    "I was just thinking about Grandpa... and about what happened yesterday at Aurora Crest. Miles, don''t you think that the car ident and the attack were aimed at Rosie? Has she made enemies with someone?" Harriette asked.

 Chapter 547 Who Will He Choose

    Harriette wore a concerned expression while speaking about Rose, and Miles felt deeply satisfied upon seeing this. Wanting to assuage her worry, he quickly reassured her.


    "No matter who Rosie may have crossed, the Young family will not let anyone harm her."


    Harriette''s smile faltered for just a moment before swiftly regaining its usual warmth, the fleetingpse barely perceptible.


    She looked up at Miles and asked, "Miles, if I were the one in trouble, would you protect me from harm as well?"


    "Of course," Miles replied without hesitation. "You and Rosie are the most important people to me. I would do everything in my power to keep both of you safe."


    The phone in his hand was still connected, and the voice on the other end called out impatiently, "Mr. Young..."


    Miles frowned and offered a reassuring nce at Harriette before turning away and exiting the hall. Even after Miles vanished from view, Harriette stayed rooted in her spot, peering through the expansive windows with an unreadable expression. She was certain that Miles'' departure had something to do with yesterday''s events at Aurora Crest.


    "Protect us both at all costs, huh? But who would you protect if it came down to choosing between Rose and me?" Harriette whispered to herself with a cold smile, already knowing the answer.


    Her barely audible murmur drifted upstairs, fading into the shadows where Anastasia was watching Harriette intently. The strange feeling in her heart grew stronger.


    "Who exactly is this Harriette?" she mused.


    Ever since noticing something off about her at Aurora Crest, Anastasia had been quietly observing Harriette''s every move, bing more convinced that this person wearing Harriette''s face was someone she once knew. Nheless, she had no idea who it could be. As she racked her brain, trying to piece it together, Harriette moved downstairs, snapping her back to the present. Anastasia quickly retreated to her room, quietly closing the door behind her.


    Meanwhile, at the hospital, Jonathan ended his call with Miles. His expression darkened as he processed what he had overheard between Miles and Harriette on the still-connected call. A trace of amusement tinged his perceptive gaze.


    "Mr. Finch, I fear Mr. Young may not take the news about the involvement of the Xanth family elder in the ceremony for recognizing Mrs. Finch as Mr. Xanth''s sister well," Leonard remarked, standing nearby.


    His instincts told him that Jonathan wouldn''t reveal such information without a reason-unless a hidden agenda was at y.


    Reflecting on the situation, it appeared that Jonathan had intentionally goaded Clover into inviting his family elder, possibly even hoping or predicting that Clover''s uncle would attend.


    Leonard knew Clover''s uncle as a legendary figure in the overseasmunity who had led the Xanth family and Lerain Group to their pinnacle before Clover took over.


    However, despite his influence, the man remained highly discreet and was more often spoken of in rumors than seen in person.


    "Isn''t that the whole point?" Jonathan quipped, raising an eyebrow with a hint of a smile.


    Leonard snapped out of his thoughts, catching Jonathan''s expression.


    "Mr. Finch, are you intentionally trying to ruffle Mr. Young''s feathers? But that doesn''t seem like something you''d do," he mumbled to himself, perplexed.


    However, Jonathan didn''t bother to respond to Leonard''s musings. He wasn''t so immature as to just provoke Miles for the sake of it. He intended to spur Miles into action, to push him toward a certain oue. As for the purpose and the results...


    Something inscrutable flickered in Jonathan''s gaze as he directed Leonard, "The Finch family and Lerain Group are partners, so the Finch family should attend such a significant event for the Xanth family. "I''ve heard the Xanth family elder is fond of calligraphy. Let Grandma know about this so she can choose an appropriate gift."


    Jonathan pinched the bridge of his nose, appearing somewhat weary, and Leonard immediately grasped Jonathan''s meaning.


    Though the Xanth family of Lerain Group primarily operated overseas, their reputation preceded them throughout Regalia.


    As a result, news of the Xanth family elder''s arrival in Regalia for a recognition ceremony of an "adopted daughter" spread rapidly, captivating the entire city.


    Everyone was aware that Clover was the only heir to the current generation of the Xanth family and Lerain Group.


    With the elder''s involvement, this "adopted daughter" was sure to be a significant part of the inheritance, raising questions about the identity of the fortunate individual.


    It wasn''t long before someone who


    had attended the Young family''s charity auction revealed the details The woman recognized as Clover''s sister was named Rose-the same woman who held Oliver''s portrait at his funeral, standing in a position that seemed even more important than Miles''.


    The news spread like wildfire, dominating conversations both online and in person.


    In the study of the Finch Manor, Eleanor sat at her desk, examining the invitation from Lerain Group. Pleased with the invitation, she had already decided to attend the event in person, eager for the opportunity to meet the legendary figure from the Xanth family.


    "Anna, what do you think would make a suitable gift? What would Elijah like?" Eleanor wondered aloud, troubled by the thought.


    Elijah''s private nature made his interests challenging to discern, perhaps only known to those close to him. And those close to Elijah could only be...


    "Mrs. Finch Senior, Mr. Jonathan''s


    subordinate, Leonard, mentioned that not long ago, Mr. Xanth was looking for an antique calligraphy painting and even considered having someone replicate it," Anna shared, recalling Leonard''s nonchnt revtion.


    Eleanor eagerly asked, "What kind of antique calligraphy is it?"


    Anna thought for a moment before answering, "It''s the ''Lindisfarne Gospels'' I think... Yes, that''s it! Apparently, Mr. Xanth has been searching for the original for quite some time but hasn''t been able to find it.


    "He even approached several contemporary calligraphy masters for reproductions, but it seems that none of them met his expectations."


    Eleanor was sharp. She suspected that if Clover was going to such lengths, it had to be for someone important. Perhaps Clover was searching the painting on behalf of Elijah.


    The information Anna mentioned came from Leonard, likely under Jonathan''s direction. If Jonathan was involved, there had to be a reason.


    Realization struck her as the original "Lindisfarne Gospels" came to her mind.


    "Has Lizzie returned to the manor today?" Eleanor inquired with a furrowed brow.


    Anna replied, "No..."


    "Then call her and ask her to return. Let her know I need to discuss something with her," Eleanor instructed.


    Anna nodded and left to carry out the order.


    Lizzie was in the study of her private residence with Cyrus when she received Anna''s call. The failure of yesterday''s events had left her simmering with anger and frustration through the night. Early in the morning, news of the Lerain Group''s Xanth family elder attending Clover''s recognition ceremony for his sister dominated the inte. Naturally, she had seen it.


    Because of that, she had locked herself in the study since the break of dawn, attempting to calm herself through calligraphy.


    However, the floor was littered with crumpled sheets of paper, evidence of her unyielding distress. When Cyrus opened the door and saw the mess, he looked surprised. "Lizz, what''s going on here?"

 Chapter 548 Letting Go

    Cyrus'' voice made Lizzie pause. She couldn''t let him discover her actions. Composing herself immediately, she furrowed her brows, maintaining her usual gentle and delicate demeanor. She sighed. "I don''t know what''se over me today. I''ve been so restless. And just look at the mess I''ve made in the study. I''ll clean it up right away."


    She put down her pen and was about to start tidying up when Cyrus stopped her.


    "Don''t worry about it. You must be exhausted. Perhaps you didn''t sleep wellst night," he said with concern, guiding her to sit down.


    "Just rest for a while and let the helpers handle this. The manor called earlier, saying they needed to talk to you, but don''t worry about it. Whatever it is, I''ll take care of it."


    Cyrus helped Lizzie settle onto the couch, determined not to let anything else trouble her. However, upon hearing that the manor needed her for something, Lizzie immediately stood up. "Does Mom need me? You said the manor called, right? I''ll call back right now and check," Lizzie said, her devotion to matters of the manor unwavering despite her unease. Before Cyrus could stop her, she moved to make the call. Seeing how she was still so attentive to the manor''s matters despite not feeling well made Cyrus feel deeply moved.


    It wasn''t until she picked up the phone that he quickly said, "The manor called the downstairs phone, and Anna''s still on the line."


    Lizzie paused mid-dial. "Alright. I''ll take the call downstairs then."


    Giving Cyrus a soft smile, she left the room and headed downstairs. Even while conversing with Anna, she remained poised and courteous.


    Upon hearing from Anna that Eleanor wished for her return to the Finch Manor, Lizzie agreed without hesitation and said she would leave immediately.


    After changing her clothes and freshening up her makeup, she set off. Half an hourter, she arrived at the Finch Manor.


    In the study, Eleanor didn''t waste time getting to the point. "This is the invitation to tonight''s event at Lerain Group. The Xanth family specifically requested my presence, and I''d like to prepare a gift."


    "A gift?" Lizzie thought. She had been in the Finch family long enough to understand the underlying message in Eleanor''s words.


    "I''ll take care of the gift, Mom," she offered.


    Eleanor nced at her. "Actually, you''re the only one who can manage this. I recall that the original ''Lindisfarne Gospels'' calligraphy Cyrus obtained years ago was gifted to you, correct?"


    Lizzie''s expression froze momentarily. "The ''Lindisfarne Gospels"?" she echoed.


    "What''s the matter? Did I remember incorrectly? Wasn''t it given to you?" Eleanor''s voice cut through her thoughts, bringing Lizzie back to the present.


    She dared not hesitate this time and quickly responded, "No, Mom, you remembered correctly. It was given to me, but-"


    "If I ask you to give it up, you wouldn''t refuse, would you?" Eleanor interrupted, her tone leaving no room for refusal.


    Lizzie felt a pang of reluctance. That piece of calligraphy held deep sentimental value for her. After all, it was something Cyrus had won for her at a high price just to make her smile. It meant the world to her. But now, faced with Eleanor''s request, she could only swallow her reluctance.


    "How could I refuse? I''ll go back to retrieve it immediately and deliver it to you as soon as possible," she said with a forced smile.


    Just as she was about to leave, Eleanor stopped her. She said, "You don''t have to bring it back here since you''ll be apanying me to the event tonight. With your background in fine arts and calligraphy, you might impress them.


    "Clover is looking for someone to create a copy of the ''Lindisfarne Gospels''. This could be your chance to showcase your talent and gain their favor."


    Lizzie had studied fine arts, and before she married into the Finch family, she had met a renowned, now-deceased calligraphy master through Cyrus. "Mom seems intent on using me as a tool to curry favor with the Lerain Group," she thought.


    Eleanor had always ced great importance on maintaining a strong rtionship.with the Lerain Group, so her intentions made sense. If Lizzie could handle this well, she might even earn Eleanor''s approval. But then, she thought of Rose.


    "Mom probably didn''t realize that strengthening ties with the Lerain Group could be as simple as focusing on Rose alone. After all, Rose''s connection to Clover and the recognition of the Xanth family elder would elevate her status


    no


    significantly," she mused


    Lizzie knew that Eleanor would eventually learn the truth after attending tonight''s event. Once Eleanor realized Rose''s connection to the Xanth family, even her high standards for a suitable match might be satisfied.


    "Lizzie? What are you thinking about? Are you unwilling to go?" Eleanor''s voice snapped Lizzie out of her thoughts, and Lizzie realized she had let some of her emotions show.


    Hearing Eleanor''s question, she quickly responded, "Mom, I was just thinking that if we''re going to make a copy, I should bring along the necessary materials-ink, brushes, and paper."


    "You''re quite thoughtful," Eleanor said, waving her hand. "Go ahead and gather what you need then. There''s no need toe back to the Finch Manor. I''ll have the driver pick you up before the event." Lizzie left the study and maintained her slight smile until she left the manor.


    When she arrived at her residence, Cyrus came to greet her, having received a call from Eleanor ten minutes earlier regarding the calligraphy piece.


    Understanding how much Lizzie cherished the artwork, he took her hand gently. "Lizz, Mom mentioned she''ll find you another calligraphy piece to make up for this one."


    Lizzie paused for a moment before


    responding graciously, "Cyrus, I''m a part of the Finch family, and if this calligraphy can be of use to the


    family I''m more than willing to part with it. I don''t need any


    She hesitated briefly before continuing, "It was a gift from you, and I only value it for that reason. But as long as you''re by my side, that means more to me than any gift ever could." With just a few words, Lizzie seeded in reassuring Cyrus while also subtly strengthening their emotional bond. Her words left him feeling content and at ease.


    As their conversation continued, a lingering memory of a figure from the past resurfaced in Cyrus'' mind, seemingly sparking a decision within him.


    "Lizz, how about we take some time to go out for a walk? I''d love to take some pictures for you."


    Having set aside his camera for years due to someone from his past, Cyrus seemed ready to embrace a new beginning as he considered picking it up once again. Lizzie was taken aback, but her surprise quickly turned to a mix of understanding and excitement when she met his gaze. Nodding in agreement, she said, "Alright." However, only she knew that she wasn''t as thrilled as she appeared about Cyrus'' decision to let go of his past.


    Upon returning to her study and closing the door, the smile on Lizzie''s face vanished entirely. After all, Cyrus'' genuine feelings meant little to her. What she truly cared about was something else. A figure shed through her mind, and she unconsciously bit her lip until it bled. Yet, she remained oblivious to the pain.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the inte was abuzz with news of the Lerain Group''s banquet that evening. Harriette had heard about the event at the Young Estate and could no longer contain her restlessness. Despite calling Miles multiple times, her attempts went unanswered. In the end, she decided to visit his office in person just before the banquet.


    Upon her arrival, the staff in the secretary''s office were surprised to see Harriette with her injured leg still bandaged.


    Although the eldest daughter of the Young family had not been back for long, her inseparable rtionship with Miles was well-known throughout thepany.


    Given her injury, everyone had assumed she would be resting rather than making an appearance at the office. It was evident that her visit was not work-rted but had everything to do with Miles. As anticipated, Harriette only exchanged brief pleasantries with the staff before making a beeline to Miles'' office.

 Chapter 549 Will Not Leave

    The office was deserted, and Harriette couldn''t help but feel a pang of disappointment. Just as she was about to leave, her gazended on an invitation lying on the desk. The words "Lerain Group" were embossed in gold, standing out boldly on the card.


    It was the invitation to that night''s banquet.


    "With this invitation in hand, I''d be able to attend the event..." she thought.


    Harriette hesitated for a moment before finally picking up the invitation.


    ...


    After being dragged out of Jonathan''s ward by Emily that morning, Rose returned to the room only to find that Jonathan was no longer there.


    If Leonard hadn''t arrived in time to inform her that Jonathan had woken up and left to handle some matters, she might have fainted from the shock.


    "I can take you to him if you want to see him, Mrs. Finch," Leonard offered. Without any outsiders present, his use of "Mrs. Finch" came naturally. Rose would have rejected the title in the past, but now she epted it without hesitation.


    Thanking Leonard, she followed him out of the hospital. As Leonard drove, he spoke of Jonathan, recounting how he had risen to be the head of the Finch family, his words filled with admiration and respect. Rose listened intently, learning about the sides of Jonathan she had never known.


    "Mrs. Finch, Mr. Finch treats you differently. No. What I mean is that in your presence, he bes someone different-someone real, with warmth and vulnerability," he said.


    Leonard''s voice echoed in the car, and as Rose thought of Jonathan, a soft smile yed on her lips.


    Leonard noticed the smile through the rearview mirror, and a glimmer of joy lit up his eyes. Rose''s expression spoke volumes. It was evident that she held deep feelings for Jonathan.


    As they drew nearer to their destination, he found the courage to speak, though his voice was barely above a whisper.


    "Mrs. Finch, you''re more important to him than his own life. He can''t lose you, so please... don''t leave him."


    Rose didn''t reply immediately, and Leonard assumed she hadn''t heard him.


    When the car came to a halt, he swiftly got out to open the door for her. As she passed him, she finally spoke, her voice quiet yet firm.


    "I know. I won''t."


    Leonard froze for a moment, processing her words. "She said she knows... and that she wouldn''t leave..." he thought.


    Comprehension slowly dawned on him, and he longed to rush to Jonathan''s side and ry every word Rose had uttered.


    However, when Leonard recalled Jonathan''s n for the evening, he quicklyposed himself. He jogged to catch up with Rose and said, "Mrs. Finch, Mr. Finch has prepared a gown for you."


    Rose raised an eyebrow. "A gown? For a meeting? Is that really necessary?" she mused.


    At that moment, all she could think about was seeing Jonathan, confronting him about his recklessness and how he could disregard his own well-being after being injured.


    She had no idea about the banquet Lerain Group had nned for her that night, nor did she remember Clover mentioning that she would meet someone important that day.


    "What is he up to?" Rose gave Leonard a suspicious nce.


    Leonard quickly masked his expression, replying, "Maybe... Mr. Finch has a surprise nned for you."


    "A surprise?" Rose pondered, her forehead creasing with a slight frown.


    Though skeptical, she didn''t refuse the gown. She was curious to see what Jonathan was up to.


    Following Leonard''s lead, Rose stepped into the elevator. When the doors opened, she found herself in a grand room filled with stunning evening gowns and exquisite jewelry. Before she could fully absorb the scene, a team of stylists and makeup artists approached her. "Ms. Shaffer, we are delighted to be at your service!" They greeted her warmly before guiding her to select a gown and her essories.


    Rose entrusted herself to their expertise, and after an hour of primping and polishing, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror.


    d in a sleek ck gown with her hair swept up in a high ponytail, she exuded a striking elegance that set her apart from her everyday appearance.


    For a moment, she felt as though she were looking at a stranger in the mirror. Yet, there was something undeniably familiar about the woman gazing back at her.


    However, Rose had no time to dwell on it as Leonard appeared behind her. "Mrs. Finch, it''s time to go."


    "Is it time to see Jonathan?" she thought before nodding and allowing Leonard to lead her back into the elevator without hesitation. As they ascended, he shot her a meaningful look.


    He began, Mrs. Finch, many people


    will be present tonight, and you will


    be the center of attention. But Mr. Finch wanted me to tell you that no matter what happens, he''s with you. And... congrattions!"


    "Congrattions?" Rose echoed, feeling baffled.


    However, before she could ask for an exnation, the elevator doors opened, revealing a brilliant spotlight that bathed her in its warm glow.


    "Rosie!" Clover''s enthusiastic voice reached her first.


    As Rose''s eyes adjusted to the bright light, Clover had already approached her, extending his hand in a gentlemanly manner.


    Though puzzled, Rose instinctively ced her hand in his. She followed Clover''s lead, taking in the dimly lit area filled with an abundance of expectant faces. "Clo, what is all this?" she asked, feeling slightly overwhelmed. She couldn''t understand what was going on.


    Clover maintained his doting smile. "Didn''t I tell you I''d introduce you to someone today?"


    "But why would an introduction require such an borate setup?" Rose thought as she chuckled nervously. "I think there''s more than one person to meet here..." Understanding her unease, Clover reassured her. "Don''t mind these people; they''re just here for the show. The one you''re about to meet is more important."


    Rose had to admit that her curiosity was piqued when she heard that.


    "Who exactly are you introducing me to?" she asked, observing the extravagant setup that hinted at the significance of this meeting. Clearly, this individual had to be of great importance.


    As Rose scanned the crowd discreetly, she noticed that warm smiles apanied every gaze directed at her, and some were even tinged with a hint of envy.


    She soon realized that those envious looks were likely because of Clover standing beside her. It seemed that he had publicly announced her as his sister.


    Amused by the thought, Rose couldn''t help but tease, "With such a sessful brother in the business world, I suppose I''ll have to get used to these envious stares."


    "Indeed." Clover chuckled softly in response. "My sister should always be someone others look up to with envy."


    Their hushed conversation was inaudible to the crowd, but Clover''s affectionate gaze toward Rose was unmistakable.


    It was evident to any onlooker that their bond was one of deep familial affection between a brother and his sister instead of a romantic one.


    Witnessing this disy, any lingering doubts among the crowd began to dissipate. In fact, murmurs began to rise.


    "Even though she''s his adopted sister, it seems that Mr. Xanth really treasures her, doesn''t he?" someonemented.


    "Indeed, Ms. Shaffer is extremely


    fortunate to have Lerain Group''s support. Even as an adopted sister


    her status is likely on par with that of the eldest daughter of the Young family," another voice chimed in.


    "The eldest daughter of the Young family? Do you mean the one who just returned? How could she possiblypare to Ms. Shaffer?" came the skeptical reply.


    "Exactly! Don''t forget, it was Ms.


    Shaffer who carried the portrait at Mr. Young Senior''s funeral. As for that eldest daughter, she''s probably missed out on any inheritance after being gone for so long. What good can she do at this point?"


    Unbeknownst to the gossiping crowd, the Young family''s eldest daughter, whom they were discussing, was standing right behind them, her face contorted in anger.

 Chapter 550 Already Acquainted

    Harriette''s heart burned with rage. The words of those around her were harsh but painfully true. Not only that, but the public only knew Rose as Oliver''s adopted granddaughter and was unaware of her true identity. If they discovered that Rose was of Young family blood, they would surely raise her on an even higher pedestal. One could only imagine what would happen to Harriette by then.


    She locked her gaze on Rose, who stood confidently in the spotlight, and her hand involuntarily clenched into a fist.


    Rose''s radiant charm remained the same as before, and her brilliance would likely only grow stronger in the future.


    As for Harriette, she couldn''t help but wonder if she would forever be overshadowed by Rose even with a new face. She hadn''t forgotten the reason she decided to change her face in the first ce.


    From Kelly to Harriette, she had made this transformation with a clear goal in mind. This time, she was determined to get what she wanted. Lowering her gaze, she started contemting her next steps. Meanwhile, within the crowd, another person was equally displeased.


    Standing beside Eleanor, Lizzie''s smile remained fixed in ce but had long since lost its warmth. Eleanor''s murmurs of surprise reached her ears.


    "Rose? So it was her all along... When Clover came to the manor to pick her up, I knew there was something special between them, but I didn''t realize...


    "I should have figured it out sooner, but I guess I''m getting old, and my mind isn''t as sharp as it used to be... ha ha..."


    Despite Eleanor''s soft, self-deprecating mutterings, her delight was evident. It was as though she had stumbled upon a hidden gem and discovered it just in time.


    Certain that Rose had no intention of leaving, Eleanor refocused her attention on Elijah. After all, this once-legendary figure of the Xanth family had long retired from the business world.


    He was in Regalia for Clover''s acknowledgment of Rose as his sister, and there was no telling when he would return to the Xanth family.


    She scanned the crowd, relying on her years of experience in recognizing people. Soon, she spotted a man dressed in casual attire, deliberately keeping a low profile. Even so, his distinguished presence set him apart from the crowd. Standing beside him was someone she had not expected-Jonathan.


    Eleanor''s surprise was palpable. However, her initial shock gave way to a nod of satisfaction. Her grandson had a knack for meeting her expectations, and there he was, already standing by Elijah''s side just as she had spotted him. Unbeknownst to Eleanor, Jonathan had not only positioned himself next to Elijah but had also handed him something ten minutes earlier.


    Jonathan nced at the badge now gripped tightly in Elijah''s hand. After a moment of contemtion, he chuckled softly.


    "Mr. Xanth, you might want to return that to me."


    Elijah''s gaze remained fixed on Rose, his hands clenching the badge even tighter. Ignoring Jonathan''sment, he asked, "Where did you get this?"


    Jonathan''s mind drifted back to that night in Aquastead. He said, "A fascinating woman used it to buy my time for one night, but I prefer to call it a token of love."


    Elijah frowned and turned to give Jonathan a long, probing look. After a moment, his voice trembled ever so slightly as he uttered, "It''s her?"


    Elijah''s gaze shifted back to Rose, and Jonathan followed his gaze.


    "Yes, it''s her."


    Those two simple words seemed to unleash the tightly wound emotions Elijah had been desperately suppressing.


    Rose wasn''t a stranger to him. After all, he had met her at Aurora Crest just yesterday where her eyes had struck him as uncannily simr to someone from his past.


    Now, seeing Rose in that ck dress with her hair in a high ponytail, for a fleeting moment, it was as if he were looking at her-Henrietta.


    Although these factors alone weren''t enough to ascertain her identity, the badge in his hand left no doubt that she was who he thought she was.


    Observing Elijah''s expression, Jonathan knew he had recognized her.


    As for the coin... Jonathan lowered his gaze as he continued, "At first, I thought it was just an ancient coin, but one day, I stumbled upon something hidden within it."


    "It was her!" Elijah interjected with certainty. "She must have altered it intentionally. I remember how much she disliked the badge''s design, yet she couldn''t bring herself to discard it.


    "I know it held great significance to


    her. It seemed like she was always


    running away from something rted to this badge. Turning it into an ancient coin is exactly the kind of thing she would do."


    As memories of the woman he had loved all his life flooded his mind, a gentle light filled Elijah''s eyes.


    "I''ve spent years searching for her. The only information I managed to uncover was that she was pregnant back then. But after that...


    "It was as if she vanished from the face of the earth. No matter how hard I searched, I couldn''t find a trace," he admitted.


    These were words Elijah had never


    shared with anyone-not even


    Clover. Yet, here he was, pouring his heart out to the man who had given him the badge. He could sense that Jonathan shared a deep connection with Rose.


    Jonathan thought of Celeste. "Well, perhaps she changed her name and her appearance..."


    "You mean..." Elijah had never considered this possibility. He stared fixedly at Jonathan, "What else do you know?"


    Jonathan knew more than he let on, but as long as Elijah had a lead, he would find the rest on his own.


    Facing Elijah''s intense stare, Jonathan said calmly, "Mr. Xanth, all I can tell you is that Rose''s mother''s name is Celeste. As for the rest..."


    "Celeste..." Elijah repeated the name in his mind before replying, "I understand." He would find out the rest himself.


    "Thank you," he said, ncing at Jonathan before his gaze shifted to the bandaged area beneath Jonathan''s jacket. Though partially hidden, the faint outline of the injury was still noticeable.


    It was clear that he had recognized Jonathan as the man who had saved Rose twice at Aurora Crest, even sustaining injuries in the process.


    This expression of gratitude stemmed not only from the information Jonathan had provided but also from his selfless protection of Rose.


    As Rose and Clover approached, hand in hand, Elijah''s heart began to race.


    "Mr. Xanth, the badge..." Jonathan''s voice sounded beside him. "I''m sorry, but that''s a token of her affection for me, and I don''t want to give it to you."


    Elijah was taken aback for a moment. "You do realize that I''m her..." He trailed off, knowing that asking for the badge back would only reveal just how much Jonathan cared for Rose.


    They exchanged a brief smile of understanding before Elijah handed the badge back to Jonathan, who soon vanished into the crowd.


    By then, Clover and Rose had arrived in front of Elijah.


    "Uncle Elijah, this is the person I wanted you to meet. Her name is Rose Shaffer, and she''s not just someone consider a sister-she is my sister from now on," Clover said excitedly as he pushed Rose forward for Elijah to get a better look at her.


    He was certain that his uncle would grow fond of Rose once he got to know her.


    "Rosie, the person I want you to meet is him. He is¨D"


    "I''ve met him before!" Rose eximed, cutting off Clover''s enthusiastic introduction.


    The moment sheid eyes on him, she had been momentarily stunned. Turning to Clover, she eximed happily, "Clo, I know him!"

 Chapter 551 Biological Daughter

    As Rose spoke up, Elijah also confirmed, "Yes, we''ve met before."


    "You''ve met before?" Clover was puzzled. Elijah had just arrived in Regalia yesterday, so he couldn''t understand how they could have known each other.


    His curiosity deepened, but Elijah had no interest in exining. His gaze was fixed on Rose, his eyes burning with intensity as if trying to take in every detail of her once more. Even Rose couldn''t help but notice the unusual look in his eyes. "Rosie... This is good. I should have recognized you earlier. But luckily, it''s not toote..." Elijah said, his voice tinged with emotion.


    This side of Elijah was something Clover had never seen before. In his mind, Elijah had always been calm and reserved, never one to show his emotions so openly.


    Upon seeing Elijah reaching for Rose''s hand, Clover instinctively stepped between them, blocking his uncle.


    "Uncle Elijah, Rosie is my sister!" he dered protectively. He couldn''t help but think that Elijah was being a little too emotional.


    Elijah frowned, displeased, but Clover paid him no mind. Pulling Rose closer, he addressed the crowd.


    "Although Rose and I recently became siblings, that ceremony was too simple.


    "Today, with the presence of a Xanth family elder and all of you as witnesses, I formally dere Rose as the eldest daughter of the Xanth family. I hope you''ll all support her from now on." Clover''s humble smile apanied his announcement.


    With those words, Rose''s position as the heirres of Lerain Group was solidified. The room was filled with astonishment as people looked at Rose with newfound awe.


    "Of course, she''ll have our full support!"


    "We''ll rely on you in the future, Ms. Shaffer!"


    "Ms. Shaffer, I attended the charity auction hosted by the Young family. This is our second meeting, and it''s an honor to be here today."


    "Ms. Shaffer..."


    "Ms. Shaffer..."


    Before long, the room buzzed with eagerness as countless guests vied for the chance to engage with Rose. However, someone suddenly sneered, their voice cutting through the chatter.


    "This Ms. Shaffer sure has her ways. Not only was she adopted as Mr. Young Senior''s granddaughter, but she was also recognized as a sister by the head of Lerain Group. Where did she learn these tricks, I wonder?"


    The speaker was none other than Yara, who had somehow managed to infiltrate the event.


    She was already irked when Rose stole the spotlight at the Young family''s charity auction, so when she learned that Lerain Group would host a banquet in Rose''s honor, she was pushed over the edge, leading her to wreak havoc on her own room. She had hoped to disrupt the banquet, but even sneaking in to the event proved difficult. Now, all she could do was mock Rose to vent her frustration.


    A few noticed her low voice, and Yara felt several piercing gazes on her. One in particr sent a chill down her spine, freezing her in ce. She followed the gaze and met a pair of eyes that made her breath catch. "That man... If I remember correctly, Clover called him uncle earlier..." she thought.


    Having spent years in the overseas entertainment industry, Yara was no stranger to the legendary figure who had helped the Xanth family transform its business from a shadowy past to a legitimate empire. Elijah Xanth was known for his quiet and understated presence, and many seemed to have forgotten his once-fearsome power.


    Under his scrutiny, Yara instinctively took a step back as an overwhelming urge to flee washed over her. Luckily for her, Elijah''s attention only lingered for a moment before he turned away as if nothing had happened. His expression remained calm andposed, but then he spoke. "You''ve all got it wrong."


    His deep andmanding voice immediately drew everyone''s attention. They turned to him, confused about what they had gotten wrong.


    Elijah turned his gaze to Clover and added, "You''re also mistaken."


    Clover was taken aback and wondered if his uncle did not approve of Rose.


    Regardless, he had already embraced Rose as his sister. Even if his family disapproved, he wouldn''t waver.


    Determined to shield her from anyone who dared underestimate her, he began, "Uncle Elijah, Rosie is¡ª"


    However, before he could finish, Elijah had turned to look at Rose.


    "Rosie..." Elijah murmured her name, his gaze softening. "Yesterday in Aurora Crest, I think I mentioned that if I ever had a daughter, her name would be Rose, didn''t I?"


    Rose remembered it clearly. He had even spoken about his wife.


    "As it turns out, she has indeed named you Rose." Elijah seemed lost in thought as if recalling someone he had loved dearly. However, his words only deepened the confusion among everyone present. Even Rose and Clover struggled to understand what he was implying.


    "Uncle Elijah, who are you talking about?" Clover inquired anxiously. His uncle''s peculiar remarks to Rose made it evident that something was amiss.


    Elijah paid no heed to Clover''s


    question. His gaze remained fixed


    on Rose, unwavering. Then,


    addressing the crowd, he said,


    "Everyone, this is Rose. Although herst name is Shaffer, she is my biological daughter."


    The words "biological daughter" echoed in the air, leaving everyone in stunned silence. They had assumed Rose was Clover''s adopted sister, so it made no sense that she was now revealed as the daughter of Efijah Xanth, one of the most influential figures in the Xanth family.


    Confusion spread through the crowd. Even Rose herself stood bewildered.


    "Mr. Xanth, I''m not..." Rose began, but Elijah gently interrupted her.


    "You are."


    Rose was indeed his daughter, and he dered it with unwavering conviction. Even though there wasn''t any definitive proof yet, he was confident that Rose was the daughter he shared with Henrietta. Elijah''s gaze remained fixed on Rose, its intensity causing her to hesitate. She had seen this look in Jamie''s eyes before, but it had always been directed toward Kelly, not her.


    Despite her long-standing suspicion


    that Jamie might not be her biological father, Rose couldn''t help but wonder if the man before her could indeed be her actual father. Her mind swirled with too many questions, none of which she could make sense of.


    Whispers began to spread among the crowd as they overcame their initial shock.


    "Mr. Xanth seems so sure about it... He must be right."


    "If you look closely, there''s really some resemnce between Ms. Shaffer and Mr. Xanth, especially in their features..."


    "You''re right... the more I look, the more simr they seem..."


    Clover snapped out of his shock and recalled the mission Elijah had previously entrusted him with. During his visit to Aquastead, he had discreetly searched for someone, but his efforts had yielded no results.


    He never would have expected that Rose, his sworn sister, could be the cousin his uncle had asked him to find all along.


    Still in disbelief, Clover looked at Elijah with a grave expression and asked, "Uncle Elijah, are you sure that Rosie is..."


    "She is indeed your cousin and my one and only daughter!" Elijah affirmed again with unwavering conviction.


    His words sent ripples of shock through the crowd, but no one was more shaken than Harriette. She could hardly believe what was happening.


    "Rose... how could she possibly be the daughter of the Xanth family? This is impossible. It simply can''t be true!" she eximed inwardly. Suppressing her frustration, Harriette abruptly stepped forward and grabbed Rose''s arm.

 Chapter 552 Proof

    "Rosie, don''t be afraid!" Harriette gently pulled Rose behind her, turning to face Elijah with a wary expression.


    "Sir, you can''t just make baseless ims without evidence. Rosie is a member of the Young family, and your sudden promation of her being your daughter clearly indicates ulterior motives."


    "Rosie, let''s go!" she urged, pulling Rose along. Her only thought was to get Rose out of there. She knew that if Rose left, it would send a clear message that she was denying any connection to the Xanth family.


    Harriette tried to hurry away, but Clover wasn''t about to let Rose leave so easily. Just as they took a few steps forward, he quickly moved to block their path.


    Before he could say anything, Elijah''s voice rang out once more. "Who said I have no evidence?"


    "Evidence?" Harriette mused as she tightened her grip on Rose''s hand. She knew there was nothing she could do if evidence that Rose was Elijah''s daughter really existed.


    "I don''t need to prove to anyone that she''s my daughter. However, if this youngdy insists on evidence, Rosie and I can take a paternity test to settle the matter," Elijah said, his tone softening as he turned to Rose. "Rosie, I may need you to provide " "That won''t be necessary!" Elijah was interrupted by a booming voice before he could finish.


    It was Jonathan. Holding a file in hand, he walked forward slowly under the scrutiny of the crowd.


    When he reached Elijah, he handed over the document before offering an apologetic nce at Clover.


    "Mr. Clover, my apologies. I took the liberty of procuring something of yours when you weren''t paying attention."


    Clover was confused. "When did Jonathan take something from me?" he pondered.


    Nheless, he didn''t have time to dwell on that. All he wanted to know was what that document in Jonathan''s hand contained.


    Before he could voice his question, Jonathan revealed the answer. "This contains the results of a DNA test between Mr. Clover and Ms. Rose."


    Clover''s eyes widened in realization, and the room fell silent. Everyone''s gaze was fixed on the document, and they were eager to know the test results.


    However, instead of disclosing the information himself, Jonathan entrusted the document to Elijah.


    When Elijah took hold of the document, his hands were trembling. Even though he was sure that Rose was his daughter, he couldn''t help but feel nervous as he carefully opened it.


    The moment he saw the result, his emotions surged, and he became overwhelmed with excitement. "Ha... Ha ha!"


    His heartyughter echoed through the air, and just from the sound of it, everyone could guess what the result was.


    "Clover! Rosie is your cousin! She''s my daughter and a true member of the Xanth family!" Elijah eximed, his voice shaking with joy.


    A rush of warmth spread through Clover as realization hit him. "She''s my cousin... that exins it..."


    Memories of his past interactions with Rose flooded his mind, bringing a wave of happiness. Without hesitation, he pushed aside the person standing between him and Rose and grabbed her shoulders.


    He said, "Rosie, no wonder I instantly liked you when I first saw you. I wanted to give you the best of everything, and now I know why. It''s because you''re my cousin!


    "You''re not just my adopted sister. You''re my cousin-my blood rtive! Rosie, you''ve always been a part of the Xanth family!"


    Never had Clover felt such happiness. His excitement pulled Rose from her daze, anchoring her back to reality.


    The words "cousin" and "father" echoed in her mind, shing with one another. "Clo... you''re really my brother?" she murmured, the term ''brother'' taking on a new, profound meaning. Clover nodded eagerly. "Yes! I''m your real brother!"


    Remembering his rivalry with Miles, Clover felt a newfound confidence. He was Rose''s biological cousin, while Miles...


    "Hah! Rosie is the daughter of the Xanth family, and she no longer needs the title of ''adopted granddaughter'' from the Young family," he thought.


    Then, he dered with pride, "Rosie, you are a daughter of the Xanth family, and everything in the Xanth family belongs to you!"


    "That''s right. Rosie, I finally found


    you," Elijah said, his gaze never leaving Rose as he tried to suppress the overwhelming emotions surging within him. He was afraid his


    eageress might overwhelm her, but some of his feelings still slipped through despite his best efforts.


    Rose''s heart fluttered in response to the undeniable emotion in his voice. The doubts that had previously clouded her mind dissipated the moment she saw Jonathan.


    She finally understood the meaning behind the message Leonard had ryed to her before their arrival. "Mr. Finch wanted me to tell you that no matter what happens, he''s with you. And... congrattions


    It was evident that Jonathan had been aware of her connection to Clover all along, even taking the time to prepare the DNA report well in advance of this pivotal moment.


    Rose scanned the room, looking for Jonathan. When she found him, he was looking at her with a warm, encouraging smile.


    She wondered if he was encouraging her to acknowledge her biological father. "Well, I should, shouldn''t I?" she mused.


    For years, she had harbored resentment toward Jamie for his cold and distant demeanor and had always yearned for the fatherly love she never received.


    Now, the reason behind his behavior became painfully obvious-Jamie had never been her real father, rendering her hopes and desires futile.


    However, this man standing before her, with his eyes brimming with love and tenderness, was a stark contrast to the man she had known as her father.


    The way Elijah looked at her reminded her of how Jamie gazed at Kelly. Only Elijah''s eyes held even more affection and warmth.


    Rose''s heart stirred. As if drawn by some invisible force, she called out, "Dad..."


    The word hung in the air, and Elijah''s mind went nk for a brief moment. As his rity slowly returned, a single word reverberated within the depths of his consciousness Dad.


    A tidal wave of joy consumed him. As a man who had endured countless grueling challenges, he now found his eyes welling up with tears.


    "Oh, my dear daughter," he said as he stepped forward and enveloped Rose in a tender embrace.


    Everyone watched as the touching scene unfolded.


    "Congrattions, Mr. Xanth, on finding your beloved daughter."


    "Congrattions, Mr. Xanth, on reuniting with your daughter."


    "Congrattions..."


    Well-wishes reverberated around them, each one a testament to the happiness shared by all who witnessed this father-daughter reunion. However, some within the crowd found their hearts consumed not by joy but by jealousy and resentment.


    Harriette never imagined that Jonathan would present a paternity test result, solidifying Rose''s connection to the Xanth family. As for herself...


    Watching Rose, her expression twisted as she realized Rose was ascending to heights she could never reach. Even now, she couldn''t bear to watch-she had to act. Desperate, her eyes darted around until theynded upon someone. Almost instinctively, she rushed toward Miles.


    "Miles, are you seeing this?" Harriette grabbed Miles'' hand.


    She could see the shadow of unease in Miles'' eyes as if the scene before him had left him equally helpless.


    Since she couldn''t stop Rose from iming her birthright as the daughter of the Xanth family, she would sow seeds of discord between Miles and Rose, making him despise her. Even as these poisonous thoughts took root within her mind, Harriette''s face took on a guise of despair.


    She pressed, "Miles, Rosie is a part of the Young family. How could she... Miles, what should we do now?"

 Chapter 553 They Are All Her Family

    Harriette acted as if she couldn''t bear the thought of Rose being taken away by someone else. If Miles stepped in and sessfully stopped Rose, Rose would lose her connection to the Xanth family. Even if he failed, Miles'' fury would probably be ignited, making it a win- Harriette reveled in her shrewd n.


    win situation.


    As expected, Miles'' expression grew darker by the second. Seeing him step forward, she tightened her grip on his wrist. "Miles, what are you going to do?"


    Miles lowered his gaze and patted her hand gently. Gradually, Harriette loosened her grip. Once he turned around and continued walking toward Rose, the feigned concern in her eyes disappeared, reced by eager anticipation. She was waiting for Miles to intervene, but even more so for Rose''s response.


    At the moment, Elijah, Rose, and Clover were surrounded by a dense crowd offering congrattions. Even Eleanor seemed inclined to join in.


    Just moments ago, Eleanor''s focus had been solely on Elijah, but now her gaze was fixed on Rose, her eyes ignited with newfound intensity.


    "That Rose..." she muttered under her breath, surprised by her own misjudgment. "ver expected her to be Elijah''s daughter. It seems I underestimated her, but thankfully, Jonathan didn''t."


    With Rose''s newfound connection to the Xanth family, the Finch family''s n to expand into the overseas market now seemed like an opportunity handed to them on a silver tter.


    As she watched the throng of people surrounding the three members of the Xanth family, Eleanor knew she was in no rush. Her priorities and intentions were clear, and Lizzie, who was standing beside her, understood them perfectly. Eleanor valued status and benefits above all else. Previously, she hadn''t even considered Rose a potential granddaughter-inw for the Finch family, but now things were different.


    Even the prestigious Finch family of Regalia wouldn''t dare to look down on the Xanth family, especially with the powerful Lerain Group behind them.


    Lizzie nced over at Jonathan, who was watching the scene with a soft, almost tender look in his eyes. Following his gaze, she wasn''t surprised to find that it was fixed on Rose. "Rose... She really is something special," Lizzie murmured.


    This statement would have sounded like apliment to Rose if anyone else had heard it. But deep down, Lizzie left one crucial thought unsaid. "So special enough that I want her out of the way..." Just then, a voice resounded loud and clear amidst the congrattory crowd. "Rosie..."


    The moment that voice rang out, it drew the attention of everyone present.


    Miles'' identity was widely recognized among the attendees. And now, everyone knew that the newly reunited Ms. Xanth was none other than the Young family''s adopted granddaughter.


    The crowd couldn''t help but wonder what Miles was going to do in a situation like this. With Miles'' grave expression, an uneasy tension settled among the onlookers. They feared his intentions weren''t good. Sensing the impending trouble, Clover immediately stepped in front of Rose, adopting a protective stance. "Miles, I hope you''re here to congratte Rosie on finding her real father."


    His unwavering gaze served as an undeniable warning. He had always believed that epting Rose as his sister put him on equal footing with Miles, with both being her brothers. However, things had changed now. Rose was his blood cousin and a genuine member of the Xanth family. Their bond was stronger and more intimate than the one she shared with Miles. Clover''s growing sense of superiority wasn''t lost on Miles, who suddenly gave a faint smile.


    "Of course, I''m here to congratte Rosie," he responded smoothly. "But that''s not all..."


    He paused and turned to Rose, his gaze softening instantly. "Rosie, congrattions on finding your biological father and reconnecting with your family."


    The word "family" made Rose pause. She quickly stepped out from behind Clover and stood before Miles. "Miles, in my heart, you''re also my family." Miles had been her family long before this revtion.


    A content smile spread across Miles'' face, and he shot Clover a smug look of triumph. However, he didn''t dwell on his momentary victory.


    "Rosie, Grandpa would''ve been overjoyed to see you reunite with your family," he said, his voice softening.


    At the mention of their grandfather, the light in Rose''s eyes dimmed slightly. "Would he really be happy?"


    Miles reassured her, "Of course he would. Not only would he be happy, but-"


    "Miles!" Harriette''s hoarse voice cut through the air as she suddenly rushed forward.


    Initially, she had anticipated that Miles'' involvement would spark a conflict between him, the Xanth family, and Rose. However, to her dismay, the situation was not unfolding as she had expected.


    Not only that, but the moment Miles


    referred to thete Oliver, Harriette felt an ominous premonition stirring within her. Fearing the possible consequences of his words, she hastily interrupted him.


    nsed"


    Her sudden outburst made Miles frown in displeasure. Harriette sensed the shift in his mood but wasn''t sure how to recover.


    In her panic, she quickly grabbed at


    a flimsy excuse, masking her true intentions with false concern. "Miles, now that Rosie has found her


    biological family, will she leave us and return to the Xanth family?"


    "No." The firm response came not from Rose but from Miles, and his tone was resolute as though the mere thought didn''t concern him in the slightest.


    The confident smile on his face only deepened Harriette''s growing dread. She recalled the will she had seen in Miles'' office drawer, and a sense of fear crept into her heart.


    "Miles..." she muttered, abandoning her initial n to sow discord between Miles and Rose.


    All she desired now was to take Miles and leave before the situation could spiral further beyond her control.


    However, before she could figure out a way to make Miles leave, his voice resonated through the crowd.


    "Mr. Xanth, congrattions on reuniting with your daughter. Since we''re all gathered here today, may I take this opportunity to announce something as well?"


    Miles looked at Elijah with respectful deference like how one would an elder.


    This was Elijah''s second encounter with Miles. Yesterday, in Aurora Crest, Harriette had momentarily held Miles back when Rose was in danger. But even then, Elijah had noticed Miles'' concern for Rose.


    As such, he felt grateful to the Young family for their care of Rose. With this in mind, he said warmly, "By all means, Mr. Young. The floor is yours."


    "Uncle Elijah..." Clover''s displeasure was evident. He had barely opened his mouth when Elijah shot him a nce, silencing his protests.


    Clover could only suppress his objections reluctantly and shift his focus back to Miles with a wary expression.


    Miles paid no heed to Clover''s reaction. With a p of his hands, a middle-aged man soon emerged from the crowd.


    The moment Harriette saw him, her face drained of color, and she unwittingly uttered, "Mr. Kane..."


    She had met him once before back


    in Aquastead, Recognition also sparked within Rose. She too had met Mr. Kane on that fateful day in Aquastead as he had read Oliver''s will just moments before his tragic demise.


    At the moment, Mr. Kane was holding a stack of documents as he approached Rose amidst the curious gazes of the crowd. Fixing his gaze on Rose, he introduced himself. "Miss, I am the attorney of thete Mr. Young Senior."


    No one noticed the mysterious undertone behind his choice of words when addressing Rose. After his brief introduction, Mr. Kane turned his gaze toward Miles as if seeking permission. "Mr. Young, may I proceed with the announcement?"


    "Please do, Mr. Kane." Miles gave a slight nod.

 Chapter 554 Heir Of The Young Family

    With Miles'' permission, Mr. Kane proceeded without hesitation. Under everyone''s gaze, he once again addressed Rose.


    "Miss, I was the personal attorney for thete Mr. Young Senior and oversaw all of his private affairs. Before his passing, Mr. Young Senior left behind a will..." As he spoke, Mr. Kane unfolded the documents in his hand. Rose looked puzzled. She was well aware of the will Oliver had left behind before his death. Mr. Kane had already read it out once at Aquastead, so she couldn''t understand why he was bringing it up again now. "Could there be another will that I didn''t know about?" she wondered.


    While her mind raced with questions, Mr. Kane began to read from the document. "I, Oliver Young, bequeath all my assets to my biological granddaughter."


    The words were identical to those he had read at Aquastead. Not a single word had been altered.


    However, Kelly was confirmed not to be Oliver''s biological granddaughter and was no longer in the picture. So, Rose couldn''t understand why Mr. Kane was reading this will again.


    She shot a confused look at Miles. "Miles..."


    Her instincts told her that Miles knew the reason behind all this, but his warm smile and calm demeanor offered no clues.


    Amidst the crowd, Anastasia''s face was frozen in shock. It seemed that she had already guessed what would happen next. Yet, what concerned her more than her suspicions was someone else''s reaction-Harriette''s.


    In reality, she hadn''t been invited to the Lerain Group event. She had followed Harriette and discreetly infiltrated the gathering to uncover the truth about the person hiding under Harriette''s face.


    Her gaze remained fixed on Harriette. Despite the momentary shock of hearing the will again, she quickly regained her focus, unwilling to miss any subtle nuances in Harriette''s reactions. Anastasia watched Harriette intently. Panic and denial flickered across Harriette''s face as if she knew something.


    But what truly caught Anastasia''s attention was the brief sh of hatred and madness in the woman''s expression. It was as if she were looking at apletely different person for a moment. "Kelly..." Anastasia whispered.


    After the initial shock, her body wavered slightly. Her mind raced back to that day in Aurora Crest, when Harriette had exuded the same arrogance and malice as Kelly, forcing Anastasia to kneel in submission. The more she focused on Harriette, the more certain she became. "Harriette is Kelly..." she muttered as another thought shed in her mind. "But how did Kelly be Harriette?"


    Anastasia knew Kelly wasn''t capable of pulling this off alone. Being familiar with Harriette''s past and personality, she sensed someone must have been helping Kelly. "But who?" she mused.


    Anastasia couldn''t figure it out. Still, a sense of fear crept into her heart. Her eyes darted nervously, and without caring to keep her watch on Harriette any longer, she hurriedly slipped out of the crowd and rushed to the restroom, trying to steady her breath and calm her racing thoughts.


    She tried to make sense of Kelly''s transformation into Harriette and what the woman''s intentions were.


    Being an intelligent woman, Anastasia didn''t take long to piece together the puzzle. It was clear that Kelly had set her sights on Rose, a realization that made Anastasia pause.


    Previously, she wouldn''t have given Rose''s well-being a second thought, but Mr. Kane''s revisiting of the will had ignited suspicions,pelling her to reconsider her position. Some truths, no matter how daunting, simply couldn''t be avoided.


    Since Harriette''s return, Anastasia''s role as the Young family''s eldest daughter had be a farce. But at this moment, it seemed like she had found something tangible to grasp onto.


    Once she hadposed herself, Anastasia quickly pulled out her phone and typed a message. "Harriette is not Harriette. She''s Kelly!"


    She sent the message to Jonathan, confident in his ability to anticipate Kelly''s next move. As for herself...


    "Rose... He''ll owe me a favor for this," Anastasia murmured. After everything she had been through, she hade to ept certain truths.


    Jonathan loved Rose deeply. Rose''s


    identity now being the daughter of


    the Xanth family and having connections to the Young family-ced her on a pedestal Anastasia could no longer reach. She could no longerpete with Rose and only hoped to maintain a semnce of dignity in the aftermath.


    Meanwhile, the crowd was still reeling from Mr. Kane''s shocking revtion. They had no idea that thete Oliver had left a will mentioning a biological granddaughter, let alone that such a granddaughter even existed.


    The people gathered were no fools,


    and it didn''t take long for them to realize that if Miles had instructed Mr. Kane to make this


    announcement in such a public


    setting


    then it was clear that the


    biological granddaughter in question


    must be someone in attendance.


    Whispers rippled through the crowd as they nced around, searching for the heiress of Young Group.


    At the same time, Jonathan''s gaze remained fixed on Rose. When he received Anastasia''s message, he barely reacted, ncing at it as if the content didn''t surprise him before his focus quickly returned to Rose. Mr. Kane paused briefly before pulling out another document. "Miss, this is for you."


    All eyes turned to Rose as she epted the piece of paper, her expression etched with doubt and confusion. She stared at the page, her mind reeling as she struggled to process the words before her.


    "How can this be?" she murmured, her gaze fixed on the text, reading it over and over again as if expecting it to change. However, the words remained the same, exactly as she had seen them moments ago. "My rtionship with Grandpa..." Rose thought as she repeated the question, her voice barely a whisper. "How can this be?"


    Just then, Miles'' voice reached her ears, each word sharp and unmistakable. "Before Grandpa passed away, he entrusted me with two samples for analysis - yours and his. At that time, he already knew you were his biological granddaughter." The entire crowd stood in stunned silence, the weight of Miles'' words echoing through the room as everyone absorbed the shocking revtion.


    By then, Rose''s eyes were brimming with tears. Memories of Aquastead flooded her mind. She recalled Oliver shielding her from the fatal strike and wondered if he had known about the DNA test results back then.


    Her thoughts drifted to the look in Oliver''s eyes as hey in her arms. So many things seemed to make sense now.


    "Grandpa..." Rose choked out.


    However, the revtion of the will had brought forth numerous questions. Before she could ask any of them, someone else spoke up.


    "Miles, how could Rosie possibly be Grandpa''s biological granddaughter?" Harriette''s voice wasced with barely restrained anger.


    She couldn''t believe Miles had


    actually revealed the truth and was struggling to ept it. The thought of the entire Young family


    inheritance being handed over


    Rose was difficult to swallow, and she couldn''tprehend Mites'' Willingness to let it all go without resistance.


    Regret washed over Harriette. She would have acted sooner if she had known about Miles'' devotion to Rose. But now, the opportunity had slipped through her fingers.


    Her question resonated with the crowd, as many shared her skepticism.


    "She''s right. Wasn''t it said that Mr. Young Senior''s daughter had been missing for years? There were even rumors of her death. How could a DNA test conveniently surface now?" someone inquired, their disbelief evident.


    As murmurs of doubt spread, Clover snapped out of his shock, his face darkening with displeasure.


    "My cousin does not need the Young family''s inheritance," he dered firmly.


    To Clover, Rose''s reputation and integrity far outweighed any wealth the Young family could offer. No matter the circumstances, he would not allow anyone to tarnish her name.

 Chapter 555 Celeste Is Henrietta

    Clover''s assertive deration effectively quelled the murmurs of doubt. After all, as the only daughter of the former head of the Xanth family, Rose did not need to resort to deceptive tactics for the Young family''s wealth. Besides, her obliviousness to the DNA test further emphasized Miles'' role in orchestrating the situation.


    All eyes turned to Miles, but he looked toward Harriette instead. "Rosie is, without a doubt, Grandpa''s biological granddaughter. I can attest to Rose''s Young family lineage with absolute certainty. As for how Rosie came to be Grandpa''s granddaughter..." He paused and shifted his gaze to Elijah. "The answer is simple. Rosie''s mother is Grandpa''s daughter. Mr. Xanth, wasn''t Rosie''s mother named Henrietta?"


    Elijah nodded calmly. "Yes. Her name was Henrietta."


    "But-" Just as Rose opened her mouth to speak, another voice joined hers.


    "But her mother''s name is Celeste..." Harriette blurted, her tone urgent and almost involuntary. Realizing her slip-up, she found herself the target of surprised and suspicious nces.


    Rose and Miles both eyed her with shock as they wondered how she knew about Celeste.


    "Etta..." Miles began, prepared to question her.


    However, Harriette quickly cut him off, her voice nervous but steady. "I like Rosie, so I did some digging into her past. That''s all..."


    "Could it really be that simple?" the same thought shed in Miles'' and Rose''s mind.


    Miles'' frown gradually rxed, but Rose couldn''t shake the strange feeling stirring inside her. Still, she didn''t dwell on it for too long, for Harriette''s words echoed her own confusion.


    "My mom''s name is indeed Celeste," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.


    In her memory, her mother had always been known as Celeste, so there was no way she could possibly be Henrietta.


    Miles gazed at Rose as though he had anticipated her question. He exined, "Celeste is Henrietta. Grandpa was just as surprised when he found out.


    "He mentioned that Aunt Henrietta swore never to take the Young surname again when he fell out with her years ago. But I guess she ultimately chose to reim the name ''Young'' after she left Regalia."


    He continued, "Aunt Henrietta always held Grandpa and the Young family close to her heart. When Grandpa realized that Celeste was his daughter Henrietta, he found peace, knowing she had forgiven him." "Henrietta... Celeste..." Rose repeated the names in her mind. She had never connected the two, and learning they were the same person felt surreal.


    Her mother, Celeste, was Henrietta-the daughter Oliver had been searching for all those years.


    Everything finally made sense.


    Rose recalled that when she met Oliver on her mother''s birthday, he told her it was also his daughter''s birthday. It turned out they had both been thinking of the same person. "So, Grandpa had known all along that I was his biological granddaughter?" she mused as images of Oliver filled her mind.


    Miles gently ruffled her hair. "Rosie, Grandpa''s will was always meant for you, not Kelly."


    Rose''s emotions were a jumbled mess. She had never sought the Young family''s wealth and had no interest in inheriting it now. "Miles, I''m not suited for managing apany..." "Especially not one as vast as Young Group," she thought.


    Miles smiled knowingly, recognizing her humility. After all, she had sessfully managed Henrietta''s Celeste Group. However, he didn''t want to overwhelm her.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll help you with anything you need. You can pursue your passions, but Young Group will always be yours. Fulfilling Grandpa''s wish means passing it on to you." For so long, Young Group had been under Miles'' meticulous management.


    Only now did Rose realize that all thosete nights and endless efforts to consolidate the Young family''s businesses and tighten his contro over Young Group were for this moment when he could hand everything over to her, in line with Oliver''s wishes.


    "Miles, I..." Rose found herself at a loss for words. She looked at Miles, seeing warmth and tenderness in his expression as he smiled encouragingly at her. "Rosie, don''t let Mr. Young Senior''s final wish or Miles'' sincerity go to waste," Elijah''s voice suddenly rang out.


    While he didn''t care about Young Group''s wealth, he understood the deeper meaning behind Miles'' actions. Even Clover couldn''t help but look at Miles with newfound respect.


    Miles currently had control over


    Young Group. He had the power to keep the will, the DNA results, and Rose''s true identity a secret. If he had chosen to, the entire Young Group could have remained in his hands.


    Yet, it appeared such selfish thoughts never crossed his mind. Everything he had done was for Rose and to fulfill their grandfather''s final wish.


    In the world of business, where self-interest usually ruled, it was rare to find someone like Miles who acted out of gratitude and selflessness. Clover raised an eyebrow, realizing for the first time thatpeting with Miles was unnecessary. He finally spoke up.


    "That''s right, Rosie. As Mr. Young


    Senior''s only blood rtive, you''re


    fulfilling his legal and rightful wilt by


    inheriting Young Group. No one


    would dare speak against it.


    His tone held an unmistakable warning-anyone foolish enough to criticize or contest Rose''s im would have to face him first.


    Under the weight of Clover''s words, even Yara, who had been burning with jealousy, felt her confidence waver.


    She could only grit her teeth in frustration as she watched Rose, who had just been named the eldest daughter of the Xanth family, be the rightful heiress to Young Group. With her newfound status in two of the most powerful families, Rose hadpletely stolen the spotlight.


    As Yara simmered in her jealous rage, her gaze eventuallynded on Eleanor, who was standing at the edge of the crowd.


    Eleanor''s expression was unmistakably one of excitement. It had been a long time since she had shown such enthusiasm.


    Her whole body was trembling slightly as she murmured, "Good. This is very good..." It was clear that she was thoroughly pleased.


    "Mom, would you like me to escort you over there?" Lizzie asked, gesturing toward where Rose, Jonathan, Miles, Clover, and even the much-admired Elijah stood. However, just as Eleanor was about to approach, she changed her mind.


    "No need," she said, casting a meaningful nce at Rose before lowering her gaze thoughtfully.


    "We''re all family now, so there''s no rush. By the way, leave the Lindisfarne Gospels behind. You don''t have to showcase your calligraphy skills today," she added.


    With Rose now in the picture, Lizzie no longer needed to orchestrate a meeting between her and Elijah. Eleanor had no reason to worry anymore.


    As if struck by a sudden thought, she murmured to herself, "We can''t afford to dy their wedding. Preparations need to begin soon."


    With Rose''s prestigious status, having Jonathan marry her would be a significant step up for the Finch family.


    Meanwhile, Lizzie kept her expression calm when she heard Eleanor''s words, but beneath her polished exterior, she was fuming.


    Her forced smile masked the dark emotions churning inside her, and she replied smoothly, "Of course, Mom. I''ll take my leave now."


    As soon as Lizzie left, Harriette, who was still amidst the crowd, received a message from her.

 Chapter 556 Abandoned By Her

    "It''s a message from madam!" Harriette thought.


    All eyes were fixed on Rose. Even Miles couldn''t tear his gaze away from her. Seizing the moment, Harriette discreetly slipped away, her departure unnoticed by the crowd-or so she believed. Unbeknownst to her, a watchful gaze followed her every move. With a subtle nce, Jonathan signaled Leonard, who immediately sprang into action.


    On the rooftop, a gentle breeze tousled Lizzie''s hair. Though typically attentive to her appearance, she had no interest in fixing it now.


    She had sent a message to Kelly some time ago, yet Kelly was still nowhere to be found. Lizzie checked her watch, her impatience growing by the second. Finally, the sound of footsteps approaching from behind broke the silence. Without bothering to turn around, Lizzie spoke in a voiceced with irritation. "What''s this? Do you think you can keep me waiting now that you''re the Young family''s prized daughter?"


    Before she even received a response, she asked, "Kelly, did you know about Rose being the Young family''s true bloodline descendent and kept it from me?" She had been observing Kelly''s reactions earlier and had pieced together the truth.


    Feeling guilty, Harriette stammered, "I-I''m sorry, madam. I didn''t mean to¡ª"


    Before she could finish, Lizzie whirled around and instantly closed the distance between them before delivering a stinging p across Harriette''s face. The sharp sound echoed alongside the wind as Harriette''s head snapped to the side, her cheek burning from the impact.


    Despite the pain, she dared not utter a word of protest, only managing a stuttered, "Madam, I¡ª"


    "Spare me the excuses," Lizzie interjected coldly.


    Panic welled up within Harriette. "Madam, I... what can I do?"


    "She''s asking me what can she do?" Lizzie thought as she narrowed her eyes.


    With a tone dripping with calcted malice, she said, "You were so keen on taking what belongs to Rose, weren''t you? Well, now you won''t get the chance.


    "But there''s still something you can do you can make sure she doesn''t live to see another day."


    She reckoned that Rose wouldn''t be able to marry Jonathan once she was dead.


    Harriette bit her lip. Although she desired Rose''s demise, she had assumed Lizzie wanted to minimize her involvement to avoid being exposed, as demonstrated during the Aurora Crest incident. Thistest suggestion, however, indicated otherwise. Harriette froze at the implication. "You... want me to do it myself?" She looked at Lizzie, seeking confirmation.


    Lizzie smiled faintly. "Given your hatred for her, wouldn''t it be quite satisfying to do it yourself?"


    The idea of taking Rose''s life herself stirred a mix of emotions within Harriette. It would be satisfying, yes, but Rose was now the eldest daughter of the Xanth family, the rightful heiress to the Young family, and had Jonathan''s backing as well. Taking Rose''s life wouldn''t be easy, and even if she seeded, thebined wrath of the Xanth, Finch, and Young families would be unavoidable. It was clear that Lizzie was setting her up to be discarded.


    A cold fear gripped Harriette''s heart. There was no way she could let that happen.


    Just as she realized what was unfolding, Lizzie brushed past her, about to leave. In desperation, Harriette called out, "Madam..."


    Lizzie paused for a minute before saying, "What? You''re not willing to do it?"


    Her tone was icy, and, even from behind, Harriette could feel the chill radiating off the woman. It was a clear threat. If she refused, her fate would be sealed.


    "Do you know why you were able to be the owner of this new face?" Lizzie''s voice carried a cryptic edge that made Harriette freeze.


    Lizzie continued, "Back then, when Harriette disappeared, Miles held onto hope that she was merely missing. But the truth is, she''s dead. Gone."


    Her firm tone left no room for doubt as if she were stating an irrefutable fact.


    At that moment, Harriette, or rather, Kelly, realized the truth. The real Harriette was dead. Despite her body never being recovered, Lizzie''s confident assertion pointed to one undeniable exnation-she had yed a part in Harriette''s demise.


    Terror swept through Harriette as the realization hit her. Her heart raced, and the respect and admiration she once held for Lizzie was reced by abject fear. She


    couldn''t even bear to meet Lizzie''s gaze.


    Lizzie''s voice cut through the heavy silence once more. "So, you''re not willing to do it?"


    The chilling insinuation that Harriette was not willing to take Rose''s life with her own hands hung heavily between them.


    "I-I''ll do it," Harriette stammered, her voice trembling with fear, "I''ll do it, madam."


    A cold smile yed on Lizzie''s lips. "Good. I shall await your good news then."


    Without sparing another nce at Harriette, she turned and gracefully disappeared from view.


    Isted on the rooftop, Harriette''s strength seemed to drain from her body as she slumped to the ground.


    She was keenly aware that if Lizzie could transform her from Kelly into Harriette, she could just as effortlessly make her vanish.


    After all, Lizzie had already made the real Harriette disappear, and the same fate could befall her, the imposter.


    There was no other choice for Harriette but to follow Lizzie''s orders. However, taking Rose''s life would be far from easy.


    Harriette bit her lip, her mind racing with potential ns. Unbeknownst to her, her every move and expression was being broadcast on arge screen.


    In a hidden room, tension filled the air as solemn expressions marked the faces of those within. After Harriette had left, Leonard had gone to set things in motion.


    From the very beginning, Finley''s team had installed aprehensive surveince system throughout the building, with hidden cameras in almost every corner.


    No one could make a move without being seen. And now, they were witnessing exactly what they had hoped for on the rooftop.


    While Leonard handled the arrangements, Jonathan had gathered several key individuals into the room. Now, seated on a sofa, Jonathan''s sharp gaze swept across everyone present. Clover''s face was dark with fury, while Elijah''s gaze held a fierce intensity.


    Cyrus appeared dazed, and Miles, after an extended moment of shock, cycled through a range of emotions before his eyes fixated on the screen. The warmth his gaze once held was now consumed by fiery anger.


    Everything that had happened on the rooftop, even the faintest of breaths between the two women, had been heard with perfect rity-especially their incriminating confessions.


    "Etta..." Miles finally spoke, his voice strained as if he could no longer contain the weight pressing on his chest. He clutched at his heart, his body swaying.


    Clover quickly grabbed his arm, steadying him just in time, but despite regaining physical bnce, Miles'' mind and soul were still reeling.


    He couldn''t believe that the woman he had thought to be Harriette wasn''t her, while the real Harriette was already gone forever.


    Lizzie''s haunting words echoed relentlessly in his head. When Harriette had vanished years ago, the Young family had exhausted all resources in their search, but she was never found-dead or alive. Oliver had eventually epted the possibility that Harriette was gone, and everyone else had epted it as well, believing she was dead.


    However, Miles had been the exception, clinging to the hope that she was still alive. s, his deep-seated wish had been futile.


    "No. This has to be some misunderstanding. Lizz... How could she be like that?" Cyrus''s voice shattered the suffocating silence in the room. Unlike the others, Cyrus had note directly from the banquet. Jonathan had deliberately brought him here to ensure he witnessed the truth.


    The woman he had thought was his kind and understanding second wife had never truly been as she appeared. Now, her true self was finally unveiled for all to see.

 Chapter 557 Unable To Keep A Low Profile

    A hint of fierceness flickered in Jonathan''s dark gaze. With a mockingugh, he retorted, "A misunderstanding? Mr. Cyrus, perhaps you''ve never truly known the person sleeping beside you. Whether it''s a misunderstanding or not, you''ll have the chance to see for yourself."


    Cyrus froze, wariness filling his eyes as he stared at Jonathan. "What... are you nning to do?"


    Jonathan knew that until Cyrus truly saw Lizzie''s true colors, he would continue to defend her blindly.


    However, Jonathan wasn''t in a hurry. He nced at the others in the room-Elijah, Clover, and Miles. Even if Jonathan didn''t act, it was clear that the Xanth family, especially Miles, would not let this slide.


    The silence from Jonathan only deepened Cyrus'' growing unease. His thoughts raced, and he tried to convince himself that the woman they had just seen on the surveince footage couldn''t be Lizzie. It had to be a mistake. After all, the Lizzie he knew was pure and innocent.


    When they first met, she was still a university student-full of youthful energy, kindness, and innocence. Over the years, her elegance and grace blossomed, and she became just as refined as any elite woman in Regalia. More importantly, she had always been by his side throughout their years together. Even though she knew there was someone from his past he could never forget, she had continued to shower him with warmth and affection. "How could she possibly be the woman Jonathan used her of being? How could she be anything like the person in that surveince footage? No. It was a misunderstanding. It had to be," Cyrus mused. Later that night, after the group dispersed, Cyrus returned to the vi he shared with Lizzie, his mind still clouded with doubt.


    "Cyrus. You''re back? Where have you been today? I thought you were at home, but when I went to the art studio, you weren''t there." Lizzie''s sweet, melodious voice pulled him out of his thoughts. She was still wearing the dress she had worn to the banquet. Her gentle smile warmed his heart like it always did.


    Her kind and gentle demeanor fortified Cyrus''s resolve as she walked toward him. He dismissed Jonathan''s suspicions and firmly believed that the woman before him was the real Lizzie.


    "Cyrus? What''s wrong? Why do you look so pale?" Lizzie inquired softly, her gentle touch upon his cheek reaffirming his conviction.


    "Lizz..." Cyrus suddenly grasped Lizzie''s wrist.


    Just as he was about to question her about the rooftop incident, Jonathan''s warning shed in his mind.


    "Mr. Cyrus, you can leave, but if Lizzie finds out about today''s events, the consequences will be more severe than you can bear."


    "Mr. Cyrus..." Cyrus thought. He couldn''t even remember when Jonathan had stopped calling him "Dad". Now, Jonathan only addressed him as "Mr. Cyrus", and even that was only used when there was no way around it.


    He couldn''t help but wonder how their rtionship had deteriorated so badly.


    "Cyrus? What''s wrong?" Lizzie asked again, her voice pulling him out of his thoughts.


    This time, Cyruspletely snapped back to reality. He didn''t know exactly what consequences Jonathan had been referring to, but he understood that not only Jonathan but also Miles and the powerful figures in the Xanth family were aligned against him on this matter. A shiver of fear ran through him, but he refused to acknowledge his cowardice. Instead, he silently scoffed.


    He couldn''t ept that the Lizzie he knew had a hidden side. Convinced that Jonathan was mistaken, Cyrus believed he would watch his son realize the error of his judgment.


    He reckoned that Jonathan had always misunderstood Lizzie, who had once been his tutor, which likely contributed to his inability to ept their marriage.


    Cyrus'' expression softened as he squeezed Lizzie''s hand. "I''m fine. I felt cooped up at home, so I went for a walk."


    He didn''t mention that Jonathan''s men had taken him away, nor did he bring up anything about the rooftop.


    Before Lizzie could ask more, Cyrus changed the subject. "Why are you home so early? Didn''t Mom take you to the Xanth family banquet?"


    A flicker of sadness shed across Lizzie''s eyes, but she quickly masked it.


    "I brought the painting, but once I left it there, my help wasn''t needed, so I came home."


    Recalling Eleanor''s cold attitude, Lizzie suppressed her irritation. For years, she had prioritized securing her husband''s sympathy and affection, knowing they were her most powerful tools for maintaining control.  FindNovel


    Kon


    "Indeed, his sympathy and affection are all ed..." she thought.


    "Cyrus, there were so many people at the banquet, but only by your side do I feel truly happy," Lizzie said softly, resting her head against Cyrus'' chest.


    She could hear the steady beat of his heart, but she knew all too well that it wasn''t her who upied that space.


    But even knowing this, Lizzie didn''t mind. She had never wanted his heart. What she wanted was something entirely different.


    Lowering her gaze, she wrapped her arms around his waist before looking up, her smile bright and radiant.


    Cyrus found himself mesmerized by her beaming expression, reminiscent of its untainted purity from years ago. Instinctively, he held her shoulders, drawing her nearer. "Lizz, all these years with you have been wonderful. Today..." He paused as if holding back unspoken words.


    Collecting himself, he swiftly


    changed the subject. "Regarding the painting you gifted Mom, don''t


    worry. make it up to you. With`


    I


    your birthday fast approaching I''m determined to give you a celebration like no other."


    "Thank you, Cyrus. Your presence is all I need for a perfect birthday," Lizzie replied, her voice soft.


    However, Cyrus'' heart harbored


    different thoughts. Perhaps it was his guilt for hiding that day''s events from her or his determination to makedonathan see that he had misunderstood Lizzie all along.


    Regardless, he decided to make this birthday a grand celebration like never before.


    ...


    The Xanth family''s banquet continued in full swing. Rose found herself encircled by smiling faces offering their warm congrattions.


    Even some of Yara''s socialite friends, who had previously mocked Rose behind her back, were now being encouraged by other madams to offer their apologies.


    One madam admitted, "Ms. Shaffer, my daughter''s friendship with Ms. Maize was only superficial. She can be easily influenced, so please forgive her if she ever offended you.


    Another madam nodded in agreement. "Yes. My daughter is the same. She''s not the best judge of friends. Honestly, a friend like you would be much better for her!"


    As Rose stood amid the crowd, her gaze drifted past them beforending on Yara in the distance.


    Yara''s hands were clenched into fists, her face twisted with fury, and her eyes brimming with venomous resentment as she watched the scene unfold.


    Rose smiled softly. "Don''t worry. I don''t hold grudges."


    Sighs of relief filled the air as the madams and socialites rxed.


    Rose found the entire situation absurd. She was well aware that her newfound status had brought about these drastic changes.


    With connections to both the Xanth and Young families, it was clear that living a low-profile life would no longer be possible.

 Chapter 558 Who To Follow

    Rose wasn''t fond of being the center of attention, and she sighed inwardly. But then, she noticed several familiar figures approaching her from the edge of the crowd.


    First, there was Elijah, her biological father, who possessed a calm and reserved demeanor that felt inexplicably familiar even during their first encounter.


    Then there was Clover, who had once been her sworn brother but was now revealed to be her blood-rted cousin, exuding a bold and protective aura.


    Next to him stood Miles, her refined older brother, who could have easily kept the Young family''s fortune hidden but chose to honor Oliver''s will and pass everything to her. Lastly, there was Jonathan.


    As the group made their way toward her, their presence brought Rose an unexpected sense of calm. Each had amanding aura, and just one of them could silence a room.


    Therefore, when the crowd of socialites and nobledies noticed their approach, they instinctively parted, creating a path for them.


    "Rosie, you seem a bit weary. Would you like me to take you home?" Elijah inquired with concern, observing Rose''s difort at the social gathering.


    In his eyes, his cherished daughter, the esteemed youngdy of the Xanth family, didn''t need to entertain anyone. Her happiness and well-being were paramount.


    "That''s right, Rosie. I''ve already arranged for a hot bath to be prepared at the vi. You can rx as soon as you''re back," Clover chimed in with a doting smile.


    For him, this banquet was more than just a gathering. It was an opportunity to announce to the world that he now had a sister-a true, biological sister.


    He had even invited the media, knowing that this revtion would send shockwaves throughout the business world. Now that their objective was achieved, Rose did not need to exert herself any longer.


    By "home", Clover naturally meant the vi at Royal Garden, where Rose had been staying for quite some time.


    However, his words didn''t resonate well with everyone. Even Elijah''s brow creased slightly. Just as he was about to speak, someone else interjected.


    "Rosie, you hardly touched your food earlier. I asked the chef at the Young Estate to prepare your favorite beef stew and a few other dishes you enjoy. By the time we arrive home, everything will be ready," Miles said, beaming warmly at Rose. "The only home that Rosie will be returning to would be the Young Estate since that''s where she truly belonged!" he mused.


    Clover, however, was unconvinced. He shot Miles a dismissive nce, stating, "The chef at the vi can also prepare Rosie''s favorite dishes."


    Unbeknownst to him, the chef at the Young Estate who made the beef stew had once apanied Oliver to Aquastead. The dish held sentimental value as it was not only Rose''s favorite but also Oliver''s. Ignoring Clover''s remark, Miles calmly stated, "Rosie, now that we''ve honored Grandpa''s wishes, I believe it''s time to visit him and share that everything has been settled. This will bring peace to his spirit." Clover was momentarily stunned by Miles'' bold move to bring up Oliver.


    Even he couldn''t argue against the sentiment, and after a moment of contemtion, Elijah nodded in agreement. "Rosie, it''s only right to let Mr. Young Senior know we''ve honored his wishes." Touched by his words, Rose nced at Elijah gratefully. "You''re right."


    The four of them apanied Rose downstairs where the Young family''s car was already parked out front, waiting. When Rose saw it, she instantly recognized it as Oliver''s vehicle.


    The driver stood respectfully by the car, opening the door for Rose. Once she wasfortably seated and the car disappeared from view, the three men finally averted their attention. Almost simultaneously, the tenderness in their eyes vanished.


    Their thoughts drifted back to the troubling security footage they had witnessed earlier. Each of them had kept their concerns hidden from Rose, none wanting to drag her into the looming danger. Regardless, no one would darey a hand on Rose as long as they were around.


    As a car sped by in front of them, their gazes sharpened, narrowing as they focused on a figure inside. They watched silently as it disappeared into the distance.


    Clover''s expression darkened. "If Rosie goes to the Young Estate, do you think that imposter Harriette might try to do something?"


    Jonathan''s voice remained steady and confident as he spoke. "Miles won''t give her the chance."


    Clover raised an eyebrow. "You seem awfully certain."


    "I am," Jonathan affirmed. "In fact, Miles probably despises the imposter even more than we do."


    No one truly understood the depth of Miles'' feelings toward Harriette. They weren''t just siblings who had grown up together-there were deeper, moreplicated emotions involved. When the fake Harriette returned, she manipted Miles, taking advantage of his feelings for the real Harriette and even scheming against Rose. Miles had every reason to despise her. No matter what underhanded tactics the fake Harriette might attempt, she was no match for Miles.


    Clover did not press on the issue further. Instead, a sudden thought urred to him, and he murmured, "Beef stew? Didn''t Uncle Elijah love beef stew as well?


    "It''s a shame I didn''t bring the chef to Regalia, but it''s not a problem. I''ll call him right away to have hime here and prepare it for Rosie!"


    His face brightened as he quickly reached for his phone to contact the chef.


    As Clover busied himself with his phone, Jonathan nced at Elijah. The once-legendary figure of the Xanth family stood nearby, head bowed slightly, seemingly lost in memories. "Beef stew... It was one of Henrietta''s favorite dishes too," Elijah mused.


    Over the years, he had unknowingly adopted her preferences as his own. Little did he know, Rose had done the same.


    He thought about the information Jonathan had given him regarding Celeste... Just moments ago, he had already ordered a thorough investigation into Celeste.


    It wasn''t to verify Rosie''s identity. Elijah merely wanted to know what Celeste had experienced all these years while he had been searching for her.


    When Elijah raised his gaze to meet Jonathan''s, a sense of gratitude flickered in his eyes. A small smile formed on his lips as he spoke with sincerity. "Thank you, Mr. Finch." "You''re wee, Mr. Xanth. And, please, just call me Jonathan," Jonathan responded, his sharpness softening as he faced Rose''s father with nothing but respect.


    hisz


    It was unmistakable to Elijah how deeply Jonathan cared for Rose, particrly when he had risked own life to save hers. This selfless act left asting impression on him and seemed to confirm that Jonathan had sessfully passed his initial test.


    "Do you wish to marry Rosie?" Elijah asked.


    Although he was satisfied with


    Jonathan, Elijah had high


    expectations for his future


    son-inw. At the very least,


    Jonathan had to face challenging trials and prove beyond any doubt that Rose would have a lifetime of happiness upon marrying him.


    However, Jonathan''sposed response caught Elijah entirely off guard. "We''re already married."


    Elijah''s eyes widened in shock. "What? You''re already married?"


    "Yes. We registered our marriage in Aquastead about a year ago. But don''t worry, Mr. Xanth. I intend to give Rosie the grand wedding she deserves," Jonathan exined. Elijah found himself at a loss for words. "They''re already legally married?" he thought.


    For the first time in his life, he understood what it felt like tough from sheer disbelief. Drawing a deep breath, he attempted to process the revtion, his face betraying no emotion.


    After a prolonged silence, he finally pursed his lips, nodding slowly. "Good... Very good..."

 Chapter 559 Intolerable

    Elijah''s words of approval carried none of the warmth one might expect. His face remained stony and devoid of joy.


    As he patted Jonathan''s arm, he added, "Then I''ll be waiting for the grand wedding you''re going to prepare!"


    Even with their official registration, it all depended on Rose''s satisfaction. If Jonathan couldn''t provide her with lifelong happiness, Elijah would never consider their marriage valid. With that, he turned and walked away.


    Jonathan remained rooted to the spot until Leonard approached, curiosity evident on his face. "Mr. Finch, what did Mr. Xanth say to you just now?"


    He had observed the exchange from a distance. While Elijah had been smiling, there was an icy aura about him. It was colder than anything Leonard had ever seen from Jonathan. Jonathan nced at him, his expression unreadable. "Do you really want to know?"


    Leonard nodded eagerly, waiting to hear the details. However, instead of satisfying his curiosity, Jonathan said, "Then go ask him yourself!", before walking away.


    Leonard was left standing there, frozen in ce from his curiosity.


    "Ask him myself? That was the legendary Elijah of Lerain Group! How would I ever get the chance to ask him anything? I''d only been lucky enough to see him today thanks to Mr. Finch-or rather, thanks to Mrs. Finch!" he thought. "Aren''t youing?" Jonathan called out from ahead, pulling Leonard out of his thoughts. Thetter quickly caught up.


    Finley had been waiting in the car for a while. When Jonathan got in, he asked, "Where to, Mr. Finch?"


    "Home," Jonathan replied, the meaning clear to Finley.


    "Got it, Mr. Finch," Finley said with a knowing smile.


    The "home" referred to the new residence Jonathan and Rose would soon share. Although Rose wasn''t with Jonathan now, Finley was certain it wouldn''t be long before they returned together.


    Shortly after their car pulled away, Jonathan''s phone rang. The caller ID read "Grandma". Jonathan''s brow furrowed, and he waited until just before the call was about to end before picking it up.


    "Jonathan! What took you so long to answer? Where are you? I can''t seem to find Elijah, nor can I see Clover or Rose. Where are you? Hurry up and take me to meet Elijah!" Eleanor''s voice rang out impatiently.


    She had been at the banquet, seeking an opportunity to meet Elijah. Mindful of her image, she hadn''t been too forward, hoping Rose would notice and introduce them instead.


    Unfortunately, Rose had been surrounded by socialites and noblewomen the entire evening. After all, as the star of that night''s banquet, she was highly sought after. Unwilling to lower herself to initiate contact with Rose, Eleanor found herself unable to get close, and as the crowd grew, she struggled to catch even a glimpse of Rose.


    She wasn''t worried though. With Jonathan around, she knew there would still be an opportunity to meet Elijah.


    Even if Elijah had already left, Jonathan could simply ask Rose to mention her to him. After all, Elijah had just reunited with his long-lost daughter. Surely, he would make time for them. Confident in her n, Eleanor was caught off guard by Jonathan''s indifferent response over the phone. "They''ve left."


    Confused, she asked, "What do you mean they''ve left?"


    "Everyone''s gone home," Jonathan replied tly.


    "Elijah and Clover have both left? Even Rose is gone?" Nowprehending the situation, Eleanor remained unfazed. Even when Jonathan mentioned his own departure, she chose to ignore it. "It doesn''t matter if you want toe back or not. Just tell Rose toe back with Mr. Xanth," she said, her tone firm andmanding.


    Jonathan''s brow furrowed. He knew his grandmother well. Practical and profit-driven, Eleanor was relentless in her pursuit of expanding their overseas empire.


    Upon discovering Rose''s identity as the Xanth family''s daughter, she had been determined to exploit that connection.


    He had expected this, but the growth of Finch Group was his responsibility, and he couldn''t allow Eleanor to drag Rose into it.


    "Jonathan..." Eleanor began, trying to push further, but before she could finish, Jonathan hung up.


    The sudden dial tone left Eleanor momentarily speechless. She refused to believe Jonathan had hung up on her intentionally and quickly convinced herself it was merely a signal issue. Without hesitation, she redialed his number.


    This time, Jonathan didn''t answer her call. She tried multiple times, but the phone continued to ring without a response.


    It didn''t take long for Eleanor to understand the situation. Her years of experience made it impossible to dismiss this as a mere coincidence. As the realization set in, so did her anger. "Unbelievable!" Eleanor eximed in frustration, her hand trembling as she gripped her phone. She couldn''t believe Jonathan was audacious enough to disregard her like this.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior, I''ve heard that


    Mr. Elijah, Mr. Clover, and Ms.


    1.n


    Shaffer have all left, along with most of the other guests. Everyone''s. gone. Should we..." the assistant who had apanied Eleanor to the banquet informed her.


    Before her departure, Lizzie had entrusted Eleanor''s assistant with the Lindisfarne Gospels calligraphy, a gift specifically prepared for Elijah. As Eleanor observed her assistant holding the gift, she couldn''t help but feet irritated by the mere sight of it.


    The words "everyone''s gone" further fueled her frustration. "Since everyone''s gone, then what are we still doing here? We''re going back to the Finch Manor!" she snapped. Eleanor''s irritation only intensified as she thought about the gift that had lost its purpose.


    "And throw that damn thing away!" she ordered tersely.


    The assistant was taken aback.


    "Throw it away?" he thought. The calligraphy piece was an authentic original, valued at billions. Throwing it away seemed inconceivable.


    Luckily, he didn''t act on Eleanor''s order. Upon entering the car, Eleanor appeared calmer. Gazing at the delicately packaged artwork, she paused thoughtfully before remarking, "Lizzie''s birthday is approaching, isn''t it?" Well-acquainted with the Finch family''s birthdays, the assistant promptly confirmed, "Yes, Mrs. Finch Senior. Last year, during Mrs. Finch''s birthday, Mr. Jonathan was absent from Regalia.


    "With the Finch Group transitioning leadership, Mr. Cyrus wasn''t in the mood for celebrations. I heard Mrs. Finch spent the evening alone, blowing out her birthday candles."


    Unconcerned about Lizzie''s previous solitary celebration, Eleanor focused on the opportunity at hand. Lizzie''s uing birthday provided the perfect reason to invite Rose, ensuring Elijah''s attendance as Rose''s father. Eleanor''s mind raced with possibilities, her spirits lifting as a n began to form. "Keep that calligraphy piece safe," she instructed decisively. "I have a very special use for it soon."


    After all, nothing fostered goodwill and strengthened rtionships quite like giving someone exactly what they wanted.


