《Intrigued by the CEO: Paranoid Obsessions》


 Chapter 1 Where Is My Child?

    On the edge of the city, Empire Castle stood tall within the forest.


    It is magnificent and spectacr, manifesting a sense of mystery.


    Hot.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    So hot.


    On an English-style bed, a young girly fast asleep. She was draped in a gorgeous sheer fabric. Sweat trickled down her delicate face, sliding off her thin lips.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ so hot¡­¡±


    Harper Shaw murmured as she woke up groggily.


    This was a luxurious yet unfamiliar room. Some 14th-century Western oil paintings adorned the walls, swaying in her blurry vision.


    ¡®Where was this ce?¡¯ She thought to herself, looking around.


    In the corner on a curved sofa, a man sat in the shadows. He was tall and slender, elegantly swirling a wine ss in his pale, long fingers.


    ¡°Who are you? Why was it so hot in here?¡±


    As Harper spoke, she realized her voice was hoarse.


    Too hot.


    ¡°Finally awake? I was about to crank the AC up to 88 degrees and roast you alive!¡± A male voice echoed in the sweltering room, its arrogant tone sending chills down the spine.


    ¡®Roast alive? What does that mean?¡¯ Harper didn¡¯t know what it meant.


    Sweat dripped into her eyes, obstructing her vision.


    She heard heavy footsteps.


    The man stood by her bed, his legs long and straight.


    When she lifted her head-Handsome face, delicate features, thin lips beneath a straight nose-he was fatally sexy.


    Despite the severe heat in the room, there wasn¡¯t a drop of sweat on the man¡¯s face, he remained elegant andposed.


    This man, like someone straight out of a magazine, was quite young.


    ¡®Uh, why did he look familiar? Where had I seen him before?¡­¡¯Harper pondered, staring at the man in bewilderment. But soon, she snapped out of it, because the man took out a silver pistol.


    And the barrel was aimed directly at her.


    ¡°Huh? What was going on? What were you doing? Who were you? What did you want?¡±


    Harper was startled and tried to lean back. The sheer fabric draped over her almost slipping off.


    But the man stepped closer to her, the cold barrel of the gun pressing against her flushed face.


    The barrel of the gun slowly descended, gliding over her lips, the tip of her chin, then onto her beautiful corbone.


    It lingered there, almost caressing her like a finger.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the child you bore for me?¡± The man stood before her, his voice cold and stern, his deep gaze scanning her voluptuous figure beneath the sheer fabric.


    ¡°What?¡± Harper was bewildered.


    ¡°Three years ago, you were pregnant with my child. Where is the child now?¡± The barrel of the gun drew circles above her chest.


    ¡°A child?¡± Harper was perplexed. It took her a while to calm down. ¡°I mean¡­ are you mistaken? I don¡¯t know you. I¡¯ve never had a child¡­ I don¡¯t even have a boyfriend¡­¡±


    ¡°Harper Shaw, 24 years old, third-rate manga artist, currently residing in S City. Shall I recount the backgrounds of every school you attended, every friend you made, and every member of your family?¡± He looked at her indifferently, dismissing any possibility of being mistaken.


    What he said¡­ was all correct.


    Harper stared nkly at his excessively handsome face. ¡°But, sir, I really don¡¯t know you. If I didn¡¯t even know you, how could I have had your child?¡±

 Chapter 2 Desire For A Man?

    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me! Hand over the child you¡¯re hiding!¡± He grew impatient, his thumb lightly flicking the safety on the gun. Harper was in imminent danger of being shot at any moment.


    She was frightened, sweating profusely. ¡°I really haven¡¯t been pregnant. Can¡¯t you investigate properly? You can¡¯t just¡­¡±


    ¡°Investigate? Fine, I¡¯ll do it right now!¡±


    Her persistent denialpletely enraged him.


    He scanned her body under the sheer fabric with displeasure. The sheer fabric draped over her entire body like a dress, revealing only her shoulders. The fabric made her skin appear exceptionally fair, as delicate as a newborn baby¡¯s.


    Sweat trickled down her skin, making her look as if she had just stepped out of a bath, incredibly alluring.


    His eyes darkened, a strange heat quickly spreading through his body. Sweat continued to pour from Harper¡¯s body, even soaking through the sheer fabric. A dark surgical scar on her t abdomen was faintly visible¡­


    ¡°How could you have a scar if you¡¯ve never given birth?¡± He demanded, dominant and imperious, convinced that she had indeed given birth.


    Harper realized that he had seen her body and quickly covered her abdomen with her hand, her face flushed. ¡°This is from an appendectomy. There¡¯s no way a C-section scar would be cut so off to the side.¡±


    ¡°Then you must have had a vaginal birth. I need to check!¡± He threw away the gun, his towering figure pressing closer to her.


    The unique scent emanating from Harper aroused a burning desire in him, a desperate need for release.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Harper froze, then shouted, ¡°Hey¡­ stay away!¡±


    The man was approaching step by step. His eyes bore into her, like a hunter spotting its prey. His eyes flickered with mes of desire, as if longing to consume every inch of her skin.


    ¡°What do you want? Stay back¡­¡± Harper kept backing away¡­


    He was already on the bed, kneeling in front of her.


    She waspletely under his shadow.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to¡­ give you a physical examination¡­¡± His eyes stared straight at her.


    ¡°An examination doesn¡¯t require getting this close, does it?¡± Her mind was in chaos.


    ¡°Is this too close? Harper, between a man and a woman, negative distance is close.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking nonsense? You don¡¯t go too far ¡­ Mmm-¡±


    Harper¡¯s unfinished words were silenced by his thin lips. The sheer fabric on her body was lifted by hisrge hand¡­ He rudely spread her legs apart, and his strong, hot body pressed down on her¡­


    ¡°Ah-¡±


    Harper screamed and woke up from her dream.


    She wasn¡¯t in that luxurious room, but in her own rented apartment.


    She stood there for nearly ten minutes, finally realizing that she had been dreaming.


    What the hell¡­ How could she dream of being kidnapped by a man¡­ And that man was desperately asking her for a child¡­ In the end, he even checked if she had given birth in that way¡­


    The feeling was too real, so real that she could still remember the warmth of his body now.


    His expression was indifferent, but his skin was burning hot, almost melting her.


    She could still vividly recall the feeling, the pain when his hard cock entered her body; the sense of fullness when he started moving slowly inside her; the suffocating pleasure when he went in and out of her body wildly¡­


    ¡®Harper, are you so desperate for a man? Do you want a man to fuck you so badly?¡¯ Harper hated herself for still thinking about the man from her dream. She pped herself in the face to wake up.


    Awake, Harper nced at the newspaper on the bedside table. She picked it up and saw the headline on the front page-[N. E. International Group CEO ze Wychwood Returns. The mainpany under the group now ranks first in market value worldwide¡­]


    ze Wychwood¡­


    The news was apanied by a photo of a handsome maning out of the airport. He was followed by a group of bodyguards. He looked very young, wearing a gray trench coat, with a slender figure. His eyes, beneath neatly trimmed short hair-just a simple nce could make one¡¯s face flush and heart race, even through the photo.


    The man in the photo was the male protagonist in her dream.


    No wonder she felt that the man in her dream was so familiar.


    Well, it seemed that she fell asleep while reading this newsst night, which led to that kind of dream.


    Come to think of it, how could she have any connection with such a person?Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 3 Who is Blaze Wychwood?

    Who is ze Wychwood? The peculiar surname ¡°Wychwood¡± destined him to be extraordinary. He was born into a British hereditary aristocracy, with one-quarter of European bloodline. At the age of 20, he established his ownpany. He was daring in his actions, constantly expanding and acquiring, and eventually established the N. E. International Group.


    Thepany developed various cutting-edge software and systems, unmatched by anyone else.


    In addition, he also dabbled in various industries such as finance. As long as it was profitable, he would not hesitate to get involved.


    By this year, the mainpany under his group became the world¡¯s number one listedpany in terms of market value. He was hailed as the richest man in the world.


    And he was only 28 years old this year.


    Such a man¡­ probably only had a rtionship with her in dreams.


    ¡°p-¡±


    Harper threw the newspaper into the trash can, no longer looking at ze¡¯s handsome face, and got up to brush her teeth.


    As she got out of bed, a pain between her legs came, ¡°Uh-¡±


    She almost fell down¡­ She quickly grabbed onto the wall.


    ¡®How could this be? Could it be that the pain from being forced in the dream still lingered in reality?¡¯


    Harper endured the difort in her body, went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face, changed clothes, grabbed her sketchbook and bag, and headed out.


    As a third-rateic artist, Harper could either work from home or go to the office. She always enjoyed staying at home to draw, but today she had to go out. Because she was afraid that if she stayed home all day, she might end up having more of those ridiculous dreams¡­


    As soon as she entered the office, Harper heard a chorus of screams from the women-


    ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s so handsome and sexy!¡±


    ¡°I heard he built a castle to live in our city, a castle¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­ Hey¡­ Ladies, could you please wake up a bit?¡±


    ze Wychwood. It was that name again.


    Her colleagues were watching the news.


    On the TV screen, ze wasing out of a building. Bodyguards surrounded him, blocking all the reporters. ze walked expressionlessly into a limited edition car.


    Before getting into the car, ze suddenly nced at the camera. His gaze was deep, as if it could see through everything¡­


    That gaze, it was just like the one he had in her dream when he pushed her down.


    In the dream, he was fierce, as if he wanted to tear her apart alive and devour her on the spot.


    His scorching skin pressed against hers, hot kissesnded on every inch of her face. His hoarse voice echoed in her ears, ¡°This is what we call negative distance between a man and a woman. Do you understand?¡±


    As he said this, he was breathing heavily. Their lower bodies were tightly pressed together, his hard cock continuously thrusting in and out of her, and he even used his hands to press down on her shoulders, pushing himself deeper inside¡­ The intense pleasure almost made her scream¡­


    Recalling the details of the dream, Harper¡¯s face immediately flushed, her heartbeat almost jumping out of her throat.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She dared not look again, quickly returning to her seat. Her face was red¡­ She took a few deep breaths and casually started drawing on a piece of paper¡­ Her mind was in a mess, and she had no idea what she was drawing.


    ¡®No, I couldn¡¯t go on like this. How lonely must a woman be to have such vivid dreams about a man who only existed in the news¡­ This was not a good sign. I needed to date. But where could I find a man to date in such a short time? Oh right, blind dates! I could go on blind dates, that way I could get rid of the ridiculous dreams brought on by loneliness.¡¯


    After that, Harper went on blind dates for a whole week, meeting at least two men every day.


    That day, Harper was so exhausted that she decided to go to a sauna to rx.


    In the sauna¡¯s bathhouse, after taking a shower, Harper had just changed into a short-sleeved sauna suit when she heard sharp shouts-


    ¡°Hey, are you kidding? This is the women¡¯s bathhouse!¡±


    ¡°How could the staff of the sauna let you into the women¡¯s bathhouse?¡±


    Harper poked her head out in surprise, and what she saw shocked her to the core.


    A dozen or so men, wearing suits and sunsses, barged into the steamy women¡¯s bathhouse. This sent the women who were showering in the bathhouse into a frenzy, screaming and scrambling to cover themselves with towels.

 Chapter 4 Who are you people?

    Harper stepped forward, furrowing her brows, and looked at the men with disdain, saying, ¡°Who are you people? Get out of here.¡±


    Upon hearing this, all the men immediately turned their gaze towards her.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, Mr. Wychwood wants to see you.¡±


    Unexpectedly, instead of hurling insults, the men bowed respectfully to her.


    ¡°What?¡± Harper was dumbfounded.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®What did they mean? Were they here for me?¡¯


    The next moment, amidst the fearful screams of the female guests, the men in suits formed two rows, creating a path. The door of the bathhouse was pushed open, and a tall and handsome young man stepped in from outside.


    At six foot three, his gray pinstripe trench coat perfectlyplemented his impressive physique. His short, tousled hair framed a wlessly handsome face. His eyes lifted slightly, casting a disdainful nce at Harper. His demeanor was full of condescension.


    It¡¯s ze.


    ze¡­


    His appearance instantly silenced the screams of the female guests, leaving only the sound of water spraying from the showerheads in the bathhouse¡­


    The man before her was outstanding but Harper had no mood to appreciate his handsomeness.


    Her face turned pale, and she stared at ze in shock.


    At this moment, if she hadn¡¯t realized it yet, she would truly be an idiot.


    It wasn¡¯t a dream.


    Everything was real.


    A week ago, that luxurious room that was so hot, that man pressing against her¡­ Everything was real.


    Since she woke up feeling unwell that morning, she had sensed that something was wrong, but she would rather deceive herself into thinking it was just a dream¡­


    ¡°Bang-¡± Harper slumped to the ground, her face ashen.


    She had been raped¡­ But he had raped her, so why was he so calm appearing again? Realizing this, Harper was filled with indescribable shock. How could this happen¡­


    ze stood there, coldly watching the changes in her expression. Then, he slowlymanded, ¡°Everyone else out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss!¡±


    The bodyguards bowed their heads, then swiftly grabbed the female guests who hadn¡¯t yet put on their clothes and dragged them out. The women screamed again. This time, they were truly frightened.


    But in less than a minute, the vast bathhouse fell silent again.


    Everyone else had left.


    Only Harper, sitting on the ground, and ze, standingzily, remained.


    After a few minutes, Harper regained some rity. She got up from the ground, looking dazed, and started to walk out.


    She wanted to leave.


    She wanted to get out of here.


    The embarrassing memories were suffocating her, and she needed to clear her head¡­


    ze reached out, grabbing her arm tightly, and said angrily, ¡°Harper, do you think you can just walk out of here without saying a word?¡±


    His fingers pressed tightly against her skin. Harper¡¯s body trembled, and the scenes of their entanglement shed in her mind.


    So clear¡­ and so shameful.


    Harper tried to remain calm. ¡°Mr. Wychwood, I think we¡¯re not suited to have this conversation here. It should be in court.¡±


    ¡°After all, you had raped me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± ze turned his head to look at her, ¡°Rape? Or custody battle? First, I, ze, won¡¯t go to court for a woman like you. Second, if you¡¯re really considering it, you won¡¯t live long enough to step into a courtroom.¡±


    ¡®What did he mean by ¡°a woman like her¡±¡­


    Custody battle?¡¯


    Harper remembered that he had been insisting on her giving him the child she supposedly had three years ago¡­ It was just ridiculous¡­


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Harper spoke up, ¡°but I believe the court will be dealing with a rape case from a week ago.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± ze chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re a cunning woman, really giving me a headache.¡±


    ¡°Let go of me. You¡­¡± Harper struggled, identally stepping on his shoe.


    ze stood still, unmoved.