    "Yes, Mrs. Finch Senior," the assistant responded, cradling the boxed artwork as though it were an invaluable treasure.


    Eleanor''s voice continued to fill the car. "Have Cyruse to the Finch Manor first thing tomorrow."


    She was going to make full use of Lizzie''s birthday banquet.


    After a moment of contemtion, she added, "And tell Jonathan to bring Rose over tomorrow... No. Never mind. I''ll visit Ms. Shaffer myself."


    Considering Jonathan''s attitude that day, Eleanor doubted he would follow her ns. She would personally handle the situation to ensure Rose''s involvement. All she needed now was the right excuse.

 Chapter 560 Sudden Appearance

    Eleanor''s thoughts naturally drifted toward the unfinished embroidery restoration project in her study. Thest time Rose visited the Finch Manor, Eleanor had been impressed by her knowledge of embroidery patterns. With the need to repair her damaged evening gown, Eleanor found a convenient reason to visit Rose without appearing too forced or unnatural.


    Satisfied with her n, a smile crept onto Eleanor''s face.


    Meanwhile, someone else also had Rose on their mind. Nestledfortably against Cyrus'' chest, Lizzie had regained herposure. As she thought about her uing birthday, she spoke up.


    "Cyrus, I want to wear something special for my birthday this year. I want us to create more unforgettable memories together."


    Cyrus, ever indulgent of Lizzie''s wishes, responded without hesitation, "That won''t be a problem. I will bring you the finest gowns from the most prestigious brands worldwide."


    Lizzie managed a grateful smile but let out a disappointed sigh. "Other brands are fine, but I''ve always loved K&K''s designs. There''s one designer with a truly unique style. It''s just a shame she hasn''t released anything new in a long time." Detecting the sorrow in her voice, Cyrus couldn''t bear to see his wife disheartened. If the designer hadn''t created anything new, he would simplymission her to do so.


    "What''s the designer''s name?" he asked.


    "Ms. Flora," Lizzie replied.


    While others'' thoughts were fixated on Rose, the woman in question was about to return to the Young Estate with Miles.


    However, she noticed they weren''t taking the usual route as they drove. Their destination appeared to be entirely different.


    A guess formed in Rose''s mind, but she remained silent. As the car veered further off the familiar path, her suspicions grew stronger.


    A sense of longing welled up within her the closer they got to their destination. It reached its peak when they finally arrived, and she found herself standing before Oliver''s gravestone.


    "Grandpa, I''vee to visit you," she murmured.


    The night was dark, and the image of Oliver on the gravestone was barely visible.


    However, Rose and Miles didn''t need to see it. Their grandfather''s face was forever etched in their memories-the warmth of his kind smile and loving gaze remained vibrant even amid the enveloping gloom.


    For Rose, those inexplicable moments of connection with Oliver now made sense-it had always been the pull of their shared bloodline. He wasn''t just a kind old man. He was her biological grandfather.


    A hint of sadness crossed her eyes. The regret of not having reunited while Oliver was still alive weighed heavily on her.


    Sensing her sorrow, Miles gently ced a hand on her head, his voice soft as he reassured her, "Grandpa knew you were his real granddaughter before he passed. He was aware his time was short even if that incident hadn''t happened. "He was content, Rosie. In his final days, he got to hear you call him Grandpa. Your presence brought him sce, and he was grateful for that."


    Rose felt a wave of gratitude herself. She was thankful for the curious twists of fate that led her to Oliver-the unexpected meeting on her mother''s birthday, the visit to the cake shop, and the coincidental trip to the park. These serendipitous moments gave her the chance to get to know him and call him Grandpa.


    "Grandpa... have you met Mom over there?" she muttered to the gravestone. Oliver had dedicated his entire life to finding his daughter. If there truly was an afterlife, maybe they had finally reunited.


    Rose lingered at the grave for a long time, speaking softly to Oliver''s gravestone and sharing her thoughts and feelings. It wasn''t until rain began to drizzle from the sky that Miles gently urged her to leave.


    Unbeknownst to them, a figure dressed in ck and carrying a matching umbre approached the grave after they left. Shrouded by the darkness and standing perfectly still, one could hardly notice anyone was there at all.


    The person stood in silence, staring


    at the gravestone, lost in thought. Minutes and hours passed until finally, without a word, the figure turned and left as quietly as they hade as if they had never been there at all.


    Meanwhile, back at the Young Estate, Rose and Miles returned home to find that Anastasia and Harriette had already arrived.


    As Rose and Miles walked through


    the door, Harriette''s eyes flickered With our le curiosity, yes hackered with subtle curiosity. She had seen them leave in the car before her, and even ounting for any potential dys. They should have arrived home around the same time as she dia.


    Yet, Harriette spent two whole hours waiting at the estate before they returned.


    "Where have they been during those two hours?" she wondered, a hint of irritation surfacing within her. However, she quickly concealed her emotions beneath a veil of excitement.


    The moment Rose and Miles stepped inside, Harriette jumped up from the couch with exaggerated enthusiasm.


    She nearly dashed to greet them but managed topose herself when she reached them. Grabbing Rose''s hand affectionately, she adopted a teasing tone tinged with gentle reproach as she said, "Rosie, you''re finally back! I''ve been waiting for you for ages."


    "You were waiting for me?" Rose asked, her surprise evident.


    Harriette nodded vigorously. "Of course, who else would I be waiting for? You have no idea how much I wanted to talk at the banquet, but there was a sea of people around you. I couldn''t even get close! "And then... you simply vanished. I couldn''t find you anywhere."


    Rose thought back. Aside from the moment when Harriette had shielded her, she couldn''t recall seeing her much at the event. But then again, with so many people around, perhaps she hadn''t noticed. "You wanted to talk to me?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.


    "What could Harriette possibly want to discuss with me?" she wondered.


    Harriette smiled brightly. "Yeah. I wanted to congratte you! But not for finding your biological father.


    "To be honest, when Mr. Xanth said you were his daughter, I wasn''t happy at all. After all, you''re part of the Young family. How could someone just take you away like that?


    "But thank goodness Miles intervened just in time. When he proved you were Grandpa''s biological granddaughter, I was caught off guard, but my surprise quickly transformed into tion.


    "You''re Grandpa''s acknowledged granddaughter and a member of the Young family, and nothing, not even Mr. Xanth, can change that.


    "Once I realized he couldn''t take you away from us, I stopped worrying and epted the situation.


    "Our Rosie has the support of two powerful families now. Isn''t that the greatest oue imaginable?"


    Harriette''s raspy voice filled the hall, focusing solely on family ties and blood rtions while skillfully sidestepping the subjects of inheritance and the will.


    She continued her passionate monologue before finally fixing her gaze on Miles, her smile wide and bright.


    "Isn''t that right, Miles?"


    Just hours before, the sound of her raspy voice would have stirred nothing but empathy within Miles, his heart aching for the hardships she must have endured without his protection. Every time she smiled, he had been flooded with gratitude, thankful she had returned to him unharmed.


    But now, the bitter truth tainted his perception-the woman standing before him was not Harriette. Everything was an borate fabrication.


    Rage surged through him, and he yearned to tear away the deceptive mask she wore and reveal her true identity. But then, he recalled his agreement with Elijah, Clover, and Jonathan earlier that day. For the time being, he had to rein in his seething anger.


    Miles'' handsome face subtly darkened, but a smile bloomed nheless.

 Chapter 561 He Treats Rosie So Well

    "Yes. You''re right. This is the best oue possible," Miles said, his voice as steady as ever as if nothing had changed. "I''m d you''re happy for Rosie. You don''t have any objections to Grandpa''s will, do you?" As he spoke, his eyes briefly flicked to Anastasia, who was still seated on the couch.


    The news that Rose had inherited the entire Young family fortune would inevitably spread across Regalia, especially with the media present at the Xanth family banquet.


    Although Chloe might not be aware yet, both Harriette and Anastasia had been there, so they were well-informed.


    "None at all!" Harriette was quick to respond, her words bubbling out as if she were genuinely overjoyed.


    "Grandpa took me in and gave me a home. I''ve always been so grateful for that. Any decision he made is the right one. "Besides, Rosie is Grandpa''s real granddaughter, his bloodline. Everything in the Young family rightfully belongs to her!"


    Her words were filled with so much sincerity that, if Miles hadn''t already known she was an imposter, he might have believed her.


    "What about you, Anastasia? What are your thoughts on this?" Harriette asked, trying to deflect the attention from herself for fear of her facade slipping. She swiftly turned to Anastasia, who was on the couch. In the brief moment when she turned her back to Rose and Miles, the joy on her face darkened, and her expression soured noticeably.


    Anastasia witnessed the sudden shift and was momentarily taken aback. Harriette hadn''t even bothered to hide her disdain. It was as if she didn''t consider Anastasia worth the effort of pretending around. Feeling Miles'' expectant gaze, Anastasia shrugged nonchntly. "I have no objections either."


    After all, there was nothing she could object to. Initially, she had contemted iming a share of the Young family''s wealth.


    However, she gradually realized that she couldn''t outmaneuver Miles. His unwavering determination to honor Oliver''s will and secure Rose''s inheritance rendered any resistance futile.


    Moreover, since Harriette''s return, Anastasia had lost not only her opportunity to contest the will but also her status as the Young family''s eldest daughter. Now, she was nothing more than aughingstock within Regalia. Even armed with the knowledge of Harriette being an imposter, the repercussions had already taken their toll.


    Her true identity had been exposed during that charity auction, where her deception of posing as the Young family''s eldest daughter was revealed for all to see.


    Even if the truth about Harriette was revealed, Anastasia knew she could never reim her status, so there was no point in resisting.


    At this point, she was more interested in seeing how long this imposter Harriette, who was actually Kelly, could keep fooling Miles.


    Her gaze briefly drifted toward Rose, and a faint smile crossed her lips. She was well aware of theplicated history between the Shaffer sisters.


    A part of her regretted sharing the information about Harriette''s true identity with Jonathan. She could have stayed on the sidelines and watched the drama unfold. Still, it was for the best. At the very least, Jonathan now owed her a favor. With a soft chuckle, Anastasia rose from the couch and headed upstairs, leaving nothing but her silhouette.


    Harriette''s eyes immediately narrowed as she caught the intentionally carefreeughter. She turned to Miles, feigning a pout.


    "Miles, did you see that?" Then, shifting her attention to Rose, her tone turned soothing. "Rosie, don''t let her upset you. Anastasia has been with Young Group for years and likely feels entitled to a share.


    "It''s understandable she''s unhappy with Grandpa''s decision, but her opinion holds no real weight."


    Harriette''s voice echoed throughout the hall. Anastasia could hear her but chose not to defend herself. She didn''t even look back once and simply continued to her room upstairs.


    Rose felt a strange sense of unease. She wasn''t upset-not at Anastasia, at least. In fact, theugh hadn''t bothered her in the slightest. It was Harriette''s reaction that left her feeling unsettled.


    "I''m hungry," she suddenly stated. She had barely eaten anything at the banquet.


    Rose was aware that Miles mentioning beef stew was an attempt to coax her back to the Young Estate, but at this moment, she genuinely craved the dish.


    "You''re hungry? Perfect timing! Mr. Miles had the kitchen prepare beef stew earlier. I''ll have it brought out right away," Patrick said as he quickly set things in motion.


    Rose''s appetite was excellent that evening. She ate much more than usual, and Miles stayed by her side the entire time, gently serving her food with care and affection.


    His attentiveness was palpable, and Harriette, sitting beside him, couldn''t help but feel a twinge of jealousy.


    "Miles, you really do treat Rosie well," shemented, resting her chin in her hand, her gaze a mix of feigned admiration and envy.


    In the past, such a remark would have prompted Miles to swiftly bnce his attention, serving Harriette a dish to appease her.


    Yet, that evening, an unusual pause hung in the air. He didn''t make any move, nor did he spare her a nce.


    Harriette was momentarily stunned.


    Just as she started pondering the reason behind this sudden shift, Miles finally scooped some of her favorite dishes and ced them on her te.


    "Etta, both you and Rosie are very dear to me," he said softly, his tone as warm and doting as ever.


    Harriette''s doubts melted away, her smile returning as she relished the food Miles had served. "You treat me very well, too, Miles!" she eximed, satisfaction evident in her voice.


    However, when she caught sight of Rose''s contented smile, her inner turmoil resurfaced. She desperately wanted to ruin that smile and carry out the task Lizzie entrusted her with She was already plotting how to achieve it,pletely overlooking the significance of Miles'' words.


    "Etta, both you and Rosie are very dear to me," he had said. But Harriette wasn''t the real Harriette.


    After Rose finished her meal, she retired to her room to rest while Miles retreated to his quarters. Meanwhile, Harriette found herself standing before Anastasia''s door.


    Anastasia had already settled into bed when her phone chimed with a message from Harriette. "Open the door."


    The words resonated like amand from a master to a servant.


    Anastasia frowned and was initially unwilling toply, but curiosity got the better of her. "What does this Kelly want now?" she wondered.


    She opened the door, and Harriette slipped inside without hesitation before shutting the door behind her.


    Leaning against the door, Harriette stared at Anastasia with an unguarded intensity. "You saw I wasn''t happy earlier. Are you not going to tell Miles about it?"


    She was referring to the look Anastasia had caught in the living room earlier, the fleeting nce that revealed Harriette''s true emotions.


    Naturally, Anastasia understood what Harriette meant. She met the woman''s gaze, remarkably unafraid. "Tell him? Even if I did, do you think he''d believe me?" A smirk tugged at Harriette''s lips. "Good. As long as you know that."


    Her tone took on a warning edge as she added, "Remember, as long as I''m around, you''d do well to keep your head down. Don''t even think about stirring up trouble." "Sure," Anastasia replied, her unbothered response taking Harriette by surprise.


    Anastasia was only there to observe the drama, with no real intention of taking action. Her calmpliance left Harriette momentarily confused.


    Theck of fear from their encounter at the temple left Harriette feeling unsatisfied. It was as if she had tried to scratch an itch but couldn''t quite reach it.


    Frustrated but unwilling to escte the situation, she turned toward the door, ready to leave. Just as she reached for the handle, Anastasia''s voice rang out from behind her.

 Chapter 562 As Expected

    "Harriette..." Anastasia called out, stopping Harriette in her tracks.


    Harriette turned around, meeting Anastasia''s gaze. For a fleeting moment, she thought she caught a hint of mockery in Anastasia''s gaze, but when she blinked, all she saw was the familiar timid, downtrodden expression she hade to expect. "Must''ve been my imagination," she thought. After all, Anastasia had never been worth her attention.


    "Is there anything else?" she asked with a note of arrogance as she raised her chin. It was as if she was addressing an insignificant insect. Unfazed, Anastasia replied softly, "No. It''s nothing."


    Harriette frowned, irritation mounting as she studied Anastasia''s face, finding only a meek submission that fueled her disdain. Had the hour not beente and Miles'' room nearby, she would have loved to teach Anastasia a lesson right then and there. With a derisive huff, she turned and left the room without bothering to close the door.


    Anastasia listened as Harriette''s footsteps faded into her own room down the hall. A cold, mirthless smile crept across Anastasia''s face as she reached out to close her door.


    "How long could an impostor maintain the facade of the Young family''s esteemed daughter?" she wondered. A bitter chuckle escaped her lips. "The higher you climb, the harder you''ll fall..."


    Returning to her bed, Anastasia found sleep elusive. Troubling dreams gued her throughout the night. She saw the real Harriette-sometimes cold and distant like in their childhood, sometimes apologetic, uttering a soft "I''m sorry". However, the dream soon turned dark as the true Harriette transformed into the imposter, tearing off her disguise to reveal Kelly''s menacing face.


    "Anastasia, now that you know my secret, you must die!" Kelly hissed.


    Gasping for air, Anastasia bolted upright, her skin slick with sweat and fear''s icy grip constricting her throat. She fought to regain herposure, but panic clung to her like a shadow.


    "No. This won''t do..." she thought. She had initially nned to watch the chaos unfold from the sidelines, but things had changed.


    Although she had already sent Jonathan the message revealing that Harriette was actually Kelly, she couldn''t help but worry that Jonathan wouldn''t believe her.


    After all, the real Harriette, Jonathan, and Miles had shared a close bond, and if Miles was convinced that the impostor was truly Harriette, there was a chance that Jonathan might be swayed as well.


    The realization made Anastasia even more restless. Sleep was impossible now, and she felt parched after all the tossing and turning. Grabbing her empty cup, she decided to go downstairs for some water.


    The kitchen was dimly lit by the soft light of dawn creeping through the windows. She didn''t bother turning on the lights as she quietly filled her cup, but as she lifted her gaze, a figure by therge window caught her attention. Startled, Anastasia nearly gasped aloud but quickly regained herposure upon recognizing the familiar silhouette.


    "Miles?" she called out hesitantly.


    When she didn''t receive any response, she approached the figure with her cup of water in hand. Miles stood there staring at the sky. Holding his own cup of water, he seemed lost in his thoughts. "Should I tell Miles the truth about Harriette that she''s really Kelly?" The notion crossed Anastasia''s mind briefly before she hastily dismissed it.


    She couldn''t do it for she was sure that Miles wouldn''t believe her. If she revealed her suspicions, she would only risk alienating him further. But perhaps she could nt the seed of doubt subtly enough to pique his curiosity. With furrowed brows, she took a sip of water, feeling her dry throat rx ever so slightly. She finally mustered the courage to speak.


    "Miles, have you noticed anything strange about Harriette?"


    Miles, who had been gazing out the window, suddenly stiffened. His piercing gaze locked onto Anastasia, making her heart skip a beat.


    "What do you mean?" Miles asked slowly.


    Now that she had broached the subject, Anastasia had to continue. "Well... it''s just that...ever since Harriette returned, she seems different from before," she exined tentatively.


    "So, even Anastasia had noticed something amiss," Miles thought bitterly. He couldn''t believe how blind he had been.


    From the moment Harriette returned, he had never doubted her identity. He had fully believed she was the real Harriette. But now, even Anastasia had sensed something strange about the woman.


    His thoughts drifted back to that day


    at Aurora Crest. "Had Etta really gotten lost? Or was it a deliberate act meant to separate me from


    Rosie? it hadn''t been for Elia


    If


    who had apanied Rosie-up the mountain, what could have


    happened to her? Would she have


    faced danger alone?"


    The more Miles thought about it, the more guilt gnawed at him. If harm had befallen Rose that day, he knew he could never have forgiven himself.


    "Thankfully, nothing happened..." he mused.


    Miles was relieved that Jonathan was level-headed. Considering Jonathan''s instructions, now was not the time to act rashly.


    Despite his burning resentment toward the imposter Harriette, he understood the importance of maintaining appearances. He had to suppress his anger and continue protecting Harriette, just as he always had.


    Miles'' lips curled into a cold smile. "Don''t think I don''t know what you''re up to, Anastasia."


    Anastasia was taken aback. "What? Miles..." she tried to exin herself, but Miles didn''t give her the chance.


    "I know Etta''s return has stripped you of your title as the eldest daughter of the Young family, leaving you humiliated. But that title was never yours to begin with. It has always belonged to Etta," Miles said, his tone growing sharper.


    "For years, you''ve enjoyed the


    privileges that should''ve been hers.


    Instead of being grateful, you harbor resentment now that she''s back. Let me make one thing clear, Anastasia." His gaze narrowed, holding a warning. "If you dare to nder Etta again ory a hand on her, I won''t hesitate to make you regret it."


    With those words, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the dining room, leaving Anastasia standing in stunned silence.


    As the shock wore off, she let out a bitterugh. How foolish she had been to expect anything else.


    Miles'' devotion to Harriette ran too deep for him to question her identity. He refused to entertain even the slightest possibility that the Harriette before him was an imposter. His trust in her was absolute.


    "I guess this route is a dead end," Anastasia thought, sighing in disappointment. Just then, she heard a familiar raspy voice from outside the dining room.


    "Miles, you''re awake, too? I couldn''t sleep either. Come on. Let''s go to the rooftop and watch the citye alive, just like we used to when we were kids."


    Anastasia''s heart sank at the sound of the fake Harriette''s voice. She couldn''t help but wonder if the imposter had overheard her conversation with Miles. Miles responded in a low, somber tone, and Anastasia watched as the two made their way upstairs.


    As they did, Harriette nced in her direction, her gaze filled with a triumphant gleam as if to say, "See? No matter what you do, Miles will always stand by me". Harriette then turned to Miles, her gaze once again filled with the familiar warmth she wore so well in front of him.


    She had heard every word Anastasia


    had uttered in the dining room. A surge of pride welled up in her. Her performance had been wless, and


    she had Miles wrapped her


    finger. He defended her


    V


    unconditionally, with no inkling that the woman he doted on wasn''t his real sister at all.

 Chapter 563 What Happened

    Harriette was feeling incredibly pleased with herself, oblivious to the fact that the tables had now turned. Once the puppeteer, she was now the puppet.


    Miles, on the other hand, was lost in thought. He was still reeling from Harriette''s suggestion to go up to the rooftop like they used to do as children.


    The real Harriette had loved early mornings. Every time she woke up early, she would go upstairs to watch the sunrise.


    She used to say that her life before meeting Oliver had been like living in darkness, but his presence brought the light. Watching the sunrise was her reminder to appreciate each new day.


    Miles had always known about her fondness for this ritual. Whenever she went to the rooftop, he made it a point to join her, even if they sat in silence, just waiting for the sky to transition from darkness to light.


    "But how did the imposter Harriette know all of this?" The question had barely formed in his mind when he realized the answer.


    "Lizzie! This imposter must have some connection to Lizzie. As for the things Lizzie had said on the rooftopst night..." "Etta..." Miles whispered, his thoughts consumed by his curiosity about what had truly happened to Harriette all those years ago.


    Startled by his sudden voice, Harriette turned toward him. "What is it, Miles?" she asked, her raspy tone pulling Miles back to the present.


    Realizing he had let his thoughts slip, he quicklyposed himself, his gaze softening as he looked at Harriette. "I''m just d you''re back."


    Harriette smiled brightly in response. "Back?" she thought. She liked the sound of that. It was good to be back, and it would be even better if she could get what she truly wanted.


    As she redirected her gaze to the sky, Miles''s expression changed. The warmth in his eyes dissipated in an instant.


    "Indeed. It''s good that she''s back," he thought.


    If this fake Harriette hadn''t returned, the truth about what happened to the real Harriette might have remained forever buried. But now, he saw a glimmer of hope, a chance to uncover the answers he desperately sought. As the sky brightened, the two of them sat side by side, consumed by their own thoughts.


    As the sun rose, news spread like wildfire across various media outlets. The headlines were all focused on one person-Rose.


    "The former CEO of Lerain Group and legendary figure of the Xanth family has found his long-lost biological daughter!"


    "Mr. Miles of the Young family announces thete Mr. Young Senior''s will. The entire fortune to be inherited by his biological granddaughter!"


    "The Xanth family''s daughter is named Rose..."


    "The Young family''s granddaughter is also named Rose..."


    In no time, the inte was buzzing with talk of this "Rose", the woman everyone now considered to be the luckiest person in Regalia. Her name was on everyone''s lips, from the city''s elites to everyday people. The consensus was clear-Rose was now undoubtedly the wealthiest and most powerful heiress in all of Regalia.


    "Rosie! Is it true? The Rose they''re talking about online... It''s you, isn''t it?" Yvonne''s voice crackled over the phone.


    Rose had just finished getting ready when Yvonne called, her voice filled with disbelief despite having pieced together Rose''s connections to both the Young and Xanth families.


    "Rosie''s background is unbelievable!" Yvonne thought.


    "Yes, it''s me," Rose replied softly, a tinge of guilt in her voice. She hadn''t returned to the vi in Royal Garden the previous night, leaving Yvonne there alone.


    "Good heavens, Rosie!" Yvonne gasped, practically losing herposure. "This is unbelievable! Do you even know what they''re saying? You''re being called the wealthiest woman in all of Regalia, and it''s all true!" Her excitement only grew as she continued, "Although I don''t know much about Lerain Group, I could tell from Clover''s demeanor that he''s no ordinary man.


    "It all makes sense now! No wonder he''s always treated you so well-he''s your cousin! Did he know all along that you were his biological cousin?"


    After asking this question, she finally calmed down and waited silently for Rose''s response.


    Rose paused, reflecting on the previous day''s events. "No, I don''t think he knew from the start."


    Yvonne squealed again, her voice piercing Rose''s ears. "Oh my goodness! That''s even more incredible! If he treated you so well without knowing you were his cousin, imagine how things will be now!" Rose''s thoughts drifted to Clover. He had indeed always treated her kindly. With this newfound familial bond, she felt like she and Clover had grown even closer.


    "And then there''s the Young family..." Yvonne continued, "Miles is truly remarkable. He could''ve easily kept the entire fortune to himself, but he chose to hand it all over to you instead."


    Rose couldn''t help but agree. Miles could have hidden the will and imed the vast inheritance. Yet, he had chosen to reveal everything.


    The weight of that gesture settled heavily in her heart as she wondered how she could ever repay such kindness.


    Yvonne chattered on, her excitement palpable. It was as if her best friend''s newfound prominence meant they would both soar to new heights. Rose could tell she was genuinely happy for her. After hanging up, Yvonne remained exhrated. Sitting in her wheelchair, she looked down at her phone, still smiling.


    "This is really wonderful," she whispered, her words full of sincerity.


    "It is," Evan agreed, sitting on the couch nearby. He had seen that day''s trending topic online as well.


    The news was everywhere-Rose


    was now the heiress of both the Lerain Group and the Young family, her status elevated beyondprehension. He couldn''t ignore the vast distance between their lives, and a shadow of sadness crept into his eyes.


    As Yvonne lifted her head, she just happened to see his expression.


    "Evan," she suddenly said. "You''re a wonderful person, and so is Rosie. But sometimes, fate decides the ties between people."


    She was well aware of her brother''s long-standing feelings for Rose, but fate had a way of being unpredictable.


    "I know Rosie is amazing. I''ve always wanted the best for her. I see her as a sister, just like you do." Evan managed a smile, his words filled with genuine sincerity.


    He had long known that there was no future for him and Rose. With Dawn in the picture, his guilt toward Rose had only deepened.


    "It''s good that you can think that way, Evan. Speaking of which, Dawn called me yesterday..." Yvonne shifted the conversation abruptly.


    She wasn''t close to Dawn. During the time she was bedridden, Dawn had visited her a few times, but Evan had always been present. They had never spent time alone together, nor had they exchanged phone numbers. Yvonne didn''t know how Dawn had found her number, but she was caught off guard when she received a tearful and nearly hysterical call from Dawn. Despite Yvonne''s questioning, Dawn wouldn''t reveal what had happened. "Evan, what exactly is going on with you and Dawn?"


    Yvonne could tell that Evan didn''t


    like Dawn. They had gotten married out of a sense of responsibility because of their child. But after returning from Aquastead, where they were supposed to be married, Evan had be despondent.


    "I asked Mom and Dad, but they wouldn''t say anything. I don''t think you have any reason to hide it from me, do you? Look, I''m all better. now!" she said as she tried to stand up, hoping to convince Evan that she was truly okay.

 Chapter 564 Public Assault

    Yvonne had genuinely regained her strength. However, the moment she managed to stand, Evan instinctively rushed to her side, a hint of concern lingering in his eyes as he held onto her arm. "Look, Evan!" she eximed with pride, eager to show off her progress. She then yfully pressed, "Now, tell me everything. Come on!"


    Evan looked at his sister, and for the first time, he began to open up about his rtionship with Dawn. "I got to know Dawn because of Rose."


    Yvonne knew that Dawn and Rose were acquainted, but she hadn''t realized that her brother''s connection to Dawn had also begun because of Rose.


    Upon seeing the surprise on her face, Evan gestured for her for to sit and continued his tale.


    "I''ve been fond of Rose for a long time. I knew about her design talent, so I used my position as K&K''s design director to ask for her help with creating dresses. In reality, I had selfish motives-I wanted to create opportunities to be around her. "Despite knowing she was engaged to Nixon, I couldn''t fight my feelings. When I heard they had broken off their engagement, I returned to Aquastead immediately. I thought my chance had finallye. s, it was already toote." Yvonne understood that there was already another man in Rose''s life by then.


    Evan continued, "Iter found out that Nixon had set up Rose that night, using one of her former schrship students as leverage. That student was Dawn."


    He paused, the memory clearly weighing on him. "I had no real connection with Dawn back then, but that night... I got drunk."


    He had no memory of what happened after that, but in the morning, he woke up to the sound of Dawn''s tearful voice. That was when he knew he had made a terrible mistake.


    "Dawn said it was an ident and that she wouldn''t hold it against me, but..." Evan let out a bitterugh.


    Yvonne understood her brother well. Even if Dawn had truly forgiven him, Evan wouldn''t be able to let go of the guilt. He was the type of person who would take responsibility, and that was precisely what he did.


    "She got pregnant that very night, and I only discovered this by ident. After that, I proposed to her. I thought that I would marry her, settle down, and we would just live out our lives together."


    As Evan spoke, his tone remained calm, but Yvonne could sense the profound sadness hidden within his words.


    Yvonne recalled that Evan had rarely contacted her during that time. "Could he be avoiding something?" she wondered.


    Evan''s mention of the idental discovery stirred an odd feeling in her, and a question surfaced in her mind. "Was it truly an idental discovery? Or did someone intentionally lead him to it?" Yvonne remained silent, but soon Evan provided the answer.


    "Later, Dawn had a miscarriage. We went back to Aquastead to get married, but I uncovered the truth during that trip.


    "It turns out that I didn''t do anything that night. The child she was carrying wasn''t even mine..." Evan''s lips curled into a bitter smile as if he saw himself as nothing more than a joke.


    It was because of this that he missed the opportunity to pursue Rose. Not only that...


    He hesitated for a moment before revealing the truth he hadn''t told Rose that day. "Rose was on Ebott Road the night of her car ident because of Dawn. Dawn imed she ended up there after an argument with me. "Distressed, she had hopped into a cab that mistakenly took her to Ebott Road. But how could it have been a mere coincidence? I didn''t want to think about it back then... or maybe I was just too scared to."


    Upon hearing this, realization struck Yvonne. "Rosie''s ident..."


    A surge of anger swelled within her. Initially, she had believed that Dawn was simply someone she wasn''t close to yet, and with time, they would warm up to each other. But now she realized that Dawn had never had good intentions. "So, you and Dawn..." Yvonne already knew the answer. There was no way Evan would marry Dawn after learning the truth.


    Sure enough, Evan said, "We went through with the marriage registration and ceremony, but now... we''re in the process of getting divorced. Regardless, I''ll make sure she''s financially secure for the rest of her life." However, that was all he could do.


    As Evan shared his story, a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders, and Yvonne could feel his relief.


    Although it was Dawn who had


    initially deceived him, he still nned topensate her and ensure she could live worry-free. His actions demonstrated the utmost generosity and justice. However...


    "Will Dawn agree to this?" Yvonne murmured, her toneced with uncertainty. Realizing her words. might be disheartening, she quickly added, "She should agree. After all,


    she''s the one at fault."


    A shadow of doubt crossed Evan''s eyes. In truth, he wasn''t as optimistic as Yvonne about Dawn''s willingness to agree.


    Meanwhile, after breakfast at the Young Estate, Miles informed Rose that she would need to join him at thepany to handle some formalities as the heiress to the Young Group.


    The sheer scope of the Young


    family''s business empire, which spanned across various industries left Rose feeling overwhelmed. She couldn''t help but wonder if she was truly capable of managing such a vast enterprise.


    "Miles, could we..." she started to plead, but Miles cut her off before she could finish, firmly stating, "No."


    Rose''s face fell, her expression defeated. Miles looked at her and chuckled, his tone filled with warmth. "Don''t worry. No matter what happens, I''ll always be here to support you." Indeed, he would always have her back.


    Something clicked in Rose''s mind, and her eyes brightened. "You''ll help me no matter what, right?"


    "Of course," Miles affirmed. "Who else would I help?"


    A mischievous sparkle danced in Rose''s eyes. "Let''s get going then."


    Since there was no avoiding the inevitable trip to thepany, she chose to face the challenge head-on.


    As the Young family car arrived at the Young Group headquarters, an unmistakablemotion was already stirring on the top floor of the building.


    Tension permeated the vast office floor as every employee moved with cautious trepidation, eager to avoid the fiery temper of the woman seated at the center. Employees scurried past, keen to escape her notice, while the lone receptionist stayed near, anxiously attending to her with a fresh cup of coffee.


    "Has anyone informed Mr. Miles about this?" a hushed voice inquired from the secretarial department.


    Having just concluded a call with Miles, an assistant recalled his directives and promptly addressed the office, "Everyone, just focus on your own tasks." Yet, the words had barely left the assistant''s mouth when a sharp p reverberated through the room, followed by an enraged shout.


    "How dare you spill coffee on me? Are you trying to burn me?"


    The person speaking was none other than Chloe.


    Chloe''s presence at the Young Group''s headquarters was a rarity, but she had barged in with a storm of fury that day.


    Everyone present knew that her sudden appearance must have been spurred by the news circting in the media about the "heiress".


    Her actions left no doubt that she was vehemently displeased with the news, and now, she was venting her pent-up fury on the staff.


    The receptionist, still reeling from the sting of the p, fought back tears as she managed a meek apology.


    "I-I''m sorry, Mrs. Yones..."


    But before she could finish, Chloe delivered another p, the resounding smack echoing through the office, causing a collective wince among the employees.


    "What did you just call me?" Chloe seethed, her anger unrelenting.


    Over the past few weeks, she had been fiercely contesting Miles for control of the Young family assets, but her efforts had been repeatedly thwarted, leaving her harboring a well of anger. Now, with everyone seemingly disregarding her after the news of the "heiress" surfaced, that anger threatened to boil over.

 Chapter 565 Rose Is So Cool

    The receptionist couldn''t help but feel aggrieved. She had always addressed Chloe as "Mrs. Yones", so she couldn''t understand why today was any different.


    Realizing that any misstep could lead to greater trouble, the receptionist was at a loss for what to do. Unfortunately, her moment of hesitation further enraged Chloe, who raised her hand once more, ready to strike. However, a firm grip caught Chloe''s wrist before the blow couldnd.


    Everyone in the office froze momentarily before letting out a sigh of relief when they saw who had intervened. It was Miles, who had just stepped out of the elevator.


    They started to rejoice at Miles'' timely presence when their attention shifted to the woman who had grabbed Chloe''s wrist. Someone with sharp eyes soon recognized her.


    "M-Ms. Shaffer?"


    The woman in question was none other than Rose, whose name was currently stered all over the media. Not only was she Oliver''s biological granddaughter, but she was also the rightful heiress to the Young Group. "Don''t you think it''s inappropriate to hit someone in public?" Rose locked eyes with Chloe.


    She had seen Chloe before and knew that the woman was Gabriel''s mother. Rose remembered her from the staged funeral in Aquastead, where Chloe had shown a keen interest in the Young Group''s inheritance. Clearly, Chloe was here that day because of the news. Earlier, Rose had barely stepped out of the elevator when she saw Chloe raising her hand to strike someone. Instinctively, she rushed out to intervene.


    ncing at the terrified woman, Chloe furrowed her brows slightly.


    "So what if I hit her?" Chloe retorted, showing no remorse. "This receptionist can''t even perform a simple task like serving coffee. Clearly, she hasn''t been properly trained.


    "She almost burned me today. What if she scalded an important client tomorrow? I was just trying to teach her a lesson."


    Despite her attempts to rationalize her behavior, her words were evidently nothing more than a thinly veiled excuse for venting her anger.


    Rose had never liked Chloe, and at that moment, she found the woman''s attitude even more distasteful.


    "Oh, is that so?" she responded with a faint smile. "It seems like she isn''t quite suited for the receptionist role then."


    Turning to the assaulted receptionist, she asked, "Do you have any other skills?"


    "Do I have any other skills?" the receptionist thought as she hesitated. "I... I majored in design..." she finally replied.


    The receptionist had recently graduated, and her ambition had always been to join Young Group''s design team. However, thepetitive recruitment process had made it challenging.


    Thankfully, her appearance had granted her an advantage,nding her the receptionist position. She hoped that with hard work and dedication, she could eventually transition into a design role through internal recruitment. But now, having crossed Chloe, she feared that even this job could be at risk.


    Clutching her sore cheek, she was worrying about her future when Rose''s clear and pleasant voice rang out.


    "Perfect! Starting today, you''ll be transferred to Young''s House of Jewels as the assistant to the design director."


    Although Rose wasn''t familiar with the design director, she understood that if the receptionist had a design background, this role would provide the best opportunity for her to learn, grow, and advance within thepany. The entire office fell into stunned silence. They couldn''t help but wonder if they had misheard Rose.


    "You can head to HR to process your transfer paperwork," Rose added with a soft smile.


    The warmth of her smile snapped the receptionist out of her daze.


    "Ms. Shaffer..." She couldn''t believe her ears. Not only was she not being fired, but she was being offered the opportunity to work as the design director''s assistant.


    Still in shock, she saw that Rose had already turned away, seemingly focused on more pressing matters. Realizing she shouldn''t interrupt, she quickly swallowed her words and stepped back.


    Chloe''s anger boiled over as she witnessed the receptionist leaving. She spun around to confront Rose. "Rose, what do you think you''re doing?"


    "Oh, nothing. I was just following your advice. She''s clearly not suited for the front desk," Rose replied calmly.


    Chloe was rendered speechless. "She''s taking my advice? Yeah, right. This is more like a tant insult!" she fumed inwardly.


    Her expression darkened further, and she tried to yank her wrist free from Rose''s grip, but to no avail. She shot Rose a venomous re. "Let go!"


    With a casual shrug, Rose released her grip and then deliberately wiped her hand with a tissue. The sight of it only caused Chloe''s fury to escte. "Rose, you¡ª"


    Before she could finish her outburst, Miles cut her off. "Aunt Chloe, what brings you here?"


    Reminded of her purpose, Chloe dove right into the issue at hand. "Oliver is gone, and suddenly, a granddaughter, along with a suspicious will, emerges out of nowhere. Who knows if any of it is real?"


    whovel


    Miles had anticipated this confrontation and was fully prepared.


    He began, "Aunt Chloe, since you have concerns about their legitimacy, please follow me." He then gestured toward the conference room.


    Chloe followed his gaze and gave a cold snort before marching toward the conference room without another word.


    "Rosie," Miles called gently, his tone softening as he turned to Rose.


    Rose recognized the cue. They joined Chloe in the conference room while murmurs of admiration followed them.


    "That was so cool!"


    "Ms. Shaffer is incredible!"


    "Did you see how she stood up for Olivia? That was absolutely amazing!"


    The receptionist, Olivia Lenner, had been the object of sympathy when she was being bullied earlier. But now, every single person in the office was filled with envy.


    "Did Ms. Shaffer really say Olivia would be transferred to be the design director''s assistant?" someone whispered.


    "Of course! Why would she lie about that?" came the response.


    "But the design director is Ms. Harriette. Will she even agree to this?"


    When Harriette returned, Miles had offered her a position in the Young Group. After deliberating over various roles, she finally settled on the position of design director for Young''s House of Jewels. Despite her questionable design taste-which even some non-designers found hard to appreciate Miles had let her hold that position due to their rtionship.


    "It doesn''t matter if she agrees or not. Right now, the entire Young Group belongs to Ms. Shaffer. Her word is equivalent to a decree within thepany."


    "I''m so jealous of Olivia. She went from receptionist to design director''s assistant. That''s like a rocket-fueled promotion!"


    "If I had known this would happen, I''d have dly volunteered to be the one bullied!"


    As the office buzzed with chatter, it was clear that they were not only envious of Olivia but also in awe of Rose. Many had already made up their minds to stay on her good side and impress her at every opportunity.


    Meanwhile, Harriette had arrived at thepany early that morning. She had seen Chloeing and fully expected her to stir up trouble, but things hadn''t gone as expected.


    Harriette scowled silently, her gaze sweeping over the employees, who were now praising Rose, before shifting irritably toward the conference room.


    "Chloe isn''t going to let Rose inherit Young Group without a fight. I''m sure taking over thepany wouldn''t be easy for Rose," she thought as her lips curled into a cold smile.


    Inside the conference room, Chloe''s


    expression changed when she saw


    the people seated there. The room was filled with some of Young Group''s most influential figures, including several of Oliver''s most


    trusted confidants.


    She had been at the office early, monitoring Miles'' actions. Yet, somehow, she hadn''t seen these key yers arrive.


    Her face darkened, for she hadn''t expected Miles to be so well-prepared.

 Chapter 566 Any Objections

    Miles had indeed nned everything in advance.


    The guests present had arrived before dawn, all waiting patiently because he had shared a crucial piece of information with them-Rose would be joining them that day.


    Unaware of these arrangements, Chloe grew increasingly agitated as she surveyed the room. However, upon recognizing the faces of the distinguished elders present, she swiftly forced a smile. "Mr. Yardley, Mr. Langster, Mr. Cox..." Although these gentlemen had long retired and no longer held significant shares in Young Group, their close friendship with Oliver made them highly respected figures.


    As Chloe spoke, they rose from their seats and made their way toward her. She paused for a moment, assuming they were approaching to greet her, and extended her hand for a handshake.


    But to her astonishment, the elders merely brushed past her, leaving her outstretched hand awkwardly suspended in midair, her forced smile frozen in ce.


    The words she heard nextpounded her difort.


    "You must be Rosie! What a beautiful youngdy. I''m Irvin Yardley. I held your mother when she was a baby."


    "You old coot, why would you bring that up? Rietta never liked you, you know? Don''t you remember she once peed on you? Rosie, I''m Campbell Cox, and let me tell you, I was your mom''s favorite!"


    "Rosie, I''m Luka Langster. I remember thinking you looked familiar during Oliver''s funeral, and now I know why-you''re Rietta''s daughter. This is simply wonderful!"


    These elders were all well past their 70s. Usually stern with their grandchildren, they were all smiles that day, their faces beaming with affection as they looked at Rose.


    Their warmth left Rose momentarily flustered, but she quickly regained herposure and understood that they must be Oliver''s dearest friends.


    "Mr. Yardley, Mr. Cox, Mr. Langster," she politely greeted them, her face brightening with a genuine smile.


    "What a good child you are!" The elders nodded approvingly, following up with a barrage ofpliments about Rose being adorable and how they would love to have her as their granddaughter.


    Meanwhile, Chloe, who had beenpletely ignored, felt her anger reaching a boiling point. She couldn''t believe that everyone was so quick to ept Rose as Oliver''s granddaughter.


    While the elders might have epted Rose, Chloe certainly didn''t. "So, some random woman shows up, and just because someone says she''s Oliver''s granddaughter, that makes it true?" she questioned skeptically. The three elders frowned, their eyes narrowing. Irvin was the first to speak up. "There''s a DNA report, and we saw it ourselves. How could it be fake?"


    Chloe smirked. "Maybe you''re unaware, but when Oliver was alive, he found another woman and even conducted a DNA test on her. The report showed that she was rted to the Young family by blood, but guess what?" She paused, her smile widening. "It turns out that she wasn''t his granddaughter, and there was no real blood connection. Even Oliver was fooled. And now you all..."


    Although Chloe didn''t finish her sentence, the implication was clear-if Oliver could be deceived, so could they.


    Her mocking tone didn''t sit well with the three elders.


    Eventually, Luka spoke up. "Rosie''s eyes are identical to Rietta''s. That can''t be a coincidence, right?"


    Chloe scoffed at the notion. "You''re basing this on her eyes? Oliver adopted two girls, Harriette and Anastasia, both of whom had eyes simr to Rietta''s. Are you saying they''re all rted to the Young family?" It was Rose''s eyes that initially convinced Oliver of her lineage, and as Chloe examined them once more, a flicker of doubt crossed her mind.


    Campbell also studied Rose''s eyes and shook his head in disagreement with Chloe''s argument. "We''ve met all the girls. Sure, Harriette and Anastasia''s eyes resemble Rietta''s, but theyck the same spirit. "Rosie, on the other hand, possesses an uncanny likeness, not just in appearance, but in spirit as well. It''s as if she''s a perfect reflection of Rietta. If that''s not the result of gics, then what is?"


    "Exactly. Rosie is Rietta''s daughter and Oliver''s granddaughter. There''s no doubt about it."


    "Indeed, I''ve seen countless people at my age, and I''m certain Rosie is Oliver''s biological granddaughter!"


    Their unwavering conviction left Chloe''s doubts feeling as futile as punching at the air.


    Chloe''s rage was reaching a boiling point. "These stubborn old fools!" she fumed inwardly.


    "There''s something else you all should know," she snapped. "The woman who previously pretended to be Oliver''s granddaughter was named Kelly, and she''s Rose''s sister!"


    The three elders frowned, clearly taken aback by this revtion.


    Then, Luka turned to Miles. "Isn''t Rosie the daughter of Lerain Group''s Xanth family?"


    Miles, who had been silent since entering the room, finally spoke up, uttering just one word. "Yes."


    Campbell raised an eyebrow. "Does the Xanth family have two daughters, then?"


    Miles answered, "No. Just one."


    Irvin concluded, "Well, then, there''s no problem!"


    Chloe blinked in disbelief. "No problem? How could they just brush it off so easily?" she thought.


    Luka and Campbell exchanged a knowing nce before nodding in agreement. "Exactly. Kelly and Rosie aren''t biological sisters. Since Kelly is the fake one, that makes Rosie the reat granddaughter!"


    Chloe felt as though her heart would burst from frustration. She wanted to protest, to make them see how


    absurd their reasoning was, but


    before she could even get the


    words


    out, Luka had taken Rose by the arm


    and was leading her to the main


    seat at the conference table.


    Irvin stood to the side, his face grave as he addressed the room, "Young Group is Oliver''s legacy and belongs to the Young family.


    "You''ve all had the chance to


    thoroughly examine his will and the DNA test confirming Rose''s lineage, both of which have been verified by our legal experts and found to be devoid of any forgery.


    "Henceforth, Rose will lead the Young family and assume her rightful position as head of the Young Group. If anyone has any objections, speak up now!"


    His sharp gaze swept over everyone present.


    Just then, Campbell''s voice boomed, amplifying the challenge. "Speak up if you have any objections!"


    The room fell into an intimidating hush. None dared to have any objections. Even if doubts lingered, fear stifled their voices.


    Besides, everyone had thoroughly examined the documents and found them authentic, without any signs of forgery.


    "Ms. Shaffer, I am Andy from Young Group''s business division. I shall work tirelessly to serve thepany and support you in every way possible."


    "Ms. Shaffer, I am Misha from Young Group''s legal department. I shall do my best to handle all legal matters for thepany and for you."


    "Ms. Shaffer, I am..."


    "Ms. Shaffer..."


    One by one, the people in the room introduced themselves and proimed their allegiance to Rose. It was as if they had rehearsed the whole sequence in advance.


    The sight of these middle-aged men, many in their 40s and 50s, humbling themselves before a young woman who was barely in her 20s was nothing short of shameless ttery. Chloe was fuming, her head throbbing with anger.

 Chapter 567 Officially Taking Over Young Group

    The scene unfolding before Chloe was a tant disy of people desperately trying to curry favor with Rose.


    "I have an objection!" she nearly shouted.


    The previously orderly introductions in the conference room came to an abrupt halt with Chloe''s outburst, and for a moment, the room fell silent. However, almost instantly, the introductions resumed one after another as if the interruption had never urred.


    Chloe couldn''t believe they were actually ignoring her. After all, she was the sole second-generation member of the Young family left.


    "How dare they act as though I''m invisible? This is outrageous!" she thought.


    Determined to regain control of the situation, Chloe raised her voice even louder. "I said I have an objection! Didn''t you hear me?"


    Still, the introductions continued without interruption, as though no one had heard her.


    "Stop! I said stop it! Everyone, stop right now!" Chloe''s voice took on a desperate edge as she gritted her teeth.


    Just then, the door to the conference room swung open. The person entering seemed to be in a hurry, pushing the door with more force than intended, causing a loud bang.


    The sudden noise caught everyone''s attention, and the introductions finally came to a halt.


    For a fleeting moment, Chloe believed that her protests had finally managed to break through the chaos. Her gaze remained fixed on the scene before her, not noticing that everyone else had already turned their attention toward the entrance. Gabriel stood in the doorway, momentarily frozen as he took in the scene.


    Although he wasn''t involved in managing Young Group, he recognized many of the key figures present, including his grandfather''s old friends-Irvin, Campbell, and Luka. But what caught his attention the most was Rose, who was seated in the most prominent position.


    He had already heard about the rumors circting in Regalia that day, and now it was clear that the conference room discussion was about something significant. There, amidst it all, was his mother, Chloe.


    His face tightened with unease as he quickly made his way toward Chloe.


    Meanwhile, the woman in question remained oblivious to Gabriel''s arrival. Before he could call out to her, Miles'' voice echoed across the room.


    "Aunt Chloe, I''m only addressing you respectfully because you''re Grandpa''s adopted daughter. I''m willing to overlook the disturbance you caused just now, but you''d better stop testing my patience. "Otherwise, we''ll have to discuss the numerous Young family assets under your management that have quietly transitioned to the Yones name."


    Chloe bristled at the word "disturbance", but her face paled as she understood the implications of Miles'' words. Panic surged within her as she met his gaze.


    "All those covert actions I took over the years to transfer assets, things even Oliver never noticed-has Miles uncovered it all?" she mused.


    "Miles, you..." she began.


    She thought maybe he was bluffing. Perhaps he knew but didn''t have evidence. However, a hand seized her wrist before she could finish her sentence, and she spun around to see Gabriel. Confused, she asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Gabriel didn''t bother exining how he ended up in the conference room. Instead, he urgently whispered, "Mom, something''s happened..."


    Not wanting to air their issues publicly, he leaned closer to Chloe''s ear and spoke softly enough that no one else could hear. Nevertheless, his words visibly shook Chloe, turning her face deathly pale. Without waiting for Gabriel to finish, Chloe stormed out of the conference room, seething with rage. Silence hung heavy in her wake.


    Gabriel shot a disapproving nce at Miles, initially furious at how harshly Miles had handled things. However, his heart wavered when he caught Rose''s gentle and kind smile.


    He paused for a moment, then gave Rose a slightly awkward nod before quickly turning and leaving the conference room.


    Irvin was the first to break the silence in the room. "Ha ha ha! Oliver must finally be at peace now. Rosie, if you ever need anything, just say the word.


    "We''re a few years younger than your grandfather and still in good shape. We''ve got a few more years left in us, so don''t hesitate to ask for help."


    Luka nodded. "That''s right. You''re Oliver''s cherished granddaughter. With you at the helm, Young Group will be in capable hands."


    Campbell added, "Rosie, our doors are always open even if you don''t need anything. We''re retired now and have plenty of time on our hands. It''d be nice to chat with you whenever you''re free." The three men shared a heartyugh, and Rose couldn''t help but feel grateful for their support.


    Standing up, she bowed respectfully to each of them. "Thank you, Mr. Yardley, Mr. Langster, Mr. Cox. I promise toe and bother you as often as I can."


    "Ha ha ha... Please do! We look forward to it!"


    Theirughter echoed throughout the conference room, even reaching beyond its doors.


    Outside, Harriette had been eagerly listening for signs ofmotion, hoping that Chloe would create a scene significant enough to strip Rose of her inheritance rights.


    However, the soundproof walls left her waiting in uncertainty. Finally, she witnessed Chloe emerge with a grim expression, hurrying away as if rushing to extinguish a house fire.


    Chloe''s expression clearly did not


    look like someone who had gained the upper hand. Shortly after, Gabriel followed her out, and the door to the conference room opened a crack, allowing theughter of the elderly men to seep out.


    A whileter, the three older gentlemen emerged.


    Having diligently researched the Young Group, Harriette recognized these influential figures. Although, the three no longer held official


    welded


    considerable power within its affairs.


    She wondered when they had arrived and what had urred in the conference room. She couldn''t deduce the situation, but the cheerful expressions on their faces hinted that things might not be favorable. Just then, a secretary from Miles'' office approached her. "Ms. Harriette, your presence is requested in the conference room."


    Harriette''s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly regained herposure. "I''ll be right there."


    This was her chance to find out what had transpired in the conference room.


    Pushing open the door, she was startled by the number of people inside. Just like Chloe before her, she couldn''t help but wonder when they had arrived.


    Before she could ponder further, Miles'' voice broke through her thoughts. "Etta, please take a seat."


    "Okay." Harriette conjured her trademark smile with effortless grace, seamlessly transitioning into her well-practiced role. "Miles, I saw Aunt Chloe leaving in a huff earlier. Did something happen?" Rather than addressing her concern, Miles simply smiled and exined, "The heads of Young Group''s various subsidiaries have been informed of Grandpa''s will.


    "Since you were already aware of the


    details yesterday, your presence


    wasn''t necessary earlier. However


    now that Rosie is formally taking


    over Young Group, I thought it''s appropriate for everyone to gather."


    "So, Rose is officially taking the reins of Young Group! It appeared that Chloe''s outburst had been futile after all. How useless!" Harriette mused.


    Though she secretly mocked Chloe in her mind, her face maintained a warm and supportive smile. "Congrattions, Rosie! Don''t worry. We''ll all be here to help you!"

 Chapter 568 He Is Leaving

    Harriette''s eyes radiated warmth and kindness, yet her words came across as ironic to Miles.


    "Help her? How exactly will she help?" he wondered skeptically. If it weren''t for Jonathan''s n, he would never allow this imposter Harriette near Rose. However, some concessions had to be made for the scheme''s sess. Not wanting Rose to endure more insincerity, Miles shifted the conversation. "Rosie, now that you''ve officially taken over Young Group, my task isplete."


    Rose nced at Miles, noticing a hint of relief in his expression as if a heavy burden had been lifted. The notion of a burden caught her attention.


    "Miles, I''m not adept at managing apany, let alone one as vast as Young Group. I ept Grandpa''s will, but I''d prefer a nominal role. It''s better if you continue to make decisions for thepany," she confessed earnestly. This was her honest sentiment. Even after inheriting Young Group, she didn''t see it as solely hers.


    Miles'' smile was tinged with weariness as he responded, "Rosie, I''m tired."


    Despite his gentle expression, his exhaustion was evident. It finally dawned on Rose how tirelessly he had worked to ensure that Young Group was handed over to herpletely. "Miles..." she began, her voice echoing with guilt and worry.


    Feigning concern, Harriette joined in. "Miles does look tired. Rosie, stop making things harder for him. Let him rest for a while. After all, you still have us to help during this period."


    Of course, by "us", Harriette meant herself, although she refrained from being too explicit. Just as she hoped, Miles seamlessly followed up with, "Etta will also assist you."


    This was precisely what she wanted to hear. "I''ll do everything in my power to help, Rosie. After all, Grandpa took me in all those years ago, and I haven''t been able to repay his kindness. Assisting you would be my way of honoring him."


    Her words rang earnestly and sincerely, yet Rose felt an inexplicable sense of unease. There was something oddly familiar about it, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on what it was.


    Ultimately, Miles dered his intention to take a break, handing over all major and minor decisions of Young Group to Rose.


    Simultaneously, he also granted Harriette a title second only to Rose''s, giving her a degree of power that made her momentarily lose herself in the illusion of authority.


    She thought that perhaps maintaining this status quo wouldn''t be terrible. However, upon recalling Lizzie''s instructions and her true identity, Harriette quickly snapped out of her reverie. "Madam wanted Rose dead, and as for me..." her thoughts trailed off.


    Scanning the conference room, Harriette observed the Young Group executives gazing at Rose with admiration and reverence, acknowledging her undeniable authority.


    Outside the conference room, it was no different. The employees looked upon Rose with awe and wonder. As for Harriette, despite holding a high position, Rose''s presence made her feel invisible. At that moment, an intense desire filled her heart. She wished for Rose to disappear so that she could take her ce.


    Perhaps it was the illusion created by her new title as Rose''s second-inmand, but a dangerous idea began to take root in Harriette''s mind.


    "If I could somehow iste Rose and arrange for an ident to befall her, wouldn''t I be the sole heiress? After all, Miles decided to distance himself from thepany''s affairs, didn''t he?


    Driven by these thoughts, she cast a furtive nce at Miles, only to realize that he was looking back at her. Their eyes met, but both of them instantly masked their true emotions and exchanged smiles.


    Feeling slightly anxious, Harriette desperately tried to hide her racing heartbeat behind her forced smile. But amidst her unease, she failed to notice the chilling wariness in Miles'' gaze, which lingered on her just before he returned her friendly smile. She walked up to Miles before affectionately looping her arm through his.


    "Miles, ver imagined Rosie would be held in such high regard within thepany!" she eximed, her toneced with admiration.


    Along with the admiration was genuine happiness for Rose, but Miles knew that the admiration part wasn''t real.


    "Rosie has a natural talent for winning people over, no matter where she is. She''s true member of the Young family, all right." Miles'' gaze shifted to Rose, his expression filled with genuine fondness.


    This only intensified the difort in Harriette''s heart.


    "A true member of the Young family?


    So what if she is? With Oliver dead and Celeste gone, all the true members of the Young family are already lost. If Rose were to


    disappear too, no one would elet


    ld be left


    to im that title," she thought.


    "Miles, how are you nning on spending your break?" Harriette turned her gaze to Miles, feigning nonchnce as if she were asking a simple question between siblings, effectively masking her attempt to probe for information.


    Miles appeared to have everything nned out. "Do you remember the ind we visited on our first trip abroad as kids?"


    "An ind?" Harriette mused as she quickly scanned the memories she had been provided. Nowhere in the information she had memorized was there mention of any ind.


    However, since Miles brought it up, she thought it must have been something beyond Lizzie''s knowledge.


    Harriette had no reason to doubt him and quickly nodded. "I do. Are you nning to go there?"


    "Yes. I''ll be able to rx there." Miles suppressed the smirk that threatened to surface. There was no ind-he had fabricated the entire story on the spot.


    Unaware of how foolish she appeared, Harriette leaned against Miles'' arm and said coquettishly, "Miles, take all the time you need to rest. Don''t worry about Rosie or Young Group. I''ll take care of everything." Indeed, she would take good care of everything.


    Seizing the opportunity presented by


    Miles'' time off, Harriette knew that she needed to act swiftly. By the time Miles returned, the dynamics would have shifted entirely. Silently,


    she started plotting her next move.


    Throughout the day, as Miles handed over thepany''s responsibilities, Rose and Harriette familiarized themselves with the inner workings of Young Group.


    To Harriette''s astonishment, thepany was even more prosperous than she had imagined, fueling the insatiable greed growing within her.


    ...


    Outside the Young Estate, a luxury car had been parked there since morning, and over ten hours had passed.


    The passenger inside had grown increasingly impatient, but when the driver suggested returning home multiple times, the resolute upant refused to budge. She was determined to see Rose in person that day.


    A few more hours passed before Rose, Harriette, and Miles finally arrived at the Young Estate in a single car. As they neared an intersection leading directly to the estate, their route suddenly changed. "Miles, aren''t we going home?" Harriette inquired in a seemingly innocent voice.


    Recalling an earlier call from Patrick, Miles replied, "We''re entering through the back entrance today."


    "The back entrance? Why are we returning through the back?" Harriette wondered.


    Rose was resting with her eyes closed in the backseat, so she didn''t notice anything amiss, but Harriette caught on to Miles'' unusual behavior.


    Nheless, she chose to remain silent until the car came to a halt at the back entrance.


    "Rosie, we''re home." Miles'' gentle voice was clear and pleasant.


    Rose opened her eyes to find that Miles had already opened the car door for her. As she stepped out of the vehicle, she couldn''t help but overhear Harriette''s yful yet undeniably jealousment. "Miles, it seems you only have eyes for Rosie now. I want you to open the door for me, too!"

 Chapter 569 Adding Fuel to the Fire

    Miles shook his head with a doting smile. "You really are a handful." Then, just as Harriette wished, he went over to her side and opened the car door for her.


    "That''s more like it," Harriette said with satisfaction, ying up her cheerful and coy demeanor. Yet, her mind was elsewhere, wondering what was happening at the main entrance of Young Estate that would make Miles take such an unprecedented detour through the back gate.


    Upon arriving at the main hall with the others, she excused herself to change and retreated to her room, where she immediately made a phone call.


    The person on the other end was a helper of Young Estate, whom Harriette had recently bribed.


    She instructed the helper to uncover what was happening at the estate''s main entrance. Soon, she received her answer.


    "It seems like Mrs. Finch Senior hase. I went to see for myself, and there was indeed a luxurious car parked outside.


    "Apparently, she''s here to see Ms. Rose and has been waiting since early this morning. It looks like she has no intention of leaving any time soon," the helper exined.


    Harriette nced out the window at the darkened sky. "Eleanor... What could she possibly want with Rose?" she mused.


    Suspecting that Eleanor was drawn to Rose''s increasing social status, Harriette gritted her teeth in frustration. She reckoned that the elderly woman must have taken an interest in Rose as a granddaughter-inw. Biting her lip, she quickly decided that she couldn''t allow the two to meet. But then, a different thought crossed her mind.


    "If Miles is going to such lengths to keep Eleanor and Rose apart, why not do the opposite? After all, if Eleanor seeking out Rose was truly a good thing, why is Miles going to such lengths to prevent it?" she thought. "Interesting," Harriette muttered, her eyes gleaming with excitement.


    Without wasting another second, she quickly changed and headed downstairs. She arrived just in time to hear the sound of Rose and Miles''ughtering from the dining room.


    In the warm, gentle light, the two of them sat together, painting a picture of perfect harmony. The sight of their closeness made Harriette clench her fists in jealousy.


    Just then, amotion came from outside, and she raised an eyebrow.


    "Is she here?" she wondered.


    "Miles, what''s happening out there?" Harriette asked as she made her way downstairs.


    The noise had also caught the attention of Miles and Rose in the dining room, prompting them to head in the same direction.


    "It''s nothing. Rosie, you should go back to your room. I''ll handle it," Miles instructed Rose.


    Naturally, Harriette didn''t want Rose to leave as Eleanor would have no one else to meet upon arrival. However, she couldn''t be too obvious about it in front of Miles.


    "Yes, Rosie. You should go upstairs. Don''t worry. We''ll take care of this," she said.


    Miles'' request had already made Rose sense something was amiss, and Harriette''s words only intensified her concern.


    "But, Miles..." Rose began to protest, only to be interrupted by a helper who rushed in, panting.


    "Mr. Miles, Ms. Harriette, Ms. Rose, the woman outside ims to be Mrs. Finch Senior. She insists on meeting Ms. Rose," the helper announced.


    Miles'' expression darkened. "Tell her that Rosie is already asleep and can''t see her," he ordered.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior... Miles, it''s Mrs. Finch Senior... Wouldn''t it be rude to turn her away?" Harriette questioned, her hesitation evident.


    Miles shot her a sharp nce, and Harriette quickly added, "Miles, I was just worried... Never mind. It''s okay. Even if we offend Mrs. Finch Senior, if you don''t want her to meet Rosie, then she won''t. Right, Rosie?"


    In Regalia''s social circles, the Finch family was one of the three most influential families. While the Young family had business dealings with them, their rtionship wasn''t particrly close.


    Offending the Finch family in such a way might not be in the best interest of the Young family. Moreover, Rose thought she had to take Jonathan into ount as well.


    "Miles, let''s just invite Mrs. Finch Senior in," Rose interjected, havinge to a decision.


    Eleanor was specifically asking for her, and even if they didn''t meet tonight, they would inevitably cross paths in the future. It would be better to find out what important matter warranted such ate visit. "Rosie..." Miles began.


    He didn''t know the exact reason for


    Eleanor''s visit. He only knew that she had been waiting since the morning and had refused to leave. He feared that once she met Rose, Eleanor would hold the Young family ountable for neglecting her all day. And if she were angry...


    "Fine," he said solemnly. Even if Eleanor was upset, he wouldn''t allow her to direct it toward Rose.


    Miles instructed Patrick to bring Eleanor into the living room.


    Soon, Eleanor appeared before them through the floor-to-ceiling windows. A hint of displeasure could be seen in her stride, and Harriette couldn''t help but feel a surge of excitement, anticipating the drama that was about to unfold. She secretly hoped that Eleanor and Rose would have a major fallout, which wouldplicate Rose''s marriage to Jonathan.


    "Mr. Miles, Mrs. Finch Senior is here..." Patrick led Eleanor into the living room, where refreshments and coffee had been set out.


    The moment Patrick finished his


    speaking, Miles stepped forward to greet Eleanor personally. "Mrs. Finch Senior, I apologize for not


    weing you earlier. Had I known about your visit, I would have gone out to greet you." Miles spoke respectfully, showing deference to his elder.


    Eleanor''s expression was grim. "He didn''t know I was visiting? What a load of nonsense!" she thought.


    She had parked her car outside the sprawling Young Estate all day. She refused to believe that no one had informed Miles of it. He must have known she was outside, which was why he took a detour on his way home. Eleanor''s tone was sharp as she said, "And here I thought you had forgotten all about me."


    Back when Miles and Jonathan were young, Miles often visited the Finch Manor. Every time he saw Eleanor, he would politely greet her, addressing her as "Mrs. Finch


    Senior. At the time, Miles truly was


    a well-behaved and sensible child.


    Yet, over a decade, Miles'' mentality had changed. He was no longer the innocent boy he once was.


    Miles smiled apologetically. "Mrs. Finch Senior, what do you mean by that? How could I ever forget you? As soon as I heard you arrived, I prepared your favorite coffee. Please, have a seat."


    His attitude was impable. He was doing everything he could to calm Eleanor''s displeasure, hoping to shield Rose from any fallout.


    Naturally, Harriette saw right through his intentions. Not willing to let Eleanor''s anger dissipate so easily, she couldn''t resist adding fuel to the fire.


    "It''s gettingte, and Rosie needs her rest!"


    Her voice was soft, almost inaudible, but Eleanor caught it. She turned her gaze to Rose. At that very moment, Rose, who had been exhausted from the day, let out an involuntary yawn. Realizing how rude that might seem, Rose hurried to exin, but Eleanor spoke first.


    "Are you tired?" she asked, her expression inscrutable.


    Rose hesitated. Indeed, she was tired, but now that Eleanor was here, she couldn''t afford to offend her further.


    Rose managed to put on a polite smile, ready to entertain her guest properly. But then Eleanor spoke again.


    "It''s my fault for being too hasty."


    There was a hint of remorse on Eleanor''s kind face.


    Standing beside her, Harriette was momentarily stunned. "Hasty? What on earth is happening? Shouldn''t Eleanor be chastising Rose for being inconsiderate and disrespectful?" she thought.


    Both Rose and Miles were equally taken aback by Eleanor''s sudden change in demeanor. Just moments ago, the elderly woman''s face had been clouded with fury. Yet, now it seemed as though her anger had never existed in the first ce. Eleanor stepped forward, taking Rose''s hand in hers. "Rosie, I need your help. You''re probably the only one who can help me."

 Chapter 570 In Ten Days

    Rose was baffled, and so was Harriette. This waspletely different from what Harriette had expected.


    "Shouldn''t Eleanor be reprimanding Rose instead of approaching her with such an unusual gentleness? Why would the formidable Mrs. Finch Senior seek assistance from Rose of all people?" she thought. "Mrs. Finch Senior, how can I possibly help you?" Rose finally asked, dismissing several possibilities that crossed her mind.


    "You are the only one who can help me," Eleanor repeated softly before beckoning her driver, who held a delicate, antique-looking box in his hands.


    Though the box itself appeared to be a priceless artifact, it was evident that its contents were the focal point.


    Eleanor''s eagerness was palpable as she stepped forward, taking the box from the driver without waiting for him to hand it over.


    "Rosie, take a look at this," she said, opening the box to reveal whaty inside.


    Within the box was the embroidery pattern Rose had previously seen in Eleanor''s study at Finch Manor. However, the embroidery looked different this time. The stitching technique seemed altered, leaving the final result somewhat...cking. Rose gave Eleanor a discreet, knowing look. Her earlier dismissed guess had been correct after all.


    "I tried to follow the embroidery technique you described when you visited the manor that day, but it seems like I still haven''t fully grasped the essence of it after so many attempts," Eleanor admitted humbly.


    She assumed that, by saying this, Rose would immediately agree to help her to earn favor. Yet, Rose maintained her polite smile, looking at the embroidery without saying anything further.


    Eleanor purposefully paused for a while, but Rose showed no sign of taking the initiative to help, nor did she offer any words offort.


    This left Eleanor somewhat frustrated, but she couldn''t afford to disy her irritation given Rose''s elevated status.


    Realizing that subtlety would not suffice, Eleanor opted for a more direct approach, for she was determined to achieve her goal.


    With a gentle and pleading tone, she said, "Rosie, I have no other option but to ask for your help..."


    "Help... with what?" Rose blinked in feigned confusion.


    Eleanor was momentarily stunned. "Is Rose really not understanding, or is she pretending?" she wondered.


    Of course, Rose was merely acting oblivious. Eleanor''s words had made the situation painfully clear, and if Rose couldn''t grasp it by now, her years growing up in the scheming Shaffer family would have been wasted. Eleanor desired Rose''s help in repairing the evening gown, but her visit seemed far from coincidental, especially since it was so soon after yesterday''s events.


    She recalled Eleanor''s presence at yesterday''s banquet, with Lizzie holding an exquisite gift that appeared quite valuable.


    Rose couldn''t help but wonder if the gift had been intended for a specific individual, possibly Elijah. When Rose considered her current status, Eleanor''s reason for being here tonight became increasingly clear.


    As these thoughts raced through her mind, Eleanor continued, "Rosie, you''re the only one who can restore my evening gown. You must help me!"


    Her tone carried an undeniable insistence, making refusal difficult.


    Nevertheless, Rose refused. "Mrs. Finch Senior, I... really can''t." She waved her hands frantically as if she was startled.


    Eleanor persisted. "But you can! I''ve looked into it. Before the craftsman passed away, he shared his knowledge and skills with a woman... and that woman is you!"


    Rose''s eyes widened in surprise as


    she realized the extent of Eleanor''s


    knowledge, but upon further reflection, she found it unsurprising. After all, there was nothing the Finch


    family couldn''t uncover.


    However, it appeared that Eleanor knew Rose could repair the evening gown even before yesterday''s events. The realization struck Rose as increasingly amusing.


    "Don''t you want that evening gown restored to its original state?" Eleanor asked, coaxing gently.


    "Not really." Rose had no emotional attachment to the gown, so there was no reason why she should care.


    Eleanor was caught off guard by Rose''s straightforwardness, making her wonder if she should also be more direct.


    Her heart tightened in frustration, but she maintained a loving smile. With a thoughtful sigh, she continued, "If the craftsman were alive and saw the damaged gown, what would he think?"


    Rose''s mind shed to the gown on


    disy at Finch Manor. "What would he think? He''d most likely feel regret,


    an eagerness to repair it, and a


    to restore it to its former


    desire to


    glory, she mused. After all, she had


    felt the same when she firstid


    eyes on the gown.


    Being the shrewd and experienced woman she was, Eleanor quickly noticed the fleeting spark in Rose''s eyes.


    Recognizing a glimmer of hope, she hastily suggested, "Rosie, why don''t you take a look at the gown first? Then, you can decide whether or not you want to help me."


    Rose frowned, contemting Eleanor''s proposal. Seeing that Rose was about to refuse again, Eleanor quickly cut her off.


    "You simply mustn''t say no."


    "I can''t refuse, huh?" Rose thought as images of Jonathan shed through her mind. Ultimately, Eleanor was his grandmother.


    "Alright," Rose agreed hesitantly and almost instantly regretted her decision.


    Having finally achieved her goal, Eleanor''s face lit up with excitement. "Then it''s settled! I''ll see you ten days from now at Finch Manor. I''ll have a driver toe pick you up!"


    She set the time and ce as if


    afraid Rose Would back out at thest moment. Without waiting for


    response, she swiftly turned and exited, her figure swiftly disappearing from sight. The remaining individuals exchanged looks of bewilderment.


    Speechless, Rose pondered the situation. Considering its value and uniqueness, it made sense to inspect the gown at Finch Manor.


    However, the proposed ten-day dy left her puzzled. Eleanor had been in such a hurry to visit that day, yet she hadn''t asked Rose to examine the gown immediately.


    The circumstances seemed rather peculiar and she couldn''t help but wonder what could be happening in ten days.


    Miles shared her bewilderment, thinking, "I can''t believe Eleanor just left without allowing Rosie to refuse!"


    He then firmly stated, "Rosie, don''t worry. You don''t have to attend if you don''t want to. Whatever consequences arise, I will handle them."


    Initially disinclined, Rose found herself growing increasingly curious as she wondered what could possibly happen in ten days. She thought she might as well satisfy her curiosity by attending. She smiled reassuringly at Miles. "It''s fine. The Finch Manor isn''t some treacherous dragon''s den. Besides, Mrs. Finch Senior seemed to need my help. I doubt any harm wille of it."


    The evening gown appeared to be a mere pretext, and Eleanor''s true intentions remained elusive. Rose''s exhaustion grew as she pondered the mystery, culminating in an unintentional yawn. Miles gazed at her with concern. "We can discuss this furtherter. For now, you should get some rest."


    "Alright," Rose agreed, bidding Miles good night as she retired to her room.


    Meanwhile, Miles'' phone rang, causing him to step away to take the call and unwittingly leave Harriette behind. It was only then that Harriette realized she had beenpletely ignored.

 Chapter 571 He Can Still Last

    As Rose retired to her room and Miles stepped away to answer a call, Harriette was left alone. Miles hadn''t even spared her a nce, almost as if from beginning to end, only Rose and Miles existed, and she was invisible. Even Eleanor, who seemed intent on troubling Rose, hadn''t directed any of her pent-up frustration from waiting outside the Young Estate all day toward anyone.


    A bitter chuckle escaped Harriette''s lips, her outward smile starkly contrasting the churning fury within. Silently cursing Eleanor, she then recalled the invitation for Rose to visit Finch Manor in ten days to examine the evening gown. The real purpose of the visit was crystal clear. Eleanor wanted to tter and curry favor with Rose.


    Rose''s newfound status as the heiress of Young Group and daughter of the former head of Lerain Group had elevated her to such heights that even someone as proud as Eleanor waspelled to step down from her pedestal and seek her favor. Jealousy surged within Harriette, filling her with a suffocating frustration. Witnessing Rose''s sess was nothing short of revolting, and she knew she had to do something to change this.


    "Ms. Harriette, why are you alone here? Where are Mr. Miles and Ms. Rose?" Patrick asked as he returned from escorting Eleanor out. He noticed something unsettling about Harriette''s expression.


    However, in an instant, her face lit up with a bright smile, causing him to doubt his initial observation.


    "It must have been my imagination. Ms. Harriette is sweet and kind. She would never wear such a frightening expression," he thought.


    "Rosie was tired and went to rest. As for Miles, he just went to take a call," Harriette exined. "Anyway, I''m feeling a little tired too, so I''ll head to my room now, Patrick."


    Beneath her bright smile, even the raspiness of her voice seemed less grating. With a final wish of a good night, she made her way upstairs. However, the moment she turned her back on Patrick, her smile evaporated.


    She couldn''t maintain the facade for even a second longer, her mind awash with thoughts of Rose''s sess.


    Unbeknownst to Harriette, Miles, who appeared to be fully engrossed in his phone call, had been observing her with keen interest. Through one of the many mirrors adorning Young Estate''svish decor, he watched Harriette''s retreating figure.


    Herck of familiarity with Young Estate had be her undoing. Had she known better, she would have realized that in that brief moment when she turned away from Patrick and her smile faded, the mirror''s reflection might have revealed her true emotions. Miles'' gaze turned contemtive. Just then, Jonathan''s voice came through the line. "Did Rose agree?"


    Despite being aware of Eleanor''s visit to the Young Estate, he hadn''t intervened. He knew that with Miles present, Rose would be safe from any mistreatment.


    Moreover, Eleanor''s long wait outside the estate didn''t seem to be aimed at causing trouble for Rose. Just as Jonathan had anticipated, Miles confirmed that Eleanor had invited Rose to Finch Manor ten dayster.


    A frown crossed Jonathan''s brow as he considered the implications of the invitation.


    "Ten dayster... What''s so special about that day?" Miles asked, aware that Eleanor wouldn''t have chosen the date randomly.


    "It''s Lizzie''s birthday," Jonathan replied.


    Miles'' brows knitted together as he pondered Eleanor''s motive. Clearly, her invitation wasn''t solely about mending the evening gown. As for Lizzie''s birthday celebration, he reckoned it would likely draw a significant number of guests.


    "It seems her birthday will be quite an extravagant affair this time." Jonathan sighed. Without further discussion, the two ended their conversation.


    The following morning, Rose came downstairs to find the coffee table in the living room covered with a plethora of invitations.


    Patrick was struggling to keep up with all the invitations when he noticed Rose descending the stairs, followed closely by Miles.


    "Ms. Rose, Mr. Miles, look at this..." he said, gesturing toward the mountain of envelopes on the table.


    He continued, "Everything was still calm and peaceful yesterday, but today... This one is from Mrs. mel of Centuria Group, inviting you to her daughter''sing-of-age ceremony, and this one is from Mrs. Loche, inviting you to celebrate the anniversary of her eldest son and his wife."


    As Patrick picked up each invitation and briefed them, he noticed that almost every notable family in Regalia seemed to have a joyous asion, and they were all eager to have Rose in attendance.


    It was evident they had taken a day to reflect upon the news of Rose''s newfound status and were now making their moves.


    Patrick looked at Rose and asked, "Ms. Rose, are there any events here that catch your interest?"


    Ever since learning that Rose was Oliver''s biological granddaughter, he felt a renewed sense of vigor. Not only had he changed the way he addressed her from "Ms. Rosie" "Ms, Rose", but he also believed that he, as an old-timer, could continue serving for many more years.


    Rose was now his new charge, and he was determined to take good care of the family.


    Rose smiled gently at him, her gaze sweeping over the beautifully crafted invitations. Despite their elegance, she had no interest in attending those events. Besides, many of them were scheduled for the same time, so it would be impossible for her to be present at all of them, even if she wanted to.


    "Rosie won''t be attending any of


    these," Miles dered, fully aware of Rose''s disinterest in such social gatherings. "Instead, we''ll just


    prepare some gifts and send tbl''


    to each household in Rosie''s name."


    Determined to uphold Rose''s image, Patrick nodded with determination, promising, "I''ll see to it immediately. Each gift will be delivered with the utmost respect and care."


    With various matters at Young Group waiting for Rose to familiarize herself with, she quickly finished her breakfast and left the estate.


    Outside, several luxury cars were already waiting, their passengers emerging as she appeared. Jonathan leaned casually against his vehicle, his gaze fixated on Rose.


    Despite the distance, the intense adoration in his eyes was unmistakable, causing a wave of emotion to wash over her.


    Jonathan made no effort to approach her, which brought Rose a small sense of relief. She was still trying toe to terms with their connection and needed time to fully understand and ept it. "Rosie, I''m here to pick you up. Let''s go. My car is waiting," Clover called out, hopping out of his own car and rushing over to her.


    His eyes were filled with overwhelming affection, his every movement fueled by a devotion that knew no bounds.


    At this moment, there was no trace of themanding CEO of Lerain Group-only a devoted brother, eager to dote on his sister.


    Without hesitation, he reached for Rose''s hand, gently holding it as if it were second nature. Miles frowned but chose not to separate the two.


    He merely interjected in a low voice, "Rosie has to go to the office today."


    "Office? Which office? Rosie doesn''t need to work..." Clover brushed off the notion with a wave of his hand, disregarding the matter entirely. "Clover..."


    "Clover..."


    Two voices spoke simultaneously. One was Miles'' steady tone, followed by another deeper voice from behind.


    Clover spun around to face the source just as the door of yet another luxury car swung open to reveal Elijah stepping out.


    Clover''s expression fell in an instant. Had he anticipated this, he would never have arranged for his uncle to have a car or better yet, never have allowed him to set foot in Regalia in the first ce. Now, there was another person eager to capture Rose''s attention, and the frustration


    bubbled within him.


    Nheless, he kept these thoughts hidden. Facing his uncle, his expression morphed into a polite smile.


    "Uncle Elijah, what brings you here?" he asked, well aware of the answer.

 Chapter 572 Destroy

    Without so much as a nce at Clover, Elijah approached Rose, his gaze locked firmly on her. His eyes seemed to drink in the sight of his daughter while simultaneously searching for the reflection of another cherished figure within her. "I''m here to take Rosie to the office," Elijah dered, his natural air of authority leaving no room for argument.


    "I doubt anyone would dare to argue with him," Clover thought.


    "Since he''s here to take Rosie to thepany, there''s nothing more for me to say," Miles mused.


    From a distance, Jonathan reflected on his decision. "I made the right choice. It''s enough just to see my wife."


    Meanwhile, Rose found herself unconsciously immersed in Elijah''s gaze. She couldn''t help but wonder if this was how a father gazed at his daughter.


    The way he looked at her made her feel warm inside, a sensation she could only describe as happiness. It spread through her heart like sweet honey, leaving her wanting more.


    "Let''s go," Elijah said, holding out his arm.


    Snapping out of her thoughts, Rose responded with a bright smile and naturally took his arm, unaware of how seamless her movement was.


    The three men watched silently as Rose got into Elijah''s car, their eyes trailing after the vehicle as it disappeared.


    Despite his jealousy, Clover couldn''t help but smile."Rosie left the banquet with Miles the previous evening and is now being whisked away by Uncle Elijah. Surely, it would be my turn the next day!" he mused.


    His gaze subconsciously shifted toward Jonathan, his expression suddenly bing guarded. A silent warning shed in his narrowed eyes as if saying, "Don''t even think about taking Rosie from me!"


    Seemingly unaffected by the unspoken challenge, Jonathan merely arched an eyebrow and smiled faintly. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to vie for Rose''s attention, but rather, he understood what she needed at this moment.


    He would have plenty of time in the future to spend with her, and when that time came, no one would be able to take her away from him.


    Now that Rose had left, there was no need for him to linger. Before getting into his car, Jonathan''s gaze briefly swept over someone, and a cold glint flickered in his eyes.


    Harriette had been quietly watching the entire time. Although she seemed calm on the surface, a storm was raging inside.


    The sight of these outstanding men vying for the chance to merely take Rose to work was enough to incite envy and resentment. The happiness they exuded was something she desperately yearned to destroy.


    "Etta, are you feeling unwell? You look really pale." Miles'' voice suddenly broke through her thoughts, snapping her back to reality.


    Only then did Harriette realize Jonathan and Clover had already left, leaving only Miles standing beside her.


    "Is there something wrong with my face?" she wondered. Panicking, she quickly touched her face in an attempt to conceal any visible reactions.


    She stammered, "R-Really? Maybe I was just too tired yesterday and didn''t sleep wellst night. Miles, I had a dream... I dreamt about the ident before I went missing..."


    Harriette''s tale was entirely fabricated. Her real intention was to unsettle Miles and evoke his sympathy so he wouldn''t dwell on any unusual expressions she might have disyed earlier.


    Unbeknownst to her, her face had not betrayed her at all. Miles'' remark had been nothing more than a probingment.


    A glint of coldness flickered in his eyes for a moment, but his expression softened as if touched by her words.


    "Don''t be afraid. It was just a dream, and it''s all in the past now."


    "Yeah!"


    Harriette''s face brightened with a quick smile. She foundfort in Miles'' familiar nature. No matter how perceptive he might seem, her appearance as Harriette would always sway him, leading him to believe her every word. She couldn''t help but see him as gullible. Just as she was feeling pleased with herself, she heard Miles say, "Since you didn''t sleep well, maybe you should stay home today and rest."


    "No!" Harriette blurted and immediately regretted the intensity of her response.


    She swiftly stered on a smile and fell into her usual coy demeanor. "I can handle it, Miles. If Rosie can push through her exhaustion to work, how can I justify staying home? I want to help you and Rosie as well."


    In reality, all she really wanted was to learn more about Young Group so that she could prepare for her future ns. After all, she longed to im Young Group for herself.


    Miles chuckled, indulging her wishes. "Alright. Get in the car then. I can never say no to you."


    With a sigh, he turned his back to Harriette, and his doting expression vanished in an instant.


    For the first time, Rose found herself sharing a car ride with her father. Despite the spacious interior, she felt somewhat uneasy and uncertain of how to start a conversation.


    ...


    Thankfully, it wasn''t long before Elijah took the initiative, reminiscing about how he had met her mother many years ago.


    As Rose listened quietly, she couldn''t help but notice the spark in his eyes every time he mentioned her mother.


    "You loved her deeply, didn''t you?" she asked without thinking.


    Elijah didn''t hesitate. "Yes, with all my heart. She was the only woman I ever truly loved."


    Even now, his love remained steadfast. Just a few nights ago, he had meticulously read through every detail about "Celeste" on his desk. With each page, he felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly.


    He understood that she had married


    Jamie solely to provide an identity


    for Rose. Over the years, she had built Celeste Group by herself, remaining as bright as a star and radiant as she had always been. And that car ident...


    The information presented to him revealed that Jonathan had investigated Celeste''s death.


    Elijah cast a sidelong nce at Rose. It was highly probable that Jonathan had beenpelled to initiate his investigation due to Rose''s lingering suspicions surrounding the circumstances of her mother''s passing. The car ident seemed far from a simple incident, and Elijah had taken it upon himself tounch a separate inquiry, confident that he would soon uncover the truth.


    As the half-hour car ride drew to a close, he felt as though he hadn''t spent enough time with his daughter.


    After arriving at the building, Elijah escorted Rose to her destination. He couldn''t help but feel that their journey together had been too brief and that his precious time with his daughter had passed all too quickly. Shortly after they exchanged farewells, he received a phone call from his assistant, whom Clover had thoughtfully arranged in anticipation of his solo visit to Regalia.


    "Mr. Xanth, an invitation has arrived for a Finch family birthday celebration in ten days. Shall I mark your calendar ordingly?"


    Normally, the assistant would easily


    dismiss invitations of this nature


    without a need to report them. However a Finch family invitation carried a different weight,


    particrly since Elijah had ordered aminvestigation into Jonathan just the previous day.


    Elijah''s brow furrowed. A birthday banquet hosted by the Finch family wasn''t particrly intriguing to him. Nevertheless, he decided to keep a watchful eye on the situation.


    "Find out if Rose will be attending," he instructed.


    Taken aback by the request, the assistant paused momentarily. After the call ended, he promptly contacted the person who had delivered the invitation and discovered that Rose would indeed be present.


    As the assistant ryed this news to


    Elijah, thetter''s eyes sparkled with newfound interest. "Clear my schedule for that day and arrange a birthday gift-no, make it two. One for myself and one to be presented on behalf of Rose."