    Her resistance and struggles only fueled his anger.


    ¡°You only want to talk about that, huh?¡± ze red at her with dark eyes, his fingers tightening around her arm. He almost growled, ¡°Well, Harper, let me tell you. That wasn¡¯t rape, it was just¡­ lovemaking between husband and wife!¡± ze pulled her closer, his lips brushing against her ear, ¡± You looked so enchanting that night, I could tell you were enjoying it.¡±

 Chapter 5 Sex In The Bathhouse

    Harper froze. She had never seen someone angry like this before. The fury in his eyes seemed like it could consume her. Her arm was almost being crushed by his grip.


    ¡°You¡­ shameless¡­¡±


    Harper couldn¡¯t believe he would say something so despicable, struggling even harder.


    She was only wearing a white short-sleeved sauna suit, and she wasn¡¯t even wearing underwear. With her vigorous struggles, her neckline opened wide, revealing her ample chest¡­


    ¡°Bang¡­¡± ze pushed her against the wall forcefully. Her delicate body almost made him lose control. He held her shoulders firmly, growling with resentment, ¡°I gave you a week to hand over the child, but you kept going on blind dates?¡­ Since you¡¯re so eager for men to fuck you, I¡¯ll fulfill your wish right now!¡±


    Harper struggled desperately as ze¡¯srge hand reached into her clothes. Last time, she was half-conscious; this time, she was fully awake, watching herself can¡¯t resist the towering man in front of her.


    ¡°No, let go, let go of me¡­¡± Harper pushed him with all her might.


    Standing under a showerhead, with water pouring down on him in torrents, ze¡¯s body became soaked. His short hair clung to his forehead, and water droplets cascaded down his sharply defined face, exuding his sexiness and, at the same time, an extreme danger.


    He swiftly removed his coat.


    Harper tried to run, but ze grabbed her and forcefully pinned her against the wall.


    ¡°Harper! Stop pretending. Have you forgotten how you seduced me three years ago?¡± ze held her shoulders firmly, ring at her with resentment.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I didn¡¯t even know you back then. Let go of me¡­¡± Harper tried to kick him, but he held her tighter.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if the strange heat coursing through her body at this moment was due to anger or the burning chest of the man pressing against her.


    The wall was damp.


    His shirt was even wetter.


    She was caught between him and the wall, with nowhere to go.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know me? Then let me reintroduce myself to you!¡± ze dered dominantly. He lowered his head and forcefully sealed her lips with his, his hot tongue invaded her mouth, pushing the warm water droplets from his lips into her mouth. With one hand on her shoulder and the other sneaking into her clothes, he grabbed her full breasts and began to knead them roughly¡­


    Heat shot through her body, stirring every nerve. Her toes couldn¡¯t help but rolled up. She didn¡¯t like this feeling, not at all. It was too shameful.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ Let go¡­¡± Harper struggled desperately.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it, keep pretending. You¡¯re quite the actress, aren¡¯t you?¡± ze mocked with a coldugh.


    Such a wild woman, yet she was pretending to be innocent, how ridiculous!


    ze¡¯s hand roamed down her chest, caressing her delicate waist, firm thighs, until finally reaching between her legs¡­


    He roughly spread her legs apart with his knee and plunged his middle finger into her¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± The piercing sensation was too intense, and she couldn¡¯t help but scream.


    His rough fingers began to thrust in and out of her body, and her entrance gradually became moist¡­


    The noise of the water in the shower hall was loud, but it couldn¡¯t drown out ze¡¯s increasingly heavy breathing.


    Harper couldn¡¯t break free¡­ Her struggles seemed insignificant to him, as he effortlessly restrained her¡­


    He unzipped his pants, pulled out his manhood, and pierced her without mercy.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    At that moment of pration, Harper was in too much pain to even scream¡­ It was too big, and her body felt like it was being torn apart¡­


    This time, she couldn¡¯t deceive herself into thinking it was just a dream.


    ¡°It¡¯s too tight, rx a bit¡­¡± he patted her buttocks, ordering her.


    Then he began to thrust in and out at a rapid pace, with each thrust making Harper feel like she was being nailed to the wall.


    Her legs went weak, unable to support her weight.


    ze simply secured her legs around his waist, lifting her up and walking around the empty bathroom, prating her deeply with every step¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­ No¡­¡± Harper lost herself from the stimtion¡­


    ¡­

 Chapter 6 Be Locked Up In The Castle

    Long time passed¡­


    Harper copsed weakly on the floor¡­ She hugged herself tightly, biting her lips. Feelings of humiliation, anger, and embarrassment surged up, almost engulfing her.


    She didn¡¯t know what to do, should she sue him?¡­R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Sue him? He was ze, could she win? Without thinking much, she knew it was impossible. Many times, power meant victory.


    ¡°Bang.¡±


    A wet men¡¯s trench coat was thrown onto her, covering her bodypletely.


    Harper¡¯s body trembled involuntarily.


    The scent of ze on the trench coat suffocated her.


    Two bodyguards walked in with their heads bowed, carrying clean and crisp men¡¯s clothes.


    ze reached out and unfolded a shirt to put on. He moved with elegance and ease,pletely unlike a man¡¯s reaction in a women¡¯s bathroom.


    He nced coldly at Harper huddled in the corner, and gave themand indifferently, ¡°Tie this woman up and take her back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss,¡± the bodyguards replied.


    Harper curled up in the corner, looking at ze in disbelief. ¡°What else do you want, you lunatic?¡±


    ¡°What else do I want to do?¡± ze repeated her words, ¡°With you, I can do whatever I want.¡±


    Harper couldn¡¯t utter a word, her face pale with horror. This man had humiliated her to the extreme. Why did she have to encounter such absurdity¡­


    ze buttoned up his sleeves, turned around, then abruptly stopped in his tracks. ¡°Harper, if you don¡¯t want to suffer any more, hand over my child. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make your life a living hell.¡±


    With that, he left without looking back.


    A living hell¡­ He was the CEO of N. E. Corporation, and she was just an ordinary person; he definitely had the power¡­


    And Harper couldn¡¯t resist him at all.


    At his words, Harper closed her eyes in agony. She clung tightly to the trench coat on her body¡­


    ¡­


    Empire Castle.


    It was a magnificent castle costing billions to build. Situated deep in the forest, it wasn¡¯t a tourist attraction, but a private residence.


    ze¡¯s private residence.


    No outsiders were allowed here.


    Harper was brought to the castle, bound and helpless. Along the way, she had tried to seek help from the bodyguards, attempted to escape, snatch a phone to call the police, but she was always subdued by the guards.


    How could a lone woman possibly overpower so many strong bodyguards?


    The guards told her one thing, ¡°Miss, you shouldn¡¯t have provoked Mr. Wychwood. Who is Mr. Wychwood? He can easily decide your life or death. Why bother resisting anymore?¡±


    One sentence extinguished all her fantasies.


    Encountering a man who vited her but whom she couldn¡¯t retaliate against, and couldn¡¯t even escape from, what else could she do?


    Harper was led into the castle and pushed into a room that was as luxurious as a pce from the 14th century Western world.


    Standing in the room was an old man of about sixty. He was in good spirits, with his hands sped behind his back.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, I am Mr. Wychwood¡¯s butler, Dn Foster.¡± The old man smiled and made a brief introduction, ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±


    It was only then that Harper noticed the high-tech recliner and tablet screen next to the old man. The screen disyedplex numbers and programs that she couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°This is a lie detector chair, please have a seat,¡± Dn said politely and gently.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Harper asked with a pale face.


    A lie detector chair? What were they trying to do?


    ¡°Master said Miss Shaw won¡¯t admit to having a child three years ago, so he asked me to do a test,¡± Dn patiently exined.


    Three years ago again, and a child¡­


    ¡°Before this, apart from seeing ze in the newspaper, I had never met him. How could I have his child? You¡¯ve got it wrong,¡± Harper muttered, feeling utterly defeated.


    The guards mercilessly threw Harper onto the lie detector chair. They wrapped various wires around her fingers, arms, and body, restraining herpletely¡­

 Chapter 7 Lie Detector Chair

    Harper wanted to struggle, but fighting against ze in the bathhouse had drained all her strength.


    She was powerless.


    She slumped in the lie detector chair, like a mouse caught in a trap.


    ¡°So, Miss Shaw, let¡¯s begin,¡± Dn smiled kindly, taking out a document from behind.


    ¡°After you¡¯re done, can I leave?¡± She just wanted to get out of this hellhole now.


    Dn smiled but didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he looked at the document in his hand and began questioning, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Harper Shaw.¡±


    Dn nced at the tablet screen beside him and nodded. He continued, ¡°Miss Shaw, what were you doing three years ago?¡±


    ¡°Three years ago, I was working on myic series, ¡®His Possessiveness¡¯.¡± Thisic series had made her famous for a while, so she remembered it clearly.


    ¡°Anything else? Did anything important happen?¡± Dn continued.


    ¡°No, nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you were pregnant at that time,¡± Dn suggested.


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t pregnant.¡±


    Dn looked at the tablet screen, which showed no fluctuations in the data. It was an honest answer. He couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled.


    He paused and continued, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. We investigated, and three years ago, you stayed at home almost all the time. You hardly ever went out. Some people who saw you even said you always wore loose clothes during that time. If you weren¡¯t pregnant, why would you hide at home for a year?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I was working on myic. I like to be alone when I¡¯m creating. I wore loose clothes because they¡¯refortable,¡± Harper said, feeling speechless. Could this even be considered evidence?


    ¡°Miss Shaw, where were you on New Year¡¯s Day three years ago?¡±


    ¡°On New Year¡¯s Day? I should have been at my hometown celebrating the New Year. I go back every year.¡±


    ¡°No, that night you were with our Master,¡± Dn said, ¡°You were with him, and you seduced him.¡±


    If Dn¡¯s wrinkled face hadn¡¯t looked so serious, Harper would have thought he was joking.


    ¡°No! A man as violent as him, I feel disgusted every time I see him. How could I possibly seduce him?¡± Harper red at Dn, her tone full of agitation.


    Scenes from the bathhouse shed in her mind, her body being possessed inch by inch by that arrogant, despicable man.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Bang¡­¡±


    Outside, on the balcony, ze loungedzily on a white wicker chair. Hearing the sounds from inside, his expression turned grim, and he forcefully mmed his wine ss onto the table.


    Disgusting?


    This woman dared to say him disgusting?


    In the room Dn frowned and continued speaking to Harper, ¡°Miss Shaw, we¡¯ve looked into your background.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just the adopted daughter of The Shaw Family. You have a younger sister, a biological daughter of your adoptive parents. From childhood to adulthood, you¡¯ve always fallen shortpared to her, in looks and abilities. You¡¯re just a third-rateic artist, while she¡¯s a nationwide celebrity and the future heiress of The Davidson Family, a cosmetics empire¡­¡±


    Her own background was suddenlyid bare, as if her clothes were being stripped off in front of everyone.


    Harper clenched her fists, biting her lip fiercely.


    ¡°I had a psychologist analyze it. Long-term feelings of inferiority and jealousy would make you desperate to surpass your sister,¡± Dn said. ¡°So three years ago, you deliberately seduced Master, hoping for a one-night stand to marry into wealth. But Master ignored you. Later, you found out you were pregnant and wanted to use the child as leverage. You were afraid Master wouldn¡¯t want the child, so you secretly hid away and gave birth, right?¡±


    He said it all as if he¡¯d witnessed it firsthand.


    Long-term feelings of inferiority and jealousy¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous. Who is the psychologist? Does he know me? Understand me?¡±

 Chapter 8 Emergency Contraception

    ¡°Miss Shaw, denial won¡¯t work. It¡¯s better to state your terms directly. Once Master¡¯s patience runs out, you¡¯ll have no chance,¡± Dn said, reading from the document.


    His tone was gentle, but every word was despicable to the core.


    Child, child, child¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said no! Even if I did get pregnant by that man, I would¡¯ve aborted it right away! Are you satisfied now?¡± Harper eximed.


    ¡°By the way, do you have emergency contraception? Is there a pill that works a week after?¡± Harper suddenly asked, realizing that she hadn¡¯t taken any precautions during both encounters with ze. She didn¡¯t want to end up pregnant¡­


    Dn was at a loss for words, this didn¡¯t seem like the behavior of a woman who would secretly give birth to a child. Emergency contraception¡­ At a time like this, she was only thinking about contraception¡­


    On the balcony, ze¡¯s expression grew even more grim. He roughly pushed away the woman who was massaging him. ¡°Get lost.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Wychwood,¡± Linda said respectfully, casting a jealous nce towards the room inside. This seemingly ordinary woman actually had more tricks than her, she had even borne ze¡¯s child. She thought she had enough tricks to deal with ordinary men, but in front of ze, she hadn¡¯t even managed to earn his favor¡­


    The sunlight streamed down, making Empire Castle in the depths of the forest look especially majestic.


    Butler Dn walked onto the balcony, bowing respectfully to ze. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve used various methods to question Miss Shaw.¡±


    ¡°I only want to hear the results,¡± ze said coldly, sitting on the white wicker chair, chin resting on his hand.


    ¡°The lie detector results show¡­ Miss Shaw is honest.¡±


    Honest.


    She was actually honest?


    Dn reported, ¡°She didn¡¯t lie. Master, could it be that we made a mistake?¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ze suddenly stood up and strode into the room.


    In the room, Harper was trying to untangle the wires wrapped around her body, attempting to stand up. But ze walked over and forcefully pushed her back into the chair.


    ¡°Bang¡­¡±


    Harper fell heavily. She looked up angrily at the man in front of her. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What am I doing?¡± ze leaned in, grabbing her chin harshly with one hand. He red down at her and yelled, ¡°Harper, listen to me carefully. Give me my child now!¡±


    ¡®Child, child, when would it end?¡¯


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you already used the lie detector? You should know I didn¡¯t lie. You made a mistake, so let me go,¡± Harper said, not used to a man pressing down on her like this. She struggled weakly a couple of times but was pinned down even tighter.


    ¡°Let you go?¡± ze sneered, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let a liar like you go?¡±


    Even if the lie detector showed she waspletely honest, ze didn¡¯t believe it. He thougt this woman must still be lying.


    ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable,¡± Underneath him, her soft, full breasts rose and fell with anger.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I¡¯m being unreasonable? Harper, you¡¯ve been lying all along!¡± ze growled, grabbing her chin as if he wanted to crush it.


    ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ze find this woman was so beautiful when she was angry¡­ Was he some kind of pervert?