    Knowing that Rose would be attending, Elijah knew he simply had to be there as well. Not only would he be present, but he would also ensure that her presence was honored and respected to the fullest extent.

 Chapter 573 He Is Drawing Rose

    Upon receiving the news about Elijah''s attendance, Eleanor was so delighted that she couldn''t sit still. She paced back and forth in the living room, murmuring excitedly, "Elijah ising... Elijah ising..." Her excitement was palpable. Suddenly, realization struck, causing her to halt mid-step. "Since he''s attending, this birthday celebration must be nothing short of spectacr!"


    The event needed to bevish and exude the Finch family''s deep-rooted influence. Only then could Elijah, their potential partner, truly grasp the strength and prestige of the family name. However, orchestrating such an affair would require meticulous nning and coordination.


    Eleanor considered overseeing everything herself, but her age made the task challenging. Her first choice was Jonathan. However, she knew that this birthday banquet was meant to be in Lizzie''s honor, and Jonathan had never epted Lizzie as his stepmother. After carefully weighing her options, she decided on Cyrus. He would be the one to manage it all.


    Having made her decision, Eleanor wasted no time. She immediately called Cyrus and summoned him to the manor.


    An hourter, Cyrus and Lizzie arrived together.


    "Lizzie''s birthday banquet will be held at the manor," Eleanor announced, cutting straight to the point.


    Both Cyrus and Lizzie were momentarily stunned. Though Lizzie had her own room at the manor after marrying Cyrus, they had always resided in a separate vi.


    In all their years of hosting birthday celebrations, they had never once been held at the manor. It was always the vi.


    When Eleanor mentioned hosting a birthday banquet for Lizzie yesterday morning, Cyrus had dismissed it as a passing thought. But now, it seemed that she was being serious.


    "Cyrus, make sure to invite plenty of people and make it a lively asion. The manor should be exquisitely decorated to reflect the Finch family''s stature. As for Lizzie..." Eleanor cast a nce her way.


    "What role could Lizzie y? There''s no need for her to do anything, to be honest..." she mused.


    However, since it was technically Lizzie''s birthday banquet, Eleanor grudgingly found a way to involve her.


    "Lizzie, you should prepare as well. I want you to write a version of the ''Lindisfarne Gospels'' at the event," she said. She thought this would serve as Lizzie''s chance to shine.


    It was only then that the couple realized Eleanor was not joking. In fact, she had quite a detailed n in mind.


    Upon reflection, Lizzie swiftly deduced Eleanor''s scheme. The mention of the "Lindisfarne Gospels" implied that the esteemed figure from the Xanth family-the one Eleanor eagerly anticipated meeting-would likely attend the event.


    Her sharp mind immediately began unraveling how Eleanor had managed to secure his attendance. Gazing at Eleanor''s enthusiastic expression, she swiftly connected the dots.


    "Rose! Mom must have leveraged Rose''s presence to entice Elijah, leading him to ept the invitation," she thought.


    "Mom, don''t worry. I''ll make sure to prepare thoroughly. I''ll practice diligently as soon as I return," Lizzie dered with newfound enthusiasm. She was going to prepare thoroughly for Rose.


    Her eagerness caught Eleanor off guard. Considering it was just about showcasing her calligraphy skills to impress Elijah, Eleanor found Lizzie''s fervor curious. However, she decided to let Lizzie enjoy her excitement. "Good." Eleanor nodded in acknowledgment before proceeding to give Cyrus several instructions. Cyrus'' joy was palpable as he felt a renewed determination.


    Even Eleanor had started acknowledging Lizzie''s merits and was now arranging a grand birthday celebration for her. This strengthened his belief that the rooftop footage he had seen was a mere misunderstanding.


    On the way back, he held Lizzie''s hand tightly. "Lizz, I''ll do my best to make this birthday celebration unforgettable for you."


    His vision of an "unforgettable" celebration meant creating a pivotal moment. In the past, Lizzie hadn''t received the respect she deserved due to misunderstandings surrounding her character.


    However, he believed that everything would fall into ce once those misconceptions were rectified, and this birthday banquet would be his way of rifying everything.


    Lost in thoughts about the uing festivities, Lizzie merely nodded in agreement with Cyrus'' words. Her face radiated happiness as she said, "Thank you, Cyrus. You''re so good to me." s, what she yearned for had never been Cyrus'' kindness toward her. What she truly desired was something else entirely.


    She began, "Cyrus, it''s been a while since our entire family gathered. I wonder how Ezra is doing."


    Ever since Ezra was hospitalized and ced under Jonathan''s vignt protection, even Lizzie couldn''t find his whereabouts. Cyrus, too, remained clueless about his son''s current situation. But the idea of a family reunion...


    "Lizz, don''t worry. I''ll find a way to locate where Ezra is." Cyrus promised.


    "Okay," Lizzie hummed in agreement. Indeed, it would be better to find Ezra, for the birthday banquet would be far more entertaining with him around.


    True to his word, Cyrus diligently searched for Ezra. Despite knowing that Jonathan was the one hiding Ezra, he didn''t dare confront him directly to ask where Ezra was. Nevertheless, word of Cyrus'' pursuit soon reached Jonathan''s ears. Seated in the top-floor office of the Finch Group building, Jonathan wore a dark, brooding expression.


    He had disguised the badge as an


    ancient coin, and with time, toying


    with the coin had evolved into a habitual gesture during his moments of deep contemtion. The coin deftly twirled and flipped between his fingers.


    "Mr. Finch, Mr. Cyrus has discovered Mr. Ezra''s residence. Shall we relocate him?"


    Under Jonathan''s orders, Finley had been closely monitoring Cyrus'' actions. That morning, he noticed Cyrus lingering outside Ezra''s apartmentplex, seemingly seeking a way in. "No need," Jonathan replied firmly, his tone resolute.


    Ezra''s condition had improved


    significantly. He was still living in the ce Jonathan arranged, not out of necessity, but to avoid facing the outside world. He had expressed a need for respite, which now seemed to havested long enough.


    Jonathan decided to visit him that night. But before that, he casually asked Finley, "Any updates about that man?" while ncing downward, referring to the traitor from Azure n, who Lizzie had bribed. Finley had been furious about the betrayal and wanted to tear the man to pieces, but Jonathan insisted that he could still be of use.


    "Per your instructions, we''ve taken care not to rm him. He hasn''t contacted Lizzie in the past few days," he reported.


    "No contact, huh?" Jonathan mused as he raised an eyebrow, and a sinister smile appeared on his face.


    "The birthday banquet will undoubtedly draw a crowd, which means security must be increased. Enlist additional personnel and ensure he''s included among their ranks. Moreover..."


    He paused, anticipating Lizzie''s birthday even more.


    Later that night, Jonathan drove to Ezra''s residence. Ezra had retreated into his quarters, rarely venturing outside. He seemed to relish the tranquility of solitude. At that moment, he was immersed in drawing. Jonathan''s arrival only prompted a brief nce from Ezra, who soon returned his focus to the sketching pencil in his hand, meticulously outlining the shapes on the paper.


    ustomed to Ezra''s aloof demeanor, Jonathan approached him and took note of the gradually emerging outline on the paper. His face darkened instantly. It turned out that Ezra was drawing Rose.


    Even in the face of Jonathan''s observance, Ezra remained unperturbed. His brazenness was infuriating, making Jonathan''s fists itch with the urge to strike him.


    However, all Jonathan could muster were two begrudging words. "Not bad."

 Chapter 574 Aiming for Her

    Indeed, the drawing was remarkable.


    The sketch captured Rose''s eyes and brows so vividly that they appeared almost lifelike. However, Jonathan couldn''t help but wonder if it was appropriate for Ezra to sketch another man''s woman like this openly.


    Despite the subtle edge in Jonathan''sment, Ezra remained unfazed. The soft, rhythmic scratch of the pencil against paper filled the room as he continued to sketch,pletely engrossed in his work. Jonathan narrowed his eyes. He had always known about Ezra''s love for drawing, a talent inherited from their mother. Ezra had a natural affinity for colors and lines, and as a child, he would often sit beside Nancy, sketching while she painted. Those moments stirredplex emotions in Jonathan. He loved the peacefulness of the scene but resented that he wasn''t the one sharing that connection with their mother.


    After her death, Ezra had put down his pencil, seemingly for good-or so Jonathan had thought. To see him drawing again was a pleasant surprise.


    The room was cloaked in tranquil silence, punctuated only by the rhythmic, soothing sound of the pencil dancing across the paper.


    Jonathan settled onto the couch. As Rose''s likeness took shape on the page, Ezra''s hand finally came to a rest, and Jonathan broke thefortable silence.


    "Do you want to see her?"


    Ezra''s hand froze as he put away his sketch. For the first time in a while, a ripple of emotion swept through his eyes.


    Despite his self-imposed istion, he was acutely aware of the events happening in the outside world. Rose had found her biological father, taken the helm of Young Group, and transformed into someone far different from the Rose he had known. He wondered whether she had time to see him now or if she even wanted to. A sense of unease crept into his heart. Just then, Jonathan''s voice sounded again.


    "Cyrus is looking for you. He probably wants you to attend Lizzie''s birthday banquet. Rose will be there."


    Ezra''s gaze shifted to Jonathan. Since hisst episode, he had been under Jonathan''s "protection", kept at a distance from the Finch family.


    Jonathan clearly didn''t want him to get too involved with them, so he couldn''t understand why the man had invited him to the birthday banquet.


    Ezra''s questioning gaze remained locked on Jonathan for a moment before he turned away, dismissing his doubts.


    "I''ll be there," he said simply. With that, he resumed putting away his sketch.


    Ezra''s frame had visibly thinned, a detail Jonathan noted with a furrowed brow. It was impossible not to understand the implications behind Ezra''s simple words.


    Being a perceptive man, he must have realized that his presence was required at this birthday banquet, which was why he had agreed to attend.


    As Jonathan stood in the doorway, he offered a genuine, "Thank you, and don''t worry."


    The two phrases seemed unrted, but Ezra''s body tensed almost imperceptibly upon hearing them. Just as Jonathan stepped out and was about to close the door, Ezra''s voice softly resonated within the room. "I''m going to see Rosie."


    Jonathan was taken aback. "Rosie? He should call her Rose! How inappropriate!" he silently cursed Ezra, feeling an inexplicable difort.


    That sense of unease lingered even after shutting the door and stepping into the elevator. However, he also made a decision. After the birthday banquet, he would find a way to dispel any unhealthy thoughts Ezra might harbor toward Rose. As for how he would achieve that... A glimmer danced in Jonathan''s eyes. He had an arsenal of ideas.


    The following day, Ezra finally emerged from his self-imposed istion, stepping out of his ce for the first time in a long while.


    Cyrus, who had been waiting for an opportunity, seized the moment. "Ezra, you... you''ve gotten thinner," he remarked. D


    espite their distant rtionship, seeing Ezra like this had stirred a hint of tenderness in his heart. However, the moment was fleeting, and business quickly took precedence.


    He quickly got straight to the point. "We haven''t had a family meal in a while. Let''s have dinner together at Finch Manor the day after tomorrow, alright?"


    Cyrus scrutinized Ezra''s expression closely, feeling somewhat anxious that his son might refuse. If he did, Cyrus already had other excuses lined up.


    Just as he was about toe up with another argument, Ezra surprisingly responded, "Alright."


    Cyrus was taken aback, not expecting Ezra''s agreement. Fearing that Ezra might change his mind, Cyrus hastily added, "Then... I''ll pick you up myself the day after tomorrow."


    After a moment''s hesitation, he patted Ezra''s shoulder. He wanted to say something more, but the words escaped him.


    "Well... I''ll be going then." With a forced smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes, Cyrus waved to Ezra and turned to get in his car.


    A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Ezra''s lips. This father of his had never shared any real bond with him. Or rather, Cyrus had never put his heart into understanding him.


    Ezra had ventured out solely to


    "bump" into Cyrus, and now that his


    objective was achieved, he had no desire to inger outside any longer The day after tomorrow would be Lizzie''s birthday banquet, and on that day, he would finally see Rose again.


    Thinking of this, his expression softened noticeably.


    Soon enough, the much-awaited day arrived. The Finch family''s grand birthday banquetmanded the attention of Regalia''s elite, all of whom received coveted invitations. The manor was soon bustling as guests arrived early.


    The Finch family held a prestigious


    position in Regalia and was a name revered by many. As for the Finch Manor, it was the grand residence where Eleanor chose to spend her retirement years, and it was rarely opened to visitors. Such a


    no


    manor was a first.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior really does have a love for gardening. Look at those flowers. They''re such rare, valuable species."


    "Oh, and over there! The rock formation in the fountain... Is that jade?"


    "It seems like the Finch family is even wealthier than we thought. Madam Lizzie is truly fortunate."


    "Fortunate? I''d say it''s more cunning than luck. Remember, Mr. Cyrus had a previous wife. Madam Lizzie is merely... his second."


    Gossip and chatter thrived among the women. However, mindful of being at the Finch Manor for Lizzie''s birthday celebration, they exchanged knowing nces and refrained from


    delving deeper into the venom


    focusing instead on the floral arrangements in the garden.


    The conversation soon shifted to another topic.


    "Has anyone seen Ms. Shaffer? I''ve looked everywhere, but I can''t spot her."


    "I took a quick look too, but she''s nowhere to be found."


    "That doesn''t make sense. The Finches invited so many guests. Surely they wouldn''t exclude Ms. Shaffer..."


    Rose was currently the talk of Regalia, and omitting her from the guest list seemed highly unlikely.


    "Perhaps she was invited but couldn''t make it?"


    "That''s possible... I heard Ms. Shaffer took over the Young family. I also heard that Mr. Miles is taking a break. She must be really busy."


    "What a shame! I begged my dad to bring me here, hoping to meet Ms. Shaffer. If she''s noting, then what''s the point?"


    "Same here! I only came because I wanted to see her."


    Many of them admired Rose, hoping for the chance to meet the most powerful woman in Regalia. The thought of Rose noting left them visibly disappointed. "It''s still early. She could be on her way. Let''s wait a little longer."


    "Yes! Let''s wait!"


    The group''s spirits were lifted again, yet they failed to notice that behind a wall of flowers, there was someone whose forced smile was gradually crumbling.

 Chapter 575 Tricked Her Into Coming

    It was Lizzie''s birthday, and she was dressed more elegantly than ever. Cyrus had personally gone to pick up Ezra, and after saying goodbye to him, Lizzie made her way to the women''s side to greet her guests. However, before she even reached them, she overheard some unpleasant remarks.


    Yara had arrived at the flower wall before Lizzie. Ever since Rose had been revealed as the long-lost daughter of the Xanth family from Lerain Group and simultaneously inherited Young Group, Yara had been in a foul mood.


    Every gathering she attended with her friends seemed to center around Rose, with words full of admiration and eagerness to get closer to her.


    This evening was no exception, as the gathering of influential women inevitably turned to the subject of Rose. Not wishing to engage, Yara sat quietly on a swing chair hidden behind the flower wall.


    The surrounding gossip left a bad taste in her mouth, but she took somefort in knowing that someone else was suffering even more than she was.


    As Yara observed the strained smile stered across Lizzie''s face, she couldn''t resist stoking the mes.


    "Rose seems to be quite popr, huh? But isn''t this your birthday banquet, Aunt Lizzie? Somehow, it feels like Rose has stolen the spotlight, and she hasn''t even arrived yet."


    Despite Rose''s conspicuous absence, she had already overshadowed the guest of honor. Naturally, Lizzie was furious. However, as the wife of a prestigious family, she had spent years crafting an image of elegance and grace. Her smile wavered, but she tried her best to keep it in ce.


    "Aunt Lizzie, isn''t it exhausting to force a smile like that?" Yara asked with a light chuckle, her soft voiceced with scorn.


    She refused to believe that Lizzie''s mask was impervious to scrutiny, for that was precisely what it was a carefully constructed facade.


    When Yara married Liam, her heart was already brimming with resentment. As events unfolded and Be passed away while Jack vanished into thin air, she was convinced that Rose and Jonathan were to me.


    From that moment, she had felt a flicker of fear toward Jonathan. As for Rose, she felt nothing but resentment and refusal to concede.


    She wanted topete with Rose, to trample her, and to humiliate her. It was as if, by doing so, she could exact some sort of twisted retribution for her own fall from grace.


    However, nobody could have anticipated that Rose would be the sole heiress of the Young Group and the only daughter of the Xanth family from the Lerain Group in the blink of an eye.


    Either of these two identities alone was enough to make anyone envious, let alone when it was one person who possessed both simultaneously. It was infuriating.


    Yara was both furious and defeated. With Jonathan''s protection, it was futile to even think about challenging Rose. Any attempts would only lead to retribution from the Xanth family, the Young family, and perhaps even some members of the Finch family.


    She was at aplete disadvantage, but even in her frustration, Yara knew she had to remain observant and stir the pot when opportunities arose, and Lizzie''s distaste for Rose presented just that opportunity.


    Over the past few days, Yara had been lurking around the Finch Manor, keeping an eye on the situation. In doing so, she had stumbled upon some unexpected insights.


    One of those insights stood right in front of her. Yara''s earlier jab had shattered Lizzie''s facade, and her fake smile crumbled, revealing her true feelings.


    Lizzie shot Yara a resentful look before turning to leave, her anger palpable even in her absence. Yara couldn''t help but wonder if that fury stemmed from herment or if it was fueled by Rose.


    "It has to be because of Rose," Yara thought.


    Even if there were other reasons for Lizzie''s anger, Rose was surely the primary cause.


    Over the past few days at the Finch Manor, Cyrus had been busy preparing for Lizzie''s birthday banquet, running back and forth.


    Lizzie had been by his side, assisting him every step of the way. However, in private, she was apletely different person from the gentle, refined woman she presented in public.


    In front of others, she was poised and warm, but behind closed doors, a cold intensity filled her eyes as if she was ready to devour someone.


    "Who was that someone?" Yara wondered.


    After observing for many days, she finally got her answer from Eleanor.


    She vividly recalled Lizzie''s expression changing the moment Eleanor mentioned Rose. It was a sight to behold, and Yara felt a surge of excitement. Knowing that Lizzie harbored animosity toward Rose, she thought that perhaps she could use this to her advantage.


    "Where is Ms. Shaffer?"


    "She should be here soon."


    "I hope she''sing..."


    "Don''t worry. She''ll be here..."


    The conversation on the other side of the flower wall continued to revolve around Rose, with everyone eagerly waiting for her appearance.


    Meanwhile, outside the Young Estate, Eleanor had indeed arrived to pick up Rose, just as she had promised.


    The luxurious Finch family car was conspicuously parked nearby. "Rosie,e on. Get in the car," Eleanor called out.


    Over the past few days, Rose had developed a routine. She would spend her days at Young Group and find herself either en route to the Young Estate or making her way back to the vi in Royal Garden. Whenever she stayed at the Young Estate, Clover would be the one to pick her up the next day. Alternatively, if she stayed at the vi, it would be Miles who came to fetch her.


    The two seemed locked in an unspokenpetition, with neither willing to concede. However, that day was different.


    "Rosie, hurry up..."


    As Rose searched for Clover''s car, Eleanor had already exited her vehicle, seemingly worried that Rose might suddenly change her mind. She pulled Rose toward the Finch family''s car, enthusiastically inviting her inside.


    Once Rose was seated, Eleanor told the driver, "To the Finch Manor."


    Now that Rose was on board,


    Eleanor could rx. She wondered if Elijah had arrived and thought that if he had, he would undoubtedly be pleased to see her personally


    ve


    bringing Rose to the Finch family''s event.


    "I''m sure he would be pleased!" she thought.


    Thinking about Elijah''s delight made Eleanor happy as well, and she began peppering Rose with questions about the embroidery techniques for the evening gown.


    As the car pulled up outside the Finch Manor, Rose immediately heard the lively mor emanating from within the moment she stepped out of the vehicle.


    Stepping inside the manor, the sight


    of the bustling crowd greeted her, and before she could even react with surprise, Eleanor chuckled and exined, "It just so happens there''s a birthday celebration taking ce today. Pay them no mind. We have more pressing matters to attend to."


    Eleanor was feeling a bit guilty. Ten days ago, she had used an excuse to bring Rose here, so she feltpelled to maintain the ruse.


    She decided to first take Rose to see the evening gown and ask her to help with its repair. Afterward, she would casually invite Rose to stay for dinner, which would hopefully appear natural and unassuming. "Is that..."


    "It''s Ms. Shaffer! Ms. Shaffer is here!"


    "Wow! Eleanor is personally leading her in. I''ve never heard of her treating anyone with such hospitality before..."


    The women in the crowd gasped with excitement upon Rose''s arrival, their eyes fixed on her as they began to approach.


    However, they couldn''t get close. A team of bodyguards had already cleared a path, allowing only Rose and Eleanor to walk through.


    Even the businessmen who had been engaged in conversations paused to watch as Eleanor led the young woman into the main hall with a bright smile..


    Some people who hadn''t had the chance to attend the Xanth family''s banquetst time finally learned of the much-discussed Ms. Shaffer''s identity from those around them.


    Despite her casual blouse, jeans, and simple attire, her presence remained extraordinary.


    Someone couldn''t help but sigh. "It''s no wonder shees from the Xanth and Young families. Their unique genes truly set them apart."


    "Indeed. I wonder who will be fortunate enough to marry her."


    "Who else could it be other than Mr. Jonathan?"


    The mention of Jonathan brought a fleeting sense of disappointment to those who had harbored hopes, but regardless of their personal feelings, they still held Jonathan in high regard.

 Chapter 576 No Request

    possessed.


    It was only natural they were in awe of Jonathan. After all, the man was the heir of the Finch family. Each family present might have eligible sons of marriageable age, but even if theybined all their assets, they wouldn''te close to a fraction of what Jonathan Aparison would be futile, for there simply wasn''t apetition.


    Exchanging furtive nces, the crowd couldn''t help but specte that Eleanor''s hospitality toward Rose was likely paving the way for Jonathan.


    They weren''t entirely wrong. Eleanor was indeedying the groundwork, but not for Jonathan.


    As Rose followed Eleanor into the main hall, she was immediately taken to a disy case on one of the walls showcasing an evening gown.


    Unlike the previous encounter, the damaged gown was not tucked away in a corner but proudly disyed at the center of the case, its imperfection prominently on show.


    "This is actually my favorite gown, but..." Eleanormented, her gaze fixated on the damaged section. She then turned to Rose, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Rosie, please, only you can fix it. If you can restore it, I will grant you any request." She intentionally mentioned "any request" with an ulterior motive in mind.


    From Eleanor''s perspective, Jonathan had taken a liking to Rose, so Rose must have felt the same way about him.


    After all, her grandson was one of Regalia''s most outstanding young talents-unmatched in appearance, family background, and ability. Many admired him, and Rose was surely no exception.


    Eleanor believed that by offering this deal, Rose would want to please her to secure a marriage with Jonathan.


    With a smile on her lips, she studied Rose''s face for a long moment, waiting for a hint of excitement to appear.


    Yet, Rose''s expression remained unchanged. Eleanor was at a loss for words.


    "Have I not been clear enough?" she wondered.


    Noticing Rose''s attention on the evening gown, she emphasized again, "Rosie, if you have any requests, I''ll fulfill them right away."


    "Go on. Bring up your rtionship with Jonathan and ask for my blessing!" Eleanor thought. Her face lit up with a warm smile as hope rekindled in her eyes.


    Rose shifted her gaze back to Eleanor from the damaged evening gown, her expression polite, yet distant. "Thank you, Mrs. Finch Senior, but you''re too kind. I have no requests."


    With that, she returned her attention to the tear in the fabric, carefully examining it.


    Eleanor''s smile froze. "No requests? How could there be no requests?" she thought.


    She believed there should be a request from Rose as this was the perfect opportunity for her to ask for eptance into the Finch family.


    Rose could be Jonathan''s wife, joining their prestigious lineage. It was puzzling to Eleanor that Rose wasn''t seizing this chance.


    She nearly blurted out, "I approve of you and Jonathan being together," before barely managing to stop herself.


    A hint of doubt and uncertainty clouded Eleanor''s gaze as she studied Rose''s face. She began to consider that Rose might not be interested in Jonathan at all.


    The information she had received indicated that Jonathan had fallen for Rose during his time in Aquastead. There was no doubt about that.


    But now, she questioned if Jonathan''s feelings were unrequited. Perhaps his passion for Rose was entirely one-sided.


    As Eleanor reflected on the day Jonathan brought Rose to the Finch Manor, it only seemed to confirm her suspicions.


    While Jonathan had treated Rose like she was the most precious person in the world, Rose''s demeanor had remainedposed and indifferent throughout the entire visit.


    "I guess Jonathan is the only one burning with passion. Rose is simply uninterested," she thought. Disappointment washed over her face as the reality of the situation sank in.


    As Rose turned to face Eleanor, she was met with a look of disappointment on the older woman''s face. Puzzled, she assumed that Eleanor was worried about the gown''s repair. "Don''t worry, Mrs. Finch Senior, I can fix the damaged area," Rose assured her.


    "Oh. Right," Eleanor replied absentmindedly,cking the enthusiasm Rose had expected.


    Upon noticing her reaction, Rose carefully considered the situation.


    Eleanor had asked her to return in ten days to examine the gown, and upon her arrival, she had overheard mention of a birthday. It appeared that someone in the Finch family was celebrating their special day, though whose birthday it was remained a mystery to her.


    It suddenly dawned on Rose why she had been invited to the manor. ncing at Eleanor knowingly, she said, "Mrs Finch Senior, with so


    many people here today and the


    specific materials needed, perhaps it would be better if I returned home


    first to gather what ed"


    "Go back?" Eleanor thought. She couldn''t let that happen. It had been a challenge to bring Rose here, and there was absolutely no way she would let her leave so easily.


    Quickly snapping out of her disappointment, she caught Rose''s wrist before Rose could finish her sentence.


    "Rosie, your help means a lot to me, and I want to show my appreciation. I have something to give you."


    She had just realized that Rose might not have the same feelings for Jonathan, or at least not feel them as strongly as Jonathan''s feelings for her. Overwhelmed with urgency, Eleanor guided Rose upstairs without waiting for her response. This was Rose''s second time entering Eleanor''s study. Unlike her first visit, where curiosity led her to take in every detail of the room, this time, Rose''s eyes remained fixed on Eleanor as she was led to the couch.


    Eleanor quickly hurried to the safe hidden behind the bookshelf, retrieving a box.


    The box itself was a work of art, and whatevery inside was bound to be extraordinary. As Eleanor opened it in front of Rose, a breathtaking ne adorned with top-quality emeralds was revealed, causing


    Rose''s eyes to widen in surprise.


    "I acquired this at an auction years ago," Eleanor exined. "In terms of color and size, there''s nothing else quite like it in the world. Here, Rosie, try it on."


    Before Rose could object, Eleanor had already removed the ne from the box and was now fastening it around her neck.


    "No, no, I can''t-" Rose began to protest, taken aback by the extravagant gift.


    "Stay still." Eleanor''s tone carried themanding force of a woman who had once ruled the business world, and Rose found herself hesitating just long enough for Eleanor to secure the ne in ce. Despite her casual attire a simple blouse and jeans-Rose''s beauty was undeniable. The luxurious emerald ne perfectlyplemented her elegance, adding a touch of sophistication to her ensemble. Eleanor studied Rose''s appearance and couldn''t help but exim, "Wonderful! Simply wonderful!"


    It was perfect. Eleanor couldn''t help but silentlymend her grandson''s taste. "It''s only natural for Jonathan to be captivated by someone like this. Not only is she beautiful, but she alsoes from a distinguished family..." she mused. She was beyond pleased, her face beaming with delight that she could barely contain.


    Rose felt increasingly uneasy under Eleanor''s gaze as if she was sitting on pins and needles. Standing up, she tried to remove the ne, but Eleanor quickly stopped her.


    "No, don''t take it off! It looks perfect on you as if it were tailor-made for you. Even when I wore it in my youth, it didn''t look as good as it does on you. Clearly, it was meant to be yours.


    "We''ve known each other for quite some time, and I''ve never given you a proper gift. So, consider this ne a token of our meeting. You must ept it!"

 Chapter 577 Wanted Her To Join The Finch Family

    "You must ept it..." Eleanor said, her tone and gaze were unwavering, leaving no room for refusal.


    However, Rose couldn''t bring herself to ept such an extravagant gift. "No, I can''t... It''s too much, Mrs. Finch Senior," she said, trying to decline.


    "What do you mean, ''too much''? You''re helping me repair the gown, aren''t you?" Eleanor cut her off, giving Rose no chance to refuse.


    Just then, Eleanor caught sight of a figure at the doorway. "Lizzie,e and look at this. Doesn''t this ne look perfect on Rosie?"


    Most of the guests had already arrived downstairs. Lizzie came up to invite Eleanor to join them but was stunned to see Eleanor personally adorning Rose with the ne.


    "Is she really going to give that ne to Rose? That ne..." she mused.


    "Lizzie,e in," Eleanor urged, snapping Lizzie out of her thoughts.


    Lizzie stepped into the study, quickly regaining her warm andposed demeanor. "Mom, all the guests have arrived."


    "Is he here too?" Eleanor''s eyes brightened with anticipation.


    Lizzie knew precisely whom Eleanor was referring to. After all, that day''s birthday banquet was more about honoring the legendary figure of the Xanth family than celebrating her birthday. "Yes, he just arrived. Jonathan''s with him," Lizzie confirmed.


    Eleanor''s face lit up with joy. She could hardly contain her eagerness to rush downstairs and wee their honored guest.


    However, she quickly regained herposure, knowing there was no need to hurry. Since he was already here, her priority was ensuring his happiness, and the best way to do that was through Rose.


    Eleanor''s gaze softened as she looked at Rose with even more affection. "Lizzie, don''t you think this ne suits Rosie perfectly? It''s only fitting to give it to her as a token of gratitude.


    "Rosie, for my sake-and in front of my daughter-inw-please don''t refuse. Otherwise, it would seem like you don''t value the Finch family."


    Rose was at a loss for words, for there was nothing she could say to that. It was clear that Eleanor wouldn''t let it go until she epted the ne.


    "Fine. I''ll just return the ne to Jonathanter..." With that in mind, Rose nodded slightly. "Thank you, Mrs. Finch Senior."


    Such a precious ne wasn''t something she could casually wear. It was far too eye-catching. She tried to remove it, but she couldn''t unsp it despite several attempts.


    Rose felt a wave of awkwardness when Eleanor suddenly eximed, "Oh dear, my memory really is slipping. Ipletely forgot that the sp on this ne is broken, making it quite difficult to remove. I''ve been meaning to have it fixed, but I keep forgetting." Rose was speechless. "Is this really happening?" she wondered.


    She tried a few more times to take it off, but her efforts were fruitless. The ne wouldn''t budge.


    "Just leave it on for now," Eleanor said softly before giving Lizzie a pointed look. Lizzie immediately took out her phone and made a call.


    Rose sighed inwardly, resigning herself to wearing thevish piece. However, she knew that stepping out with such a striking ne would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention.


    Unbeknownst to her, that was precisely what Eleanor intended. She wanted everyone to see the stunning emerald ne adorning Rose''s neck.


    As expected, when Rose appeared, all eyes were immediately drawn to the ne.


    "Wow, that ne is stunning..."


    "I always thought a piece like that could only be paired with an elegant gown, but Ms. Shaffer''s casual outfit gives it a whole new charm..." "Well, that''s because Ms. Shaffer is stunning! I doubt it''ll look the same if it was on someone else."


    "That''s true. I think she''s prettier than that international movie star."


    "Wait, I don''t remember Ms. Shaffer wearing that ne when she arrived. Did I miss it?"


    There was no way anyone would miss such a dazzling piece of jewelry. The women exchanged nces before reaching a collective conclusion.


    "If the ne wasn''t on Ms. Shaffer when she arrived, then that must mean..."


    They looked at Eleanor, who was smiling warmly at Rose, and felt like they had stumbled upon a huge secret.


    "The ne is a gift from Eleanor! Such a ne is incredibly valuable, almost priceless. Eleanor''s decision to give it to Rose could mean only one thing-she wanted Rose to join the Finch family! The same thought shed in everyone''s mind.


    Someone whispered, "Mrs. Finch Senior wants Ms. Shaffer to be a part of the Finch family!"


    "That must be it! Among the Finch family''s grandchildren, Liam from the second branch married Yara. As for Jack, he''s a yboy who''s done some bad things and got locked up somewhere. Then there''s M Jonathan and Mr. Ezra..."


    "Mr. Jonathan and Ms. Shaffer would make a wonderful couple!"


    "But what about Mr. Ezra? What if Ms. Shaffer is more interested in Mr. Ezra? Actually, has anyone ever seen Mr. Ezra from the Finch family before?"


    The socialites whispered and gossiped amongst themselves, their curiosity piqued by this new revtion.


    As Rose stood amidst the curious gazes, a wave of uneasiness washed over her. However, her difort subsided when she spotted a few familiar figures approaching. "Clo..." Rose''s face lit up when she saw Clover, and she immediately broke away from Eleanor''s grasp, running to greet him.


    Clover greeted her with a warm, doting smile, but before he could utter a word, another voice interjected from beside him. "What about me?"


    The voice belonged to Elijah, who was gazing at Rose with a hint of dissatisfaction and knitted brows, expressing his jealousy.


    Rose paused for a moment, realizing she had only called out to Clover. Swiftly recovering, she affectionately looped her arm through Elijah''s.


    "Dad."


    Despite not having known him long, addressing Elijah as "Dad" came with unexpected ease. Perhaps it was the inexplicable power of their blood bond.


    Feeling a surge of pride at being called "Dad," Elijah couldn''t resist casting a triumphant look at Clover.


    Clover could only blink in protest. Rose had called out to him first. He was the one who should be feeling smug.


    However, he knew better than to challenge his uncle. With a resigned sigh, he sheepishly rubbed his nose. Just then, Clover''s gaze fell on the ne adorning Rose''s neck. "That''s a lovely ne," he remarked.


    In truth, it was Rose''s beauty that truly brought out the ne''s charm.


    Unable to contain her delight at thepliment, Eleanor swiftly stepped forward with a bright smile. "I knew it! This ne truly shines when worn by Rosie. It''s as if it was made for her!" Clover''s eyes finally shifted to Eleanor. Elijah also looked over. There was an unmistakable implication in her words that they both caught, and they exchanged puzzled nces. "This ne..."


    "It''s a token of my gratitude to Rosie," Eleanor exined warmly, her affectionate gaze lingering on Rose.


    "A gift? Was she thanking Rose for attending the birthday banquet?" Elijah wondered.


    He saw through Eleanor''s words but held his tongue. Instead, he turned to Rose. "Do you like it?"


    Rose had a deep appreciation for design, and from that perspective, the ne was indeed skillfully


    crafted. The materials used were et


    undeniably precious, but as


    elf


    someone who designed jewetry, she didn''t crave the finest pieces for herself.


    Yet, she couldn''t bring herself to express her disinterest in Eleanor''s presence.


    "Well... I suppose I do," Rose answered, a hint of helplessness in her voice. "It''s just that I can''t seem to take it off now." She still intended to remove itter and return it to Jonathan, which, in a way, would be returning it to the Finch family.

 Chapter 578 Not Being Loved

    With a knowing look, Elijah said, "Since you like it, just keep wearing it."


    "As for the other matters..." he mused before turning his attention to the smiling Eleanor. "Mrs. Finch Senior, I am Elijah Xanth, Rosie''s father. Thank you for showing her such generosity. I heard that Finch Group is focusing on expanding into overseas markets..." Eleanor''s heart raced with anticipation, but she maintained herposure. "Indeed, Finch Group is exploring opportunities in overseas markets. We appreciate any support you can provide, Mr. Xanth."


    The Xanth family''s influence extended beyond the realm of business. Many issues could potentially be resolved with a single word from Elijah. The challengey in convincing him to speak up.


    Eleanor knew securing a promise from Elijah wouldn''t be easy, butying the groundwork now was a start. Just as she was about to exchange pleasantries to build goodwill, Elijah continued, "If the Finch family has any needs that I can assist with, I''ll certainly do my best to help."


    "Huh? Did he really just say that?" Eleanor thought.


    The sincerity in Elijah''s tone was undeniable. She had anticipated investing considerable effort into winning his support, but he had just given his word without hesitation.


    It was clear to Eleanor that Rose was the reason behind Elijah''s swift agreement. When she first handed over the emerald ne, she had felt a pang of reluctance, but seeing how quickly her decision had produced results, she felt that her gamble on Rose was a stroke of genius.


    Excitement bubbled up within Eleanor, but she knew well that Elijah''s offer of help likely extended to a one-time favor only. However, her ambitions stretched further. She wanted more than just one favor.


    Greed welled up in her heart, but she reminded herself not to be hasty. As long as she kept a tight hold on Rose, things would go her way. If she could fully integrate Rose into the Finch family, it would open limitless possibilities.


    The warmth in Eleanor''s loving gaze intensified as she looked at Rose. In fact, it was a level of affection never before shown to any other Finch family descendant.


    Meanwhile, Lizzie''s heart grew colder, for she could see through Eleanor''s intentions with crystal rity. It was obvious to her that the older woman wanted to fully integrate Rose into the Finch family as her desired granddaughter-inw.


    A particr figure shed in her mind, making her all the more agitated. She couldn''t bear to watch Eleanor''s facade any longer.


    This birthday banquet was originally meant to celebrate her birthday, but all attention had shifted to Rose even before the party began. Even Lizzie''s departure from the main hall went unnoticed.


    As soon as she stepped outside, she froze at the sight of a figure. Swiftly assessing her surroundings, she noticed they were in a secluded spot, hidden from the security cameras.


    She rapidly closed the distance between them, lowering her voice despite being alone. "What are you doing here?"


    Lizzie maintained a distance, her cautious demeanor suggesting that the person in front of her shouldn''t be seen.


    Even though Carl Larson was well aware that their rtionship had to remain hidden, Lizzie''s guarded behavior still sent a dull ache through his chest.


    "I''m responsible for the manor''s security today."


    Carl belonged to the Azure n, of whom Finley was the leader. Under him were various group leaders trusted by Finley, with Carl being one of them.


    Ever since Jonathan took charge of the Finch family, Finley had devoted himself entirely to Jonathan''s security. All other family matters requiring bodyguards were now handled by his trusted subordinates. Therefore, it was no surprise that Carl was overseeing the manor''s security that day.


    Despite Carl''s assurance, Lizzie''s brow furrowed with concern. "You''re sure no one has caught onto anything suspicious?"


    "I''m certain," Carl asserted.


    Lizzie''s wariness persisted as she cast a quick nce around, preparing to leave. But then, she reconsidered and instructed, "Follow me."


    A fleeting look of joy crossed Carl''s face.


    With an unspoken understanding,


    the pair moved in sync, keeping a cautious distance between them. Lizzie led the way while Carl trailed a few moments behind. They soon. found themselves at an abandoned warehouse behind the medical building on the Finch Manor.


    As soon as the warehouse door closed, Carl could no longer contain himself. He pulled Lizzie into his arms, his hands eagerly exploring her body.


    He had long harbored feelings for


    Lizzie, and his affection had grown over the years, but he had never dared cross the line as she was Cyrus'' wife. Every time Carl was assigned to a protection mission, he felt a surge of emotions just by


    619


    catching a glimpse of her from afar.


    He had assumed that his secret love would remain buried in his heart forever, but to his amazement, the goddess he admired from afar had noticed him.


    Ten years ago, when Cyrus was away on a business trip in Aquastead, Lizzie attended a banquet alone and got drunk. Carl had been responsible for escorting her back to her residence.


    That night, perhaps due to her intoxication, Lizzie mistook him for Cyrus. He knew he should have pushed her away, but his mind went nk at that moment. Even when his senses returned, he indulged in the fantasy that she had created. Using the intoxication as an excuse, they developed a connection. That night, they were unrestrained, swept up in a whirlwind of passion. She whimpered and cooed beneath him, and he relished the thrill of being with her.


    When Lizzie faced him the following day, she was overwhelmed, sobbing, and in her rity, she even pped him.


    Carl had prepared himself for the


    consequences of their affair, expecting punishment from the


    Azure n and certain


    e


    However, to his astonishment, nothing changed. He remained with the n, and on rare asions


    during missions, he would catch


    glimpses of Lizzie.


    Initially, she avoided eye contact, her gazeden with remorse, but gradually, she began to offer him asional smiles.


    Carl found himself consumed by those fleeting moments, the memory of their passionate night reying in his mind, leaving him yearning for more.


    On Lizzie''s birthday that year, Cyrus had passed out drunk, and Carl overheard her weeping in the art studio. With a boldness that surprised even himself, he stepped into the room.


    It was then he learned that Cyrus still loved histe first wife. Lizzie wept as she asked Carl if she wasn''t pretty, gentle, talented, or lovable enough.


    At that moment, the mental boundary Carl had constructed shattered. He embraced her, their bodies entwined in another passionate night as he whispered in her ear, assuring her of her beauty, her gentle nature, her talents, and the depth of his love for her. Their encounter that night marked a turning point. From then on, Lizzie would sporadically send him messages, and they would covertly arrange to meet.


    These secret rendezvous consisted of fleeting moments spent in a hidden apartment where they could lose themselves in each other''s arms.


    Even though their time together was brief, it was enough to satisfy Carl. He ached for her, knowing she was underappreciated by her husband, and silently vowed to fulfill her every desire.


    Yet, Lizzie rarely expressed her wishes. So, when she said she wanted Jack to be released from custody, Carl worked tirelessly to make it happen.


    After that, the two did not meet again. Carl''s longing had be unbearable, so now he was desperately savoring her scent.


    As his hand slid toward the hem of Lizzie''s clothes, she caught his wrist. Her voice carried a coquettish tone.


    "We''re at the Finch Manor!"


    Carl paused, his body stiffening. Only then did he realize the precarious nature of their location. This was no ce to indulge in their desires as they did in their private apartment. But... "I''ve missed you so much." Carl''s voice trembled with the effort to restrain himself, his desire barely contained.

 Chapter 579 Better Than Killing Her

    When Carl confessed his longing for her, Lizzie didn''t doubt him for a moment. She knew the sincerity of his emotions and capitalized on his yearning to maintain a firm grip on him. She had transformed him into a devoted tool, an obedient dog that loyally carried out hermands from the shadows. With dogs, only asional treats were necessary to ensure their unwavering loyalty. Had it not been for her need to utilize Carl that day, she wouldn''t have bothered indulging this "dog". However, there was a task that required his assistance. So, when he said he missed her, Lizzie nestled softly into his embrace, her hands encircling his neck as she initiated a kiss.


    Her sudden disy of affection was akin to pouring fuel on a fire, and Carl could no longer restrain himself. Passion took over as he left a trail of fervent kisses across her skin, iming her hungrily.


    Half an hourter, the heated breaths in the warehouse finally calmed down. Carl meticulously wiped away any evidence of their encounter from Lizzie''s body before carefully readjusting her disheveled dress.


    Noticing the unhappiness lingering in her eyes, he asked with concern, "What''s wrong? Is it Mr. Cyrus again?"


    "No." Lizzie cut him off. "It''s because of Rose."


    The mention of Rose sparked recognition within Carl. He was well aware of her identity as Jonathan''s beloved woman.


    "Did she upset you?" His frown deepened.


    Carl''s instinctive reaction when Lizzie was upset was to find a way to punish the offender. However, when it came to Rose, he found himself hesitating, as his fear of Jonathan had only grown stronger after the incident with Jack. "It''s not that she upset me. It''s just..." Lizzie lowered her gaze, her eyes shadowed with thought.


    "You know I''ve never liked Rose. Eleanor used to look down on Rose''s background, but now that she''s be the daughter of the Xanth family of Lerain Group and inherited the Young family, Eleanor''s attitude has changed. She even gave that emerald ne to Rose today."


    Lizzie''s gaze darkened as she mentioned the ne.


    Most people were unaware that the ne represented more than just its mary value. It was a gift Eleanor had once presented to Nancy. The ne symbolizes the Finch family''s approval of its leader''s wife.


    Back then, when Nancy and Cyrus'' marriage began to unravel, Nancy returned the ne to the Finch family before departing. Since then, it had remained in Eleanor''s possession.


    All these years, Eleanor hadn''t given the ne to her or Be, but that day, she had presented it to Rose.


    The injustice of it all burned within Lizzie. It baffled her that Eleanor would give the ne to Rose, of all people.


    She couldn''t believe that Eleanor was rooting for Rose and Jonathan. If Lizzie didn''t take action, she would be forced to witness Jonathan living happily ever after with the woman he loved-a future Lizzie deemed absolutely uneptable.


    "Carl, if Rose marries Jonathan, with her current status, she will undoubtedly be the most valued and prominent woman in the Finch family."


    She lowered her gaze, a calcted n forming beneath her somber expression. Upon seeing this, Carl''s heart ached at the sight of her distress.


    He gently pulled her into his arms. "What do you want me to do?"


    The thought of eliminating Rose almost escaped Lizzie''s lips, but she held her tongue at thest moment.


    Instead, she said, "I don''t necessarily oppose Rose marrying into the Finch family... But my standing within the family will be lost if she marries Jonathan. If she marries someone else from the family, it might be more eptable." "Someone else from the Finch family..." Carl mused. As a core member of the Azure n, he was well aware of the Finch family''s structure.


    Liam had married Yara, and although they rarely saw each other after the wedding, they still held the title of husband and wife. Jack was currently detained within Azure n.


    If Rose couldn''t marry Jonathan, that left only one viable option-Ezra.


    Seeking to confirm Lizzie''s intentions, Carl asked, "You mean you want her to marry Mr. Ezra?"


    Lizzie paused, mulling over the idea. "If she marries Ezra, the threat to me would be significantly smaller. But... she and Jonathan are deeply in love. Why would she choose Ezra?" Then, she frowned.


    Carl couldn''t bear to see the woman he loved furrowing her brows, nor did he want her status in the Finch family to be threatened.


    So, disregarding the fact that Rose was the woman Jonathan cared for, he impulsively blurted out, "I... might have a solution."


    "What solution?" Lizzie''s eyes sparked with curiosity.


    sping her hand tightly, Carl began to exin, "I saw Mr. Cyrus leave earlier. I heard he went to pick up Mr. Ezra. Since Mr. Ezra is supposed to return today, maybe I can..."


    As heid out his n, Lizzie listened intently, satisfaction swelling within her. However, despite feeling pleased, she couldn''t help but worry.


    "Rose is a member of the Xanth family and is currently the head of the Young Group. Not to mention, there''s Jonathan by her side... If this n fails and they find out..."


    "Don''t worry," Carl reassured her, his voice unwavering. "Even if it fails and they find out, they''ll only trace it back to me. It won''t affect you."


    Seeing the genuine worry on Lizzie''s face only strengthened his resolve. He would do anything for the woman he loved and remove any obstacles that stood in her way. Drawing her into his arms, Carl sought tofort her. "It''s going to be fine."


    A cold smile crept up the corners of Lizzie''s mouth as she leaned against his chest.


    "It will be fine. And even if it weren''t, it would only be Rose who suffers," she mused.


    Lizzie couldn''t help but feel a sense of satisfaction as she regarded the man before her. Using nothing but her body as leverage, she had shaped him into her loyal and devoted dog. Whether he could sessfully drive a permanent wedge between Rose and Jonathan hinged entirely on that night''s events.


    Suddenly, Lizzie found this game to be even more thrilling than her previous n of having Kelly eliminate Rose.


    While the two of them hid away in the warehouse, the atmosphere outside was getting livelier. Miles had arrived, apanied by


    Harriette. Cyrus had personal


    Orted Ezra back to the manor, though thetter remained out of sight.


    There were two reasons behind Ezra''s decision to stay hidden. For one, he had no interest in mingling with the crowd and participating in the social pretense. Secondly, although his face was widely recognized throughout Regalia, his identity as a member of the Finch family was a secret. He intended to keep it that way. His reasons for returning that day revolved primarily around seeing Rose and unraveling the mystery behind Jonathan''s insistence on his presence.


    Cyrus didn''t force Ezra to participate


    in the gathering. After all, Lizzie''s main intention was for the family to have a private gathering, which they could de after the guests had departed. At that point, they could sit down together, share some cake, and enjoy a simple moment as a family.


    "If you feel restlesster and want to join, just wear a mask, and it''ll be fine," Cyrus suggested before leaving.


    Ezra''s rtionship with his father had always been one of indifference. ncing at the masks on the table, he couldn''t help but think of Rose. He longed to see her and couldn''t wait any longer.


    Setting aside his original n to remain concealed, he selected a mask, put it on, and stepped out of his room.


    Downstairs, the grand hall buzzed with anticipation as the banquet was about tomence. Meanwhile, Cyrus had been searching everywhere for his wife.


    "Where''s Lizzie?" he asked the helpers, but none had seen her.


    Some of the guests seemed bewildered. Most of them were clustered around Rose, entirely


    focused on her, as if they had


    forgotten that that day''s suppo


    main character was Jonathan''s stepmother, Lizzie.


    Just as Cyrus was about to order a search, a voice piped up, saying, "I think I saw Mrs. Finch heading toward the medical building."

 Chapter 580 How Did Your Neck Got Hurt

    The person who had spoken was the manor''s gardener.


    "The medical building? That ce''s quite a distance away from here. What would Lizzie be doing over there?" Cyrus wondered.


    After exchanging strained smiles with the guests, he excused himself and hurried toward the medical building.


    The night had already fallen, and though the path was lit with brightmps, it was eerily empty as all the guests were gathered inside the main hall.


    As Cyrus drew closer to the medical building, his heart pounded fiercely in his chest. An inexplicable sense of foreboding enveloped him.


    Approaching the building, he spotted a familiar figure standing at the entrance.


    "Mr. Cyrus," Carl greeted. His towering figure was d in a ck suit, and his expression was unreadable behind dark sunsses. Even when standing still, his powerful frame radiated an air of preparedness.


    Though there were many within the Azure n, Cyrus recognized Carl immediately. As the former head of the Finch family, he knew well who Carl was a man known for his efficiency,bat skills, discretion, and loyalty. Carl possessed many qualities Cyrus valued in a person.


    However...


    "Why aren''t you overseeing the guest security in the main house? What are you doing here?" Cyrus asked, his voiceced with suspicion.


    Unperturbed, Carl responded, "Mrs. Finch was injured, so I brought her here "


    But before Carl could finish, Cyrus had already rushed past him, disappearing into the medical building. His footsteps quickened as he frantically searched for Lizzie before he spotted a nurse carrying a medical kit. "Where''s my wife? Is she okay? How badly is she hurt?" he questioned.


    The nurse swiftly led him to Lizzie''s location while Carl stood back, watching with an expression of cold detachment.


    Lizzie had once confided in him that her husband was ustomed to putting on a facade. Indeed, Cyrus appeared deeply concerned for his wife when in public, yet yearned for another behind closed doors.


    Lizzie had married Cyrus out of gratitude, but Carl was well aware of the suffering she had endured over the years. His heart ached for her, and it only steeled his resolve.


    That night, he was determined to carry out his n to give Lizzie the birthday gift she truly deserved.


    "Since Cyrus has arrived, I''m guessing Ezra should be here as well." he mused.


    Just as Carl was about to slip away discreetly, Cyrus'' voice echoed from inside,den with false tenderness.


    "How could you be so careless? Does it hurt? Your neck is scratched... It seems this dress isn''t suitable anymore."


    Carl''s heart skipped a beat, for he knew why Lizzie''s neck bore scratch marks.


    "It''s nothing, really. It''s just a small scratch. It doesn''t hurt anymore. As for the dress..." Lizzie swiftly pulled off a decorative silk scarf from her wrist and tied it around her neck with practiced ease. "There, problem solved!" The scarf perfectly covered the mark on her neck. As for the origin of that mark...


    Lizzie''s eyes flicked toward the doorway, where Carl stood. "Thank you for bringing me here. I''m fine now."


    Carl''s heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing back to their passionate encounter in the warehouse. A flicker of smugness crossed his eyes, barely concealed behind the sunsses he wore. Thankfully, the shades hid his expression from Cyrus. With a slight bow to both Cyrus and Lizzie, Carl turned and made his way out. As he walked away, a satisfied smirk crept onto his lips.


    The unspoken understanding between Carl and Lizzie had existed for years. No matter how intense their encounters were, Carl had always been careful not to leave obvious traces.


    That day in the warehouse, he had maintained that same restraint, except for when he kissed her. In the heat of their passion, he had momentarily lost control, leaving a faint mark on her neck.


    Though the mark was not deep, it stood out against her porcin skin, particrly with the low neckline of her dress, making it impossible to conceal.


    Even the ne couldn''t cover up the telltale sign of their intimate moment. If she appeared like that in public, the mark would be undeniable.


    As for a change of clothes or a strategically ced scarf, Lizzie knew it would not escape Cyrus'' notice once bedtime came.


    So, she had taken drastic action, gritting her teeth as she deliberately scratched over it with a tree branch. The resulting cut was small but effective, hiding the evidence of their encounter. Although the wound was minor, Carl''s heart still ached for her.


    "Lizz, I''m sorry," Cyrusmented, his face filled with self-reproach. "I failed to get Ms. Flora from K&K to design a new dress for you."


    Lizzie adored Ms. Flora''s designs, and Cyrus had even approached the owner of K&K, hoping to secure her talents. However, his efforts had been met with the same response. "Ms. Flora is busy and has no time to take on new projects."


    "Busy? How busy could a fashion designer really be?" Cyrus had wondered.


    Even after revealing his identity, he had received the same answer. "Ms. Flora is busy."


    Though disappointed about the dress, Lizzie didn''t let it show in front of Cyrus. Instead, she offered him a reassuring smile.


    "It''s alright. I''ll just wear the dress Ms. Flora designed for me before. I haven''t had a chance to wear it anyway."


    So, Lizzie arrived at the banquet in that same gown.


    As soon as Cyrus escorted Lizzie


    back into the hall, Rose immediately recognized the dress. She remembered when she had worked on that gown in Aquastead for a high-profile client from Regalia, never realizing that the mysterious client had been Lizzie.


    "What a small world," she mused.


    Eleanor, on the other hand, wasn''t as pleased. She had noticed Lizzie''s absence and was quick to express her dissatisfaction the moment they arrived. "Where on earth have you been? Everyone has been waiting for you. Hurry up and apologize."


    Though Lizzie wasn''t exactly the star of that day''s event, the banquet was still under the guise of her birthday celebration.


    Certain formalities had to be upheld, and Eleanor couldn''t show her irritation too openly in front of the guests. Nheless, her tone was undeniably sharp.


    Lizzie''s expression hardened. "Apologize? To the guests? I''m the birthday girl! Is Eleanor even listening to herself?" she thought.


    Even though she felt humiliated by the demand, she had no choice. Eleanor''s words had left her cornered. With a forced smile, Lizzieplied.


    "I''m sorry, everyone. I injured myself earlier and lost track of time."


    Her words and apologetic demeanor instantly elicited a mix of sympathy and curiosity from the crowd.


    "You''re injured? What happened? Where did you get hurt?"


    "Is it serious? How did it happen?"


    Questions flew at Lizzie from


    concerned guests, but Lizzie quickly waved off their worries. "It''s nothing serious, just a small injury I had


    treated at the medic conne


    Thank you for your concern.


    She touched the scarf around her neck, unafraid of revealing the injury''s location, knowing they wouldn''t guess the true cause.


    Eleanor''s face soured slightly. This party wasn''t meant for Lizzie to showcase her injury and garner sympathy. Eleanor had bigger ns and was eager to move on.


    "Since it''s just a minor injury that''s been treated, there shouldn''t be any more problems. Thank you all for your concern for my daughter-inw," she said, stepping forward with a wide smile.


    She continued, "My daughter-inw


    truly is remarkable. When she was


    younger, she was known for her talent in painting. But she excels most in calligraphy, having studied under the esteemed Mr. York"


    To outsiders, it seemed Eleanor adored her daughter-inw. Only Eleanor and Lizzie knew the truth-this ttery was just a set-up for what Eleanor had nned next.

 Chapter 581 I Only Like What She Likes

    n York was Regalia''s most renowned calligrapher. His achievements in the field were unparalleled, and the few works he left behind before his passing were invaluable masterpieces. Nobody had expected Lizzie, thedy of the Finch family, to be n''s student. After all, n never just took on any student. Only those with true talent could earn his mentorship.


    Upon hearing this revtion, the guests regarded Lizzie with newfound admiration. After all, she was still thedy of the Finch family, and despite the buzz around Rose, who was the daughter of the Lerain Group''s Xanth family, Lizzie''s importance couldn''t be entirely overlooked.


    The Finch family still held significant weight, and everyone present knew when to show the appropriate deference.


    It was evident that Eleanor had intentionally brought up Lizzie''s calligraphy skills, and the guests looked forward to witnessing them.


    "Who could have guessed that Mrs. Finch was n''s student? Her calligraphy must be exquisite!" one guest eximed.


    "Indeed. Who knows? We might even be fortunate enough to witness a masterpiece tonight," another added eagerly.


    All eyes turned toward Lizzie, eager to see her demonstrate her skills. Eleanor was particrly pleased with how her ns wereing together perfectly.


    Naturally, Lizzie knew exactly what Eleanor was doing, and she couldn''t afford to let Eleanor''s intentions fall t in front of so many people.


    "Mom, should I give a demonstration?" Lizzie asked, adopting an air of modesty.


    "Yes, of course! Let''s see your skills," Eleanor replied, her face glowing with satisfaction.


    Upon hearing Eleanor''s subtle cue, the helpers swiftly brought out some top-quality brushes, ink, paper, and an expansive desk. Their efficiency was a testament to the Finch family''s influence.


    The orchestrated nature of this calligraphy disy was evident, and the guests couldn''t help but wonder who Eleanor intended to impress.


    Their gazes shifted toward one figure in unison. Eleanor''s focus on currying favor with the distinguished figure from the Lerain Group couldn''t have been more obvious.


    The gathering crowd who harbored simr intentions took mental notes, while others discreetly messaged their assistants to acquire calligraphy masterpieces as potential gifts.


    Rose also noted Eleanor''s favoritism toward Elijah. Standing beside him, shemented, "You like calligraphy? What a coincidence. My mother does too."


    In Rose''s childhood memories, her mother''s study was always filled with the scent of ink, brushes, and paper.


    Her mother''s calligraphy was breathtaking. It was an elegant, artistic expression that left asting impression on anyone who saw it.


    Elijah seemed lost in his own thoughts too, perhaps recalling the woman he had loved so deeply. His eyes softened with a rare tenderness.


    "She loved it, so I learned to love it too."


    Back then, Elijah''s life had been marked by bloodshed and violence, and his constantpanions were the weapons of war. It was Celeste''s influence that had drawn him to the gentle arts. Rose was taken aback by his response, turning to look at her father in awe. A smile slowly spread across her face.


    "How wonderful."


    For so long, she had been ignored and emotionally neglected by Jamie. He had never shown any affection for her mother, and because of that, she had never questioned whether she was truly his daughter. Rose had simply epted that she wasn''t the product of a loving union between her parents.


    But now, standing beside Elijah, she could feel the depth of his love for her mother. It erased any doubts she had ever harbored about her ce in their lives.


    "I am a product of love," she thought.


    Elijah gazed at her, his eyes filled with affection. "What''s wonderful?"


    "Finding my father," Rose answered with a radiant smile. However, a crease formed on her brow as her expression turned pensive. "But I fear I may have caused you trouble."


    She was referring to Eleanor and why she had been invited to the manor that day under the guise of viewing an evening gown. Rose would have to be blind if she hadn''t realized the true motive behind this invitation by now.


    Lately, both Elijah and Clover had


    been spoiling her, cherishing every moment they could spend together If they had known she would be


    at


    the Finch Manor that day, they certainly would havee along.


    And that was precisely what Eleanor wanted.


    Rose couldn''t help but feel a pang of guilt. Eleanor now had the perfect opportunity to curry favor with Elijah, and the stakes for what she sought in return would only growrger.


    Elijah understood exactly what Rose was thinking. As for Eleanor''s ambitions, he didn''t mind. His priority was simply spending time with his daughter. Gently patting Rose''s hand, he reassured her, "Don''t worry, it''s no trouble at all." Meanwhile, Eleanor wasn''t pleased with the father and daughter''s private conversation. "This won''t do," she thought. She needed Elijah''s attention to shift to Lizzie''s calligraphy demonstration.


    "Lizz, are you ready? Do give it your best!" Eleanor''s voice rose, drawing Rose and Elijah''s attention. They exchanged nces before turning to look at Lizzie, who was poised at the writing desk, brush in hand.


    Lizzie''s artistic upbringing was evident in her graceful posture, making her the embodiment of elegance and poise. Her slender form and focused expression evoked an ethereal, otherworldly beauty as she leaned over the inkstone. She briefly nced up, acknowledging Eleanor with a nod, but as she lowered her gaze back to the paper, her eyes caught sight of someone at the crowd''s edge. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment. Carl quickly masked the momentary yearning in his gaze before vanishing into the sea of people.


    Everyone''s attention was now focused on Lizzie. This was the perfect moment. Within the crowd, Lizzie''s brushstrokes danced, leaving an elegant trail of ink on the paper. Her calligraphy was both graceful and powerful. As she wrote, someone recited the words emerging on the page.


    "In the year 353 AD, during the early days of spring... We convened at the Blooming Pavilion, nestled in the tranquil shadows of Mount Havenridge..."


    "Wait... This is from the Lindisfarne Gospels! How remarkable!"


    "Mrs. Finch is writing from the Lindisfarne Gospels!"


    As soon as Elijah heard the first line, a glint of recognition shed in his eyes. Standing beside Rose, Clover''s expression shifted visibly, a frown creasing his features.


    He couldn''t help but wonder how they knew Elijah was searching for the Lindisfarne Gospels.


    He turned his gaze back to Lizzie''s calligraphy, and a hint of disdain shed in his eyes. Her writing may have seemed remarkable to the untrained eye, butpared to the piece Elijah had treasured for years, it fell far short. Even against Elijah''s own calligraphy, it was likeparing an amateur''s scribbles to a masterpiece.


    "Howughable," he thought, watching in silence as Lizzie continued her performance.


    Lizzie was fully immersed in her work. She took pride in her skills, and even though she knew that Eleanor was using her talent as stepping stone for something, bigger, her pride and vanity


    velhet


    performance.


    She longed for the admiration of everyone in the room, but most importantly, she yearned for the acknowledgment of the Xanth family''s legendary figure.


    As she poured her heart into her work, the murmurs of admiration from the crowd grew louder.


    "Mrs. Finch''s calligraphy is exquisite. It''s no wonder she was n''s student!"


    "Indeed, her writing possesses the grace and elegance of a true master."


    "The Finch family has so many hidden talents. I wonder if this piece could be purchased. I''d dly pay a handsome sum to add it to my collection!"


    Lizzie''s heart swelled with pride as


    thements reached her ears.


    Despite being ustomed to constant ttery and admiration as Mrs. Finch, thepliments still gave her a small thrill, and that day,


    it was particrly satisfying.


    She felt that perhaps it was because of Rose. Finally, at her own birthday banquet, Lizzie had be the center of attention, sessfully diverting everyone''s gaze away from Rose.


    To Lizzie, this seemed to signify that she had emerged as the victor in the silent battle she had been waging.

 Chapter 582 Nothing Special

    Lizzie shot a fleeting nce at Rose, her eyes glinting with the satisfaction of someone who believed they had won. It was brief, but Rose caught it, leaving her puzzled. "What was that about?" she wondered.


    Before Rose could make sense of Lizzie''s strange look, Lizzie straightened up, having just finished her calligraphy piece.


    The room buzzed with a chorus of praises, the admiration reaching a crescendo as though the work had been crafted by a grand calligraphy master.


    "Thank you! My daughter-inw is so fortunate to receive such generous praise." Eleanor beamed, basking in the glow of everyone''spliments.


    Although she appreciated fine calligraphy, shecked the expertise to truly evaluate Lizzie''s work. However, having seen the real Lindisfarne Gospels, Eleanor couldn''t discern much difference between Lizzie''s rendition and the original. With the chorus of admiration filling the room, Eleanor felt confident. But it wasn''t the approval of the crowd that she sought.


    What she truly longed for was Elijah''s recognition. If he were to offer even a nod of acknowledgment, Eleanor would seize the opportunity to present the gift she had meticulously prepared.


    Amidst the lively chatter, one of the guests chimed in, eager to ingratiate themselves with the Finch family.


    "Mrs. Finch, would you consider selling this exquisite piece? I would be honored to add it to my collection!"


    "I''ll pay you more for the piece!"


    "Me too!"


    Others joined in, eager to outbid one another in their quest to curry favor with the Finch family.


    Basking in the attention, Lizzie graced the scene with a demure smile. The elegance of her attire and the poised manner in which she carried herself further entuated her air of sophistication. Her eyes met Eleanor''s, who simply responded with a heartyugh. "My apologies, everyone," Eleanor said, addressing the room. "This piece isn''t meant for sale, and it would be crass to discuss money at such a gathering. Lizzie, what do you think about gifting this calligraphy to someone?"


    The crowd fell silent, contemting Eleanor''s intentions.


    It didn''t take long for the sharpest minds in the room to connect the dots. Throughout the evening, Eleanor had been diligent in her efforts to ingratiate herself with the father and daughter of the Xanth family. Her attempts at ttery were anything but subtle. Now, it was clear that this calligraphy piece was part of a strategic n to further curry favor with Elijah, the powerful leader of the Xanth family.


    As realization spread among the guests, a few faces that had initially brimmed with eagerness lost their enthusiasm.


    With purposeful strides, Eleanor made her way toward Elijah and Rose, her face exuding warmth and kindness.


    "Mr. Xanth, what do you think of this calligraphy?" she asked, her question direct and brimming with confidence.


    Lizzie''s quiet confidence was evident as she momentarily nced toward Elijah. With all eyes in the room fixated on her, she anticipated a shower of praises.


    After all, this was the Finch family''s event. Even if her calligraphy wasn''t wless, she believed that the worstment she would receive would be a polite "not bad". This was their territory, and maintaining appearances was paramount. However, not everyone was concerned with such superficialities.


    Elijah scrutinized the calligraphy piece, his gaze dissecting every brushstroke with precision. Eager to amodate him, Eleanor had the piece lifted and presented directly before him, ensuring that no detail would escape his discerning eye. A heavy silence settled over the room, the air charged with anticipation as they awaited Elijah''s verdict. His face remained impassive, offering no hints of approval or disappointment. Finally, a subtle smile tugged at the corner of Elijah''s mouth. "Here ites! The praise they had been waiting for!" Not only did the other guests think so, but Lizzie and Eleanor believed it as well. Eleanor had even mentally prepared to ept thepliments with humility. Elijah''s deep voice broke the silence. "The content of this piece is indeedmendable, however¡ª"


    Eleanor interjected, "Oh no, her calligraphy isn''t that good. Mr. Xanth, you''re too kind..." Her words trailed off as she began to sense that something was amiss.


    "Did he just say ''however?'' If it''s good, why is there a ''however''?" Her mind raced as she fought to maintain her smile. ncing up, she noticed a frown now marred Elijah''s once-smiling face.


    Her forced grin grew even more strained as Elijah continued, "Mrs. Finch Senior as someone


    knowledgeable in calligraphy, it seems you already know her skills are indeedcking. It''s truly unfortunate for such an exquisite piece of text like the Lindisfarne Gospels to be presented this way."


    With that, Elijah turned away from the calligraphy piece, his expression filled with disdain as if he couldn''t bear to look at it any longer. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.


    Their gazes darted between Elijah and the calligraphy piece. It dawned on them that their earlier praises were merely a nod to the Finch family''s status and not a genuine appreciation for the art.


    They had merely yed their part in a world driven by social graces and appearances. Only the audacious leader of the Xanth family dared to speak his mind.


    Clover seized the moment, adding, "Indeed, this calligraphy isn''t up to par. All that praise just now was really quite unnecessary."


    Those who had showered Lizzie withpliments found themselves at a loss for words. Their faces flushed with shame and embarrassment. Some even took a few steps back to lessen their presence and escape the difort. Eleanor''s forced smile was frozen on her face, making her appear more unsettling than if she were crying. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that her carefullyid-out n would receive such a critique.


    Even she, a seasoned member of high society, was momentarily at a loss, only managing a stuttered, "M-Mr. Xanth..."


    However, her quick wit soon


    prevailed, and she found a way to


    respond. "Please ept my


    apologies for the inadequate disy. Her calligraphy skills are merely surface-level, far from refined However, I do have another piece that might be of interest


    Since Eleanor could not use Lizzie as a pawn, she was ready to use her as a stepping stone instead. Aware that Clover had been searching


    an authentic piece from The


    Lindisfarne Gospels for Elijahelifet


    Eleanor was certain that presenting the genuine article would undoubtedly delight him.


    She was confident in her new n.


    However, a voice echoed throughout the room before she could finish her sentence.


    "It appears Mr. Xanth has quite the prowess in calligraphy. I wonder just how impressive it really is?"


    The voice belonged to Cyrus. His tone was tinged with challenge and dissatisfaction, making it obvious that he was trying to defend his wife.


    "Cyrus!" Eleanor was taken aback and shot a fierce re at her son. She couldn''t understand why he was stirring up more trouble.


    She noticed Lizzie standing beside him, her face a mixture of embarrassment and pain, prompting Eleanor to curse "Damn that vixen!" in her mind.


    After so many years, she knew all too well how Lizzie managed to keep Cyrus wrapped around her finger. However, she had always chosen to turn a blind eye. Yet that day, Lizzie threatened to disrupt her carefullyid ns. Eleanor was fuming inside, but Cyrus showed no signs of backing down. In his eyes, Elijah and Clover were deliberately targeting Lizzie.


    This was her birthday, and as her husband, Cyrus couldn''t simply stand by and watch them treat her this way.


    He had made up his mind to defend Lizzie no matter who he was up against, even if it meant standing against the Xanth family, whose influence could rival the Finch family and help them expand into overseas markets. However, before Cyrus could say another word, another voice cut in.


    "Why don''t we have Mr. Xanth demonstrate his calligraphy skills?" The voice carried a blend of amusement and anticipation.


    All eyes turned toward the source, and they were surprised to find that it was Jonathan, the usually quiet and reserved new head of the Finch family, who had spoken.

 Chapter 583 Compared To Yours

    Jonathan''s enigmatic smile left everyone uncertain of his intentions. Yet, upon reflection, it became evident that loyalty to the Finch family would naturally take precedence.


    The atmosphere grew tense as all held their breath, sensing the escting conflict between the two powerful families of Finch and Xanth. No one had anticipated witnessing such a showdown at what was meant to be a simple birthday celebration. With Jonathan voicing the Finch family''s stance, Eleanor''s attempts to curry favor with the Xanth family were swiftly forgotten.


    However, that same smile sent a chill down Cyrus and Lizzie''s spines, making their hearts skip a beat.


    Jonathan may have been a Finch, but he had never considered Lizzie one of his own, nor had he ever acknowledged her, so Cyrus couldn''t understand why he would defend her now.


    "Jonathan..." Cyrus began to speak.


    However, before he could say more, Elijah''s deep voice boomed over his. "I see no harm in writing a few words. Bring the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone!"


    Clover sprang into action, his excitement palpable. A spectacle was about to unfold, and he couldn''t be more thrilled.


    Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Elijah stepped forward as Cyrus and Lizzie quickly made way for him. He picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write. Even from the first stroke, it was clear that his skill was far superior to Lizzie''s. Silence fell over the room.


    Elijah was writing from the same Lindisfarne Gospels as before, but even the opening strokes far surpassed Lizzie''s attempt. Even Eleanor, with her limited knowledge of calligraphy, could discern the stark contrast in ability.


    The very crowd that had showered Lizzie with insincere praise earlier now regarded Elijah''s extraordinary calligraphy with awe, admiring it in respectful silence.


    Eleanor could barely keep herposure and instinctively nced at Lizzie. Thetter was initially surprised but soon felt a sense of shame and inadequacy.


    The room remained quiet even after Elijahpleted his rendition of the Lindisfarne Gospels.


    Clover''s chuckle broke the silence like a stone tossed into a tranquilke. "So, Mrs. Finch, how does my uncle''s calligraphypare to yours?"


    Feeling the heat rise to her face, Lizzie responded, "Mr. Xanth''s skill in calligraphy is truly unparalleled. I humbly admit defeat."


    "Oh? You''re giving up so soon?" Clover teased, hisughter unrestrained as he turned to Cyrus, who had fiercely defended Lizzie earlier. "What about you, Mr. Cyrus? Are you convinced now?"


    There was no way Cyrus would remain unconvinced when the difference was so stark. His face darkened as he nced at Jonathan, realizing that thetter must have known about Elijah''s calligraphy skills and deliberately set Lizzie up for embarrassment. The more Cyrus dwelled on it, the grimmer his expression became. But it also firmed his resolve. With Jonathan''s attitude toward Lizzie, it was time to clear up the misunderstandings that night, especially since Ezra was returning for the celebration. Cyrus couldn''t allow Jonathan to hold such hostility toward Lizzie any longer.


    After he begrudgingly admitted defeat, the rest of the room burst into unanimous praise for Elijah''s work, and the hall became a lively cacophony.


    Rose too was astonished by Elijah''s calligraphy. Her eyes sparkled with amazement, a glow that Elijah immediately noticed, filling him with pride. "You..." Rose began, but Elijah couldn''t hold back.


    "Whenever I missed your mother, I''d practice my calligraphy and imagine her writing..." he said with a smile ying on his lips.


    Rose''s heart swelled with warmth at his words. She pictured a young couple the woman quietly practicing calligraphy while the man watched her lovingly. Without thinking, she murmured, "If only Mom were still here." If her mother were alive, surely their reunion would be filled with happiness.


    A hint of sorrow flickered in Elijah''s eyes, his gaze momentarily distant.


    The father and daughter''s quiet exchange was drowned out by the surrounding praise. Meanwhile, Eleanor''s forced smile was already starting to falter.


    Elijah''s stunning disy of


    calligraphy left her at a loss. She had


    prepared an original calligraphy piece as a gift, but now she had no idea how to present it. Still, a prepared gift couldn''t just be left unpresented.


    Drawing a deep breath, she addressed Elijah with a ttering tone, "Mr. Xanth, I had no idea you were so skilled in calligraphy. I have a humble request, though I''m not sure if you''d be willing to grant it." Elijah responded politely, "Please, do ask."


    "Would it be possible for you to gift me this piece of calligraphy?" Eleanor asked sincerely.


    Seeing no reason to refuse, Elijah replied, "Do with it as you wish, Mrs. Finch Senior."


    His words implied that the piece was nothing special to him. The calligraphy was done on the spot, so if Eleanor wanted it, she was wee to take it.


    Seizing the opportunity, Eleanor quickly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you so much! I must think of a proper way to show my appreciation..."


    Before Elijah could wave off her thanks, Eleanor turned to Jonathan, calling out, "Jonathan, please fetch that long box from my study. It''ll serve as my token of gratitude for Mr. Xanth''s beautiful calligraphy."


    Being a shrewd woman, she knew that, of all the Finches, Jonathan was the most acquainted with Elijah. With the gift passing from Jonathan to Elijah, she was certain thetter wouldn''t refuse it.


    Moreover, Eleanor nned to bring up the subject of Jonathan and Rose when Jonathan presented the gift, hoping that if Elijah approved, things would proceed smoothly.


    Jonathan nced at Eleanor and obediently responded, "Alright."


    With that, he made his way upstairs. A hint of coldness glinted in his dark eyes as he entered the elevator.


    "Has he made his move?" he asked.


    Following closely behind Jonathan, Finley reported in a low voice, "Yes, Mr. Finch. He''s already started. Should we apprehend him on the spot? The evidence is solid..."


    "No need. Let him continue. I want to see what he''s up to and how she reacts." Jonathan''s tone was icy.


    The "he" in question was Carl, while the "she" undoubtedly referred to Lizzie.


    As the elevator doors opened on the third floor, Jonathan stepped out and peered over the railing, surveying the bustling hall below. Amidst the crowd, Rose''s radiant smile drew his attention like a beacon.


    She was standing next to Elijah, her face alight with genuine happiness. Jonathan paused, and Finley, following his gaze, noticed Rose as well.


    "Ever since Mrs. Finch found her biological father, she seems to have be more radiant," Finley remarked.


    A small, satisfied smile tugged at


    the corner of Jonathan''s lips. He knew Rose had always yearned fora father''s love and thefort of family ties. That was why he had endured being apart from her during this time. However, he could feel his patience wearing thin.

 Chapter 584 Offended The Xanth Family

    Jonathan was lost in thought as he gazed at Rose.


    Finley noticed his mesmerized expression and raised an eyebrow. However, some matters needed to be addressed, and he reluctantly had to snap Jonathan out of it.


    "Should we take additional measures to ensure Mrs. Finch''s safety tonight?" he asked, carefully choosing his words.


    While Carl had made his move, seemingly targeting Ezra, Lizzie''s true target had always been Rose.


    "What is Lizzie nning to do to Mrs. Finch?" he wondered.


    Connecting the dots between Ezra and Lizzie, Finley began to suspect something sinister. His face darkened at the thought. If his guess were correct, Lizzie''s intentions would be truly evil.


    He nced at Jonathan, only to be startled by the icy expression on his face. Jonathan said nothing, but the cold and menacing aura he radiated spoke volumes.


    In Eleanor''s study, Jonathan retrieved the box containing the Lindisfarne Gospels. When he returned to the hall, everyone''s attention shifted toward him and the box he carried. It was clear that whatever was inside held immense value.


    As everyone recalled Eleanor''s mention of a "token of gratitude," the purpose of this item finally clicked. The gift had been meticulously prepared in advance, and even the disy of Lizzie''s calligraphy served as a prelude to its presentation. "What could be inside the box?" they wondered.


    "Jonathan, hurry. Show the gift to Mr. Xanth," Eleanor urged enthusiastically.


    Jonathan approached Elijah and carefully opened the box. As the scroll was unveiled, Eleanor eagerly introduced it.


    "Mr. Xanth, this is the original Lindisfarne Gospels manuscript. I''ve heard you appreciate calligraphy, and since this rare piece has been in the Finch family''s collection. I thought it would be the perfect gift for your generous gesture. I hope you won''t find itcking." No one could refuse a masterpiece like this.


    The crowd couldn''t help but marvel at the Finch family''s wealth and influence. The calligraphy was worth billions, and they were willing to offer it as a token of gratitude. Surely, this was a gift that would resonate with Elijah.


    All eyes were fixed on Elijah.


    Although a man of his stature might have appreciated the gift, he maintained a stoic demeanor. Standing beside him, Clover stepped forward and took the scroll from the box.


    However, as he unfurled it, his brow furrowed, and the light in his eyes seemed to dim.


    Elijah nced at the scroll before casually diverting his gaze. This was not the reaction Eleanor had expected at all.


    Her expression stiffened slightly as she asked, "Mr. Xanth, what do you think of the gift?"


    Elijah politely responded, "It''s a wonderful gift, Mrs. Finch Senior. Thank you. However, it''s far too valuable. I insist that you take it back."


    Eleanor felt a wave of relief wash over her as she realized his hesitation stemmed from the gift''s significant worth.


    She quickly assured him, saying, "It''s not too valuable, not at all. A gift is just a way to express one''s feelings, so please ept it, Mr. Xanth." "This..." Elijah hesitated, looking conflicted.


    The onlookers assumed he was simply too polite to ept such an extravagant gift. Eleanor thought the same.


    Encouraging him further, she added, "It''s really nothing extraordinary. It''s just a token of my sincerity. Please, don''t refuse it any longer."


    Eleanor was quite satisfied with Elijah''s reaction. His reluctance and modesty reassured her that he would feel obligated to repay the Finch family in the future. The more he declined, the more he would remember to offer favors to them. With this, their path to expanding into overseas markets would be smoother. As Eleanor was indulging in these thoughts, Clover''s voice suddenly cut through the air.


    "It really isn''t anything extraordinary," he said with a cold chuckle, making his distaste for the Finch family evident.


    After all, Lizzie had plotted against


    Rose''s life, and now Eleanor was using Lizzie''s birthday as a pretense to draw, Elijah into their web of ttery and maniption. Besides, there was another reason why he disapproved of this so-called gift.


    Clover''sugh was filled with disdain, causing Eleanor to stiffen.


    "Hold on! I only said it wasn''t anything extraordinary out of humility. It wasn''t supposed to be taken literally! This gift is worth billions!" she thought.


    "Ha... ha ha ha..." She forced a smile, her difort evident. She was ustomed to criticizing others but now found herself desperately seeking ways to showcase the gift''s value. Just then, Clover''s following statement struck like a p of thunder. "It''s a counterfeit..."


    "Clover!" Elijah snapped, his face darkening as he chided his nephew. "Where are your manners?"


    "But Uncle Elijah, I''m not wrong. It is a counterfeit!" Clover protested, clearly frustrated.


    "A counterfeit? This piece of Lindisfarne Gospels is a fake?" the crowd thought as the room was enveloped in stunned silence, tension hanging heavy in the air.


    It took Eleanor a moment to process Clover''s im. Visibly shaken, she forced a tight smile. "Mr. Clover, how could this possibly be a counterfeit?" she questioned. After all, she belonged to the prestigious Finch family. Their collection wouldn''t include a forgery. If the piece were indeed fake, their reputation would be tarnished. "You didn''t know?" Clover responded, raising an eyebrow before smirking again. "Seems like even you''ve been tricked, Mrs. Finch Senior.


    "The real Lindisfarne Gospels have been hanging in my uncle''s study for as long as I can remember. So, if this isn''t a fake, what is it?"


    He cast another nce at the alleged forgery and offered an unexpectedpliment. "It''s a remarkably good imitation though. It''s almost indistinguishable from the real thing."


    "Almost like the real thing... That just means it''s still a fake. But why is he so certain the one in Elijah''s study is the real one? No, something''s not adding up..." Eleanor''s mind raced. Suddenly, her eyes widened as a thought struck her. She began, "If Mr. Xanth already possesses the real Lindisfarne Gospels, then why has he been searching for it all this time?" "You''re actually aware of my uncle''s search for the Lindisfarne Gospels?" Clover asked with a look of genuine surprise as if to say, "Your informationwork is truly impressive." He then shook his head before continuing, "But, Mr. Finch Senior, there appears to be a misunderstanding."


    He paused. "Well, it''s not exactly a misunderstanding. My uncle has indeed been searching for the Lindisfarne Gospels. You might not be aware, but the calligraphy is divided into two volumes. My uncle possesses the first volume and is searching for the second one."


    He cast a nce at the gifted scroll, and an awkward chuckle escaped his lips. "But this..."


    The implication was evident, even as his words trailed off.


    Unaware of the Lindisfarne Gospels having two volumes, Eleanor found herself momentarily speechless. She could no longer muster a defense for her meticulously prepared gift.


    The guests around them began to regain their senses as well. Their shock gradually gave way to realization.


    "Good heavens! A counterfeit! The Finch family''s treasured ''authentic masterpiece'' is fake! And Eleanor has presented this forgery to the esteemed Elijah.


    "This isn''t just a minor embarrassment. It''s a major offense! The Finch family has offended the Xanth family," they thought.


    An air of nervous tension and excitement filled the hall, though no one dared express their sentiments openly.


    The atmosphere grew unnervingly


    quiet, the silence heavy and fraught


    with anticipation. Gradually, all eyes turned toward Elijah as they observed him intently, hoping for a hint of his reaction.


    However, much to their dismay, Elijah''s expression remained inscrutable.

 Chapter 585 Breaking Through Her Stubbornness

    Eleanor''s carefully maintainedposure was slipping fast, but she still managed a strained smile as she apologized.


    "Mr. Xanth, I''m sorry. I don''t understand how this happened. My age seems to have caught up with me, and my eyes aren''t as sharp as they once were..."


    Ever the gentleman, Elijah responded with grace and tact. "There''s no need to me yourself, Mrs. Finch Senior. Considering the Finch family''s reputation and your discerning nature, it appears you were misled. "Nevertheless, your thoughtfulness in choosing the Lindisfarne Gospels is greatly appreciated as I genuinely admire the work."


    His carefully chosen words, particrly the phrase "misled", masterfully preserved the dignity of both the Finch family and Eleanor.


    Eleanor felt a wave of relief and gratitude, yet the word "misled" echoed in her mind, even as she kept herposure.


    After offering more apologies and exchanging a few more pleasantries with Elijah, she excused herself, pleading fatigue, and retired to her room.


    Before leaving, she called out to Lizzie, "Lizz, help me upstairs, would you?"


    Although Eleanor smiled as she addressed Lizzie, thetter couldn''t help but sense an impending storm. Sure enough, as soon as they entered the room, Eleanor''s smile vanished entirely. Without warning, she raised her cane and struck Lizzie sharply.


    "Ah!" Lizzie cried out in pain, startled by the unexpected blow. She looked up, meeting Eleanor''s frigid gaze, and instinctively dropped to her knees.


    "Mom, I''m sorry. It was my fault. I didn''t handle things well earlier, I..."


    Lizzie''s voice cracked, and her tears threatened to spill. Her vulnerable demeanor might have elicited sympathy from others, but her "sincere" apology only served to fuel Eleanor''s anger. Instead of calming down, Eleanor''s expression grew harsher still. "Spare me the act. Stop ying the victim. Your husband isn''t here to shield you-"


    "Lizz!"


    Eleanor''s words were cut short by the sound of the door opening.


    It was none other than Cyrus, Lizzie''s husband.


    He had suspected Eleanor might take out her frustrations on Lizzie the moment she singled her out for assistance. Worried about Lizzie, he had followed discreetly. His fears, it seemed, were not unfounded. Upon seeing the telltale bruise forming on Lizzie''s arm, Cyrus'' heart ached. Without hesitation, he rushed to her side and helped her to her feet, paying no heed to Eleanor''s stony expression.


    Cyrus immediately pleaded with Eleanor, "Mom, it''s not Lizzie''s fault. She didn''t know Elijah knew calligraphy. She put in her best effort, and honestly, her writing wasn''t bad."


    He stood protectively in front of Lizzie, shielding her from Eleanor''s wrath. Thetter''s brows furrowed deeply in response.


    Suddenly, a mocking smile crept onto her face. "You think I hit her because her calligraphy wasn''t good enough?"


    "Wasn''t that the reason?" Cyrus thought, remaining silent. However, his expression conveyed everything Eleanor needed to know.


    Her eyes filled with disdain, and she let out a coldugh. "Cyrus, you were once the head of the Finch family. I used to think that, while you weren''t quite up to your father''s level, you were at leastpetent. "But now... it seems the only reason the family didn''t copse under your leadership is thanks to the blessings of our ancestors."


    "Mom..." Cyrus muttered, his frustration palpable as Eleanor''s words effectively belittled his capabilities.


    "You''re blinded by a woman this easily, so what are you if not ipetent?" Eleanor snapped, her anger rising again. She repeated, "Do you really think I hit her because her calligraphy wasn''t good enough?" Cyrus lowered his gaze, the fire of defiance in his eyes dimming.


    Eleanor''s piercing gaze shifted toward Lizzie, who remained partially concealed behind Cyrus. "And what about you? Do you think it''s because of that?" Feeling guilty and cornered, Lizzie continued apologizing, "Mom, I was wrong..."


    "Wrong about what, precisely?" Eleanor pressed, her tone growing harsher with each word. Her eyes zed furiously as if they could burn through Lizzie. "Mom, I..." Lizzie bit her lip, knowing she couldn''t admit to anything beyond her calligraphy skills.


    After all, there was no way she would dare to acknowledge any deeper fault. She could only persevere in her pleas for forgiveness. "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry..." However, what Eleanor wanted to hear was not empty apologies.


    Lizzie''s persistent refusal to admit


    her actual transgressions only served to enrage Eleanor further. And since Lizzie insisted on hiding behind Cyrus, Eleanor decided that she would dismantle Lizzie''s obstinate resolve right before his eyes.


    Amidst Lizzie''s repeated apologies, Eleanor''s tone became sharper as she stated, "Then how do you exin the Lindisfarne Gospels? You attempted to deceive me with a counterfeit. "Were it not for Elijah''s grace, our family would have faced grave repercussions. Lizzie, what exactly were you thinking?"


    With Eleanor''s blunt usation, Lizzie had no choice but to face the truth. Her heart raced frantically as she tried to exin, "I... I had no idea. I didn''t know it was a fake. It''s..." Panicked, she looked toward Cyrus for help.


    The original Lindisfarne Gospels had been a gift from Cyrus that he had acquired at an exorbitant price. It seemed inconceivable that an artifact procured by the Finch family could be a forgery. Moreover, Cyrus had taken the additional step of authenticating the artwork at the time, confirming its legitimacy.


    So, when Clover had dered it a


    fake earlier, Cyrus had been just as


    perplexed as Lizzie. He couldn''t understand how something once authenticated as genuine would suddenly transform into a forgery. The situation defied all logic.


    Despite his own confusion, when Lizzie sought his support, Cyrus instinctively sprang to her defense. "Lizzie didn''t know..." he began, only to be silenced by Eleanor''s fierce re.


    "She didn''t know? Then who does? Lizzie, will you exin yourself, or should I have someone investigate?"


    Eleanor''s gaze was as sharp as a predator''s, making it clear that she wasn''t asking for an excuse. She was demanding the truth.


    The prospect of confession filled


    Lizzie with terror. There was no way she could admit that when she had learned Eleanor nned to use the Lindisfarne Gospels to curry favor with the Xanth family and Rose, she decided not to let Eleanor seed in her scheme.


    So, she had Carl swapped the original with a counterfeit. However, she had been too careless. She never imagined that Elijah would possess the original upper volume, nor did she anticipate that Carl might have mishandled things. When Carl delivered the forgery to her, she trusted himpletely and didn''t even bother to check it before recing the real one.


    Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that the first and second volumes werepletely different. Now, a nagging suspicion lingered in her mind.


    "Was the scroll Carl had provided the first volume, or had someone tampered with it along the way? If someone had interfered..."


    A wave of unease washed over Lizzie. At this moment, she could not verify anything with Carl, and she had Eleanor''s seething anger to deal with.


    "Mom, I swear I didn''t know. When I handed you the Lindisfarne Gospels, it was indeed the real one..." Lizzie pleaded.


    Eleanor''s eyes widened with fury. "Are you suggesting that the error urred while it was in my possession?"


    "No, Mom! That''s not what I meant!" Lizzie was on the verge of tears.


    However, Eleanor had already reached her conclusion. Lizzie was the one who had tampered with the scroll. Recalling how they had nearly offended the Xanth family due to this, Eleanor itched to give her another p.


    The sight of Lizzie''s tearful, pitiful disy only fueled her irritation. "Enough! Who are you trying to fool with that pitiful act? Since you won''t confess, I''ll investigate it myself.


    "Cyrus, take your woman and leave. Her presence here is an eyesore and a source of headache for me!"


    Eleanor''s disdain was tangible, her tone thick with contempt.


    "If I find out you were behind this..." she left the threat hanging.

 Chapter 586 Not Worth It

    "If this really is her doing, there would be hell to pay!" Eleanor thought as she snapped, "What are you waiting for? Get her out of here!"


    Under her fierce gaze, Cyrus escorted Lizzie out of the room. Once outside the door, Lizzie crumpled to the floor, biting her lip and holding back her sobs. Seeing her like this only deepened Cyrus'' heartache. "Everything''s fine now, Lizz. Mom was just furious. She didn''t mean those harsh words," he said softly as he crouched beside her before pulling her into his arms.


    A sense of frustration and guilt washed over him. Even during his time as the Finch family head, he had never mustered the courage to confront Eleanor.


    His futile attempts to console Lizzie only made her feel more bitter, but there was nothing she could do. Despite her disillusionment with Cyrus, she had no choice but to rely on him and amplify her vulnerability to garner his sympathy. "Lizz, it''s your birthday today, so cheer up. I''ve got a huge cake ready for you, and I''ve got another big surprise nned," Cyrus said, holding her hand and trying to lift her spirits with something positive.


    With her goal achieved, Lizzie abandoned her helpless charade. If Cyrus had a surprise for her, she had an even greater one prepared for the entire Finch family. The prospect reignited her excitement.


    When Cyrus led Lizzie back to the hall downstairs, Rose was nowhere to be seen. Lizzie caught sight of Jonathan among the crowd, and a quick, knowing smile graced her lips before vanishing almost instantly. She knew that the show was about to begin. Meanwhile, Rose had left the scene due to a wine spill on her clothes. Growing weary of the party, she had been preparing to leave when a server carrying drinks was identally bumped, causing a tray of wine sses to topple.


    The liquid sttered across Rose''s pants, soaking the fabric. Left with no choice, she needed a change of attire.


    "Ms. Shaffer, why don''t you wear something of mine? It''s brand new, so you probably won''t mind, right?" Yara, now one of the members of the Finch family, suggested. She and Rose were about the same age and size, making it a seemingly fitting offer. Since there had been past tension between the two of them, Yara added with a slight smirk, "What? Are you afraid I might harm you?"


    "Not at all!" Rose responded with amusement.


    After all, there was no reason she should be afraid. Whatever schemes Yara might be concocting, she was confident in her ability to handle them. Even if Yara attempted to cause her harm, Rose was more than ready to repay her in kind. So, with no hesitation, she followed Yara.


    Yara''s room was located on the second floor. As Rose trailed behind her, Yara continued to chatter, "You really are a lucky girl, huh?"


    Rose remained silent but reflected on the statement, and the more she thought about it, the more she agreed.


    She really had been lucky. Meeting Jonathan, Miles, Clover, Ezra, Emily, and even Elijah had all been blessings in her life.


    "But I wonder when your luck will run out," Yara added, her tone not overtly malicious but with an unmistakable undercurrent of anticipation as if she were waiting for Rose''s luck to finally turn.


    Rose didn''t mind. Even if her luck did run out, she had already met the people she was destined to meet. Fate had already bestowed upon her the greatest gifts, so if her good fortune were to end, it wouldn''t faze her much.


    Yara led Rose into her expansive walk-in closet and gestured toward a row of brand-new clothes. "Pick whichever you like," she offered.


    She cast a quick nce at Rose, confident that any outfit from her wardrobe would be more morous than the simple blouse and jeans Rose had on.


    She assumed Rose would select an outfit that would make her stand out-perhaps the haute couture piece she had recently acquired, or maybe thetest design from another top-notch brand''s current season.


    Just when she was thinking whichvish piece Rose would choose, the woman in question nced around and swiftly selected a dress.


    "Is it okay if I wear this one?" Rose asked.


    Yara''s brows furrowed as she took


    in Rose''s choice. The dress was a simple slip gown in in emerald satin, unadorned and rather


    mundane-looking, almost as if


    were mass-produced. Even Yara herself wasn''t sure how such a dress had found its way into her closet.


    She eyed Rose once more. "Sure. If that''s what you want."


    "Perhaps this is the extent of Rose''s taste," Yara thought, raising an eyebrow. The gown was so understated that even Rose''s striking emerald ne wouldn''t be able to elevate its appearance.


    She felt a twinge of satisfaction as she pictured Rose being overshadowed by her own eleganceter in the evening.


    However, when Rose stepped out of the dressing room in the gown, Yara was momentarily struck with awe. Her eyes fixated on Rose, and for a moment, she forgot to blink.


    "Is something the matter, Mrs. Finch?" Rose asked, noticing the odd look in Yara''s eyes.


    Yara snapped out of her daze. Realizing her momentarypse inposure, she rolled her eyes and snapped, "Don''t call me Mrs. Finch. Call me Ms. Maize."


    "Well, thank you, Ms. Maize, for the dress," Rose responded with a genuine smile.


    The sincerity in Rose''s smile only deepened the frown on Yara''s face. "Damn it!" she cursed inwardly. She couldn''t fathom how a dress she deemed so unremarkable could look even remotely ttering on Rose. Feeling a sense of dissatisfaction, Yara nced at Rose. "No need for thanks." With that, she turned and walked toward the door.


    Rose watched her retreating figure, realizing that the international movie star wasn''t entirely unpleasant, at least not that day. She understood Yara''s state of mind well.


    As they made their way down the stairs, Rose suddenly said, "Jonathan isn''t right for you."


    Yara paused in her tracks as Rose''s voice continued from behind her.


    "Liam, on the other hand, is a capable man. He''s free from any scandals and has good character. He''s someone worth getting to know better."


    Yara frowned, surprised by the sincerity in Rose''s tone. However, the recollection of that mortifying wedding shed through her mind, fueling her anger.


    She turned to face Rose. "My life is none of your concern."


    Rose raised an eyebrow. She was in no way trying to interfere in Yara''s life. She had merely meant to offer a friendly suggestion as a small gesture of gratitude for the dress.


    With a slight smile ying on her


    lips, she met Yara''s gaze and replied, "Your life is certainly not my concern. ''simply feel that someone with your acting talent deserves better than to be weighed down by such trivial matters."


    "Deserves better? What gives her the right to say that?" Yara bristled, fuming inwardly.


    "If you''ll excuse me, Ms. Maize," Rose said, maintaining her polite smile.


    Yara was tempted to block her path out of sheer defiance, but to her surprise, she found herself stepping aside to let Rose pass. It wasn''t until Rose was well ahead that Yara managed to shake off her


    confusion.


    "Wait... why did I let her through? No, something else is bothering me. What had she said? She said I have talent in acting... What did she mean by that?" she wondered. After mulling it over, Yara let out a slight huff and muttered, "At least she has good taste."


    As an international actress, Yara''s acting prowess was undeniable. Yet, for some reason, hearing thepliment from Rose stirred an unfamiliar feeling within her.


    She watched as Rose reached the bottom of the stairs. Just then, a man dressed as a bodyguard approached Rose and said something. Rose then followed the bodyguard and left.

 Chapter 587 He Is Expendable But Rose Is Not

    The bodyguard had told Rose that Jonathan was waiting for her in the greenhouse.


    She scanned the grand hall, unable to find Jonathan among the crowd. After a moment''s hesitation, she decided to follow the bodyguard.


    Despite this being her third visit to the Finch Manor, she had never visited the greenhouse in the backyard.


    "Ms. Shaffer, Mr. Jonathan is inside. You can go right in," the sunsses-d bodyguard informed her with a respectful nod.


    Rose found it odd that he addressed her as "Ms. Shaffer" rather than "Mrs. Finch."


    Both Finley and Leonard had always referred to her as "Mrs. Finch", leading her to wonder if this bodyguard was not among Jonathan''s inner circle. But then again, not everyone around Jonathan was necessarily privy to her rtionship with him. "Why am I even fixating on the title ''Mrs. Finch''?" she thought, feeling her cheeks warm. It made her seem as though she was eager to be acknowledged as Jonathan''s wife.


    "Alright," Rose replied softly, casting onest nce at the bodyguard before he disappeared from view.


    Once he was out of sight, Rose resumed her path toward the greenhouse, where Eleanor nurtured her fresh flowers.


    The moment she stepped inside, she was enveloped by a powerful natural scent, a mixture of various floral fragrances that appeared to change with each step she took. Immersed in the myriad of aromas, Rose searched for Jonathan''s figure.


    "Jonathan?" she called out.


    The greenhouse was far more expansive than she had anticipated. After a fruitless search, Rose called his name again, but her words were met with silence.


    Just as she began to sense something was amiss, a sudden, loud bang reverberated from the far end of the greenhouse.


    Startled, she turned toward the source of the sound, but everything fell quiet again. Curiosity mingled with caution as she made her way toward the ce where the sound had originated.


    Upon reaching the greenhouse''s farthest corner, Rose found the source of the noise. A man was curled up on the ground, his body hunched in on itself. When he lifted his head to meet her gaze, Rose froze. A mask concealed his face. "Go... leave this ce," the man urged, his voice strained as though he were struggling with an internal battle.


    Despite the strain in his voice, Rose instantly recognized him. "Ezra?"


    It was Ezra. But why was he here? And what had happened to him?


    Before she could pose the questions, Ezra''s voice grew urgent. "Go! You must leave here, now!"


    This time, he practically shouted, his tone desperate. However, now that Rose had seen Ezra''s condition, she couldn''t possibly turn a blind eye.


    "Are you alright? What''s wrong? Ezra, don''t be afraid. Look at me; I''m Rose. I won''t hurt you. Let''s get you to the hospital," she said. Memories of the art exhibit incident flooded her mind.


    Assuming Ezra was experiencing another episode, she refused to abandon him now. However, as she drew closer, Ezra pushed her away.


    This time, his expressioncked the ferocity she had witnessed at the art exhibit. His restrained gaze conveyed a determination not to cause harm, even at the cost of himself, to protect Rose. "Leave!" Ezra gritted out, trying to push her away again, thinking that she might leave if he were forceful enough.


    Yet, he underestimated Rose''s determination. Even though she stumbled and fell, she immediately got back up, ignoring his demand to leave. Without missing a beat, she grabbed his hand. "Can you walk? If not, I''ll carry you!"


    Despite her petite frame and Ezra''s imposing stature, Rose''s voice brimmed with determination.


    Ezra clenched his teeth, his senses overwhelmed by the mix of floral scents. The intense fragrance made him frown. Then, with a sudden jolt of realization, he reached up and covered Rose''s mouth with his hand. "There''s something off about the scent in here," he murmured.


    Rose froze for a moment, confusion evident in her eyes. "Something off with the scent? What does he mean?" she thought.


    "We''ve been set up," Ezra exined, his voice low and certain. From the moment he had felt something off within his body, he had already drawn this unnerving conclusion.


    At first, he thought the trap was meant for him alone. It was clear that someone had orchestrated this situation to ruin him.


    He could easily envision what would


    transpire next. People would "stumble upon" him in his vulnerable state, and undoubtedly, the media would be present, eager to capture and broadcast his humiliation.


    The inevitable oue would be nothing short of a destruction of his reputation.


    Ezra could even guess who was behind this plot to destroy him. But strangely, he hadn''t felt fear in the face of his imminent downfall. He had been prepared to face it all with calm eptance.


    However, the moment he saw Rose, fear surged within him. It was then he realized the actual target of the scheme wasn''t just him but Rose as well.


    "They''re trying to ruin both of us," he thought as his heart pounded in his chest. Ezra could ept his own downfall but not Rose''s. He simply couldn''t let that happen.


    He looked at Rose, and she seemed to understand his thoughts.


    "Leave. Go find my brother," Ezra urged.


    Rose had been drugged before, so she was able to connect the dots quickly. It was clear to her that Ezra was under the influence of a drug hidden within the floral fragrance. "Find my brother," Ezra repeated, his tone firm and resolute.


    Rose swallowed nervously. "But you..."


    "I''ll be fine. Just find my brother and bring him here to help me." Ezra forced a weak smile, doing his best to suppress the heat coursing through him.


    Rose understood that this wasn''t the time to hesitate. She nodded. "Okay, I''ll go find him. Just hang in there."


    Perhaps she stood up too quickly, or maybe her heart was pounding too hard, but as she rose to her feet, she suddenly felt dizzy. Her body felt light, and her legs weakened.


    Rose knew then that she had also been drugged.


    She knew what would happen if she


    were to copse. Even if both she and Ezra had strong willpower didn''t want anything to happen. between them, the drug could unleash unpredictable


    consequences.


    She had to leave. Protecting Ezra meant protecting herself and, more importantly...


    An image of Jonathan shed through Rose''s mind as she silently cursed the mastermind behind this vile plot.


    Mustering all her strength, she stumbled forward, covering a distance of more than ten meters before her body finally betrayed her.


    Her feet grew weak, and the ground seemed to give way beneath her. Losing her bnce, Rose began to fall.


    A wave of dread washed over her.


    Falling now could mean total


    vel


    disaster, a situation from which there might be no return. Panic surged, and in her fear, she


    instinctively called out, "Jonathan..."


    A tall figure rushed toward her, catching her in his strong arms before she hit the ground. Under the dim light in the greenhouse, she could faintly make out his face.


    "Jonathan..." A deep sense of relief washed over Rose. At that moment, she felt like a ship battered by storms that had finally found a safe harbor.


    Remembering her own predicament and Ezra''s condition, she tightly gripped Jonathan''s cor. "I think I''ve been drugged... Ezra''s still in there. Jonathan, you have to get him to a hospital." Jonathan nced at the woman in his arms, her face flushed with a feverish glow. His expression darkened.


    "So this is Lizzie''s n? She wanted to ruin both Rose and Ezra," he thought.


    Clenching his jaw, Jonathan''s eyes zed with a dangerous glint. But when he looked down at Rose, his gaze softened. "Don''t worry, everything will be alright."


    Rose would be alright, and Ezra would be fine. The only person who would be in trouble was Lizzie.


    Jonathan called out, "Finley, take Ezra out through the back. Make sure you remain unnoticed."

 Chapter 588 He Is A Good Husband

    "Understood," Finley replied before following Jonathan''s order and making his way to the far end of the greenhouse. He soon found Ezra in a secluded corner.


    The drug had takenplete control of Ezra''s body, leaving him disoriented, but he could still faintly hear Jonathan''s voice.


    "Is Jonathan here?" Ezra asked weakly.


    "Yes, Mr. Ezra, he''s here," Finley confirmed.


    "Tell my brother... Rose and I... we were set up. There''s nothing between us. Let him know..." Ezra''s words came out hurried and strained.


    Finley clearly remembered how Ezra had gone to great lengths to get close to Rose in Aquastead, deliberately trying to mislead Jonathan. But now, his words were theplete opposite of what he was trying to achieve back then. "Don''t worry, Mr. Ezra. Mr. Jonathan will take care of her. But I need to get you out of here," Finley reassured him.


    The Finch Manor had a medical wing, and the greenhouse had a small side door. Finley helped Ezra to his feet and guided him through the side door, quietly slipping into the darkness without alerting anyone.


    Back in the greenhouse, Jonathan had located the source of the strange scent and discarded all the tainted flowers. As he re-entered the room, a warm, delicate figure stumbled into his arms.


    "Hubby..." Rose''s sweet, seductive voice was a whisper in his ear, causing Jonathan''s heart to skip a beat.


    Feeling the heat and urgency emanating from Rose''s body, Jonathan grabbed her hands, which were insistently tearing at his clothes.


    "Do you know what you''re doing?" he asked.


    "What I''m doing?" Rose mused as she gazed up at him, her mind clouded by the drug''s influence. The face in front of her was a sight to behold.


    "Do you know what you''re doing?" Jonathan repeated, his grip tightening slightly as he restrained himself and his voice growing harsher with control.


    He was aware that Rose was not fully conscious due to the drug. He didn''t want to take advantage of her vulnerable state, but as he thought back to how she had been deliberately keeping her distance from him for so long, he realized he might have waited long enough. A voice inside his head told him that if she said she didn''t know what she was doing, he would continue to restrain himself. But if she said she did...


    "Know what?" Rose asked innocently, her gaze never leaving his face. All she knew was that his inviting lips were irresistible.


    Taking the invitation, Rose freed her hands from his grasp, hooked them around his neck, and stood on her tiptoes.


    She brushed her lips against his and they were softer than she had imagined and just as delicious as she had expected. Because of that, Rose couldn''t resist giving them a little lick too.


    Her sudden action snapped thest thread of Jonathan''s self-restraint as a loud bang echoed in his mind.


    What did it matter if she knew or not? She was his wife, and he was her husband. Their rtionship was legally recognized. Besides, she had just called him "hubby".


    She had needs, and he was there to fulfill them. Only by doing so could he truly be called a good husband.


    The kiss initiated by Rose quickly spiraled out of control. Soon, the only thing left in the greenhouse was the sound of their heavy, entangled breaths.


    Meanwhile, back at the banquet, Cyrus had juste down the stairs and was organizing the waitstaff to bring out a massive cake.


    Lizzie stood gracefully by his side. The guests attending the birthday banquet knew the focus had long shifted away from her, but when it came to the cake-cutting ceremony, they still had to y along. Cyrus gave a moving speech, and Lizzie smiled happily. However, she couldn''t help but think of Rose.


    She had noticed Rose''s absence when she came downstairs. Elijah, Clover, Miles, and Jonathan were all present initially, but now she couldn''t find Jonathan either.


    Lizzie''s gaze swept the room, her smile faltering slightly.


    "Lizz, is something wrong?" Cyrus noticed her unease and asked with concern.


    Lizzie snapped out of her thoughts. She almost blurted out, "Where''s Jonathan?" but quickly regained herposure and offered an excuse. "I''m just...really happy." Cyrus couldn''t help but think her tion was because of his earlier deration of love.


    Brimming with excitement, he handed Lizzie the cake knife. "Let''s cut the cake. Afterward, there''s a special surprise waiting for you."


    Lizzie wasn''t interested in the surprise, for her thoughts remained on Jonathan and Rose.


    Just then, ¨¤ voice suddenly


    interrupted the scene, breaking the silence Where''s Rosie? She went to change clothes earlier. Why hasn''t she returned?" It was Harriette, standing beside Miles.


    This birthday banquet had made her feel invisible as everyone''s attention was focused on Rose. That didn''t surprise her, but Rose had been gone for a while now. Even if it was just to change her clothes, she should have returned by now.


    Yara, who had taken Rose to change, was already back, but Rose was still nowhere to be seen.


    "Did something happen?" Harriette mused.


    Noticing the odd look on Lizzie''s face, a suspicion formed in her mind, making her wonder if Lizzie had something nned for that night.


    The more she thought about it, the more intrigued she became. She was curious to see what Lizzie''s intentions were.


    Sensing Lizzie''s hesitation to cut the cake, Harriette seized the moment and spoke up. Though her voice was quiet, several people overheard her inquiry. Lizzie paused, her hand hovering over the cake as she looked around, frowning. "Now that you mention it, where is Ms. Shaffer?"


    Everyone in the room exchanged nces, each with the same question in their mind.


    "Where is Ms. Shaffer?"


    Instinctively, all eyes turned toward Yara. She had been the one to take Rose away after her dress was soaked. Now, Yara had returned, but Rose had not.


    Under the weight of the crowd''s questioning gazes, Yara''s brow furrowed in confusion. "I have no idea where she is. She changed her clothes and left with someone right after."


    Yara had recognized the bodyguard who had led Rose away. He was from the Finch family''s Azure n. Those serving in the n were loyal to the family''s leader.


    She surmised that Jonathan might have summoned Rose through the bodyguard. Perhaps the two were enjoying a moment of solitude together.


    Rose and Jonathan were missing from the banquet, so her theory seemed usible.


    Lizzie''s face creased with concern, and she set down the cake knife she had been holding. "We must search for her. Ms. Shaffer isn''t familiar with the manor, and if something were to happen..."


    "But..." Cyrus hesitated, reluctant to disrupt the birthday festivities.


    Before he could finish, Elijah, Clover, and Miles hurriedly exited the hall. Others followed suit, leaving Cyrus struggling to maintain hisposure.


    Lizzieforted him, "Cyrus, Ms. Shaffer''s background is unique. If anything happens, the Finch family will be held responsible. We should join the search."


    Despite her reassurances, Lizzie couldn''t help but smirk inwardly. If Carl had arranged things ording to her n, the Finch family would undoubtedly be held ountable.


    Yet, this could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Finch family. And for Eleanor, it would be a dreame true.


    As thoughts of Eleanor crossed Lizzie''s mind, her eyes darkened. Such a significant event was about to unfold, and it would be unthinkable not to inform Eleanor.


    As they made their way out of the hall, Lizzie discreetly instructed a nearby helper, "Inform Mrs. Finch Senior that Ms. Shaffer has gone missing."

 Chapter 589 Is It You Rose

    Within the expansive grounds of the Finch Manor, the banquet''s attendees diligently joined the search for Rose.


    As Cyrus emerged from the grand hall, a helper hastily approached, breathlessly eximing, "Mr. Cyrus, Mr. Finch has vanished!"


    Before Cyrus could react, Lizzie, who stood beside him, voiced her concerns. "Cyrus, do you think Ezra might have..."


    She was hinting at the possibility of Ezra''s illness acting up again.


    Ezra''s condition was a well-guarded secret within the Finch family. The situation would undoubtedly escte if he had an episode during the event and Rose was caught in the midst of it.


    Intentionally nting seeds of doubt in Cyrus''s mind, Lizzie was well aware that the forting "show" would be far more severe and dramatic than Ezra''s illness ring up and identally hurting Rose.


    The mention of "Ezra" pricked the ears of nearby guests, some of whom questioned if this could be the world-renowned Ezra, a celebrity with a fervent fanbase. Had he graced the birthday banquet with his presence? And what of this mysterious "Mr. Finch"? "Any news? Have you found her?"


    "Nothing on this end. Any luck over there?"


    "All clear here, too."


    "Where could she have gone?"


    A curious guest attempted to delve into the connection between "Mr. Finch" and "Ezra", only to be drowned out by the mor of the ongoing search. Suddenly, a voice called out, "It sounds like there''s something over there..."


    All heads turned toward the direction of the sound, and people quickly hurried over. Sure enough, the closer they got, the more distinct the noise became.


    A greenhouse loomed ahead, its impressive scale revealing avish botanical sanctuary. Even before entering, an intoxicating floral scent wafted through the air, mingling with peculiar noises echoing within.


    A crash echoed, signaling the sound of something falling and shattering. Then, an unmistakably feminine gasp of surprise followed, drifting in the breeze.


    "Ah..."


    Bewilderment filled the crowd as imaginations ran wild, attempting to decipher the scene unfolding within the greenhouse. However, one thing was clear-someone was inside, and it was a woman.


    The crowd couldn''t help but wonder if the woman was Rose.


    Uncertain of what was happening inside, no one dared to be the first to enter. Instead, they looked expectantly at Elijah, Clover, and Miles.


    The three men stood with furrowed brows, clearly hesitating. After all, whatever was happening inside likely involved more than just Rose, and as her father and cousin, Elijah and Clover naturally didn''t want any private matters exposed in front of so many people. The trio shared a look of concern, and just as everyone thought they might dismiss the crowd, a voice cut through the silence.


    "Miles, Rosie''s inside..." The voice was raspy, filled with concern and urgency.


    No sooner had the words left her lips than the speaker hurried into the greenhouse. Miles frowned briefly but followed her in, with Elijah and Clover close behind.


    The others hesitated, but seeing Cyrus and Lizzie also stepping into the greenhouse, curiosity got the better of them, and one by one, they followed.


    An unsettling silence nketed the greenhouse. It seemed everyone deliberately softened their steps as though wary of startling the upants.


    The further they advanced, the clearer the faint sounds became. They could now discern the rushed breaths of two individuals. Merely hearing them was enough to spark imaginations, conjuring scandalous scenes in the listeners'' minds.


    As they drew closer to the source of the sound, the scene in the corner of the greenhouse came into view.


    A man and a woman stood together.


    The man''s jacket was carelessly


    tossed over a cluster of blooming, flowers, and the woman was leaning into him. Her cascading hair obscured half her face, while the


    man''s tall, broad frame shielded the


    other half from view.


    As for the man himself, all they saw was his silhouette-tall, straight, and exuding an aura of nobility. His ck silk shirt appeared somewhat disheveled, as though it had endured a fierce struggle.


    Sensing the crowd''s presence, the man turned slightly, just enough for them to catch a glimpse of his face. Even so, no one could quite make out who he was, for he was wearing a mask.


    The mask concealed most of his face, and given the greenhouse''s dim lighting, identifying him was nearly impossible. However, someone in the crowd recognized that mask.


    "Ezra! You..." Cyrus eximed, the name slipping out before he could stop himself.


    Realizing his mistake, he tried to rectify the situation, but it was toote.


    Everyone present had heard it. Even though many attendees were from the business world, they were well aware of Ezra, the top celebrity Some had met him in person, while


    others had seen him in the media.


    The silhouette did indeed resemble Ezra''s. If the man was Ezra, then the woman...


    "Rosie." The raspy voice spoke again, this time with certainty. Though the woman was well-hidden, Harriette recognized her.


    Miles frowned deeply, and a hint of anger shed in his eyes as he nced at Harriette beside him. Harriette felt the intensity of his gaze and turned to meet Miles'' furious expression. However, she didn''t believe his anger was directed at her. Miles cared about Rose, so he would naturally be furious upon finding her in a secret rendezvous with a male celebrity.


    It wasn''t just Miles either. Harriette observed that both Elijah and Clover looked particrly upset. Their fists were clenched, and they were ring fiercely at the man''s silhouette.


    She thought it was a pity Jonathan wasn''t here. If he saw his wife in such apromising situation, he would likely be furious enough to kill someone. Jonathan...


    The excitement Harriette initially felt was abruptly interrupted when she realized that Jonathan had vanished. He had been present earlier, so his disappearance at such a pivotal moment was unsettling. Before she could dwell further on this thought, amotion came from outside.


    "How could she be missing? We must make sure nothing happens. Ms. Shaffer came to the greenhouse to admire the flowers... If it''s only that, she should be fine."


    Eleanor''s rare disy of unease was evident.


    Upon hearing that Rose had gone


    missing, Eleanor, who had been about to retire for the night, grabbed her walking stick and rushed out of her room, silently praying that nothing had happened to Rose. Even if something did happen, it couldn''t happen at the Finch Manor.


    Upon entering the dimly lit greenhouse, she was met by Lizzie, who, having heard her arrival, offered support.


    She reassured her, "Mom, we found Ms. Shaffer. She''s with Ezra..." Lizzie trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.


    "We found her? Thank goodness," Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief, thankful nothing bad happened at the Finch Manor.


    Just as this thought crossed her mind, she caught sight of the scene in the corner. In a single nce, she knew what had transpired.


    Although the dim lighting made it difficult to discern details, Lizzie''s words echoed in her mind. "We found Ms. Shaffer. She''s with Ezra..."


    Eleanor felt as if she had been struck by lightning.


    "Rose and Ezra... How could this have happened?" she thought.


    Perhaps it was the sheer shock of such an unexpected pairing that momentarily left Eleanor speechless. Her eyes widened in disbelief before she finally found her voice to ask, "Ms. Shaffer, is that you?"

 Chapter 590 A Member Of The Finch Family

    Eleanor''s question echoed the thoughts of everyone present in the room. Their attention was glued to the corner as they awaited a response. The silence in the air was eerily palpable. Rose''s body felt weak, and had it not been for Jonathan supporting her, she would have copsed. Even without the drug''s influence, the shock of the situation was enough to make her legs buckle. Earlier, her mind had been consumed with the desire to taste those tempting lips before her. However, the intrusion of the others had snapped her back to reality.


    She heard Harriette''s concerned voice calling out, "Rosie," and someone else''s unfinished usation.


    "Ezra, you..."


    "Ezra? That''s right! Ezra was also affected by the drug," Rose thought.


    However, the person supporting her right now, the one with an arm around her waist, shielding her weakened body and disheveled appearance, wasn''t Ezra.


    It was Jonathan. And it was Jonathan who had been on the receiving end of her unintended advances.


    Realizing her previous impropriety, Rose felt her face grow hot with embarrassment. She couldn''t even bring herself to respond to Eleanor''s question. Instead, she felt an overwhelming need to exin herself to Jonathan, whose body was still pressed against hers. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to... I..." she stammered, her guiltden words tumbling out hastily.


    It wasn''t intentional. She had been drugged and unable to control her actions.


    A tender look crossed Jonathan''s eyes. Seeing her trying to move away, he frowned and tightened his hold around her.


    "Don''t move," he whispered, their proximity allowing for little more than a murmur.


    Though the others couldn''t hear the exchange, they could sense the intimate atmosphere surrounding the couple.


    As the silence stretched on, impatience grew among the onlookers. Was the woman really Rose?


    "Ezra?" Eleanor called again, hoping for some response from the other party.


    Still, no one replied.


    The figures in the corner remained frozen in their positions. It was clear that the man was doing everything he could to shield the woman from the prying eyes of the crowd.


    Eleanor''s understanding of the situation finally clicked. Exposure was not an option, but perhaps an opportunity was disguised within this delicate predicament.


    Things hadn''t turned out the way she had initially nned. She had been thinking that since Jonathan clearly liked Rose, she would continue encouraging her grandson to pursue her. Eleanor was even willing to create opportunities to bring them together if needed. However, the current situation was different. It was not Jonathan, but rather Ezra, who was entangled in an intimate moment with Rose in the corner.


    Ezra was her grandson as well, and though this development was unexpected, a connection between Ezra and Rose would still secure the Finch family''s alliance with both the Young family and the Xanth family of the Lerain Group.


    With a deep sigh, Eleanor knew she couldn''t prioritize Jonathan at this moment despite believing that Rose would have been a better match for him. Eleanor needed to set aside her regrets and act.


    "Mom, what should we do?" Lizzie''s voice suddenly sounded from behind, pulling Eleanor out of her thoughts.


    Wasting no time, Eleanor immediately strategized her next move. She had considered dispersing everyone, but she knew some events required witnesses. So, she walked straight over to Elijah.


    "Mr. Xanth, it seems those youngsters have developed feelings for each other. Perhaps we should consider making their rtionship official," she said softly, her tone kind and gentle.


    Her intentions were clear. Eleanor aimed to formalize the rtionship between Rose and Ezra, even pushing for marriage.


    However, the onlookers couldn''t help


    but wonder who this Ezra was. What was his rtionship with the Finch family that couldpel someone like Eleanor to make such a decisive move? Weren''t these matters usually handled by the elders of the families involved?


    It didn''t take long for the gathered crowd to get their answer.


    Noticing the deepening furrows on Elijah''s forehead, Eleanor realized he might not know who Ezra was. She quickly rified, "Mr. Xanth, there are some things you are not aware of. Ezra is part of the Finch family. He is Jonathan''s younger brother and


    shares the same mother


    "Due to certain circumstances back then, Ezra took his mother''s surname and never changed it. Ezra is a simple and considerate young man.


    "When he reached adulthood, he


    wanted to make it in the


    entertainment industry on his own without relying on the Finch family name. That''s why the public doesn''t know about his connection to the Finch family. But in reality, he''s a member of the Finch family."


    A member of the Finch family? The revtion took everyone by surprise.


    They had all heard whispers of a mysterious member of the Finch family, yet no one could have expected that Ezra was that very person. It turned out that he and Jonathan were indeed brothers, sharing the same mother.


    As this new information circted amongst the crowd, the simrities between the two became increasingly apparent. Many were ovee with a profound sense of realization, swiftly followed by tinges of regret.


    If they had figured it out sooner, they could have seized the opportunity to invest in Ezra''s burgeoning career. s, the chance was now lost, leaving only a chorus of wistful sighs.


    Eleanor continued, "Mr. Xanth, rest assured. I can vouch for Ezra''s character. He has kept his reputation clean despite theplexities of the entertainment industry for all these years. He''s never been involved in any scandals." However, as Elijah''s frown deepened further, Eleanor felt a growing sense of unease.


    "Mr. Xanth, I assure you that Ezra will make an excellent husband and provide Rose with a lifetime of happiness.


    "And if you don''t want Ezra to stay in the entertainment industry, I can arrange for him to join the Finch Group," she earnestly expressed, eager toy all her sincerity before Elijah to secure his agreement for the marriage between Rose and Ezra.


    Everything seemed to be progressing in the direction Lizzie desired. She observed Eleanor''s passionate efforts with deep satisfaction, a subtle smile gracing her lips as she eyed the couple in the corner.


    "How would Jonathan react if Rose were to marry Ezra?" she wondered.


    She was brimming with anticipation for Jonathan''s reaction, anticipating that the Finch family would be thrown into disarray, with at least a rift forming between the brothers.


    Lizzie wasn''t the only one thinking of Jonathan at that moment. Harriette''s sense of unease grew as she wondered where Jonathan was.


    "Something feels off. This is too important a moment for him to be conveniently absent..." she thought.


    "Miles, where is Mr. Jonathan?" Harriette asked, using her concern for Rose to ask about Jonathan''s whereabouts.


    Miles furrowed his brow. "Jonathan..."


    His gaze drifted toward the figure protecting Rose, and a fleeting smile yed at the corners of his lips before disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.


    Before he had a chance to answer where Jonathan had gone, a voice suddenly cut through the crowd from behind.


    "I will not be joining Finch Group."


    The voice was cool, steady, and surprisingly captivating.


    A hush fell over the crowd for a brief moment before they collectively turned their heads. The people on the outer edge of the crowd were the first to set eyes on the speaker. Their minds went momentarily nk upon seeing him, and unconsciously, they stepped aside, creating a path for him to pass through.

 Chapter 591 Not Ezra But Jonathan

    As the neer gradually drew closer, everyone caught sight of him.


    Upon recognizing him, nearly everyone froze in ce. It wasn''t until he was right in front of them that they realized they were blocking his way. They quickly stepped back to let him pass. The neer was none other than Ezra.


    His presence prompted a long, perplexed stare from those gathered. Everyone needed a moment to absorb and confirm that it was indeed Ezra standing before them.


    But if Ezra was here, then who was the man in the corner with Rose?


    Confusion swept through the room, leaving everyone, especially Lizzie,pletely dumbfounded.


    The second she saw Ezra, the smug look in her eyes vanished, reced by a single question that kept echoing in her mind.


    "What is Ezra doing here? This is not where he was supposed to be! Shouldn''t he have been with Rose? If Ezra stood here now, then who is with Rose?"


    Before Lizzie could process it further, Ezra''s voice cut through the eerie silence of the greenhouse, his words like a haunting echo in her ears.


    "Grandma, I do believe I''ll be a good husband someday, but..." Ezra paused, his features etched with a mix of puzzlement and defiance. When he spoke again, his tone was resolute and clear. "What does that have to do with Ms Shaffer''s happiness?" His innocent expression made him seem like a child wrongly used of some misdeed.


    Eleanor finally snapped out of her daze and looked at the towering figure before her. It really was Ezra!


    "Ezra..." His question echoed in her mind. "What does that have to do with Ms Shaffer''s happiness?"


    Indeed, with Ezra standing right here, he couldn''t possibly be the man with Rose. So, Rose''s happiness was entirely unrted to him. But if not Ezra, then who?


    A sense of unease crept over Eleanor for the first time.


    "Could the opportunity that''s almost within the Finch family''s grasp really be slipping away just like that?" she mused.


    Eleanor couldn''t help but fear what the truth in the corner might reveal. She dreaded that unveiling the mystery would lead to bitter disappointment. Nevertheless, the truth inevitably had to surface.


    "Mr. Xanth, Grandma..." Just then, a deep and resonant voice cut through the tense atmosphere,ced with impatience and displeasure.


    Eleanor jolted, as did everyone else. All eyes immediately turned to the man in the corner who had spoken. The voice hade from the man shielding Rose.


    That voice...


    "M-Mr. Jonathan!" A gasp then rang out.


    Recognition dawned on everyone familiar with Jonathan''s voice.


    It was unmistakably Jonathan, for only his voice held such an authoritative weight that mere words filled the space with suffocating pressure.


    But how could the person with Rose be Jonathan? The suggestion alone sent shockwaves through the crowd.


    Meanwhile, Lizzie''s heart had already plummeted the moment Jonathan spoke. She stared at the figure in the corner. If it wasn''t Ezra, then it could only be Jonathan.


    "But how could it be Jonathan? Where had it all gone wrong?" she thought.


    Lizzie''s mind was in turmoil, her heart pounding with a mix of frustration and disbelief. Her frantic gaze swept across the room, desperately hoping to find Carl and demand an exnation from him. s, Carl was nowhere to be found. Just then, Eleanor''s voice snapped Lizzie back to reality. "Jonathan? It''s you... it''s really you..."


    The initial surprise in her voice gave way to undisguised delight. She took a few excited steps toward the corner, her eyes confirming what her ears had already told her.


    "It really is Jonathan!" she thought. Relief washed over her, and a visible sigh escaped her lips as a smile spread across her face.


    The whole situation was turning out far better than she had dared to hope.


    "You''ve interrupted us," Jonathan said, turning his head slightly, his displeasure clearly visible in his gaze.


    The crowd froze. It seemed they had indeed interrupted something, making them wonder if they should leave the greenhouse to Jonathan and Rose.


    "My wife isn''t feeling well, so we''ll be taking our leave now. The rest of you can do as you please."


    As Jonathan spoke, he grabbed his jacket from the nearby flowers and draped it over Rose, covering her uppletely, even her face.


    Rose felt weak, but Jonathan easily lifted her into his arms. Responding instinctively to his touch, she wrapped her arms around his neck.


    Carrying Rose, Jonathan began walking through the crowd. When he passed Ezra, Jonathan hesitated for a moment, their eyes meeting. In just a fleeting moment, they exchanged countless unspoken words.


    Even as Jonathan and Rose disappeared through the greenhouse doorway, the assembled group remained in shock.


    His parting words reverberated in their minds. "My wife isn''t feeling well, so we''ll be taking our leave now. The rest of you can do as you please."


    Not feeling well? Those words


    immediately brought back


    memories of the earlier, passionate sounds, fueling the crowd''s lurid imaginings, intensifying their


    blushes and the quickened toel


    their hearts. Some couldn''t even


    of


    hide their reaction, coughing lightly.


    "Wait, what had Jonathan just called Rose? His wife? Could they have already tied the knot?" The idea shed through many minds, yet some were hesitant to entertain the possibility.


    After all, it seemed unlikely that someone of Jonathan''s stature would marry without making a public deration.


    It was possible that the term "wife" was simply an affectionate pet name shared between lovers rather than an indication that they had actually tied the knot.


    Even so, the mere suggestion of a rtionship between Jonathan and Rose was enough to shock those around them.


    For a moment, people couldn''t decide whether to think Rose hadnded herself a great catch or if they should be envious of the Finch family for establishing such a valuable connection first.


    Meanwhile, Eleanor was still immersed in the revtion that the man in the corner had been Jonathan, and the woman with him was Rose. She had not even noticed Jonathan referring to Rose as his wife. At that moment, her mind was bursting with excitement.


    "This is simply wonderful!" Her inner delight bubbled over, prompting her to seize the moment.


    "Mr. Xanth," Eleanor began, her voice brimming with joy, "don''t you think Jonathan and Rosie make a perfect match?"


    She continued, "Jonathan''s


    capabilities are well-known to


    everyone, and he''s never been


    interested in any woman before. But


    with Rosie, it''s clear that she''s truly


    special to him. Since their feelings


    for each other are mutual,


    Eleanor could hardly contain her tion, her face brightened by a broad smile. She longed to arrange the wedding immediately but knew she must first secure the approval of the Xanth family. However, her enthusiasm was swiftly dampened by a cold response.


    "And just what makes you think their feelings are mutual?"


    The icy voice belonged to Elijah, his tone unmistakably cold.


    Eleanor froze. She wanted to say, given the situation just now, what else could it be if not mutual affection?


    However, considering the Xanth


    family''s stance, she kept her words


    in check and maintained her smile "Regardless of the circumstances, Jonathan will assume responsibility. The Finch family will also do what is necessary."


    She was resolved to see Jonathan take full responsibility. However, Elijah wasn''t in any rush. He fixed his gaze on Eleanor, his words pointed.


    "Handle the matters within your Finch family first. We can discuss everything elseter."

 Chapter 592 Like A Proposal

    "Handle the matters within the family... What matters was Elijah referring to?" Eleanor mused.


    Eleanor, who had been so focused on securing the marriage between the Finch and Xanth families, suddenly realized that she might have missed something important. Prompted by Elijah''s words, she began to analyze the situation more closely.


    Eleanor knew Jonathan was deeply devoted to Rose. Regardless of the intensity of his feelings, his character would never allow him to act inappropriately in the greenhouse, particrly not in front of so many people. The way Jonathan had protectively shielded Rose only reinforced her belief that something was amiss.


    Eleanor''s face darkened as she carefully pondered the unusual events that had unfolded. Abruptly, she spoke up.


    "Everyone, we have some family matters to attend to tonight. So, the birthday celebration wille to an early end. I apologize for any inconvenience, and the Finch family will send a generous apology gift." The implication was clear-the guests were being asked to leave. Disappointment and frustration spread across their faces.


    Despite Eleanor''s promise of an apology gift, what they truly desired was to uncover the family matters she had alluded to, sensing that something significant was urring behind the scenes.


    The allure of witnessing the Finch family''s drama was undeniable, but s, watching the Finch family matters wasn''t something they could indulge in just because they wanted to.


    With reluctant sighs and disappointed expressions, the guests slowly exited the greenhouse, resigning to leaving the Finch Manor.


    Inside the medical building, the effects of the drug still lingered in her system, and she hadn''t fully recovered. Earlier, before the others had arrived, she had only gotten a taste of the temptation she had felt. Frustrated, she had inwardlyined about Jonathan''s unyielding nature. However, as her mind gradually cleared, she came to a realization.


    Jonathan had been protecting her. She couldn''t even imagine the chaos that would have ensued if all those people had witnessed them in such an intimate position.


    Thankfully, despite being caught, the situation wasn''t overly explicit. It was still rtively reserved.


    "Jonathan..." Rose gripped his shirt tightly. She wanted to say that although he had shielded her earlier, their tryst had been exposed, and its reality would be difficult to deny.


    She wanted to know Jonathan''s perspective on their rtionship. Rose''s mind was a bit muddled. She tried hard topose the right words, but Jonathan''s voice came first. "We are husband and wife."


    His tone was unwavering and resolute, and Rose froze.


    "We got our marriage certificate a long time ago. We are legally recognized with a proper and official status," he exined, his deep voice carrying a subtle vibration that she could feel against his chest. Rose''s face flushed with heat. Her mind grew increasingly chaotic, and despite her usually agile thoughts, it felt as if her brain had hit a slow-motion button. All she could focus on was the sound of his voice. "It''s time for everyone to know that I''m your husband, and you''re my wife. What do you think, Rose?"


    As Jonathan posed this question, he experienced a newfound sense of nervousness, as if he were proposing.


    He had long wanted to disclose their rtionship publicly. He yearned to stand proudly by Rose''s side, to call her "wifey" without hesitation affectionately, and to shower her with love and adoration. He could take charge in any other matter, but in this, he needed Rose''s consent.


    Jonathan awaited Rose''s response, and although it was only a few seconds, it felt like centuries had passed. Her breathing was the only sound he could hear.


    Finally, nestled in his embrace, Rose said softly, "Alright."


    "She said alright! She agreed!"


    Jonathan thought as a radiant smile


    graced his face. His excitement was barely restrained as his voice


    dropped to a husky whisper. "Do you know what your answer means?"


    Rose blinked. "What does it mean?" she mused.


    Her mind was slow at the moment, unable to process suchplex thoughts. She looked up at him, finding his face breathtaking from every angle, and asked sincerely, "What does it mean?" Jonathan lowered his gaze to meet her eyes, speaking slowly and firmly, "It means that you can never escape from me again."


    Never escape... The words sank into Rose''s consciousness, and a sudden realization blossomed within her, making her face flush with warmth.


    So he knew all along. He knew she wanted to escape him, to leave Regalia and disentangle herself from theirplex affairs.


    But when he threw himself into harm''s way at Aurora Crest to protect her, she had already made up her mind to stop running. "Yeah, I won''t run away anymore." Rose nodded in agreement.


    This man cherished her life more than his own. What else could she possibly need to escape from?


    Looking up at him, she said in an equally firm tone, "From now on, we''ll face everything together."


    To Jonathan, those were the sweetest words anyone could ever say. His soul swelled with joy as he held the woman he loved so dearly in his arms and listened to her tender words.


    He felt that now, more than ever, they deserved a romantic moment, a private world of just the two of them.


    s... A slight frown marred Jonathan''s brow as he inwardly cursed their predicament.


    In the medical room, Leonard and a female doctor had been waiting. Jonathan carefully ced Rose on the bed, his movements and voice as gentle as a flowing stream. "Wait for me."


    "Okay," Rose replied.


    Jonathan gave Rose onest reluctant nce before finally turning and leaving the room.


    Outside, as the guests prepared to leave after the abruptly ended birthday banquet, Jonathan reappeared.


    He was still wearing the same shirt, which had been slightly disheveled before but was now straightened out. Even from a distance, his imposing presence was undeniable. Questions arose amongst the crowd. Hadn''t Jonathan left with Rose earlier? What was he doing back? The crowd''s curiosity rose, but they didn''t have to wonder for long.


    Jonathan stood before them and spoke with a clear, amused tone. "My apologies for what happened earlier, but there''s no harm in a private rendezvous between a married couple, is there?" His words rendered the crowd momentarily speechless, making them wonder if they had heard correctly.


    Before they could process the


    shock, Jonathan continued, "It''s my


    fault, really. I just can''t resist my


    wife. She''s already given me an


    earful about it, and I promise I''ll be more careful in the future."


    That "be more careful" sounded anything but sincere, as if he was yfullyining about being told off.


    His expression suggested he was


    thoroughly enjoying his wife''s management of his actions. It was an emotion that no one had ever imagined seeing on Jonathan''s face.


    It felt strange yet oddly natural.


    As the crowd observed the joy on his face, they began to realize the true meaning behind Jonathan calling Rose his wife earlier. It wasn''t just a cute pet name. They were actually married.


    "Good heavens! They''re married! When did this happen?" the crowd wondered.


    Even as they exited the Finch Manor, the shock of this revtion lingered heavily in their minds. Those who remained at the manor were equally stunned by the news.

 Chapter 593 Who Will Take Responsibility

    After the guests left, the remaining Xanth, Young, and Finch family members gathered in the grand hall.


    What had been a vibrant celebration mere moments ago was now engulfed in a heavy silence. No one uttered a word, their expressions an array of indifference, contemtion, and pensiveness.


    The atmosphere was tense, and therge, untouched birthday cake in the center of the room only served as a stark, ironic reminder of the evening''s abrupt end.


    Many in the room were still reeling from what Jonathan had said outside. "Married couple..."


    Jonathan and Rose were married? Those who had known about it earlier, like Clover and Elijah, remained indifferent, while others, like Miles and Ezra, stayed calm. However, Harriette felt uneasy, for she hadn''t told Lizzie about Rose and Jonathan''s marriage.


    ncing discreetly at Lizzie, Harriette saw that her expression remained neutral. But the moreposed Lizzie seemed the more unsettled Harriette became. Amid this anxiety, Anna led Jonathan into the hall.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior..."


    Anna had rushed to ry the message after Eleanor had ordered her to bring Jonathan back from the medical building. Fortunately, she managed to catch up with him just in time.


    Yet, when Jonathan appeared in the doorway, Eleanor didn''t allow Anna to finish speaking. Ovee with excitement, she hurried toward Jonathan, eager to ask the question on everyone''s mind-whether what he said about being married to Rose was true.


    She wasn''t the only one who sought rification. Those who hadn''t known of the marriage-Yara, Lizzie, Cyrus, and even Anna-fixed their gazes on Jonathan, yearning for confirmation.


    However, as Eleanor approached Jonathan, she suddenly changed her question, asking, "How''s Rosie? Is she all right?"


    She had wanted to address Rose as her granddaughter-inw, but she managed to restrain her excitement.


    Eleanor was visibly shaken, longing to affirm what Jonathan had dered outside. But for the sake of appearances, showing concern for Rose''s well-being was the more appropriate thing to do, especially with the Xanth and Young families present. She knew she would have another opportunity to ask about the marriage.


    Jonathan''s brows furrowed as he cast a piercing nce at Cyrus, his gaze sending a chill down Cyrus'' spine.


    Taken aback, Cyrus wondered what Jonathan was staring at him for.


    Just as he was about to voice his displeasure, Jonathan''s cold,manding voice rang out, filled with authority. "Perhaps someone here should exin exactly what kind of despicable act they were involved in." Eleanor followed his gaze, her face darkening when she saw he was looking at Cyrus.


    Before she could react further, Jonathan abruptly turned to leave. However, Eleanor swiftly grabbed his arm before he could depart.


    "Jonathan, be truthful with me. Are you and Rosie truly married?"


    Jonathan had publicly acknowledged his marital status to dispel any misunderstandings and safeguard Rose from potential gossip. Whether Eleanor was pleased or not was not a primary concern for him. He frowned slightly and was about to respond when a cold voice cut through the room.


    "So what if they''re married? They might have a marriage certificate, but that doesn''t mean they can''t just as easily obtain a divorce certificate."


    The speaker was Clover.


    Miles added swiftly, "Rosie just took over Young Group. She''s got too much on her te for an early marriage."


    Elijah added his own biting remark. "Even if my daughter marries, it should be to a reputable family that isn''t continuously entangled in chaos and scandal."


    The sequence of pointed remarks was a coordinated effort to convey their dissatisfaction with the marriage-or, more precisely, their disapproval of the Finch family.


    Eleanor felt a surge of frustration as she listened to the Finch family being disparaged. "Chaos and scandal? Who are they calling chaotic? What scandals are they insinuating?" she mused. Despite her inclination to argue, she held her tongue. The earlier incident in the greenhouse had left her wary.


    "Dear inws..." she began.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on, don''t call us that!" Clover interrupted rudely.


    A wave of embarrassment washed over Eleanor, but thankfully, Elijah swiftly rebuked Clover. "Clover, have I not instructed you on the importance of respect when speaking with your elders?" He then turned to Eleanor. "Please ept my apologies, Mrs. Finch Senior. Clover''s remark was out of line."


    "It''s no trouble at all..." Eleanor tried to brush it off, but Elijah cut her off again.


    "However, it''s too early to be calling us ''inws'' just yet."


    Eleanor was rendered speechless instantly. "Thatst part really wasn''t necessary!" she thought.


    Forcing a smile, Eleanor regretted not pushing harder for Jonathan and Rose to have a proper wedding ceremony when Rose first came to Regalia. If she had, they wouldn''t be in such an awkward position now, with so much opposition from the others.


    "Yes, yes, of course..." Eleanor managed a stiff smile as she made a solemn pledge to the Xanth family members and Miles.


    "I will get to the bottom of what happened today. If there are any unsavory incidents involved, I will make sure Rosie and the three of you get a proper exnation."


    Eleanor was decisive when it came to handling such situations.


    Seeing that Jonathan had already


    walked out, she made her way back to her original seat, her face set ina stern expression as she sat on the couch Her natural authority was palpable, even without a need for raised words.


    Unfazed by the presence of the Xanth family members and Miles, Eleanor''s piercing gaze swept over the members of the Finch family.


    "Speak up. Who is responsible for today''s fiasco, and what exactly happened?" Although her words bore no explicit threat, her tone was foreboding.


    Even though Lizzie had mentally prepared herself, she couldn''t help but feel a pang of nervousness.


    However, the apprehension quickly faded as she reminded herself that she had no involvement in that day''s events and thus couldn''t be held responsible.


    The hall grew ufortably quiet, and no one dared to speak for a long time.


    With no one stepping forward, Eleanor''s scrutinizing gaze swept over each of them, pausing momentarily on each person.


    Faced with silence, she chose to confront someone directly.


    "Cyrus! Exin yourself!"


    Taken aback, Cyrus had no idea how to reply to her.


    "Mom, I''m not even aware of what happened today. Jonathan and Rose had a private rendezvous... I hardly see the harm in that," he echoed Jonathan''s earlier statement to the guests outside. Despite his nonchnt words, a sense of panic welled up within him. His mind raced back to the scene he had witnessed through the security footage at the Xanth family''s banquet.


    "A private rendezvous?" Eleanor snapped, her expression darkening.


    Would the Xanth family have made such a fuss if it were merely a private meeting?


    Eleanor''s gaze shifted toward Lizzie, her eyes brimming with palpable displeasure. "And what about you, Lizzie?"


    At this point, not just Eleanor but nearly everyone in the room turned their attention to Lizzie.


    Even Elijah, who had remained impassive throughout Eleanor''s questioning of Cyrus, lifted his eyes to scrutinize her. That piercing gaze made her feel an unsettling sense of panic. What did that look mean?


    Unable to decipher it, Lizzie quicklyposed herself and adopted a look of innocence. "I was with Cyrus the entire time. We were about to cut the cake when we overheard themotion regarding Ms. Shaffer''s disappearance."


    Her meaning was clear-she hadn''t had the opportunity to do anything questionable.

 Chapter 594 Do You Want Proof

    No one in the room seemed to believe Lizzie''s words. Even Cyrus, who stood by her side, felt a growing sense of unease gnawing at him. Despite this, he quickly regained hisposure and spoke up for Lizzie before anyone else could respond. "Mom, Lizz was with me the entire time¡ª" "Hah..." A soft chuckle interrupted him before he could finish.


    Cyrus turned to Ezra, only to meet his cold, icy gaze. Anger red within him. "Ezra-"


    "Ezra, tell us. What happened?" Eleanor cut in,pletely ignoring Cyrus'' anger.


    After being interrupted again, Cyrus'' face darkened, but no one cared about his frustration at this point.


    Although Jonathan had been with Rose in the greenhouse, everyone''s initial assumption had involved Ezra.


    "I was brought back to the Finch Manor for what I thought would be a grand reunion, only to discover it was a trap." Ezra''s tone was thick with sarcasm.


    "Who brought him back?" Eleanor thought as her gaze swiftly turned to Cyrus, but before she could speak, Cyrus interjected, his face a picture of innocence.


    "I... Ezra, what do you mean? What trap are you talking about? I asked you toe back because it''s Lizzie''s birthday, and I wanted the whole family to gather. That''s why I came to pick you up-" "Trap? What trap are you talking about?" Eleanor''s voice rose, cutting through Cyrus'' protest.


    She wasn''t interested in excuses. Not even from her own son.


    Ezra lowered his gaze and vaguely recounted the day''s events. He had been upstairs watching the banquet unfold when a server approached him, saying Jonathan had asked him toe to the greenhouse. Upon arriving, he discovered something amiss with his body, and instead of Jonathan, he encountered Rose.


    Although Ezra''s description was cryptic, everyone present could guess what he meant. Clearly, someone had orchestrated a n to entangle Ezra and Rose together.


    Considering Jonathan''s devotion to Rose, even if they weren''t married yet, one could only imagine what Jonathan would have done if something had truly happened between Ezra and Rose.


    "Despicable! Absolutely despicable!" Eleanor thumped her walking stick against the floor, her fury evident.


    Fortunately, the scheme had been thwarted. Otherwise...


    Eleanor''s face darkened as she imagined the potential fallout. If the n had seeded, it would have driven more than just a wedge between the brothers. The Xanth and Young families would never have allowed Rose to suffer such humiliation. The Finch family might reign supreme in Regalia, but the Xanth family''s overseas power and wealth rivaled their own. Adding the Young family to the equation, the potential bacsh would be immeasurable.


    "Who did this? Who is responsible for this despicable act? Show yourself!" Eleanor roared, hoping the culprit would confess voluntarily.


    But the culprit wasn''t likely to reveal themselves so willingly.


    Ezra''s lips curled into a cold smile as he turned his gaze toward Lizzie. "Mrs. Finch, don''t you have anything to say?"


    Lizzie tensed at being called out again, despite her best efforts to remain calm. "Ezra, what exactly are you implying? I know you''ve never liked me, but to use me falsely is a step too far.


    "You''re trying to pin something on me that I had no part in. There are other things I can take responsibility for to keep the peace, but this..."


    Her face showed a perfect blend of helplessness and innocence. "This is too serious. I can''t take the me for something I didn''t do."


    Her performance, rife with feigned helplessness and humility, left a bitter taste in the mouths of those who saw through her charade.


    Ezra thought back to many years ago. Even knowing Lizzie''s true character, he hadn''t dared to voice a single opinion. Instead, he let his brother stand alone, fighting on his behalf.


    Looking back, he felt ashamed of his own weakness.


    However, this time, things would be different. He couldn''t let Jonathan carry the burden alone anymore. He had spent too many years living recklessly, shirking his responsibilities. It was time for him to step up and take action. "Do you want proof?" Ezra abruptly interjected.


    Lizzie''s face paled slightly. The thought of evidence terrified her, but did Ezra really possess any? She couldn''t afford to be intimidated by him.


    "I''m innocent..." Her voice quivered with feigned vulnerability, her eyes downcast. Suddenly, she seemed to change her mind and dropped to her knees.


    "Lizz, what are you doing?" Cyrus tried to help her up, his voice filled with concern.


    However, Lizzie resisted. "Cyrus, I know you care for me, but if the Finch family needs someone to take the me... then I''ll take it."


    She bit her lip, as though preparing herself for a grand sacrifice. "I haven''t done much for the Finch family, so if this is what''s needed, I''ll bear the burden."


    Her words implied her innocence while emphasizing her willingness to bear the burden for the Finch family''s sake. It was a well-crafted performance.


    Ezra, Elijah, Clover, and Miles shared


    a cold, disdainful look. This disy of self-sacrifice appeared to affect onlyCyrus. Even Eleanor wasn''t buying her theatrics.


    "Enough with the pitiful act. You won''t be wrongfully used if you didn''t do it. But if you did..." Eleanor couldn''t hide the loathing in her voice.


    "Mrs. Finch, you seemed to have reacted quite intensely to my previous question," Ezra said coldly as he stared at Lizzie.


    He then repeated his question once more. "Do you want proof?"


    "Ezra, do you have proof?" Eleanor asked urgently. She had wanted to ask earlier but had been interrupted by Lizzie''s dramatic disy.


    If Ezra held concrete evidence, the matter could be resolved swiftly.


    Ezra hesitated briefly, as though considering his next move. In that moment of hesitation, Lizzie convinced herself that Ezra was merely bluffing.


    "He''s just trying to scare me!" Lizzie


    thought. She couldn''t help but smirk inwardly, Gradually, she felt her confidence growing, even allowing a hint of triumph to spark in her lowered eyes.


    Ezra noticed the glint of smugness in Lizzie''s eyes.


    "Bring them in!" hemanded.


    All eyes turned toward the entrance, where Finley appeared, escorting a hooded figure. The person''s face was concealed under a ck cloth, but their uniform resembled that of an Azure n bodyguard.


    Lizzie''s expression stiffened slightly.


    Finley reached out and yanked off the cloth, revealing a battered and bloodied face, swollen beyond recognition.


    The man''s body was smeared with blood, its metallic scent quickly filling the room and causing a wave of nausea among those present.


    "Who is this?" Eleanor asked, her tone cold and sharp.


    It was difficult to recognize the man in his current state.


    Ezra''s gaze remained fixed on Lizzie. "Mrs. Finch, you should know who this is."


    Naturally, Lizzie recognized him. She had guessed who it was when Finley brought him in.


    "That''s Carl!" she had thought.


    Now that his hood was removed, there was no doubt. It was Carl.


    Panic rose within Lizzie. She hadn''t anticipated Carl falling into Finley''s hands, and she knew Finley worked for Jonathan.


    She feared neither Ezra, Eleanor, nor anyone else present, but she was terrified of Jonathan.


    "Did Carl betray me?" she wondered.


    Taking a deep breath, Lizzie quicklyposed herself just as Ezra''s question came. Everyone was now staring at her, including Cyrus.

 Chapter 595 By Her Order

    Lizzie only spared Carl a fleeting nce before quickly averting her gaze.


    "I don''t know him," she said. She then turned to Cyrus with an innocent expression and reached out to hold his arm. "Cyrus, I have no idea who he is."


    Even with Carl standing right in front of her, she still tried to deny it.


    Ezra chuckled lightly. This woman was always good at feigning innocence, but no matter how much she denied it now, the truth would eventuallye out. He exchanged a knowing look with Finley.


    Before entering, Finley had managed to extract some information from Carl.


    "Mrs. Finch, although you im not to recognize him, it appears he is quite familiar with you," Finley dered, emphasizing the words "quite familiar."


    Lizzie''s heart skipped a beat, and a look of displeasure washed over her face. "Judging by his attire, he appears to be a bodyguard from the Azure n, which serves the Finch family. It''s not surprising he recognizes me," she countered. Indeed, it wasn''t surprising at all.


    Before Finley could respond, Lizzie continued, "The Azure n is loyal only to the head of the family, and Jonathan has never liked me.


    "If you wish to hold me ountable for tonight''s events for the sake of the Finch family, I will bear the consequences, even if I am not at fault. But..."


    Her voice trailed off as she bit her lip, and a mixture of frustration, righteousness, and a hint of despair crossed her face before she continued, "Why must you drag someone else into this to tarnish my reputation?"


    Ezra couldn''t help butugh, his voiceced with sarcasm. "Your reputation? Really?"


    "Ezra!" Cyrus barked, his voice filled with anger.


    However, Ezra paid no heed to Cyrus, not even sparing him a nce. Instead, he turned his attention to Carl.


    "Well then, let''s see just how innocent you are. So, Carl..." Ezra''s gaze bore into Carl.


    Ezra was usually carefree and detached, his striking features more beautiful than intimidating. Even with his status as a member of the Finch family, the members of the Azure n saw him as nothing more than just that. However, with that single look, Carl felt as if he were standing before the imposing Jonathan. As Ezra uttered Carl''s name, a shiver ran down Carl''s spine, his scalp tingling in apprehension.


    "Speak up," Ezramanded coldly. "Start with everything you did tonight, and don''t leave out a single detail, not even the slightest bit. Otherwise, I won''t hesitate to make you go through the same treatment Finley gave you earlier." It was a tant threat. Ezra didn''t bother to sugarcoat it, and no one questioned his authority.


    Lizzie didn''t dare to challenge him. She was terrified that the more she said, the more she would slip up and get herself in trouble. At this moment, all she could do was stay silent and wait for an opportunity to present itself. Though she avoided Carl''s gaze, her attention was locked on him, not daring to rx even for a second.


    Cyrus wanted to speak up, but a single sharp nce from Eleanor silenced him.


    Finally, Carl''s shaky voice echoed in the hall. "I... I put some drugs in the greenhouse and used Mr. Jonathan''s name to lure Mr. Ezra there. Then, using the same trick, I brought Ms. Shaffer to the greenhouse..."


    His face was swollen from the beating, and his speech was slurred. But even through his muddled words, everyone understood what he was confessing to.


    He had confirmed Ezra''s suspicions. Someone had indeed set up Ezra and Rose.


    Eleanor''s anger red. "Why did you do it? Who ordered you?"


    She knew an Azure n bodyguard would never do something like this without a motive or orders. Someone had to be pulling the strings from behind. Carl stole a nce in a particr direction. "I..."


    Memories of what Finley had shown him during his punishment shed in his mind, the pain and fear still fresh. A flicker of determination began to settle in his eyes.


    Lizzie noticed the shift in his gaze and felt a surge of panic. She knew what wasing next, and her first instinct was to stop him from revealing her involvement. But how? With a pitiful expression, she gently touched the scarf around her neck.


    Hidden beneath it was a scar that everyone assumed was from a tree branch, but she and Carl knew better. It was a mark he had left on her.


    Her brow furrowed slightly, and she cast a vulnerable, pitiable look in Carl''s direction, hoping to stir his feelings for her, to remind him of his love and loyalty.


    If this was before Carl had seen what Finley showed him, Lizzie wouldn''t have needed to remind him. He would''ve willingly taken all the me, driven by his desire to shield the woman he loved and protect her at any cost.


    But he had seen it. It wasn''t Finley who had shattered his resolve-it was Jonathan. Jonathan had known about his and Lizzie''s rtionship all along, and that realization filled Carl with fear.


    Overwhelmed by the fear instilled in him by Jonathan, Carl lowered his gaze, sumbing to his defeat.


    To Lizzie, this seemed like a victory.


    She believed she had seeded in


    manipting Carl yet again. She knew he loved her, but after this, he would be a pawn she could no


    longer use. For now, it was enough if he didn''t expose her.


    As for the future... She could always find another pawn.


    Lizzie tightened her grip on Cyrus'' arm, knowing full well that Cyrus was the most important pawn she had in this game.


    She was already plotting how to use this incident to strengthen her hold on Cyrus when Carl''s voice echoed through the hall once more. "I... was acting under Mrs. Finch''s orders." Despite his slurred speech, his words were distinct enough for everyone present toprehend.


    The Finch family had once consisted of two "Mrs. Finch"-Lizzie and Be. However, following Be''s demise, only Lizzie remained.


    Carl had just admitted to following Lizzie''smands.


    This revtion came as no shock to many within the room. Ironically, the used turned out to be the most astonished person in the room.


    For a moment, Lizzie''s mind wentpletely nk. It was as if time had stopped, and the world had fallen silent. She couldn''t hear a single sound. But itsted only a moment.


    Quickly regaining herposure,


    Lizzie concealed the panic that


    surged within her. A session of.


    emotions flitted across her


    face-first, disbelief at the


    usation, then shock at the


    implications, and ultimately


    r¨¦signed eptance of her apparent


    "wrongful usation."


    "I said I would take responsibility for this. Was it really necessary to go this far?" she sighed, maintaining her aura of sacrificial innocence as though she were the victim once again.


    While her outward appearance


    remained the same, her heart was in


    turmoil. If there weren''t so many


    people present, she would have loved nothing more than to march up to Carl and p him, questioning his supposed love for her.


    But with so many eyes on her, she couldn''t say a word.


    Nevertheless, when her eyes locked with Carl''s, the unspoken question zed in her gaze. "Is this the love you spoke of?"


    Her gaze conveyed her reproach, pity, and admonishment-a blend of emotions capable of stirring up a primal protective instinct in most people. Sharp-witted and observant, Clover caught a glimpse of Lizzie''s repulsive attempt at maniption and couldn''t help butugh mockingly.


    "Seems like there''s something going on between you two, huh?"


    His words had a profound impact on everyone present.


    A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Ezra''s lips as he almost apuded Clover''s audacity.


    Meanwhile, Cyrus'' face darkened. A sudden realization sparked in his mind as he nced between Lizzie and Carl, his gaze turning suspicious. Realizing the damage that had been done, Lizzie hastily looked away in a panic.

 Chapter 596 The Birthmark On The Back Of Her Waist

    In that fleeting moment of panic, many noticed Lizzie''s reaction, including Cyrus.


    "Lizz, you and him..." Cyrus tried to resist the influence of Clover''s words but couldn''t help wanting a clear answer.


    "Cyrus-" Lizzie had already prepared her exnation, but Clover didn''t give her the chance to voice it.


    With a faint, mocking smile, Clover said, "If I were her, even if there was something shady going on, I''d still say there wasn''t."


    He was obviously implying that Lizzie''s words couldn''t be trusted.


    Cyrus'' brow furrowed deeply, an unmistakable crease forming as he felt an unsettling agreement with Clover''s suspicion. He looked down at Carl, who was kneeling on the floor.


    In his mind, Carl was just a bodyguard from the Azure n, yet the man seemed to be everywhere.


    Suddenly, a feeling of dread welled up in Cyrus'' chest, and he didn''t dare to ask further. Just as he wavered, Carl broke the silence. "I''m sorry, Mr. Finch."


    Cyrus stiffened. "What is Carl apologizing for? What could he possibly feel sorry about?" he wondered.


    With a darkened expression, he listened as Carl continued, "I like Lizzie... no, I love her. I love her even more than you do, but why..."


    Carl''s tone dripped with bitterness as if he had suffered a great, irreparable blow.


    "Carl!" Lizzie could no longer contain herself. She red viciously at Carl. "What nonsense are you spouting?"


    This was utter madness! If he exposed their rtionship now, the consequences would be disastrous.


    Before she could even process the possible fallout, Carl let out a bitterugh. "Nonsense? Lizz, you know how much I love you. I''ve done everything for you, and anything you asked..." But what was he in her eyes?


    "Carl!" Lizzie gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as her facade ofposure crumbled.


    Her greatest worry now was Cyrus'' reaction. She instinctively turned to look at him, only to see his face his face darken with anger. Panic seized her. "Cyrus, don''t listen to him! There''s nothing between us, nothing at all!" Carl cut in. "Hah... Lizzie, it seems like you do care about Mr. Finch, after all. But you told me you didn''t love him... that you were just forced into this..."


    A cold shiver ran through Lizzie''s entire body. She felt like Carl was about to reveal something even more humiliating at any moment.


    Sure enough, driven by his unwillingness, Carl wanted to drag Lizzie down with him. "There''s a red birthmark on Lizzie''s lower back..."


    "Enough!" Cyrus interrupted him.


    The revtion of a red birthmark that nestled right on Lizzie''s lower back was an intimate detail that spoke volumes of an undeniable connection between Carl and Lizzie.


    "Cyrus..." Lizzie began, but Cyrus coldly brushed off her hand. His emotions were in turmoil at the moment.


    The shame of being so publicly wronged, of having his love and trust betrayed without even realizing when the facade began, burned hot within him.


    Though he wanted to get to the bottom of their affair, the presence of others held him back.


    Cyrus forced himself to look at Elijah and the others. "Mr. Xanth, I apologize for the unpleasantness tonight. I''ll be sure to address this matter with Rose. However, some things... are better kept private." Being cuckolded was a family scandal. How could he make it public?


    Elijah understood what he was getting at. "It''s gettingte, and I trust the Finch family will handle this well. We''ll wait for the oue. We''ll take our leave now."


    He shot a look at Clover. Though Clover yearned to watch the drama unfold, he knew better than to disobey his uncle''s unspokenmand. Reluctantly, he followed suit.


    Miles also took his leave, guiding Harriette out of the hall.


    As they stepped outside, they crossed paths with Jonathan and Rose, who were heading inside. The sight of Jonathan and Rose''s sped hands caught everyone''s attention. Clover couldn''t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Despite his best efforts, he had failed to steal Rose away from Jonathan''s side.


    In a smooth yet assertive tone, he stated, "I''m just a phone call away if you need anything. I can be here within half an hour."


    The sway of his confident silhouette was thest they saw as he became the first to depart through the manor''s gate. Miles nced at Rose before giving Jonathan a simple instruction. "Take care of her." He then left without another word. Elijah looked at Rose with a doting gaze. "I''ll pick you up for work first thing in the morning." With that, he left too.


    Rose blinked, watching as they each left with such nonchnce, leaving her behind without a second thought. She couldn''t help but think that was a bit inconsiderate of them. Just as she was about to speak up, intending to go with them, the hand holding hers tightened slightly. Jonathan pulled her closer, his arm wrapping protectively around her shoulders.


    A hint of jealousy underscored his words as he murmured, "The Finch family has an important matter to attend to tonight, and you must be present. His tone left no room for argument. Rose looked up and was slightly dazed by his handsome profile. "Why?"


    She had a rough idea of what the important matter entailed, but the notion that she must be present sounded somewhat strange.


    A glimmer of amusement danced in Jonathan''s eyes. Bending down slightly, his lips met hers in a brief, gentle kiss.


    Caught off guard, Rose froze.


    His deep voice resonated in her ear. "You''re my wife. Whatever happens in this family, you should be here by my side, never absent... unless..."


    His breath brushed against her ear, sending a tingling sensation through her.


    Rose swallowed. "Unless what?"


    "Unless we''re both absent together."


    ...


    As Rose and Jonathan entered the hall hand in hand, an unsettling silence enveloped the room. The atmosphere was thick with tension as though even the air itself had taken on a stifling weight.


    Rose quickly took in the scene. Apart from Ezra and Finley, whose expressions appeared unperturbed, Eleanor, Cyrus, Lizzie, and even Yara, who was seated quietly in a corner, all looked tense. A man knelt on the floor, his face bruised and swollen...


    "Rosie, are you alright? Come, sit next to me," Eleanor greeted her warmly, her previous cold demeanor reced with a smile full of affection.


    Unused to this sudden disy of affection, Rose found herself speechless. Before she could respond, Jonathan gently pulled her closer.


    "She''ll sit with me." With that, he declined Eleanor''s invitation.


    Eleanor''s smile faltered briefly. But, gracious as ever, she replied, "Very well, you can sit by Jonathan''s side too."


    In truth, Eleanor was pleased to


    witness the growing bond between


    Rose and Jonathan, knowing it


    would strengthen the alliance between the Finch and Xanth families. However, there was still pressing business to attend to.


    Her icy gaze turned to Lizzie, but her words were directed at Cyrus "See this? This is the woman you insisted on marrying, Cyrus. She''s brought quite a surprise upon the Finch family, hasn''t she?" A shameful affair with a bodyguard. Eleanor''s eyes wereden with contempt.


    Lizzie''s face flushed, but not from


    Eleanor''s seathing remarks or the humiliation of her affair being exposed. No, what truly stung was the glint of mockery that flickered in


    over


    Jonathan''s gaze as it sin


    her.

 Chapter 597 A Taste Of Success

    The mockery in Jonathan''s gaze felt like a hard p on Lizzie''s face. It felt like she had been brought back to that one night many years ago. It hit her hard.


    Jonathan''s gaze merely swept past her. He didn''t even bother to take a proper look as all his attention focused solely on the woman beside him.


    Jonathan held onto Rose''s hand, guiding her to sit next to him. He couldn''t even stand the gap between them, prompting him to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer.


    He was only satisfied once she was pressed closely against him. Jonathan didn''t care about the other people at all.


    Rose''s face was already flushed, but her cheeks grew even hotter after Jonathan did all that. She was baffled by how inappropriate he could be in public.


    She frowned at him in disapproval. He, however, was unfazed.


    For a long time, she preferred to keep their rtionship low-profile. She didn''t even let him hold her hand in front of others, treating him almost like a secret lover. But now that everyone knew they were married, he could publicly show her affection. Lizzie quietly observed their interaction, but inside, her emotions were in turmoil.


    "Cyrus, what are you going to do about this?" Eleanor wanted to gauge Cyrus''s stance on the matter.


    Cyrus was already humiliated by the fact that he had been cheated on. He wanted to hear what Lizzie had to say about it.


    "Lizz"


    "Ha ha ha ha ha..." Cyrus was interrupted as Lizzie suddenlyughed. Herughtercked her usual grace, and it made Cyrus ufortable.


    "Carl and I are together." Surprisingly, Lizzie stopped defending herself and simply admitted it.


    Cyrus looked shocked at first, but his expression quickly darkened.


    Carl was stunned for a moment. He never expected her to just admit it. He thought she would deny everything between them.


    "Why? All these years..."


    Cyrus was heartbroken. He knew he had always shown her love and fulfilled all her needs. He considered himself a good husband, but...


    Before Cyrus could finish his sentence, Lizzie let out a mockingugh as if she already knew what he wanted to say.


    She scoffed and asked, "All these years, who was it that you truly held dear in your heart?"


    The question left him speechless. Who was the person in Cyrus''s heart? Both of them knew very well who it was-Nancy, his ex-wife the birth mother of Jonathan and Ezra. "But I..."


    Not long ago, Cyrus had told Lizzie that he had decided to let go of the past and love her wholeheartedly.


    Cyrus felt a tightness in his chest. He couldn''t finish his sentence as it pained him too much to think about Nancy. That pain in his heart was stronger than the disappointment and anger he felt toward Lizzie.


    Lizzie always knew that Cyrus didn''t love her. Luckily, she didn''t love him either, so she didn''t mind. She knew Cyrus still loved Nancy, so she didn''t even need to mention her name explicitly.


    In the eyes of Jonathan and Ezra, Cyrus was the heartless one. They hated him for betraying their moment and indirectly causing Nancy''s death.


    Lizzie simply let them keep on hating Cyrus. She looked down at Carl, who was tied up on the ground. In his eyes, there was shock, but there was also regret.


    "Carl really loved me!" Lizzie said with certainty.


    Carl''s anger disappeared after seeing Lizzie''s certainty and trust in him. Instead, it was reced by a wave of guilt.


    "I''m sorry... I''m really sorry..." Carl muttered, looking extremely remorseful.


    He regretted everything he said about Lizzie. Lizzie loved him, and he loved Lizzie. How could he have treated her like that? He ruined her life. It was all his fault! "I''m sorry... I''m sorry..."


    Carl lowered his head and didn''t dare to look at Lizzie. Little did he know that his reaction was exactly what she wanted.


    Cheating was a breach of morals, so


    she wouldn''t be able to stay in the Finch family anymore. But if her past deeds came to light, it would cost her more than just her ce in the Finch family.


    Carl was the only other person who knew what happened. She hoped that Carl hadn''t revealed too much in such a short time.


    Sounds of "I''m sorry" echoed in the lobby. Lizzie sighed, seemingly relieved. "There''s nothing to be sorry about. I didn''t want to stay in this prison any longer anyway. Cyrus..." Lizzie said firmly, "Let''s get a divorce. From now on, I want to pursue my true love..."


    True love-was that Carl?


    Cyrus looked extremely distressed. Carl felt as if his soul had been struck hard by something. Now he realized that Lizzie''s "true love" was actually him!


    It was him! But what had he done?


    Carl recalled all the evidence that Finley had shown him. Each one of them revealed how Lizzie was faking her affection toward him and merely using him. Finley even told him that Lizzie plotted an ident to kill him. She wanted to discard him after using him. She wanted him dead.


    Naturally, he was furious to hear that. So, in a moment of anger and under the pressure of threats, he impulsively decided to expose Lizzie''s true nature.


    But he was wrong. Completely and utterly wrong. Lizzie actually loved him.


    "Ha ha ha ha..." Carl suddenly startedughing.


    Jonathan frowned at Carl''sughter, as he realized that Carl had most likely changed his mind. But Jonathan didn''t do anything about it. He simply observed silently. The night was a drama, and he just needed to watch how it unfolded. But in the end...


    Jonathan held Rose''s hand, drawing


    circles in her palms with his fingertips. The tickling sensation made Rose pull her hand back multiple times, but each time, Jonathan only gripped her hand tighter.


    nevel


    She felt helpless. He was getting in the way of her enjoyment of the drama. Rose steadied herself, looked at Carl, and continued to enjoy the show.


    Just as Jonathan expected, Carl changed his mind. This time, he straightened himself up and knelt upright.


    "Mrs. Finch, you and I were just


    ying along with each other. None of it was real. I apologize foring in between you and Mr. Cyrus. But even if he decides to leave you there''s no way I would want to be with you!" Carl eximed.


    Rose''s expression froze, appearing stunned. However, she felt pleased on the inside.


    She knew that the moment she showed affection toward Carl, he would act in the direction she wanted. He wouldn''t say anything that would work against her anymore.


    His im that he would never want to be with her was just an attempt to draw a line between them. He would protect her, even at the expense of sacrificing himself.


    "I don''t care who wants to be with whom. Tonight''s incident was orchestrated by Lizzie. Is there anything else besides this?" Eleanor asked sternly.


    Just as she finished her sentence, Carl burst into hystericalughter.

 Chapter 598 She Was Just a Pawn

    "What are youughing at?" Eleanor frowned in displeasure.


    After a moment, Carl stoppedughing, and silence filled the air. His gaze turned wild. "I''mughing at how foolish the Finches are, being yed by me!"


    Everyone''s expression darkened at his words. Then, they red at Carl. He was merely a bodyguard. How dare he mock the Finch family?


    The madness in Carl''s eyes only grew stronger, a smug expression spreading across his puffy, beaten-up face.


    "I hate the Finch family! Remember? I''m a Larson..."


    Larson? Even Eleanor couldn''t understand what he was trying to imply.


    But Jonathan said in a low voice, "Michael Larson..."


    The sound of the name stunned Carl. He looked at the man he truly feared, never expecting that out of the whole Finch family, Jonathan would be the only one who remembered that name. Michael Larson... After a moment, Eleanor seemed to recall him too. "Michael Larson. Is he your father?"


    Carl answered with a cold smile, "Yes. Michael Larson is my father. So, Mrs. Finch Senior, by now you should understand why I hate the Finch family, right?


    Michael Larson was part of the previous generation of the Azure n. A big family like the Finches would always end up being involved in a power struggle, no matter which generation.


    In the generation of Mr. Finch Senior, Michael was one of his trusted confidants. Unfortunately, Michael died during a mission to protect Mr. Finch Senior. He died protecting Mr. Finch Senior. Eleanor stared at Carl as if trying to recall memories about him. "You''re his son. I''ve seen you. That time, you were but a child..."


    "Yes. When my father died, I was seven. You took me in out of pity and let me stay with the Finch family for some time. Eleanor remembered that, but she was confused.


    "If you remember me taking you in, why do you hate the Finch family? Is it because your father died while on duty?


    "The Finch family gave your mother arge amount ofpensation, and both you and your mother epted it calmly, even if you were heartbroken because of your father''s death." "epted it calmly?" Carl scoffed.


    "Did you know how I spent my life without my father? I was bullied constantly, with everyone thinking they could walk all over me..."


    Carl lowered his head, trying to hide his sense of guilt. He didn''t dare to talk about how Eleanor always protected him after his father''s death, giving him something close to fatherly love.


    He quickly dismissed the thought, fearing that it would shake his stance. He was willing to risk it all to protect Lizzie.


    "You hated the Finch family because of this?" Eleanor''s brows furrowed deeper.


    Carl suddenly became agitated. "Exactly! How am I supposed to let go of my hatred when the Finch family only gets better and better? Luckily, Mr. Cyrus married a young wife. It took me so long to finally be able to seduce her. "Ha ha ha... Mrs. Finch, being with you was merely an act of revenge toward the Finch family. If you actually got a divorce and left the Finch family, you would serve no purpose to me anymore."


    Lizzie was merely a pawn for Carl''s revenge against the Finch family!


    Lizzie was shocked and heartbroken as if she had finally woken up from a sweet dream. Her emotions were sent into turmoil, to the point that she almost fell to the ground. "Superb acting!" Jonathan thought to himself, silently watching.


    Lizzie looked extremely shocked, but she quickly calmed down. She never expected Carl to be so quick-witted and be able to find a justification for his actions in such a short time.