    Harper, pinned under him, felt embarrassed and furious. ¡°You jerk, let me go.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re enticing me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You did¡­¡± ze¡¯s tone was mocking, but his eyes betrayed desire as he lowered his head to kiss her lips.


    Harper had never seen him act so shamelessly. Hatred surged within her.


    As ze¡¯s face drew closer, Harper suddenly turned her head and sank her teeth into ze¡¯s neck with all the remaining strength she had, biting down hard and refusing to let go. Her teeth sank deep into his skin.


    This was her final act of defiance.


    ¡°Ah-¡°

 Chapter 9 We Found Evidence

    ze winced in pain and forcefully pushed her head away. He reached up to wipe the blood from his neck, finding his palm stained with crimson.


    This woman¡­ she bit him hard.


    ¡°You¡­ woman¡­¡±


    ze was about to unleash his anger when he noticed Harper¡¯s head had been knocked against the lie detector screen as he pushed her away. She had copsed onto the chair, unconscious.


    ze raised his hand, ready to strike her across the face¡­ But seeing Harper lying there unconscious, tears streaming down her closed eyes, looking so fragile and vulnerable, he felt an indescribable feeling well up inside him.


    ¡°Master, why are you bleeding?¡± Butler Dn rushed in from outside, seeing ze¡¯s neck covered in blood, his voice full of concern. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the first aid kit right away.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± ze said coldly. He scooped Harper up from the lie detector chair and headed towards his bedroom.


    He carried her on the king size bed and leaned in to kiss her lips. Her lips were pliable, tightly closed. He relentlessly sucked, licked, traced them with the tip of his tongue over and over, trying to pry her lips open¡­ They tasted sweet, sweeter than honey. That was something he hadn¡¯t told her¡­


    His hands moved slowly, stroking through her sweaty hair, her pale face, and then down along her delicate corbone ¡­


    ¡­


    It hurt.


    So much.


    Harper woke up groggily from the bed. A beam of sunlight streamed in through therge window, illuminating the European-style decorated bedroom.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you¡¯re finally awake,¡± Dn stood by, smiling as he spoke.


    Harper didn¡¯t say anything, silently sitting up on the bed. The difort and pain in her body reminded her of those unbearable scenes.


    Several times, she woke up in pain, but ze paid no attention to her wishes.


    She passed out from the pain, only to wake up in agony again¡­


    That beast didn¡¯t even spare her when she was unconscious.


    Her body¡­ seemed to have be his toy, to be yed with at will.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, would you like something to eat? The kitchen has 36 chefs from around the world. The food vors vary, so you can have whatever you want,¡± Dn said.


    ¡°When are you going to let me go?¡± Harper leaned against the bed, pale-faced, her voice slightly hoarse, her eyes dull and hopeless.


    Dn sighed, ¡°Miss Shaw, Master has invited you to stay here for a while, until you hand over the child.¡±


    Invited?


    It was more like imprisonment.


    ¡®Repeatedly vited, now deprived of freedom, how could my life suddenly be like this?¡¯


    Even now, Harper still couldn¡¯t understand when she had provoked this terrible, disgusting man? He didn¡¯t even believe the lie detector results, stubbornly insisting that she was lying.


    Harper sat in silence, looking down at the soft nket on her body. She wanted to leave, but found herself too weak to even lift her hands¡­


    The turmoil of the past few days had drained her strength, and now she felt exhausted even to breathe.


    This overwhelming sense of powerlessness made her feel suffocated, and the flood of sadness overwhelmed her.


    Tears slid down her pale cheeks, ¡°Have you all gone too far? Using your power and influence to do whatever you want¡­ Who gave you the right to imprison my freedom with just a word? I am a human being, not an object.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, as long as you hand over the child¡­¡±


    ¡°I really haven¡¯t had a child,¡± Harper whispered, tears falling silently, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you suddenly came after me.¡±


    ¡°Last month, The Wychwood Family in the UK was preparing to choose a suitable marriage partner for Master, so we conducted an audit of his rtionships. When we were checking the status of the rted women, only you¡­ We found various evidence indicating that you had a child, but we couldn¡¯t find the child¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°What kind of evidence?¡± she asked.

 Chapter 10 One In A Million

    ¡°Miss Shaw, you should be clearer than anyone,¡± Dn didn¡¯t exin specifically, just said, ¡°Miss Shaw, after all, this is Master¡¯s own child. He would never let the child¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, then¡­ I¡¯ll go to the hospital. If I undergo a gynecologial examination, you will know  whether I¡¯ve had a child or not,¡± Harper suggested.


    As soon as the words came out, tears welled up in her eyes. She slowly closed her eyes, fingertips sinking deep into her palms.


    Clearly, she had done nothing wrong, yet she had topromise again and again.


    ¡°Master said he has personally checked, and there¡¯s no need for a doctor,¡± Dn said.


    Personally checked¡­


    Just the thought of those so-called ¡°checks¡± made her feel embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯ve got it wrong. There¡¯s no child.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, forgive me for my offense. With the surname Wychwood, the chance of making a mistake is only one in a million,¡± Dn said, seeing her denial of the child¡¯s existence, ¡°I¡¯ll go downstairs to prepare some food for you.¡±


    Dn left, leaving only Harper in the bedroom.


    ¡®One in a million. I was that one in a million.¡¯ She wiped away her tears and looked ahead, seeing aptop on the desk in front of the purple canopy. She hurriedly got out of bed.


    The pain and weakness all over her body almost made her fall. Harper bit her lip, enduring the pain as she walked forward.


    With each step, her hatred for that beast ze grew stronger.


    She walked to the door and locked it, then struggled to reach the desk, turning on theptop.


    As she waited for it to boot up, Harper¡¯s heartbeat intensified with nervousness. The pain in her body was amplified many times over, and she had to clench her fists tightly to keep from crying out.


    ¡®ze Wychwood. One day, I will repay you for all this pain.¡¯


    Theputer booted up, and Harper was pleasantly surprised to find it connected to the inte.


    She quickly tried to make a call using an inte phone, but before the call could connect, the signal was suddenly cut off. She persisted and tried twice more, but the result was the same.


    No way¡­


    Harper logged into ck and sent a distress message to her colleagues, hoping they could help her. But she watched in disbelief as the three lines of text she typed vanished instantly.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Vanished¡­


    Harper was stunned. She stared at the screen and hastily typed out another line, but the message disappeared again.


    A tremendous sense of panic engulfed her¡­ She tried calling the fire department, a newspaper she remembered¡­ She needed to escape. She had to¡­


    But the results were always the same. The calls didn¡¯t go through.


    ¡°Bang¡­¡±


    The door, already locked, was effortlessly pushed open from the outside. Harper¡¯s heart raced for a moment as she looked ahead.


    It was Dn, pushing a food cart into the room.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, don¡¯t waste your energy,¡± he said calmly.


    Harper froze.


    So, everything she did was being monitored by them. Everything she did was futile.


    ¡°The Wychwood Family has the most stringent information surveince. Any electronic device not logged in by Master is underprehensive monitoring. And, don¡¯t even think that your calls not going through¡­¡± Dn paused, looking at Harper with some pity, ¡°Even if your calls do go through, it¡¯s still futile.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ He¡¯s ze Wychwood, the only ze Wychwood in the world.¡± Dn said.


    ze Wychwood. In other words ¨C Privilege.


    Harper slumped into the chair, wrapping her arms around herself in a protective gesture.


    Everything she did was futile. She was trapped here, with no way to escape.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you¡¯re too weak. Have something to eat,¡± Dn said, cing a variety of delicious dishes on the desk from the food cart.


    ¡°I really haven¡¯t had a child, and I really had no involvement with him before,¡± Harper murmured, holding onto thest shred of hope as she looked at Dn, ¡°Mr. Foster, if I beg him to let me go, would that work?¡±

 Chapter 11 Her Attractiveness

    Dn just gave her a pitying look, nothing more.


    Harper understood what he meant, and it filled her with despair¡­


    ze didn¡¯te to her again, not even to look at her.


    Although Harper¡¯s body gradually recovers, her mental state continues to deteriorate after days of captivity at Empire Castle. With countless guards around, she was watched wherever she went, unable to step out of the gate.


    She couldn¡¯t contact her family, colleagues, or friends. Dn, along with the guards and psychologists, came every day to interrogate her about the whereabouts of the child¡­


    Day by day, she felt herself breaking down. She couldn¡¯t understand why ze was so convinced she had his child. Under their relentless questioning, Harper even began to doubt if she had amnesia. But she remembered everything, except for the child.


    If the child truly existed, there would be evidence around her. But there was none. It made no sense¡­


    During another round of questioning, Harper painfully repeated the same words she¡¯d said thousands of times. Her face was pale, her lips cracked.


    After the psychologist left, she leaned against the wall, slowly sinking to the ground, fingers tangled in her hair, overwhelmed with despair. How long would these hopeless days continue?


    She was trapped in this hell, day and night, all for a nonexistent child.


    ¡°Eh¡­ Stop it, Mr. Wychwood, don¡¯t do this¡­¡± A woman¡¯s moans drifted from outside.


    Harper stood up, gently opening the door to peek outside.


    In the corridor, a woman in silk pajamas sat on the railing, her pajamas slipping off her shoulders to reveal her graceful figure.


    ze stood in front of her, holding her close. His hand roamed over her body, his lips kissing her neck.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood¡­ Uh¡­ When will I be your woman?¡± The woman tilted her head back.


    ¡°My woman?¡± ze pushed her away and left, his voice cold, ¡°Not just anyone can be my woman.¡±


    Harper stood at the doorway, watching the scene with contempt.


    Disgusting. How could a man like him have women willing to line up to be just one of his countless women?Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Harper pulled open the door and walked in the opposite direction. She wandered aimlessly through the opulent castle, marveling at the breathtaking paintings adorning the walls.


    ze truly was the wealthiest man in the world. These masterpieces were hard toe by, even as reproductions, yet this ce housed so many originals.


    Only these paintings could bring her somefort in her confinement.


    As she stood before the masterpieces, her mood gradually calmed, and she even began to feel a bit hungry¡­ The endless interrogations had left her barely eating for two days.


    Ignoring the two guards trailing behind her, Harper wandered through the maze-like corridors until she found the kitchen.


    The kitchen was clean and bright, equipped with state-of-the-art appliances, twice the size of her own home¡¯s. The maids and chefs went about their tasks, turn a blind eye to her.


    Harper didn¡¯t speak either. She simply walked in and opened the fridge to check for ingredients.


    No one stopped her.


    There were separate sections for ingredients, with vegetables and fresh produce neatly arranged. There were even several tanks filled with live fish¡­ It had been so long since she had fish soup.


    Harper walked over, using a to scoop up a fish, skillfully remove scales and fins, and filleting it with ease¡­ The knives at The Wychwood Family¡¯s disposal were better than those at her own home, effortlessly slicing through the fish.


    She wasn¡¯t fond of spicy food, so she grabbed a few tomatoes to use as ingredients. Soon enough, the aroma of tomato fish soup filled the pot.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    A voice, crisp and orderly, suddenly came from outside the door.


    Harper slowly turned around to see ze, wearing a loose sweater, stepping into the kitchen with casual andzy strides.


    His short hair was slightly tousled, but it didn¡¯t diminish his handsomeness one bit. If any of those many ze fangirls caught a glimpse of him like this, they¡¯d probably scream on the spot.


    Of course, Harper wouldn¡¯t admit to his attractiveness. Without giving him another nce, Harper quickly averted her gaze and picked up a nearby ss to drink some water.


    ze cast a cold nce at her way, noticing the graceful curve of her fair neck as she swallowed, the simple act of drinking unintentionally exuding allure, causing his body to tense up instantly.

 Chapter 12 Please Him

    ze had to admit, Harper had a deadly allure to him. Other women could strip naked and leave him indifferent, but Harper, just drinking water, made him want to strip her naked and ravage her right on the kitchen counter.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve been too lenient with you. Instead of revealing the whereabouts of the child, you still have the mood to cook here?¡± ze spoke coldly, displeased with his own strong reaction to the woman.


    ze grabbed her and pulled her in front of him, ignoring the many people in the kitchen as he reached into her clothes, pinching and kneading her nipples wantonly.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Harper¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. She pushed his hand away while murmuring softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Wychwood.¡±


    After being imprisoned for these few days, she had lost her temper and apologizing meant little to her.


    ¡°You apologize and I have to forgive you? You¡¯re too naive!¡± ze snorted coldly, forcefully pressing her against his chest and lifting her chin to kiss her.


    ¡°Master, the food is ready.¡± The voice of a maid came from behind them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with youter!¡± ze pushed Harper away and turned to walk towards the long dining table. He hated the feeling of hunger and he definitely needed to eat something.


    Harper breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn¡¯t stay in this ce any longer.


    She had lost her appetite for the fish soup and was about to leave when she heard ze¡¯s furious growl from behind, ¡°I invite you all here, and you serve up food that tastes like cardboard? Get out, all of you!¡±


    Soon after, the sound of tes and bowls crashing to the ground followed.


    Even without looking, Harper knew that the table must be in a mess right now.


    Harper thought of Dn¡¯s words.


    Dn had once said to her, ¡°Miss Shaw, whether you¡¯re as affected as Master says or not, in my eyes, you¡¯re much better than other women. There are some things I only tell you.¡±


    Then, Dn revealed a secret about ze, ¡°Masteres from an outstanding family background, and he¡¯s a genius in the business world, wise and decisive. But nobody¡¯s perfect¡­ Have you heard of paranoid personality disorder?¡±


    ze, the world¡¯s most valuable man, had paranoid personality disorder.


    The biggest symptom was his extreme irritability and rage, sometimes even violence, which he couldn¡¯t control himself.


    Dn¡¯s advice to her was ¨C if she wanted to regain her freedom, she couldn¡¯t provoke or confront ze, but instead, she had toply with him.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Complying to please him?


    How could she possibly please this despicable man?


    Harper was reluctant.


    ze was still raging at the chefs and maids.


    After much hesitation, Harper reluctantly filled a bowl with fish soup and approached him.


    ze was sitting at the table, fuming. The maids were cowering on the floor, trembling with fear.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like the food they prepare, why not try my fish soup?¡± Harper ced the bowl of fish soup in front of ze, trying to sound as gentle as possible. For the sake of her freedom, she had to try anything.


    ze, in his fury, disdainfully nced at her, ¡°Do you know the level of chefs I hire? If I can¡¯t like their food, why would I like yours?¡±


    Well, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to please him.


    Harper had no choice but to move the bowl of soup to her own spot and started eat. She enjoyed cooking when she was at home and believed her cooking wasn¡¯t inferior to restaurant standards.