    He was giving her a way out, so of course she would y along with it. "It''s not what you think it is, Carl..."


    Just as she called his name, Cyrus couldn''t stand it anymore. A pnded on Lizzie''s face. The loud p echoed in the air.


    Lizzie was stunned. Since she had been with Cyrus, he had neverid a hand on her. Even after realizing that she cheated on him with Carl, he didn''t even get physical.


    Cyrus''s expression grew more furious than ever. Lizzie was confused, but Cyrus knew very well how he felt.


    He had someone else in his heart, so


    it would be reasonable if Lizzie


    cheated on him with Carl to get revenge on him. Even if she had said that she wanted to pursue her true


    love, he wouldn''t have been as mad.


    But when Carl told Lizzie how she was merely a pawn for his revenge against the Finch family, the expression on her face made him feel that she actually loved Carl that much. So, he couldn''t stand it anymore. Everyone''s attention was drawn to the loud p, and nobody noticed Carl''s heartache. The heartache shed across his face, and Rose noticed it.


    She quickly realized that Carl''s im that Lizzie was merely a pawn was false. Carl loved Lizzie... Even if it wasn''t love, he cared deeply for her. Amidst her thoughts, Carl''s voice was heard.


    "Ha ha ha.. Very well. Deceiving a woman was already enough to stir up the Finch family. But there was more than one woman involved..." "Mrs. Finch Senior, do you know what else I did?"


    Everyone''s attention was on him again. Carl showed no signs of hesitation. There was even excitement in his eyes.


    "I heard that Mr. Finch was very fond of Ms. Shaffer. All those years in Azure n, I have never seen Mr. Finch take an interest in any woman. I assume that he loves Ms. Shaffer very much.


    "So, I was thinking, if Ms. Shaffer ended up with Mr. Turner, wouldn''t that cause chaos in the Finch family?"


    "Too bad..."


    Carl sounded disappointed, but only for a moment. His gaze soon turned wild again.


    "And not just that, there''s also something about Mr. Jack...


    "In fact, I didn''t realize that Mr.


    Jack''s wife hated Ms. Shaffer so much that she followed her to Aurora Crest and plotted a car ident. I only knew that Mr. Jack was detained at the police station, so found a way to contact him.


    "I knew he wanted revenge after getting beaten up by Ms. Shaffer, so I orchestrated the car ident and helped him escape. Luckily, he didn''t disappoint me. He hurt Mr. Finch,


    and got taken away by the Azure n...


    "Ha ha ha... and there''s more."


    Without reservation, Carl revealed everything he had done in front of everyone. He spoke so truthfully, yet cleverly omitted Lizzie''s involvement in everything. Carl knew that he was already exposed. With Jonathan''s power, he could easily trace everything he had done, so he might as well just tell them. Only then he could take all the responsibility upon himself and clear Lizzie of all me.


    The more he revealed, the darker everyone''s expressions became. It was as if a fire of rage was burning in the air. But it was only Carl''s voice that spoke. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something. "Oh, right. There were two more people involved-Ms. Young, and..."

 Chapter 599 So It Was You

    "And also, thete Mrs. Finch, Nancy Turner..."


    Hearing those names shocked everyone present.


    Thete Mrs. Finch, Nancy... It was as if her name was a taboo that they refused to discuss.


    And Harriette...


    Yara quietly watched from the side. She had heard about Nancy, but now she was more curious about the rtionship between Harriette and the Finch family, to the point that Carl had to act against her.


    Rose was shocked at first. Then, a suspicion began to form in her mind. Her suspicion was soon confirmed by Carl''s hystericalughter.


    "Ms. Young... I almost forgot about her. Just now, I said that Mr. Finch had never taken interest in any woman. I take back my word.


    "At that time, Mr. Finch and Ms. Young were close. Perhaps, if the incident hadn''t urred, they would''ve been married, and Ms. Shaffer wouldn''t be in the picture. Too bad..."


    A trace of ruthlessness shed across Carl''s eyes.


    Harriette appeared cheerful and obedient. But in reality, she was arrogant and enjoyed bullying others. She bullied Lizzie and said disrespectful things to her, making her cry.


    Of course, Carl wouldn''t mention any of that, so he put himself in Lizzie''s shoes.


    "She looked down on me and insulted me. That day when she wanted me to pass the message to Mr. Finch to invite him to the reservoir, I didn''t. The only people who went were her and of course, me. "When I pushed her into the reservoir, she was so afraid..."


    Silence filled the air. Carl sounded more and more deranged.


    Rose had always suspected that Carl had something to do with Harriette''s disappearance. But when she actually heard him describe it, she still felt a chill run down her spine.


    He murdered someone just because of a few insults... That was absurd!


    Thinking about his words, a chill shot through Rose''s palm. Therge hand holding hers tightened. Rose looked up and met Jonathan''s concerned gaze.


    It was as if his eyes were saying, "Don''t be afraid, no one can hurt you anymore!"


    At that moment, Rose felt a sense of reassurance in her heart.


    Suddenly, a voice shouted, "What about Nancy? What did you do to her?"


    It was Cyrus. The moment he heard Carl mention Nancy''s name, he was stunned for so long before finallying back to his senses.


    He wasn''t even concerned about what Carl had done to Harriette. He only cared about Nancy.


    He was so agitated that he rushed toward Carl and grabbed him off the floor. "What did you do to Nancy?"


    His face was twisted in anger. At that moment, Carl only felt pity for Lizzie and what she had endured all those years.


    As expected, Cyrus still held Nancy in his heart. The person by his side was Lizzie, but he was stuck in the past. It''s not hard to imagine how painful it had been for her all those years.


    Carl wanted to protect her. He wanted to be her hero. He took a brief glimpse at Lizzie, then met Cyrus''s murderous gaze without fear.


    "I didn''t do much. I simply kept herpany while you had her locked up. I added a little something into her food, but it wasn''t lethal-just enough to make her lose control of her emotions." "Mr. Cyrus, did you know? When thete Mrs. Finch was locked up, she really missed her children!


    "So, I helped her. I arranged for Mr.


    Turner to be brought to her. It was a very sweet reunion between mother and son-it was touching. But never expected her to lose control so easily..."  en


    As he continued to speak, Jonathan and Ezra''s fists tightened. They both recalled what happened during that rainy night. Jonathan was carrying Ezra on his back while leaving Nancy''s residence.


    Not long after that, Nancy died there. She took her own life by cutting her wrist. Jonathan saw her lying in a pool of blood. Nobody knew that Ezra had witnessed that too. "So it was you..."


    Cyrus seemed drained of all his energy. He felt like his heart had been cut by a knife.


    At that time, he was solely focused on fighting against her. He wanted her to give in to him, but he never realized that her life was in danger. And that night, she hurt Ezra.


    She loved her children so much, so hurting Ezra must have been devastating for her.


    But Cyrus thought that she wanted to leave him so badly that she was willing to hurt their child to threaten him. That night, he cursed at her.


    Lunatic? Maniac? He might have said many other hurtful things as well.


    The next time he saw her, she cut her wrist. Shey in a pool of blood, pale, as if all of her blood had drained away...


    The image shed across Cyrus''s mind, and he felt suffocated as if a hand were gripping his throat. He let go of Carl and turned around to support himself on the sofa, looking distressed.


    But no one was concerned about him. Everyone merely nced at him. Lizzie''s gaze was filled with sarcasm, Jonathan''s was cold, and Ezra''s was filled with hatred.


    But Ezra didn''t let the hatred linger for too long. Cyrus wasn''t worth taking revenge on.


    But Carl... Ezra looked at Jonathan. "Just leave him to me."


    "Okay," Jonathan answered calmly.


    Carl faltered slightly. He feared Jonathan. Not only had he nearly had an affair with Rose, but he also indirectly caused the death of Jonathan''s mother, Nancy. He


    thought that Jonathan weal no


    not let


    him off easily.


    He was mentally prepared for the retaliation.


    But he never expected that Ezra would take it upon himself to handle this issue for Jonathan. He also never expected that Jonathan would agree. What was even more unexpected was that, when he looked up at Ezra''s calm face, he felt a sense of fear much stronger than that toward Jonathan. Leaving him to Ezra... What was Ezra going to do with him?


    As the fear in his heart grew, Lizzie spoke with a tremble in her voice. "Please... Let go of Carl. If you let go of Carl, I''ll do whatever you want."


    Just as she finished her sentence, Cyrus red at her sternly. Those words seeped into Carl''s heart like a gentle stream.


    The Finch family didn''t let Carl off easily. As he was brought away by Finley, he sneakily nced at Lizzie.


    The certainty in his eyes was a way of telling her that he would never expose her, even if it meant sacrificing himself. And that was exactly what she wanted.


    Carl took the me for everything. Among those present, only she knew that in all the half-truths he told, she was involved with everything. In fact, she was in charge of everything.


    Great! Carl took on everything for her. But too bad, she couldn''t stay in the Finch family anymore.


    On the bright side, the reason she had to leave wasn''t too serious. It was just a betrayal to Cyrus.

 Chapter 600 Sister-In-Law Still Cares for Me

    Lizzie looked at Cyrus, eager to wrap things up for the night. "Cyrus, I wronged you. I''ll handle the divorce agreement. If you don''t want to see me anymore, we can let thewyers deal with everything." Then, Lizzie turned and walked away.


    The moment she turned, Ezra anxiously looked at Jonathan, as if urging him to not let her leave.


    Carl had taken all the me. While Ezra wasn''t sure about everything, he was certain that a lot of things Carl imed about what happened to his mother weren''t true.


    Lizzie was the one... Jonathan met Ezra''s gaze, trying to ease his concern.


    Once Lizzie had disappeared, Jonathan stood up and took Rose''s hand. "What a shame. The birthday banquet is now ruined..."


    In the lobby, there was a huge cake that they didn''t get to cut. Jonathan nced at the cake. He was saying it was "a shame", but his face showed no hint of disappointment. Instead, he smirked mockingly. Cyrus noticed Jonathan''s gaze and looked over as well. He had personally selected the cake because it featured elements of the art Lizzie liked.


    He even brought Ezra over, hoping for a family gathering to clear up the misunderstandings that Jonathan and Ezra had about Lizzie.


    He even nned on announcing that he would be moving abroad with Lizzie. But... Infidelity... Betrayal...


    The surprise he intended for Lizzie was totally reserved. He ended up being the one receiving a "surprise" from her.


    And Jonathan... Cyrus frowned, staring at Jonathan. "You knew all along?"


    Jonathan''s brows furrowed. Knew what? That Lizzie and Carl betrayed him? Or Lizzie''s true nature? Or other secrets about Lizzie?


    Jonathan met Cyrus''s gaze without hesitation. "Yes. I knew all along. Shouldn''t you have realized it too?"


    Cyrus''s expression froze. Jonathan was reminding him of what Lizzie had revealed on the rooftop in the surveince footage from the Xanth family''s banquet.


    Right. He should''ve known too. But he chose to ignore everything and trust Lizzie, only to have reality p him in the face.


    "Let''s go home." Jonathan''s gaze shifted to Rose; the coldness disappeared instantly, reced by immense love and affection.


    Home? Rose was taken aback. Before she could make sense of what she heard, Jonathan had taken her hand and guided her out. Eleanor stood up behind them. She wanted to say a few words to Rose but dismissed the thought.


    At the exit, Rose and Jonathan''s conversation echoed.


    "Whose home?"


    "Our home, of course."


    "Since when did we have a home?"


    "I''ll show you tonight..."


    Their voices faded as they walked further away. The warmth of the conversation contrasted with the eerie silence in the lobby.


    It was silent in the lobby for a while. Finally, Eleanor spoke up.


    "Cyrus, I don''t care what happened between you and Lizzie, but that woman cannot stay in the Finch family any longer. Take care of it soon. As for what happened tonight, you..." Eleanor paused as she changed her mind. "Never mind. I''ll inform the Xanth and Young families myself."


    After that, she muttered, "So embarrassing", while using her cane to head upstairs.


    The people in the lobby eventually dispersed.


    Rose and Jonathan walked out of Finch Manor and got into the car, ready to leave. Suddenly, the backseat door opened, and someone came in. Through the rearview mirror, the three looked at each other. Jonathan''s expression darkened.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Jonathan didn''t even let Leonard drive them back. He wanted to be alone with Rose and enjoy their time together on the way home. But Ezra...


    "I don''t have a car. Cyrus picked me up, so now I have no one to drive me back." Ezra lowered his gaze, clearly determined to cling to Jonathan. Ezra had no choice but to ask Jonathan for a favor.


    However, Jonathan didn''t want to. "Get out."


    The Finch family had plenty of cars and drivers. It was just a matter of giving the order. Ezra furrowed his brows, looking rather pitiful.


    Upon seeing this, Rose''s heart softened. "Don''t ask him to leave. There''s plenty of space. Let''s drop off Ezzy first."


    Ezzy... Hearing that nickname gave Ezra a flutter in his heart. Suddenly, he leaned in close to Rose and said, "So, my dear sister-inw does care for me after all." Sister-inw? Rose''s face was instantly flushed. Through the rearview mirror, she could see that Ezra''s face was very close to hers.


    Ezra''s smile was radiant,pletely different from the serious expression he had in the lobby moments ago. That smile of his really made people want to...


    "Sit tight!" Jonathan''s cold voice sounded like a warning.


    Ezra was way too close to Rose. And Rose... What was with that expression of hers?


    Jonathan told Ezra to "sit tight", but he didn''t even wait for him to get settled before starting the car and speeding away like an arrow.


    Due to the sudden force, Ezra was jolted back into the seat, separating him from Rose.


    Rose remained silent. Only after a while did she realize Jonathan''s jealousy.


    Ezra was taken aback. He wanted toin but dismissed the thought after seeing Jonathan''s annoyed face in the rearview mirror. He just silently rubbed his nose and shifted to the seat farthest from Rose, looking rather pitiful.


    Ezra stayed quiet for a while, and only then Jonathan''s expression started to rx.


    Rose let out a quiet sigh of relief. Suddenly, arge hand grabbed hers and held on tightly the entire journey.


    Jonathan would asionally give


    Rose a loving nce. They had finally announced their rtionship He had so much to say to Rose, but with Ezra in the backseat, his gaze turned as sharp as des every time he looked at him.


    Ezra regretted asking for the ride. He would have chosen another way if he had known. He closed his eyes, trying to pretend he didn''t exist, hoping Jonathan would ignore him too. Jonathan was speeding the entire way. He wanted to drop off Ezra as soon as possible so he could spend some alone time with Rose.


    Finally, they arrived at Ezra''s house.


    "Get out."


    Jonathan wasted no time in chasing Ezra away, but there wasn''t any response from the back seat. Rose and Jonathan turned around, surprised to see Ezra sitting there with his eyes closed. "Get out of the car!" Jonathan repeated.


    His voice seemed to have startled Ezra, but Ezra only frowned and shifted into a morefortable position, still not opening his eyes.


    It seemed... he had fallen asleep. He shifted again and continued sleeping.


    Jonathan''s face darkened. He unbuckled his seatbelt, ready to get Ezra out of the car himself. He didn''t care if Ezra had to sleep on the floor. He was annoyed that Ezra was dying him and Rose from going home.


    But before he could do anything, Rose held him back.


    Rose could tell what he was nning to do, but she thought it wasn''t a good idea to simply throw Ezra out of the car.


    She looked at Jonathan and suggested, "How about..."

 Chapter 601 Stirring up Mischief

    "How about... you just let it go?" Rose suggested suggestively, feeling sorry for Ezra.


    Jonathan didn''t say anything, but it was clear that he was going to refuse.


    Let it go? What did she mean by that? If he didn''t kick Ezra out of the car, was he supposed to bring Ezra back to their love nest? No! Absolutely not! Ezra had already been third-wheeling the entire journey, and Jonathan''s patience was running out.


    Jonathan gently patted Rose''s hand to reassure her. Then, he swiftly stepped out of the car, opened the backseat door, and pulled Ezra''s arm.


    Ezra was as heavy as a boulder, showing no signs of waking up.


    Jonathan frowned. Since that was the case, Jonathan had no choice. He was determined to kick Ezra out of the car, even if it meant dragging him out by force. "Jon, Ezzy is kinda pitiful..." Rose still felt bad for Ezra.


    Jonathan froze. He recalled those rainy nights in their youth when he carried Ezra back to the Finch Manor. Ezra lying on his back, didn''t even dare to cry out loud.


    But Jonathan heard everything. He heard Ezra trying to hold back his sobs. It was indeed pitiful.


    "Hubby, just let it go. Maybe... just let him sleep in the car," Rose suggested, looking at Jonathan.


    This time, his furrowed brows finally started to rx. Jonathan nced at Ezra, and he closed the back seat door.


    Rose sighed in relief. When Jonathan returned to the driver''s seat, Rose couldn''t help but praise him.


    "Hubby, you''re so kind."


    Jonathan raised his eyebrows. Of course, he was kind, especially when she called him "hubby"-that made him even kinder. Exactly. It was only because Rose called him "hubby" that he couldn''t refuse her request and agreed to bring Ezra along. However...


    Before starting the car, Jonathan huffed. "Fine! He''ll sleep in the car!" That was the best he could do.


    Seeing Jonathan so awkward made Roseugh. She nodded and said, "Yes, yes. He''ll only be in the car sleeping."


    Only if... he was heartless enough.


    Rose was certain that Jonathan was just acting tough. He would never be that heartless to let Ezra sleep in the car. But what she didn''t expect was that as soon as they arrived at their destination, Ezra woke up!


    The three of them looked at each other through the rearview mirror. Rose and Jonathan''s eyes were filled with doubt. Was Ezra actually asleep?


    The more they thought about it, the more doubtful they became. Eventually, both of them realized that Ezra had just been pretending to be asleep.


    Ezra''s lie was exposed, but he wasn''t awkward at all. Instead, he leisurely stretched and looked outside the window. "Are we there?"


    All he got in response was Jonathan''s silence and grim expression.


    Jonathan started the car again. He was determined to send Ezra back, even if it meant spending more time on the road. He didn''t mind waiting to finally enjoy some time alone with his wife.


    Only when Ezra was sent away could they spend alone time together. If not, they wouldn''t get any alone time.


    But as soon as the engine was started, Ezra opened the door and quickly got out of the car. Jonathan was speechless.


    Ezra looked around, admired his surroundings, and generouslyplimented them. "Not bad! I don''t remember you having this house under your name."


    The Finch family owned a lot of properties. Jonathan had a number of them too.


    Ezra and Jonathan were alwayspeting with each other, so it was only natural for Ezra to investigate Jonathan''s background.


    But even if Jonathan had a problem with it, he wouldn''t be able to discover anything about Ezra.


    Ezra, on the other hand, knew every spot Jonathan had in Regalia. There was a touch of gentleness in Ezra''s eyes. He didn''t know about this ce.


    "Did you just buy it? Not bad. Nice location and environment. I can see that you put in a lot of effort for this ce."


    Ezra frequently showed his approval. This helped ease Jonathan''s annoyance from earlier.


    Jonathan turned off the engine and got out of the car to open the door for Rose. He wanted to agree that he had to put a lot of effort into choosing the best love nest for


    himself and Rose.


    He picked out every detail ording to Rose''s preferences. But he didn''t im all the credit.


    He guided Rose out of the car, and he tossed the car keys to Ezra.


    "Take the car. Go back yourself."


    He didn''t want to say another word to Ezra. He didn''t even bother to look at him.


    Ezra caught the keys and stood in silence. Go back? He was there already, so he might as well stay.


    Ezra had the car keys in his hand. He saw Jonathan and Rose entering the house, so he immediately jogged over to catch up to them.


    He reached the door just as Jonathan was about to close it.


    Jonathan and Ezra locked eyes. Jonathan tried to close the door quickly, but Ezra was quicker and managed to squeeze half of his body into the entrance. "Get out!" Jonathan urged Ezra to leave.


    Ezra smiled at Jonathan, but he didn''t plead with him. Instead, he looked towards the inside of the house.


    "Rose, I''m thirsty..."


    Jonathan remained silent.


    Before he could respond, Rose said, "Ezzy is thirsty. Just let hime in and drink water."


    Jonathan still didn''t say anything. He didn''t want his wife to think he was mistreating his brother. So, reluctantly, he took a step back.


    He shot Ezra a warning nce, but Ezra didn''t even look at him, let alone receive his warning. Ezra marched in with a big smile, heading straight toward Rose.


    Rose took a bottle of water from the


    fridge and handed it to Ezra.


    Jonathan stood in the foyer, arms


    crossed, determined to kick Ezra out the second he finished drinking.


    But the moment Ezra took the water, he started to stir up trouble again.


    "Thank you, Rose. You and bro treat me so well." Ezra''s smile held a captivating charm that could enchant anyone.


    Only Jonathan knew that his mention of "bro" was merely an add-on.


    "Don''t mention it."


    Rose was flustered by Ezra''s constant praises.


    Ezra was Jonathan''s younger brother, so she treated him as her own younger brother too. Of course, she was happy to treat him well.


    "Rose, bro, I''m a bit tired from the journey. I''ll go to rest now. You two carry on."


    Both Jonathan and Rose exchanged a confused look at Ezra''s mention of "carry on".


    Rose stood there, speechless.


    Just as she was lost in thought, Ezra had already dashed away. He nced at the second floor of the vi, but he chose a room on the first floor, entering and closing the door in one smooth motion.


    By the time they realized, Ezra was already inside the room.


    Rose was left speechless. Wasn''t he just thirsty and needed some water? Wasn''t he supposed to leave after drinking?


    Rose looked at Jonathan, only to see his extremely annoyed expression. Jonathan had a dark expression. He''d suspected that Ezra would cause trouble.


    What did he mean by "I''m a bit tired from the journey"? Not only did he pretend to be asleep, but now he wanted to act tired too?


    Jonathan cursed under his breath.


    Soon after, he brushed aside his annoyance, and his handsome face lit up. When he smiled at Rose, his smile was even brighter than Ezra''s moments ago.

 Chapter 602 Wherever You Like

    Rose stared, a little dazed.


    She quietlypared the two faces in her mind. It was undeniable that Ezra''s face was pleasing and impressive.


    However, seeing Jonathan who stood before her made her heart race for reasons she couldn''t exin.


    At that moment, her heart was pounding wildly again, and her cheeks were slowly heating up. She was blushing.


    Jonathan knew Rose found him handsome. He was very happy that looking at his face could make her blush. His gaze grew even more intense.


    Rose quickly looked away as if she had been burned. She had the urge to escape.


    But why would Johnathan let her do so? He no longer cared about showing her around the home he''d prepared for her. Right now, all he wanted was to hold her. Rose gasped in surprise. She then realized that besides the two of them, Ezra was still in the house. She immediately pped a hand over her mouth, flustered. She felt even more embarrassed when she met Jonathan''s mischievous gaze. What was he nning to do?


    Even if she didn''t think about it, she knew what he wanted to do. The desire in his eyes was too obvious.


    Her heart didn''t stop pounding. She realized what Jonathan was about to do as he carried her towards the stairs.


    She instinctively grabbed his arm and said, "Don''t..."


    Jonathan stopped for a moment. He looked down at Rose and frowned.


    "Here?" Jonathan nced at therge living room and the couch. He stopped frowning. Well... He wasn''t exactly opposed to it.


    Rose was speechless. What did he mean by that? Rose finally understood when he withdrew his foot from the stairs and prepared to head toward the living room. He... That wasn''t what she meant. She immediately stopped him in his tracks.


    "Stop."


    Jonathan stopped once again. He looked down at her, confused. She didn''t want to do it in the living room?


    Forget it. She could choose wherever she liked. He only cared about her, so the ce didn''t matter. But still...


    "Where would you like it?" Jonathan''s voice was low. His words carried a seductive tone.


    "I like..." Rose''s mind was still fixated on the living room. She didn''t think about his question properly as she instinctively answered him.


    Realization suddenly hit her. She felt that something was off. Where did she like it? What did he mean by that?


    "I don''t like it anywhere!" Rose protested firmly, struggling to free herself from his hold.


    His body was... too warm. She would be set aze too if they stayed pressed together. She had to keep some distance between them, but how could Jonathan agree to that?


    He tightened his grip on her waist, not letting her pull away. He coaxed her gently. "Rose, you were drugged earlier tonight."


    Rose was silent. That was hours ago. Besides, did he forget?


    "The doctor took care of it. I''m fine now," she reminded him.


    Fine? But he wasn''t fine.


    "Wifey, everyone already knows we''re married."


    Rose had nothing to say to that. So?


    "You bullied me back in the greenhouse!" added Jonathan in a pitiful tone.


    The memory of what happened in the greenhouse came rushing back. She could recall what had happened, but... bullying?


    Rose blushed. She would admit that she had been a bit bold with him, but... in the end, nothing had actually happened, right? Besides... "I... I didn''t ask to get drugged..."


    "But I think about it!" Jonathan stopped all her excuses with that interruption.


    His forehead was pressed against hers. Their breaths intermingled. Rose was stunned by his words. She snapped out of her daze and was about to respond, but Jonathan spoke first. "Wifey, I helped you, so shouldn''t you also show me some love? I''ve waited for you for too long. I..."


    His whispered words felt like a spell. Rose''s defenses weakened with each word.


    "Wifey, you still haven''t looked at my injury..."


    He was stabbed by Jack that day at Aurora Crest while trying to protect her.


    A wave of guilt and sympathy rose within Rose. "Let me take a look..."


    "Alright!"


    Jonathan held her tightly and headed upstairs. It was as if he had seeded.


    The vi was their new home. It was decorated entirely in Rose''s favorite colors. Jonathan stayed here asionally, but this time he was carrying his bride into the bedroom. It was a first for him. Rose was confused. She was examining Jonathan''s wound, but it somehow resulted in this.


    Their clothesy scattered together on the floor. Even the air was charged with sexual tension. His breath brushed past her ear. It was soft and seductive.


    Rose suddenly remembered his injury and tried to push him away. "Your wound..."


    She hadn''t even had a proper look before he''d brought her to the bed.


    However, Jonathan wasn''t concerned about his injury.


    "The wound... doesn''t matter." Nothing was more important than her.


    Jonathan was never an impatient person. He always remained calm, but at that moment, he felt a sense of urgency. He was eager to relive that deeply satisfying feeling he''d missed for so long.


    He nced at Rose who was in his arms. If she could still worry about his injury, then it was clearly a sign he hadn''t done enough to capture her futbattention. It seemed


    needed to put in more efforte


    As such, Rose didn''t have the chance to focus on anything else due to his hard work. The room filled with their love, and it was a long while before everything finally calmed down. Jonathan woke up when the sun rose. The first thing he did when he woke up was look down at the person in his arms. Rose was nestled in his embrace, sleeping soundly.


    At that moment, Jonathan was content. He couldn''t help but nt a kiss on her hair. A certain part of his body stirred again.


    No.


    Jonathan worked hard to push down the impulse. He had fully indulged himselfst night and put her through a lot.


    She was too tired now, so she needed to rest. He didn''t want to hurt her with hisck of restraint.


    He closed his eyes, but he couldn''t sleep. He realized he had overestimated his self-control as he held her in his arms.


    After struggling with himself for a moment, he decided to get up. The sky gradually brightened.


    Jonathan went downstairs and headed straight for the kitchen. The vi hadn''t been staffed yet, but the fridge was always stocked with ingredients. Soon, he was busy in the kitchen.


    He cooked some oatmeal, warmed some milk, and made sandwiches. He managed to fry a perfect heart-shaped egg after ruining a few in the process.


    He looked at the breakfast he had


    prepared for Rose with satisfaction. He then arranged everything on the dining table. It was as if he was making a work of art. He had to make several adjustments before he was finally pleased.


    However, he didn''t notice that someone was watching him the whole time. Ezra was in the living room before Jonathan came downstairs. The living room lights were off. He stayed hidden in the shadows, so Jonathan didn''t notice


    him.


    Ezra watched him walk into the kitchen. Under the kitchen lights, he saw as he bustled around in an apron. For a moment, Ezra thought he was seeing things. The Jonathan who was feared and respected by many was... cooking?

 Chapter 603 Those Grudges Were His Too

    Ezra had to admit that it seemed rather surreal. After watching the figure work in the kitchen for so long, and even seemingly putting in extra effort into a single egg... He could confirm that person was indeed Jonathan. Was he making breakfast for Rose?


    Ezra felt a little jealous. In all his life, he''d never tasted Jonathan''s cooking.


    He watched as Jonathan inspected the breakfast from every angle in the dining room. Finally, Ezra couldn''t hold back and got up to approach him.


    It was just breakfast. Was there really a need to fuss over it?


    With a silent scoff, Ezra strode over and plopped himself down in front of the breakfast Jonathan had so carefully prepared.


    Jonathan said nothing. Where had hee from? Didn''t he...


    "Why haven''t you left?" Jonathan sounded unfriendly. "I gave you the keys to the carst night. If you don''t want to drive, I''ll call Leonard toe get you."


    In short, it would be best if Ezra left his and Rose''s home immediately.


    Ezra felt a little hurt, but he was shameless. He pretended not to hear Jonathan''s attempt to kick him out and didn''t reply to Jonathan''s statement.


    He then picked up the utensils in front of him, ready to eat the breakfast. Jonathan, of course, wanted to stop him.


    Jonathan didn''t make it for Ezra. he made it for Rose, his wife.


    Just as he was about to say something, he saw Roseing down the stairs.


    "Wifey, you''re awake." Jonathan greeted her eagerly. His eyes were glued to her. "Why didn''t you sleep a little longer? Maybe skip the office today..." He had exhausted herst night, so he felt bad for her.


    "No, I can''t," she replied.


    She couldn''t hide that she was a little tired, but she had just taken over at the Youngs. With Miles going on vacation soon, she had a lot of work to handle. Her stomach growled when she smelled breakfast. Ezra heard it too.


    Ezra, who was just about to eat the breakfast before him, nced at Rose. He then pulled out his phone as if something urgent hade up and made a call.


    He stood up and walked away from the table as he waited for the call to connect. The moment he left the table, Jonathan took Rose''s hand and guided her to the dining room.


    "I made you breakfast. Go ahead. Try it." Jonathan sat Rose down in the spot Ezra had just vacated.


    "But..." Rose trailed off. This was Ezra''s breakfast...


    "Go ahead and eat it. He has more," Jonathan replied, smiling brightly.


    Rose really was hungry. Her stomach growled again. She felt a little awkward, so she stopped hesitating and tasted the oatmeal. It was surprisingly tasty.


    "How is it? It''s not bad, right?" Jonathan was seated beside her as he stared at her. His expression screamed that he wanted to be praised.


    "It''s very good," Rose replied, sampling some of the other dishes. She recalled that Jonathan was still a beginner in cooking back in Aquastead. Yet, he had be this skilled in such a short time. Rose focused on eating while Jonathan watched her. His eyes were filled with unconcealed affection. Nearby, Ezra also watched, entranced. His manager''s voice came through on the other end of the line. "Mr. Turner? Hello? Mr. Turner, do you have any instructions for me?"


    The manager was met with silence. His manager, who had just woken up, was confused by the silence.


    It had been a long time since Ezra had contacted him. He was thus a little shocked when he received the call.


    However, Ezra was silent when he picked up the phone. His manager was at a loss for words.


    "Mr. Turner? The fans are all asking when your break will be over..."


    The manager sounded a little exasperated. During Ezra''s absence, thepany had told the public he was on vacation. Even so, he couldn''t stay on vacation forever.


    Ezra was a top celebrity. His studio,pany, and he himself was barely holding up under the pressure.


    The other end of the phone was still silent. The manager wondered if Ezra had identally dialed his number.


    The manager tried once more. "Mr. Turner?"


    This time, Ezra frowned and gave his phone an irritated nce. How annoying. Ezra hung up the phone.


    The manager looked at the dark phone screen, utterly baffled.


    Ezra quickly put away his phone. In the dining room, Jonathan served a te of breakfast for himself.


    The warm scene was asking to be interrupted, so Ezra walked back in without hesitation. He then sat opposite Rose.


    Rose greeted him warmly when she saw him. "Have you eaten, Ezzy?"


    Ezra gave a gentle smile. "Nope. I slept and now I''m a little hungry, but... I guess there''s none left for me?"


    Rose was silent. However, his cautious expression looked a little pitiful.


    She immediatelyforted him by saying, "Of course there is!"


    However, there were only two servings on the table. One was hers, and one was Jonathan''s.


    Rose looked at Jonathan. "There''s more breakfast, right? I can make some if there isn''t."


    "Oh, thank you..."


    Thank you, dear Rose. He could finally taste her cooking. How wonderful!


    Jonathan interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. "Of course there is!" he replied with a smile. "It''s in the kitchen. I''ll get it."


    Although he was smiling, his


    expression turned icy the moment he turned his back to Rose as he was returning to the kitchen. He shot Ezra a look that clearly told him how horrid he was.


    Ezra noticed but acted oblivious. He secretlymented that he lost the chance to eat Rose''s cooking.


    However, that feeling didn''tst long. He knew he would have the chance to do so in the future.


    Jonathan served him breakfast. It consisted of a bowl of oatmeal, a cup of milk, and a few deformed heart-shaped eggs. It looked rather sloppy.


    "That''s it. Go ahead and eat it,"


    Jonathan said. He resisted the urge


    to tell him to hurry up and leave once he was done. However, his expression delivered the message perfectly.  en


    And Ezra did eat, but he didn''t hurry up.


    Like Rose, he tried a spoonful of oatmeal. It was not bad. He then tried some milk and the temperature was just right. Finally, he tasted the heart-shaped eggs. "These eggs are really ugly," Ezra remarked, poking at them.


    Jonathan didn''t respond to his remark. Ugly? If they were that ugly he could stop eating it. Why did he continue to do so?


    Jonathan nced at him indifferently. He didn''t feel like responding.


    After breakfast, while Rose went upstairs to change, Jonathan called out to Ezra, "What are your ns for Carl?"


    Last night, Ezra had asked Jonathan for Carl.


    Ezra already had a n. "I''ll use him as bait."


    He would be the bait... And the fish would be Lizzie.


    Jonathan understood immediately. "And if the fish doesn''t bite?"


    "Then we''ll kill the fish and hang it on the hook." Ezra''s eyes gleamed fiercely.


    Both brothers knew that, although Carl had taken the me for everything, there were deeper grudges at y. Certain truths had toe to light, and those who wanted to escape couldn''t do so.


    However... Jonathan looked at Ezra and said, "I can handle it. You don''t have to get involved."


    He didn''t want blood to stain Ezra''s hands.


    Ezra met his gaze and raised a brow. "Oh, so you''re nning to enjoy all the satisfaction yourself? That''s not happening. This isn''t just your fight." Those grudges were his too.

 Chapter 604 Jonathan Really Went All Out

    Jonathan understood what Ezra meant. "No matter what help you need, you can always ask Finley."


    By the time Rose came back downstairs, the serious expressions that Jonathan and Ezra had previously worn were reced by smiles.


    Jonathan was preparing to send Rose to the Youngs, but right after they stepped out, they saw a luxury car parked outside the house, with Elijah standing beside it. Standing far apart, the two men locked eyes. Jonathan looked shocked at first, but the shock quickly disappeared. Elijah had most probably investigated Jonathan inside out, so it made sense that he knew the location of Jonathan''s new house. Jonathan took the hint and handed Rose over to Elijah.


    When Rose reached the office, everyone she met gave her an oddly happy look.


    "Ms. Shaffer, congrattions!"


    "Ms. Shaffer, thank you so much!"


    Rose felt strange about receiving congrattions. What had happened that people were congratting her? And thanks? Why were they thanking her?


    Rose was confused. It wasn''t until she went upstairs and reached her office that she understood everything.


    On herputer, an extremely ostentatious email had been sent to the entire Young Group. It was a marriage certificate, zoomed in to almost fill theputer screen.


    On the certificate, there were two names-Jonathan Finch and Rose Shaffer.


    "Jonathan!"


    Rose didn''t know how to react. It was only the previous night when she had agreed to announce their marriage, so she thought that only the guests would know. She didn''t expect him to announce it like that. He really wanted the whole world to know.


    "Ms. Shaffer, would you... like to try this?" Her assistant, Rachel, came into her office, holding something mysteriously in her hand.


    "What''s that?"


    Rose looked toward Rachel''s hand.


    Rachel opened up her hand, revealing some sweets.


    Sweets? Rose had a bad feeling, and she was right. Rachel handed her the sweets with a teasing smile on her face.


    "The sweets are so sweet!"


    It was their wedding favor! Jonathan, what did he do?


    Rose took the sweets and slowly unwrapped the packaging. "Is it only sweets? Is there anything else?"


    Rose wanted to know everything.


    Earlier, when everyone saw her walking towards her office unknowingly, they concluded that she had no clue what was going on in the office. They assumed i t was all a surprise prepared by Jonathan to make her happy. And they were right about it. Rose had no clue!


    Since she didn''t know, of course, Rachel took it upon herself to convey Jonathan''s good heart. After all, she received many benefits from Jonathan''s surprise as well.


    "It''s not just sweets. There''s a lot more! All staff in the Young Group, no matter their experience and position, received an exclusive car purchasing discount.


    "Also, the female staff received a set of luxurious skincare products, while the male staff received electronic devices. There are also sweets, flowers, and..." Rachel''s eyes sparkled with excitement, as if she were the one Jonathan was trying to please. Who wouldn''t love it when Jonathan''s going all out like that?


    At the end of the day, Rose was truly the lucky one, being pampered by Jonathan.


    Rachel looked at Rose, but only to see her frowning. It wasn''t the shy and touched expression that Rachel was expecting. Instead, it looked like she was about to settle a score with someone.


    Rachel''s heart sank, so she asked, "Ms. Shaffer, you''re not going to make us return everything, are you?"


    They loved all of the gifts they received. There was no way they were going to return them!


    Thankfully, Rose smiled and responded gently, "It''s okay. They''re gifts, so you can just ept them."


    "Okay, okay." Rachel nodded vigorously.


    Rachel grabbed a bunch of sweets from her pocket and put them on the office table. "Ms. Shaffer... enjoy the sweets. Let me know if you need anything." Then, Rachel left the office.


    Rose quickly took out her phone and dialed Jonathan''s number. It only took one ring for the call to be answered. Jonathan''s maic voice came through. "Miss me already, wifey?"


    It wasn''t hard to imagine Jonathan smiling on the other side of the phone.


    Rose walked toward the wall, pressed a remote, and the wall instantly transformed into transparent ss, allowing her to see the office area outside.


    On the desks, there were flowers, sweets, gift boxes... It was quite a spectacle.


    She wanted to confront Jonathan, but her heart was immediately softened.


    "Wifey, I miss you." On the other side of the phone, Jonathan did not hide his feelings for Rose. They had only just parted.


    "I want to hug you," Jonathan continued.


    Rose suddenly recalled their wild passion the previous night, her cheek flushing. She quickly brushed away the memories and questioned Jonathan but in a much weaker tone. "The things in the office... when did you prepare it?"


    There were nearly ten thousand workers in the office building. It would be impossible to prepare everything in just one day.


    As Rose expected, Jonathan


    responded as if seeking praise, "I


    prepared it a long time ago. I was thinking of giving it to the staff during the wedding, but it''s all the same to me to give it earlier,


    prepare something else when the


    weddinges."


    As soon as Rose agreed to announce their rtionship the previous night, Jonathan had Leonard make the arrangements immediately.


    Now that their rtionship was no


    longer a secret, of course, he was going to go all out to celebrate it. By sharing the joy with her employees, Jonathan was also trying to win over her family.


    Jonathan felt very satisfied, but Rose''s mind kept echoing the word "wedding".


    "When did I agree to having a wedding?"


    Jonathan''s smile froze. They had already announced their marriage. How could they not have a wedding?


    Jonathan asked in a serious tone, "Then what do I need to do for you to agree to have a wedding?"


    Rose didn''t know how to answer that question. She stuttered and hung up the phone, unable to stop thinking about the wedding.


    In the office of the design director of the Young''s House of Jewels, Harriette stared at the marriage certificate with a dark expression. It must have been Jonathan''s doing!


    Outside of the office, all the staff were excited to receive gifts from Jonathan. Jonathan really wanted everyone to know that Rose was his wife!


    Harriette was jealous of Jonathan''s possessiveness toward Rose. But even if she was jealous, what could she do?


    Harriette knew that what happened at Finch Manor the previous night was Lizzie''s doing, but too bad Lizzie didn''t see thising.


    If Lizzie''s scheme had worked, today would have been a very different scenario.


    Too bad. Too bad! Harriette felt extremely disappointed.


    Suddenly her phone rang, and it was


    an unsaved number. But she


    recognized the number-it was Lizziel Harriette made sure the office door was closed before finally answering the call.


    "Madam, how are you?" Harriette sounded concerned.


    She had no idea what had happened after she left the night before. She didn''t know if Lizzie had cleared her own name.

 Chapter 605 She Knows Her Secret

    For a moment, there was only silence from the other end of the line. Lizzie didn''t respond to Harriette''s question.


    "Madam?" Harriette called out cautiously.


    It was as if she''d flipped a switch because what came after was Lizzie''s sharp questioning. "Did you already know that Rose and Jonathan were married?" Even over the phone, Harriette felt uneasy.


    "Answer me! Did you know?" Lizzie raised her voice.


    Harriete gulped. "I only realizedter that the person Rose married was Mr. Finch. Madam, I wasn''t trying to keep it from you. I just..."


    "Just what?" Lizzie didn''t believe that Harriette hadn''t hidden the truth intentionally.


    In the past, Lizzie would have definitely punished Harriette for her dishonesty, but at that moment, there were more pressing matters than punishing Harriette.


    Lizzie forced down her anger. When she left the Finch Manor the night before, she hadn''t returned to Cyrus''s residence. Instead, she went to a luxury condominium she had secretly purchased. She''d spent the entire night alone on the sofa until daylight.


    Before returning to the condominium, she had even secretly followed Jonathan, and she had realized that the vi was a new home for him and Rose.


    How sweet. Jonathan put so much effort into Rose. How could that not drive her mad? How could she not want to destroy it all?


    "Did you see Rose today? She looked happy, didn''t she?"


    Lizzie knew she wasn''t the only one who resented Rose. Rose''s luck and happiness stung others too. For example, Kelly Shaffer. Kelly Shaffer, who was now Harriette.


    As Harriette thought about the fuss surrounding the Young Group building, jealousy shed across her eyes.


    "Yes. Happy."


    If she were in Rose''s ce, she''d be on cloud nine.


    "You two used to be sisters, both Shaffers. You used to have so much more than she does now. But fate is funny. Look at you now, living with someone else''s face, while she...


    "A powerful father, a protecting brother, and a loving husband. She has it all. If I were you, the one thing I''d want the most now is to destroy her."


    Lizzie''s voice came through the phone, slipping into Harriette''s ear like a devil''s whisper, dangerously seductive. Each of her words struck Harriette''s heart. Harriette wanted to destroy Rose. Even without what happened the previous night, she would still want to destroy her. But they have to wait... "Miles is going on vacation soon, so I''ll find a chance after that. But Madam, will you still be able to help me?" Harriette still had to be realistic. She sensed that afterst night, this Mrs. Finch was no longer as powerful as before. They hade together to benefit from each other.


    If one lost their value, the rtionship would fall apart. If Lizzie was no longer "Madam", then Harriette wouldn''t have to follow her orders anymore.


    From Harriette''s tone, Lizzie could tell what she was thinking. On the other end of the line, Lizzie let out a coldugh.


    "You want to get rid of me? Etta, don''t you forget who you are."


    She was Kelly Shaffer.


    Harriette''s heart sank, and she immediately returned to being obedient. "Madam, that''s not what I meant."


    "You better not have," Lizzie replied sternly.


    "I''m the only one who knows about the secret of your face. In Regalia, even with the face and identity of the Young family heiress, you can''t achieve anything on your own. As for whether I can still help you, of course I can." With that, Lizzie hung up. To Lizzie, Kelly was a foolish pawn. But Kelly was very jealous of Rose. She wanted to drag Rose off her pedestal and step all over her. That was all Lizzie needed.


    Harriette stared at her phone, feeling defeated.


    Lizzie knew her secret, so she still had to be at her disposal. Instead of thinking about escaping Lizzie''s control, it would be better to focus her energy on dealing with Rose. What should she do to Rose?


    Harriette was lost in thought, but the sound of knocking pulled her back into reality. Harriette quickly went to open the door, meeting Miles''s anxious gaze. As soon as he saw her, he hugged her tightly.


    "Etta..." Harriette was startled by his actions.


    Sheposed herself and patted Miles on his back. "Miles, what''s wrong?"


    Miles pulled back and looked at her face, his eyes filled with deep concern. "Etta, ever since you returned, I haven''t asked you this. What happened when you went missing? Who did that to you?"


    Harriette''s heart skipped a beat. The


    day on the rooftop, from Lizzie''s words, she had vaguely guessed that Lizzie was involved in the death of the Young family heiress, but she didn''t know exactly what had happened.


    "Miles, why are you asking? I..." Harriette''s mind raced as she tried to figure out how to handle the situation.


    After some thought, she decided to put on an act.


    "The past is the past. I don''t want to dwell on painful memories anymore," she said with a frown. It looked as if she felt pain thinking about the past.


    Miles noticed Harriette''s reaction.


    "But I can''t let it go. You and


    Grandpa are the most important people in my life. I''ll make them pay for hurting you. I didn''t know before, but now that I do, I can''t just sit by!"


    Harriette was silent. He knew? He knew that Lizzie had something to do with Harriette''s death?


    Harriette was panicking inside. She was afraid that if Miles talked to Lizzie, she might reveal the secret of her face.


    "Don''t be afraid!" Miles noticed how panicked she was. "Carl is already locked up. Mrs. Finch Senior told me this morning herself that the Youngs can do whatever we want to Carl."


    "Carl?" Harriette was stunned for a moment, blurting out his name.


    How could it be Carl?


    She quickly hid her surprise and heard Miles continue. "Carl has already admitted to pushing you into the water."


    So that was why!


    Harriette was secretly relieved. It turns out that Carl had admitted everything the previous night. She guessed that Carl took the me for Lizzie.


    Since they were dealing with Carl, Harriette had no more concerns. She felt that she should "take revenge" for everything that Harriette went through. So she looked up to Miles''s eyes. "Miles, what are you going to do?"


    "I think..." Sharpness flickered in Miles''s usually calm eyes.


    That brief moment of ruthlessness frightened her, but she quickly calmed herself, knowing that it wasn''t directed to her.


    She was Harriette, and Miles loved her. He was even willing to take revenge for her.


    Revenge... Harriette''s mind raced.


    If she could use Miles''s "revenge" to her advantage and destroy Rose, wouldn''t that be perfect? But how could she make it happen?


    Harriette was focused on thinking and didn''t notice how Miles''s gaze grew colder.


    She stopped listening to him after "I think". Suddenly, an idea came to her, and she interrupted him.


    "Miles, I want to meet him."

 Chapter 606 I Will Take Good Care of You

    Harriette was referring to Carl.


    Miles frowned instantly, as though worried that she might get hurt again.


    However, Harriette immediately reassured him, "Don''t worry, Miles. As long as you''re by my side, he won''t be able to hurt me again."


    Miles thought for a moment, and his brows began to rx.


    "Okay." Miles agreed for Harriette to meet Carl.


    "Be good. I''ll go visit Rose. She was scaredst night too, but luckily nothing happened to her. Otherwise, her fate, as well as Jon''s and Ezra''s would be very different." Miles didn''t hide his concern for Rose in front of Harriette.


    "Go ahead, Miles. I''ll visit herter today as well." Harriette said kindly.


    The moment Miles left the office, the smile on her face instantly faded.


    "Such a shame..." She sighed,menting at Rose''s luck. It would be ideal for her if something had happened between Ezra and Rose in the greenhouse.


    If so, Rose would have never had the chance to be with Jonathan, and there wouldn''t be so muchmotion at the Young Group building today.


    She thought about the thousands of gifts and the amount of money Jonathan had spent on Rose, and her jealousy drove her mad.


    Consumed by her jealousy, Harriette carefully nned how to avoid Miles and meet with Carl.


    What she didn''t know was that as soon as Miles left the office, his usually calm and elegant demeanor was immediately reced by a cold, ruthless expression. He quickly headed upstairs while telling Victor to prepare an outfit for him. Miles still had his old office in the building. In the office, there were always spare clothes in case he needed it.


    He hugged "Harriette" and felt disgusted. If it weren''t for needing to gain her trust, he wouldn''t even bother to look at her.


    He lowered his head and smelled the lingering scent of "Harriette" on him.


    He frowned the whole time, and only after changing into a fresh outfit was he somewhat satisfied before heading to meet Rose.


    When Miles arrived at Rose''s office, she was in a discussion with Rachel about work. She was so focused that she didn''t notice him entering the office.


    Miles didn''t disturb her. He quietly observed how seriously she worked, and a smile appeared on his face.


    His eyes followed her. His gaze was filled with affection that he couldn''t hide. Even he didn''t realize that this affection was no longer romantic. It was purely tonic, familial love. "Mr. Miles..."


    Rachel finally saw Miles.


    "Miles!" Rose lifted her head. Her smile was bright and radiant, like the sun.


    Rachel took the hint and left the office, giving them privacy.


    "Are you getting used to the work?" Miles approached the office desk. Looking at how she handled her work, he already had his answer.


    However, Rose answered differently from what he expected. "Absolutely not! I can''t handle such a hugepany on my own."


    Rose truly wanted to return the Young Group to Miles. To her, even if she inherited it, thepany still belonged to Miles. Young Group belonged to Miles. Of course, she wanted to return it to him. "I need rest," said Rose. Miles didn''t want her to overwork herself.


    But ording to his n, he needed to detach himself from thepany for a while so that his enemies would let their guard down.


    He had to wait till his enemies showed their true colors. After that, he would return to thepany to help Rose.


    "I... leave tomorrow." Miles looked at Rose.


    Rose was shocked, as she hadn''t expected it to be so soon. "Why so sudden?"


    "It''s not. I''ve nned it very early on. I''ve been working non-stop these past few years, and now I just want to rx. Rose..."


    Miles paused. "Remember, I''ll be by your side no matter what happens."


    Rose took his words literally, not realizing there was another meaning behind it.


    "Miles, have fun ande back soon." Rose held Miles''s arm lovingly. "Miles, I''ll send you off tomorrow."


    "Okay."


    That night, Rose returned to the Young estate, and the family had a meal together. The next morning, the Youngs all went to the airport to see Miles off.


    "Miles, I''m gonna miss you after you leave!" Harriette looked at Miles affectionately. However, in her heart, she was thrilled to see Miles leave.


    It was fantastic! She never expected Miles to go on vacation so soon. She had been worrying about how to avoid him, and now even fate seemed to be on her side.


    Looking at Harriette''s affectionate expression, Miles only responded with a smile. Though his expression was loving, his eyes remained cold.


    "Then... should I skip my vacation?"


    Harriette froze. "But you had it all nned, and you need to rx."


    Miles responded, "Then how about you go with me?"


    "What about Rose?" Harriette reacted quickly. There was no way she would go with him.


    She had to take this opportunity while Miles was away. She had something more important to do.


    "I''d be happy to join you for vacation, but leaving Rose alone at thepany would be too much for her to handle. I should stay and help her out." Harriette grabbed Rose, looking concerned, as if they were real sisters.


    Even Rose was taken aback.


    Vels


    When it came to Harriette, Rose always felt a strange sense of powerlessness. No matter how Harriette tried to act affectionately toward her, she always felt an invisible barrier between them. She found it hard to reciprocate Harriette''s friendliness.


    "Thank you, Etta." Rose was a little awkward.


    "Don''t mention it. We''re family after all!" Harriette''s voice was hoarse, but her smile was radiant.


    Miles looked at both of them. In his deep eyes, a subtle and mysterious look flickered.


    They then sent Miles off to the security check. From the beginning, Harriette and Rose were holding hands, while Anastasia, left out, silently observed.


    In her eyes, Harriette''s face wasn''t Harriette''s. Instead, it was Kelly''s.


    Kelly! Ever since she discovered that Harriette was actually Kelly, she had been observing her. She had to admit that Kelly was extremely talented in acting. Miles believed her, and Rose didn''t notice anything odd either.


    Rose...


    "Rose, don''t worry. I''ll take care of you while Miles is on vacation." Harriette held onto Rose lovingly, but to Rose, that warmth was unbearably intense." Rose smiled politely. Then, she turned around and met Anastasia''s gaze. Was it just her imagination?


    She sensed a sense of sarcasm and sympathy.


    Harriette also saw how Anastasia was looking at Rose. Naturally, she knew the meaning behind Anastasia''s look. Was Anastasia trying to give Rose a hint? But... Harriette would never let that happen.


    "Anastasia, you''re my younger sister,


    of course, I''ll take good care of you


    too,"


    looking as if she was being a responsible older sister.


    ette promised cheerfully,


    But only she and Anastasia knew that what she meant by "taking care" wasn''t actually taking care. Instead, it was a warning.

 Chapter 607 The Chance Is Finally Here

    Harriette was warning Anastasia. If she interfered, she would "take care" of her.


    Anastasia''s eyes flickered with surprise, and she swiftly looked away. After that, she quietly left the airport with the two of them.


    On the way back to thepany, Harriette deliberately separated Anastasia from her and Rose. Anastasia took a car on her own, while Harriette and Rose shared one.


    In the car, Rose couldn''t stop thinking about the look Anastasia had given her earlier. She felt that Anastasia had something she wanted to say to her.


    Rose sensed that ever since Harriette returned, Anastasia had changed entirely. She was no longer as aggressive as before. But despite Anastasia''s change, they still didn''t interact much. What could she possibly want to say to her?


    "Rose? Rose?" Harriette called her twice before Rose finally reacted. She was immediately met with Harriette''s pout. "Rose, what were you daydreaming about? You weren''t listening to me, were you?" Rose didn''t respond. She tried to recall what Harriette had said, but her mind went nk.


    "What did you say?" Rose responded apologetically. She genuinely didn''t hear anything.


    Harriette huffed, but she wasn''t ming Rose. She repeated, "The bodyguard at Finch Manor that night, I''ve seen him before."


    She spoke while frowning as if frightened by unhappy memories.


    Rose recalled what Carl had said that night and couldn''t help but feel bad for Harriette. Sheforted her, saying, "Etta, it''s okay now. Carl''s been locked up, and he won''t be able to hurt anyone again." Rose wanted to reassure her and chase away her fear.


    But to her surprise, Harriette replied, "I know, Miles told me that too. For a long time, I kept having the same nightmare. I dreamed I was pushed into the water and drowned. That''s what happened before I went missing. After that... "After that, I kept telling myself not to think about it anymore, and I did stop thinking about it for a long time.


    "But Miles told me that it was the bodyguard from the Finch family who pushed me into the water and nearly took my life. Last night, I had the same nightmare again. I''m scared."


    Harriette was really good at making up stories. All of the lies were made up at thest minute when they got in the car.


    When talking about fear, Harriette looked genuinely afraid. Anyone who saw her would have felt sorry for her.


    Rose... should fall for it too, right?


    "I know a good therapist in Aquastead..." Harriette seemed to have psychological trauma, so a therapist should be able to help her.


    Harriette didn''t answer. What she wanted wasn''t a therapist.


    But she couldn''t let Rose suspect her, so she pretended to be pleased. "Really? That''s great. I also think it could be psychological trauma, and maybe a therapist can help.


    "I told Miles yesterday that I wanted to meet the bodyguard, and he agreed."


    Rose was visibly surprised. Meet the bodyguard? She was confused.


    Harriette suddenly held onto her arm. "Miles arranged everything, but now that he''s gone, I''m scared."


    Scared? Then why would she still want to meet him?


    "Rose, can youe with me?" Harriette looked at Rose with anticipation.


    Her hoarse voice had a certain charm that made others feel sympathy for her.


    Rose thought of Miles and the way Harriette mentioned "taking care" of Anastasia. She couldn''t refuse her request.


    "Okay."


    "Really? That''s wonderful! Rose, you''re so sweet." Harriette hugged Rose''s arm happily.


    As expected, Rose fell for it.


    A smug smile appeared on Harriette''s lips. Rose had agreed, and Miles was gone. Now, all she had to do was keep track of Jonathan and Clover and find the right time to bring Rose to see Carl.


    In the next few days, Harriette monitored Jonathan and Clover''s movements. But almost every day, either Jonathan, Clover, or Elijah would appear.


    They were all busy men, but somehow, they had so much time to revolve around Rose. It was so annoying!


    Harriette felt frustrated, but the time finally came.


    One afternoon, Rose was dining alone in the Young Group building''s staff cafeteria. The moment she appeared, it caused a stir.


    The other day, when Jonathan arranged the surprise for Rose, everyone in the Young Group benefited from it.


    "Ms. Shaffer, you''re here to eat?"


    "Ms. Shaffer, this is delicious. Let me bring you some..."


    "Ms. Shaffer..."


    Everyone was so friendly to her. Rose was awkward at first, but now she had gotten used to it.


    "Rose, where''s Mr. Finch?" Harriette approached and sat opposite her.


    "He... went on a business trip."


    Because of the work trip, Jonathan clung to Rose untilte at night before finally falling asleep. In the morning when they parted, he was once again very affectionate,


    whispering softly in her ear.


    Thinking about that, Rose''s cheeks flushed. Harriette noticed the flush on Rose''s pale face, and she couldn''t help but feel jealous.


    "Where''s Mr. Xanth and Clover? Why aren''t they here today?" Harriette asked affectionately.


    Rose quickly brushed away the shbacks from the previous night. "Dad made ns with an old friend, and Clover is keeping himpany."


    Rose felt a warmth in her heart thinking about how both of them had been taking turns having lunch with her. She nearly forgot that both of them were busy. It made her feel selfish for wanting theirpany.


    While Rose was lost in thought, Harriette was excited.


    Today was the day! She secretly


    made a decision. Jonathan was on a business trip, and both Elijah and Clover were upied. It would.


    be


    hard to find another opportunity like


    this, so today had to be the day!


    However, Harriette didn''t bring it up right away. After she took a nap, she rushed into Rose''s office in a panic and threw herself into Rose''s arms, her whole body trembling. Rose was stunned for a moment, then asked softly, "Etta, what''s wrong?"


    "I... I had the nightmare again," Harriette stammered, trembling.


    The same nightmare she had mentioned before? Rose patted her back, trying tofort her, but Harriette couldn''t seem to calm down. Suddenly, she grabbed Rose''s hand. "Rose, I need to see him. Maybe if I see him again, I''ll stop being afraid. Exactly. I''ll go right now." Harriette muttered.


    It was as though she was losing her mind. She didn''t ask Rose toe with her, but she was certain that Rose would be too worried to let her go alone.


    Simply because "Harriette" was important to Miles, Rose wouldn''t just stand by and let her go alone. As expected, before she even left Rose''s office, she heard Rose''s concerned voice. "Etta, wait. It''s raining outside..."


    Rose hurried to catch up with Harriette. She followed Harriette out of the office, but Harriette stepped into the elevator before her. The elevator door closed, so Rose had to wait for the next one. After a moment, the elevator door opened again. But just as Rose was about to enter, a hand grabbed her wrist.

 Chapter 608 Strangeness Everywhere

    Rose stopped in her tracks and turned around, surprised to see the person behind her. Anastasia?


    "Don''t..." Anastasia looked anxious. But before she could finish, someone from behind bumped into her, causing her to let go of Rose''s hand. The person immediately apologized. "Sorry, I... I''m in a rush."


    The person looked frightened but quickly stepped into the elevator.


    As the elevator door was about to close, someone inside asked Rose, "Ms. Shaffer, aren''t youing?"


    For some reason, Rose entered the elevator.


    "Rose..." Anastasia wanted to stop her, but as she reached out, the elevator door closed, leaving her standing alone.


    She tried to stop her, but she failed, so what else could she do?


    Rose... Since Miles left Regalia, Harriette had been behaving herself, but today, she was acting weird. She was about to cause trouble! Anastasia was certain of that. But she didn''t know what Harriette was nning to do.


    In the elevator, Rose felt uneasy. The elevator reached the first floor. When the door was about to open, a voice came from behind. "Ms. Shaffer, thank you."


    Rose was slightly startled. She turned around and saw the person who had bumped into Anastasia earlier. She was also the receptionist who had been bullied by Chloe not long ago, Olivia.


    Rose remembered that she had transferred her to another position.


    "How''s your new job? Are you getting used to it? Rose asked gently.


    "Yes, definitely."


    It was Olivia''s first time standing so close to Rose. The entire time in the elevator, she was so nervous that she held her breath.


    At that moment, Rose smiled at her.


    Olivia got distracted for a moment, then remembered what she was supposed to do.


    She quickly handed Rose an umbre and said, "Ms. Shaffer, no matter what happens, don''t be afraid." After that, she left the elevator in a hurry.


    Rose held the umbre in her hand, confused. Strange. The day was full of strangeness.


    Just now upstairs, Anastasia grabbed onto her and said, "Don''t."


    Don''t do what? Rose couldn''t understand.


    And the staff member just now, whose name she didn''t even remember, gave her an umbre and said, "Don''t be afraid."


    "Was that Ms. Young? It''s pouring outside, and I think I saw her run into the rain. Did something happen? She looked very panicked."


    As Rose was lost in thought, she heard a voice. Rose snapped back to reality and remembered Harriette. She ran outside with the umbre.


    From afar, Rose saw Harriette in the rain. Harriette was hailing a taxi.


    "Etta..." Rose called out.


    The worry in Harriette''s heart finally eased. She thought she had miscalcted as Rose hadn''t caught up to her for a while. There were already several taxis passing by, but she couldn''t get in because Rose hadn''t caught up yet. Because of that, Harriette had to stand in the rain. She was drenched.


    Harriette turned around and saw Rose with an umbre. She felt displeased. She was drenched in the rain, while Rose had an umbre!


    She felt resentful, but she needed to focus on the bigger picture. She saw a taxi approaching and immediately stopped it and got in.


    In the rearview mirror, Rose saw her leaving. She looked worried and was trying to stop another taxi.


    A victorious smile appeared on Harriette''s face. Seeing how Rose hadn''t been able to hail a taxi yet, she told the driver, "Drive slowly. Wait for my friend. She''s behind. Wait for her to catch up."


    It would be bad if Rose fell behind.


    Rose finally got a taxi and asked the driver to follow Harriette. Luckily, the traffic was slow due to the rain.


    Rose''s taxi followed Harriette''s for


    half an hour before finally stopping at their destination. The rain was still heavy. Rose followed Harriette into a building. Harriette was drenched.


    Harriette saw Rose when she stepped out. There was water dripping off herself, while Rose... The umbre was so big that Rose didn''t get wet at all, even in such heavy rain. How unfair! "Rose..." Harriette cried. She looked like a mess, so pitiful. She tried her best to make Rose feel sorry for her.


    As expected, Rose quickly looked for another set of clothes for Harriette to change into.


    "Rose, you''re so nice to me." Harriette looked at Rose.


    Harriette had a bright smile, but Rose felt a sense of coldness in it. She felt even more strange now.


    Rose realized where they were and felt confused. "This is a psychiatric facility."


    They were in a psychiatric facility.


    Harriette''s eyes darkened. "He''s here."


    Rose immediately understood who she meant by "he".


    It was the bodyguard from the Finch family, Carl Larson.


    "Miles said that he''s here."


    Harriette seemed to be recalling the nightmare again. She looked at Rose, scared, but determined. "I don''t want to be controlled by fear anymore. I need to see him. I have to." What could Rose say? If Harriette wanted to see him, of course, she would follow her. But a psychiatric facility...


    Rose had a bad feeling, especially after entering, she felt a chillness that was following her around. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she couldn''t help but feel cautious. "I''ll call Ezra. Let him arrange things for us."


    The other night at Finch Manor, Ezra had asked Jonathan to hand Carl over. Rose guessed Ezra wanted to handle Carl personally, so the psychiatric facility was probably his doing. Asking Ezra to arrange a meeting between Harriette and Carl should be no problem.


    Panic shed across Harriette''s eyes. Ezra? She hadpletely forgotten about him! She couldn''t let Ezra mess up her n.


    She was about to stop Rose, but Rose had already pulled out her phone and dialed Ezra''s number.


    "Hello?" The call went through. In the tense silence, Harriette heard Rose''s voice. "It''s fine. You don''t have to tell him I called." The situation...


    "How was it?" Harriette asked hesitantly.


    Rose looked apologetic and exined, "Ezzy... might be busy. It was the housekeeper who picked up the phone."


    The housekeeper was recently hired by Jonathan. She was the housekeeper at the vi that he took Ezra to that night.


    Ever since Ezra followed them to the


    vi, he hadn''t left. But it was


    strange. Ezra rarely left the house, yet the housekeeper said he rushed out after taking a call. He even forgot his phone.


    "It''s fine. We''re already here. We can go see him right away." Harriette sighed in relief.


    Luckily Ezra hadn''t answered the call, so he wouldn''t know Rose was there. Harriette had to be quick.


    By that time, everything would be set in stone. Even if Ezra found out, he wouldn''t be able to change anything.


    Harriette schemed in her mind. She couldn''t wait. "Rose, wait here. I''ll go see him alone."

 Chapter 609 Time to Test Her Acting Skills

    Henrietta turned and left after she spoke. But how could Rose feel at ease with letting her search for Carl alone? He was a dangerous person.


    She had witnessed how dangerous and crazy he was that night. Now that everything he had done was revealed, he had even less qualms. If he hurt Henrietta again...


    Once she thought of Miles, she immediately followed Henrietta. She tailed her and realized Henrietta was darting aimlessly through the corridors. She peered through the ss door of each room to check inside. Once she was sure the person inside wasn''t Carl, she would move on to the next room.


    Was that how she nned to find him? She had to go through the facility even if she wanted to see Carl. She would at least be able to guarantee her safety that way.


    "Etta..." said Rose. She wanted to stop Henrietta so she could provide her information to the facility to meet Carl. However, just as she called out to Henrietta, she heard Henrietta''s hoarse voice.


    "Carl!"


    The next instant, Rose saw Henrietta take off, running in a certain direction. She looked where she was headed and saw him-it was Carl.


    At that moment, Carl was being led out of a room under the supervision of several nurses. He instinctively looked over when he heard someone calling his name and was momentarily stunned when saw Henrietta rushing toward him. It seemed like he recognized her. Snapping back to reality, he shoved the nurses aside and bolted forward. Henrietta chased after him while Rose followed from behind.


    Ever since the day Carl was taken from the Finch Manor, he had been locked in this psychiatric facility, enduring relentless psychological torment. As such, he was merely a shadow of the imposing figure he once was.


    However, he was ultimately from the Azure n. Although he had been tormented relentlessly, outrunning a woman was easy for him.


    Carl''s expression had taken on an unsettling, manic edge. Perhaps it was due to the psychological torment he had received. He charged forward recklessly, yelling as he did so.


    His yells were mixed with spine-chillingughter. He crashed into countless people and objects along the way, stirring up chaos.


    Rose almost fell over and collided with others during the chaos. However, she was assisted by others nearby each time or shielded from oing collisions. But Henrietta wasn''t so lucky.


    Amid the chaos, Henrietta fell twice, scraping her knees and even hitting her forehead once. The pain made her head ring, and she couldn''t help but curse Carl silently.


    God damn it, Carl. She wouldn''t have chased after him if it weren''t for the chaos and the acting. Hadn''t Lizzie asked him to cooperate with her? His cooperation was getting her hurt. Finally, Henrietta chased Carl into an abandoned warehouse.


    "Carl!" She deliberately slowed her pace. Those behind her, including Rose, had been left behind.


    As she reached a spot inside, a hand suddenly shot out from behind her. It hooked around her neck and yanked her back roughly.


    With her back pressed against a chest, Carl''s voice could be heard in her ear. "You''ve got some nerve!"


    His statement wasn''t about hering to the psychiatric facility. Instead, it was about how she had dared to manipte Rose, the one cherished by Jonathan and the Xanth family. Henrietta didn''t misunderstand what he meant. Her lips curled into a cold smirk. "Madam has given you your orders. Do you have what it takes?"


    "Do I have what it takes?" he echoed. "What are you talking about?"


    Carl caught a whiff of her perfume, and he closed his eyes, savoring it. He then leaned in and licked the back of her ear.


    A shiver swept through her body, followed by boundless disgust. She didn''t care what kind of rtionship he had with Lizzie. To her, he was nothing but a bodyguard and an old mutt. How could he have the right to touch her?


    However, he was very useful today. So, Henrietta forced herself to endure it and returned to the topic at hand. "Do you have what it takes to kill Rose, of course?" Carl did not respond.


    Henrietta furrowed her brows. "Madam wants her dead, even more than I do. Everything I''m doing today is under her orders. You wouldn''t go against her wishes, would you?"


    She knew Carl''s feelings for Lizzie


    were deep based on the fact that he took responsibility for nning to murder the Young family heiress. He wouldn''t go against Lizzie''s wishes. He would even help her to his detriment.


    Henrietta was right. But Carl still hadn''t given her a clear response.


    Carl heard the noise outside the warehouse grow closer. He gave her a meaningful smile and said, "It seems like it''s time to see your acting skills."


    With that, he pushed Henrietta out of the shadows into the line of sight of the people entering the ce.


    The moment Henrietta saw Rose, her acting skills kicked in. She gasped with a terrified look on her face. From her expression to her movements-her entire being seemed to scream terror.


    After all, she was still a woman.


    Even if her desire to confront the man who haunted her nightmares had been strong, now that she''d actually fallen into his hands, realization hit her. How could she not feel afraid when she was held hostage by him?


    Amidst her fear, she looked at Rose as if she was her savior.


    "Rose, save me... No..." She had just started to beg for help when she suddenly realized something and changed her mind. "Rose, you have to leave! Get out of here, and don''t worry about me!" She was like a selfless sister who was unwilling to let those she cared about walk into a trap. Who wouldn''t feel moved by her righteousness?


    Carl, who held her hostage from behind, cooperated with her. Upon seeing Rose, he said immediately, "Ms. Shaffer? Heh. You''re here too? Don''t even think about leaving! You''re not going anywhere!"


    Rose frowned. She saw madness in Carl''s eyes.


    "Rose, leave! Don''t listen to him. He''s insane. I was wrong, Rose. I should have listened to you. I also shouldn''t have wanted to see him. He''s crazy. He''s a crazy person!"


    Henrietta''s voice was hoarse as she screamed. It sounded grating.


    Once she said that, Carl pped the back of her head. "Shut up, you bitch!"


    Henrietta''s cry of pain wasn''t an act. Carl knew they were putting on an act, but he didn''t hold back at all.


    She would have pped him right back if it weren''t for Rose and the others watching. However, the show had to go on.


    Henrietta secretly clenched her teeth but kept up the pitiful and fearful look. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Rose''s furrowed brows. She looked extremely worried about her. After Carl hit her, he gripped her firmly so she couldn''t struggle. He then looked at Rose. "Ms. Shaffer, are you worried about her?"


    Rose frowned. She responded with a question instead. "What do you intend to do?"


    The madness in Carl''s eyes red even brighter. Henrietta had been right about one thing earlier he was insane.


    "Rose, go!" Henrietta''s voice rang out again. Her hoarse voice made Rose''s head throb.


    Go? But how could she leave? Henrietta''s warmth had never quite reached Rose''s heart, but Henrietta was Miles''s family. Besides...

 Chapter 610 Revealing Her True Colors

    That strange feeling in the air today hadn''t faded since it began. Rose had the strange urge to find out where it came from. What would the result be?


    She ignored Henrietta''s frantic cries. Her gaze slid past her and fell on Carl. She asked once more, "What do you intend to do?"


    "What do I intend to do?" Carl sneered and continued, "The Finches sent me here to a psychiatric facility."


    He then chuckled. "Do I look insane to you?"


    Rose was speechless.


    Yes, very much so.


    Carl''s heart was filled with genuine hatred. Being sent to the psychiatric facility was Ezra''s doing. Ezra clearly wanted him to experience what his mother, Nancy, had suffered back then.


    During his time here, they injected him with drugs. He knew exactly what those drugs were doing to his body. It was the knowledge that filled him with terror. This was exactly what Ezra wanted. He even felt that he was mentally ill now. Hatred red in his eyes. "No, I''m not sick. I don''t have a mental illness! I don''t have a mental illness! What do you think I intend to do after everything the Finches have done to me?"


    Carl then squinted at the doctors and nurses behind Rose. He shouted, "You-all of you, get out! Leave now!"


    The people behind Rose frowned but didn''t move.


    Carl''s expression grew vicious. Out of nowhere, he pulled out a syringe. The sharp needle went straight for Henrietta''s eye.


    Henrietta screamed, terrified. Rose was shocked as well.


    Fortunately, the needle stopped halfway toward her eye. However, Rose understood what he meant by this action. He was telling everyone that if they didn''t follow his demands, he would do something crazy and hurt someone. Henrietta stared at the syringe which was filled with some kind of drug. Although it was all an act, a trace of real fear surfaced in her eyes. "Rose... I..."


    She didn''t tell Rose to leave again. Instead, she looked at Rose. Her eyes were filled with unmistakable fear.


    However, the doctors and nurses behind Rose still didn''t react. She nced back, surprised. They were too calm.


    "Please leave," requested Rose. They only seemed to react once she spoke. After a brief exchange of nces, one of them nodded, and the doctors and nurses finally exited the warehouse.


    Henrietta and Carl watched this with a flicker of surprise, but their thoughts quickly shifted to excitement as they focused on Rose, now alone across from them.


    She was here, alone. It was as if amb had walked straight into the lion''s den. Taking her life would be easy.


    Besides, her death would be caused by a "mental patient". There was nothing to be said about it even if anyone wanted to.


    As for this "mental patient," Carl was nothing but a pawn. For the sake of Lizzie''s wishes, he should ept his fate as a disposable piece.


    As Henrietta thought of that, she couldn''t help but say, "Rose..."


    Her body trembled, and her voice quivered. However, she was secretly overjoyed.


    "Henrietta, don''t worry. He wouldn''t dare hurt you," Rose reassured her.


    Carlughed. "Ms. Shaffer. No, that''s not right. You''re married to Jonathan now. I should call you Mrs. Finch.


    "If you don''t want me to hurt her, why don''t youe over while she leaves?"


    "No, Rose! Don''t do it..."


    Henrietta still yed the role of someone unwilling to let Rose fall into danger. Rose frowned. It was clear now-Carl''s target had been her all along. After a moment''s contemtion, Rose didn''t hesitate. "Fine."


    "Rose!" Henrietta cried out. She would''veughed out loud in joy if it wasn''t for Rose watching her.


    That was great. Rose had agreed to take her ce, and everything was unfolding exactly as Henrietta had hoped.


    Carlughed without reservation. "In that case,e on over!"


    Rose took a step forward, then another, and another...


    In the empty warehouse, her footsteps could be heard extremely clearly. It seemed to ring in everyone''s ears and synched with everyone''s heartbeats.


    Finally, Rose was only a few steps away from Carl.


    "All right. You can let her go now," Rose said as she stared Carl directly in the eyes.


    Her gaze stirred some apprehension within Carl. She was just a woman. What was he afraid of? However, Rose had learned self-defense. Once he recalled that, his guard went up. "Come a little closer!"


    Rose took a few more steps.


    The closer she got, the more Carl''s


    caution grew. When she was close enough, he grabbed her wrist.


    ovel


    Perhaps was his nerves or his eagerness to control her, but soon as he had Rose, he


    immediately kicked Henrietta away.


    Rose reacted swiftly upon seeing that Henrietta had escaped Carl''s grasp. Before his other hand could reach her, she reversed her grip on his wrist and applied a lot of force. She then mmed him to the ground with a powerful


    over-the-shoulder throw.


    Henrietta and Carl were both stunned.


    At that moment, a single thought ran through both of their minds-the n couldn''t fail today.


    Meanwhile, someone paid close attention to a screen in a hidden room separated from the warehouse by a wall. The person was clutching a radio, but their tense grip gradually rxed.


    A trace of affection could be seen in their gaze, but the anxiousness returned.


    On the screen, a glint of malice appeared in Henrietta''s eyes.


    Back in the warehouse, Henrietta''s expression darkened. She hadn''t expected that this Carl would allow Rose to throw him to the ground so easily. She silently cursed him.


    In an instant, Henrietta let out a


    startled cry. It seemed that Carl''s hard kick caused her to stagger and lose her bnce. At that moment, with a look of horror on her face, she tipped backward.


    Behind hery a pile of discarded medical equipment. Rose frowned.


    Seeing Henrietta about to fall into the heap of scrap metal, Rose acted quickly, stepping forward to catch her.


    "Rose..." Henrietta murmured, as if still in shock.


    She tried hard to appear grateful, but when she caught sight of Carl rising to his feet, she couldn''t contain her excitement. Her smile twisted, losing its earlier "kindness".


    It was a smile that sent chills down one''s spine.


    Rose frowned, sensing someone approaching from behind. She prepared to counter it, but before she could act, an arm circled her neck from behind.


    "Thanks for making this easy, Ms. Young..."


    Carl''sugh was evil, and Rose felt a chill run through her entire body.


    Henrietta, who Rose had just kept from crashing into the metal pile, now dropped all pretense. A smile appeared on her face. It was different from all the smiles she had shown Rose in the past. That smile was unrestrained, evil, and triumphant...


    Like a demon from the depths of hell, shedding its human mask and revealing its true nature atst.

 Chapter 611 Be More Resolute

    When Harriette saw the look on Rose''s face, she felt stirred up with even more excitement.


    She was astonished, shocked, and even confused-all these emotions were present except for fear.


    This made Harriette feel very dissatisfied. Why wasn''t Rose afraid?


    She wanted to instill fear in Rose and make her scared. She even wanted to watch her tremble all over, begging for mercy and pleading for her life... How could she be okay as though nothing was happening at all?


    In the current situation, Carl has control over Rose. There was no chance Rose would be able to leave the psychiatric facility''s warehouse today.


    So, Harriette decided to stop pretending.


    She faced Rose, whose eyes were filled with aplex mix of emotions. With a gentle smile, she said, "I owe it all to you, Rose!"


    She passed on Carl''s message to Rose, doubling the irony.


    "Harriette, you..." If Rose didn''t understand by now, she had to really be clueless.


    After Rose connected everything together, it became increasingly clear that today, and even before that, Harriette had been scheming and guiding her step by step into the current situation. But why?


    Rose looked at Harriette and asked the question that had been on her mind, "Why?"


    "Why?"


    Harrietteughed wildly, making her face appear somewhat menacing. When theughter abruptly stopped, she fixed her gaze on Rose, her eyes filled with a jealousy that was almost tangible.


    "Because you''re Rose, and despite your modest beginnings with at Aquastead, you somehow had the fortune of attracting Clover''s favor, which led to reconnecting with your influential father and bing the only daughter of the prestigious Xanth family. "Not only that, Mr. Young Senior left the entire Young family''s estate to you. What''s even more infuriating is that Miles actually let you inherit it!


    "And then there''s Jonathan..."


    Harriette''s eyes were filled with a growing madness as she screamed hoarsely at Rose, "He actually announced he was marrying you! Mrs. Finch... Why you? Why are you the one who gets to be Mrs. Finch!"


    It should have been Kelly''s. Everything should have rightfully belonged to her!


    Rose looked at Harriette''s current state and suddenly realized something. She never expected that she would attract so much envy and resentment.


    Harriette...


    Because of the Young family''s inheritance, because of Jonathan... Rose remembered that ever since Harriette returned, she seemed indifferent to the assets and influence of the Young family.


    She didn''t care about Jonathan either.


    It turns out she did care.


    But that still didn''t seem right. Rose thought about it more, and the more she did, the uneasier she felt.


    Even at this moment, the strange feeling that had been lingering in her heart didn''t disappear. Instead, it grew stronger.


    What exactly was off about the situation?


    Rose''s brows were slightly furrowed, and she looked at Harriette with a gaze full of curiosity.


    What exactly was wrong about this?


    Under Rose''s gaze, Harriette felt a moment of unease. She reminded herself that, in Rose''s eyes, she was Harriette, not Kelly.


    In the future, Kelly would no longer exist she would only be Harriette.


    She needed to use Harriette''s identity in order to obtain everything she desired-wealth, status, glory, and more.


    "Goodbye, Rose," Harriette said, her expression calming.


    As she spoke, she smiled at Rose and slowly stepped back.


    The distance between the two of them gradually increased. The smile grew wider on Harriette''s face while Rose looked at the needle pressing against her neck.


    "Mrs. Finch, someone wants you dead today, so you won''t be leaving this warehouse," Carl said from behind.


    After being thrown over the shoulder by Rose just moments ago, Carl was now being especially cautious and vignt as he faced her. He was worried that if he let his guard down for even a moment, she might seize another opportunity against him. Rose furrowed her brow. "I can''t get out, yet you think you can? Those doctors and nurses saw you just now, and Jonathan knows about it. He won''t let you off."


    "Let''s discuss this. You still have a chance..."


    Rose took a moment topose herself. Now, she could only rely on her own resources to help herself.


    However, Carkburst intoughter. "Negotiate? Aturning point? Mrs.


    Finch, if you''re hoping I''ll let you go don''t waste your effort. Even if I let you go, Mr. Finch won''t spare me. Which of the things I''ve done


    wouldn''t make Mr. Finch want to kill


    me?


    "I know why he left me behind."


    Carl had a look of deep solemnity and paused for a moment before continuing, "It''s not just to let Mr. Turner vent his anger. He wants to use me as bait, but how could I allow that?"


    Rose furrowed her brow and immediately understood what he meant.


    Even though Carl took full responsibility for everything that night, she sensed that something unusual was going on.


    Based on her spection, Carl took the me for everything on his own to protect Lizzie.


    If that were truly the case, was he implying that he was willing to risk his life for Lizzie? He truly had deep feelings for Lizzie.


    But...


    "Is it worth it?" Rose sighed.


    The sigh carried a hint of pity, and Carl was momentarily taken aback.


    But he quickly dismissed the strange feeling that had arisen in his heart and, with a soldugh, said, "Mrs. Finch, you''re being too nosy. Instead of worrying about whether it''s worth it, perhaps you should be more concerned about whether you''re going to be in pain when you die soon."


    "Will it hurt?"


    Rose recalled the times when she was in danger.


    Every time, thanks to Jonathan, they managed to turn a dangerous situation around. He was like her guardian angel!


    But this time, Jonathan wasn''t in Regalia.


    Not only was he absent, but Elijah and Clover were also busy. Miles had also gone abroad for vacation. It seemed like everyone who could protect her was unavable. Rose suddenlyughed.


    She understood even more clearly how much effort Harriette had put into her scheming. She really worked hard on it, likely struggling to find a day when none of them were around to set up the trap and meticulously nning to make her fall into it. "What do you n to do?" Rose asked.


    Carl spoke in a cold voice that


    carried an unchangeable


    determination. "If this needle pierces


    your main artery, you won''t have long before you bleed out. I also know some special pressure points in the human body; with this syringe,


    I can disable your ability to call for


    help."


    "Hmm, it''s quite an effective way to kill someone." Rose nodded, surprisingly calm in the face of life and death.


    This actually made Carl feel a bit of admiration for Rose. "You... really are impressive. No wonder out of all the women, Mr. Finch set his sights only on you and treated you like a treasure. It''s just a pity..."


    Carl also sighed for Rose. He then said, "Don''t worry, I''ll be more resolute. I won''t let your sufferingst too long."


    "Oh, really? Well, thank you for that." Rose chuckled softly.


    She didn''t see this as Carl''s kindness toward her. He simply hoped she would meet her end sooner rather thanter so as to avoid any idents or chance of unexpected developments.


    "You won''t be alone. After you die, I will use what''s in this syringe to end my own life. A life for a life; that seems fair," Carl said.


    Rose sneered. How was that fair?


    Forget it. There was no point in arguing with him. It was better to spend that time thinking about the people she cared about.


    Jonathan... They had just announced their marriage, and during that time, he had been sticking by her side every night, holding her as they slept and not wanting to let go for even a moment. She wondered if he would get used to sleeping alone at night in the future.

 Chapter 612 Leave It to Her

    And there was also Miles... He was currently on vacation abroad, which was a time meant for rxation. If Rose were to die, hearing the news would likely affect his vacation, right?


    He would definitely rush back for this.


    It would be a time of sorrow and a time to take on the responsibilities of Young Group once again.


    He wouldn''t know that Harriette yed a part in Rose''s death. In truth, Harriette only held resentment toward Rose, and even if she were with the Young family, she wouldn''t harm Miles.


    However, when Rose reached this conclusion, she felt particrly uneasy.


    But she didn''t have enough time to figure out why she felt ufortable. She thought about Elijah, Clover, Yvonne, Emily...


    The people she thought about shed through her mind one by one.


    Outside the warehouse, Harriette, in a state of panic, ran out. Once she was in a more popted area, she resumed her act.


    The doctors and nurses who left the warehouse earlier were no longer there.


    Harriette was surprised. At that moment, she ran and bumped into a man.


    "The warehouse is stocked with explosives. Madam mentioned that she is worried Carl might not have the resolve, and she feels assured only when entrusting it to you..." The man already had a deep voice, and he lowered it deliberately when speaking.


    Harriette was momentarily startled. As she looked up, she saw a man wearing a mask, dressed like a doctor from the hospital.


    After saying that, the man hurriedly walked past her and left.


    "Did you call the police?"


    "They''ve been alerted, and the nearest police officers are on their way..."


    "Where''s our security guards? Make sure to take everything we need. That patient


    is out of control. If something like this happens in our hospital, it could have a negative impact."


    Harriette heard the surrounding noise and snapped back to her senses. She looked at the busy people around her.


    No wonder she hadn''t seen the doctors and nurses who were in the warehouse earlier when she came out. It turns out they were all busy bringing in reinforcements to handle the situation.


    Police... Security guards... She wouldn''t let anyone interfere with what was to happen today.


    In her mind, Harriette kept hearing the deep voice of the man from earlier. She looked down and suddenly realized she was holding a remote control. She didn''t know when it got there.


    "The warehouse is stocked with explosives. Madam said she''s worried Carl might not have the resolve, and she only feels assured entrusting it to you..."


    Hariette immediately understood what he meant.


    The madam he referred to was Lizzie.


    Lizzie was worried that Carl would not seed in his ns, so she had already set up explosives to kill everyone in the warehouse.


    That way, both Rose and Carl wouldn''t be able to escape.


    The noise around her was getting louder, and before Harriette had much time to think, she had already made a decision in her heart.


    Lizze trusted her, so she certainly couldn''t let her down. Rose had to die today!


    Harriette tightened her grip on the remote control, took a deep breath, avoided the people, and turned back toward the warehouse.