    The aroma of the fish soup wafted towards ze. It was an ordinary scent, seemingly nothing special, yet strangely enticing¡­


    ze red at Harpe. Her elegant face showed no expression, just quietly sipping the soup, one sip after another, yet somehow stirring his appetite.


    ¡°Give me that!¡± ze rudely demanded, snatching the bowl and taking a sip.


    Uh¡­ It tasted good. There was no hint of fishiness, the freshness of the fish fully brought out, surprisingly delicious. He hadn¡¯t had soup this good in a long time.


    ze was genuinely hungry. After finishing this bowl of soup, he had the maids serve up the rest of the fish soup from the pot¡­


    Harper sat there, dumbfounded, as she watched ze gulp down everyst drop of the fish soup she had cooked.


    ¡°Notro next time, I don¡¯t like it!¡± ze pushed the empty bowl forward, took a clean handkerchief from the maid to wipe his mouth, nced at the work messages on his phone, then got up and left without looking back.


    He had urgent business documents to attend to.


    Not letting women interfere with his work was his principle.


    Harper sat there, staring nkly at the empty bowl on the table, feeling frustrated inside. He didn¡¯t liketro but still finished it all, finished it all¡­ That was a whole pot of soup, and she had only taken a few sips¡­


    ¡­

 Chapter 13 How A Woman Please A Man

    ¡°Miss Shaw, you¡¯ve been with The Wychwood Family for so long, don¡¯t you ever miss your child?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have one, I really don¡¯t have a child. I could say it a hundred times more, but it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯ve never had a child.¡±


    It was another day of relentless interrogation, and Harper, rubbing her aching head, got up from the polygraph chair.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, are you alright?¡±


    Dn closed the questioning file, looking at Harper with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯d be fine if you didn¡¯t ask me these boring questions every day.¡±


    Harper hated ze, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to hate Dn, the kind and gentle butler. She shook her head to clear her mind. After a while, she asked again, ¡°Mr. Foster, when can I leave?¡±


    If this continued, she feared she might actually go insane.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, as I¡¯ve told you before, as long as youply with Master.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Master just had another outburst. He didn¡¯t like the snacks. How about you make something? I heard Master had a lot of your fish soupst time.¡±


    Harper fell silent, her face full of reluctance.


    ¡°As long as Master¡¯s in a good mood, he might listen to you a bit.¡±


    ¡®Just as long as he¡¯s in a good mood¡­ and he¡¯ll let me go? Maybe I should give it another try¡­¡¯ That¡¯s what Harper told herself.


    Despite her disgust and hatred towards ze, she made a tub of vani ice cream. Holding the ice cream, she walked up the winding staircase of the artful mansion.


    A woman came down the stairs, her bright red nightgown draped over one shoulder. Her ample E-cup breasts especially caught the eye¡­


    It was the same woman who was fooling around with ze in the hallway that day, Linda. She was one of ze¡¯s pursuers, not even close to being his woman.


    But that was none of her concern. Harper nced at her and then walked towards ze¡¯s study without looking back.


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡±


    Harper lightly tapped on the slightly ajar door.


    ¡°Come in.¡± ze¡¯s voice came through.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Once again, Harper was stunned by the interior architecture of the castle. The entire study was circr in design, withrge floor-to-ceiling windows, towering bookshelves that reached the ceiling, and countless books¡­


    ze was seated at the enormous curved desk. His fingers were inteced under his chin as he watched her enter, a look of disdain in his eyes. ¡°Ready to tell me where the child is?¡±


    There was a hint of anger in his eyes when he mentioned the child.


    He had spent far too much time trying to reim the child, and he was already impatient.


    ¡°I made some ice cream. Do you want to try it? We can talkter.¡±


    Harper spoke up as she sensed his impending anger.


    She felt a bit lost. ze liked her fish soup, but she wasn¡¯t sure if he would like her ice cream¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to please me?¡±


    ze saw through her intentions with a single nce.


    Harper remained silent.


    ¡°No need! I never eat desserts.¡± ze sneered.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll take it away then.¡± Harper picked up the tub of ice cream and turned to leave.


    ¡°Put it down!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Harper looked at him speechlessly. ze red at her fiercely, then snatched the ice cream away.


    Could this man be any more capricious?


    ze picked up a spoon and was about to scoop some when a series ofplex and indecipherable data codes suddenly appeared on theputer screen in front of him. His gaze darkened, and he threw the spoon down, ordering her, ¡°Feed me!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harper thought she must have misheard.


    ze quickly started typing on the keyboard, speaking as he typed, ¡°Dn is just an old man, you listen to his advice? Do you even know how a woman should please a man?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Alright.¡±


    Harper once again felt the dreadfulness of this man. It turned out he knew everything. She nced at the ice cream and hesitated before asking, ¡°After you finish eating, can we talk calmly?¡±


    She emphasized the words ¡°calmly.¡±


    ¡°Harper, you have no room for bargaining.¡± ze didn¡¯t even look at her, ¡°Feed me quickly!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Looking at the man¡¯s expression in front of her, Harper suddenly had the urge to dump the entire tub of ice cream on his face, but she suppressed it when she thought about her situation. She took a deep breath and then gently scooped a spoonful of ice cream to feed him.


    ze opened his mouth and swallowed the ice cream, the perfect sweetness of vani hitting the spot.


    His face stiffened for a second. He never ate desserts because everything he had tasted before didn¡¯t suit his taste. They were either too sweet or too rich, so he simply avoided them.


    So, desserts could taste this good too¡­


    However, the things this woman made surprisingly suited his pte, even though she wasn¡¯t even a chef. It was really strange. How could this be?

 Chapter 14 Unprecedented Allure

    ¡°Keep going!¡±


    ¡°Keep going. Are your hands broken? Too slow.¡±


    ze asionally urged her, his expression extremely serious.


    Harper had no choice but to continue feeding him spoon by spoon. ze¡¯s attention waspletely focused on theputer, his long fingers constantly tapping on the keyboard as the data on the screen kept changing.


    After a while, ze took out his phone and made a call to instruct his subordinates, ¡°Acquire L. Tpany. They have the most advanced image processing technology! 6 billion, I¡¯ll have the funds allocated to you, get it done within a week!¡±


    A littleter, ze started discussing the transportation industry, his voice cold and decisive¡­


    Time passed by second by second.


    The ice cream in the tub became less and less.


    Harper stood by the side the whole time, even if she loathed ze. At this moment, she had to admit that this man, touted as the wealthiest man in the world, had reasons for his reputation. He wasn¡¯t just a pleasure seeker. He was the CEO of N. E multinational group, with billions of users worldwide just from the software and systems developed under it. Even the system on her phone was developed by N. E Group, not to mention its monopolies in transportation, banking, and other industries. At only 28 years old, ze had indeed reached heights that most people couldn¡¯t even dream of.


    But in the end, he still suffered from paranoid personality disorder, a mental illness.


    After feeding him the ice cream, Harper didn¡¯t immediately leave in hopes of getting a chance for a calm conversation. She turned and walked towards the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, the sky was clear and blue, as a gemstone, with endless forests stretching into the distance. In modern society, it was rare to find such a serene environment.


    Harper stood silently by the window, her forehead resting against the ss, her eyes unfocused as she gazed into the distance.


    ¡°Send me thetest data,¡± ze said after making his final phone call, tossing his phone onto the table. He interlocked his fingers and flexed his joints. When he turned his head, he saw Harper.


    It was twilight outside, and the sunset cast a natural painting on the grid-like windows. Harper stood by the window, wearing a light blue silk dress, blending almost seamlessly with the scenery outside. Her golden hair cascaded over her shoulder, partially covering her pale face.


    He had to admit, she was a unique woman.


    ze stood up from his desk and silently walked towards her. He found her leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out with vacant eyes, as if her soul had flown elsewhere, leaving only an empty shell behind.


    For some reason, seeing her like this made ze ufortable. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed the tears in Harper¡¯s eyes¡­


    ¡®Did she cry?¡¯ ze pressed her against the window, gripping her jaw firmly and kissed her forcefully. He aggressively parted her lips, his hot tongue invading her mouth and exploring every corner without restraint.


    ¡°Mmm-¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Harper¡¯s eyes widened in shock, her hands pressing against his solid chest in an attempt to resist.


    ze released her jaw and restrained her hands, pressing her tightly against the window. He continued to kiss her passionately, teasing every sensitive spot in her mouth.


    He was skilled at kissing. Despite her hatred for him, her body couldn¡¯t help but tremble involuntarily. Tears streamed down her cheeks as ze¡¯s lips licked away each one¡­


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Harper shouted angrily, ¡°You beast, you thug, let me go, let me go¡­¡±


    She had been wrong. She thought pleasing him and being submissive would work, but what was the result?


    ¡°Be my woman!¡± ze¡¯s wild voice echoed above her head.


    ¡°What?¡± Harper looked up at ze in shock.


    ¡°You¡¯re not handing over the child because you either don¡¯t want to be separated from him, or you want to use the child to stay by my side,¡± ze stared at her, his eyes filled with uncontroble desire.


    He had to admit, this woman had an unprecedented allure to him. Instead of restraining his desires, why not just make her his woman?


    Harper stared at him nkly, then after a few seconds, she found her voice again, ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong.¡±


    She had no child, and no intention of using one to get anything¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it easy for you. Hand over the child, and you can be my woman and stay by my side!¡± ze ignored her words and spoke. This was already his greatest concession and favor to her.


    Harper was at a loss for words.


    Seeing her silence, ze thought he had hit the mark. He leaned closer to her, intending to kiss her.


    Harper pressed herself tightly against the window, and as his lips were about to touch hers, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong. I want to talk to you about leaving¡­¡±


    She tried tomunicate with him once more.

 Chapter 15 You Need Medication

    ¡°How long are you going to keep up this charade?¡± ze interrupted her, his tone filled with displeasure, ¡°Are you not satisfied with the conditions I provided?¡±


    Harper suddenly realized that she couldn¡¯t reason with him.


    ¡°Fine, be my woman, and I¡¯ll give you a nk check every month to fill out yourself,¡± ze said disdainfully, ¡°I can also make you into a world-ssic artist. I¡¯ll invest in animations, movies, and a series of other things to ensure your name lives on even after you¡¯re gone.¡±


    No woman could resist these temptations.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re with me, I can give you all of this!¡±


    ¡°Harper, while I¡¯m somewhat interested in you now, don¡¯t push it too far,¡± ze warned her, ¡°You¡¯re only worth this much, don¡¯t be too greedy.¡±


    He leaned in closer, his slender fingers caressing her face, his eyes locked onto hers. The tear on her eysh was incredibly tempting¡­Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He lowered his head towards her again-


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there any medicine for your symptoms?¡± Harper suddenly asked.


    He was such a paranoid, thinking she was hiding the child, tormenting her in every possible way to make her hand over the child; thinking she was a pretentious woman, so whatever she did, in his eyes, was calcted¡­


    His every word constantly humiliated her.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± ze¡¯s face immediately turned ck.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood, you need medication,¡± Harper looked at him coldly, indifferently saying, ¡°Perhaps paranoia can be treated, you shouldn¡¯t give up.¡±


    The next moment, she was violently thrown to the ground by ze.


    ¡°Thud¡­¡±


    ze stepped on her leg, his eyes ring at her with rage. His face was extremely unpleasant, ¡°Go to hell!!¡±


    His irritability, excessive arrogance, were all symptoms of paranoia, but no one had ever dared to mock him with it in front of him. She had crossed his line.


    Harper remained silent.


    ze crushed her leg with a fierce stomp, finally restraining his anger that wanted to kill her, and he left in a huff.


    Harpery motionless on the floor.


    She deliberately provoked ze. She knew that people with paranoia couldn¡¯t handle stimtion, but she still did it. She could tell that the more she tried to please ze, the more interested he became in her, which waspletely contrary to her goal of regaining her freedom. If that was the case, she would rather die¡­


    In the spacious hall, Harper sat silently on the sofa.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, in my opinion, you are a smart, resilient girl, how could you¡­¡± Dn paced in front of her, looking at her with concern.


    He never expected Harper to provoke ze. It waspletely unexpected.


    ¡°What does he want to do to punish me?¡± Harper¡¯s voice was calm.


    She knew ze wouldn¡¯t let her off easily.


    ¡°Master ordered us to throw you into the forest,¡± Dn said, his brow furrowed tightly, ¡°Do you know that the forest is guarded, you can¡¯t escape, and with no food and water, in less than seven days¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll die.¡± Harper stated her fate.


    She guessed ze wouldn¡¯t give up easily, but she didn¡¯t expect him to be so ruthless. It seemed she had really touched his sore spot.


    ¡°You only have one way out now, either hand over the child and submit to Master¡­ maybe there¡¯s still a chance¡­¡±


    ¡°Can I make onest call before I die?¡± Harper asked softly.


    ¡°Miss Shaw¡­¡±


    ¡°I know calling the police won¡¯t help, I just want to make onest call.¡± Harper said, looking up at Dn with pleading eyes.


    Dn looked at her with pity, finally sighed helplessly, and waved his hand to have the telephone brought to Harper, fulfilling herst wish.


    Harper sat on the sofa, looking down at the antique-style telephone in front of her.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if the person on the other end of the line would be willing to pick up her call.


    After a long time, Harper finally reached out slowly and picked up the phone, her index finger pressing down on a string of numbers. Each digit was pressed with all the strength she had.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    A somewhat soft male voice sounded through the receiver.


    Harper sat there, her heart pounding wildly, the handset almost slipping from her hand.


    ¡°Hello?¡± There was impatience in the voice on the other end as there was no response.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ me.¡± Harper spoke, her voice trembling slightly.


    A long silence followed.


    Thinking that he hadn¡¯t recognize her voice, Harper paused and said again, ¡°It¡¯s me, I¡¯m Harper.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s you.¡± The man¡¯s voice on the other end instantly turned cold, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to call me privately? I don¡¯t want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings.¡±


    Harper listened in a daze, suddenly unsure how to ask him for help, ¡°Logan¡­¡±


    Logan, the fullname Logan Davidson¡¯, his voice came out icy, ¡°I¡¯m about to marry your sister soon, sis.¡±


    The word ¡°sis¡± distanced their rtionship.


    Yeah, he was about to be her brother-inw.


    Harper bitterly bit her lip, then after a moment, she said, ¡°If I tell you I¡¯m being kidnapped right now, would youe to rescue me?¡±


    If there was anyone in the world who could save her, it would be Logan.

 Chapter 16 Will You Rescue Me?