    Once she was within range of the explosives, she pressed the remote control''s button without hesitation.


    With a loud bang, a deafening sound arose, apanied by mes that erupted as the entire warehouse exploded.


    The doctors and hospital staff who rushed over were all stunned.


    Several explosions urred in session, and even Harriette felt a chill run down her spine. The strength of the explosives had leveled the entire warehouse, and the people inside were likely reduced to nothing.


    Lizzie was truly ruthless! She was hard toward not only Rose, but even more so toward Carl, who devoted himself entirely to her.


    Harriette couldn''t help but wonder if, once she no longer had any use for her,


    would she also turn against her and eliminate her?


    Harriette felt a bit scared. She quickly thought about her potential usefulness. Just


    a few days ago, she heard that Cyrus was going to divorce Lizzie.


    If they got divorced, Lizzie would no longer be part of the Finch family.


    But with the immense wealth and power she was about to obtain from the Young


    family, perhaps she would still be useful to Lizzie.


    With that thought in mind, Harriette breathed a sigh of relief.


    During the chaos following the explosion, someone noticed her kneeling on the ground and approached her with concern asking, "Miss, are you okay? Let me help you out."


    It was a nurse.


    Harriette turned her head to nce at the nurse, suddenly remembering what she had just done.


    Luckily, after she pressed the remote control, she threw it away.


    However, her performance had to continue.


    "Rose... Rose''s still inside! Please, you have to save her... I''m begging you to save her!"


    Harriette, with her emotions running high, grabbed the nurse''s hand. Her hoarse voice was tinged with sobs, making her worry palpable to anyone around.


    "The firefighters have arrived. Hopefully, they can rescue the people inside," the nurse said, looking worried.


    Soon, Harriette heard the sound of the fire truck.


    She looked at the warehouse again and was certain that even if the fire department came, they wouldn''t be able to rescue anyone.


    With the nurse''s assistance, Harriette got up.


    The nurse escorted her away from the scene, and throughout the entire time, the


    worry and anxiety did not leave Harriette''s expression.


    The fire in the warehouse was extinguished after two hours.


    After the firefighters searched around, they looked serious.


    "Inside... There wasn''t a single person found as a whole..."


    The implication was that the people inside would have been blown to pieces from the force of the explosion just now.


    Harriette wanted to celebrate, but someone else being there meant she had to pretend to be sad.


    She cooperated with the police to give her statement and was then taken back to Young Estate. Her tears never stopped all the while.


    She kept crying and mumbling to herself, "It''s all my fault, it''s all my fault."


    Her sense of guilt was truly touching.


    Anastasia watched as Harriette came in and then watched her go back to her


    room.


    Seeing Harriette so distraught, Anastasia couldn''t help but feel a sense of irony.


    Wasn''t this what she wanted? It was all her fault...


    After Rose and Harriette left the house, Anastasia kept a close eye on external


    news, paying particr attention to any hints of activity.


    She then finally heard that a psychiatric facility had an explosion and that someone had died in there.


    She carefully investigated and discovered what had happened there an hour before Harriette returned.


    Rose was taken hostage by a


    psychiatric patient, and both Rose and the patient died in a warehouse


    explosion. The police mitially determined that the explosion was caused by the patient.


    Harriette was lucky and didn''t get hurt.


    But was it really just luck? Anastasia didn''t think so.


    "Ms. Anatasia, what should we do now? Something has happened to Ms. Rose, and Mr. Young is on vacation abroad..." Patrick seemed as if he was in a daze.


    Rose... He recently discovered that she was indeed Oliver''s biological granddaughter. It had only been a short while since then.


    He decided that he would serve Rose for the rest of his life. However, it hadn''t been long, and while he was still full of vigor, Rose...


    "Call Miles. He should know about something like this," Anatasia said, suddenly frowning.


    She spected that someone would likely inform Miles about this news before any of them did.


    Anastasia nced upstairs.


    At that moment, things were happening just as she had expected.


    After Harriette walked into the room and closed the door, she decided to call


    Miles. She had to deliver the news to him personally!


    She quicklyposed herself, ensuring everything would be perfect she spent a long time in front of the mirror, and once she felt she was at her best, she dialed Mites'' number.

 Chapter 613 Take Credit from Her

    As soon as the call connected, Harriette started crying uncontrobly.


    On the other end of the line, the man remained silent. The expected concern didn''te immediately, causing Harriette to pause. Fortunately, Miles'' voice soon came through. "Harriette, please don''t cry. Did something happen? Are you hurt? Please don''t cry..."


    Every word she said carried an intense sense of care, reflecting on Miles''s concern that she was familiar with.


    Harriette finally felt relieved, though she was still crying. Hearing Miles on the other end of the phone sounding even more anxious helped calm her down a little.


    Between her sobs, she started ming herself, saying, "Miles, it''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have gone to meet that person, and I shouldn''t have made Rosee with me. I, I..."


    It was followed by another bout of sobbing from Harriette.


    "What''s happened to Rose?" Miles asked.


    Harriette heard the person on the other end of the phone suddenly stop breathing for a moment.


    Even though Rose died in the warehouse explosion, she still cried deliberately out of jealousy and didn''t immediately respond to Miles'' question.


    Miles was clearly more anxious and asked urgently, "What''s going on with Rose?" She could almost picture Mile''s expression at that moment.


    "Boohoo, Miles, Rose is dead! She''s dead, Miles. It''s all my fault. me me. I caused this harm to her."


    The more anxious Miles became, the more guilty Harriette felt.


    She was ming herself, which only made sure Miles was unable to bring himself to criticize her.


    After learning about Rose''s death, Miles would probably rush back immediately. He was bound to investigate the circumstances of what happened himself.


    Anyway, she felt innocent about her actions today too!


    There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. It remained silent for so long that Harriette almost thought Miles had hung up the call.


    "Miles?" Harriette called out with a flicker of curiosity in her gaze.


    "Mhmm." Finally, there was a response.


    For a moment, Harriette didn''t know how to react. Fortunately, right after, she heard the familiar concern in Miles''s voice. "Don''t be scared. It''s not your fault. You didn''t harm Rose."


    The voice on the other end of the phone sounded calm, and before hanging up,


    he told Harriette, "Wait for me toe back, wait for me! Wait..."


    She hung up the call without waiting for Miles to finish speaking.


    Harriette looked at her phone. The tears she had forced out earlier for a convincing performance were still on her face. Now that she no longer needed to act, her smile had turned cold and indifferent.


    She raised her hand and wiped away the few teardrops.


    Harrietteughed triumphantly. It seemed Miles truly cared for Harriette.


    Upon hearing about Rose''s death, he was still considerate of her feelings, telling her not to me herself or be afraid. His trust in her was truly unconditional.


    It was really quite nice.


    From here on, she would get more involved in the business affairs of Young Group, and gradually encroaching on their assets would definitely be easier.


    Harriette was filled with anticipation.


    At this moment, she was already celebrating in her heart.


    She called Lizzie. With a demeanor that looked like she was seeking praise and with a hint of boasting, she said, "Madam, I did it. She''s dead! Rose is dead!"


    Lizzie was currently at the location where Jonathan was on a business trip.


    She was dressed in a ck trench coat and a ck hat. She waspletely enveloped in ck and almost blended into the night.


    A psychiatric facility experienced a warehouse explosion. A patient had taken a woman hostage and died in the explosion.


    She had known about this news early on.


    After all, she was there to make sure that Jonathan was indeed not present in Regalia.


    Two hours ago, she saw with her own eyes how Jonathan dropped everything at work and rushed to get into his car...


    Ha! Did he receive the news about Rose''s death?


    It seemed that Rose had truly passed away!


    "You''re doing great." Lizzie was in a wonderful mood and generously praised Harriette without holding back.


    "It''s all thanks to madam''s arrangements." Knowing that Lizzie had leverage over her, Harriette acted like an obedient kitten in front of her.


    They continued to exchange some pleasantries and then ended the call.


    At night, Lizzie dialed another number.


    The person on the other end of the call respectfully reported, "Elijah and Clover both hurriedly left the gathering."


    "Okay. That''s great."


    Lizzie felt very pleased, and her smile grew even wider.


    Miles went abroad, Jonathan was on a business trip, and both Elijah and Clover were unable to make it. It seemed like nothing unexpected would happen to her ns.


    Lizzie stubbed out her half-smoked cigarette and got into the car behind her.


    Given the circumstances, she could return to Regalia without worry to see Jonathan in distress.


    Jonathan...


    When Lizzie thought of him, a flicker ofplex emotions appeared in her eyes before quickly vanishing.


    Meanwhile, in a hidden building located in Regalia.


    Ezra sat moodily in the only ck chair in the room. The intense light from above cast shadows across his face as he slightly bowed his head hiding his expression, darkness


    There were two people in the room, including him.


    The other person was tied to a rack, with their hands hanging high above. Their eyes were tightly shut, and they showed signs of possibly waking up soon.


    Finally, the person opened their eyes, filled with terror.


    Terror-this was the only emotion he felt in his heart before losing consciousness.


    Images of his memories before he lost consciousness flickered through Carl''s mind.


    He had held the syringe in his hand and was about to inject it into one of Rose''s major arteries. Just as the needle was about to touch her skin, he felt a few sharp pains in several spots on his back.


    It felt as if something had pierced into his body.


    Just as he was about to take action again, he realized he couldn''t move at all.


    He watched helplessly as several people freed Rose from his grasp before also dragging him away. He guessed that he had fallen into a trap.


    It was Jonathan! It had to be him!


    He pictured Jonathan''s figure and was still caught in fear at the thought of him when a massive explosion erupted before his eyes.


    The loud noise made his ear buzz.


    The impact sent him flying far away. The sessive explosions were so powerful that it was easy to imagine that if he had remained in the warehouse he would have been blown to pieces with nothing left of him.  ?wnovel


    "You''re awake?"


    In the room, a voice rang out, pulling Carl back from his state of fear.


    Carl turned toward the source of the voice and, upon seeing the person under the


    light, his breath suddenly hitched.


    "Mr... Mr. Finch..."


    Fear swept through Carl''s entire body.


    The person sitting under themp radiated an intimidating and sharp aura. Who


    else could it be but Jonathan?


    But...


    "You''re really scared of my brother, huh?" Ezra looked up and gave a coldugh.


    Carl felt a bit dazed. He blinked and finally looked at the person clearly.


    It wasn''t Jonathan. It was Ezra!


    But even if it was Ezra, Carl''s fear did not diminish in the slightest. In fact, it only continued to grow. "Mr... Mr. Turner..." Carl stuttered.


    Ezra stood up, and the sense of intimidation he brought with him intensified even more than when he was sitting.


    Since that day at Finch Manor, Carl realized that being in the hands of Ezra might turn out to be even worse than being in the hands of Jonathan.


    He recalled everything and realized that what he had spected before being knocked unconscious by the impact of the explosion was wrong.

 Chapter 614 Want to Know the Reason

    It wasn''t a trap set by Jonathan, but rather by Ezra.


    After Ezra had thrown Carl into the psychiatric facility, he never showed up again. Now that he was here, he didn''t dare to think about what Ezra might do to him.


    Ezra spoke up. "Carl, you''re weird.


    "Back at the hospital warehouse, you showed so much courage and had already decided you were willing to risk your life for the woman you love. You weren''t afraid of dying then, so what''s causing your fear now?


    "It seems like your determination to face death isn''t very resolute!"


    Ezra''s tone sounded sarcastic as he said that.


    Carl immediately responded, "It''s not that I''m not resolute..."


    As he uttered the words, Carl realized he might have fallen into a trap. Feeling a


    bit guilty, he quickly changed his statement. "What beloved woman? Willingness


    to risk my life for her? You really like to make up stories, Mr. Turner."


    Make up stories, he said? Ezra''s eyes gleamed with a sharp intensity.


    Carl didn''t admit to taking the fall for Lizzie, but did it really matter if he did or not? What mattered was that he knew for sure Lizzie was the mastermind behind


    everything.


    Carl''s existence was merely that of a pawn.


    Ezra looked at Carl and said mockingly, "Carl, ording to your n, you were supposed to kill Rose in the warehouse and then take your own life, right?"


    Ezra continued speaking without waiting for Carl to answer. "But have you ever thought about why there was an explosion?"


    Carl frowned. He understandably had his suspicions, but he quickly figured it out. "So, it was you? It was the handiwork of Mr. Turner?"


    "Right, but you only got half of it correct." Ezra chuckled. "I did have a hand in it, but in this explosion, my role was just knowing and taking advantage of it. The actual mastermind behind the explosion wasn''t me!"


    It wasn''t Ezra who nned the explosions?


    Carl clearly didn''t believe him, as he said, "If it''s not Mr. Turner, then it should be Mr. Finch, right? Or perhaps, it''s Clover and Elijah from the Xanth family..."


    Carl stopped speaking at that moment. It wasn''t for any particr reason, but because he suddenly realized something.


    How could it be them? These were people who cared about Rose, so why would they want to blow her up? The ones who wanted Rose dead, besides Harriette... There was also... her!


    Ezra noticed Carl''s stunned expression without missing a thing.


    "Figured it out? You should know who the real mastermind behind this explosion is by now, right?" Ezra spoke deliberately, trying to break down Carl''s resolve.


    But it was clear that Carl didn''t want to believe it and was still in denial. "No, it can''t be. It can''t be her."


    She knew that he would kill Rose under the guise of insanity and thenmit suicide, making everything disappear with his death and leaving her entirely uninvolved. But...


    "You really trust her so much. It''s quite sad, especially since she clearly doesn''t trust you!"


    The sound of Ezra''s voice filled the room.


    When Carl heard those words, his expression gradually took on a hint of


    madness, and he kept muttering, "No, no..."


    The firmness in the tone, however, was gradually diminishing.


    How could it not?


    No matter how much he tried to numb himself from the truth, when he really thought about it, many things became increasingly clear.


    Ezra remained silent.


    Carl, after muttering to himself countless times, gradually fell silent, and his eyes were filled with defeat and destion.


    Ezra knew it was almost time to give Carl the reveal.


    "Aren''t you curious why she targeted Rose that way and wanted her dead?" Ezra asked.


    Ezra''s question once again made Carl momentarily freeze.


    Without thinking, he blurted out, "Because of the Finch family! Cyrus doesn''t treat her well!"


    Cyrus was treating Lzzie poorly? That had got to be the funniest joke Ezra had ever heard.


    Ezra smiled sarcastically, saying, "If Cyrus treated her poorly, shouldn''t she be targeting Cyrus? Rose, my sister-inw, was just an outsider with a different surname before all this Herst name isn''t Finch, it''s Shaffer and her only connection to the Finch family is my brother, Jonathan!"


    Carl''s expression froze momentarily.


    A sudden suspicion popped into his mind, but he didn''t dare to dwell on it any further.


    Jonathan... Did Lizzie scheme against Rose and even n to kill her because of Jonathan?


    How could this be possible?


    Lizzie and Jonathan didn''t have any personal connection. No, that wasn''t right¡ª their only connection was through Cyrus.


    Carl''s eyes flickered slightly as he said, "Perhaps she resents Cyrus, which extended to a dislike for Mr. Finch and subsequently affected Ms. Rose as well..."


    "Ha!" As soon as the words were spoken, Ezra responded with a cold, mockingugh.


    Theughter felt like a heavy blow to Carl''s chest,pletely shattering the "excuse" he had just uttered.


    Ezra looked at him and, without any sympathy, exposed his insecurity by asking, "Do you even believe what you''re saying?"


    Did he? Did he actually believe what he said?


    Carl kept trying to convince himself, but suddenly, Ezra added, "I have an idea¡ª


    let''s find out exactly why she is so determined to see my sister-inw dead, shall we?"


    Ezra looked at him.


    His eyes, which looked remarkably simr to Jonathan''s, seemed to possess a certain captivating charm.


    Carl wasn''t sure if he was entranced by those eyes or tempted by the "answer" being offered, but before he knew it, he blurted out, "Okay."


    Ezra raised an eyebrow and smiled. He knew that their grand performance was about to begin.


    Ezra left the room with a hint of urgency in his eyes. He walked quickly, removing the clothes he had been wearing and changing into a jacket of a softer color.


    "Is she awake?" Ezra asked, looking serious.


    The bodyguard following behind him was a trusted confidant of Finley''s.


    The bodyguard hurriedly followed


    behind Ezra, saying, "Ms. Rose hasn''t woken up yet, but don''t worry, Mr. Turner. The doctor has confirmed that she''s fine. The force of the explosion was just quite strong, which caused her to lose consciousness."


    Ezra looked on with a mixture of tenderness and even a hint of self-me.


    The explosion was specially managed to ensure it didn''t actually harm anyone. But to convince outsiders of its power, they had to make it appear impactful.


    They didn''t expect that Rose would fall unconscious.


    "I understand. Take care of everything outside. My brother should be back soon.


    When the time is right, let him meet my sister-inw."


    After Ezra finished speaking, the bodyguard pushed open the door and stopped


    outside.


    There was a room that was set up to be especially cozy and inviting.


    After Ezra walked in, the cold expression on his face instantly softened.


    Rose was lying in bed, and sitting in front of her was a tall and handsome man.


    His eyes were fixed intently on Rose in the bed.


    The person was none other than Miles, who recently said goodbye to the Finch family members at the airport.


    Going abroad for vacation was a


    fa?ade that Miles arranged specifically to trick Harriette. In fact, after saying goodbye that day, Miles boarded the ne and then got offe


    again.


    He watched as Harriette warmly stood next to Rose and got into the same car


    with her.


    When Harriette had called him earlier, he was also in this room.

 Chapter 615 Always Be Family

    Miles looked at Rose while listening to Harriette''s lie that "Rose was dead".


    There was only one feeling in his heart-a lingering fear.


    If Jonathan hadn''t discovered early on that Harriette was an impostor, Miles would probably still be deceived, mistaking her for the real Harriette.


    He didn''t care about his own feelings being deceived. What really mattered to him was that the fake Harriette would use him to harm Rose!


    "What do you n to do about Harriette?"


    When Ezra walked in, he was seemingly aware that Miles was already inside.


    While Rose was still asleep, he asked that question.


    Ezra didn''t realize that "Harriette" wasn''t the real Harriette he knew. He only knew that Miles had deep feelings for Harriette and was worried that Miles couldn''t bear to do anything to her.


    If Miles truly couldn''t bear it, then a lot of things would have to be done by Ezra and Jonathan.


    Unexpectedly, Miles said without hesitation, "Wherever she came from, that''s where she''s going back to."


    He spoke coldly and resolutely, leaving Ezra astonished.


    Ezra nced at him, nodded, and said nothing more. Since that was the case, he decided to let Miles handle this situation with Harriette.


    If the oue wasn''t what he hoped for, he would just take action again...


    Ezra picked a random spot to sit down.


    The room was silent.


    Both of them looked at Rose, but neither said a word.


    At that moment, Rose found herself in the dark, as if she were dreaming. Yet, it didn''t quite feel like a dream.


    Her mind was filled with countless images all intricately swirling around, and every bit of it was about Harriette...


    When Harriette had returned, her enthusiasm, her reliance on Miles, and every smile on her face were all genuinely vivid, yet there was still that strange lingering feeling.


    It was like...


    It was as if that person wasn''t Harriette, but someone else entirely.


    Rose knew the idea was strange and seemed to have no basis, but once that thought urred to her, it became increasingly clearer to her.


    But who could it be? If it wasn''t Harriette, then who was it?


    In her mind, the image of Harriette shouting at her in the warehouse appeared.


    "Because you''re Rose, and despite your modest beginnings with at Aquastead, you somehow had the fortune of attracting Clover''s favor, which led to reconnecting with your influential father and bing the only daughter of the prestigious Xanth family.


    "Not only that, Mr. Young Senior left the entire Young family''s estate to you. What''s even more infuriating is that Miles actually let you inherit it!


    "And then there''s Jonathan...


    "He actually announced he was marrying you! Mrs. Finch... Why you? Why are you the one who gets to be Mrs. Finch!"


    Her voice was hoarse, and her expression was ferocious.


    It reminded Rose of someone...


    Kelly!


    It was Kelly! It definitely had to be her!


    As soon as this spection came up, every instance of "Harriette" instantly transformed into the face of Kelly in all her memories of Harriette.


    Everything felt almost perfectly natural and made sense!


    There was a rumor that Kelly had died, but Rose didn''t believe it. She suspected that Kelly had transformed into someone else and was hiding around her. Though it sounded absurd, she believed it was the truth. She gradually became more firm with her theory.


    Afterward, she gradually began to fear that Kelly wanted to kill her. After killing her, Kelly would still use Harriette''s face and identity. What would she do to Miles?


    She had countless spections and amplified fears.


    Rose even ended up crying out, "Brother!"


    Rose opened her eyes, having woken up from her nightmare.


    When Miles heard Rose calling out the word "brother", he could clearly tell that


    she was calling out to him, not Clover.


    Miles'' lips curved slightly upward as he said, "Rose."


    Just moments ago, his expression had been stern and cold, but in an instant, it softened up into a gentle one.


    When Rose saw Miles, she couldn''t hide her surprise.


    "Miles? What are you doing here? Weren''t you...?" Wasn''t he on vacation abroad? What was he...


    Rose suddenly remembered that


    earlier in the warehouse, someone had protected her and helped her escape. Although one of them waspletely covered up and their face wasn''t visible, the person gave her a feeling that was very simr to Miles.


    It was just that the situation was tense at the time, so she hadn''t paid attention to


    it.


    "You''re in danger. How can I rx and go on vacation?" Miles said gently and affectionately, "As long as you''re okay, that''s all that matters."


    Rose was certain that one of the people who helped her escape the warehouse was Miles.


    He was there at the time, so did he know that Harriette wanted her dead?


    "Miles... Harriette, she..." Rose hesitated, struggling to find the right words.


    She wanted to tell him that she suspected Harriette was a fake and that she might actually be Kelly.


    But Miles had deep feelings for


    Harriette. After waiting for her return


    with great, anticipation, telling him that it wash Harriette, but possibly Kelly instead, would be incredibly harsh, wouldn''t it?


    "Rose, during this time, stay here and rest well. I''ll be here with you."


    As soon as Miles finished speaking, Ezra stood beside him with a big smile and said, "I''ll be with you too."


    Rose suddenly realized that Ezra was also there.


    She pondered for a moment and suddenly realized that the warehouse explosion today might actually have been anticipated and under their control.


    Perhaps even the whereabouts of Jonathan, Elijah, and Clover were pre-nned.


    It seemed that Miles was aware there was an issue with Harriette.


    After much consideration, Rose finally spoke up. "Miles, did you find out?"


    Rose had asked that question vaguely. But Miles'' reaction made her certain that he knew Harriette was fake.


    "Yeah. It''s Kelly!" Miles eximed.


    Jonathan initially did not clearly suspect that Harriette was Kelly, but over time, through his investigation and deductions, he was now certain that she was indeed


    Kelly!


    Rose''s eyes brightened. It turned out he knew all along.


    But soon, a trace of mncholy appeared in her eyes.


    "Miles, maybe Harriette is still somewhere out there and just hasn''te back


    yet. Perhaps one day, the real Harriette will return," Roseforted.


    Miles had thought about this


    countless times, and now, with a


    sense of calm, he looked at Rose


    and said, "She''s not here, but I stilf


    have you. No matter what, you won''t be able to get rid of me."


    Rose finally smiled and nodded firmly, saying, "You''ll always be my brother and


    always be family. You can''t get rid of me either!"


    The two of them exchanged a smile.


    Ezra was feeling a bit dissatisfied. He was just given the cold shoulder!


    They were family, but what about him? He couldn''t let himself be overlooked.


    "Rose, me! And me too, I''m your family as well, right?" Ezra asked with a big smile, winking yfully at Rose.


    Ezra, the top celebrity in the entertainment industry, was known for his aloof demeanor in public.


    His unexpected "cuteness" left Rose momentarily stunned.


    She thought about the time when Ezra refused to leave the vi, despite Jonathan''s repeated attempts to make him go. This persistence made Rose feel increasingly sympathetic toward him.


    When it came down to it, he was still just a child yearning for a family''s affection


    and love.


    Seeing that Rose hadn''t responded, Ezra couldn''t hold back any longer and asked again, "Right? Am I right?"


    Rose finally nodded, and with an affectionate smile, she said, "Yes, yes, of course. Ezzy is family. I really have to thank you this time. Otherwise, I would have been done for."


    With Rose''s intelligence, she naturally wondered why it was the housekeeper who answered when she previously called Ezra.


    The housekeeper said he had received a phone call and then quickly left.


    It seemed they noticed Kelly was making a move, so they had arrived early to set


    things up.

 Chapter 616 Meeting Rose Again

    "Hehe! No need to thank me. Wasn''t that what I was supposed to do?" Ezra remarked. He was feeling a bit shy because of Rose''s gratitude.


    Rose could tell there was a n to deal with Kelly.


    Rose didn''t ask too many questions about the n. They only asked her to stay here temporarily, and she figured out that she shouldn''t make any public appearances for the time being.


    To ensure Kelly revealed her true intentions, she needed to be tricked into thinking she was truly in a dire situation.


    If it were just Harriette, she wouldn''t be that angry, but since it was Kelly, that was a different story.


    She still hadn''t confronted her about Oliver''s death, so this time, she would settle the score altogether.


    Rose quietly awaited the day of the big reveal.


    On the night that the news of Rose''s death spread, Jonathan rushed back to Regalia. It was said that Jonathan caused a majormotion at the police station, refusing to ept the exnation that she had been "blown to pieces with no remains left".


    Even if there were no remains left, there should still be some clues or traces.


    The police, unable to withstand the pressure from Jonathan, hastily assembled a forensic team to meticulously investigate the explosion at the warehouse. Although the police did not publicly disclose their findings, Jonathan looked dejected as he left the police station.


    It looked like his entire soul had beenpletely drained.


    It was said that on that night, after leaving the police station, Jonathan drove alone at high speed on a winding mountain road. The next day, a photo of a car ident went viral online.


    That photo showed a luxury car crashed into a cliffside and waspletely smashed.


    The car ident appeared to be quite severe. There was a person lying on the ground near the vehicle. Although the person''s face was hard to make out, given the severity of the scene, it was clear they were seriously injured.


    Wasn''t that Jonathan?


    The license te belonged to the Finch family, and the car was also theirs. It was also seen that Jonathan got into that very car on that day.


    It was Jonathan!


    ...


    Back at Young Estate, Kelly nced at the news online, feeling a mix of emotions.


    Jonathan was so upset about the news of Rose''s death that he felt like he didn''t want to go on living.


    Rose was truly lucky!


    But so what? She was gone now, and even if Jonathan loved her deeply, she could no longer experience that happiness.


    Since that was Jonathan''s response, then what about Elijah''s and Clover''s?


    Kelly couldn''t find much information online about Elijah and Clover, so she called Lizzie again. She was very pleased with the oue of the call.


    Lizzie said that Elijah had an old illness re-up while at the police station.


    Clover personally took Elijah to the hospital and stayed by his side. He was busy attending to his needs and was unable to attend to anything else.


    Lizzie also said that Rose was truly dead!


    Kelly wanted to say that Rose definitely died, for she was the one who pressed the detonation button herself! When the explosion urred, she was near the warehouse.


    She witnessed the warehouse that Rose was in explode. With such a powerful st, there was no way Rose could have survived.


    Kelly was extremely happy and preparing for her celebration in her mind.


    She stayed in her room until the next morning, worried that she couldn''t hide her excitement and might give herself away in front of the helpers at Young Estate.


    She couldn''t act too excited right now!


    However, in the afternoon, Miles was supposed to arrive at Regalia, and she had to be there.


    "Miles is arriving at the airport this afternoon, Ms. Anastasia. Should the driver pick him up, or would you like to do it yourself?"


    After returningst night, Harriette has kept the door to her room locked. She had someone send food to her, but no one responded when the door was knocked.


    Patrick was at a loss and felt the only option was to consult Anastasia. "I''ll go pick him up."


    "I''ll go!"


    As Anastasia began to speak, a raspy voice came from upstairs.


    The tone sounded as if it carried supreme authority.


    Anastasia and Patrick looked over, and all they saw was a dejected expression on Harriette''s face as if all the vitality had drained from her.


    That expression looked so heartbreaking. How could it possibly be the same


    person with such a domineering tone earlier? They must have heard wrong!


    Patrick had thought about this, but Anastasia sneered inwardly and had a different thought.


    The fake Harriette was still keeping up her "act" at the moment, but it wouldn''t be long before her true nature was revealed.


    Patrick was worried about Harriette''s health and said, "Ms. Hariette, please don''t go..."


    "No, I want to go. I''ll go pick Miles up."


    After saying that, she went downstairs.


    Patrick didn''t have a chance to persuade her further as she quickly left the living


    room. Soon the sound of a car could be heard from outside.


    "Ms. Anastasia, Ms. Harriette, she..." Patrick looked worried.


    He was worried that Harriette would be too consumed with guilt over Rose''s passing, fearing that she might make a mistake while driving in a distracted state.


    Rose had got into an ident. If Harriette got into an incident as well, how could Miles possibly handle it?


    Patrick looked like he was about to cry.


    Anastasia said reassuringly, "Don''t worry. She''ll be fine. I''ll go with her and check on her."


    Would something happen to Harriette?


    The fake Harriettee was causing trouble again. There was no way she would let anything happen to herself.


    She hurried to pick up Miles simply because she wanted to put on a show in front of him. She wanted to make Miles think she felt guilty so that he wouldn''t suspect her and might even excuse her actions


    Did she think Miles would fall for it?


    Anastasia was also extremely curious.


    Without hesitation, she left Young Estate, ignoring the hopeful look from Patrick, and drove to the airport.


    At the airport, Kelly picked Miles up.


    The moment she saw Miles, she couldn''t contain herself any longer and rushed into his arms.


    Miles had a brief look of disgust in his eyes. If it weren''t for having to put on an act with her...


    He quickly put aside his disgust. Before Kelly could start crying and ming


    herself, Miles reassured her, "It''s not your fault."


    How wonderful this was! Harriette was really being spoiled!


    Kelly genuinely felt that borrowing this identity was the right move. Her face


    served as a "get out of jail free card" in front of Miles.


    He always found a way to excuse her actions, no matter what she did. However, she still needed to act the part of self-me and cry in front of him. "Miles, I''m sorry, it''s all my fault. I caused harm to Rose..." Kelly''s voice was hoarse, and her crying sounded terrible, almost painfully harsh to listen to. Miles felt somewhat annoyed. He thought about Rose''s condition and willed himself to think of this as that situation instead.


    He urged, "It''s not your fault. I want to quickly go see Rose."


    He wanted to go see Rose...


    Where else could she be seen?


    Kelly sneered inwardly, thinking that Miles likely got on a ne and flew back home, as soon as he heard the newsst night. Without any contact with the outside world during the journey, he probably wasn''t aware of the details of the explosion yet.


    C¨®ntent


    His precious Rose was caught in an explosion, and there was nothing left of her.


    "Okay. I should go visit her too."


    Of course, she wanted to go take a look. She wanted to see what Rose looked like in the end.


    After the explosion urred, the police took control of everything. If anyone wanted to "meet Rose", they would have to go to the police station.


    Kelly and Miles left the airport, got into a car, and headed straight to the police station. Thanks to some connections, they were taken to the forensic department. "You all... should be mentally prepared," the person advised.


    Beneath Kelly''s facade, which appeared full of self-me, there was an


    expression of excitement.


    What did Rose look like that made Jonathan risk his life, speeding down the


    highway and ending up in a car ident?


    When she saw the "thing" covered by


    a few pieces of cloth, her face


    turned pale out of fear. Her legs went weak, and she almost couldn''t


    keep herself steady, nearly


    copsing on the ground.


    How absolutely horrifying!


    Suddenly, a ne caught Harriette''s eye, which solidified her certainty.


    That dead body was definitely Rose!

 Chapter 617 Not Retaliating

    Rose often wore that ne.


    Kelly hadplimented the ne, saying it looked beautiful and that she wanted to buy one as well. Rose told her that she had designed and made it herself, and there were only two in the whole world: one that she kept and the other that was given to a friend.


    She knew that the friend was Yvonne.


    She pretended to be jealous at that moment, but Rose didn''t give in or make one for her too.


    Kelly recalled that Rose was also wearing it that day.


    All the information pointed to one conclusion¡ªthat body was undoubtedly Rose!


    "Miles, Rose¡­ Poor Rose¡­" Kelly was crying so hard she nearly fainted.


    The level of sadness and grief she disyed wasparable to that of Miles.


    In her heart, she secretly felt glee at Miles¡¯ reaction.


    After he saw "Rose", it seemed as if the ne confirmed her identity, and from that moment on, he seemed to have lost his soul.


    Even her "self-me" act received little response from him, as if he was deeply immersed in a state of sorrow and pain.


    He identified himself as Rose''s brother and retrieved Rose''s "body" from the police.


    It was described as a corpse, but in reality, it was just a few charred and broken pieces.


    Miles personally held it and took it back to Young Estate.


    Kelly had a chilling intuition but brushed it off.


    Fortunately, the next day, Miles arranged for the remainder of the body to be cremated. Kelly witnessed the entire process. Elijah and Clover were also present during the cremation.


    Theyined that Miles acted on his own and shouldn''t have proceeded with the cremation so quickly.


    However, the mes were already burning in the furnace, and they couldn''t change anything.


    Clover, in a fit of anger, got into a fight with Miles.


    It was called a fight, but it was actually Clover attacking without Miles fighting back.


    "I''ve read the police report. It was your sister, Harriette, who took Rose there. Why is it that she''s fine, but Rose died in the explosion?" Clover demanded.


    Clover punched Miles in the face with no mercy.


    "Why did your sister need to go there? Did she actually do something or not? You need to give me an exnation!" Clover eximed.


    For almost half an hour, Clover''s attacks continued relentlessly.


    Miles, while containing his anger, muttered under his breath in response to Clover, "Harriette simply wanted to meet the person who once pushed her into the water and nearly killed her.


    "She cares for Rose and has always thought of Rose as a sister. Harriette is kind-hearted and would never do anything bad to Rose.


    "Rose¡­ This was an ident. Even Harriette didn''t expect it.


    "Harriette feels really guilty too."


    Every single word was made in "Harriette''s" defense.


    Clover was already furious, possibly because he had heard from the police that the warehouse explosion had nothing to do with Harriette.


    After venting his frustration on Miles, he could only give up. However, he took the ashes with him.


    "I''m taking her back!" Clover gave Miles no chance to refuse. He grabbed the urn and left with Elijah.


    Miles wanted to chase after Clover, but in the end, he gave up on the idea.


    Kelly observed him. Seeing his defeated demeanor, she knew that his sorrow was genuine.


    "Miles, it''s all my fault. Even though I didn''t directly cause Rose''s death, she ended up going to the psychiatric facility because of me. It''s on me¡­


    "Miles, even if you handed me over to Mr. Xanth, it would be fair."


    "When they were fighting just now, Kelly stood aside, looking frightened and unwilling to get closer. She only dared toe out and speak these words after being sure that Clover had already left.


    As she had anticipated, the more she med herself, the more Miles would excuse her.


    "Harriette, it wasn''t your fault. It was an ident. Clover was upset, and it''s fine to let him vent, but you¡­ have to be okay."


    Miles looked at her and managed to muster a bitter smile.


    "I didn''t manage to protect one sister, but I am determined to protect the other one!"


    Miles spoke with a tone of determination as if he were making a solemn vow.


    He once failed to protect Harriette, and now he was determined to keep Rose safe.


    But what Kelly heard was¡ªRose was dead, so he had to protect Harriette instead! Even if she was a fake, in Miles'' eyes, she was Harriette!


    Kelly was extremely happy. Being Harriette was really great!


    With a protective older brother like that, she would likely have his support if she ever wanted to take control of the entire Young Group in the future.


    The ashes were taken away by Clover.


    The Young family didn''t hold a funeral. It was said that after Clover took the ashes that day, he and Elijah left Regalia.


    During this period, the atmosphere around the Young family had been quite somber.


    Kelly, undoubtedly, was the one who felt the deepest sorrow aside from Miles.


    Maybe it was because she had managed to escape and wanted to do something for Rose but couldn''t.


    The day after the body''s cremation, Miles went to Young Group.


    He spent all day and night at thepany, like a spinning top that never stopped, fully dedicating his mind and body to the affairs of Young Group.


    Kelly naturally apanied Miles.


    She continued to show her guilt toward Rose and her sense of responsibility for Young Group. Meanwhile, Miles has gradually started to delegate many tasks to her.


    The days went by one after another.


    Kelly had something buried in her heart that she never dared to speak¡ªRose had passed away, so what should be done about the Young family''s inheritance and Young Group?


    This topic was one that Kelly couldn''t bring up, but finally, someone else came forward with it.


    When Chloe learned about Rose''s death, she started contemting the vast inheritance of the Young family.


    It was Rose''s inheritance, and ording to logic, with Rose passing away and not leaving a will, the first in line to inherit would be her children and husband.


    But, of course, Rose didn''t have any children.


    But although she didn''t have children, she did have a husband!


    Not long ago, the news that Jonathan and Rose had obtained a marriage license was spreading widely in Regalia.


    Jonathan was Rose''s husband, and as her legal primary heir, he should inherit everything from Rose.


    However, that would mean therge family business of Young Group would end up in the hands of Finch Group.


    How could they let that happen?


    At that time, Chloe wanted to speak up, but she was repeatedly stopped by Gabriel.


    However, there were times when Gabriel couldn''t keep an eye on her, which finally gave Chloe an opportunity. She immediately headed straight for Young Group.


    She approached Miles and made her position clear. She suggested that if Rose had not yet inherited the Young family''s assets, everyone should redistribute the properties left by Oliver.


    In the conference room, Chloe gathered everyone from the family and those from the Young family together.


    Therge conference room was sparsely popted, with only a few people present, yet the atmosphere was eerily tense and unsettling.


    "Miles, I''m really saddened by what happened to Rose. It''s unfortunate for her¡ªjust after inheriting the Young family''s assets, this happened¡­"


    Chloe pretended to sob, but despite her efforts, no tears woulde, so she just gave up.


    "Rose may have passed away, but those of us who are still here need to take good care of what she and Mr. Young Senior left behind!"


    Those that were left behind were also the vast empire and wealth of Young Group, wasn''t it?


    Chloe had finished speaking, but no one responded.


    Chloe was determined to get what she deserved today, and if she could grab even more, that would be a bonus.

 Chapter 618 Ten Percent Isnt Enough

    There was a long silence in the conference room.


    Miles had a somber expression, clearly showing a strong sense of displeasure.


    Anastasia sat in the furthest corner. Since Harriette''s return, she was no longer the favored daughter of the family. It was as if she had be apletely


    different person.


    But no one paid attention to her. Today, she was just there to make up the numbers.


    Kelly frowned, but inside, she was overjoyed.


    Among everyone in the conference room, she was the most excited to see Chloe


    arrive. She had put in effort to ensure Chloe could make it today.


    She finally brought up the thing that mattered most to her through Chloe.


    However, she couldn''t show her happiness outwardly.


    On the surface, she was filled with righteous indignation as she said, "Aunt Chloe, Rose hasn''t been dead long, and you''re already bringing this up? Isn''t this behavior a bit too unseemly?


    "Rose inherited Young Group. Young Group belongs to Rose. How could you... How could you..." she used anxiously, as if on the verge of tears.


    Chloe''s expression looked unpleasant, and she didn''t care if she might upset Miles. She spoke bluntly, "But she''s already dead!"


    "She''s dead! Rose is dead!" Chloe repeatedly emphasized.


    Was a dead person really still entitled to everything from the Young family?


    That inheritance was for the living!


    Kelly was so angry her hands were trembling. "How... how... how can you say something like that? Even if Rose is dead, there''s still Mr. Finch and Miles..." Jonathan.... That was someone that even Kelly couldn''t quite understand.


    He was actually the legitimate primary heir of Rose''s inheiritance. This issue needed to be resolved!


    Chloe chuckled softly. "Mr. Finch? Really? A distinguished member of the Finch family wants to take over the Young family''s inheritance? If word got out, the Finch family would lose all credibility. Besides, has he ever shown up since Rose passed away?"


    No, he hadn''t!


    The only news about Jonathan was his car ident that happened that day.


    After the car ident, there was no other news from Jonathan.


    Everyone was specting that in that car ident, Jonathan was seriously injured. Kelly also felt that there couldn''t be any other exnation for his absence.


    Otherwise, despite how much Jonathan cared about Rose, he didn''t attend her cremation ceremony.


    "The Young family cannot fall into the hands of the Finch family," Chloe stated firmly and with a cold demeanor.


    She fully understood that among the people present, Miles was the one in charge, while Harriette was just a little brat who couldn''t really make any major decisions.


    Chloe nced briefly at "Harriette" and focused her efforts on oveing the challenge of dealing with Miles.


    "Miles, think about Mr. Young Senior. Young Group is the work of his lifetime. We''re all close to him, and you''re his favorite. You need to make sure to protect it for him!


    "I admit that among all of us, when ites to contributions to the Young family, showing respect to Mr. Young Senior, or receiving his affection, you did the best.


    "My expectations aren''t that high. When dividing up Young Group''s shares, you can take the majority, but everyone else is still part of the Young family, so they should have some too."


    After her previous attempts ended up with nothing but trouble, Chloe had gained some insight since then. She had to take whatever she could get.


    If Rose didn''t die, she wouldn''t have gained anything. But fortunately...


    "Okay."


    Amid the silence, Mile suddenly spoke up.


    Everyone present was taken aback.


    "Miles..." Kelly was so shocked she even let out a gasp. "What did you say?"


    Did he just say "okay"?


    Kelly wanted to find out whether it was all in her head or if he really did say it. "Okay!" This time, he spoke a bit louder.


    Everyone watched as Miles''s lips parted, and the word "okay" came out of his mouth.


    Chloe was surprised that he gave in so easily.


    She had prepared a whole lot of things to say and had plenty of backup ns. She was fully ready to be in a prolonged conflict with Miles. But unexpectedly, he agreed!


    "Good, good. As long as you understand." Chloe breathed a sigh of relief.


    He agreed so quickly that, for a moment, she didn''t know what to do next. Fortunately, she quicklyposed herself.


    "Miles, how would you like to allocate the shares for Young Group?"


    Chloe''s tone softened considerably as she looked at Miles with an expectant expression.


    Miles lowered his gaze, appearing


    like a soulless machine. "Besides the shares held by the elders, you, the


    aunts, and both Harriette and


    Anastasia each hold 5 percent of the


    shares."


    Five percent?


    At that moment, Chloe couldn''t figure out how much Miles had left for himself.


    Regardless, five percent definitely wasn''t eptable.


    Almost instinctively, she immediately insisted, "No way, it has to be at least ten percent!"


    Otherwise, he might as well be giving leftovers to a beggar!


    She thought she would have to argue with Miles for a long time again, but then


    she heard Miles say, "Alright. Ten percent."


    After saying this, Miles stood up and walked out of the conference room.


    Chloe was taken aback. "Miles..."


    Miles agreed so readily, and she could have asked for more, but...


    Chloe looked up and saw Miles'' lonely figure, which really tugged at her heartstrings.


    "Ten percent? Hmph, ten percent it is!" Chloe reassured herself, thinking it was much better than having nothing at all from before.


    Furthermore, once she obtained the initial ten percent, there was potential to gain even more beyond that.


    She shouldn''t get greedy at this moment and lose the ten percent she had already secured.


    Chloe walked away feeling satisfied.


    Anastasia walked out of the


    conference room and nced in the direction of Miles'' office. Surprisingly, despite having received


    ten percent of Young Gro received


    shares, she didn''t feel as happy as one might expect.


    Miles truly cared deeply for Rose.


    During this period, he had noticeably lost weight, and his overall vitality and spirit had diminished. Yet, he continued to work tirelessly. If this pattern persisted, he might end up working himself to death.


    And what about "Harriette"?


    Anastasia turned around and saw "Harriette" in the conference room, looking quite concerned.


    In those eyes, there was a clear expression of dissatisfaction.


    She was dissatisfied? Was she dissatisfied with the ten percent?


    Of course, with all the effort she put in, she probably wanted to take over everything rted to Young Group. Ten percent? That wouldn''t be enough for her.


    Kelly clenched her teeth in frustration.


    That wasn''t enough at all! How could it possibly be enough?


    But with Miles already having spoken out and Chloe agreeing, what else could


    she do?


    For a moment, Kelly didn''t know what to do.


    After spending some time in the conference room, she purposely made a cup of coffee and knocked on the door of Miles'' office.


    "Ms. Harriette, Mr. Young felt a bit dizzy earlier. Could you please persuade him to take a rest?" Victor asked with a worried expression when he opened the door and saw Harriette.


    Kelly nodded, entered the office, and closed the door behind her.


    "Miles, I made a cup of coffee to help you feel more awake, but... We can''t keep going like this. Your health is going to suffer. Come on, let''s go home and rest!"


    Kelly then threw away the cup of coffee. She stepped forward and grabbed Miles to leave.


    Miles sat motionless in the chair. When Kelly turned around and caught a glimpse


    of his gaze, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.


    "Miles... why are you looking at me like that?" Kelly asked.

 Chapter 619 An Unforgivable Act

    The look in Miles'' eyes was chilling.


    Miles always looked at her warmly, so how could this be any different?


    Before long, the coldness in his eyes vanished, and when she looked into them again, there was warmth once more.


    But just now... was it her imagination? No, it wasn''t!


    The coldness she felt had sent a distinct shiver through her heart; it was no illusion.


    Kelly furrowed her brows. She was determined to figure it out.


    As she was trying to piece things together, she heard Miles slowly say, "I only have one sister left. What should I do?"


    His tone was filled with anguish.


    Kelly snapped back to reality, determined to be supportive at a time when Miles was in pain. She reassured him, saying, "Miles, I will be by your side for the rest of my life!"


    There was only one sister left... Of course, it was her!


    "Is ten percent of the shares enough?" Miles immediately asked.


    If calming Miles earlier was her task, then after hearing his question now, she became fully alert.


    It wasn''t enough! It definitely wasn''t enough!


    She wanted everything, including Young Group! However, she was concerned that it would take time if done gradually and couldn''t immediately think of a way to bring the entire Young Group under her control quickly.


    With a sigh in her heart, Kelly outwardly expressed, "That''s enough, Miles. You know me. I''m not interested in these things at all. Even if it''s just a little, I simply don''t care.


    "As long as I can be by your side and contribute to the family business left by Grandpa, I am already very satisfied."


    It was clear that all she focused on was familial love and gratitude.


    Even the smile in Miles''s eyes deepened as he said, "I can''t let my sister suffer. I''ve decided that when the dayes to divide the shares, I will give all of my portion to my sister!"


    Kelly was stunned.


    What did he say? Did he say he wanted to give all his shares to his sister? Her?


    She hadn''t carefully calcted the distribution of shares within Young Group, but Chloe, herself, and Anastasia each held ten percent. After ounting for the shares held by the elders, Miles was left with at least 50%.


    Including the ten percent she was given...


    A tremendous joy flooded her heart, almost overwhelming her like a tidal wave.


    She wanted to whoop and cheer. But while she was in front of Miles, she had to conceal everything. It wasn''t the right time to celebrate yet!


    "Miles, how is this okay?" Kelly seemed to be taken aback, then suddenly reacted and quickly shook her head, refusing, "No, no, absolutely not!"


    "Why not? I have only one sister, so I''ve made up my mind. I''m willing to do anything for her in this lifetime," Miles said gently.


    Ever since "Rose died", this was probably the widest smile on his face since then.


    Kelly felt his sincerity. She couldn''t help but feel grateful. Having Miles as a brother was truly wonderful!


    She realized she was gradually bing addicted to the affection that Miles showered her. It was intoxicating, but thankfully, she could be Harriette for a lifetime!


    A lifetime of enjoying the affection and care given by Miles. Life really was wonderful!


    "Miles, what if one day I do something you can''t forgive? Would you still treat me so well?" Kelly asked.


    As if guided by some inexplicable force, Kelly unexpectedly asked that question. She regretted it as soon as she asked it.


    She was worried that Miles might notice something, but at the same time, she was confident that her concerns were unnecessary.


    Miles smiled slightly and said, "No matter what my sister has done, there''s nothing I can never forgive."


    Rose had a fundamentally kind nature. If she knew it was something he couldn''t forgive her for, then she wouldn''t do it.


    Kelly believed that Miles trusted herpletely and instantly felt more at ease. She became more determined that she would never let Miles find out about what she had done in the past.


    And after that... She just needed to be herself, be a good sister to him, and simply enjoy everything!


    "Miles,e rest with me." Kelly rxedpletely and spoke to Miles in a yful manner.


    She hurriedly pulled Miles out, but with her back turned, she didn''t notice the strong flickers of disgust in his eyes.


    Miles wanted to let go of her hand, but he held back and told himself to consider the bigger picture.


    Soon, once she revealed her true colors, they could finally catch her in the act!


    At that moment, he couldn''t help but feel envious of Jonathan. Because of his car ident, he was pushed out of the public eye.


    Almost everyone believed that the person who was seriously injured in the car ident that day was Jonathan.


    Almost everyone believed that Jonathan hadn''t been around because he was receiving treatment in the hospital.


    In reality, Jonathan was with Rose every day.


    At that moment, at the location where Rose was secretly hidden.


    Sunlight streamed through the clear floor-to-ceiling windows. Rose, who rarely had free time, was working on a design draft.


    The design draft showed a man''s suit. The suit exuded a sense of calmness and grandeur, as if it embodied the wearer''s outward personality and charisma.


    This was a suit Rose designed for Elijah.


    He heard that Oliver had a suit personally designed and made by Rose, and this made him jealous. He hinted at it several times, and while


    he neididn''t outright say it, Rose still *


    picked up on it.


    As a daughter, she naturally wanted to fulfill her father''s wishes.


    Rose finished the design draft in one day. Finley brought over various fabrics, and Rose personally selected them. Within three days, she cut and made the fabric into a suit.


    Rose did all of this without Elijah knowing.


    Sure, on that day, Clover and Elijah managed to seize the "ashes," and the two of them boarded a ne, ready to head back to the Xanth family home.


    They had a different tactic from Miles''.


    Miles had used the excuse of taking a vacation and went to the airport. After boarding the ne, he secretly got off again.


    This time, to prevent others from scrutinizing them too closely, the two of them went all out and acted the part fully. They got on the ne and actually left


    Regalia.


    However, after returning to the Xanth family home, a private jet took off from their private airfield. After more than ten hours, the two of them arrived at Regalia. Rose worked on the suit behind Elijah''s back, but throughout the entire process, Jonathan was present beside her.


    As she designed, cut the fabric, and did every step of the process, all the while, Jonathan was in the same room with her.


    Whether he was drinking coffee or tea or just sitting quietly, his eyes were always on her, unable to look away even for a moment.


    Whenever Rose looked up, she would always meet his gaze.


    At first, Rose felt a bit ufortable. She red back fiercely, yet this didn''t intimidate Jonathan. Instead, it made himugh with a smug expression.


    Rose felt like he had to be going crazy.


    Several times when she red back


    at him, he would respond with a yful grin and eagerly pull her into a tight embrace kissing her intensely until she was almost out of breath before letting her go.


    After that, Rose had wised up.


    He wanted to look at her? It wasn''t as if she lost anything if he looked at her. He


    could look all he wanted then!


    Over time, Rose got used to the way his gaze would follow her.


    Rose carefully put away the newly made suit. She had a feeling that Jonathan


    was watching her again.


    She seemed not to notice, yet when she vaguely sensed that gaze, it was almost


    as if it carried a hint of dissatisfaction.


    Dissatisfaction? What was he dissatisfied with?


    "Wifey..."

 Chapter 620 A Reward

    Jonathan''s voice clearly expressed dissatisfaction.


    Rose felt a bit uneasy. She focused on keeping herposure, appearing as though she hadn''t heard anything.


    Nearby, Jonathan, sitting on the couch, furrowed his brows.


    Something felt off, very off.


    He had been watching Rose for a long time, and usually, she should have felt his


    gaze by now and looked back at him. Then there would be a moment of eye


    contact, which would set the stage for him to make his next move.


    But...


    Was she not aware of being watched?


    Jonathan tried winking and making himself noticeable, but she still didn''t respond.


    Something felt off, really off!


    So, he had no choice but to try a different approach. "Wifey...."


    He called out to Rose, but she still didn''t respond.


    Jonathan furrowed his brow even more. Was it because he wasn''t loud enough?


    "Wifey..." he called out again.


    There was still no response. Was his charm not strong enough?


    "Wifey..." he called out again.


    Every time Rose heard him call out "wifey," she felt her heart clench a bit. She knew that whenever he used that term, it usually meant trouble. But if she continued to pretend not to hear him, it would seem way too obvious.


    Rose wanted to run away. So, she did.


    She carefully managed her gaze to avoid looking at Jonathan while heading toward the door.


    Just as she reached the doorway, she was startled by the man who suddenly appeared behind her.


    "Wifey, where are you going?" Jonathan asked, even though he already knew the answer. He wrapped his arms around Rose''s waist from behind, stopping her in her tracks.


    Rose, trying to calm herself, replied, "No, I''m not going anywhere."


    "But I just called you, and you didn''t respond..." Jonathan expressed his dissatisfaction in a somewhat yful manner.


    Rose quickly came up with a reason, asking, "Did you call for me? I didn''t hear


    you. Maybe I was too focused on my thoughts just now."


    "What are you thinking about?" Jonathan asked inquisitively.


    Rose had no retort. She was thinking about how to escape from his clutches!


    But how could she tell the truth?


    Earlier, she red at him with an intimidating look, and he pretended to be annoyed, saying he would punish her. The method of punishment was something quite adult in nature, and once started, it became quite irresistible.


    She learned her lesson since then!


    She couldn''t give him any excuse to "punish" her, so she had to behave herself.


    "I was thinking of cooking something at noon and making something you love." This was considered being nice, right?


    During this time, when no one else was around, the two of them lived a simple life as a couple. Jonathan handled all the cooking for the two of them, and his culinary skills improved rapidly.


    Today, she decided to cook as a way to show her appreciation for him.


    He was definitely looking forward to it!


    But...


    "You''re being so good. Then.... I think I should give my wifey a nice reward," Jonathan whispered, his breath reaching the back of Rose''s ear.


    With its strong sense of allure, it immediately made Rose freeze in ce. Haha... This reward... She felt like this reward might not be very decent. "Actually... Um..."


    She meant to say that it was all right for her not to receive any reward. Before she could finish speaking, her body lifted off the ground. In a moment of panic, she let out a surprised cry and quickly wrapped her arms around Jonathan''s neck.


    This course of "initiative" was what gave Jonathan the slightest bit of satisfaction.


    Jonathan smiled, and Rose looked at his face. It was exactly her type, but having her favorite type several times a day was a bit much to handle!


    "Dad and Clover areing today." Rose''s eyes sparkled with anticipation.


    They were almost here, and Jonathan always had to consider the impact of even the smallest things, right?


    Her smile seemed to be a bit forced soon after.


    How could she forget that Jonathan stopped caring about those things a long time ago?


    Every time they came, Jonathan would keep them waiting...


    Rose''s face turned bright red at the mere thought of the awkwardness she felt every time she went downstairs with Jonathan to face Elijah and Clover.


    Yet the brilliant blush on her face captivated Jonathan, leaving him lost in thought. The desire in his eyes could no longer be concealed. Soon, the room was filled with the warmth of intimate whispers.


    Downstairs, Elijah and Clover had gone through several rounds of tea together. Clover couldn''t hold back any longer and nced at Finley, who was standing nearby with an awkward expression, feeling really annoyed.


    "Mr. Finch shouldn''t be living here!" Clover, with nowhere else to vent his frustration, directed his discontent toward Finley.


    How long had they all been waiting?


    Every time they came, they ended up waiting.


    Could Jonathan really not hold back a little?


    Finley was being intensely stared at by two pairs of eyes, and he was feeling quite troubled inside.


    Jonathan wasn''t like this before. Who would have expected that in front of Rose, he would behave so indiscreetly?


    But...


    "Mr. and Mrs. Finch are legally married, so it''s only natural for them to be affectionate with each other..."


    Before the words could leave his lips, the two looks he received were so sharp like knives that Finley swallowed nervously and dared not continue.


    He deliberately made his breathing very quiet, trying to minimize his presence so


    he wouldn''t be a target for others to vent their anger.


    Finally, after quite some time, Jonathan came downstairs, but Rose was nowhere to be seen.


    Clover looked at him, noticing that


    his face was glowing with


    embarrassment. His expression became even more displeased. "Aren''t you supposed to be the dignified Jonathan Finch? Isat your goal to just sit around doing nothing all day, stuck here like this..."


    "Clover..."


    Jonathan suddenly called out, causing Clover to nearly bite his tongue mid- sentence.


    He looked at Jonathan with a face full of shock and fear. He... what did he call


    him?


    Clover? Why would he call his name in that tone?


    Clover wanted to spit out his disgust.


    But before he could take any action, he saw that the shameless Jonathan was


    already greeting Elijah with the utmost respect, even bowing deeply.


    His attitude was extremely humble.


    He then said, "Please wait a moment. I''m going to make dinner."


    He turned and headed toward the kitchen.


    Clover couldn''t help but exim, "Dinner? He knows it''s dinner time? It''s sote.


    Has Rose even had lunch yet?"


    Clearly, she hadn''t!


    Jonathan kept on bothering Rose... How annoying!


    From start to finish of themotion, Elijah didn''t say anything.


    Jonathan took the initiative to cook dinner, and he prepared a variety of dishes He made sure to include something that Rose liked something Clover enjoyed, and a dish that Elijah preferred.


    Rose was woken up by the tempting aroma of food. She felt hungry.


    Her stomach let out a rumbling noise as she hurried downstairs in her pajamas.


    When she reached the living room, she saw Clover and Elijah.


    They met each other''s gaze.


    Rose was startled. How could she have forgotten that theye every day?


    She remembered that they were supposed toe over, but what did Jonathan


    say during their intimate moments?


    "Father-inw and Clover don''t usually arrive that early, and even if they de, Finley will look after them. Whenever they visit, they only stay for a short while and cant stay too long


    This location of this ce was a secret.


    Whenever they came here, they had to be careful to avoid being noticed by


    others.


    Later, she felt so exhausted that, although she only intended to rest her eyes for a


    moment, she unexpectedly fell asleep. Meanwhile, outside, the sky was beginning to darken...


    "Ah, Dad, Clover..." Rose felt extremely awkward.


    She quickly ran upstairs to change into a new outfit, wishing she could hide


    forever. She even stalled on purpose, but unexpectedly, Clover came up and knocked on the door.


    "Come out! It''s time to eat!"


    Rose could only step out, eat her dinner, and face everything with courage.

 Chapter 621 Who Cant Cook?

    The atmosphere at the dining table was extremely strange.


    Elijah and Clover, smiling warmly, served Rose some food. "Rose, have some of this. You love it..."


    The food was ced on the te in front of Rose. Then, Jonathan promptly said, "Wifey, I made this."


    Jonathan looked at Rose, his face clearly saying, "Wifey, praise me."


    "Ugh! This tastes awful!"


    Clover clearly had a disdain for Jonathan, and it was written all over his face without any attempt to hide it. He picked at her food, took a bite, and felt like spitting it out. But he hade with the intention of having lunch with Rose and ended up going there without having eaten lunch.


    He didn''t get to eat lunch, and his frustration left him feeling full.


    Although he was still a bit miffed, as soon as the food entered his mouth, he realized he was actually a little hungry.


    ]He hadn''t expected Jonathan''s cooking skills to be, well... quite good?


    He had to "reluctantly" swallow it down when his original intention was to spit it out


    to belittle Jonathan, but now it was just...


    Clover frowned and reiterated, "It''s awful! Really awful!"


    Yet the food being awful did not affect his ability to eat quickly at all.


    Jonathan quietly ced Clover''s favorite dishes in front of him without saying anything.


    Clover wasn''t interested in being pleased or won over.


    Food was one thing, but when it came topromising on anything rted to Rose, that was absolutely out of the question!


    After eating, Clover began to put his n into action.


    "Rose, you take a break. I need to discuss something with Jonathan." Clover smiled somewhat genuinely.


    Rose looked at his smile and felt a bit uneasy. She also looked at Jonathan with a hint of concern.


    "Go on. We''lle back to see you tomorrow," Clover waved to Rose, seeming almost like a big grey wolf.


    Jonathan was from the Finch family, and considering Regalia was under his territory, even if Clover intended to do something to him, it wouldn''t be too extreme, right?


    What Clover was nning to do to Jonathan was not tat excessive.


    As soon as Rose went upstairs, the smile on Clover''s face disappeared. "Let''s go!"


    It was just one word, but it carried a strong sense of authority.


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow and smiled, not minding at all as he followed along.


    Three of them got into the same car from an underground garage. The car had a low-profile appearance and drove for quite some time before entering another underground parking lot.


    When Jonathan got out of the vehicle, he realized where he was.


    Jonathan frowned as Clover said in a cold voice, "I''ve just received news that your health condition has changed. At this moment, the Finch family should be on their way to the hospital."


    Jonathan was at a loss for words. His "change in physical condition" was undoubtedly the work of Clover.


    Clover looked back at him with open honesty, with an expression that seemed to be confessing. "Your family hase to see you. You can''t let them down with


    their concern. Mr. Finch, handle it well and don''t give anything away."


    Jonathan had no retort except to sarcastically express his gratitude.


    Clover also felt his "sincerity" and responded gracefully, "No need to thank me."


    Jonathan clenched his teeth.


    Leonard called, sounding urgent as he said, "Sir, Mrs. Finch Senior, Mr. Jack, and Mr. Cyrus are here, and so is Madam..."


    The madam he referred to was Lizzie.


    Jonathan''s eyes narrowed slightly when he heard that.


    Leonard urged, "Sir, what should we do? You''re in..."


    "I''m in the parking lot. Arrange for someone to cover me." Jonathan red


    intensely at Clover. This man was ying with fire!


    Clover shrugged and expressed great trust in Jonathan, saying, "You can do it. I''m rooting for you!"


    He was rooting for him? He had got to be joking!


    The people Leonard mentioned arrived quickly, and Jonathan swiftly made his way upstairs undercover.


    Clover got back into the car. Elijah didn''t seem too pleased. "What you did was too risky. If you make a mistake, everything could fall apart."


    "Uncle Elijah, don''t worry. If Jonathan can''t handle even this, he wouldn''t be deserving of being acknowledged as Mr. Finch by the people of Regalia."


    Clover expressed his approval of Jonathan in their conversation.


    He was always bothering Rose every day. It was so annoying and really infuriating!


    But now...


    "At least for these two days, he''ll have to stay in the hospital and won''t be able to leave." Clover was very pleased. He thought himself really clever for knowing how to manipte things like this.


    Elijah''s expression gradually rxed. "That''s true if we''re going to put on a show, we should do it properly. I he''s supposed to be severely injured in a car ident and in the hospital, he should look the part. However, for the next few days, there will be no one to cook for Rose..."


    Elijah frowned, looking worried again.


    "What''s the big deal? It''s not like Jonathan is the only one who can cook." Clover said casually.


    Elijah stared at him and asked, "You know how?"


    Clover had no response to that. Of course, he didn''t know how, but...


    "Of course, I can learn! Cooking isn''t something people are born knowing how to


    do. It''s something you learn. Don''t worry, Uncle Elijah. If Jonathan can do it, so can I!"


    Clover felt enthusiastic. He took out his phone and quickly dialed Emily''s number. "Arrange for a few chefs toe to my new ce."


    He and Elijah being at Regalia was a secret.


    Currently, they couldn''t be seen by others, so their living arrangement was also kept secret.


    Emily nced at the dark sky outside and hesitated a bit. "Right now? Is it because the current housekeeper''s cooking isn''t good?"


    Is that why he needed to find a new chef? Was he hungry now?


    "No!"


    Clover preferred to keep things low-key. "Just make sure to find a chef


    immediately who can cook Aquastead cuisine."


    Aquastead cuisine?


    Then this issue had to be rted to Rose.


    It seemed that Clover wanted the chef to prepare some Aquastead cuisine to be delivered to Rose.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll find the best chef."


    After hanging up the phone, Clover drove back home feeling excited. Learning to cook seemed so simple. He was confident that he would impress Rose with his skills the next day.


    At that moment, he had no idea that while his ideals were grand and full, the reality was stark and unyielding, inevitably leading to a harsh confrontation with the real world.


    In the hospital, Eleanor noticed that she had been there for quite some time, but Jonathan was nowhere to be seen in the hospital room.


    At that moment, everyone had a very serious expression on their faces.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior, please don''t worry. Mr. Finch..." Leonard looked anxious as he


    tried to stop Eleanor and her group, but he was unsessful.


    But Jonathan wasn''t in his position yet...


    They could not possibly be allowed to go directly into the hospital room.


    In a moment of urgency, Leonard blurted out, "Jonathan''s condition has changed.


    He''s been taken into the operating room..."


    The operating room...


    Jonathan heard these words through the connectedmunication device.


    Jonathan frowned and instructed the person next to him, "Enter the operating


    room!"


    Meanwhile, upon hearing the news, Eleanor felt herself stagger a bit. "What''s happening in the operating room? Is there any risk to his life..."


    Eleanor sincerely cared about Jonathan.


    Especially after Jonathan took over Finch Group with his strong and decisive methods and having witnessed his capabilities, she was


    even more certain that Jonathan was the best person to lead inch Group.


    She didn''t want anything bad to happen to him.


    Eleanor looked worried, and she wasn''t the only one feeling concerned-there


    was another person who shared her worries.


    Leonard saw the worry in Lizzie''s eyes, but he couldn''t quite discern whether it


    was genuine or not.


    If it was faked, then it sure felt too real.


    But if it was real...

 Chapter 622 Hold On

    Really? How could that possibly be true?


    Lizzie and Jonathan had a seemingly calm rtionship on the surface, but underneath, there was a deep-seated conflict. One was a stepmother, and the other was the son left behind by the first wife.


    This time, Jonathan''s disguise was solely to deceive Lizzie.


    Lizzie had repeatedly plotted against Rose, so how could she genuinely be concerned about Jonathan?


    Amidst Leonard''s thoughts, there was amotioning from the direction of the operating room.


    "Jonathan..." Eleanor called out. She quickly hurried over with the help of her walking cane.


    The others quickly followed and finally saw Jonathan being wheeled out from the operating room.


    He kept his eyes tightly shut, with the wounds from the car ident still visible on his face. His hands, feet, and chest were covered, but they could clearly see theck of life on his face.


    After the car ident, there didn''t seem to be any improvement at all.


    "Jonathan, Jonathan, it''s Grandma. You have to hold on..." Eleanor sounded like she was on the verge of pleading.


    Cyrus also called out to him softly.


    The doctor said that Jonathan needed to be admitted to the ICU for observation. It took a lot of effort for them to make way for him.


    Jonathan thought that once they couldn''t see him, they would leave. Unexpectedly, they were still waiting outside the ICU.


    Jonathan looked gloomy. If they wanted to stay here and keep watch, how was he going to give them the slip?


    Recalling Clover''s smug smile just now, Jonathan muttered a curse under his breath.


    He didn''t expect that this time, he would be caught up for several days without being able to escape.


    "Mom, Jonathan is in this state, and Finch Group can''t be left without someone in charge. I think it would be better to let Liam temporarily take over Jonathan''s responsibilities..." This time, Yosef tagged along, nning things in his mind all the while.


    Seeing Jonathan''s lifeless demeanor just now brought delight to Yosef.


    He was eager for Jonathan to suffer a setback, then Finch Group would...


    Before he could finish speaking, Eleanor shot a nce over at him.


    "I know what you''re thinking," Eleanor said. She wore a solemn and unsettling expression, as if she could see right through Yosef''s thoughts.


    Eleanor was quite upset, possibly because she was worried about Jonathan. She didn''t hold back and firmly stated, "Forget about one Liam. Even ten or a hundred Liams are no match for a single Jonathan.


    "If he can just focus on his work at Finch Group and do it diligently, the Finch family is willing to support him. But if he doesn''t...


    "If he wants to entertain any other ideas, he should dismiss them early on, or else he won''t be able to be part of the Finch family."


    Even though she was talking about Liam, Eleanor''s gaze was actually directed at Yosef.


    "Mom..."


    Yosef felt dissatisfied.


    Yet he was still silenced by Eleanor''s gaze and showed a hint of impatience. Yosef knew that this topic should not be discussed any further.


    Yosef felt extremely frustrated, so he made an excuse to leave.


    Shortly after, Lizzie left as well.


    She had mixed emotions.


    She despised how much Jonathan cared about Rose.


    She never expected that Jonathan would return to Regalia, force the police to re- examine the scene, and act so recklessly as if he no longer cared about his own life.


    Was Rose really that important?


    In Lizzie''s heart, a mix of emotions brewed¡ªanger, jealousy, and resentment. Rose was dead!


    Jonathan''s actions further confirmed that Rose was dead.


    With Rose gone, she no longer had anyone to vent her anger on. She could only console herself by thinking, what good is it for Jonathan to be so concerned about her?


    Wasn''t she already dead? What more was there to gain by doing this?


    Given time, Jonathan would eventually forget about her.


    Lizzie had just stepped out of the hospital when Cyrus caught up with her.


    Ever since that day at Finch Manor, the two haven''t seen each other since Lizzie


    left.


    The reason they appeared together today was that Lizzie was returning to Finch Manor to collect some of her belongings, and Cyrus, upon hearing the news, made a point to go there as well.


    "Lizz, I can forgive you, and we don''t need to go through with the divorce," Cyrus said after thinking for a long time.


    In his work, he was always decisive and efficient, but when it came to matters of the heart, he was theplete opposite.


    Whether it was Nancy back then or Lizzie now, the situation remained the same. After that day, he thought for a long time.


    Lizzie betrayed him, but in the end, there were reasons for it. All these years, he''s kept a ce in his heart for Nancy, cherishing old rtionships, and ultimately, he ended up hurting Lizzie''s feelings.


    In the night breeze, Lizzieughed softly.


    Lizzie suddenly turned around and looked at Cyrus with a smile that felt different from usual. It wasn''t her usual gentle and graceful expression, and it was something Cyrus had never seen before.


    "Lizz..."


    "Cyrus..."


    She didn''t call him affectionately anymore. "How could you do this? Did you forgive me because you love me? Or is it because you''ve grown used to me being with you for so long? Or maybe it''s just your indecisive nature in rtionships that keeps you wavering?


    "When you were with me, you were thinking of Nancy. Now that you know I''ve betrayed you, do you feel reluctant to leave me?" Lizzie didn''t want to put up a front in front of Cyrus.


    After the death of Rose and Jonathan''s severe injury in a car ident, a bold idea emerged in her mind.


    Cyrus took a step forward, seemingly trying to hold onto something, and said, ''Lizzie, it shouldn''t be like this. How are you going to live after we get divorced?""


    The Lizzie in front of him seemed unfamiliar. He felt she was so unfamiliar that it was as if the person had turned into someone else.


    How could he have known that the caring wife he had seen for all these years was just an act? The true nature of Lizzie was what he was witnessing now.


    "Live? You don''t need to worry about my life. I''ve already had mywyer send you the divorce agreement. If you''re concerned about my future, you might as well give me more money. I''d be very grateful for that."


    Even if he didn''t give her more money, what she had secretly saved over the


    years was already enough.


    Lizzie said that and then turned around and left.


    Her future life...


    She started thinking about the bold ideas that had been swirling in her mind these


    past few days. She actually started looking forward to her future life.


    Cyrus stood there in a daze, and as the wind blew, he felt unusually cold.


    After Lizzie got into the car, she received a call from Kelly.


    Kelly, on the other end of the phone, excitedly told her that Miles was going to give all his shares to her.


    Lizzie didn''t suspect anything amiss about that decision.


    She had witnessed the rtionships among Miles, Harriette, and Jonathan when they were younger.


    Harriette''s rtionship with Jonathan, while Miles'' rtionship with Harriette...


    Miles, affected by the loss of Rose, decided to transfer all his shares to "Harriette". This wasn''t something she anticipated, but it wasn''t entirely surprising


    either.


    Wow! She wondered if Miles knew that his "Harriette" was actually an imposter. If


    he found out, he was probably going to be really angry!


    Miles would never know.


    made a bit of a scene


    "Luckily, Chloe ma


    in person. Now she''s pushing to gather shareholders and call a


    shareholder meeting. She see


    even more anxious than I am. She''s arranged with Miles to schedule the meeting for three days from now.


    "Madam, in three days, I will be thergest shareholder of Young Group!"


    In three days?


    Lizzie frowned for a moment, then quickly rxed as a smile appeared on her


    face.


    She spoke with a wistful tone, and her words left Kelly momentarily stunned.

 Chapter 623 Competing with Jonathan

    "In three days, I wish you sess, and wish myself sess as well!" Lizzie


    dered.


    Kelly was dumbfounded. She understood Lizzie wishing her sess, but wishing


    herself sess?


    Kelly didn''t really understand, but she still nodded in agreement, saying, "Here''s


    to our sess."


    Lizzie must have felt that she had definitely and wlessly seeded.


    Lizzie understood that there were things Kelly didn''t know, so she didn''t offer any


    exnations and had no intention of helping Kelly understand. It was her own


    matter, her own n, her own future!


    That night, Jonathan didn''te back.


    Rose was originally waiting for Jonathan when she received a call from Clover. He


    informed her that Jonathan had something importante up and couldn''t make


    it, so she shouldn''t wait for him.


    Before hanging up, he said mysteriously, "Rose, tomorrow, Uncle Elijah and I will


    Surprise? What surprise?


    Rose smiled, feeling a hint of anticipation.


    Clover barely slept a wink for this "surprise". Initially full of enthusiasm, he


    gradually began to question everything he knew.


    Rose had an unusual dream.


    She dreamt that she bumped into Jonathan on the street. Excited, she ran toward


    him and hugged him, but he pushed her away and called her a "pervert".


    A pervert?


    Haha! She was someone who really appreciated good looks, huh?


    Initially, she was attracted to Jonathan''s looks. But between him and her, who was


    the bigger pervert?


    Rose was so upset that sheughed so hard and woke herself up.


    When she woke up, it was already daylight.


    Jonathan still hadn''t returned, and Rose continued working on her design draft. It


    was another suit, but this had a style that was quite different from her previous


    one.


    An hourter, Elijah and Clover arrived.


    Clover had visible tension on his face, something Rose had never seen before.


    She was surprised and asked, "Clover, what''s wrong? You''re barely wearing


    anything, so why are you sweating so much? Is the air conditioning broken? But it


    doesn''t seem like it..."


    Sweat was evident on his handsome face, making it incredibly noticeable.


    "I''m okay. I''m okay. I''m okay. I can do this!" Clover murmured to himself as if trying


    hard to get into the right mindset. As for thatst sentence, he was actually


    encouraging himself.


    Rose was getting more and more confused as she looked at him.


    After giving himself a pep talk, Clover hurriedly turned and went into the kitchen.


    Rose wanted to follow and see what was happening, but to her surprise, he


    closed the kitchen door.


    "Clover?" Rose was puzzled when she saw the faint smile on Elijah''s face. "Dad,


    what... what''s wrong with him?"


    Elijah raised an eyebrow, recalling Clover''s hard workst night, and said with a


    smile, "He''s fine. Let him be."


    "Okay..."


    "Was everything really okay? Why did Rose feel as though something was off?


    Elijah made some tea and had Rose apany him. The pair engaged in


    conversation in a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere, with a sense of warmth


    filling the air.


    On the other hand, the situation in the kitchen was a bit hard to describe.


    Every now and then, there would be a "ng", sometimes a "bang", or even an


    "ouch" being heard.


    Rose was speechless.


    Did it really seem like nothing was wrong? What exactly was Clover doing with the


    kitchen door closed?


    Rose suspected that he was about to blow up the kitchen.


    "Dad..." Rose just couldn''t stop worrying. She felt the need to check things out.


    Causing a mess in the kitchen was one thing, but with all those noises, Rose was


    starting to suspect that Clover might end up hurting himself in there!


    "Don''t worry about it. It''s fine. He''s an adult. We don''t need to be concerned."


    Elijah was a great uncle, and he tried his best to help Clover.


    Rose tried to get up several times, but she was stopped and reassured by Elijah.


    She could only sit there, sipping tea and chatting, while continuing to hear strange


    noisesing from the kitchen.


    After an unknown amount of time had passed, the kitchen door finally opened.


    Clover walked through the dining


    room, signaling the housekeeper


    with a nce to serve what he had


    prepared in the kitchen. As he


    walked, he tidied up his clothes that


    had be disheveled from the


    activity in the kitchen.


    Once Clover had meticulously adjusted his cuffs, feeling that everything was just


    right, he finally appeared before Rose.


    With a face full of smiles, he called out, "Rose..."


    Rose had her back to the direction he came from, and when she turned around,


    she was surprised to see Clover.


    Elijah lifted his gaze, and for a moment, his expression seemed to freeze slightly.


    Clover didn''t notice anything unusual


    between the two of them. Thinking


    about the surprise he nned for


    Rose today, he cleared his throat


    and very formally extended his hand


    to Rose, bowing with an impable


    gentlemanly demeanor.


    With a voice full of charm, he said, "Ms. Rose, the beautiful, may I have the


    pleasure of inviting you to dinner?"


    Rose was stunned speechless.


    He acted courteously and refined, like a noble from high society in medieval


    times, extending an invitation to dance to thedy he admired at a ball.


    Clover was very handsome, with broad shoulders and narrow hips, and the shirt


    he wore right now really entuated his well-shaped physique.


    Everything was perfect, but...


    Her gazended on the object on Clover''s head. When his head was lowered, she


    could see it more clearly.


    Was she supposed to take it away for him?


    At that moment, he was very close to her.


    Even without standing up, she could reach out and remove the item from his


    head.


    Should she or should she not take it? Rose decided to just go ahead and take it!


    So she reached out her hand...


    At that moment, Clover, having not received a response to his invitation a while


    ago, suddenly looked up, eager to know Rose''s reaction.


    Rose had reached out to grab something from his head, but her hand came up


    empty.


    "Rose?" Clover questioned her action with suspicion.


    As their eyes met, Rose suddenly felt as if she had been caught doing something


    wrong.


    It was so awkward...


    Rose quickly realized that she wasn''t doing anything wrong. Instead, she was


    helping others.


    She reached up and removed the green leaf from Clover''s head.


    "There''s something... on your head, this!!" Rose eximed, raising the evidence


    in her hand to show she wasn''t lying.


    The green leaves still looked vibrant and full of life.


    When Clover saw it, the smile on his handsome face faded. That lettuce on his


    head earlier had really affected his appearance!


    "Hehe! Thank you, Rose." Clover tried to shake off the awkwardness and quickly


    changed the subject. "Rose, I have a surprise for you today."


    Rose remembered thatst night on the phone, Clover mentioned that they were


    going to have a surprise for her today.


    Just now... was he nning a surprise?


    Rose nced behind her toward the dining room and felt intrigued.


    Clover warmly led Rose into the


    dining room, where a te of fried


    eggs, which he had spent over an


    hour preparing in the kitchen, was


    already set on the table.


    It was just order of fried eggs...


    She shouldn''t underestimate this te of fried eggs. It was the dish he mastered


    best from everything he learned allst night.


    "Clover, was that... something you made just now?" Rose guessed that it must


    have been Clover who made it.


    Clover smirked with confidence. "That''s right. I can cook too, and my skills are no


    worse than Jonathan''s. Go ahead and try it."


    Rose understood what was going on.


    Apparently, he had gotten into a rivalry with Jonathan.


    "Was this a cookingpetition?

 Chapter 624 Did She Miss Him?

    The te of fried eggs in front of Rose looked... reasonably okay.


    "Hurry, sit down." Clover was eager and couldn''t wait to receive praise from Rose.


    He personally handed the fork to Rose and watched as she took a bite of the egg. "How is it? How is it?" he asked.


    He felt that he had already used up ten percent of the skills he learned.


    Who knew how many eggs he messed up during that hour in the kitchen? But this time, it was actually sessful, and he could even earn Rose''s praise... right?


    But as soon as Rose took a bite, she heard a crunching sound.


    The sound wasn''t loud, but Clover was right next to Rose, so he heard it clearly.


    Even Elijah, who was nearby, vaguely heard it.


    The most unsettling thing that happened was when everything suddenly went quiet.


    Rose felt a rush of panic and instinctively stopped moving her mouth. She thought that she had bitten down on a small stone, but how could there be a stone?


    Rose thought about it¡ªit had to be the eggshell.


    Eating eggshells should be fine, right? They would get broken down by stomach acid anyway, and it was better than spitting it out and making Clover feel awkward!


    Yes, she shouldn''t embarrass him!


    Rose wore a smile on her face that gradually looked more natural. She moved her mouth a bit, nning to keep chewing and intended to swallow, pretending that it tasted good.


    But just as she was about to make a move, the two spoke in unison, "Spit it out!" How could they not understand what Rose was thinking?


    She only acted like the eggshell didn''t exist to avoid hurting Clover''s feelings.


    Rose froze for a moment, realizing she had been caught. After a brief hesitation, she spit out the eggshell. But really, there weren''t going to be that many eggshells in a te of fried eggs, right?


    It was probably a coincidence that she tasted it with the very first bite.


    After that, it definitely wouldn''t happen again.


    She took her second bite, this time chewing a little more than before. Rose earnestly savored the taste of the fried eggs and quickly thought of words of praise in her mind.


    She didn''t think she would hear that crunching sound again.


    All actions came to a standstill once again.


    Rose noticed out of the corner of her eye that Clover''s smile had be rigid.


    What should she do about this?


    Clover was feeling really frustrated as he said, "Rose, stop eating."


    He tried to figure out what had happened in the kitchen, but he just couldn''t understand how the eggshell got mixed into the food.


    Rose spit out the eggshells and reassured, "It''s alright. It''s still edible, and it tastes... quite good. These are the best fried eggs I''ve ever had."


    She was clearly tantly lying while looking into Clover''s eyes.


    Clover suddenly burst intoughter.


    He smiled as he took away the te of fried eggs in front of Rose, as if he hade to a realization.


    "Never mind, whether the eggs are good or not doesn''t matter. What''s important is that you see me as your brother, and a brother will always care for his sister. If Jonathan ever bullies you... I''ll be the first one to whoop his ass!"


    Being the strongest brother for his sister was also a form of love and care for her. It wasn''t just about being able to cook for her!


    "That''s right. There''s no need to get worked up over him." Rose nodded her head vigorously.


    After Clover removed the fried eggs, the housekeeper took over the kitchen and, within just half an hour, prepared a whole table full of dishes.


    The three of them had lunch as though the fried egg incident had never urred.


    During the meal, Clover remarked, "Jonathan''s cooking is really quite good..."


    It seemed there was some form of acknowledgmenting from Clover.


    Rose simply smiled without saying anything.


    Before they left, Rose brought out the suit she made for Elijah. When he put it on,


    it fit him perfectly. It was as if it was made to match his entire demeanor.


    Elijah was extremely pleased, and his smile never left his face.


    This is the suit his daughter made specifically for him! His daughter made it!


    He remembered Henrietta from back in the day. She always enjoyed painting, and besides making jewelry, she pretty much made all her own clothes.


    Their daughter had inherited Henrietta''s skillful hands!


    Elijah looked at Rose, and suddenly, the person in his mind and the one in front of him seemed to ovep. He couldn''t help himself and murmured, "Rietta..."


    He had only just called out that name when he suddenly came back to his senses.


    He looked embarrassed and said, "Sorry, Rose. I....."


    "I miss Mom too." Rose realized at that moment that Elijah had mistook her for Henrietta.


    He missed her, so how could she not miss her too?


    "I wish she were still alive," Rose murmured. The sadness in her eyes caught Elijah''s attention. His deep-set eyes showed a strange flicker.


    Ever since he found out that Henrietta was actually Celeste, he continued to investigate everything about Celeste.


    The information would regrlye from Aquastead, and the most recent update was about her car ident.


    All the records and evidence indicated that Celeste died in the car ident, but at


    the same time the car went off the bridge, another woman also went missing.


    The missing person could not be located either.


    The person went missing without a trace, unknown if they were alive or dead.


    Was it possible that...


    Elijah pulled his thoughts back. His guess was bold, but he had already ordered his men to investigate in the direction of his suspicion, and now he just awaited the results.


    While wearing the suit, Elijah caught Clover''s full attention, who was filled with jealousy.


    "No, no! I want it too. I want it too!" Clover pouted, acting like a three-year-old throwing a tantrum for candy.


    Rose was amused by his appearance. "Of course, you''ll have one too."


    "Really?"


    "How can I lie? But it''s still in the design draft stage. Once I''ve finished it, I''ll give it


    to you." Half of the drawing was already done at that point.


    Clover''s eyes lit up with excitement. He was eager to show off the suit Rose made for him right away. However, he was worried about her being too overworked, so he said, "No rush, no rush. Take your time


    with the design and making it. I''m not in a hurry..."


    Was he really not in a hurry? Then why did Rose feel that he was quite anxious?


    Rose worked through the night to finish the pattern for the suit. The next day, Finley delivered the fabric she needed.


    As Finley was about to leave, Rose finally asked, "How''s Mr. Finch?"


    Jonathan hadn''te back yesterday.


    "Have you been missing him?" Finley noticed and chuckled, "Don''t worry, Mrs. Finch. He''s doing fine. He''s just a bit tied up at the moment..."


    After he finished speaking, he added, "Mr. Finch must really miss you too."


    At that moment, if Finley weren''t turned away, he would definitely see the flush rising on Rose''s face.


    It was as though he saw through her thoughtspletely, leaving her blushing


    with embarrassment.


    Did she miss him?


    Rose felt her heart racing uncontrobly.


    Finley had been gone for a while, but Rose''s cheeks were still burning, and she couldn''t stop thinking about Jonathan. His image lingered in her mind, refusing to disappear.


    In the end, it seemed as though Rose had given up resisting as well.


    She liked Jonathan. She liked his face, and she liked him as a person. Plus, he


    was her husband. It seems like there''s nothing shameful about that!


    As a married couple, longing for each other could be considered a form of love


    and affection.


    Rose was cutting the fabric while thinking about Jonathan.


    She decided that once she finished this suit, she would make an outfit for


    Jonathan.


    She knew his size without needing to measure him.


    Rose suddenly had certain images pop into her mind, and she felt herself blush


    even more and her heartbeat bing increasingly erratic!

 Chapter 625 Sending Her Off

    Jonathan hadn''t returned to Rose''s ce for three days. That was because he was trapped.


    For some unknown reason, Eleanor suddenly decided to take care of him personally.