    ¡°Kidnapped? Who would kidnap you? Why would someone kidnap you? Have you gone crazy from drawingics?¡± Logan sneered, his voice even colder, ¡°Fiona is your sister no matter what. Is it the right thing for a responsible sister to fabricate lies and entangle her brother-inw like this?¡±


    ¡®Fabricate lies? Why does everyone think I¡¯m lying, ze, Logan¡­?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. Please,e rescue me¡­¡± she pleaded.


    Dn stood by, not stopping Harper from seeking help. No one could rescue anyone from ze¡¯s grip.


    ¡°If you¡¯re truly kidnapped¡­¡± Logan¡¯s voice echoed in her ears. He paused. ¡°After you die, I¡¯ll im your body out of familial obligation.¡±


    She wanted to live, she wanted to rely on Logan to survive¡­ But Logan shattered herst hope.


    He wouldn¡¯te to rescue her.


    He made her feel a despair worse than death.


    ¡°Fiona has a show, I¡¯m going to be with her now.¡±


    Logan was ready to hang up, showing no desire to continue the conversation.


    ¡°Do you still not remember me?¡± Harper asked urgently before he hung up, herst inquiry.


    This was herst attempt.


    ¡°Harper, don¡¯t you realize how boring you are? Is it amusing to pester me like this?¡± Logan coldly retorted, his disdain clear in his tone.


    She was thoroughly despised¡­ She wanted to hang up then and there, but she couldn¡¯t, this was herst call before she died.


    She gripped the receiver tightly, blinked her dry eyes, and slowly said, ¡°Logan, listen, I¡¯ve tried. My efforts can only go this far. If one day you remember me, please¡­¡±


    Pleasee visit me at my grave.


    Logan didn¡¯t give her a chance to finish, he hung up directly. Because from the other end of the line, Fiona¡¯s urgent voice was heard, and he always put Fiona first.


    Harper listened nkly to the busy tone on the other end of the line, her heart feeling like it was being torn apart.


    He didn¡¯t even want to listen to her final words.


    Logan.


    Logan, who was sent to live with her family as a child due to blindness, has been in love with Fiona, her younger sister, ever since he regained his sight six years ago after a surgery. He lost all memories due to someplications during the operation.


    Then, he fell in love with Fiona, her sister.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    How melodramatic.


    The boy who used to cling to her and say he¡¯d marry her disappeared after that surgery¡­


    No matter what she said or did, Logan always thought she was jealous of her sister, trying to steal her sister¡¯s man¡­ Even her foster parents thought she was too much and stopped paying attention to her.


    She was tired, too. Faced with someone who had no memory of her, she had done enough and lost enough.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you okay?¡± Dn walked over to her, looking at her with concern.


    Harper seemed even sadder than when facing ze¡¯s blow¡­


    ¡°I can go to the forest now.¡± Harper said faintly. She slowly put down the receiver.


    From Logan¡¯s tone, she already knew that no one had noticed her disappearance.


    No one cared about her.


    She didn¡¯t know how long it would take for someone to notice her disappearance. Who would notice first? Fiona? Her foster parents? Colleagues? Or¡­ Logan?


    It wouldn¡¯t have mattered anymore, would it?


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you really would rather die than submit to Master?¡± Dn asked.


    ¡°If submission could bring me freedom, I would; but if it¡¯s only to be his mere sexual tool, to live like a walking dead, then I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Harper said softly, standing up from the sofa and leaving without hesitation.


    Seeing her so resolute, Dn stopped trying to persuade her, only hoping for a turning point¡­


    The spacious lounge.


    zey on the top-notch massage chair.


    Linda and two beautiful women were at the nearby bar counter mixing drinks. They would asionally walk over to ze, trying to catch his attention, but also fearing to anger him.


    ze didn¡¯t even nce at them. He held the remote control in his hand, his handsome face as cold as ice. His eyes stared fiercely at therge vertical screen in front of him.


    The screen showed the forest outside the castle.


    Harper, dressed in a trailing gown, was being pushed in by a bodyguard. She made no effort to resist, as if resigned to her fate. The fallen branches on the ground snagged her gown, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice.

 Chapter 17 Die In The Forest

    ¡°Master.¡±


    Dn walked in from outside, and Linda and the others gave him disdainful nces.


    Dn couldn¡¯t help but shake his head; this was the biggest difference between Harper and the women around Master.


    The women around Master weren¡¯t stupid; they all wanted to climb the socialdder. They tried their best to please Master, looking down on the servants in various ways¡­ Unlike Harper, who was polite and courteous to all of them, showing great manners.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± zezily epted the cocktail Linda handed him.


    ¡°Master,¡± Dn approached, ¡°Master, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too extreme with Miss Shaw?¡±


    ¡°Dn, it seems even you can¡¯t follow the ¡®Housekeeping Guidelines¡¯ you spent your entire life writing,¡± ze red at him displeased.


    Dn lowered his head respectfully. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you. Don¡¯t you want the child? What if Miss Shaw can¡¯t hold on¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been too lenient with her. Once she tastes the brink of death, she¡¯ll yield,¡± ze said confidently.


    ¡°But what if¡­¡±


    ¡°There are no ¡®what ifs.¡¯ Get out, all of you, get out!¡± ze didn¡¯t want to hear anymore, angrily throwing the cocktail out of his hand.


    The delicate ss shattered, reflecting countless shards of light¡­


    ze¡¯s anger made Linda and the others look at each other, casting hateful nces at Dn, the troublemaker.


    Then they reluctantly left. Dn followed suit.


    The lounge was left with only ze.


    He stared straight at the screen showing the forest, watching Harper¡¯s figure disappear deeper into it, slender and pale¡­


    The sunlight filtered through the leaves, shining on her, making her appear even paler.


    ¡®She¡¯s really something. Dn was the steward awarded the highest-level medal. He rarely spoke up, yet he was now pleading for this pretentious woman¡­ Damn it¡­ All because of this woman, because of this woman who dared to mock me and tell me to take medication! She needed to be taught a lesson.¡¯ ze¡¯s fingers swiftly moved the remote control, adjusting the hidden cameras positioned all over the forest to focus directly on Harper.


    In the footage, Harper walked expressionlessly, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. Behind her, the branches swayed, casting dappled shadows. The green leaves floated around her, making her look like an elf¡­


    ze despised himself for finding her beautiful at this moment.


    Suddenly, Harper lifted her eyes and seemed to meet the position of a hidden camera, as if staring at him through the screen¡­


    ¡°Snap-¡± The remote control fell from his hand.


    On the first day in the forest, Harper stepped on the grass, gazing at the towering trees reaching up to the sky. Sunlight streamed down from the canopy, casting its glow in front of her.


    Was this thest image she would see of this world?


    For someone who had never been cared for or believed in, it seemed like a fitting end.


    She reached a slightlyrger clearing. Arge treey horizontally on the ground, broken for some unknown reason¡­


    Harper sat on the fallen tree, holding a stack of nk white papers in her hands.


    Dn had forced them on her. He thought that since she was aic artist, she must love drawing, and finding sce in art before her demise would be good.


    Harper ced the papers on herp, gripping the pencil but not knowing where to start¡­


    She remembered the first time she drew a person; the model was Logan.


    Back then, he was just an unpopr little blind boy, always trailing behind her, liking to hold her hand¡­


    ¡°Harper¡­ I want to see how you draw me.¡±


    ¡°One day, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°When I see it, will you marry me?¡±


    Harper looked down at the nk paper, the voice of that young boy echoing in her ears. She forgot if she had agreed back then.


    But she vividly remembered the attic in her old home, where the boy stood by the window, feeling the breeze.


    His beautiful eyes were unfocused, looking in her direction, earnestly saying, ¡°My father was afraid I¡¯d be a disgrace if exposed, so he sent me to live with your family. No one else liked me; they thought I was a nuisance because I¡¯m blind¡­ Only you cared for me, Harper. You have to stay by my side.¡±


    At that time, Logan also said, ¡°If you¡¯re not here, even if I see the whole world, I won¡¯t know where to go.¡±


    The boy who was afraid of being alone without her¡­ hadpletely forgotten her.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He knew where to go, anywhere.


    Just not to her.


    A drop of water stained the pristine paper, spreading into a circle.


    Harper blinked, wiping away the tear from the corner of her eye, then chuckled bitterly to herself.


    They say people remember everything before they die, it seems like her life¡¯s end isn¡¯t far off¡­


    ¡°Shoo, shoo¡­¡± She quickly moved her pen on the paper, drawing the boy on the attic, the glint of tears depicted as his eyes¡­

 Chapter 18 Am I Dying?

    On the second day in the forest.


    Harper, having gone a day without food, was already suffering from hunger.


    Her stomach cramped painfully.


    With a survival instinct, she tried to drink a little dew from the leaves¡­ but the guards rushed in, warning her not to touch anything.


    She couldn¡¯t eat anything, not even dew, not even a leaf.


    They were constantly watching her, intending to starve her to death¡­


    ze was indeed ruthless. Well, dying faster would at least shorten the suffering.


    She leaned against the fallen tree, sitting on the ground, her dress dirty, but she didn¡¯t care.


    She looked at the towering trees before her, beginning to reminisce. She recalled the past few years when she had driven everyone away for Logan.


    To everyone, she was just Logan¡¯s childhood ymate. They all thought she shouldn¡¯t deprive her sister of happiness, repeatedly clinging to him¡­


    Her father said, ¡°Even if you and Logan were close before, that was just kids¡¯ stuff. He¡¯s grown up now, even if he hadn¡¯t lost his memory, he knows he wants your sister!¡±


    Her mother said, ¡°Harper, I wish I never adopted you. Leave, and nevere back.¡±


    Nevere back¡­


    She thought, if she really disappeared like this, everyone would heave a sigh of relief¡­


    On the balcony outside the forest, ze leaned against the white railing, bathed in the bright sunlight, one hand pressing the earphones on his ears as he made a call, ¡°Arrange for a director to attend the post-acquisition press conference, and stop bothering me.¡±


    ze hung up the phone, ncing towards the forest.


    He held a tablet with thetest technology in his hand, and the screen disyed the footage from the forest.


    Since Harper entered the forest, he had been staring at the surveince.


    There were scattered papers all over the ground in the woods.


    Sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves, shining on her slightly dirty dress, making it look particrly beautiful.


    She hadn¡¯t slept all night, just writing and drawing on the papers.


    ¡®A boring woman. Just knowing to do these things before she died.¡¯


    ze frowned, feeling somewhat inexplicably annoyed. He then shut off the tablet, no longer looking at the screen.


    On the third day in the forest.


    Harper still didn¡¯t plead for mercy.


    Her body was crumbling bit by bit along with her spirit. Her stomach was so numb from hunger, her lips cracked and bleeding¡­


    They say a person dies if they don¡¯t drink water for three days.


    ¡®Am I dying?¡¯ Harper wondered. She could barely sit up against the fallen tree. Strands of her hair fell over her eyes, but she couldn¡¯t muster the strength to brush them away.


    So tired¡­


    The taste of waiting for death was truly unbearable.


    Her body gradually went limp, the papers and pencils slipping from her grasp. She copsed onto the ground, her head resting against the fallen tree, her long hair strewn messily around her¡­


    Harper squinted slightly as the light above her constantly refracted from different angles, sometimes transparent, sometimes colorful, with birds flying past, their chirping clear¡­


    So beautiful. Beautiful like when she stood at the door of her house as a child, seeing the sunlight through a small piece of candy wrapper. And then, Logan, taller than her, appeared in her line of sight.


    Such a dazzling youth.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Such dazzling sunlight.


    Vaguely, she saw a blurry figure slowly approaching her, a boy. He smiled and offered his hand to her, ¡°Harper, be my guide and take me outside.¡±


    His smile was still so charming, filled with trust and dependence on her.


    ¡°Logan¡­¡±


    Her cracked lips weakly pronounced the name.


    ¡°Logan.


    You¡¯ve seen the whole world now, you no longer need me.¡±


    ¡°Logan¡­ goodbye¡­¡±


    She murmured with all her helplessness and hopelessness, slowly closing her eyes¡­


    ¡­


    During the time after encountering ze, Harper¡¯s life was spent in a cycle of waking up from aa only to slip back into it.


    Groggily waking up, Harper saw the opulent ceiling. She felt dizzy, unable to distinguish between dream and reality¡­


    She slowly turned her eyes and saw the intravenous tube on her hand, only then did she understand that she hadn¡¯t died.


    She was alive? How¡­?


    This wasn¡¯t the forest anymore, but a bedroom.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Harper struggled to sit up on the massive bed. Just as she lifted her head, she saw a tall, slender figure standing at the foot of the bed.


    Specifically, he was standing on the bed.


    ze stood there with his hands in his pockets, his feet on the nkets. His grey trousers hugged his straight legs, and his light-colored shirt exposing his sexy corbones.


    He kept his head down, his handsome face tight with anger. His deep eyes red at her furiously.


    Harper was startled to see him standing on the bed. The next moment, her feelings were reced with speechlessness. She hated ze to death, but suddenly seeing him standing on the bed, eyes wide open, she didn¡¯t know whether to be angry or tough¡­


    Maybe it was because she had almost died once. Seeing ze again, she actually didn¡¯t find him as annoying as before.

 Chapter 19 Are You Out Of Your Mind

    Seeing her awake, ze¡¯s anger intensified. He almost hysterically shouted, ¡°Harper! Are you out of your damn mind?¡±


    ¡®Out of mind? Wasn¡¯t it him? He¡¯s the paranoid one.¡¯


    Just waking up, Harper was a bit dazed by the scolding, so she could only stare nkly at the man in front of her.


    ¡°I tell you to die, you just die? Are you that obedient? I tell you to be my woman, why won¡¯t you?¡± ze roared angrily, ring down at her, ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to beg for mercy even at the point of death!¡±


    The guards had been withdrawn from the forest edge. By the third day, he even allowed her to eat without interference from the guards, yet she still knew nothing, didn¡¯t know to walk out¡­


    Really, dumb to death.


    If he hadn¡¯t seen her unconscious on the surveince screen and rushed in to save her, she would be dead by now.


    Even at death¡¯s door, she didn¡¯t struggle at all!


    Harper was bewildered by the scolding-It seemed¡­ he was the one who wanted her dead, right? And now he¡¯s scolding her again?


    ¡°Idiot! Fool! Stupid woman!¡± ze berated her, his once-sexy voice now hoarse from shouting.


    Not content with just scolding her, ze kicked her nket aside in frustration.


    Harper lowered his head and saw that she had already been changed into a nightgown.


    ¡°What are you looking at? I changed it!¡± ze growled, ¡°Is there anywhere on your body I haven¡¯t seen or touched?¡±


    Harper looked at him speechlessly and weakly said, ¡°Don¡¯t go too far¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t concerned about changing clothes anyway. Besides, she had already died once, and she really didn¡¯t want to care about these things anymore.


    She just couldn¡¯t stand how this man was the one trying to kill her, yet he was now scolding her as if everything was her fault. It was mind-boggling, almost making her start to doubt her own memory.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I went too far? I didn¡¯t fuck you when you were dehydrated, that¡¯s pretty restrained.¡± ze growled, ring at her with hatred, stomping angrily on the bed with his feet.


    He stomped so hard that if it weren¡¯t for the good quality of the bed, she would have already been shaken off.


    Harper was too tired to argue with him anymore, so she leaned against the headboard silently, her eyelids drooping slightly.


    Seeing her indifferent, ze became even angrier, lifting his foot to kick her leg.


    Harper winced in pain, then looked up at the vtile man, ¡°What exactly¡­ do you want?¡±


    She was too weak to speak properly, her wordsing out in fragmented sentences.


    ¡°I want to kill you,¡± ze stated bluntly.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you¡­ just let me die¡­? Why bother saving me?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to figure something out!¡± ze dered.


    Harper weakly leaned against the headboard, looking at him in confusion.


    ze walked to her, stepping off the bed, ring at her with severity as he barked, ¡°What does it mean that ¡®no one believes me¡¯? What does that mean? Exin it to me!¡±


    With that, ze angrily threw a stack of papers beside him towards her.


    The papers fell like snowkes, covering the entire bed. Harper stared nkly at them. These were the drawings she made in the forest. They depicted scenes from her childhood with Logan, memories flooding back as she drew.


    Written repeatedly on these papers was one sentence: ¡°No one believes me.¡±


    ze didn¡¯t believe her.


    Logan didn¡¯t believe her either. Despite her desperately providing evidence to prove that she was once his closest person¡­ he still didn¡¯t believe her.


    She was honest, yet they all thought she was a liar.


    Harper reached out to pick up the papers.


    But ze lifted his foot, kicking the papers away. He red at her, his voice filled with anger, ¡°Exin! What does it mean that ¡®no one believes me¡¯? I wronged you?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t??¡± Harper asked calmly, finding the question rather ridiculous.


    ze red at her, ¡°You set me up, secretly had a child, and didn¡¯t hand it over. Have I wronged you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie,¡± Harper¡¯s tone remained unchanged, knowing that ze wouldn¡¯t believe her anyway. He would only stick to what he thought was right.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t lie, then you should gather evidence and throw it all back at those heads who don¡¯t believe you, make them apologize to you, instead of just dying!¡± ze growled.


    Without the expected barrage of insults, Harper was stunned for several seconds before she realized what ze had said.


    He said that she should make those who don¡¯t believe her apologize to her, rather than just letting her die.


    The person who doubted her the most actually spoke like this, as if¡­ advising her not to seek death.


    Impossible.


    Harper looked at this man standing in front of her, feeling somewhat confused. She seemed¡­ unable to understand ze at all.


    ¡°What are you looking at me for? I can¡¯t possibly be wrong! I¡¯m just teaching you a lesson!¡± ze red at her.


    He was still so arrogant.


    Harper looked at him, silent for a moment, and then asked without hope, ¡°So¡­ can I go find evidence?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Harper felt like she had suddenly gone deaf, stunned again.


    ¡®Did he actually say yes? Howe he became so amodating?¡¯


    ¡°Harper, listen, I never wrong people,¡± ze said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a week. If you can¡¯t prove your honesty, thene back here obediently, and bring my child with you!¡±


    A week?


    Harper wanted to say it was too short, but ze was capricious, and it was rare for him to relent. She couldn¡¯t negotiate with him.


    If there was a chance to live, she would take it.


    ¡°Okay, I promise,¡± Harper almost wanted to get out of bed immediately, but she was too weak to even speak loud.


    ¡°Now you need to exin another thing to me,¡± ze said.


    ¡°What thing?¡±


    ze suddenly sat down beside her, his long legs directly resting on her abdomen. His sturdy calf even rubbed her abdomen maliciously a couple of times.


    Harper had no strength to argue with him.


    ze picked up a piece of paper nearby and held it up to her, pointing to the figure drawn inside, ¡°Who¡¯s this guy? Your man?¡±

 Chapter 20 Who鈥檚 This Guy?

    Logan.


    It was Logan.


    Looking at the figure on the paper standing in the attic, memories shed in her mind¡­


    But now he was just her brother-inw. Brother-inw, it sounded absurd and ridiculous to say out loud.


    p!


    ze¡¯s palm struck her head. His face turned livid, his voice hoarse with anger. ¡°Is he really your man?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Harper weakly replied, ¡°It¡¯s just aic I created.¡±


    ¡°Dying and still creatingics?¡± ze mocked her with a sneer, then added, ¡°Harper, I warn you, you¡¯re the mother of my child, no messing around with other men!¡±


    He was domineering and selfish to the extreme.


    Harper wanted to ask, even if she was indeed the mother of his child, a man of his status wouldn¡¯t possibly marry her, so why couldn¡¯t she have other rtionships? But she didn¡¯t. If she said anything, he would surely go into a rage again.


    Forget it, no point arguing with someone with paranoid personality disorder.


    ¡°Hiss¡­¡± ze sat beside her and tore the paper in half.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The room was brightly lit, and the paper dust danced in the air. The figure on the paper disappeared in ze¡¯s hands¡­ Along with her memories, everything between her and Logan was destined to be torn apart.


    Midnight.


    Harper had a pleasant dream, dreaming that she found a pile of evidence proving her honesty. She threw all the evidence at ze¡¯s head.


    ze, surrounded by numerous bodyguards, marched to the iconic central building of S City, kneeling down and kowtowing while shouting, ¡°Miss Shaw, it¡¯s all my fault, please forgive me! Please spare me!¡±


    The scene was so satisfying to watch.


    She stood in front of ze, one foot resting on his shoulder, smiling triumphantly¡­.


    Hahahaha¡­.


    ¡°Why are youughing in the middle of the night?¡±


    A sexy voice suddenly sounded in her ear.


    Harper widened her eyes in shock.


    In the dimly lit room with only a bedsidemp, ze was lying beside her. He propped his face with one hand, seemingly just finished showering. He was wearing a silver-gray bathrobe, his short hair still wet, and his eyes staring straight at her.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Harper was startled, immediately sitting up from the bed. But within a second, she weakly fell back onto the bed, gasping for breath. ¡°What, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Sleeping.¡±


    He said matter-of-factly.


    ¡°But this bed is mine¡­¡±


    ¡°This is my house, where can¡¯t I sleep?¡±


    ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Harper struggled to sit up, preparing to get out of bed, but her legs can¡¯t move. ze¡¯s leg was pressing heavily against hers. Harper looked at him speechlessly, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Sleeping. Sleeping with my woman. Got a problem?¡± ze directly imed her as his possession, his eyes fixed on her like a leopard targeting its prey in the dim light.


    ¡°¡­ Move your leg, I want to get down.¡±


    ¡°You want to leave? Fine.¡± ze unexpectedly moved his foot aside.


    Harper was about to get out of bed when she heard ze¡¯szy voice, ¡°Getting off my bed means you¡¯re giving up the chance to find evidence for a week.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Harper angrily turned to look at him.


    ¡°It depends on you.¡± ze sat back against the headboard, his eyes indifferent as he nced at her.


    She had no choice. She wanted freedom¡­ Harper lowered her head and silentlyy back down. As soon as she did, ze pulled her into his arms. The scent of shower gel on his body engulfed her, mixing with his breath, making it hard for her to breathe¡­


    A strange night.


    A strange bed.


    A strange embrace.


    Harper had no strength to struggle, only able to be held tightly by him. ze¡¯s face drew near, inhaling deeply against her cheek and neck, his lips beginning to wander, his breath growing heavier¡­


    No longer content with just kisses, he wrapped his arm around her thin waist, lifted her head with his hand, and forced her to face him, then pressed his lips against hers without hesitation.


    ze¡¯s tongue entwined around her, trying to elicit the response he desired. Harper was kissed to the point where her skin trembled uncontrobly, finding it difficult to resist.


    She thought in resignation, ¡®Forget it, I can¡¯tpete with him, I can¡¯t resist. Whatever happens, happens. Tomorrow, regardless of how poorly my body might recover, I would leave.¡¯


    But oddly enough, apart from passionate kisses and caresses, ze didn¡¯t go any further.


    Harper didn¡¯t understand what he was thinking. She shifted her body slightly, trying to move away from him discreetly, but he held her tighter.


    ¡°If you show even a hint of resistance again, I promise I¡¯ll fuck you hard tonight,¡± he said menacingly, biting her earlobe.


    Harper shrunk back, wisely choosing not to move again, silently allowing him to do as he pleased.


    She didn¡¯t know how long it had been, but gradually, in his relentless kissing, Harper began to lose consciousness and drifted off to sleep.


    The next day.


    When Harper woke up, ze was nowhere to be seen beside the bed, only his lingering scent remained.


    She breathed a sigh of relief, then mustered all her strength to get out of bed.


    Today, she had to leave.


    She couldn¡¯t stay any longer, not knowing what ze might do to her next.


    After freshening up, Harper took the elevator straight down to the lobby.


    Dn was instructing the maids.


    ¡°Mr. Foster.¡±


    Harper walked over to him, nodding politely.


    ¡°Miss Shaw.¡± Dn smiled at her. ¡°You look much better than when Master brought you back the other day.¡±


    ¡°He brought me back?¡± Harper was surprised.


    ¡°Yes, Master was the first to find you unconscious. He personally brought you back from the forest,¡± Dn said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Master so concerned about someone.¡±


    ¡®Concern?¡­ This kind of concern, not many women could handle. This man was truly unpredictable, with fluctuating emotions. He clearly wanted me dead, but in the end, he saved me?¡­ Why?¡¯ Harper didn¡¯t pursue the topic further, just said, ¡°Mr. Wychwood agreed to give me a week to find evidence. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± She was just here to say goodbye.


    ¡°Okay, Miss Shaw, we¡¯ll have people secretly monitoring your every move. Please don¡¯t do anything irrational like seeking help. It won¡¯t work and will only anger Master,¡± Dn cautioned her, his face filled with worry, afraid she might once again provoke ze.


    No one could predict ze¡¯s thoughts.


    Harper understood his good intentions and nodded, ¡°I know. Thank you.¡±


    With that, Harper headed towards the main door. She had nothing with her, not even her phone, as she had been brought here tied up.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, wait a moment, could you do me a favor?¡± Dn suddenly called out.

 Chapter 21 Just Brother-in-law

    Harper turned around in confusion, and Dn looked at her with a pleading expression, leading her downstairs to a kitchen. Even before they got close, they heard ze¡¯s displeased shouts.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you use your brain a bit? I just asked you to make some ice cream, is that so hard?¡±


    ¡°Even someone who hasn¡¯t even passed a chef certification exam can make better food than you guys!¡±


    ¡°The damn Dn, how could he hire you useless bunch!¡±


    ¡°Get out, get out, get out!¡±


    ¡­


    Harper approached the kitchen door, and in front of a long dining table were rows of various vors of ice cream. The seasoned chefs stood in a row, each with their heads bowed, enduring their master¡¯s wrath.


    ze stood on the opposite side of the table, impably dressed in a suit but acting extremely rude. He angrily threw a spoon at one of the chefs, his face showing extreme displeasure.


    His temperament was really terrible, too prone to anger. Harper frowned.


    Ice cream?


    Harper looked at Dn, who looked somewhat helpless, with a deep plea in his eyes.


    If ze¡¯s demands weren¡¯t so unreasonable, Dn wouldn¡¯t havee to her for help.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Harper couldn¡¯t refuse Dn¡¯s request, so she shrugged and walked inside.


    Upon seeing her, ze¡¯s enraged face showed a hint of surprise. ¡°Aren¡¯t you dead yet?¡±


    So vicious¡­


    ¡®Paranoid personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder¡­ Fine, I¡¯d endure.¡¯ Harper pretended not to hear and calmly asked, ¡°Do you want me to make some ice cream for you?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s too terrible!¡± ze coldly snorted.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want any?¡± He had just praised her for making good ice cream.


    ¡°I said no!¡±


    ¡°Really don¡¯t want any?¡±


    ¡°Get lost¡­¡± ze was especially irritable when he couldn¡¯t get the food he wanted.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave¡­¡± Harper had no choice but to turn around.


    ¡°Come back and make it for me!¡±


    This man was really¡­


    To prevent Dn and the innocent chefs from being abused, Harper persevered despite her still recovering body and made twentyrge tubs of ice cream.


    As she ced thest tub of ice cream on the table, Harper was panting heavily, feeling a bit unsteady on her feet.


    While ze sat there enjoying his ice cream, seemingly at ease, he was also making phone calls, seemingly discussing some business matters. There was no trace of his earlier anger.


    Harper once again marveled at this man¡¯s unpredictable temperament.


    He had imed not to like sweets before, and now he was indulging in them like this¡­


    Shaking her head, she wiped the sweat off her face and turned to leave. But before she could reach the door, she heard ze¡¯s displeased voice, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going out to find evidence to prove my innocence,¡± Harper replied earnestly, turning back to face him.


    ¡°What about my ice cream?¡± ze asked, taking another big spoonful, as if it were her responsibility.


    Harper wished she could sassily retort with ¡°None of my business.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you more once you finish those,¡± she said instead, trying to cate him just to be able to leave. She nced at the table full of ice cream; there was enough tost for at least two months. By then, she would have nothing to do with him.


    ¡°Oh, then get lost!¡± ze waved her off dismissively.


    He really was a rude man who didn¡¯t even know how to say thank you.


    Harper turned to leave.


    Dn had already arranged for a car outside; otherwise, at her walking pace, she wouldn¡¯t make it out of the forest before dark.


    Harper got into the car, and the driver immediately started driving away. She nced back onest time; the magnificent castle was getting farther and farther away, and she hoped that once she left, she would never return.


    Goodbye, ze.


    Goodbye, nightmare.


    ¡­


    ¡°Miss Shaw, should I take you home now?¡±


    ¡°To the bathhouse.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As the driver headed towards the city center, Harper watched the traffic and bustling pedestrians outside the window, feeling a sense of rebirth. She had been trapped by ze¡¯s side for so long that she had forgotten how lively the outside world could be.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Upon arriving at the bathhouse, Harper got out of the car and walked to the reception desk.


    ¡°I left my phone and bag here earlier, I¡¯d like to retrieve them.¡±


    Thest time she was at the bathhouse, she had hastily put on her clothes before being taken away by ze¡¯s bodyguards, leaving her bag and phone behind.