    Although "personally taking care" of him didn''t mean doing everything herself, she spent most of her time in the hospital.


    Jonathan felt like he was glued to the ICU bed.


    Eleanor seemed to genuinely care for him. Even before visiting hours, she was dressed in sterile clothing, hiding by the bedside, watching all the machines connected to Jonathan.


    "Jonathan, you really need to get better. Finch Group is waiting for you, and so am I..."


    "Ah, if I had known you cared so much about Rose, I would have made sure you two stayed together when she came to Regalia. Then we wouldn''t be in this situation now..."


    "Being separated by life and death must be tough on you..."


    "You love her so much, and she surely loves you too. She also hopes that you will live well and not do anything foolish because of her."


    Eleanor''s voice initially gave Jonathan a headache.


    She said so much, but the one thing that stuck with him was when she said, "She must love you too."


    Afterward, those words took root in his heart.


    Of course, Rose loved him! There was no doubt about it. Even if her love weren''t strong enough now, he would have a lifetime for her to grow to love him deeply.


    "Jonathan, it''s all my fault. If I had known you were married to Rose earlier, I would have encouraged your rtionship. You''d probably have kids by now."


    Rose had passed away, and everything she had nned for hade to nothing.


    "Why didn''t they have a child? If they had a child, the connection between the Finch family, the Xanth family, and the Young family would be unbreakable."


    The more Eleanor thought about it, the more she regretted it.


    Children... Jonathan couldn''t stop thinking about that word.


    As he thought about it, a smile unexpectedly appeared on his face, which was adorned with special effects makeup.


    "Jonathan...." Eleanor suddenly looked up and saw Jonathan smiling. The words she was about to say got stuck in her throat.


    Was she imagining things? Did Jonathan just... smile?


    Eleanor wanted to confirm it, so she signaled to the doctor apanying her, while Leonard stood behind her.


    The doctor hurriedly said, "Mrs. Finch Senior, visiting hours are over, and Mr. Finch is still in an uncertain condition and needs plenty of rest..."


    "But...." Eleanor looked closely and noticed that the smile was gone from Jonathan''s face.


    "Was it just her imagination?


    Perhaps the overwhelming sense of regret from a moment ago was too intense. She had started crying, and it must have been through her teary eyes that everything appeared blurry.


    "Mrs. Finch Senior, please take care of yourself. We will look after Mr. Finch, and he will get better," the doctor reassured, already starting to break into a light sweat.


    Eleanor didn''t insist any longer and left the ICU.


    Leonard and the doctor both let out a big sigh of relief once she had left.


    Just now, they had also seen Jonathan''s smile. He almost gave everything away!


    "What? Why was heughing?


    Leonard nced sorrowfully at Jonathan.


    At that point, Jonathan sat up and removed the devices attached to him.


    "Grandma hasn''t gone back yet?" he asked.


    He couldn''t stay still for even a moment.


    "The hospital has prepared a room for her, and she has been staying there these past few days. Earlier, she went back again. I overheard her making a call to Finch Manor, asking them to send over a few more changes of clothes. It seems like she''s nning to stay for a while," Leonard said.


    Leonard was keeping an eye on Jonathan''s expression.


    Indeed, his face, which was already showing signs of impatience, visibly drooped even further.


    "No, this won''t do!" Jonathan thought of Rose. He desperately wanted to see her.


    But Eleanor insisted on staying at the hospital. He was unable to leave and couldn''t take any risks.


    He thought about Clover and got extremely frustrated, clenching his jaw.


    If it weren''t for him, he would be enjoying the pleasant scent of Rose''s perfume right now instead of smelling disinfectant all day long.


    "Mr. Finch, we''ve received news from Mr. Young that the shareholders'' meeting for Young Group is happening the day after tomorrow, and after that, everything should get back on track." Leonard noticed that Jonathan was almost at his wits'' end and hurriedly reported to him.


    During this period, they all had to go along with some acting to keep others fooled.


    It seemed like the end was almost in sight.


    "The day after tomorrow?" Jonathan''s expression instantly looked much better after hearing that.


    Soon, a deep intensity appeared in his dark eyes. After a brief silence, he instructed Leonard, "Have Finley arrange for more people to ensure Rose''s safety the day after tomorrow."


    The day after tomorrow''s shareholders'' meeting was the day when everything woulde to an end.


    ...


    Over at Young Estate, Kelly put in her utmost effort and focusedpletely on the shareholders'' meeting.


    For the past few days, she had been going to bed particrly early every night, wanting to be in peak condition for that day.


    The night before the shareholders'' meeting, Kelly returned to her room as she usually did andid out the designer gowns she had been buying over time.


    After the shareholders'' meeting, there would be a dinner party.


    Because of Rose''s death, the dinner party wouldn''t be extravagant, but it was still a dinner party nheless.


    Tomorrow, Miles would transfer his shares to her, making her thergest shareholder of Young Group. This meant that she, Kelly, would have endless wealth at her disposal.


    And all of this should have belonged to Rose. This thought made her feel even more excited in her heart.


    Kelly looked through the gowns, quickly choosing a white one and then a red one.


    Keeping a low profile?


    Kelly was living the good life now. How could she keep a low profile?


    She naturally had her own methods for making sure she would wear the red gown.


    Kelly woke up early the next day.


    As soon as she stepped outside, Kelly saw Miles already waiting downstairs. Their eyes met, and she immediately and excitedly called out to him, "Miles, are you waiting for me? Did I oversleep?"


    Kelly went to the office with Miles every day.


    The two of them almost always arrived and left together.


    "It''s not toote. Go have breakfast quickly. Where''s your gown? I''ll get it for you," Miles said as he got ready to go upstairs.


    She only needed the gown for the evening, so it was best to just bring it along.


    How could Kelly dare let him touch the gown?


    "No need, no need. I''ve got everything ready. In a bit, I''ll have the helper put them in the car. Miles, join me for breakfast..."


    She used a coquettish voice on Miles. Once, when he heard it, it would definitely tug on his heartstrings.


    But now, there was nothing left but an overwhelming sense of coldness and disgust for it.


    "Alright." Miles smiled.


    He told himself to hold out just for today. After today, she would go back to her usual self and drop the act.


    "Miles, I''m a bit nervous. Do you think those elders won''t like me?" Kelly was referring to the elders who came to the officest time when Rose was inheriting the estate.


    Last time, it seemed like they were firmly supporting Rose.


    This time, if she didn''t get support, she was definitely going to deal with those old fartster.


    "How can that be? They all used to really like Harriette!" Miles said with a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes.


    Even if they didn''t like her, he''d still make them "like" her!


    If she wasn''t put on a pedestal, how else would her true colors be revealed?


    "Miles, I think it''s best if you don''t give me your shares. I''m worried I won''t be able to handle it," Kelly said, looking troubled.


    However, deep down, she was certain that Miles'' decision would not change. He said he would give her the shares, so those shares belonged to her now!


    When the time came, the others were going to be absolutely shocked!

 Chapter 626 Represents Her

    Both Kelly and Miles each had their own thoughts and intentions.


    At Young Group headquarters, Chloe was the first to arrive, and she intentionally brought the Yones family''s legal advisor with her.


    In therge conference room, not long ago, these people had gathered together to witness Oliver''s granddaughter, Rose, officially inherit Young Group.


    It had only been a little over a month, yet...


    "It''s truly a pity about Rose. Honestly, Mr. Young Senior, why couldn''t you have looked after her from above? What a shame, really such a shame..."


    Some of those from the older generation, even though they had only met Rose twice, inexplicably liked her a lot.


    She had bright, clear eyes, showing a sense of purity. In this way, she was quite simr to Henrietta.


    Not like the granddaughters adopted by Oliver...


    Among the ones adopted by Oliver, his grandson Miles stood out. There was no doubt about it. He was intelligent and eager to learn, kind-hearted and righteous, and showed absolute sincerity toward Oliver.


    But those few girls... A few of the elderly people couldn''t help but shake their heads.


    Firstly, Chloe.


    Chloe was excessively opportunistic. When she was initially adopted by Oliver, she enjoyed all the privileges and affection of being treated as thedy of the Young family.


    If only Chloe had just settled into her role quietly as an adopted daughter after Henrietta was found and brought back, the Young family would not have treated her unfairly.


    But she wanted to have everything for herself.


    She subtly manipted the situation to create tension between the father and daughter, causing Henrietta to leave.


    Later, when Oliver learned the truth, he was filled with regret and self-me, and at the same time, he was extremely disappointed in Chloe.


    After sheter married into the Yones family, Oliver didn''t say much. He quietly continued searching for his biological daughter, who had left because of him, and kept adopting grandchildren to find sce in his heart.


    Next, Anastasia.


    Anastasia had average abilities and was unremarkable. During her youth, with Harriette around, no one ever noticed her presence. However, her eyes caught Oliver''s attention.


    If nothing had happened to Harriette back then, Anastasia would likely have spent her whole life living in her shadow.


    After the incident with Harriette that year, a misunderstanding led to her bing known as "the Young family''s eldest daughter", but the older generation knew the truth.


    On the surface, Anastasia seemed morous, but deep down, she struggled with insecurity.


    As expected, after Harriette came back, there was no sense of presence for her at all in the Young family.


    And finally, there was Harriette.


    As a child, she had a bright and cheerful personality, like a little ball of sunshine. Among the people Oliver adopted, Oliver was most fond of Harriette.


    However, Harriette''s brilliance always gave off an unusual feeling. It was true then, and it was still true now.


    However, the "unusual feeling" had subtle differences. However, as for what those differences were, they were somewhat difficult to put into words.


    Overall, it''s strange in a way it was likable, yet at the same time, not entirely likable.


    "Rose... it''s so pitiful..." Chloe tried to squeeze out a few tears to show her sorrow, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing happened. In the end, she gave up.


    She furrowed her brows, trying her best to appear as sad as possible. "She''s gone, but such a kind girl would definitely want the living to go on living well. Young Group was Grandpa''s life''s work."


    "Whether it''s Grandpa or Rose, they would both want us to work together to manage it well from wherever they are now."


    "Yeah, it''s a shame..." Countless others sighed.


    Everyone knew that those who were alive had to keep moving forward.


    Today, Chloe held a shareholders'' meeting under the guise of Miles'' name.


    Everyone present knew what was going on¡ªthere was going to be another shift in shares and power within Young Group.


    Plus, in this situation, it was clear that Chloe would benefit.


    As for the others...


    People were specting that a majority of the shares in Young Group would ultimately end up back in Miles'' hands. Whether due to his methods or the respect and recognition hemanded from everyone, he was undeniably deserving.


    There might be something for Anastasia and Harriette, who had returned, but probably not much.


    Amid an atmosphere where everyone was specting, Miles entered the conference room.


    Harriette followed behind him, dressed entirely in ck¡ªa ck shirt, ck jacket, ck pants, and ck shoes. It almost seemed like she wasn''t there to attend a shareholders'' meeting but rather a funeral.


    When she appeared,pared to Chloe''s mboyant and extravagant outfit, the rest of those in the room could instantly judge who had the moral high ground.


    Of course, it was Harriette who was more considerate.


    Rose had just passed away in a tragic explosion. Besides Miles, there was probably only Harriette who was mourning her.


    Her full ck outfit was a mark of respect for Rose.


    Kelly clearly noticed that the elders were looking at her with much softer expressions. She knew this was due to the positive impression her outfit conveyed.


    That was exactly what she wanted.


    They had to develop a good impression of her. That way, when they found out that she was going to obtain the majority of the shares in Young Group, they would probably support her.


    It wasn''t just that. She had other intentions by wearing that outfit to the shareholders'' meeting.


    Funeral... Wasn''t Rose''s funeral essentially her rebirth ceremony?


    "Everyone''s here. Miles, let''s get started," Chloe said eagerly.


    She had an excited expression that she could hardly contain. Gradually, she stopped trying to hide it and looked at Miles with anticipation.


    At that moment, nearly everyone was focused on Miles.


    Miles didn''t beat around the bush.


    He nodded to some of the elders, then spoke with a clear and strong voice to the conference room.


    "Everyone, the reason I''ve asked you toe today is because there''s going to be another change in the shares of Young Group. Regarding the shares that Rose inherited from Young Group, I''m here representing her to redistribute them..."


    He was representing her...


    The statement felt strange, but as Miles continued with his announcement, no one paid attention to the meaning behind Miles'' "representing Rose".


    Miles announced word by word, "The ownership structure for Rose''s 89% of Young Group''s shares is as follows¡ªChloe, Harriette, and Anastasia will each hold 10% of the shares. I hold the remaining 59%. Does anyone have any objections?


    Ten percent? Miles actually gave Chloe and the others ten percent?


    Ten percent may not seem a lot, but it was definitely not an insignificant number either.


    It was important to note that even when Oliver was alive, Chloe and Anastasia each held less than ten percent of shares. At that time, most of the shares rted to Young Group were primarily under Oliver''s name.


    "I have no objections. Anastasia? Do you have any objections?" Chloe asked.


    With this ten percent, Chloe could n for more in the future.


    Anastasia, who was called upon, seemed a bit distracted. "No, no objections," she replied.


    Anastasia felt out of it today.


    To be precise, ever since the day Miles decided to split the shares, she had been feeling a bit unsettled. She had a sense that things weren''t as straightforward as they appeared.


    Harriette was a fake. She was actually Kelly, and she had informed Jonathan about this.


    But would Jonathan really not react at all?


    Nowadays, it was widely known that Jonathan took his life for Rose. Did she share this secret with anyone else besides Jonathan?


    Anastasia spent a few days thinking about it, but she couldn''t figure it out.


    But she was truly afraid that no one would uncover Harriette''s secret. Kelly, with her appearance and having Miles to protect her, was someone she couldn''t handle, even if she tried.


    "So Anastasia has no objections. How about you, Harriette?"

 Chapter 627 Not Much Time

    Everyone turned to look at "Harriette".


    Kelly nced at Miles, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "I have... an objection."


    Chloe was shocked. She red at "Harriette", her eyes seemingly on fire.


    Anastasia also looked surprised. Why did Harriette have objections? Was she unhappy with the ten percent stake being too small?


    Anastasia could tell from Kelly''s slightly furrowed brow and her kind yet indifferent expression, unwillingness topete, and reluctance to hurt others that deep down, Kelly was still the same person she always knew.


    She probably didn''t have any good intentions.


    When Miles'' gaze fell on "Harriette", it softened slightly. "Harriette, what are your thoughts?"


    "Yes, Harriette. If you have any objections, go ahead and share with everyone." Chloe subtly flexed her fingers.


    She was curious to see if Harriette had any objections.


    "Rose just passed, and we started discussing the shares. I think it''s still too harsh. Aunt Chloe and Anastasia can ept it, but as for my part, I think I would rather not take it," Harriette said magnanimously.


    Chloe was clenching her fists as she listened to the first part of the sentence.


    But as for the second half of the sentence... That was fine. It just meant she didn''t want her portion of the shares anymore.


    But how could she not notice Harriette''s little scheme? The way she put others down to make herself look better was a really clumsy tactic. She didn''t want it?


    Harriette seemed so certain that the others would persuade her to ept it.


    As expected...


    Miles gazed softly and said, "Harriette, I understand that you care a lot about Rose. You should ept what''s given to you. You are a part of the Young family, and you deserve your share."


    "But..."


    Kelly looked troubled, wanting to say something, but Miles interrupted her, "Take


    it."


    "Yes, take it. We all know that you have such integrity and admirable qualities. With such a wonderful character, we definitely can''t let you be at a loss. Just ept it with peace of mind."


    Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes.


    She wasn''t afraid of offending Harriette, but she didn''t want to offend Miles, who doted on his sister a lot.


    "Yes, Ms. Harriette is part of the Young family, and if you refuse, Mr. Young Senior wouldn''t be happy even in spirit."


    "Yes, Ms. Harriette, this is rightfully yours. You don''t need to feel any guilt about it."


    Kelly felt a deep sense of relief and satisfaction. With so many people encouraging her to ept the shares, she felt really good.


    She even thought her acting skills were much better than those of the renowned international actress Yara Maize, and she was starting to really enjoy the feeling of acting.


    So, she continued to act as if she was in a difficult situation, meeting Miles'' gaze. "Listen to us!" Miles said affectionately.


    Kelly sighed as if finally giving in. "Alright. Okay then."


    It was currently at ten percent. But she hadn''t forgotten Miles'' promise. When Miles was detailing the distribution of the shares just now, Kelly quickly did some mental calctions.


    Of the 89% Rose had, she allocated 30% of it elsewhere, leaving 59% for Miles.


    He wanted to transfer everything of his to her. Then, she would own a full 69% of the shares in Young Group.


    Although it''s less than Rose''s previous 89%, she still held absolute control over the conversation.


    When the time came...


    Anastasia was easy to deal with, but Chloe... She knew how to make them give back, even just a little, of what they got from her today!


    "As for the 59% that I hold..."


    While Kelly was deep in thought, the sudden sound of Miles''s voice interrupted her thoughts.


    What he going to say made her stop all her thoughts immediately. She held her breath, focusing intently, almost able to hear her own anxious heartbeat.


    How could she not be excited? Miles was about to announce that he would be giving her his 59% share ownership as a gift.


    She couldn''t show even the slightest bit of excitement. She was thinking about how she should react in a little while to face everyone''s surprised expressions.


    Then, she heard Miles say, "I''ve decided to give it to Harriette."


    With just that brief sentence, everyone present was stunned.


    It was as if they didn''t really grasp what it meant. Almost everyone''s reaction was


    a bit dyed. After a moment, they all nced uncertainly at the people around them.


    The look in their eyes seemed to ask, "Did we just hear that wrong? We probably heard it wrong!"


    Miles nned to transfer 59% of his shares to... Harriette? This was the shares they were talking about, not something worthless!


    Chloe was eager to quickly organize this shareholders'' meeting, not wanting to dy for fear of uncertainties, all just for that ten percent.


    Yet Miles was giving away 59% of his shares to someone else? And to Harriette, at that!


    After a series of shocked reactions, everyone simultaneously turned their gaze toward the person Miles favored-Harriette!


    Those looks from others, initially filled with surprise and gradually deeper envy, and finally, admiration and special attention, made Kelly enjoy every moment of it.


    She, Kelly, wasn''t the same Kelly she once was. She was Harriette from the Young family.


    In the future, she would be an existence that everyone looked up to and admired in the bustling Regalia.


    "Miles, have you made up your mind?"


    In the pin-drop silence, one of the elders spoke up, his tone particrly serious. Miles smiled warmly and said, "Uncle Charles, I''ve made up my mind. All of this rightfully belongs to her."


    Of course, the "she" Miles referred to was Rose.


    Everything that belonged to Rose, and eventually, everything would return to her.


    He looked at "Harriette", or perhaps she should be called Kelly. At this moment, was she dreaming about everything that woulde after achieving all of this? She could keep dreaming. She didn''t have much time left to indulge in her fantasies, so she better cherish it!


    While Kelly indulged in her fantasies, she didn''t forget to put on an act and said, "Miles, how about..."


    "Let''s not say anything more.


    Everyone has worked hard at today''s shareholders'' meeting. There''s a small dinner party this evening, so let''s alDgather together." Miles Said before striding out of the conference room.


    Kelly wanted to go after him, but the others in the conference room stopped her.


    "Ms. Harriette, congrattions! Although you''ve been away from the Young family, fate has been kind, and now you''re back."


    "Ms. Harriette, please ride with me to the dinner partyter."


    "Ms. Harriette..."


    Hearing "Ms. Harriette" called out repeatedly made Kelly extremely happy. Was this what it felt like to be the center of attention? This was how it should be, with everyone adoring her. This was what she deserved.


    Meanwhile Rose...


    Kelly watched as Miles disappeared through the conference room door. She struggled to call out "Miles" a few times but eventually felt too overwhelmed and gave up on trying to follow him.


    She really wanted to experience being admired by everyone!


    But she didn''t know that the moment Miles walked out of the conference room, his


    smile vanished instantly, reced by a somber expression.


    He moved as swiftly as the wind, and he walked around a corner.


    Around the corner, a girl was holding a stack of documents tightly and with both


    hands close to her chest.


    As he passed by her, he instructed in a voice only she could hear, "Proceed as


    nned."


    The girl''s expression remained unchanged, and she responded quietly but confidently, "Don''t worry, Mr. Young."


    Afterward, she quietly said to herself, "Don''t worry, Ms. Shaffer!"

 Chapter 628 Step by Step

    Rose wasn''t sure how long she had been staying in that secret vi. She knew that something was happening outside. Since the day Jonathan left, he never returned, but Elijah and Clover came by every day.


    They all seemed to have developed a great understanding with each other. Rose didn''t ask about their n, and they didn''t bring it up either.


    On this day, Rose finished Clover''s suit. After trying it on, Clover asked Finley to bring a few gowns for Rose to choose from.


    Rose then immediately realized she could leave. Had the n seeded?


    Rose thought about Kelly, and a glint of coldness appeared in her eyes. She understood that they had prepared these clothes for her to wear when meeting Kelly.


    Which one should she wear?


    Rose looked around, and quickly, her eyesnded on a red floor-length gown. It reminded her of a simr K&K limited edition dress she once wore to a dinner party at Aquastead with the Lane family.


    Rose smirked and said, "This is the one."


    When Rose came out wearing her gown and appeared before Elijah and Clover, it left the two momentarily stunned.


    Rose looked beautiful. They had always known this fact. Even though they saw her every day and were ustomed to it, at this moment, her red dress made her stand out and left them feeling amazed.


    Rose felt a bit embarrassed from being stared at.


    "Is it okay if I wear this?" she asked. Did she choose the wrong outfit?


    Clover immediately snapped back to reality and said, "Yes, of course."


    Rose looked great in anything she wore. Whenever she wore a gown, it added a special touch to the gown itself. Clover adjusted his already perfectly neat suit and gown, feeling extremely satisfied. "It matches perfectly with mine!"


    Clover felt extremely proud.


    Rose found it amusing, but Finley couldn''t help but quietly criticize Clover in his mind.


    He was just a cousin-what kind of match was he talking about? Of course, it had to be Jonathan who matched with Rose!


    These past few days, he frequently heard Leonard mention how much Jonathan missed his wife. Today, the pitiful Jonathan finally got to meet Rose, and Finley was truly happy for him.


    "Let''s go."


    Elijah nced at the time and gently interrupted Clover''s moment of glee.


    They got into a car and drove out from the underground garage, maintaining a low profile the entire way. Rose took in the fresh air outside and noticed her slightly upturned smile reflected in the car window.


    Kelly... They would be meeting again today!


    Would she be happy to meet an old acquaintance again?


    A cold and chilly look spread across Rose''s eyes.


    At that moment, even though Kelly was surrounded and celebrated by many people like a star, she inexplicably felt a chill, as if a cold wind was blowing on her back. She even shivered.


    "Ms. Harriette, are you cold?" someone asked.


    It seemed that having a different value led to a different status and position.


    Just from her subtle reaction, someone else immediately noticed and quickly showed their concern.


    Was she cold?


    Kelly experienced a moment of confusion in her mind. Before she could respond,


    a wave of concern from the others surrounding her overwhelmed her.


    "Ms. Harriette, make sure to wear moreyers..."


    "I''m going to get a coat for Ms. Harriette..."


    Despite that, everyone was a bit surprised internally. How could she be cold in this weather? They warmlyplimented thedy, insisting that they actually felt


    warm.


    While thinking of that, someone suddenly asked, "Should we start getting ready for the dinner party?"


    With thatment, everyone immediately snapped back to reality.


    "Yes, it''s about time for the dinner party. Let''s not dy Ms. Harriette''s preparations."


    "Everyone, let''s wait for the dinner party and then have a proper toast to congratte Ms. Harriette."


    Under the crowd''s overwhelming enthusiasm, Kelly only needed to smile gently.


    Earlier, she was excited and thrilled; now, amidst her excitement and thrill, there was also a touch of disdain.


    Weren''t these people praising and ttering her the same ones who previously received generous gifts from Jonathan and treated Rose like royalty?


    But now, they were trying to tter her?


    Kelly held her head high as she walked out of the conference room, unaware that several people inside were left with disappointed expressions.


    The group of people mentioned were the ones who initially supported Kelly.


    Miled really enjoyed spoiling Harriette. He treated her even better than he did Rose.


    It'' hadn''t been easy for them to decipher the subtle hint in Miles'' callst night. He


    had said his greatest wish was to see his sister happy.


    Just now... they did okay, right? They definitely did!


    Each of them felt satisfied with their own performance a moment ago, but there were things they expressed were different from what they truly felt.


    When theypared Harriette and Rose, Rose was clearly better than her! Although Harriette usually smiled when she saw them, and Rose had too, the impression their smiles gave was different.


    Rose''s smile made people feel warmth and that she was approachable. Harriette''s smile felt warm, but there was something peculiar about that warmth. It seemed like it wasn''t sincere, and at times, it even made one''s skin tingle.


    When they thought about Rose, those few people couldn''t help but sigh.


    Young Group''s design director''s office had a private lounge. Today,


    Kelly was the main focus of the


    dinner party, so she needed to stand


    out in both her gown and he makeup.


    She was in the private lounge, changed into a gown, and made sure to leave some time to find Miles. "Hey, Miles, how do I look in this outfit?" she asked.


    The gown was white. It was a simple design, understated and reserved, reflecting


    her grief and respect for the passing of Rose.


    Miles smiled warmly, saying, "It''s nice."


    "Let me quickly put on some


    makeup. Just wait for a moment It


    won''t take long." Kelly hurried to


    grab her bag, but when she opened it, she couldn''t find her makeup pouch.


    "Oh no, what should I do? I could have sworn I brought some basic lipstick and foundation."


    Kelly looked dejected.


    Feeling disappointed, she tossed her bag aside and looked at Miles. "Miles, do you think not wearing makeup shows ack of respect for this dinner party?"


    "Why aren''t you wearing makeup? If it''s just because you didn''t bring my cosmetics, I''ll arrange for a makeup artist right away." Miles took out his phone. However, Kelly stopped him. "Don''t. It''s alright."


    Kelly wasn''t against having a makeup artist. She just didn''t want to use the one arranged by Miles. "Let me find one myself," she said.


    The makeup artist was prepared ahead of time. She spent a lot of money on the makeup artist, not just on makeup but also to assist her in acting.


    Kelly wanted every detail to be perfect for tonight''s dinner party, reflecting her current status and wealth.


    "Alright." Miles quietly watched her performance.


    Kelly quickly made a phone call.


    After some worried discussion about the makeup artist not making


    it on time, they decided to meet at the location where the dinner party was being held, scheduling it for half an hourter.


    The venue for the dinner party was a mountaintop vi owned by the Young family. The vi was located in the suburbs of Regalia, situated on a little-known


    hillside.


    Half an hourter, when Kelly and Miles arrived at the venue, the mountains at dusk carried an inexplicable chill.


    Kelly didn''t like it here. "Miles, why did you choose to have the dinner party here?"


    she asked.

 Chapter 629 Chosen by Her

    Regalia was quite opulent, with many upscale locations. Among all the prime spot vis owned by the Young family, why did they choose to stay here?


    "Don''t you like it here?" Miles frowned. "When you were a kid, you said this was your favorite ce!"


    When she was a child...


    Kelly was suddenly rmed and asked, "Why wouldn''t I like it? I do like it very much. I just didn''t expect you to arrange the dinner party here."


    Kelly was very cautious. There was nothing about this ce in the information Lizzie had about Harriette.


    However, Kelly didn''t have any doubts.


    Before Harriette disappeared, there were so many things going on that Lizzie couldn''t possibly know everything about her.


    Besides, this could be something only Harriette and Miles knew, so she had to adapt to the situation on the fly.


    Sure enough, Miles'' voice came from beside her, reflecting on past memories. "That year, when you first arrived at the Young family, it was your birthday. We came here together, and you said this was your favorite ce."


    "Yes, this is my favorite ce," Kelly quickly agreed. She dared not say more, afraid that saying too much might lead to mistakes.


    Fortunately, Miles didn''t pursue the topic any further.


    Kelly took a silent, deep breath topose herself. After meeting with the


    makeup artist, they immediately started on her makeup.


    Miles was sitting nearby, listening to Kelly exin to the makeup artist what she wanted. Half an hourter, Kelly seemed dissatisfied with the makeup.


    "I told you, I don''t want bold makeup. Keep it subtle. Look at this, just look..." Kelly was clearly upset.


    Miles looked over.


    Kelly looked into the mirror and caught sight of Miles. She pretended to look upset. "Miles, you see, Rose just left us. I don''t want to be too showy..."


    Miles frowned, seemingly displeased with the makeup as well.


    Kelly''s heart suddenly started racing. Was he also thinking that this makeup was too bold? He had to be thinking about Rose...


    At this moment, the makeup artist she hired helped out by saying, "Ms. Harriette, since you are wearing a white gown, it would look odd if the makeup is too in. This makeupplements the style of the gown..."


    Miles said in a serious tone, "He''s right. Let''s go with that."


    He lowered his eyes with a hint of guilt, as if he had made apromise on something.


    Kelly secretly felt proud of herself. He chose to disappoint Rose in favor of allowing her to shine. How wonderful!


    "But, Rose..."


    Kelly pretended to be reluctant, and as expected, Miles reassured her, saying, "It''s alright. Everyone is watching you today. Don''t stress about it."


    Kelly seemed to have wrestled with her thoughts for quite a while before she reluctantly agreed.


    She mumbled with feigned guilt, "Rose, I''m sorry."


    Miles''s eyes narrowed slightly to hear her mumbling, "Rose, I''m sorry".


    Her insincere apology should be saved for a genuine moment of remorse in front of Rose.


    Kelly didn''t notice the brief cold glint in Miles'' eyes. She had sessfully put on makeup to her satisfaction, and next, she would change out of the gown she was wearing.


    She thought about the red gown she admired, and her heart filled with excited anticipation. How could she legitimately make the change?


    Kelly smiled with satisfaction and looked at Miles affectionately while linking her arm with his. "Miles, is it time already? I''m ready."


    "Alright, let''s go."


    Miles took her out of the room.


    At that moment, the guests were all in the vi''s garden. Although the vi was situated in the mountains, it appeared to be well-maintained and had been carefully arranged and decorated.


    With the lights illuminating the night, the atmosphere was unexpectedly enjoyable.


    The guests in the garden had started drinking alcohol.


    Kelly nced around at the crowd gathered to celebrate her, noting that everyone was wearing masks, which made her pause for a moment.


    At that moment, someone handed over two masks.


    Kelly looked at Miles with surprise. "Miles, this..."


    "When I had others prepare this dinner party, I specified that it needed to be innovative. This might be their idea of innovation," Miles said as he picked up a mask.


    He left the man''s mask alone and handed the woman''s mask to her, saying, "This


    is quite interesting, why not... try it on?"


    The man''s mask had a style reminiscent of a ck knight.


    Thedy''s mask was a white fox mask, and underneath the mask, white pearl tassels swung gently, giving off a lively charm.


    The white maskplemented her white dress perfectly. However, it didn''t quite match the red gown she nned to wearter.


    At that moment, she didn''t have a reason to change her mask. Kelly decided to wait a bit longer, and when she changed her gownter, she could change the mask then.


    "Alright." Kelly nodded cheerfully and put on the mask. She then walked into the crowd with Miles.


    In the crowd, most people were talking about how Miles gave 59% of his shares to his sister, praising his affection for her.


    Miles truly cared for her deeply. Just like that, 59% of the shares were being given away...


    "Miles, you treat me really well." Kelly felt a bit moved to hear the conversations around her.


    Miles smiled without saying a word. Treated her well?


    "I hope you will always feel that I treat you well," Miles hinted subtly.


    Kelly didn''t catch on to his implied meaning and simply replied, "Of course, Miles will always be good to me."


    She firmly believed in Miles''s feelings for Harriette. And, she was Harriette!


    Kelly casually grabbed a ss of alcohol and leisurely looked for an opportunity to "identally" spill and stain her gown. During this, her gaze inadvertentlynded on someone.


    To be precise, her gazended on a mask. The mask was ck and shaped like a


    cat''s face.


    At just a nce, she was drawn to that mask. She thought it would go perfectly with her red gown!


    The woman wearing the mask was also dressed in a red gown, perfectlyplementing the mask and creating a seamless look.


    Kelly narrowed her eyes slightly. She wanted to grab that mask.


    However, before that, she needed to change into the red gown. She had also


    found the unlucky person she nned to swindle.


    Kelly decided to go with her. She didn''t know who it was, but they had good taste and a nice figure.


    Still, despite her looks and figure, after tonight, she was going to lose her job at Young Group.


    Kelly subtly smiled and casually walked in that direction.


    The closer she got to that woman, the stronger the malice in her heart grew. She waspletely focused


    on her scheme, not noticing Miles


    ve


    beside her, whose gaze was bing increasingly cold and intense.


    Suddenly, there was a shout. "Ah!"


    The hoarse cry suddenly drew the attention of everyone around.


    Everyone was wearing masks, and those who were familiar with each other might be able to recognize who by their voices. As for


    who


    was


    the one who just shouted, they were all too familiar with it.


    Harriette faced a life full of challenges and hardships. She was injured in her early


    years, damaging her vocal cords, so her voice had always sounded different from


    others.


    And that voice belonged to none other than Harriette, who was different from the


    others!


    What was going on? What was happening? What happened with Harriette?

 Chapter 630 Be Careful

    Everyone present turned to look at themotion.


    Harriette''s gown was aplete mess. And the reason for this disarray was...


    She originally had a ss of alcohol in her hand, but now the ss waspletely empty. With just one look, everyone could tell that she had spilled her drink and it had stained her gown.


    And the person who caused her to spill the alcohol...


    Earlier, Kelly''s encounter was clearly far more intense than she had anticipated.


    She initially intended to just let a little alcohol spill, enough to stain the gown. However, she didn''t expect that with just a slight touch, the woman in the red dress suddenly turned around.


    The force that was applied caused her drink to spill out of the cup entirely.


    How embarrassing! Without even looking, she knew she looked aplete mess at the moment!


    Kelly let out a startled scream and got ready to shout at the other party.


    But when everyone around turned their gaze toward her, she didn''t dare to scold the woman anymore. Not only did she refrain from scolding her, but she also worked hard to maintain herposure.


    Even before the woman in the red dress apologized, Kelly reassured her, "It''s okay, it''s not your fault. I was just being careless..."


    Even thought she said it wasn''t the other person''s fault, the other person should still apologize and admit their mistake, right?


    The woman in the red dress, with half her eyes hidden by a mask, blinked and replied, "You should be more careful in the future."


    Kelly was dumbfounded. This woman had actually told her to be careful!


    Her voice was intentionally muffled, which made it all the more irritating. It was just a tactic to deceive men, but it wasn''t going to fool her.


    Kelly changed her mind. She not only wanted to kick this woman out of the vi, but she also wanted to thoroughly embarrass her tonight, like ripping off her mask and gown.


    Kelly had a wicked smile in her heart, but her surface expression was warm and polite. "Yes, I should be more careful in the future, but what should we do now? Miles..."


    Kelly looked at Miles.


    The most pressing task right now was to sessfully change into the gown she had prepared.


    Miles finally shifted his gaze away from the woman in the red dress, and Kelly saw an unapologetic coldness in his eyes.


    It turned out Miles was also upset that the woman bumped into her and dirtied her gown. Kelly didn''t suspect anything amiss with his behavior.


    The coldness in Miles'' gaze gradually faded. "Good thing there''s a backup."


    It seemed like Kelly remembered the backup gown after being reminded of it. "Oh right, how did I forget? I have a backup one, and it''s ck, which fits well too. So, should I go change now, brother?"


    Kelly decided not to bring Miles along this time.


    She initially only chose two gowns, but when she was leaving in the morning, Miles suggested she bring more gowns, so she told her assistant to casually grab


    one more.


    When she arrived at thepany, and the assistant was helping her prepare for the dinner party that night, she noticed that the assistant had randomly grabbed a ck gown.


    She merely nced over it casually, showing no concern.


    She just needed to make sure that the red gown was there, and that was enough for her.


    In front of Miles, she could pretend that the red one was just something the assistant grabbed at random. As long as there was also an issue with the ck gown, she would be "forced" to wear the red gown.


    She described her n as wless. All she had to do was follow it.


    "Go ahead," Miles said softly.


    As Kelly entered the vi unnoticed, his smile slightly faded. His gaze shifted to the woman in the red gown wearing a ck cat mask. In just an instant of eye contact, they exchanged greetings with each other.


    Miles'' smile reappeared at the corners of his mouth, and this time, it carried a bit more genuine warmth.


    The atmosphere in the vi''s garden returned to its previous state of harmony.


    Chloe originally didn''t want to attend this dinner party. She was already quite satisfied with receiving ten percent of Young Group''s shares today. However, Miles went ahead and gave his 59% of the shares to Harriette!


    She hadn''t felt well since that moment.


    Harriette, that little brat, had been away from the Young family for so many years and hadn''t contributed anything to Young Group. How could she deserve so much? Was just because of Miles'' affection for her?


    Chloe felt like flipping the table and throwing some sses.


    The drink that was spilled all over Harriette just now wasn''t thrown by her. Although, she really wanted to throw a drink at her, drenching herpletely and sshing it right in her face.


    However, she couldn''t do it.


    At today''s shareholder meeting, even though the shares were split, it was still just


    a verbal agreement. To officially register them under their names, a process was required.


    If she attacked Harriette, it would only anger Miles. When the time came, she would be the one who ended up losing out.


    Chloe felt upset and could only turn to venting her anger through alcohol.


    "Mom, stop drinking. If you keep going, you''ll get drunk." Gabriel was here tonight with Chloe.


    As her son, he knew Chloe very well. He heard over the phone that she was unhappy about Miles'' decision to give shares to Harriette, so he felt he had to apany her tonight.


    He had to keep an eye on her to prevent any trouble.


    To be honest, he wanted her to cause a scene, not for any other reason, but just because of... Rose.


    It wasn''t long after Rose''s passing when Miles began redistributing shares. What happened to the affection he once had for Rose?


    Gabriel felt that Rose deserved better.


    "Drunk? How can I get drunk? Don''t worry. I know my limits." Chloe tilted her head


    back and took another drink.


    Gabriel was worried about how much alcohol she was consuming.


    However, he didn''t try to stop her anymore. Suddenly, he felt it was better to let things happen naturally. If she got drunk and wanted to make a scene, then he would let her do it-it would also help him vent his own frustrations.


    After making this decision, Gabriel stopped focusing on Chloe. He bypassed the crowd and entered the vi. He wanted to go to the rooftop to get some peace


    and quiet.


    As he reached the staircase on the second floor, he heard a sudden smacking


    sound.


    Based on his experience, that unmistakable sound was indeed of a palm pping a cheek. Sure enough, a woman''s hoarse voice followed "What are you doing? I told you to take good care of it, and look what you''ve done. How am I supposed to wear this now?"


    The voice seemed to deliberately lower its volume significantly toward the end,


    almost as if afraid of disturbing others.


    Gabriel raised an eyebrow, paused for a moment to think, and then calmly found a spot to settle down, ready to "listen" to the performance.


    Meanwhile, in the room, Kelly was about to explode with anger.


    At that moment, her expression was dark with anger as she red intensely at


    the assistant, who stood in front of her, covering her face with a look of grievance.


    She was feeling wronged? She actually felt aggrieved?


    The assistant was holding a red gown, but now it was sttered with white paint. That white paint was supposed to be on the ck gown instead!


    Kelly got even angrier and kicked the assistant.


    "Ah!" The assistant was kicked to the ground. Ignoring the pain, she hurriedly apologized, "Ms. Harriette, I did what you instructed and got paint on the ck gown, but..."


    The assistant looked bewildered. She had no idea what was going on either!


    Kelly clenched her fists, feeling a sudden sharp pain piercing her head. "Olivia, you..."


    Her assistant''s name was Olivia Lenner, and she initially didn''t want to use her.


    That was because she was quickly promoted from a front desk position to the role


    of jewelry design director for Young Group by Rose.


    It was also precisely of that reason that Kelly found it exciting and rewarding to


    hire her.


    How could it not be exciting, and how could it not be rewarding?


    She promised to give her a raise, and Olivia, who would personally help her with tasks as minor as taking off her shoes, was delighted this time as she even promised her a promotion.


    Whatever tasks she was assigned, she aplished them exceptionally well and kept everything confidential, almost as if she had be one of her trusted


    people.

 Chapter 631 He recognized Her

    This time, Olivia had made a mistake.


    The only mistake was for such an important matter, and Kelly''s anger always needed an outlet. "The promotion opportunity you were promised before is gone!" she snarled.


    Olivia was stunned. It was as if she had been dealt a heavy blow. She quickly dropped to their knees and moved forward a couple of steps, looking at Kelly with a pleading expression.


    "Ms. Harriette, I can make amends and do other tasks. Just tell me what you need, and I promise to do my best. I only ask that you don''t lose faith in me, and please don''t cancel my promotion," Olivia pleaded desperately.


    Kelly felt an illusionary sense of control, as if she could dictate everything about the person in front of her.


    No. It wasn''t an illusion.


    She currently held 69% of the shares in Young Group, which made her thergest shareholder. Eventually, the entire Young Group would also belong to her, giving her the authority to make all decisions for Young Group''s employees.


    This great sense of satisfaction finally eased some of the anger Kelly felt.


    "Oh, so eager for a promotion?" Kelly raised an eyebrow and smiled, looking at Olivia as if looking at an ant on the ground.


    Olivia quickly nodded. "I want to seed. Please give me a chance, Ms. Harriette."


    "I''ve already given you a chance. Giving you another one isn''t out of the question, but if you mess things up for me again this time, I''ll make sure you can''t stay in Regalia. No, in fact, you won''t have a ce in the entire jewelry industry."


    She now had this capability!


    Olivia finally felt hopeful. "Thank you, Ms. Harriette. This time, I''ll definitely do my best to make sure you''re satisfied."


    After she finished speaking, she waited for Kelly''s instructions.


    Kelly seemed to think of something, and a sly smile appeared on her face. The woman in the red dress... Didn''t Kelly want to rip off the mask from her face and the gown from her body?


    She had to openly snatch the mask, but as for the red dress... She would just leave that to Olivia.


    She originally thought that was enough, but then the woman said, "Be careful in the future". The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became.


    Ripping off the gown wasn''t enough-she also wanted...


    The malice on Kelly''s face was bing more intense. She beckoned Olivia with a finger, and Olivia immediately kneeled down and leaned in to listen.


    Kelly leaned in and whispered softly in Olivia''s ear.


    Each sentence became increasingly malicious, and Olivia''s expression changed as she listened.


    After she was done speaking, Kelly nced at her. "What? Can''t do it?"


    Olivia snapped back to attention and said, "I can do it. I can do it."


    "Ha! You''re smart. I knew you could do it, and you''ll do it well."


    Kelly''s lips curled into a slight smile, sending shivers down Olivia''s spine.


    The two of them understood each other without needing to say it out loud-if this matter couldn''t be resolved, the consequences for Olivia would go beyond just missing out on a promotion.


    Olivia knew that if she didn''t go along with Kelly''s "malice", things wouldn''t end well.


    Kelly knew that Olivia was both intelligent and practical, so she wasn''t worried about her revealing any information.


    And just now, the woman in the red dress... Kelly let out a softugh as if she had just decided the woman''s fate.


    She also still wanted to grab the mask off the woman''s face herself.


    "That mask with the ck gown... that''ll work too," Kelly said, as she nced


    sadly at the red gown with white paint stters on it.


    There was no choice-only the ck gown was left...


    "Whatever. I''ll just wear this one then. It''s ck, so it shows respect for the deceased Rose, and it''s nice to receive somepliments from people," Kellypromised with herself.


    She changed into the ck gown.


    The ck dress without any other embellishments looked really dull and uninteresting.


    Kelly usually didn''t like the color ck, but today she was making an exception.


    While in the room, Kelly redid her makeup. Since she wasn''t satisfied with the gown, her makeup had to be wless and striking.


    ...


    At that moment, Gabriel, who was eavesdropping outside the room, had be visibly upset.


    That Harriette...


    It turned out things aren''t as bright and sunny as they seemed on the outside. Just hearing her p the assistant twice was enough to make anyone feel disgusted.


    Based on what Gabriel just heard, changing the gown was part of her n.


    Earlier outside, she deliberately tried to dirty her gown. But even though she managed to do so, something unexpected happened when she tried to enact her n.


    Did she not get the one she wanted?


    Gabriel had a hint of disdain in his


    eyes. He had encountered countless


    people especially women, and


    suddenly he realized that this


    Harriette seemed to resemble


    someone he knew. ''


    She was another woman full of schemes and ns, putting on a good act and making it hard for people to like her.


    However, that person... had already passed away. The news was that he passed away in a car ident.


    Gabriel snapped back to attention when he heard someone inside about toe out. He quickly stepped aside, hiding himselfpletely in a dark corner.


    "Do a good job." When Kelly left, she made sure to give Olivia a specific instruction.


    Gabriel listened in, and his eyebrows furrowed again.


    Earlier, he didn''t hear what Harriette instructed the assistant to do, but he was certain it wasn''t anything good. He was worried that someone might be in trouble again.


    And that person... The image of the woman in the red dress inexplicably appeared in Gabriel''s mind. Was she Harriette''s target?


    Gabriel was lost in his thoughts. He initially nned to go to the rooftop to find some peace and quiet, but he suddenly changed his mind.


    When there was no one around, he emerged from the shadows and then went downstairs. He followed the assistant to whenever she was going.


    In the darkness, there was no one around.


    The assistant made a phone call, but she spoke so softly that he couldn''t make out what she was saying. After a while, the assistant hung up and came back.


    Gabriel quickly moved out of her way. He was frowning deeply.


    He guessed that the assistant was probably off carrying out the task that Harriettehad given her.


    Gabriel still didn''t know exactly what needed to be done. However, what did it have to do with him? At tonight''s dinner party, he was just an observer.


    Gabriel thought about it for a moment, but then he let out a bitterugh. Regardless, he just couldn''t stand by and do nothing.


    After a moment of thought, Gabriel


    arrived at the vi''s garden. He


    walked into the crowd and casually


    picked up a ss of alcohol. He


    subtly moved toward a certain


    figure.


    "If somethinges up,e home early," Gabriel whispered softly when there


    was no one beside the woman in the red dress.


    The two of them were standing back to back.


    Rose turned around in surprise. Just from seeing his side profile, she recognized


    it was Gabriel. Even with a mask on, she recognized him.


    "Are you... talking to me?" Rose asked, somewhat unsure. She altered her voice


    so the other person wouldn''t recognize her.


    Gabriel didn''t look back. He tilted his head back, sipping the alcohol in his ss. His eyes focused on the figure


    in ck, making sure that Harriette wasn''t paying attention to them, and he continued speaking.


    "This dinner party isn''t all that fun. It''s getting dark, and it''s not safe for a girl to be


    out alone. Better to head home early."


    Rose felt his kind intentions. Was he worried that something might happen to her?


    But... everyone outside believed she was dead, and she was certain that Gabriel was not among those who knew the truth about her faked death.


    Did he recognize her?

 Chapter 632 Still Alive

    Rose quickly dismissed this spection. There was no way Gabriel recognized her.


    At that moment, the person in front of Gabriel was a stranger. Perhaps he had overheard something earlier and was kindly reminding her to stay safe.


    "Thank you, Mr. Yones," Rose expressed her sincere gratitude.


    Gabriel paused in his motion of tilting his head back to drink, having not looked at her before. Only now did he slowly turn his gaze to the person in front of him.


    The mask covered most of her face, but the curve of her lips that was visible formed a warm smile, creating a feeling of friendliness andfort.


    But that smile... Gabriel experienced a moment of confusion.


    He found it amusing how certain thoughts would suddenly pop into his head and then just as quickly disappear. Why did he think the person in front of him was Rose? Rose had already...


    Suppressing a sigh, Gabriel smiled politely at the person in front of him and said, "You''re wee. Be careful and leave here safely."


    After finishing speaking, Gabriel left.


    Rose watched as he walked away.


    Kelly''s gaze turned in time to catch Gabriel walking away from the woman in the red dress, and that woman...


    Gabriel had already walked away, yet she still couldn''t let go of him?


    Oh, did she have a crush on Gabriel? But Gabriel''s character...


    When she was at Aquastead, she thought Gabriel was a great catch. However, aftering to Regalia, she realized that Gabriel was just an unambitious and frivolous rich heir.


    Even so, Gabriel probably wasn''t interested in her. If she couldn''t see it now, she certainly wouldn''t see itter.


    In Kelly''s line of sight, an attendant approached the figure in the red dress and said something to her. Then, she was seen walking toward the vi.


    Kelly had a fleeting glint of malice in her eyes. She knew that Olivia must have made her move.


    Olivia was going to... rip off her gown! And after that...


    Kelly''s thoughts were filled with a mix of maliciousness and excitement.


    Rose walked into the vi after being informed by the attendant that someone was waiting for her in the restroom to discuss an important matter.


    She knew that everything for tonight had already been arranged by Jonathan and Miles. Therefore, she didn''t need to be afraid. She just needed to keep moving forward.


    Upon entering the vi, she headed straight for the bathroom.


    The guests at the dinner party tonight were all in the garden outside the vi. Meanwhile, Rose went into the vi and didn''te across anyone.


    Finally, she saw the bathroom on the first floor. As she walked straight in, the door closed behind her. Just as her feet crossed the threshold, Rose turned around and saw the person behind her. She was momentarily taken aback.


    "Shh..." The person held onto Rose''s hand, worried she might make a noise and scared of startling her, spoke quickly, "Ms. Shaffer, it''s me. Don''t be afraid. I won''t hurt you."


    Rose was surprised that the person had actually recognized her. Was she part of the n to fake Rose''s death from the beginning?


    Rose had many questions in her mind. She looked at the person in front of her and said, "It''s you."


    Of course she recognized her. She was the receptionist who was given a hard time by Chloe that day at Young Group.


    She remembered that on the day of the explosion, when she was chasing the fake Harriette out of thepany, it was right then in the elevator that this girl handed an umbre to her.


    The girl was well-intentioned toward Rose.


    "You are..." Rose rarely interacted with her on a daily basis and didn''t know her


    name.


    "Olivia. My name is Olivia Lenner." Olivia looked at Rose with what seemed like stars twinkling in her eyes.


    Rose had finally asked for her name. How fantastic!


    "Olivia," Rose noted. "You know..."


    Rose didn''t need to exin, and it seemed like an exnation wasn''t necessary, as Olivia had understood. "I know. Don''t worry, Ms. Shaffer. Mr. Young won''t let anything happen to you."


    She wouldn''t either!


    However, ording to Miles, in order to surprise Harriette, certain things needed to be shown to her in a way that she could see.


    Rose wasn''t dumb. Seeing Olivia looking a bit troubled, Rose asked, "Anything I can do to help?"


    "Rest assured, Ms. Shaffer. I won''t actually harm you. It''s just that Ms. Harriette wants to embarrass you. She wants to snatch your mask and even strip you of your gown, and perhaps even more..."


    Olivia thought about what Harriette had instructed her to do, and she couldn''t help


    but feel a strong sense of righteous indignation.


    "Ms. Harriette... she''s so malicious. Even though she didn''t know you were Ms.


    Shaffer, she still harbored such malice toward a stranger."


    Rose gave a slight smile. That was exactly Kelly''s style!


    Kelly was known for holding grudges. When she was still a stepdaughter in the Shaffer family she would act indifferent on the surface but would find ways to retaliate behind the scenes if anyone offended her.


    Just like when she had seduced Nixon.


    Nowadays, with Harriette''s appearance and the Young family''s status, she could


    do whatever she wanted.


    The evil in her heart only grew stronger.


    The simple phrase "Be more careful" was more than enough for her to seek revenge fiercely. Did she want to rip off her gown?


    Rose lowered her eyes and asked, "How do you need me to cooperate?"


    Olivia quickly shook her head and said, "I can''t rip Ms.Shaffer''s gown, but I do need to borrow it for a moment..."


    It wasn''t like Miles would actually allow Rose to be insulted, but even Olivia wouldn''t do that.


    Just one video was needed to convince Harriette that the woman in the red dress had her gown ripped off. She could take the ce of the person in the video.


    Rose instantly understood what she meant. But Olivia was also a girl...


    She hadn''t voiced her concerns yet when she heard a noise outside the door.


    Rose and Olivia exchanged a nce and immediately went on high alert. Olivia instinctively positioned herself protectively in front of Rose as she opened the bathroom door.


    There was a tall silhouette outside the door.


    The mask that Rose saw startled her.


    It was Gabriel! Did he... overhear?


    At that moment, Gabriel had an intense look in his eyes, gazing past Olivia and


    directly at the person standing behind her.


    He had heard it!


    He had seen the woman in the red dress enter the vi amidst the crowd.


    He had clearly reminded her to go home early and stay safe, but she didn''t listen.


    He didn''t really want to meddle in others'' fates anymore.


    But he didn''t know why he couldn''t shake the moment when he saw the slight smile at the corner of the woman''s mouth beneath her mask from his mind.


    Then, almost as if he was driven by some supernatural force, he followed along.


    He thought to himself that the person who ran into him today was quite lucky.


    If Harriette really intended to do something to her, he would save her and send her down the mountain. However, unexpectedly, when he was outside the bathroom, he overheard... "Ms. Shaffer".


    Did that assistant call the woman "Ms. Shaffer"?


    At that moment, only these two words were running through his mind, causing him


    to identally make a noise. He then looked at the woman in the red dress


    wearing a ck cat mask.


    The slightly visible eyes... the gently upturned lips...


    "Ro...se."


    When Gabriel said the name, his voice quivered, and even his heartbeat


    quickened.


    He felt joyful and even relieved.


    He didn''t have time to think about what the news about Rose''s "death" was all


    about or what it meant. All he knew for sure was that he had hoped Rose was alive and well.


    How wonderful! She was alive!


    "Mr. Yones..." Olivia''s gaze remained cautious.


    Rose''s secret has been discovered, and she couldn''t allow it to spread and


    jeopardize tonight''s ns.


    Gabriel suddenly snapped back to reality after hearing Olivia call out to him.

 Chapter 633 No Visible Show

    Before Olivia could say anything, Gabriel interjected, "I didn''t see anything, and I don''t know anything."


    After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze away from Rose. As he turned to leave, he paused briefly and softly added, "Wee back."


    Gabriel had a slight smile, and even his steps seemed lighter and more cheerful.


    As his figure disappeared from view, Olivia regained herposure and turned to look at Rose. "Ms. Shaffer..."


    Olivia seemed hesitant to speak, evidently unsure about Gabriel''s attitude.


    However, Rose was very certain.


    "Don''t worry. He won''t tell anyone." Rose thought about the "wee back" she heard, recognizing the happiness hidden within it.


    He had hoped she was alive, so why would he betray her?


    Gabriel... She hadn''t had much interaction with him and never truly got to know "Mr. Yones", but now she felt like she had gained another friend.


    Yes, a friend¡ªbecause they were friends, that was why they truly wished for the best for each other.


    Olivia felt relieved. She quickly returned to the topic from before Gabriel appeared, "Ms. Shaffer, if I could trouble you, your gown..."


    Olivia nned to wear Rose''s gown to take her ce.


    At that moment, Rose had already made a decision, saying, "No need to swap. I can handle it."


    "This won''t do. Ms. Shaffer, you can''t-"


    "You can''t either!" Rose interrupted Olivia, saying, "You''re a nice girl. Don''t worry. It''s just filming a video. She wants it, so we''re just putting on a little act..."


    Rose knew Kelly well-she was deeply calcting and also proud and arrogant.


    She wanted Olivia to send a video of her ripping off her gown, mainly to enjoy someone else''s difort and to demonstrate her current power to easily control other people''s fate.


    Since she wanted a bit of excitement, she would give it to her. However, it wasn''t necessary to give her something real.


    Rose quietly shared her n with Olivia, who seemed very hesitant. "Will she get mad...?" Olivia asked.


    "She will!"


    "Then..."


    "She will believe it too."


    Rose knew that Kelly would be angry, but she would just bottle up that anger inside, intending to give her a bigger lessonter on.


    As long as Kelly didn''t suspect anything, everything would be fine. She was certain that Rose was dead and that Olivia didn''t dare to disobey her, so she wouldn''t have any doubts.


    As expected, the two followed Rose''s n by recording the "ripping video" and sending it to Kelly, whose reaction was exactly as Rose had anticipated.


    Kelly moved among the guests, waiting for news from Olivia ever since the woman in the red dress entered the vi.


    Finally, her phone buzzed with a text message.


    She nced at Miles, who was speaking with the elders on the board of Young Group, and then quietly took out her phone.


    The video started with the person in the ck cat face mask. The look in her eyes was visibly filled with terror.


    "Please, no..." With that plea, the screen suddenly shook, followed by a loud thud, as if the phone had fallen to the ground.


    Kelly''s smiling expression suddenly froze. What was going on?


    Her anger had just begun to rise when she heard a cry of pain from the video. "Ah! Don''t pull my clothes! Don''t touch me! Don''t..."


    Olivia was angrilyining, "You had the nerve to p my phone away! Who told you to wear red? Do you think you can pull off a color like that? Take it off. No, let me help you take it off!"


    The scene was filled with cursing, pleading, the sound of fabric tearing, and asionally the sounds of pping. It all ended with the helpless sobbing of a


    woman...


    The sound of that crying alone was truly moving.


    Kelly''s anger gradually subsided, feeling soothed by those shouts. It was unfortunate that she couldn''t see what had happened. However, just by listening to the audio, she could tell that Olivia was genuinely dedicated to her work.


    This was just an appetizer. Anyway, when that woman who had her clothes ripped


    off was thrown out by Oliviater, it would give her the chance to humiliate her personally.


    After quite some time, the phone was picked up.


    Olivia''s hesitant voice came through with an exnation, "Ms. Harriette, I just dropped the phone. I followed your instructions and ripped her clothes, but she took the opportunity while I wasn''t paying attention and ran away..."


    Olivia was worried that Harriette might think she hadn''t done her job well.


    Thankfully, Kelly replied calmly, "Alright. You did well."


    ...


    Back in the restroom, Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. She nced at Rose, surprised that their impromptu performance, apanied only by a bit of sound, had actually fooled Harriette.


    At that moment, Rose still looked impably dressed.


    She leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. She was very confident about Kelly''s response.


    Meanwhile Olivia... She was so


    nervous just now that she was sweating profusely, but thankfully shepleted it sessfully. that moment, she let out a big Sigh of relief. When their eyes met, they both unexpectedly burst into


    "I better head out. She must still be waiting to see me make a fool of myself. I can''t let her down, can I?" Rose quipped with a yful raise of her eyebrow.


    As she was heading out, Olivia called out to her with some concern, "Ms. Shaffer..."


    Rose turned around, noticing the concern in her eyes. She reassuringly patted her


    on the shoulder and said, "Don''t worry. She can''t hurt me. In fact, I''ll be her


    nightmare!"


    To Kelly, wasn''t Rose nothing more than her nightmare?


    Rose wanted to make this nightmare even more terrifying, especially considering


    it was Kelly who caused Oliver''s death.


    Rose came out of the bathroom, and as she passed a room, she went in and


    casually grabbed a bedsheet, wrapping it around herself haphazardly.


    It created the perfect amount of messiness and only entuated her embarrassing, disheveled look.


    After checking her reflection in the ss and confirming that she looked sufficiently "disheveled" from every angle, Rose stumbled out in a panicked and unsteady manner.


    Outside the vi, Kelly felt her heart leap with nervousness when she heard that the woman had escaped. She absolutely couldn''t let her get away!


    A trace of malice briefly flickered in her eyes before disappearing. Kelly quickly walked over to Miles, who was still talking to others, and said, "Miles, I''d like to give a gift to one of the people here. Is that okay?"


    Miles immediately stopped his conversation with others, looked at her with a gentle gaze, and asked, "Who do you want to give it to?"


    "I don''t know either. How about we randomly choose a lucky person? Whoever gets my mask can use it to find me and exchange it for a gift. How does that sound?"


    Kelly pointed to the fox mask on her face and looked at Miles with excitement. Given Miles'' affection for her, she was confident he would support her.


    As expected, Miles gave a doting smile, as if no matter what she asked for, he would agree without hesitation. "Alright, you can do whatever you want as long as you''re happy. Anything goes."


    "You treat me so well," Kelly said with a mixture of satisfaction and excitement.


    Since Miles had given his support, she couldn''t wait any longer. She eagerly removed the fox mask she was wearing and said in a clear voice, "Thank you all for attending tonight''s dinner party..."


    As soon as she started speaking, her unique husky voice captured the attention of everyone present. The star of tonight''s part, Harriette, was speaking.

 Chapter 634 Are You Ready?

    With everyone watching in admiration and anticipation, Kelly raised her voice slightly as she spoke.


    "In appreciation of everyone attending, I want to introduce a game with a reward. We''ll use this mask as a symbol for a game simr to musical chairs. Whoever is holding the mask when the music stops will be the lucky star of the evening. In my name, I''ll gift them a property worth millions."


    A property worth millions of dors!


    Harriette made such an extravagant gesture just for ying a game.


    At that moment, everyone present was in a frenzy.


    "Okay! I want to be tonight''s lucky star."


    "I''m not sure who it will be, but I really liked the fox mask on Ms. Harriette''s face. That mask is definitely mine."


    "It''s mine! It''s mine!"


    Even before the game started, everyone was already scrambling andpeting with each other. There was no choice, as the prize was simply too tempting¡ª everyone wanted it.


    Kelly observed the lively scene before her, and the smile on her lips grew wider. A property worth millions of dors? Of course, it didn''t exist.


    The person who received the mask might not even want to live tomorrow, so how could they possiblye to im a property worth millions?


    At that time, out of her "goodwill", she would provide her with a grave.


    That way, she could earn some goodwill again. The more she thought about it, the more she thought it was worth it.


    Kelly was calcting the time she needed. She needed to stop that woman before she escaped, so she had to act quickly. "Let''s get started then. We don''t have drums, so... I''ll just use apuse instead."


    Kelly yfully winked. Her appearance resembled that of an innocent and carefree child.


    Anastasia knew she was going to stir up some trouble again.


    Anastasia watched the entire incident where the woman in the red dress "soiled" Kelly''s gown. That woman had clearly staged an ident on purpose.


    She wanted to go over to the woman in the red dress, but fortunately, the woman wasn''t as petty as she had expected and didn''t even bother apologizing.


    Was Kelly doing all that just to change her gown? But...


    Anastasia nced at the ck gown Harriette was wearing at the moment. The feeling was hard to describe it might have been better if she hadn''t changed at all. Her skin was fair, but the overall look didn''t quite suit her vibe.


    Wearing this ck gown kind of made her look like... a ck witch. She was even up for a round of "pass the mask". What was her objective this time?


    Anastasia couldn''t figure it out, but it was clear she didn''t have any good intentions.


    It was extremely quiet around the entire vi.


    Kelly slightly raised her hand, and even before she started pping, the people present held their breath, afraid of missing anything or being distracted from this priceless moment.


    As the initial apuse began, it sounded crisp and pleasant.


    The fox mask was quickly passed from one person to the next, and right after that...


    The ps were gentle and slow at times, then asionally rapid and intense. It felt like everyone''s emotions were swaying with the rhythm of the pping. Each person was fully engaged in the "game".


    Kelly pped her hands, feeling delighted as she watched the crowd''s enthusiasm. It was incredible how easily she could now influence so many people''s emotions.


    What good was Rose''s previous luck?


    Being noticed by Oliver and getting adopted as his granddaughter, casually marrying someone and even bumping into Jonathan, and also having such a father...


    But what did that really matter? In the end, it was Kelly who emerged as the ultimate winner. Rose, oh, Rose. Could she see this? Oh, if she did see it, wouldn''t she be insanely jealous?


    Kelly was feeling extremely pleased with herself. Even in her moment of pride, she kept an eye on the vi entrance, waiting until she saw someone stumble out in a hurried manner.


    Kelly briefly paused her ps.


    Afterward, it became more intense.


    No one noticed the slight pause in the apuse earlier, and as the pping became more intense, everyone''s excitement grew even higher.


    The crowd watched Kelly, but Kelly''s eyes were fixed on the figure fleeing in a disheveled state.


    She watched as the mask headed toward that figure. She got ready to time it perfectly and came to a sudden stop.


    The entire ce fell silent. Everyone knew that tonight''s game hade to an end.


    Who was the lucky one?


    For a moment, everyone''s eyes searched around before turning in a particr direction.


    The fox mask was seen falling to the ground, and the person who dropped "it" on the ground...


    Those present couldn''t help but frown.


    The person was wearing a ck cat mask and had wrapped themselves in a bedsheet.


    Everyone was stunned. How did she end up wrapped in a bedsheet? Everyone present came dressed to impress, didn''t they?


    "How do we count this? The mask is on the ground..." someone suddenly asked, their voice carrying a mix of disappointment and a hint of anticipation.


    The disappointment set in as the game ended, and the lucky winner turned out not to be any of them. They hoped that by having the mask on the ground, there might be a new round.


    "That''s right! How do we deal with this situation?" There were more than a few people with the same anticipation.


    Everyone looked toward Harriette, as she was clearly the one who had the power to make all the decisions. Were they going to start the game all over again?


    Of course, Kelly wasn''t going to restart the game!


    She had already caught the target. If she started over, the target would escape. Then what would be the point of that?


    So, under everyone''s gaze, she slowly walked toward the "lucky star". With each step, Kelly felt an intense excitement surge within her.


    She was about to snatch the "lucky star''s" mask, making herpletely embarrassed in front of everyone. Just the thought of it made her feel really happy and relieved.


    "Be more careful in the future." Ha! Who did she think she was? She dared to give her advice!


    Finally, Kelly approached her.


    She crouched down to pick up the


    mask that had fallen on the ground and looked at the person in front of her with a smile. "When the apuse stopped just now, I saw the foxe mask in thisdy''s hand. She was obviously startled, which is why she dropped the mask on the ground."


    Kelly, with a gentle smile, ced the mask she picked up into the other person''s hand and reassured them softly, "Don''t be afraid. You''ve received this mask, so I have a gift to give you!"


    A gift... Everyone else was thinking about that multi-million prize, feeling both envious and resigned.


    They didn''t realize that the true meaning behind Harriette''s words, whom they praised, wasn''t about the property, but rather... a lesson!


    Rose kept her eyes lowered.


    Gradually, her eyes met with Kelly''s gaze.


    Rose was all too familiar with Kelly''s deceptive smile. On the surface, it appeared


    full of kindness and innocence, but in reality, it was the beginning of a betrayal.


    "Are you ready?" Kelly''s smile grew even bigger.


    Rose remained silent. Was she ready? It seemed like she didn''t really need to et


    ready for anything, right?


    The other person didn''t respond.


    Kelly didn''t think much of it,


    assuming that this "lucky individual was still in shock from the recent incident of being stripped of her clothes. It was fine. She didn''t need


    to respond to Kelly.


    She just needed to endure it. Hopefully, Kelly could handle her when the time


    came!


    Kelly nced at the bedsheet wrapped around her with a hint of a cold smile in


    her eyes, then looked at the ck cat mask, suddenly acting as if she was faced with a dilemma.


    "Miss, you got my fox mask, and now I don''t have a mask. Would you be willing to give me yours?" she asked.

 Chapter 635 Fall Face First

    Kelly looked at the person in front of her. She knew that once she said this, everyone would agree with her, no matter who it was.


    Even if the other person didn''t agree, people around her would still put pressure on her.


    As expected, when the "lucky star" wearing the ck cat mask didn''t respond immediately, everyone started teasing her.


    "Of course they''re willing. Ms. Harriette is giving her a property worth millions as a gift. It''s not just about exchanging one mask with her; even if it were more, they''d still be willing."


    "Isn''t that right? If you can''t even agree to this, then your perspective is really too narrow-minded."


    "What''s up with this lucky person? What''s with their outfit? Are they wearing a bedsheet?"


    Someone had noticed the bedsheet she was wrapped in.


    However, the crowd was more concerned about why she hadn''t yet told Harriette that she was willing to give her the mask.


    After quite a while, the lucky person finally spoke slowly. "Are you sure?"


    Everyone was speechless. Huh? What was there to be sure of?


    Kelly smiled faintly,pletely sure of her n. She wasn''t just determined to snatch her mask; she also intended to "identally" pull away the bedsheet wrapped around her when she removed the mask.


    If she going to embarrass her, she had to make sure her face was seen.


    "Are you unwilling? Then..."


    The more she didn''t want to, the more Kelly would use public opinion to pressure her. After all, Kelly was very skilled at stirring up other people''s emotions.


    But before she had a chance to act, the "lucky star" spoke again. "Are you ready?"


    It was yet another puzzling question, just like the one Kelly asked her earlier. Kelly paused for a moment.


    She nced at the person in front of her and couldn''t help but inwardly scoff. Was she ready?


    Ha, was this "lucky star" just talking nonsense now after getting stripped of her clothes and losing her senses?


    Kelly raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and said, "Ready."


    She purposely acted indifferent as she responded.


    As the conversation ended, their eyes unexpectedly met, and at that moment, Kelly felt a sudden chill run down her spine. Why did she feel that way?


    The woman felt too familiar that just a nce made her feel like she was seeing someone she knew. But that person...


    No, it must have been an illusion. It definitely was an illusion just now. That person was already dead, so why would it seem like she saw her?


    Kelly''s eyes sparkled.


    The "lucky star" standing in front of her had already started to move.


    Rose slowly raised her hand, seemingly intending to take off her mask. However, she realized that if she did so, she wouldn''t have a free hand to hold onto the sheet that was wrapped around her body.


    There was nothing else she could do, so she had to seek help from the person closest to her. She looked at Kelly and asked, "Could you please help me take it off, Ms. Harriette?"


    Kelly snapped back to reality and looked at the person in front of her with a steady gaze. She was suddenly amused. Rose was already dead. She had witnessed her being blown up in the warehouse. She even saw the wreckage with her own eyes.


    Rose''s ne was also mixed in with the wreckage, so she was absolutely certain of it. She was certain that Rose had already died, but just now, it seemed like she saw her again. How was that possible?


    The person in front of her was nothing more than an insignificant pawn that she could manipte at will. This insignificant person even had the audacity to ask her to pick up the mask for her!


    She was naturally willing to help. She couldn''t wait to personally tear off her mask.


    "Sure, of course," Kelly replied with a sweet smile, hiding her true intentions behind it.


    Rose tilted her head slightly, making it easier for Kelly to help her. During this moment, the mask separated the two faces, both of which had amused smiles as if enjoying a show.


    The other people nearby were also watching the two of them. They were curious about who this "lucky person" could be to have such incredible luck!


    In the quiet air, the wind blew through the mountains.


    The wind caught Rose''s hair and lifted it around her ears, just in time for Kelly to take advantage of the moment as if she had been "identally" snagged by the stray strands.


    "Oh, I''m so sorry..." Kelly quickly apologized. Her apology made her appear more panicked.


    In her panic, she took a step forward and "identally" stepped on the bedsheet that was trailing on the ground.


    From an outsider''s perspective, she was seen "earnestly" helping the "lucky one" retrieve their mask, and she was just extremely enthusiastic about it.


    No one noticed the subtle, wicked smile at the corner of Kelly''s mouth. Finally, the mask came off.


    As soon as she took it off, the mask woulde off this "ant-like" person''s face.


    But before that, she had to tear away the bedsheet covering her.


    She had stepped onto the bedsheet with both feet just now, so everything had been prepared in advance.


    At that moment, the bedsheet on her would fall off with just a gentle push, and she quickly found an opportunity.


    Kelly leaned back when taking off the mask.


    She was wearing high heels and somehow suddenly lost her bnce. She


    wobbled for a moment before eventually tipping forward.


    "Ah!" Kelly eximed in a panic. She had no intention of faking a fall. She knew


    that Miles would ensure she was never in any danger.


    Miles stood near her side, and she could feel his gaze on her. If anything


    happened, he would be there to protect her.


    She had the confidence. So, she wasn''t scared at all.


    She let out a scream as a signal to Miles.


    Kelly''s face showed a hint of a smile beneath her expression of panic. She watched the person in front of her lean with her, knowing that only one of them would actually fall and experience the embarrassment.


    This was likeparing a beautiful swan to an ugly duckling. Kelly was the swan, while the other person was the ugly duckling. Ugly ducklings should stay at the rock bottom.


    But... Suddenly, the person in front of her took a few steps back, and Kelly was slightly taken aback. It all happened so quickly in just a matter of seconds.


    She didn''t have time to see what happened. She only felt the increasing pull of gravity on her body. Why hadn''t Milese to rescue her yet?


    "Miles!" Kelly eximed.


    This time, she truly screamed.


    But even after calling out, she still hadn''t gotten any help from Miles.


    "Ah!"


    Another cry rang out, the sound almost agonizing, perhaps due to the pain.


    ?


    In full view of everyone, Harriette fell face-first to the ground, her whole body sprawling on the floor. Luckily, there was a sheet underneath, preventing her from falling directly onto the dirt...


    No... When everyone took a closer look, they realized they were mistaken. The


    sheet barely cushioned her body, but her face... ended up hitting the ground


    directly.


    Didn''t this count as hitting rock bottom?


    Her appearance was really quite... disheveled.


    The air was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.


    Kelly waspletely taken by surprise by the fall. It hurt... it really hurt. Her knees, arms, chest, nose, and face hurt as well. It even felt like her teeth got hit, and there was a metallic taste in her mouth.


    How did this happen?


    Why did she actually fall? How could she be in such a disheveled state? What


    about Miles? Why did Miles not manage to grab onto her? Countless questions filled her mind, apanied by anger and humiliation.


    Feeling wronged, she started crying, "Miles... Miles... it hurts so much."


    If he couldn''t grab her earlier, then he would probably be here now tofort her properly, right?


    She needed someone to help her ease the awkwardness she wad feeling right


    now.

 Chapter 636 Long Time No See

    But after Kelly''s cry of pain, she didn''t get any response, even after waiting for a moment. Where was Miles?


    She clearly saw him just a moment ago. He was right behind her, not far off to the side.


    Kelly, despite the pain, propped herself up slightly and turned her head to look for Miles. She looked at the spot where Miles had just been standing and saw him still there.


    "Miles..." Kelly looked at him pitifully, hoping for his sympathy. However, Miles remained expressionless.


    He had watched her fall to the ground. How could his face show no emotion? "Miles..." Kelly couldn''t believe it.


    She called out to him again, but there was a cold smirk on his face. That cold smirk...


    Since she returned to the Young family, she had never seen such an expression on Miles''s face. She was the cherished Harriette. How could Miles show her such an expression?


    "Miles, I''m in so much pain..." Kelly was filled with doubt. She had called out to him so many times that it was impossible he didn''t hear, yet he seemed to ignore herpletely as if he couldn''t see or hear her.


    Instead of bing warmer, his gaze grew colder, and gradually, it even contained a hint of anger.


    What was going on?


    Kelly noticed something unusual was happening. She never thought about the worst-case scenario. Was there something she did wrong that upset Miles? Kelly tried to recall.


    At that moment, a voice was heard saying, "He''s not your brother. Calling out him like that makes things difficult for everyone."


    The sound was melodious, reminiscent of a gentle breeze.


    That voice... why did it sound somewhat familiar to her? It was like...


    Kelly suddenly felt her heart clench.


    As she followed the sound and shifted her gaze, she realized that everyone within her line of sight looked surprised, each face filled with disbelief.


    And now, what they were looking at...


    Kelly finally discovered what was causing everyone''s shocked expressions. That face... that red gown...


    Rose? No, how could it be Rose?


    Rose was dead. She saw Rose get blown up with her own eyes. So how could she be seeing Rose here now?


    It had to be an illusion! It had to be!


    Kelly thought that she must have fallen so hard earlier that it blurred her vision, causing her to mistakenly see someone else as Rose. That had to be the case!


    Rose liked the color red. So, it was because of that red gown that she mistook someone else wearing a red dress for Rose.


    Kelly wanted to rub her eyes to get a clearer look, and suddenly, triggered by the sight of that red dress, she was struck with anger.


    Didn''t she have Olivia rip off her gown? Olivia had sent a video in which she heard...


    Kelly realized something was amiss when she suddenly noticed a pair of high heels in front of her. The woman in the red dress had already approached her and was standing over her, looking down.


    Rose observed Kelly''s reaction.


    She knew that even now, she still couldn''t believe that the person standing in front of her was Rose. The more it happened, the more determined she was to make her see clearly that she was indeed Rose!


    Rose caught sight of the ck cat face mask that Kelly had just taken off. When it was thrown off, the mask fell to the ground and was now lying there. Rose crouched down and casually picked it up.


    The scene was strikingly simr to the one just before. A moment ago, Kelly picked up a fallen fox mask for her, and now she was picking up a fallen cat mask for Kelly. The two had switched roles.


    Rose held the mask and waved it in front of Kelly. "Isn''t this what you wanted? I''m giving it to you. Why aren''t you holding it properly?"


    Her tone seemed to carry hints ofits and sarcasm.


    Hearing that voice again made Kelly''s blood run cold.


    Kelly found herself close enough to see the pores on each other''s faces. At that moment, she was startled and forgot about everything else.


    "Ah!"


    Kelly, in a panic, scrambled to her feet and tried to escape, but she was tripped up by the bedsheet because of her high heels.


    She hadn''t even had time to find her bnce before she fell back andnded on her bottom. When the pain hit, Kelly couldn''t afford to focus on it.


    She watched as the woman who had been crouching just moments ago slowly stood up, and Kelly''s face filled with terror.


    Rose! It was Rose''s ghost!


    "Go away! Just go!" Kelly closed her eyes as if not seeing her would make the fear go away. But when she closed your eyes, she could still hear it.


    She heard footsteps approaching,


    and then Rose''s voice slowly


    emerged beside her. "I''m here for the dinner party. This is such a fun dinner party. Wouldn''t it be a shame toteave? I''m not leaving."


    She leaned in closer to Kelly and asked, "Aren''t you going to greet me?"


    Greet her? Why would she greet a ghost?


    Kelly felt like she was the one who caused Rose''s death, and even if Rose were toe back as a ghost to confront her, Kelly wouldn''t be afraid She might even unt her victory to her. But she was still afraid.


    "Am I not wee here?" Rose asked suddenly, with a hint of tension in her voice.


    Kelly felt a chill run through her heart and quickly said, "You... you''re dead. You''re


    a ghost. I don''t care what you want to do. You are already dead..."


    She passed away, and nothing could change that. She was just trying to scare herself, that was all.


    "Rose''s ghost" suddenlyughed. "I''m a ghost? Open your eyes and take a good look at me. How could I be a ghost?"


    Open her eyes? Kelly refused to open her eyes.


    Gradually, she seemed to calm down. "Rose, I know you died under terrible circumstances, and I know you really miss us. We miss you a lot too."


    Rose raised an eyebrow and asked, "Really? You actually miss me? You missed


    me but don''t look at me? I find that a bit hard to believe."


    This woman was definitely a skilled actress. However, today Rose was determined to put an end to her acting career.


    Kelly was about toe up with an excuse when Rose''s voice interrupted, "Everyone is looking at me. Why don''t you take a look too, or are you feeling guilty?"


    Guilty?


    "Why should I feel guilty?" Even if she had personally killed Rose, she didn''t feel guilty. Despite thinking that, Kelly opened her eyes to prove she wasn''t feeling guilty.


    Standing in front of her was Rose, dressed in a striking red gown. Her smile was confident and bold, like a zing fire, making her stand out intensely.


    For a moment, Kelly was in a daze, feeling as if the person standing in front of her wasn''t a ghost, but instead a real person.


    "It''s been a long time. Do you still want this mask?" Rose asked as she waved the cat mask in her hand again.


    This time, Kelly instinctively shook her head.


    She stared at Rose, and the realization that had juste to her lingered in her


    mind.


    "Oh, you don''t want it? That''s a


    shame. I really like this thing and thought you really wanted it too. That''s why I agreed to give it to you, but now you''re saying you don''t want it anymore. So... should take it back?"


    Rose spoke in a way where each word was carefully chosen, had a specific meaning, and carried a double entendre.


    As Kelly listened to her, certain things became increasingly clear in her mind.


    The clearer the thoughts in her mind became, the more intense her fear grew. She stared intently at the person in front of her, taking in those familiar eyes, the smile, the demeanor...


    Kelly, sitting on the ground and as if wanting to confirm something, suddenly reached out and grabbed Rose''s hand, which was holding the ck cat mask.


    She was met with a warm touch that had delicate and smooth skin.


    In the next moment, Kelly shook off her hand.


    "Ah!"


    Her hoarse scream sounded even more terrified than before.


    She was... a real person! She wasn''t a ghost!


    But this result was far more terrifying than the person standing in front of her


    being a ghost.

 Chapter 637 Are You Really Sad?

    Kelly was genuinely panicked and truly scared. Even though she had let go of Rose''s hand, she could still feel her warmth, and she turned pale.


    "Are you alright?" Rose asked with a smile, her expression suggesting she was concerned for her.


    At that moment, Kelly couldn''t hear any other sounds. She could only see the smile on Rose''s face and felt more certain than ever that it was indeed Rose-a living Rose!


    Rose was alive... How could she be alive?


    She watched the warehouse explosion with her own eyes. She was the one who set off the explosives. She still remembered the power of the sts, one after another in a chain reaction, powerful enough to obliterate someonepletely.


    She even saw firsthand the remains of her body, which had beenpletely disfigured by the explosion. And there was also that ne...


    She was supposed to be dead, so how was she alive?


    In Kelly''s mind, countless memories flickered as she searched for clues.


    At that moment, someone excitedly stepped forward, saying, "Ms. Rose..."


    That person was the butler of the Young family, Patrick.


    He looked at Rose, visibly excited as if he was unsure yet afraid of being certain, worrying that his hopes might be dashed. He reached out his hand toward Rose.


    Rose met his gaze and reached out to shake hands with Patrick. That temperature...


    "Ms. Rose..." At that moment, Patrick was so overwhelmed with emotion that his eyes filled with tears. Ignoring the looks from those around, he tightly grasped Rose''s hand.


    What he was looking forward to had finally been confirmed. "Ms. Rose, you''re alive. Good! That''s good!"


    Patrick kept murmuring, and his previously dull eyes seemed to brighten once again.


    He nced at Rose with a sense of satisfaction and, as he lowered his gaze, whispered almost inaudibly, "Mr. Young, Ms. Rose is alive and well..."


    In the end, he lifted his head, grabbed Rose''s hand, and shouted excitedly with a smile, "Ms. Rose is alive! Ms. Rose is alive!"


    His roar shattered thest bit of uncertainty lingering in the hearts of everyone present.


    That was Rose. That was definitely Rose! Rose was alive!


    "Ms. Shaffer, where have you beentely? We all thought..." Someone in the crowd voiced the question everyone was wondering.


    They had all heard about that explosion.


    Rose died in that explosion, and reportedly, her body was so disfigured that it couldn''t be pieced together-it was extremely horrific.


    It seemed now that there might be more to the explosion than met the eye.


    Rose, noticing everyone''s gaze, said, "I took some time off for myself recently. Why? Did something happen?"


    She appearedpletely clueless.


    The crowd was momentarily taken aback.


    "It turns out it was for a vacation. But that explosion..."


    "Are you talking about the warehouse explosion at the psychiatric facility?" Rose asked, and without waiting for an answer, she went on to exin, "If it weren''t for that explosion, I probably wouldn''t be able to take a vacation.


    "The explosion that day was so powerful that I was knocked unconscious by the shockwave. Fortunately, I managed to get out early, or I would have been blown to pieces.


    "But when I woke up, I realized my ne was missing. It must have fallen off in the warehouse."


    Every word Rose says was true. She really did take a vacation, and she really did get knocked out. Plus, her ne really was missing.


    Everyone knew what happened that day and couldn''t help but remark how fortunate Rose was toe out of it alive.


    "It turns out it was a false rm. We thought..."


    "It''s just good that you''re alive. It''s good. It''s just that today, Young Group has carried out a share distribution..."


    As they thought of this, they couldn''t help but have an odd expression on their faces.


    After the recent redistribution of shares, Harriette became thergest shareholder


    of Young Group. Wasn''t tonight''s dinner party being held in her honor?


    Rose... probably wasn''t aware of this matter, was she?


    Even though she was wearing a mask just now, it seemed like everyone had seen the woman in the red gown before. If she was Rose, that meant she had already arrived at the dinner party early on.


    At the dinner party, so many people were discussing today''s share distribution. Even if she didn''t know about it before, she would have found out afterward!


    For a moment, the atmosphere felt eerie.


    Everyone present fell silent. They nced at Rose, then at Harriette, who was still on the ground with a pale face. Finally, their eyes turned to Miles, who had not spoken at all.


    Miles appeared calm upon seeing Rose. It didn''t seem like he just found out she was still alive, but rather it felt like he always knew.


    When asked about the share distribution today, Miles smiled slightly and asked, "What share distribution?"


    His few words left everyone present stunned, especially Kelly.


    Her mind was racing with countless thoughts, and the mention of "share


    distribution" by Miles opened the floodgates for her.


    "Hey, Miles, today at thepany, during the distribution of the shares you were leading..."


    Kelly looked at Miles, her hoarse voiceced with a hint of urgency.


    Miles maintained a gentle smile and remarked, "How could I? The shares belong


    to Rose. I have no right to distribute them."


    "Rose has already..."


    Kelly wanted to say that Rose had already passed away. But Rose was clearly standing right here.


    If Rose wasn''t dead, then wouldn''t the 69% shares she was supposed to receive be null and void?


    How was that possible? What else could she do?


    She tried toe up with a solution but quickly realized what was happening.


    The most challenging issue at the moment might not be her inability to secure the 69% of Young Group''s shares, but rather Miles'' attitude toward her.


    Miles had just watched her fall just now without any reaction. At that moment, his gaze was so cold it seemed as if he were looking at a stranger. What did it mean?


    Kelly became increasingly scared and was desperate to ensure that there had been no changes in Miles''s demeanor.


    "Miles, can you help me up?" Kelly looked at Miles with a pleading expression.


    Miles acted as if he hadn''t heard anything.


    Kelly felt a shocking jolt in her heart.


    Rose kindly offered, "Why don''t I help you up? You just helped me retrieve a


    mask, so now I''ll help you up. It works out perfectly."


    Rose smiled.


    What she implied made Kelly''s skin crawl. What did she mean? Was she nning


    to get back at her?


    She looked at the hand Rose


    ???


    extended toward her, hesitating to let her help. That moment of resistance didn''t go unnoticed by Rose, who chuckled lightly and asked, "What? Don''t want my help? Afraid I might rip your gown off?"