    As she looked up, she saw the rm system on the wall¡­


    If someone had called the police or helped out when ze caused troublest time, then she wouldn¡¯t have¡­ Oh, that¡¯s unlikely either. He¡¯s ze Wychwood, all-powerful.


    Harper slung her single-strap bag over her shoulder and walked out, checking her phone as she went. It was dead.


    ¡°Harper.¡± A displeased voice suddenly rang out in front of her.


    She looked up and saw a Rolls-Royce slowly pulling up in front of her. The back window was open, and inside sat a man.


    He rested his hand on the window, dressed in a casual yet expensive-looking suit. With his fairplexion and narrow eyes, he exuded a different kind of handsome charmpared to ze.


    Logan.


    On the street, in front of the bathhouse, Harper unexpectedly ran into Logan. She found herself caught in his disdainful gaze, feeling like she had just been pped hard.


    Harper stood there like a statue, unmoving.


    Logan sat in the car, coldly sneering at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who got kidnapped? Didn¡¯t get torn to pieces?¡±


    Hearing his voice again, Harper was at a loss for words.


    Perhaps it was because she had almost die before.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you say anything? Don¡¯t know how to keep the lie going?¡± Logan mocked her. ¡°Let me teach you. You can say you cleverly escaped from the kidnappers on your own.¡±


    Harper stared at his face, silent. She knew that exination would be useless; he wouldn¡¯t believe her. The boy who once relied on and trusted herpletely now harbored nothing but disgust for her.


    ¡°No words? Sister?¡± Logan looked at her with even more mockery.


    Sister¡­


    He called her sister.


    Harper stared at him.


    ¡°Drive.¡± Logan didn¡¯t say anything else, just instructed the driver.


    As the luxury car slowly started, Logan was about to roll up the window when he heard Harper¡¯s hoarse voice, ¡°Do you really hate me that much?¡±


    He turned to look at her, sneering, ¡°For a woman who spends all day trying to seduce her brother-inw, what attitude do you think I should have?¡±


    Ever since Logan had surgery and started dating Fiona six years ago, Harper had been constantly pestering him. She always tried to make him remember the past, calling him even when she wasn¡¯t around, and even resorting to the old-fashioned way of writing letters¡­ If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was Fiona¡¯s sister, he would have dealt with her long ago.


    Harper dared not meet his eyes filled with disdain¡­ It reminded her of the years when he was blind, how gentle he was towards her, how he depended on herpletely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t anymore.¡± She lowered her head slightly, her voice soft but her tone unusually resolute.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe you?¡± She¡¯d been pestering him for years¡­


    ¡°Before, I was waiting for you and Fiona to get married before letting go,¡± Harper said softly. ¡°Now, I¡¯m letting go ahead of time.¡±


    In truth, over the years, she had been repeatedly humiliated by Logan. Every time, she told herself to give up, but she knew she couldn¡¯t truly let go. But this time, she really did.


    Perhaps she should be thankful to ze; he helped her see clearly. She finally understood that the old Logan would never return.


    Now, Logan was just a brother-inw to her.

 Chapter 22 The Helicopter Was On The Rooftop

    At Harper¡¯s words, Logan said, ¡°Should I thank you then, sister?¡± His tone was biting.


    ¡®Did he have to hurt me like this?¡¯ Harper¡¯s eyes felt dry. She slowly lifted her head to look at the man in the car, ¡°Logan, I¡¯ve really tried these years. If someday¡­ If someday you remember everything, please don¡¯t me me.¡±


    This time, she truly let go.


    ¡°Even if I remember, I¡¯ll still love Fiona.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    So heartless¡­ Harper gave a bitter smile. ¡°I understand. Bye¡­¡±


    She turned resolutely and walked away. A gust of wind swept by, lifting her skirt and tousling her hair.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Logan sat in the car, watching Harper¡¯s retreating figure.


    This was the first time she left so decisively in front of him. Before, she wouldn¡¯t leave until he drove her away.


    It¡¯s best if this time it¡¯s for real.


    Logan withdrew his gaze, loosening his tie with an unexinable sense of annoyance, her words echoing in his mind.


    ¡°Logan, I¡¯ve really tried these years. If someday¡­ If someday you remember everything, please don¡¯t me me.¡±


    When she said those words, it was obvious she was looking at another man through him. Looking at the past him, in a farewell-like manner¡­


    A farewell? That would be for the best.


    Logan simply pulled off his tie and tossed it onto the seat beside him. The driver, seeing this through the rearview mirror, cautiously asked, ¡°Master, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°No. Go to Fiona¡¯s vi.¡±


    Even with the driver, Logan was always polite and gentle, only ever angry with Harper.


    When she pestered him, he got angry.


    Now that she suddenly stopped, he was inexplicably angry.


    ¡®Logan, you really are a masochistic man.¡¯ Logan took a deep breath, still able to see Harper¡¯s figure getting farther and farther away in the side mirror¡­


    ¡­


    Harper didn¡¯t know how she made it back home. All she could hear was Logan¡¯s voice echoing in her ears¡­


    ¡°Harper, even though it¡¯s an eye surgery, this time it involves the brain. After listening to so many cheesy audiobooks with you, what if I lose my memory?¡±


    ¡°If I forget, you have to help me remember. I won¡¯t forget you no matter who else I forget.¡±


    ¡°Fiona and I are getting engaged.¡±


    ¡°Harper, can you stop bothering me?¡±


    ¡°Fiona pities you as an adopted sister. I don¡¯t pity you! Are you that desperate for a man? Do you believe I won¡¯t send someone to rape you?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re truly kidnapped¡­ After you die, I¡¯ll im your body out of familial obligation.¡±


    ¡°For a woman who spends all day trying to seduce her brother-inw, what attitude do you think I should have?¡±


    Thinking back on years of entanglement with Logan, and remembering all the disdain from her loved ones, Harper leaned against the doorway andughed.


    Upon reflection, she¡¯d been quite foolish these past few years. She kept trying to steal her sister¡¯s man, causing rifts within the family. She deserved it¡­


    Luckily, it¡¯s all over now.


    It¡¯s all over.


    No more bothering Logan, no more dwelling on the past memories. From now on, she¡¯ll be Harper, living for herself.


    Harper wiped away her tears, took out her keys from her bag, and unlocked the door.


    As soon as she pushed the door open, she froze.


    The house was a mess, her sketches scattered everywhere. Even the shoes in the shoebox were thrown around, as if a robber had ransacked the ce.


    It must have been ze¡¯s doing. Standing at the door for a moment, Harper could onlye to this conclusion. He was probably searching her house for something rted to the child¡­


    Encountering Logan suddenly made her almost forget the most important thing right now. She needed to find evidence to prove her innocence.


    She had thought of a solution. The simplest and most direct way was to go to the hospital for a check-up and have the doctors prove that she had never given birth.


    With the solution in mind, Harper wasn¡¯t in a rush to go to the hospital. She was too tired right now. All she wanted was to lie down and rest for the night.


    She walked into the house, plugged in her phone to charge, and then tidied up the room a bit before heading into the bedroom to sleep.


    She thought that after encountering Logan, she would torment herself mentally before falling asleep. But this time, as soon as she snuggled under the warm andfortable nket, she felt sleepy, quickly drifting off into slumber¡­


    ¡°Dang, dang, dang¡­¡±


    In the middle of the night, a noisy sound resembling a machine engine echoed from outside, giving Harper a headache. Unable to sleep, she got up from bed, threw on a jacket, and walked out of her house.


    Other residents also came out in the hallway , asking each other what was going on and where the noise wasing from.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Harper yawned, looking out into the dark night sky, feeling a bit confused. Where was that noiseing from? It was too loud.


    ¡°Harper! Get your ass up to the rooftop!¡±


    Suddenly, a domineering male voice echoed in the night sky. It was obvious that the voice was amplified through some sort of speaker, each word ringing out loudly and clearly.


    Harper¡¯s sleepiness instantly vanished, her eyes widening in shock. That voice¡­ ze? It couldn¡¯t be¡­ She must have misheard.


    Turning around to go back inside, she soon heard Dn¡¯s voice echoing in the night sky as well, ¡°Miss Shaw, Master is waiting for you on the rooftop. Pleasee up immediately.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, Master is waiting for you on the rooftop. Pleasee up immediately.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, Master is waiting for you on the rooftop. Pleasee up immediately.¡±


    Three times in a row.


    Evenints piled up from the residents, Dn¡¯s voice showed no sign of stopping¡­


    Harper had no choice but to make her way towards the rooftop.


    What could ze possibly want from her at this hour?


    Upon reaching the rooftop, Harper was greeted by the sight of intense lighting, rows of floodlights illuminating the entire night like daylight. In the distance, four helicopters were parked.


    So this was where the ¡®dang, dang, dang¡¯ noise wasing from, Harper finally understood.


    Beside the helicopters stood rows of bodyguards. Dn looked at her with a gentle smile, ¡°Miss Shaw.¡±

 Chapter 23 You Gave Me A Week

    The night wind on the rooftop was chilly. Harper adjusted her jacket and walked towards him. ¡°Mr. Foster, what¡¯s going on here? With all the lights and helicopters, it was a bit too much¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, you see, Master attended a banquet in city C tonight, and he wants tond here on his return. I¡¯m worried about poor visibility at night, making it difficult to find thending spot, so Iid out a few light runways,¡± Dn exined with a smile.


    ¡°¡­¡± Runways made of lights¡­ Rich people are so extravagant¡­


    Harper stared at the sea of lights on the ground, feeling deeply speechless. It took her a moment to process before she asked, ¡°Why are younding here?¡±


    That was the key point.


    In response, Dn smiled but didn¡¯t answer. He turned his head to look at a particr helicopter.


    Following his gaze, Harper saw ze lounging casually on the aircraft, his long legs dangling out of the cabin. He looked down at her, swirling a ss of red wine in his hand.


    ¡°Harper, am I not shy enough, or is my ne not shy enough?¡± ze¡¯s tone was displeased.


    He was annoyed that she hadn¡¯t noticed him the moment she arrived on the rooftop and started talking to Dn. Was he invisible or something?


    ¡°What?¡± Harper didn¡¯t catch his meaning.


    ¡°Are you blind?¡± ze red at her fiercely, downing his wine in one gulp.


    Harper told herself not to bother arguing with this entric and temperamental guy.


    Throwing the ss aside, ze jumped down from the helicopter with a graceful movement. He looked at Harper imperiously. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Harper didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°To your ce.¡±


    Harper¡¯s eyes widened in shock. What was he up to?


    She looked at Dn for an exnation.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you¡¯ll find out soon,¡± Dn said with a smile.


    Harper had a bad feeling about this.


    Once inside her home, ze took off his clothes and tossed them aside, then headed straight for the kitchen as if he was the owner.


    Harper hurried after him, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, what do you want from me?¡±


    ze opened the fridge, brows furrowing. ¡°Where¡¯s the ice cream?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harper was taken aback.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d make it after I finished the ice cream,¡± ze snapped, closing the fridge with a bang. Leaning against it, he red at her furiously. ¡°Are you lying to me? Daring to lie to me?¡±


    He was easily angered, a true paranoid.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you. Wait a minute¡­¡± Harper suddenly realized something, looking at the handsome man in disbelief, ¡°Are you saying¡­ you¡¯ve eaten all the ice cream I made?¡±


    ¡°Give me the ice cream!¡± The ice cream suited his taste perfectly. Without it, he became irritable.


    ¡°But that¡¯s 20 tubs of ice cream!¡± Harper couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°That¡¯s enough for two months for a normal person.¡± And they had only been apart for less than 24 hours. He actually finished it all? What did he treat ice cream as, water? Air?


    ¡°Ice cream!¡± ze¡¯s anger red up again, impatiently demanding, ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    Harper scrutinized him from head to toe. ze stood tall with a great body, exuding sexiness and strength. When she looked at his face again, apart from being furious, he didn¡¯t look too bad from a health perspective.


    Eating 20 tubs of ice cream in less than 24 hours without any repercussions indicated that he must be in good health.


    ¡°What are you doing? Why are you ring at me?¡± ze grabbed her shoulders and pushed her against the fridge. He leaned in close, staring at her discontentedly.


    He was too close, his faint scent of alcohol lingering on his body assaulting her nostrils. Harper couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Listen, I allow you to look at me!¡±


    Harper found herself at a loss for words most of the time when facing him. After a moment of silence, as ze leaned in even closer, she said, ¡°Then you should go back first. I¡¯ll finish making the ice cream and have Mr. Foster bring it to you.¡±


    She didn¡¯t like him being in her house¡­


    ¡°No! I want it now!¡± ze insisted.


    In front of him, Harper never had the option to refuse. She could only nod and say, ¡°Then let me go out and buy the ingredients.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, the ingredients are all here and ready,¡± Dn said, entering with a few maids, who set down the necessary items.


    Harper looked at theplete set of ingredients, rubbing her temples. Anyone could make ice cream with these ingredients and a tutorial. Why did he have toe over in the middle of the night?


    Oh right, ze was sick. He was a terrible paranoid.


    There was no reasoning with a lunatic. Harper picked up the ingredients and started making the ice cream, while ze showed no interest in the process and walked out.


    Before long, a tub of ice cream was sessfully made, and Harper walked out with it.


    ze was sitting on the couch, flipping through a stack of sketches. He tossed one aside after looking at it, littering the floor with her original sketches for theic ¡°His Possessiveness¡±.


    ¡°What are you doing? Stop throwing them around. So annoying!¡±


    Harper marched forward. She loved drawingics; it was not only her job but also her passion. Apart from Logan, it was the most precious thing to her.


    ¡°I knew it. You¡¯re just pretending to be innocent,¡± ze taunted, not letting go of the sketches as he mocked her. ¡°You draw these adult themes, with all this talk of schoolgirl seduction, handcuffs, whips¡­ So, this is what you¡¯re into?¡±


    ¡°If you like, I can indulge you too. What are we ying tonight? Whips or handcuffs?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Feeling awkward, Harper tried to exin, ¡°It¡¯s just to fit the character¡¯s personality. Give those back to me¡­¡± With one hand holding the tub of ice cream and the other reaching out to grab the sketches, Harper felt torn.


    ze sat on the couch, raising his long arms above his head. His eyes scanned the words on the sketches as he read them aloud, each word dripping with innuendo. ¡°Her warmth satisfied him greatly. The leather left red marks on her skin, as beautiful as blooming cherry blossoms¡­ She made him sweat profusely, filling him with ecstasy¡­¡±


    He deliberately emphasized each word, making Harper feel embarrassed. What she had drawn didn¡¯t seem like a big deal to her before, just some scenes to fit the character¡¯s personality. They weren¡¯t even explicit, but now, hearing him read them out loud, she felt utterly humiliated.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood, give them back to me!¡± Harper blushed furiously.


    ze continued to mock, ¡°Sex is just sex. Writing and drawing it so romantically is just being melodramatic.¡±


    Harper wished she could dump the entire tub of ice cream on his head.