    Rip her gown off? Kelly felt that what Rose was implying seemed to involve more


    than just ripping a gown off.


    Before Kelly could react, Rose grabbed her hand and pulled her up quickly.


    She showed no mercy. Kelly almost stumbled again, nearly falling to the ground, but fortunately, she managed to steady herself.


    However, the strength with whol


    Rose was holding her hand made her frown.


    Kelly nced at Miles, and the uneasy feeling growing inside her intensified.


    Given the current situation, although Kelly was initially unwilling, she quickly adjusted and changed her attitude.


    "Rose, you''re okay! Why didn''t youe back sooner? We thought you were dead. You have no idea how sad Miles and I were!" Kelly eximed.


    Kelly no longer seemed afraid like before. It was as if the fear toward Rose just moments ago never existed.


    Rose looked at the face with a smile, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her eyes. "Are you really sad? Because from what I could see, you seemed quite happy


    today!"

 Chapter 638 A Show

    Everyone present agreed with this statement.


    Harriette, being the main focus of this dinner party, attracted everyone''s attention. She was genuinely happy tonight, even willing to offer a million-dor property as a prize for the party game.


    But now, since Rose wasn''t dead, the 69% shares that Harriette expected to acquire had be unattainable. There was also uncertainty about whether the million-dor property reward still applied.


    No one dared to ask. No one also knew just how furious Kelly was at that moment.


    She was regretting it. When did things start going downhill? It was when masks came off... No!


    Kelly looked at Rose''s gown, which seemed perfectly intact, and suddenly realized she had been tricked by Rose and Olivia!


    Even Miles...


    Kelly couldn''t bear to think any further because the consequences of doing so were more than she could handle.


    What should she do now?


    Kelly had too many questions swirling in her mind, too many uncertainties, and an underlying sense of fear. She wanted to escape and quickly get away from the situation so she could clearly figure out where she stood.


    However, it was clear that Rose would not let her get away.


    "Rose, I''m happy. I''m happy because you''re still alive," Kelly said with a smile on her face.


    Rose shook the ck cat mask in her hand again and asked, "Do you still want this?"


    She was pointing at the masks, but she was referring to more than just masks. If she gave it to her, would she even dare take it?


    Kelly understood what she was implying.


    She desired not just the mask, but everything that Rose had. Yet, all she could say now was, "That''s the mask that Rose likes. Of course, I don''t want it."


    Again, it was another round of saying one thing but implying another.


    Rose smiled slightly and said, "That game just now, the prize was a property worth millions of dors, right? Is that still valid?"


    Rose voiced the question that was on everyone''s mind.


    "Of course, it counts. If Rose wants it, I will definitely follow through," Kelly said through gritted teeth.


    If she was going to obtain 69% of the shares in Young Group along with properties worth millions and she was to cash it in, what else could be done then?


    But now... Even though she became Harriette, the eldest daughter of the Young family, the amount of money she could actually control was pitifully small.


    Although she received a sry from her job at Young Group and Miles gave her some pocket money, her total earnings only amounted to a few tens of thousands of dors. It was far from reaching millions of dors.


    What was she going to use to cash in?


    Rose smiled, remaining silent.


    What did she even have that was hers to cash in?


    Rose gently patted Kelly''s hand and looked into her eyes with a meaningful expression, "What I want is more than just this!"


    She still wanted to avenge Oliver!


    Rose had a cold glint in her eyes. "Teasing" her earlier was just the appetizer, but now...


    Rose nced at today''s guests and said, "Everyone, it''s gettingte. Let''s wrap things up for tonight. We have some things to take care of, so we won''t be seeing you off."


    When Rose made eye contact with several elders of the board, she smiled and nodded.


    "Alright. Rose, take your time with your work, and remember to visit me another day."


    "That''s right, Rose. You''re alive, and that makes me very happy. I''m sure Mr. Young Senior would be extremely happy too."


    "Let''s go. Don''t dy what Rose needs to do."


    Several experienced board members, having seen a lot over the years, were convinced there had to be secrets behind Rose''s sudden reappearance after rumors of her death.


    They were curious, but they understood that Rose didn''t want them to know, so they decided to respect her wishes.


    Once those few people made a move, the others naturally didn''t dare to stay any longer.


    Chloe had drunk non-stop and waspletely passed out by the time Rose arrived.


    Gabriel initially wanted to stay, but he was concerned that if Chloe suddenly woke up, she would cause trouble and interfere with what Rose


    needed to do. After onest look at Rose, he decided to leave with Chloe.


    Soon, all the guests had left.


    The entire vi in the mountains was now only upied by those in the Young


    family, along with two other people.


    Those two people were wearing


    masks and had just blended into the crowd. Kelly had a vague impression


    of them, but it wasn''t very strong However, at that moment, as she looked at them, a sudden realization dawned on her.


    It was Elijah and Clover! Didn''t they leave with Rose''s ashes?


    No, that wasn''t right. Rose wasn''t dead, so how could they have left with her ashes?


    When faced with everything before her, Kelly found herself having to admit a fact, even if she was reluctant to believe it-this was one big show.


    When did this show start?


    Kelly tried to recall the explosion at the psychiatric facility''s storage warehouse


    that happened that day. Was it from then?


    No, that also wasn''t right. Maybe it was from even earlier before.


    "You''re wondering where exactly things went wrong, aren''t you?" Rose stared at her as if trying to see right through her.


    Kelly quickly snapped out of her thoughts and forced a smile. "What do you mean? I don''t understand what you''re saying, Rose. Hey, Miles, let''s go home too. It looks like it''s going to rain."


    Kelly looked at Miles with a pitiful expression.


    She hoped to see the same doting expression on his face as before, but she failed to see any. There was no affection, only indifference and even disdain.


    Kelly felt a sudden jolt in her heart. She felt as though something was escaping her, like a force that was beyond her control surging endlessly toward her.


    "Miles..."


    "Who are you calling to? Am I... your brother?" In Miles'' cold eyes, besides disgust, there was a sudden surge of anger.


    Kelly was startled.


    "Miles, what are you talking about? I''m your sister. I''m Harriette. We were both adopted by Grandpa and grew up together. You''re the closest person to me..."


    Kelly still held onto a glimmer of hope. As long as she believed she was Harriette, then she was Harriette and not anyone else.


    But Miles let out a coldugh, cutting her off, "Do you still remember what happened when you came to this vi that year?"


    Kelly paused slightly. What happened here? She didn''t even know about the vi before, so how would she know what happened there that year?


    Kelly remembered that when they arrived earlier, Miles mentioned that Harriette liked this ce the most.


    "That year, Miles and I came here and were very happy." Kelly gave a vague response, trying to gloss over the situation.


    Miles gave a cold scoff, asking, "Why were you happy?"


    Kelly was speechless. Then, was she... not supposed to be happy? Kelly felt overwhelmed and extremely nervous. How should she answer this?


    The question hadn''t been fully answered yet when another one was asked, "Do you remember when you were ten years old and lost the pearl ne I gave you? You cried the whole night."


    That question was easy to answer.


    "I remember. Miles, I remember the pearl ne you gave me. I loved it the


    most, but I lost it, and I was really upset," Kelly replied anxiously.


    But Miles coldlyughed again.


    Kelly was at a loss for words. Did she get it wrong again?


    "Do you remember when you were 11 years old and you got into a fight at school,


    they asked for your parents toe? I stepped in to help out..."


    "Of course, I remember. I definitely do. Afterward, you criticized me, but I also


    realized my mistake." Kelly nodded quickly.


    But once again... "Ha!"


    The coldugh made Kelly even more anxious.


    Miles continued his barrage of questions.


    "Do you remember when you were 12 years old..."


    "Do you also remember when you were 13 years old....."

 Chapter 639 They Found Out

    Miles kept speaking. Time and time again, he posed a new question for every year.


    Kelly naturally answered that she remembered. She only dared to say that she remembered, and as time went on, she was so cautious that she didn''t dare to say even one extra word.


    Every time she responded, Miles would just give a coldugh.


    By the end, Kelly felt like she was on the verge of losing her mind from the ordeal. She waspletely drenched in sweat from the tension.


    She was almost afraid to hear Miles say, "Do you remember..." one more time. Should she remember or not?


    Finally, Miles stopped asking questions. He was staring intently at Kelly, and that gaze also put Kelly on edge.


    "Miles, Miles..." Kelly called out helplessly.


    Miles was filled with disgust and said, "I am not your brother. If I were, how could you not remember? I never gave Harriette a pearl ne. When she was ten, what she lost was the pearl bracelet I gave her."


    Kelly turned pale, her eyes flickering nervously, and she quickly exined, "Yes, it''s a bracelet. A bracelet. I got it wrong."


    Miles let out a smallugh and carried on, "The incident when she was 11 wasn''t because Harriette was the one bullying others at school. It was because she was the one getting bullied. Harriette had injuries all over her body. She didn''t want me to find out, but I identally saw them..."


    "Yes, that''s right. It wasn''t me hitting someone. I was the one who got hit."


    This time, Miles didn''t coldlyugh but looked at her angrily.


    "When she was 12, Harriette..."


    "When Harriette was 13..."


    Miles didn''t say anything, but there was something about his expression that became more intense with each issue he mentioned. Every topic differed from the previous ones. For all the earlier questions, Kelly consistently responded with, "I remember."


    But as it turned out, she didn''t remember!


    There were so many things, yet she couldn''t remember a single one. Was she really Harriette?


    "Miles, ever since I fell into the water, there are some things I''ve forgotten. I didn''t dare tell you because I was afraid you would worry..."


    Although Kelly tried hard to keep herposure, she still felt incredibly guilty when she gave her reason.


    Did she think Miles would believe it? How could he believe it?


    "Are you afraid I''ll worry, or are you afraid of letting me find out that you''re not Harriette?" Miles shouted angrily.


    Ever since he learned that the person who returned wasn''t actually Harriette, he had been forcing himself to ept the fact that Harriette might be dead.


    He was heartbroken and disappointed, but above all, he was furious. Someone else was using Harriette''s identity and wearing Harriette''s face. Even more infuriatingly, their target was Rose. They wanted to harm Rose!


    How could this be?


    Miles clenched his fists tightly.


    When she saw him so angry for the first time, Kelly felt a sense of fear in her heart. He said she wasn''t Harriette...


    "I am Harriette. Miles, it''s really me, Harriette. How could I not be Harriette? Look at me. You can recognize me, right?"


    Kelly shook off Rose''s grip and excitedly tried to reach for Miles'' hand.


    She wanted him to touch her face and genuinely feel the warmth of it. Her face was almost the same as Harriette''s from the past. As long as the face was the same, she was Harriette!


    But before she could reach for Miles'' hand, he pulled away with a look of disdain. Miles looked at Rose with a hint of regret in his eyes. "I was blind. I almost..."


    If Jonathan hadn''t been prepared, and if he hadn''t be suspicious of the fake Harriette, he likely still wouldn''t know her true nature at this moment. If Kelly actually got a chance to hurt Rose...


    During this period, Miles felt a deep sense of fear every time he thought about the possible consequences. His anger toward the fake Harriette grew even stronger. "You''ve put a lot of effort into this face."


    Miles withdrew his gaze, and when he looked at Kelly, the coldness and anger returned to his eyes. He sharply shouted a name, "Kelly!"


    Kelly...


    When she heard that nameing from him again, something inside Kelly crumbled instantly.


    He really figured it out. They actually figured it out!


    But she didn''t want to be Kelly!


    "I''m not Kelly." Kelly''s eyes shimmered with a hint of madness, slowly surfacing as she urgently. looked at Miles as if pleading with him "Miles, it''s me, Harriette. I''m not Kelly. I''m Harriette!" ''


    At the end of her speech, her tone was very firm. It seemed that as long as she believed she was Harriette, then she was "Harriette".


    At that moment, she had only one thought in her mind-she absolutely could not admit that she was Kelly.


    Suddenly, a voice was heard amidst their silence.


    "Kelly..."


    Almost instinctively, Kelly turned to look in the direction of the sound.


    When Kelly saw the person standing not far away, she felt as if all the blood in her


    body had turned to ice.


    She realized how she had just


    reacted, quicklyposed herself, and turned her gaze away. However, her trembling lips had already betrayed the turmoil within her.


    "Kelly!" the person called out once more, stumbling forward and reaching Kelly, grabbing her arm excitedly. "Kelly, you...you..."


    Kelly couldn''t bring herself to look at the person in front of her.


    She gave a slight smile and said, "You''ve got the wrong person. I''m not Kelly."


    She wasn''t Kelly?


    The person in front of her was the mother who gave birth to her and raised her. Of course, Chelsea couldn''t help but recognize her daughter.


    "Good, Good. You''re alive. That''s good..." The moment Chelseaid eyes on Kelly, she was certain it was her.


    Even though her face had changed, the mother and daughter were connected at the heart, and she wouldn''t mistake her for someone else.


    Chelsea seemed relieved, saying, "I heard you were dead. Do you know how heartbroken I was?"


    Thest time they saw each other was at the Young residence in Aquastead.


    Kelly''s betrayal on that day was nothingpared to the heartbreak Chelsea felt upon hearing the news of her death.


    "Fortunately, I got word that you weren''t dead. That you were alive and doing well, living a good life....."


    Chelsea looked at Kelly and said, "I asked him to bring me to see you. He really is a good person to have done it. Here I am, actually meeting you."


    Chelsea was so emotional that tears started to stream from her eyes, saying, "Even though you..."


    Even though her face had changed, it was fine as long as Kelly was alive. Her being alive was what mattered.


    "Alright, it''s great that you''re alive, Kelly... That person is a good person. I must thank them properly," Chelsea muttered.


    She was overwhelmed with joy at finding her daughter and didn''t notice her surroundings. The person who had brought her there had simply told her that she could see her daughter there.


    There was no mention of any other information.


    Chelsea had no idea that at that moment, Kelly was so angry she was nearly


    beside herself.


    Foolish! How absolutely foolish!


    After hearing the situation, Kelly finally understood what was going on.


    It seemed like this foolish woman had been tricked! She got tricked and still wanted to thank the person. Was this still the same shrewd mother of hers?


    And the person who deceived her...


    "Mrs. Shaffer, long time no see."


    At that moment, a voice interrupted Chelsea''s excitement.


    Chelsea found the voice somewhat familiar. She looked in its direction and saw


    the person. In that instant, Chelsea''s heart skipped a beat.

 Chapter 640 Shattering Her Fantasy

    "Ro...Ro..." Chelsea''s eyes widened, and there was a hint of tremor in her voice.


    Was she really that afraid of her?


    Rose was unsure whether she should be happy about that.


    Still, as they had lived together for over a decade and were now meeting again after being apart, Rose greeted with a polite smile, "It''s me, Rose. No, your eyes aren''t deceiving you."


    It was Rose!


    Chelsea involuntarily swallowed hard. She looked down in a panic, not even daring to meet Rose''s eyes.


    Ever since the time when Jonathan pulled her out at Aquastead and "took care" of her for a while, it felt like she was haunted by nightmares every time she thought about that experience.


    Jonathan took "special care" of her because of Rose.


    Rose was the woman deeply loved by Jonathan. Although she was unhappy about Celeste''s daughter receiving his affection, Jonathan''s methods were too ruthless.


    She didn''t even dare to feel any more jealousy about the matter since then.


    After returning to Regalia, she was extremely cautious andid low like a turtle retreating into its shell. She was afraid of drawing any further attention from Jonathan. But Kelly...


    "Kelly, this..."


    It seemed that Chelsea still hadn''t figured things out yet. That person told her that Kelly was doing well in Regalia and just living under a different identity.


    All she knew was just that-nothing more. She didn''t expect that Rose was also here. What was going on here?


    Chelsea btedly looked around her surroundings.


    Everyone present was wearing a mask except for Rose and Kelly, so she couldn''t recognize anyone else.


    She turned her head and saw Miles.


    "Mr. Young..."


    Miles wasn''t wearing a mask, so she recognized him.


    At that moment, she was filled with a mix of surprise and fear. Regalia... Miles... Rose... Did that mean Jonathan was also here?


    "Kelly, Kelly, why did you..." Why did she get involved with them again?


    Chelsea''s expression showed her reproach as she urgently pulled at Kelly, wanting to leave the ce.


    She wanted to escape. She was scared of falling once more into the fear of being controlled by Jonathan.


    However, Kelly pushed her away abruptly.


    Kelly was furious. She knew that her lie was about to be exposed.


    She was originally going to insist adamantly and firmly im that she was Harriette. After all, there was no direct evidence anywhere in the world that could prove she was or wasn''t Harriette.


    But when Chelsea showed up, everything fell apart.


    Chelsea was her mother. It would only take one hair follicle to quickly determine the truth.


    "Idiot!" Kelly muttered under her breath.


    Chelsea was pushed so hard that she stumbled, and upon hearing that word angrily spat out, she immediately froze in ce. "Kelly..."


    "Don''t call me!" Kelly snapped sharply.


    At that point, insisting that she was Harriette would just make her seem foolish.


    Kelly had been pretending to be Harriette for so long. She had longed to be herself early on. However, when she thought of all the pain and suffering she endured to be Harriette, only for it all to amount to nothing, it made her unwilling to let it go.


    She was really unwilling to let her identity go!


    Suddenly, while everyone was not paying attention, she made a dash toward Rose.


    "Rosie..."


    "Rose!"


    "Rosie!"


    Three voices eximed in surprise at the same time, and three figures rushed forward simultaneously. But the three people were toote.


    Kelly was furious, with her hands clenched with sharp nails. Then, as if she wanted to destroy something, she reached for Rose''s eyes.


    Her fingernails brushed against Rose''s hair, but as she moved forward, she felt resistance.


    A force was exerted on her wrist. Rose had actually managed to grab hold of it.


    Rose looked disdainfully and jeered, "Did you forget that I''m not someone to mess with?"


    Rose wasn''t easy to mess with. She had always been someone not to be trifled with.


    But Kelly just had to cause trouble!


    "You..." Kelly felt increasing resentment in her heart. She tried several times, using her nails in an attempt to grab Rose, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t match Rose''s strength.


    In the end, Rose didn''t want to mess with her anymore and gave her a firm push.


    Kelly stumbled. She took a few steps back and couldn''t keep her bnce, ultimately ending up flopping on the ground.


    "Kelly..." Chelsea approached with concern.


    Kelly directed her anger toward her, demanding, "Who''s Kelly? Idiot!"


    "Kelly, since things are like this already, why not just openly admit you are Kelly? What''s the big deal?"


    Chelsea might not have been a good person, but she genuinely cared about Kelly.


    She didn''t think much of Chelsea,


    and she thought even less of Kelly''s attitude toward Chelsea. However


    she didn''t really care how Kelly treated Chelsea. What mattered to her was that there were certain things that needed to be dealt with tonight.


    She wanted to expose who Kelly really was.


    Indeed, under the pressure, Kelly increasingly resembled her former self.


    She red venomously at Rose and cursed, "Rose, why haven''t you died already?"


    Elijah, Clover, and Miles all frowned.


    As they were about to move forward, Rose''s gaze turned sharp, and she remarked, "If I''m dead, how will I avenge Grandpa?"


    Upon the mention of Oliver, a strange look shed in Kelly''s eyes.


    "You killed him! In Regalia, I never forgot that I wanted to find you, but before I could go looking for you, you came to me instead!" Rose snapped


    Rose found herself clenching her fists without realizing it. She looked at Kelly.


    Since Harriette returned, she has always had a strange feeling about her, something she couldn''t quite put her finger on. However, she never considered the possibility that Harriette might actually be Kelly.


    Who would have thought that Kelly had changed her appearance and assumed a


    new identity to stay close to her?


    Rose was very clear about what Kelly wanted. She knew Kelly very well.


    She always saw Rose as her enemy. Anything she had, Kelly wanted to take. If she couldn''t get it, she would destroy it. She changed her face to look like Harriette and came around just to take everything away from her.  s?novel


    "Are you thinking you were so close to seeding?" Rose asked, observing the resentment and unwillingness in Kelly''s eyes.


    "Yes, just a little more, and you''d be gone then everything would be mine," Kelly shouted sharply, trying to stand up.


    She could see Elijah, Clover, and Miles standing next to Rose like bodyguards.


    She realized that she couldn''t go after Rose anymore.


    Kelly felt a wave of powerlessness wash over her. She chuckled absentmindedly


    and murmured to herself, "So close, just so close..."


    However...


    "So close?" Rose scoffed, shattering Kelly''s fantasies without hesitation. "You never had a chance to get everything you were hoping for because you''re Kelly. "Anything rted to the Young family has nothing to do with you. No matter how much effort you put in, you won''t be able to obtain it."


    It would have been impossible to obtain...


    "No, you''re wrong. Why can''t I have what you have? If you got it, why can''t I get it


    as well?"


    This aspect was where Kelly felt dissatisfied, to the point it nearly became an obsession for her.


    No, her inner demon had always been Rose! Always!


    She was always the one who should have been the shining, brilliant star. Growing


    up, apart from Jamie and Chelsea, everyone else looked at Rose first!


    She was determined to go all out topete with Rose!

 Chapter 641 Two Choices

    Kelly managed to snatch Rose''s fianc¨¦, Nixon, but couldn''t win over Jonathan. She almost took on Rose''s identity, but Oliver saw through her.


    This time, she even changed her appearance and identity. She went through so much effort and was just about to seed, only to realize that she had been yed by Rose!


    Kelly red at Rose with intense resentment in her eyes.


    Rose became even angrier because of what she said.


    She stared at Kelly and questioned her word-by-word, "So you tricked my grandpa, hurt him, and even killed him!"


    Rose couldn''t help but feel a deep pain in her heart when she recalled the day Oliver copsed in her arms.


    "Killed your grandfather?" Kelly asked dismissively.


    The day when Oliver copsed, she was indeed shocked and felt guilty. However, the guilt didn''tst long, as she quickly shifted all the responsibility onto others.


    "I want to kill you, not him. If he wanted to protect you, that''s his choice. How is it my concern? Rose, ultimately, it''s all because of you. Your grandfather''s demise was also because of you..."


    Kelly was in a frenzy. Since she couldn''t take everything that belonged to Rose, she decided to pull her into a living hell, making her feel guilty and remorseful. She wanted to torture her mind for the rest of her life.


    But before she could finish speaking, she was suddenly kicked and sent flying.


    "Ah!" Kelly eximed in pain.


    That kick had no mercy whatsoever. Who did it?


    Kelly gritted her teeth and red at the person who kicked her. But when she saw Miles''s grim expression, it felt like something had sharply pierced her heart.


    Almost instantly, Kelly, feeling uneasy, averted her gaze. She opened her mouth to call out to him, but no sound came out.


    When she was still known as Kelly, Miles was already quite distant toward her. Now, knowing that she had taken over Harriette''s identity and was attempting to rece Rose, he must despise her even more.


    Kelly bit her lip.


    She suddenly missed the way Miles doted on her when she was Harriette.


    After finding out she was Kelly, he started to scheme against her and treated her with no real affection, only maniption.


    Miles'' affection was never meant for her.


    Kellyughed maniacally.


    The spot where Miles kicked her just now was really hurting a lot.


    Miles said with disgust and disdain while pointing at Kelly. "Grandpa''s intentions were to protect Rose, but ultimately, it was your actions that led to all of this. Grandpa''s love for Rose isn''t wrong, but your actions certainly were."


    How could Miles not be aware of whatever Kelly was thinking about? She wanted to emotionally hurt Rose deeply.


    Oliver''s passing had left Rose feeling very guilty, and he absolutely wouldn''t allow Kelly to bring up this guilt again.


    Rose looked at Miles. She also understood his intentions.


    Rose looked grateful, while Kelly...


    "Kelly, you can rest easy. My


    grandpa willing to protect me with


    his life, so I will live well and happily.


    As for you, it''s time for you to


    sincerely repent and atone for your sins!" Rose eximed.


    If Kelly didn''t want to repent or atone, then Rose didn''t mind forcing her.


    "Are you going to the police station yourself, or do you want me to find somewhere else for you to go?" Rose asked, giving her a choice.


    She could either go to the police station to take responsibility for the injuries and killings she was involved in, or Rose could "settle her" elsewhere.


    "Let''s turn ourselves in, Kelly."


    Before Kelly had a chance to speak, Chelsea made the choice for her.


    Her voice was filled with urgency, almost as if it was tinged with fear. Rose was someone very dear to Jonathan, and now she was trying to "settle" Kelly. If Jonathan go


    involved...


    That wasn''t something a person could handle.


    Perhaps out of extreme fear, Chelsea answered on Kelly''s behalf to Rose. "She''ll


    turn herself in. Rose... No, Ms. Sutton. Kelly will turn herself in!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 642 Never Considered Her

    Before Chelsea could finish speaking, Kelly was already ring at her intensely. The look in her eyes seemed to ask why she had to choose between the two options she was offered.


    She deliberately chose not to pick any of them.


    Chelsea''s panic intensified. "Do you want to feel like you''re better off dead?"


    "A life worse than death..." Kelly looked into Rose''s eyes, and suddenly, something inside her finally gave way.


    The things she did were enough for Rose to hate her deeply. If Rose decided to get back at her, she might end up wishing for death rather than face the


    consequences.


    But... She still couldn''t ept that she lost to Rose.


    "Get out!" Rose said coldly. She didn''t want to see Kelly anymore.


    She personally shattered Kelly''s fantasies and initially wanted to make her suffer physically as well. However, as she looked at Kelly, her disdain made her feel it was beneath her to take action herself.


    Kelly would only get her hands dirty!


    Chelsea didn''t hesitate for a second and quickly helped Kelly up from the ground. After practically dragging Kelly away, they hurriedly made their way out as if they were escaping.


    But Kelly''s gaze remained fixed behind her.


    She looked at Rose, who was wearing a striking red dress that made her stand out.


    Elijah and Clover removed their masks and stood behind Rose as if they were her strongest support.


    Miles walked over to Rose with a fond and affectionate look in his eyes.


    In her line of sight, their figures became more distant until theypletely disappeared.


    After leaving the vi, there was a winding mountain road. The area was deserted, with two figures hurrying and stumbling down the hill.


    A gust of wind blew by, causing both people to shiver. The further down they went, the darker it got.


    Kelly clearly remembered that when she was going up the mountain just now, the streetlights along the road were still on. But now, the streetlights had gone out.


    The road was pitch-ck, giving off an eerie feeling.


    "Kelly, hurry up."


    Chelsea held Kelly''s hand while she rubbed her other arm, trying to ward off the persistent chill running through her body.


    Kelly, however, shook off her hand.


    "Kellly..."


    "Don''t call me."


    If it weren''t for Chelsea''s appearance, she could have continued to persevere and hold on to her identity as Harriette.


    But Chelsea showed up, and no matter how much she tried to fight it, she would soon be proven wrong.


    "Kelly, I didn''t know I would mess things up for you. But why are you getting involved with Rose again and causing trouble..."


    Getting involved with Rose meant getting involved with Jonathan.


    Even at this point, Kelly was still unwilling to ept her situation. "She just got luckier than I did."


    But why was it that Rose''s luck was always better than hers? She seemed to have all the good things happen to her.


    Kelly couldn''t make sense of it, and her feelings of jealousy only grew stronger.


    "Did you know? Rose... she''s not only Mr. Young Senior''s biological granddaughter, but her biological father...


    "Have you heard of Lerain Group? That''s just the tip of the iceberg when ites to the Xanth family. Domestically, there''s the Finch Group, and internationally it''s the Xanth family. Rose is actually the daughter of the Xanth family their only daughter!


    "I knew she wasn''t Jamie''s daughter, but I was surprised to find out that her biological father is such an important figure.


    "Mom, even you-no, even Jamie-wouldn''t believe that Celeste was actually involved with a big shot from the Xanth family, right?


    "Mom, I can''t match up to Rose, and you can''tpare to Celeste. Don''t you think we''re in the same boat?


    Kelly sounded somewhat possessed as sheughed.


    On the silent mountain road, only herughter could be heard, making it sound particrly creepy.


    Chelsea thought back to Celeste.


    When she knew Jamie, she was aware that he had a beautiful and capable new wife. Yet even so, Jamie was still fascinated by her.


    Since then, she had beenpared to Celeste.


    No matter how capable or beautiful a woman was, what did it matter if she didn''t have her husband''s love? That was truly the saddest situation. Jamie not only didn''t love Celeste, but he was even scheming to take herpany''s assets.


    There was a time when Jamie got drunk, and she heard him say, "Celeste, it would be great if you were dead!"


    Wow! Celeste''s husband even wished for her to be dead! That was truly the saddest of the sad.


    So, Chelsea caused the car ident.


    Celeste had indeed passed away, and Jamie was left in control of thepany.


    She became Mrs. Shaffer, and for a long time, she carried herself as if she were a winner.


    But now, knowing that Celeste was the daughter of the prestigious Young family in Regalia and realizing that Rose''s biological father was someone quite significant, things felt different.


    She suddenly had a strange feeling-it seemed as though she had never reached Celeste''s level.


    Someone who was beautiful,


    talented, came from a good family


    background, and had connections


    with the Xanth family... Why would Celeste possibly be interested in or have feelings for Jamie?


    She had an even stronger feeling after this thought.


    Jamie never caught Celeste''s attention, and naturally, neither had Chelsea.


    At that moment, Chelsea couldn''t quite describe what she was feeling inside, and


    she muttered softly, "But she''s still dead!"


    "She''s dead! But Rose was actually dead too!" Kelly said with a coldugh.


    Suddenly, a car came up from downhill. It was moving so quickly that it almost collided with the both of them.


    "Kelly, be careful!" Chelsea grabbed Kelly and pulled her away from the car for safety, but they both fell to the ground.


    "Can''t you see where you''re going?" Kelly''s knee was scraped and bleeding. She was in so much pain she wanted to yell.


    The car had already turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Chelsea suddenly recalled the fleeting glimpse she caught of the person in the driver''s seat as the car passed by, and it made her eyelid twitch involuntarily. Why did she feel like that car was deliberately trying to hit them?


    As she was deep in thought, a sudden sound of footsteps startled her from her reverie.


    They turned toward the direction of the sound.


    In the dim light, a few figures were approaching them. They gradually came closer, allowing Chelsea and Kelly to see them more clearly.


    There were several men standing there. They could hear the men talking.


    "They should be arriving soon, right?"


    "What did that person just say? The other person is a young woman..."


    "There''s people up ahead..."


    At the sound of the shout, the several men quickened their pace.


    As they got closer, Kelly and Chelsea felt increasingly uneasy.


    The men arrived in front of them, and several of them gave nces that seemed


    to be sizing them up.


    "Wasn''t it supposed to be a young woman? Why is there an older one?" someone asked, frowning in confusion.


    Even though the lighting was dim,


    Chelsea and Kelly could both clearly see the men. Their thuggish demeanor made them stand out, and particrly in the current environment, it inexplicably instilled fear.  ?wnovel


    "Who are you?" Kelly swallowed hard and gathered herposure, trying to intimidate the people and make them back off.


    But those peoplepletely ignored her, and their gaze became increasingly


    lecherous.


    "The young woman should be her. They said that the woman looked very distressed-doesn''t she look distressed too?"


    "Hurry up and finish it quickly. Let''s get the money sooner. The other party is offering a million dors."


    The men couldn''t believe their luck - they had women and wealth. It seemed like


    a great fortune fell right into theirps.


    Meanwhile, at that moment, Kelly felt as though she was struck hard with


    something.


    A disheveled woman, priced at a million dors...


    Wasn''t these descriptions meant for the woman in the red dress?


    She had instructed Olivia to make arrangements, but just in case the woman in


    the red dress escaped, she also contacted another group herself.


    She wanted topletely ruin that woman!


    Earlier, Rose disrupted everything, making her forget she even had ns like this.


    Kelly felt relieved knowing that the men were arranged by her.

 Chapter 643 Shes Back

    "I''m the one who called you here. You can leave now," Kelly said. She spoke in a way reminiscent of "Harriette''s" style.


    The men exchanged nces and suddenlyughed. "What is she talking about?"


    "Did she tell us to leave?"


    "Miss, we''ll listen to you. We''re leaving, but we want you toe with us!"


    As they were talking, two of the men burst intoughter and grabbed Kelly by the arms, one on each side, easily lifting her up.


    Chelsea suddenly came to her senses and eximed, "Kelly! What are you doing? Let her go!"


    She tried to intervene, but someone kicked her away.


    Kelly was panicking. She struggled fiercely andmanded once more, "Didn''t


    you hear me? I''m the one who called you. Let me go!"


    The men didn''t believe her and just thought she was being cunning.


    One of them sneered and said, "Don''t bother trying to deceive us. Do you think we are that easy to fool? If we fall for your trick, how are we supposed to get by?"


    "Let''s go."


    Two people held Kelly by the arms, while another two grabbed her by the ankles. "Ah!" Kelly let out a scream as the four people carried her away like livestock.


    Kelly was in a panic now. "Put me down! I''m really the one who called you here. Someone among you should recognize my voice. That''s right! Listen to my voice!"


    Her voice was hoarse and was unique.


    She had called one of them just now, so they should be able to recognize her voice.


    Kelly was full of anticipation, but then she saw the others nce at one person among them. That person just smiled nonchntly and said, "Of course I recognize it. The voice on the phone was so pleasant, and you... Tsk!"


    The person looked disdainful and said, "Your voice is indeed a bit unpleasant, but at worst, we''ll just have to put up with it a little."


    A slyugh echoed through the night.


    Kelly felt like she had been plunged into an icy ocean upon hearing that.


    She couldn''t stop reying what the men had just said in her mind. The voice on the phone was really pleasant to listen to...


    She didn''t call these people here!


    If it wasn''t her who invited them, then who was it? Was it Rose?


    Kelly didn''t have time to think too much. At that moment, there was only one thought in her mind-she couldn''t let them take her away. She already knew what would happen if they did.


    She struggled with all her might, yet she couldn''t move it at all.


    She was being carried farther and farther away when she thought of Chelsea.


    Kelly turned her head as far as she could. She was just barely able to see Chelsea running in her direction. It was as if she had seen a savior. "Mom! Mom! Save me! Save me!"


    "Kelly! Let her go! Whatever you want, take me instead. I''m willing to do anything..."


    Chelsea pleaded, but all she got in return was disdain from those people.


    "You? Ha! Forget about it."


    Chelsea watched helplessly as the group of men threw Kelly into a ck MPV, which then sped away.


    Chelsea copsed to the ground, her face full of despair. "Kelly..."


    What should she do now? How could she save Kelly?


    Chelsea struggled to get up when suddenly, a piercing sound of a car speeding came from behind. She turned around, and the intense lights caused her to fall back to the ground.


    She was terrified, thinking the car was about to hit her. When faced with the intense headlights, she even closed her eyes.


    But the anticipated collision and pain didn''t ur. It seemed the car had stopped.


    Still shaken up, Chelsea heard the sound of high heels click-cking nearby. It grew closer until a woman''s voice came from above her, asking, "Do you need any help?"


    Did she need help?


    Chelsea immediately thought of Kelly, who had been taken away. She definitely needed help!


    "I need it. I need..." Chelsea opened her eyes urgently, but when she saw the person in front of her, she froze,pletely forgetting what she was about to say.


    The person in front of her smiled and asked again, "What do you need my help with?"


    As the woman spoke, she reached out a hand toward Chelsea, trying to help her


    up.


    But Chelsea was too afraid to touch that hand.


    Almost immediately, she hurriedly lowered her head, saying, "No. I''m fine now. It''s fine."


    Chelsea''s gaze flickered as she stood up. Her mind was nk.


    After falling several times just now, she felt pain in many ces, but she pushed through and continued walking, getting faster and faster. She even forgot that Kelly was


    waiting to be saved.


    She gave up the chance to call for help, not because of anything else, but


    because of that person...


    It was so simr! It really was too simr!


    Celeste! She looked so much like Celeste!


    She looked just like Celeste with no


    noticeable difference. However, the Celeste she remembered was beautiful, artistic, elegant, and


    poised. In contrast, the person she


    just saw had an indescribable fierceness about her.


    How could that be? Celeste was dead. She died a long time ago in that car


    ident. Chelsea even witnessed her cremation.


    Chelsea suddenly seemed to recall something.


    That year, when Celeste was pulled out of the water, her injuries were extremely


    severe, especially on her face. It made her almost unrecognizable.


    Jamie identified Celeste''s body at the police station by the jewelry she was wearing.


    After that, she was cremated.


    Could it be that the person back then wasn''t actually Celeste?


    The thought lingered in Chelsea''s mind, leaving her feelingpletely confused.


    The sound of a car came from


    behind her once more, quickly


    catching up to her. The car stopped,


    and the woman inside asked her again, "Do you really not need any help?"


    "No, no..." Chelsea was too afraid to look at her, so she just kept shaking her


    head and quickened her pace.


    The car beside her easily caught up and maintained the same speed as she did.


    "If you need any help, just let me know. After all, we''re old friends."


    The woman''s voice sounded gentle, and when apanied by the night breeze,


    it was very pleasant to listen to.


    But Chelsea stopped breathing for a moment. It took her quite a while to catch her breath. An old friend...


    It was Celeste! It had to be Celeste!


    Chelsea was covered in sweat, and her footsteps were quickening, but the car kept following her.


    The person in the car acted like she was catching up with an old friend she hadn''t seen in years and was having an unexpected reunion.


    "It seems like you don''t want to see me. As for Jamie, does he know that it was you who tampered with the car?" the woman asked.


    The woman gripped the steering wheel, and a sarcastic appeared on her beautiful face. "How ridiculous! You''re using the same tactics on him again."


    Chelsea felt her scalp tingle. She even knew about this?


    "I wasn''t around, and you bullied her..." The woman appeared to have thought of someone. Her gaze softened, but her voice was almost icy with reproach. Chelsea immediately understood that the "Her" being referred to was Rose.


    Chelsea swallowed nervously.


    She felt an instinctive fear toward the person at that moment.


    She bullied Rose, and Kelly bullied Rose as well. These were the facts. Celeste


    was now back¡ªwould she seek revenge for her daughter? What was she going to do?


    The overwhelming mental pressure that was building up within Chelsea suddenly snapped like a taut string breaking.


    Chelsea, who had been running, suddenly came to a stop. At the same moment, the car beside her also came to a halt.

 Chapter 644 Going Back Home

    Chelsea was on the verge of a breakdown. She looked up and at the person sitting in the car. This time, she was absolutely certain it was Celeste!


    Chelsea''s first question was, "Why?"


    On the day of the ident, she confirmed that the person in the car was Celeste. She personally saw her getting into the car...


    Celeste understood what she was asking. "Because I happened to be able to escape."


    She was smart and perceptive and had already noticed Jamie''s intent to kill. Jamie was greedy-he wanted herpany and her money. To get all of that, he needed her dead.


    Dying in an ident was the best oue.


    She always kept a watchful eye on Jamie, constantly observing his every move. But she didn''t expect that Jamie''s lover would be the first to lose patience.


    So, she decided to turn the tables and use the situation to her advantage.


    "Escape?" Chelsea didn''t understand what she was saying. Or perhaps she never really understood the woman who once made her insanely jealous.


    "Do you want to know how?" Celeste turned to look at her. Her gaze was filled with a deep meaning.


    Chelsea felt a shiver run through her. "No. I don''t want to."


    The consequences of knowing what happened were more than she could bear.


    "I don''t want to know. I, I..." Chelsea still couldn''t bring herself to look at Celeste. Just from that one nce earlier, she realized that Celeste was different from before.


    The presence she exuded made it hard for others to look at her directly.


    She felt as small as an ant in front of Celeste, let alone thinking aboutpeting with her for anything.


    She didn''t even have the right to be jealous.


    Suddenly, Chelsea dropped to her knees.


    With a loud thud, her knee hit the rough surface of the road. Chelsea ignored her pain and called out, "Ce..."


    She thought carefully about how to address her, and in the end, she decided to say her name. "Celeste, I was wrong. I shouldn''t havepeted with you back then. I shouldn''t have secretly gotten involved with Jamie, and I definitely shouldn''t have tried to hurt you or Rose...


    "I shouldn''t have made Kellypete with her. I shouldn''t have allowed Kelly to hurt her. I shouldn''t have "


    "Enough!" Celeste seemed uninterested in listening to her apology.


    "I''m not here today to listen to you talk about things you shouldn''t have done. Every action has its consequences, and even if I had identally killed you a moment ago, it would have just been an ident. But I don''t want you dead right now. After all, you still need to save your daughter, don''t you?"


    Save Kelly... But was Chelsea currently able to save Kelly in any way?


    When she thought back to Kelly being taken away, Chelsea''s heart felt like it was being torn apart by a knife.


    She looked at Celeste.


    Celeste smiled at her and said, "By the way, it wasn''t me who had your daughter taken away."


    After finishing what she had to say, she drove off confidently.


    At that moment, Chelsea finally understood her purpose.


    Celeste was trying to make herself suffer mentally. If she was unable to rescue Kelly, she would torment herself. Whatever pain Kelly had to go through, she would feel the same.


    "Haha! I''m sorry. Kelly, I''m sorry... Who is it? Who would do this to you?"


    In the dim night, Chealsea was the only one left on the road.


    She thought about everything that had just happened. Kelly said she was the one who called those people, but then those men said that it wasn''t Kelly who called them.


    Who was it then? Was it Rose? Yes, it had to be Rose!


    But it was because it was Rose that Chelsea felt even more scared and helpless. She chuckled like a madwoman.


    Chelsea was not only afraid of Jonathan, who was Rose''s support, but now there was another person who terrified her-Celeste!


    Sheughed maniacally again.


    She couldn''t save Kelly!


    Gradually, Chelsea''sughter became increasingly maniacal as she grappled with her fear of Celeste and her helplessness regarding Kelly.


    Up on the mountain vi, Clover was quite upset after Kelly and Chelsea left. He expressed frustration, asking, "Are we just going to let them get away with it like that?"


    "Rose is not letting her go." Elijah nced at Clover. How could he not know what Rose was thinking?


    He looked at Rose with a tender and affectionate gaze.


    "Mr. Young Senior wouldn''t want Rose to get involved in something violent Making Kelly disappear is easy, but Rose wants Mr. Young Senior''s spirit to be at peace Elijah exined.


    Clover rubbed at his nose.


    Kelly lucked out!


    At that moment, Olivia, who had been inside the vi, came out. She looked at Rose with an excited expression and said, "Ms. Shaffer, wee back."


    Her smile was a genuine one.


    Rose thought about how well she and Olivia had worked together in the restroom earlier and felt even more grateful to her. "Thank you," she said.


    Olivia was pleasantly surprised. How could she possibly deserve thanks from Rose?


    "I should be the one thanking you. Ms. Shaffer is a genuinely good person." Olivia could never forget the sense of dignity that Rose bestowed


    upon her that day at Young Group.


    At that moment, she decided that no matter what she did, she would make sure to


    repay her in a meaningful way.


    This time, it seemed like she did really well.


    Suddenly, Olivia seemed to remember something. "Ms. Harriette-no, Kelly- asked me to find someone for her. I didn''t manage to find them, but I saw that she''d made a call.


    "I picked up her phone just now and dialed the first number on the list, only to find


    out she''d already contacted someone else. But don''t worry, I told them not to


    Olivia felt a chill as she thought about Kelly''s malice.


    Fortunately, everything was under Miles'' and Rose''s control.


    "Okay. You''reing down the mountain with us tonight." Rose was pleased with


    how Olivia handled things.


    She noticed that Olivia''s face still had a slight blush to it.


    She didn''t ask, but she knew it had something to do with Kelly and felt a twinge of


    heartache. "You must have been embarrassed."


    Olivia''s heart was racing. Rose was concerned about her!


    Rose seemed to be glowing before her. Olivia hurriedly said, "No, I wasn''t embarrassed. I''m quite shameless! It''s alright."


    As they were leaving, they saw Anastasia standing nearby.


    When Rose shifted her gaze in her direction, Anastasia had a hint of unease sh


    in her eyes.


    But soon, she quickly smiled at Rose.


    After the fake Harriette returned and her identity as "Ms. Harriette" was uncovered, it seemed like Anastasia had gained more rity about the situation.


    Rose was okay, and she was very happy about that.


    "Let''s go together," Rose replied with a smile.


    Anastasia was a bit surprised, but quickly, she approached Rose with natural


    ease.


    She got into the car with Rose.


    As the car passed the section of road where the streetlights hadn''t gone out,


    Anastasia nced out the window.


    "It''s really dark outside!" she said.


    Anastasia seemed to have sighed, but Rose didn''t pay any attention to it.


    Rose, at that moment, was thinking about something else. She was thinking about someone else.


    Jonathan hadn''t shown up tonight. This didn''t seem like something he would typically do.


    Was he busy with other things?


    Rose found herself missing him quite a bit. That longing grew inside her, gradually expanding until, in the end, her entire heart was nearly consumed by it.


    She wanted to see him. She really wanted to see him quickly!


    "Miles, I want to go to..." Rose told Miles the address of the new house that


    Jonathan had prepared.


    Miles raised an eyebrow but didn''t say anything.


    After half an hour, the car arrived at Rose''s destination.


    As soon as Rose got out of the car after saying goodbye to Miles, she eagerly


    pulled out her phone, found Jonathan''s number, and called him.

 Chapter 645 The Unexpected Lizzie

    Rose rarely called Jonathan, but whenever she did, he would pick up almost immediately. It seemed like Jonathan was always very enthusiastic toward her.


    But tonight, the phone rang for a long time with no one answering.


    When she made the second call, and the same thing happened again, Rose felt a twinge of unease. After making several more calls, there was still no answer.


    Rose''s sense of unease was growing stronger. She was just about to call Leonard and Finley when Ezra called her.


    "Hello, Ezra? Where''s Jonathan?" As soon as the call connected, Rose immediately asked that question. Her voice was tinged with nervousness and a slight tremble.


    On the other end of the phone, Ezra had informed Rose that Jonathan was "busy" and couldn''t make it tonight. However, when Rose asked him about it, Ezra suddenly felt inexplicably guilty.


    It was precisely due to this moment of guilt and hesitation that Rose was able to sense something was off, even over the phone.


    Before Ezra could speak, Rose asked another question, "What''s happened with Jonathan?"


    She held tightly onto her phone, but what she heard was Ezra''s deliberately casualughter. "Rose, what could happen to my brother? Something came up at thepany unexpectedly, so he probably won''t be able toe home tonight to see you."


    But Rose didn''t believe him. "He''s not picking up his phone," she said.


    Ezra felt at a loss for words. When he thought about what had happened just now, Ezra tugged at the corner of his mouth and quickly came up with an excuse. "He just boarded the ne, so-"


    Rose made up her mind before Ezra finished speaking, interrupting him, "Ezra, you''re lying to me."


    Ezra felt a bit at a loss on the other end of the phone.


    "Ezra, as your ''sister-inw'', it means we''re family. No matter what happens with Jonathan, you can''t keep it from me. Whatever he goes through, I should know about it. I worry about him. I..."


    At that moment, Rose realized that her feelings for Jonathan were much more than just missing him. Her whole heart had probably long been captured by him.


    "If you don''t tell me, I''ll go find him myself. Is he at Finch Manor? Or at one of Finch Group''s hospitals?"


    Rose was unsure of Jonathan''s whereabouts the past few days.


    But she had a vague idea that Jonathan might have "checked into a hospital" in some way to throw some people off and make them believe he wasn''t a threat, and they would feel at ease.


    On the other end of the phone, Ezra finally couldn''t keep it a secret any longer. "Rose, something has happened to Jonathan."


    "Something happened to Jonathan..." Rose couldn''t stop thinking about that


    sentence.


    She didn''t even have time to ask Ezra what exactly had happened to Jonathan before she rushed toward the door in a panic. She was in such a hurry that she didn''t even realize her shoe hade off while running.


    As she stepped out the door, she saw Elijah, Clover, and Miles, who had somehow returned without her noticing. She felt her heart sink even further into despair.


    "Rose, you found out." Clover ran over and helped Rose.


    They had just received the news as well.


    As soon as they heard the news, the three of them immediately turned back. They initially wanted to keep Rose calm and prevent her from worrying. But judging by her appearance, it seemed like she found out.


    Rose held Clover''s wrist tightly, suddenly feeling weak. She said, "Take me to find him."


    What happened to Jonathan? Rose didn''t dare to ask that question.


    In the car, Rose remained silent. Miles was driving while Clover was sitting in the backseat with Rose. Rose kept holding onto his wrist, not letting go for even a moment.


    The three of them tried tofort Rose multiple times, but in the end, she still said nothing.


    Elijah and Clover, as Rose''s father and brother, had many strict expectations for Jonathan. However, they had to admit that Jonathan genuinely cared for Rose.


    The most important thing was that Rose loved Jonathan.


    Jonathan''s significance might have been far greater than they realized.


    Rose looked out the car window. She realized that she had taken this road earlier,


    which led to the vi where the dinner party was being held today.


    Did Jonathan go to the vi?


    Soon, she got her answer.


    The car drove past the vi nestled in the mountains, continued forward and upward, and after a long drive, finally came to a stop.


    It waspletely dark all around, with a faint light visible in the distance.


    Rose got out of the car and headed straight to the brightly lit area. There she saw Ezra, Leonard, and even Eleanor and Cyrus.


    Everyone had a serious expression on their face, and she didn''t see Jonathan anywhere...


    Rose felt like her heart was being clenched tightly by arge hand She finally asked, "What about Jonathan?"


    Where was Jonathan?


    The several people present looked at Rose with concern on their faces.


    "Where''s Jonathan?" Rose asked again. She looked directly at Ezra, specifically indicating that she wanted him to answer.


    "Rose..." Ezra knew he couldn''t hide it, but to actually say what had just happened was simply too cruel.


    Ezra looked to the other side.


    Rose followed his gaze and saw that


    there was a cliff ahead. Beyond the cliff, it was pitch ck, and nothing was visible. It seemed as though Rose understood what had happened.


    Her body suddenly weakened, and she copsed to the ground.


    "Rose, don''t worry. Finley has already taken people down to search." Ezra stepped forward, wanting to help Rose up, but Clover and Miles beat him to it.


    "Clover, tell the person you brought to also go search," Elijah ordered.


    Clover quickly made a phone call and gave some instructions.


    Thete-night wind grew colder, bringing about a chill.


    Ezra recounted everything that happened.


    Jonathan had been restless at the hospital for some time. ording to the n, he was set to leave the hospital without any concerns tonight, but an unexpected event urred.


    The unexpected incident was Lizzie.


    No one knew how Lizzie managed to do it, but somehow she ended up taking Jonathan away.


    By the timeLeonard realized it, he immediately went after them. He followed them


    all the way.


    When Eleanor arrived, Leonard''s people had already surrounded Lizzie''s car at


    the edge of the cliff.


    Jonathan had fainted.


    When Cyrus arrived, Lizzie seemed almost frantic. The words she said felt like heavy blows, and even as Cyrus recalled them now, each word seemed to pierce his heart,


    Lizzie seemed to have lost her mind.


    In her mad frenzy, she started the car and mmed the elerator. The car


    drove off the cliff.


    As Rose listened, she felt as if her blood had frozen over.


    She gauged the journey up the mountain and assessed the height of the cliff. If


    the car drove off the edge, then Jonathan...


    Rose felt a sudden sharp pain pierce through her. She held Clover''s hand tightly and said, "Clover, help me find him."


    Her voice was choked with emotion as she turned to Miles and pleaded, "Miles, please help me..."


    She did the same with Elijah. "Dad..."


    "We''ll look. We''ll find them. Everything will be okay," Elijah said with determination


    in his voice.


    He assessed the height of the cliff, feeling that the chances of a positive oue


    were slim.


    The others watched Rose with concern. Her face was pale, and she had tears


    welling up in her eyes, yet she continued to hold them back, refusing to let them


    fall.


    It was as if she feared that letting her tears fall would bring about bad luck.


    She kept murmuring to herself, "It''s okay. Nothing will happen. Nothing will happen..."


    The others asked Rose to leave and wait for updates several times, but Rose remained unfazed.


    "I''m going to wait right here for him toe back," Rose said with determination. Finally, just before dawn, there was news. "They''ve been found! They''re found!"

 Chapter 646 Its Not Him

    The wind grew colder as dawn approached the mountain cliff.


    The people Finley sent out to search delivered the news, and upon hearing the words "They were found", Rose immediately ran over.


    After standing for a long time, her body became stiff, and she almost fell several times. But, fortunately, she managed to steady himself.


    "Where is he? Where is Jonathan? Is he hurt? Is it serious?" Rose asked a flurry of questions all at once.


    She still had countless questions she wanted to ask.


    The person who delivered the news saw Rose and suddenly froze. "Mrs. Finch..."


    Since Jonathan announced that he and Rose had already obtained a marriage certificate, it was made clear to everyone that whenever they encounter the former "Ms. Shaffer", regardless of the asion, they should address her as "Mrs. Finch".


    The person felt a bit troubled after hearing the recent developments. His reaction left Rose momentarily taken aback.


    Being perceptive as she was, Rose sensed something unusual. Without pressing further, her eyes flickered slightly, and she said, "It''s okay. I''m fine with anything. I''ll go see him anyway."


    Seeing him in person would give her peace of mind. She could definitely see him and be at peace!


    Rose reassured herself that Jonathan would be okay. She was about to see him. But the person hesitantly replied, "Mrs. Finch, the one we found wasn''t Mr. Finch. It was the madam... We still haven''t received any news about Mr. Finch."


    They hadn''t found Jonathan, and there was still no news about him...


    Rose staggered, and Miles quickly reached out to steady her.


    Milesforted, saying, "Rose... Don''t worry. They''re still searching and will find him soon. Jonathan is tough!"


    "Yeah, maybe we''ll find him soon. Let''s wait a bit longer."


    Clover nodded in agreement.


    Clover and Miles looked at each other, united in their purpose like never before. Rose managed to force a smile. "Yeah, Let''s just wait. He''lle back. He..."


    He wouldn''t abandon her! Rose was confident about that.


    At the bottom of the mountain cliff, there was a reservoir.


    The reservoir was quiterge and stretched over a great distance. The team from Azure n, the bodyguards Clover brought over from the Xanth family, and Miles'' people conducted a joint search for several days.


    With each passing day, the expressions on people''s faces grew increasingly serious.


    They couldn''t find Jonathan. They didn''t know if he was alive or dead.


    But at that moment, it seemed like no news was good news.


    Back at their new house, Rose looked very pale. She had been waiting on the mountain, but the next day she fainted. When she woke up again, she was in a new room.


    Emily took care of her daily needs.


    There were several men out and about, all involved in the search.


    Emily observed Rose curled up on the couch. In just a few days, Rose had


    noticeably lost weight and looked extremely haggard.


    Emily felt a bit heartbroken by the sight.


    "Rose, how about having something to eat? Or, if you''re not hungry, we can just take a break and have a nap. Does that sound good?"


    Rose hadn''t slept in several days.


    Sometimes she ate a little, but she would take a few bites before stopping. It was as if eating was just a task necessary for survival-something she had to do to stay alive long enough for Jonathan to return.


    Rose gave Emily a thankful smile.


    But to Emily, this smile looked even more heartbreaking than if Rose weren''t smiling at all.


    Even though she was so heartbroken, she still cared about others'' feelings.


    Rose couldn''t eat more than a couple of bites. She knew she had to sleep, but whenever she closed her eyes, all she could think about was Jonathan. She thought about their first meeting at the bar and their subsequent agreement to get married.


    Every memory was exceptionally clear in her mind.


    The more she thought about it, the harder it was for her to fall asleep.


    Where was Jonathan now? Was he dead or alive?


    Clover suggested that as long as a body hadn''t been found and there was no news, the person was likely still alive. He might just have been held up by some situation.


    Miles said Jonathan cared about Rose so much that he couldn''t help bute back just after announcing the happy news about getting a marriage certificate with her.


    Elijah mentioned that he was quite satisfied with Jonathan, and once he returned, he wouldfortably entrust her to him.


    Rose believed that Jonathan woulde back. It was possible that, for some reason, he truly got held up.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Finch Manor, the atmosphere felt very deste and eerie.


    Eleanor hadn''t left the house for a few days and had been keeping a close watch on any updates from Finley.


    However, it seemed like someone else couldn''t hold back any longer.


    Jonathan''s whereabouts were unknown, and it was uncertain whether he was alive or dead, which caused Yosef, who had previously been suppressing his thoughts, to start contemting them again.


    "Mom, with Finch Group being such argepany, it''s not ideal for it to be without steady leadership for so long.


    "Mom, I''m just having Liam temporarily take over. When Jonathan returns, Finch Group will still be his. I''m only considering this for the sake of the Finch family and Finch Group.


    "Mom, otherwise, I''ll just temporarily take over-"


    A sudden loud bang echoed in the study, followed by a cry of pain.


    Eleanor sternly pointed her walking stick at Yosef, who was clutching his forehead.


    "I''ve told you before. Don''t even think about it. Liam is nowhere near as good as Jonathan. It was


    Jonathan''s idea to let him enter the Finch family in the first ce. If you want that illegitimate child to take control of the entire Finch Group, it''ll only happen over my dead body!


    "Don''t think I don''t know exactly what you''re capable of.


    "I''m warning you. If you know what''s good for you, focus on your job and keep things to yourself. Whether it''s regarding Finch Group or anyone else, you must not reveal anything about Jonathan''s disappearance."


    Finch Group had been keeping this information under wraps.


    The Young family and the Xanth family also worked together seamlessly to help keep things hidden.


    If the news got out, there was no telling how much Finch Group''s stock price


    would fall.


    Fortunately, since Jonathan was "severely injured in a car ident and hospitalized", he hadn''t been around for a while, and outsiders hadn''t noticed anything unusual.


    "What are you standing around for? Get lost! Don''te back and bother me again!" Eleanor didn''t want to see him any longer.


    These past few days, she had been feeling extremely agitated.


    The cause of all of this was Lizzie!


    Eleanor thought about Lizzie with a hint of disgust in her eyes. It seemed to her


    that Lizzie was like a fly that previously masqueraded as a butterfly, buzzing around her.


    She never liked Lizzie before.


    She always thought Lizzie married Cyrus for wealth and prosperity, but little did she know that she had such sordid intentions hidden within the Finch family.


    "Damn it!" Eleanor was getting more and more upset the more she thought about


    it.


    Eleanor felt uneasy and restless, as if a weight was pressing on her chest.


    After hesitating for a moment, she suddenly got up and made a phone call to


    Cyrus. "Where are you? Come with me to the hospital!"


    On the other end of the phone, Cyrus paused for a moment. The hospital?


    He was about to instinctively refuse after thinking about it, but before he could say anything, Eleanor had already hung up the phone.


    Cyrus looked troubled. He knew exactly who was in the hospital.


    During the days that Jonathan was missing, he was avoiding the events of that day and the things he heard. He tried not to think about them. He was in a daze as if this was the only way to feel a bit better.


    But in the end, he still had to face it.


    Cyrus took a deep breath as the guilt he had been suppressing continued to well


    up within him.


    "I''m sorry."


    He had finally said those words, but even he couldn''t tell who they were meant for.

 Chapter 647 Who Said She Hates Him

    Cyrus knew that he had let down too many people!


    ...


    Eleanor and Cyrus met at the hospital.


    Before Eleanor arrived, Cyrus hadn''t gone in. Even at this moment, he still wasn''t willing to face the situation.


    Eleanor nced at him, her gaze as sharp as knives.


    She found Lizzie disgusting and also med Cyrus.


    If Cyrus hadn''t married the troublesome Lizzie from the start, she wouldn''t have had the chance to sneak into the Finch family with such malicious intentions.


    Now, it had also resulted in Jonathan going missing!


    Eleanor admired strength and ability. When it came to her descendants, she valued capability above all. She always thought highly of Jonathan, but during his upbringing, she did not show him much affection or care.


    Still, with the asional gifts he received from her, he had cherished them deeply.


    It was not because she provided him with enough or anything special, but because Jonathan was simply a very good person.


    He was someone who appeared aloof or detached on the outside but was actually warm and passionate on the inside. He was someone who knew how to be appreciative and thankful.


    "Mom, when they found Lizzie, she was covered in injuries and almost... died."


    Cyrus couldn''t quite describe the mix of emotions he was currently feeling.


    When he finished speaking, Eleanor hit him with her walking stick. "What? Do you feel sorry for her getting hurt? Sorry that she almost died?"


    "No, that''s not what I meant..."


    "What do you mean by that? Don''t forget that Jonathan is still missing. Jonathan is your son!" Eleanor said sternly, her voice sounding sharp.


    Eleanor had two sons-Yosef had plenty of ambition, but his skills werecking.


    Cyrus was quitepetent at his job, but when it came to personal matters and rtionships, things were aplete mess.


    Eleanor had begun to increasingly appreciate Jonathan''s value.


    Eleanor remarked coldly, "That troublemaker Lizzie should have just died."


    She stormed into the hallway of the hospital, only to see the person who was supposed to have died in the fall lying in a hospital bed. Her eyes were open, though Eleanor couldn''t tell when the person had regained consciousness.


    Eleanor paused for a moment before muttering, "You''re such a disaster. Even this couldn''t kill you."


    Eleanor nced at Lizzie''s numerous bandages, her gaze as sharp as a knife. "Weren''t you trying to end it all that night? What happened? Couldn''t go through with it? Lizzie, sometimes staying alive is worse than death."


    Eleanor came today just to vent her frustration and anger. That was why she didn''t hold back when it came to berating Lizzie.


    After hearing Eleanor''s voice, Lizzie''s previously vacant gaze at the ceiling shifted slightly.


    Since waking up, the only people she had seen were doctors and nurses. She hadn''t seen anyone else.


    For the first time, someone came to visit her.


    Lizzie hesitantly began to speak, her voice a bit sore from not having used it for a long time. After a moment of getting used to it, she finally managed to ask her question. "Where is Jonathan?"


    "How dare you ask!" Eleanor shouted, trembling with anger. "You intended to kill him, and now look what happened-you survived, but he..."


    Eleanor gritted her teeth. "Lizzie, don''t think that just because you''ve survived, you can continue living on!"


    At that moment, Lizzie was no longer paying attention to Eleanor''s threats. Her mind echoed what Eleanor said.


    She survived, but he... Had Jonathan died?


    How could this be? She had nned everything carefully and made her decisions long ago. The reason she chose that particr cliff was because there is a reservoir below it.


    She added some special protection to the car. She even calcted the car''s speed in advance to ensure that when it went off, it wouldnd in the water.


    She had no intention of dying, and she certainly had no intention of letting Jonathan die.


    She just wanted everyone to believe they were either dead or missing. She had even prepared new identities for them. There would always be a ce in the world where Finch Group could not find them.


    What she wanted had always been Jonathan! But now...


    "Dead? How could he be dead?" Lizzie murmured softly. Oh, that was right. She remembered what happened.


    After the car went off the road, she managed to pull Jonathan out of the vehicle while they were in the water. However, something seemed to


    strike her afterward, and she


    couldn''t remember anything beyond that point.


    That was an ident... It was an ident!


    Suddenly, in the room, Eleanor eximed, "Rose?"


    Cyrus and Lizzie followed Eleanor''s gaze. They indeed saw Rose standing at the doorway.


    At this point, Lizzie could no longer hide her jealousy.


    She looked at Rose with a gaze as sharp as daggers, while Rose looked back at her with a nk expression and cold eyes.


    "Rose, why are you here? Come with me. Let''s get out of here." Eleanor said, not wanting to let Rose and Lizzie meet.


    She had her reasons for doing so.


    As she spoke, she stepped forward, took Rose by the hand, and headed straight for the exit.


    However, Rose did not move.


    "Grandma..." Rose began.


    Eleanor paused in her tracks.


    Rose used to always call her "Mrs. Finch Senior" and never called her


    "Grandmother". But now she...


    Eleanor, known for her cold and pragmatic nature, felt an inexplicable stir in her heart at that moment.


    "Grandma, I have a question for her," Rose said with a smile.


    Eleanor frowned and said, "Rose, she''s just crazy. We shouldn''t..."


    "Grandma, let me ask it."


    In the end, Eleanor couldn''t resist Rose''s insistence. She pulled Rose into the hospital room, but her eyes were full of warning as she looked at Lizzie.


    She was cautioning her to watch her words.


    Lizzie chuckled softly.


    Jonathan had died, and Eleanor... Could Eleanor still be dreaming of a marriage between Jonathan and


    Rose? It was Lizzie''s first time


    seeing Eleanore so protective of any inw like this.


    Lizzie remembered that when Rose was just starting out, Eleanor also disapproved of Rose because she came from a modest background in Aquastead.


    And now, she was defending her.


    "You didn''t get it either!" Lizzie mumbled to herself almost smugly. She didn''t give


    Rose a chance to ask her question.


    Rose furrowed her brows. Before she came, she had many spections.


    She kept wondering why Lizzie had


    such a problem with Jonathan. She


    had also asked Ezra about the reason, but Ezra''s evasive answers only deepened her suspicions.


    When she saw the jealous look in Lizzie''s eyes just now, another suspicion formed in her mind.


    "Why?" Rose stood by the edge of the hospital bed, staring intently at Lizzie without blinking. "Why do you hate Jonathan so much?"


    She asked that question on purpose.


    As expected, Lizzie let out a dismissive chuckle. Her smirk seemed to entirely dismiss the question she was asked.


    "Hate? Who said I hate him? Didn''t they tell you?" Lizzie sounded as if she had discovered something new.


    Shey on the hospital bed, and every movement she made brought her severe pain. But her expression was one of joy and contentment.


    As soon as she finished speaking, Eleanor sternly rebuked, "Lizzie, shut up! You''re crazy! Rose, she''s just a lunatic. We..."


    Eleanor didn''t want Rose and Lizzie to interact because she was afraid it would


    be shameful. But now, there was another reason why she didn''t want them to


    meet.


    She didn''t want Rose to find out about all the messy stuff. She wanted to protect


    her.


    Eleanor urged, "Rose, let''s go..."


    Once again, Eleanor grabbed Rose, trying to leave.


    But Lizzie burst intoughter. "Who says I hate him? How could I possibly hate


    him? I clearly..."

 Chapter 648 The Main Culprit

    "I clearly... I clearly love him so much," Lizzie burst intoughter as she said that.


    Even though Rose had a slight suspicion earlier, she was still shocked when she heard it.


    Lizzie loved Jonathan? But Lizzie was Jonathan''s stepmother!


    "Lizzie, shut up!"


    This time, it wasn''t Eleanor who told Lizzie to stop talking, but Cyrus.


    Cyrus looked at Lizzie lying in the hospital bed. His eyes were filled with anger, disgust, and a mix ofplex emotions. "You''re insane! You lunatic!" he eximed.


    He had already heard those words once before on the cliff that day.


    Lately, he had been trying to avoid thinking about it. But at that moment, he finally understood that there were some truths he simply could not avoid.


    He believed that Lizzie betrayed him by getting involved with Carl, and he thought it was because he was still hung up on Nancy. Her actions were either done as revenge against him or for her to seek emotional respite.


    But the reality was that Lizzie''s thoughts were always centered on Jonathan.


    Cyrus sighed.


    "A lunatic?" Lizzieughed even more wildly. "I am a lunatic!"


    Lizzie didn''t care about Cyrus'' or Eleanor''s thoughts about her.


    She knew they were extremely disgusted with her, believing she was unworthy of loving Jonathan and thinking her affection for him was disgraceful and contemptible.


    Whether she loved someone or not wasn''t something she could control.


    She couldn''t even be bothered to nce at Eleanor or Cyrus.


    Lizzie gazed steadily at Rose as if wanting to share something with her. "I love him more than any of you. Ever since I first saw him all those years ago...


    "You haven''t seen him when he was young, have you? Even then, he was incredibly bright and striking, so much so that any girl whoid eyes on him couldn''t look away.


    "Back then, I was just an ordinary girl. I was only a few years older than him. There was nothing wrong with liking him.


    "At that time, he was also someone people didn''t easily approach, but I had a legitimate reason to get close to him...


    "Nancy was into painting, and he probably missed his mother. So when Mrs. Finch Senior asked him to choose what to study, he chose painting. I was selected by Mrs. Finch Senior to be the teacher giving him lessons at Finch Manor.


    "Having the ss once a week felt too infrequent, yet each time, I really cherished the time spent with him.


    "I taught him how to paint... Haha! Actually, I didn''t teach him much. He probably inherited talent from Nancy, as he''s naturally gifted in painting.


    "Rather than saying he was learning how to paint, it was more urate to say he used this time to miss his mother with a sense of justification. And I stayed with him.


    "I knew he loved his mother, so after Nancy was brought back to Finch Manor by Cyrus, I deliberately got close to Nancy, hoping to win both their favors, but...


    "I was still discovered.


    "He knew I liked him and was about to fire me. But why fire me just because I like him? I''m just fond of him, that''s all. Thankfully, there was Cyrus..."


    When Lizzie talked about Cyrus, she didn''t look at him at all. However, Cyrus clenched his fist.


    Lizzie continued, "Back then, Jonathan didn''t have a say in things. Cyrus saw that I was well-behaved and kind, so he allowed me to continue attending sses. Even though Jonathan would ignore me every time, I was content just to see him. "But gradually, I became unsatisfied again. I didn''t like people who got too close to him, and Harriette was one of them. Harriette was cheerful and outgoing, and she seemed a perfect match for Jonathan, but she..."


    Lizzie suddenly scoffed. "Someone like her who''s so two-faced isn''t good enough for Jonathan! So..."


    As Rose listened, she felt a sharp chill slowly creep into her heart.


    That evening, Carl confessed to everything, including Harriette''s disappearance. She always felt something was off about it.


    With Lizzie exining all of it, everything made sense-it wasn''t Carl who nned it, but Lizzie.


    Lizzie was responsible for Harriette''s death. No, that wasn''t right. Harriette''s body was never found, and that was why Kelly was able to appear with Harriette''s face. Everyone would have assumed she was Harriette.


    So Harriette was still missing. Then, where was the real Harriette now?


    This thought briefly passed through Rose''s mind, only to be pulled back by Lizzie''s hystericalughter.


    "There''s also Nancy..."


    When Lizzie mentioned her, her gaze turned cold.


    "I tried so hard to please her, hoping to win her favor, but... she''s really perceptive. She even figured out that I liked Jonathan, even though I never said anything to her. Ha! It''s because Nance truly loved her son. That''s why she paid extra attention.


    "I treated her so well, but she criticized me and told me that it''s better for girls to act purely. Hah!Purity?


    "Of course, Nancy was genuinely pure. She came from the Turner family, a family known for its schrly background and wealth. She could afford to be pure, but as for me... given my background, what use is purity?


    "She didn''t do anything, yet she looked down on me. Hah! How could I let that slide?"


    Lizzie guffawed.


    These were secrets she once tried very hard to keep hidden. But at that moment, she really didn''t want to hide it anymore.


    What did it matter if everyone knew? Nancy was dead, and she had be Mrs. Finch!


    "Lizzie, you... have such a wicked heart!" Cyrus suddenly felt a wave of weakness wash over him. He leaned against the wall just to barely keep himself steady.


    He recalled that during that time, it was Lizzie''s "care" toward Nancy that made him see her in a different light.


    Little did he know it was all fake. Worse still, he even married the person responsible for Nancy''s death.


    "Hehe! Wicked? Me, wicked? Cyrus, I''m not the wicked one. It''s you. You think you''re wholeheartedly devoted to Nancy, but in reality, you''re only concerned about yourself. Do you know how much she suffered during that time?


    "Hahaha, it''s you who wronged her. You''ve shown no concern for your son all these years, yet you still believe you''re devotedly reminiscing about her. If she were watching from above, she would be so disappointed in you!


    "Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous," Lizzie mocked with delight, feeling extremely satisfied as she observed the regret and pain on Cyrus''s face.


    "Cyrus, she hates you!"


    She hated him... That sentence felt like a knife plunging deeply into Cyrus'' heart.


    She should rightfully hate him!


    "Nan..."


    Cyrus tried to say Nance''s name, but the word got stuck in his throat, and he just couldn''t get it out.


    It felt as if something was preventing him from saying that name. Was it that Nancy didn''t want him to call her that?


    That was right. Why would he even have the right to call out that name anymore?


    How could he still have the audacity to call that name?


    Cyrus was feeling extremely upset and ufortable. He bent over, curling up


    his entire body, appearing to be in a lot of pain.


    Rose looked at him. Her gaze reflected a deep and calm indifference. She


    couldn''t sympathize with Cyrus.


    For Nancy, Ezra, and Jonathan-if Lizzie was detestable, wasn''t Cyrus just as detestable?


    At this moment, the more Cyrus regretted it, the more her heart ached for Jonathan, and Ezra, and even more so for theirte mother, Nancy. Meanwhile, Lizzie, who was considered the main culprit...

 Chapter 649 Shes Pregnant

    Rose looked at Lizzie lying in the hospital bed. Lizzie''s eyes had a wild look, and even the slightest smile would pull at her wounds, causing her to grimace in pain.


    Yet, Lizzie continued tough uncontrobly. She was feeling triumphant and mocking.


    She took pride in how she single-handedly ruined so many people, and was now mocking them for being pitiful and pathetic after being yed by her.


    Rose felt her anger intensifying. She gazed at Lizzie and slowly spoke amidst Lizzie''sughter. "You don''t love him!"


    Lizzie was speechless, and herughter came to an abrupt halt.


    Lizzie''s smile froze for a moment, but she quickly returned to a triumphant expression. "I love him more than any of you do!"


    Rose scoffed. "Really? You say you love him, but you''re willing to put him in danger and let him die? Is that what you call love?


    "It''s just your distorted way of thinking. You''re angry because he doesn''t like you. Because he doesn''t think you''re good enough. All you''ve done is to vent that twisted resentment. This... is truly pitiful."


    Rose''s voice sounded cool and calm.


    Lizzie looked at her, and at that moment, she actually thought that the way Rose was looking at her was just like how Jonathan used to look at her long ago.


    What kind of look was that? It wasn''t so much disdain as it was indifference, as if no matter what she did, she would never catch his attention.


    Being ignored like that drove her crazy. It filled her with dissatisfaction and left her feeling unwilling to ept the situation.


    "That''s not true. You''re making things up!" Lizzie shouted fiercely.


    Rose chuckled softly. "You know better than anyone if I''m speaking nonsense."


    Lizzie felt anxious now.


    "No, no. I love him. I love him so much. What you''re saying is nonsense. It''spletely untrue," Lizzie muttered to herself.


    It seemed as if by repeatedly emphasizing her points, she could somehow forget the things Rose had just said.


    Yet, the more she did so, the more deeply those words were etched in her mind.


    She could only keep repeating it over and over again.


    Rose bluntly confronted her by saying, "The truth is, deep down, you always knew you didn''t love him, but you just didn''t want to admit it!"


    "No! That''s not true!"


    "Yes, you''re just a twisted person. You''ve done so many evil things, and you already know that if Jonathan finds out about them, he''ll only hate you more and


    be even more disgusted with you," Rose said, raising her voice.


    Her oppressive momentum seemed to push down on Lizzie.


    Lizzie felt increasingly unsettled. She kept muttering "no", and in her agitation, she even started tearing at the bandages covering her wounds.


    She pulled out the infusion needle, and blood immediately started flowing from the back of her hand. The vivid red looked striking and was capable of making people frown. But no one present stepped forward.


    If Lizzie deserved sympathy, then what about the missing Jonathan?


    Rose wasn''t a saint. She couldn''t bring herself to feel any sympathy for someone who had harmed her husband.


    "Haha! No... No..." Lizzie seemed to have lost her mind, frantically tearing off all the equipment connected to her body.


    After a bit of a struggle, she fell off the hospital bed. The pain from the impact made her face turn even more pale.


    Though her face was contorted with pain, she continued tough wildly. She had lost her mind!


    Eleanor looked at Lizzie with disdain, took Rose by the hand, and said, "Let''s go. This woman is crazy. Since she''s crazy, she should be ced somewhere appropriate."


    She aimed herstment at Cyrus.


    This time, Cyrus did not plead on behalf of Lizzie and chose not to protect her.


    Rose furrowed her brows.


    She naturally knew what the "suitable ce" Eleanor was referring to when she mentioned it. Regardless of whether Lizzie was actually mad, getting sent there would result in her going insane anyway.


    Rose took a deep breath and turned to leave.


    Just then, Lizzie suddenly called out to her, "Rose!"


    Rose paused slightly in her steps but did not look at her.


    "Come over here. I have a secret about Jonathan. Do you want to hear it?" Lizzie asked, exhausted and sweaty from her recent struggle. Shey on the ground, looking up at Rose.


    Rose frowned.


    Seeing Rose hesitate, Lizzie added, "What? Are you scared? Or do you just not want to know?"


    Rose was not afraid. She had alreadye here today, so there was nothing to be afraid of.


    Stepping forward boldly, she looked down at Lizzie and said, "Go ahead and speak."


    "Come closer. This thing I want to say is for you to hear only." Lizzie gestured to Rose with her finger.


    Rose crouched down and leaned in with her ear close to Lizzie.


    Suddenly, Lizzie''s voice, as faint as a mosquito buzzing, sounded next to her ear Jonathan... even if he''s not dead he can''t be found anymore because I gave him..."


    After Lizzie finished speaking, she burst into uncontrobleughter.


    Rose''s expression suddenly turned grim. "How could you... how could you do that!"


    Rose red angrily at Lizzie. With those words echoing in her mind, she felt her emotions surge, making her feel dizzy.


    Then she heard Eleanor exim, "Rose! Rose!"


    In the next instant, Rose fell to the ground, unable to hear anything anymore.


    Rose had a dream.


    Recently, she had very little sleep, let alone time to dream.


    Rose couldn''t help but think that if she had known earlier that she could meet Jonathan in her dreams, she might have decided to sleep long ago.


    In her dream, Rose clearly saw Jonathan smiling gently at her. She watched him make breakfast for her and saw the loving gaze in his eyes.


    "Rose..." His voice came through gently.


    His voice seemed to disturb her dream, and in it, Jonathan appeared to have changed.


    His expression was gloomy, and when she approached to call him, his eyes


    looked at her with such unfamiliarity as if he didn''t know her at all.


    He simply nced at her briefly and then turned and walked away.


    "Hubby..." Rose called out to him, but there was no response, and his voice


    drifted further and further away.


    "Jonathan, please don''t go..."


    Rose suddenly woke up.


    She opened her eyes and instinctively nced around the room as if she were


    searching for him, but he was nowhere to be seen.


    That was just a dream!


    Rose felt a wave of sadness wash over her.


    "Rose, did you dream about Jonathan?" Eleanor asked gently.


    Rose''s gaze flickered slightly.


    Eleanor held her hand and said, "Poor thing. Jonathan will be found. He wille back. You must wait for him. You and the child, both of you must wait for him!"


    She and the child...?


    Rose looked at Eleanor. What did Eleanor mean by that?


    Eleanor looked at Rose with a caring expression. "You''re pregnant, and you didn''t


    even know it? Thankfully, thankfully nothing happened, otherwise..."


    When Eleanor first heard that Rose was pregnant, she thought she would feel


    relieved.


    But if Jonathan was no longer around, the connection between Rose and the Finch family, as well as


    the link between the Finch and Xanth families, would also be gone.


    Whether the recently finalized partnership between the Finch and Xanth families


    would continue smoothly was uncertain.


    However, now that Rose was pregnant, everything changed.


    She thought that the presence of the child would make her happy, for it


    would mean securing the cooperation between the Finch- family and the Xanth family. But at that moment, her first reaction was unexpectedly one of tears of joy.


    She wept for both Jonathan''s happiness and also for his sorrow. Jonathan was


    going to be a dad!


    But Eleanor was still feeling a bit uncertain. She nervously looked at Rose and asked, "Are you going to keep the baby?"

 Chapter 650 No Jonathan

    Eleanor looked at Rose with keen eyes.


    Rose was still in shock from the news she had just received. She was pregnant?


    Rose nced down at her belly, feeling a strange sensation arise within her.


    Her hand touched her belly. There was even a slight tremble in her hand as the word "pregnant" echoed in her mind.


    She was pregnant! It was hers and Jonathan''s baby...


    "Rose?" Eleanor called out again. She didn''t receive an answer, which only increased her uncertainty.


    Jonathan had been missing for so long without any trace. Perhaps he really was dead.


    Rose was so young, yet she...


    "Of course," Rose replied to Eleanor''s question with great determination. "I will give birth to him."


    She was determined to have Jonathan''s child.


    Eleanor was overwhelmed with joy and burst into tears of happiness. "Good, good! What a kind soul! Jonathan, he..."


    "Jonathan will be found." Rose took a deep breath. She and the child would be waiting for Jonathan to return.


    After they left the hospital, Rose felt hunger for the first time since learning about Jonathan''s fall from the cliff.


    "I''m hungry," she said.


    In the car, Eleanor was supposed to take Rose back to her ce. When she heard Rose say she was hungry, she immediately spoke up.


    "Let''s go to Finch Manor. I can have someone prepare some food for you. The chef there has great skills and can make dishes to suit everyone''s tastes in the family. Just tell me what you like, and I''ll have him make it for you.


    "In the future, you should have him make more of the things you like to eat." Eleanor''s expression was full of kindness.


    The entire way, she held onto Rose''s hand without letting go once. She was still filled with the joy of Rose''s decision to have the baby.


    Jonathan wasn''t present, but she was determined to take good care of Rose and her child. "Rose, what would you like to eat?"


    Rose imagined Jonathan wearing an apron and making breakfast for her. "I want to eat what Jonathan likes," she suddenly said.


    Eleanor was momentarily taken aback. She eventually managed to


    suppress her feelings of healright,


    She


    orced a smile and said,


    I''ll have them prepare it right away."


    Upon her return to Finch Manor once more, Rose experienced a feeling she had never felt before.


    With every step she took, she wondered if Jonathan had ever walked on this spot and if his footprints were still there.


    She moved forward step by step as if Jonathan was leading her. She followed his lead, tracing his footsteps one by one.


    Rose thought she saw Jonathan turn his head, with sunlight shining on his face.


    "Jonathan..." she called out.


    Rose stepped forward quickly, reaching out to grab him, but as soon as her hand made contact, everything vanished like a shattered illusion.


    He wasn''t in front of her now. Jonathan wasn''t there.


    Rose stood there feeling lost.


    Eleanor looked at her with concern She reached out to hold Rose''s hand, which was dangling in the air, and gently said, "Come on. Let''s go get something to eat."


    Rose faced Eleanor''s calm gaze and followed her steps.


    At the dining table were a few dishes that were simple and homemade.


    Rose remembered that every time Jonathan cooked, he always made dishes she liked, and she never saw him prepare the ones he preferred.


    Rose picked up some food with her utensils, ced it in her mouth, and savored the dishes he loved.


    Rose only stopped when she was too full to eat anymore.


    That night, Rose didn''t return to the vi. Eleanor arranged for her to stay in Jonathan''s room at Finch Manor.


    "He stopped living in this room quite a while ago. I know he never really liked it here." Eleanor paused for a moment as she showed Rose into the room.


    Eleanor, who was previously known for her rationality and focus on profit, had recently shown a bit more emotion.


    Especially after learning today that Rose was pregnant, she felt her heart softening up.

 Chapter 651 Renewed Hope

    Rose had visited Jonathan''s room once before.


    The room had a cool tone palette, giving off an oppressive atmosphere. She could almost feel what Jonathan''s mood must have been like when he lived here-he had been holding back his true self.


    "I want to make some changes here," Rose said.


    Eleanor paused for a moment and then replied, "Alright, you can make any changes you want. I''ll assign someone to assist you. Whatever you need done, just instruct her to do it."


    The next day, Eleanor brought someone over.


    "Mrs. Finch, my name is Yvette Zimmerman. If there''s anything you need in the future, you can ask me to handle it."


    Rose was busy jotting down notes and sketches on a piece of paper.


    When she looked up, she saw Yvette. She was a young girl with bright, pure- looking eyes. She was in her 20s and appeared very sweet and well-behaved.


    Rose chose not to speak and simply offered a polite smile.


    Yvette was very quiet, yet she was efficient in getting things done.


    When Rose began the renovations in the room, Ezra returned to Finch Manor. When he watched Rose busy herself with work, he knew that she was more concerned about Jonathan''s current situation than anyone else.


    "Rose, my brother..."


    Ezra was standing not far behind Rose.


    His expression looked serious. Ezra wanted to tell Rose about the current progress in the search for Jonathan, but when he thought about the results so far, he hesitated to speak.


    He clearly saw Rose''s hand holding the pen stiffen slightly.


    Ezra suddenly felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. "My brother..."


    "Your brother wille back," Rose said softly but with unmistakable determination.


    It was as if she had made up her mind and felt the need to reassure Ezra. Rose turned, looked into Ezra''s eyes, and began to speak again, slowly and deliberately.


    "He wille back," she said.


    Ezra felt a sudden jolt, as if something had struck his heart when he heard what she repeated.


    Lately, he had been feeling quite down and pessimistic.


    As time passed slowly, the Azure n, the Xanth family, and the Young familybined all their efforts, but they still couldn''t find Jonathan.


    They had almost searched every part of the waters below the cliff only toe up empty-handed.


    It was as if Jonathan had vanished into thin air. If he was alive, then he was


    missing. But there was also no trace of a body if he was dead.


    A living person is missing, and there''s no trace of a body when they die.


    The hope Ezra initially held in his heart was gradually eroded by the fear as time passed.


    If Jonathan was alive, then why couldn''t he be found? And if he was dead...


    Ezra gazed into Rose''s eyes. Her words, "He wille back", renewed the hope in his heart.


    "Yes, he''lle back." A smile appeared on Ezra''s face.


    This was the first time he smiled since Jonathan fell off the cliff.


    The two of them exchanged a nce.


    Last night Ezra heard that Rose wanted to make some changes to Jonathan''s room at Finch Manor. He took a look at the design sketches Rose had drawn on paper


    "I''ve never diked how Jonathan''s room was set up. It''s so gloomy and gives off a cold vibe as soon as you walkin. Rose, you should make it feel warmer," he said.


    Ezra was supportive of Rose''s actions.


    "Once you''re done, or maybe even before you''re done, Jonathan will be back," Ezra said with a spark of hope.


    Rose reminded herself once again that Jonathan would return.


    While she was waiting for Jonathan to return, the Young family was in turmoil.


    Early that morning, there was amotion outside Finch Manor. Several cars had intercepted the troublemaker at thest moment.


    Miles stepped out of the car with a darkened expression. Usually calm and collected, today, he exuded a menacing demeanor. He swiftly walked and stopped at the vehicle in front.


    "Get down!" hemanded coldly with a gaze that seemed as if it could kill.


    The person in the car was frightened by his appearance and recoiled.


    "Come down!" he demanded again.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!