    ¡°Give them back to me, you pervert! ¡± As she knelt over him, desperate to retrieve her sketches. She didn¡¯t even notice her position, with her knees wrapped around his waist.


    Under the lights, ze could clearly see a faint sheen of tears in her eyes. He felt aroused. He let her take the sketches back.


    Harper tossed the tub of ice cream at him and then quickly sat on the couch to gather her sketches.


    ze stared at her petite face, her lips tightly pursed, looking especially tempting under the lights. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against hers.


    ¡°¡­¡± Caught off guard, Harper¡¯s body tensed up. The next moment, she swiftly pulled away.


    Dropping the tub of ice cream to the floor, ze pounced on her like a cheetah, pinning her down on the couch. He straightened her legs with one hand and held her waist tightly with the other, rendering her unable to move.


    His eyes bore deeply into hers.


    Harper understood what his gaze meant. ¡°You¡­ you gave me a week,¡± she managed to say, ¡°This week, I am supposed to be free.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± ze replied, his voice husky with desire, his tone as arrogant and domineering as ever, ¡°I gave you a week to find evidence, not to mean I wouldn¡¯t touch you!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Harper attempted to protest, but ze cut her off by lowering his head and sealing her lips with his own. He forcefully pried her lips apart, his hot tongue invading her mouth. She wanted to resist, but his hand kept her hands pinned above her head.

 Chapter 24 You Dare To Run?

    Thinking back to those three days in the forest, Harper didn¡¯t want to go through starvation and dehydration again.


    Apart from enduring, what else could she do? Harper closed her eyes in resignation.


    A pained groan echoed above her head. ¡°Uh-¡±


    Harper opened her eyes to find ze copsed on top of her. His face buried in her shoulder, she couldn¡¯t see his expression, but she could see his face turning pale.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Harper asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Nothing, Uh¡­¡± ze gritted his teeth, pushing himself off her and stumbling towards the bathroom, clutching his stomach.


    ¡°¡­¡± Harper was bewildered as she sat up on the couch. Her gaze fell on the tub of ice cream on the floor, and suddenly, it all made sense.


    After devouring 20 tubs of ice cream, his body finally had a reaction?


    ¡°Ugh-¡± ze¡¯s voice echoed once again.


    Harper furrowed her brow, quickly stepping over. The faucet was turned on full st, water gushing out with a loud ¡°whoosh.¡± ze continued to retch into the sink. Beads of cold sweat dotted his forehead, and he pressed his stomach with one hand.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Harper asked, approaching him.


    ¡°Shit! I¡¯m not okay! Ugh-¡±


    Seeing him in such a state, Harper knew it was serious. ¡°I¡¯ll go get Mr. Foster to take you to the hospital,¡± she said, turning to leave.


    But before she could take a step, she heard a loud ¡°thud¡± behind her.


    Turning back, she saw ze sitting on the floor. His head rested against the cab below the sink, his face pale.


    Harper crouched beside ze. ¡°Here, let me help you up,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ze¡¯s voice was feeble, one hand still pressed against his stomach. ¡°I feel¡­ awful¡­¡± He looked more like a sick child in need of care.


    Harper¡¯s hand hesitated in midair for a moment before gently patting his back,forting him like a child. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll feel better soon.¡±


    ze stared at her steadily, sweat beading on his forehead.


    Crouching beside him, Harper moved her hand to his stomach and began to massage it gently. ¡°This will help, it¡¯ll feel better soon.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± ze grunted softly, leaning towards her suddenly.


    Instinctively, Harper tried to move back, but he pulled her closer. He nestled into her embrace, his head resting on her shoulder like a child.


    ¡°¡­¡± Was he really in pain, or just pretending?


    Harper paused, ze¡¯s hand covering hers. ¡°Keep going, Harper,¡± he said softly.


    His hand was cold, chilling like ice, causing Harper to shiver.


    ze leaned against her shoulder, his voice weak. ¡°Why are your hands¡­ shaking?¡± He tightly grasped her hand, sweat trickling down his temples, ¡°I know¡­ what you¡¯re¡­ thinking,¡± he said, his voice filled with pain.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your fingers¡­ are sensitive. Every time I touch them, every kiss, you tremble,¡± ze said weakly. Hisrge hand enveloped hers, ¡°I noticed it when I fucked you in the bathhousest time.¡±


    Harper was utterly dumbfounded. Despite his current condition, he was thinking about such things?


    ¡°Fingers are sensitive¡­ you¡¯re really ascivious woman,¡± ze mocked, letting out a sarcastic chuckle, ¡°Did it feel good when I fucked you?¡± he asked.


    ¡®This man¡­ was truly out of his mind!¡¯ Harper was enraged. She pushed him with all her might, sending him crashing to the ground with a loud thud.


    ¡°You¡¯re outrageous!¡± Harper stood up from the ground, ring at him with disdain. But zey on the ground, his eyes tightly shut.


    Had he passed out?


    ¡°Mr. Foster!¡± Harper immediately shouted. ze seemed to be in serious condition.


    This night was destined to be anything but peaceful.


    In just ten short minutes, Harper witnessed Dn¡¯s remarkable efficiency. He swiftly had ze taken to the nearest hospital, apanied by a team of bodyguards and ze¡¯s personal medical team.


    The entire top floor of the hospital was sealed off, and all medical staff were briefed to maintain top-level confidentiality.


    Just ten minutes.


    Harper was impressed, standing in the corridor unsure of how to react.


    ¡°Master is not an ordinary person. He usually undergoes regr check-ups at private hospitals. But today is a special circumstance, so we had to bring him to the hospital. We must ensure that news of his illness does not leak out,¡± Dn exined.


    It made sense.


    ze was the CEO of N. E International Group. If news got out that he was sick, it could cause a media frenzy and potentially affect N. E¡¯s stock market.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leak anything. I¡¯m off,¡± Harper nodded respectfully to Dn before leaving.


    ze¡¯s test results hade out; he had acute gastroenteritis. Considering he had eaten 20 tubs of ice cream without getting a perforated stomach, gastroenteritis was a minor issue.


    ¡°Just a moment,¡± Dn stopped her. ¡°Miss Shaw, you should apany Master in the hospital room.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Harper asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Master¡¯s been calling your name while unconscious. I think he really needs yourpany,¡± Dn said apologetically, ncing at her. ¡°If he wakes up and doesn¡¯t see you, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll be furious.¡±


    ze¡¯s temper¡­


    ¡°He called my name?¡± Harper looked at him in disbelief. How could ze be calling her name while unconscious? She wasn¡¯t someone important to him. In his eyes, she was just a pretentious liar.


    ¡°Yes. Miss Shaw, this way,¡± Dn motioned for Harper to enter the hospital room.


    The room was luxuriously furnished, with all the amenities one could imagine, akin to a presidential suite.


    On the oversized European-style bed, zey receiving intravenous fluids. He was asleep, at this moment, zecked his usual aggression and didn¡¯t resemble a paranoid.


    Undeniably handsome, he surpassed the average person¡¯s looks. Sometimes, Harper couldn¡¯t find a single w in his appearance, as if he had stepped out of one of heric book drawings.


    ¡°Harper¡­ Harper¡­¡± ze¡¯s lips parted slightly, his voice soft but clear in the quiet hospital room.


    Harper was stunned. He really was calling her name while unconscious. Why?


    Could it be¡­ he actually¡­ like her?


    ¡°You see, Miss Shaw, I told you Master feels differently about you,¡± Dn said with a smile.


    ¡°Harper¡­ Harper¡­¡± ze¡¯s fingers twitched beside him. He furrowed his brows, murmuring, ¡°Harper, keep massaging.¡±


    Even in his unconscious state, his voice soundedmanding.


    Massage?¡­


    Dn fell silent¡­


    Harper fell silent¡­


    It was absurd. Harper almost thought ze was calling her name in his sleep because he liked her. But then again, he was ze. If it weren¡¯t for him mistakenly thinking she¡¯d had his child, he probably wouldn¡¯t have spared her a nce.


    With that thought, Harper sighed.


    ¡°Mr. Foster, can I leave now?¡± she turned to Dn.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Dn looked apologetic as he nodded.


    Harper hurriedly left the room.


    Dn nced at ze on the bed, furrowed,¡± Could it be that I had overthought? But Master had never hurriedly flown in just for a scoop of ice cream¡­¡±


    ¡­


    At 2 a. m., Harper returned home.


    The residents were gathered in small groups, discussing the helicopter thatnded on the rooftop in the middle of the night. Her name even floated through the conversation.


    Harper hurriedly donned her coat and hat, rushing past them into the building, afraid of being stopped and questioned. She couldn¡¯t possibly tell them that the world-renowned ze Wychwood hadnded helicopters on the rooftop in the dead of night just to eat a tub of ice cream. That was the truth, but who would believe it? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder how she had managed to get involved with ze.


    Her phone was fully charged.


    Harper grabbed her phone, switching it on as she headed for the bedroom, flopping onto the bed.


    Her phone¡¯s system was designed by N. E.


    The N. E. Group¡¯s phone system was undeniably wless, like a butler, meticulously organizing every piece of data. But for a lonely person like Harper, it felt like mockery.


    As she powered on her phone, she was greeted with a message on the screen:


    ¡°Dear Master, during your absence of 390 hours and 25 minutes, you have received 5 text messages, 5 of which are spam. There is also 1 missed call. Would you like to call back?¡±


    Harper sighed. Disappearing for so long, and only 5 texts, all junk, and just one missed call. ncing at the missed call, the number seemed familiar, perhaps one of her blind date prospects. Blind dates? She didn¡¯t have the mood for that now.


    She scrolled through, seeing numerous ck messages urging her to hurry up and create a newic.


    cing the phone aside, Harper stared at the ceiling, feeling deste.


    How lonely she was¡­


    Her world had always revolved around Logan and herics.


    She gave up Logan.


    She hadn¡¯t created anything new in herics.


    What did she have left?


    Nothing.


    She turned over, burying her face in the soft covers, hiding all her vulnerabilities¡­


    The next day.


    Sunlight filtered through the closed curtains, casting a faint glow.


    Harper slept soundly. Even in her dreams, her brows were furrowed, as if carrying an unresolved sadness.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Her phone suddenly vibrated, breaking the silence with its ringtone.


    ¡°Shit!!¡±


    Harper was awakened by the loud noise, rubbing her messy hair as she sat up. She picked up her phone and the unfriendly roar almost pierced her eardrum.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood?¡± He was already awake? And he had her number?


    ¡°You dare to run? You made me go to the hospital and you dare to run? You must be asking for trouble.¡±

 Chapter 25 Sister鈥檚 Provocation

    ze¡¯s angry shout reverberated through the phone. Even through the phone, Harper could imagine his fierce expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m not running away. I just went home,¡± Harper tried to keep her voice calm andposed.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t show up in front of me within ten minutes, you¡¯ll regret it!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Before Harper could finish her sentence, the call was abruptly cut off. She stared at her phone in disbelief.


    Harper hurriedly got out of bed, preparing to leave. She needed to go to the hospital, to get a check-up and obtain proof that she had never been pregnant. She needed to draw a clear line with ze as soon as possible, or else this paranoid man would surely drive her crazy.


    ¡®Today would be a fresh start.¡¯


    Harper silently encouraged herself and then took the bus to the hospital. Instead of immediately going to ze, she went to the gynecology department to register.


    The waiting area of the gynecology department was crowded with patients sitting in the chairs.


    A TV screen in the front was ying a TV series, starring her sister ¨C Fiona.


    Excited discussions among Fiona¡¯s fans filled echoed around. They were praising Fiona¡¯s acting skills and beauty.


    Fiona was indeed beautiful.


    Harper looked at the familiar face on the screen. Harper wasn¡¯t ugly. In terms of facial features, she might even be on par with Fiona. But shecked the sparkle in Fiona¡¯s eyes and her charming personality.


    ¡®Fiona was radiant and outgoing. Who wouldn¡¯t like her? How could Logan not like her? Before, he just couldn¡¯t see her. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t understand this back then. I thought that as long as Logan regained his memories, he would still be mine. I was really foolish¡­ So naive.¡¯ Harper sighed.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, could youe with me for a moment?¡± a voice suddenly sounded beside her.


    Harper turned her head and saw a familiar face, someone she knew, Fiona¡¯s manager.


    ¡®Fiona was also at the hospital?¡¯ Harper was taken aback and stood up to follow the manager.


    The manager led her to the depths of the gynecology department corridor, stopping in front of a door at the end. ¡°Miss Fiona is waiting for you inside. She wants to see you.¡±


    Waiting for her, here?


    Harper pushed open the door and entered.


    In the spacious office, a slender figure stood with her back to Harper, facing the window. Fiona wore a Chanel dress, her brown hair cascading down her back, and a sweet fragrance lingered in the air.


    ¡°Fiona, what are you doing here?¡±


    The rtionship between the sisters had always been neither good nor bad, just indifferent.


    Yes, indifferent.


    Theyckedmunication since childhood, unlike other sisters who were close to each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, it¡¯s Logan¡¯s.¡± Fiona suddenly turned around from the window, her face under the sunsses was delicately made up, holding a medical report in her hand.


    Harper was not very surprised at the news.


    Given how sweet Fiona and Logan were, getting pregnant¡­ it was only a matter of time.


    ¡°You look pale,¡± Fiona took off her sunsses, her eyes gazing at Harper. ¡°Harper, all these years, I haven¡¯t med you, have I? Can you let go now?¡±


    With these words, Fiona reached out to caress her t abdomen.


    There, Logan¡¯s baby was growing.


    ¡°Sure. Congrattion!¡± Harper had already let go. She had already told Logan about it. It seemed he hadn¡¯t told Fiona yet.


    Fiona stood there, looking at her in surprise, very unexpected.


    Harper knew what she was thinking. After years of clinging to Logan, suddenly giving up was bound to be surprising.


    ¡°Well, take care of yourself. If you need any help, let me know. I¡¯m gonna head out,¡± Harper said, turning to leave.


    But in her mind, she saw images of Logan holding her hand when they were teenagers.


    Time took everything away and changed everything.


    Fiona¡¯s voice suddenly sounded behind her, ¡°I¡¯ve tolerated you for so many years, but I¡¯ve had enough. I love Logan, and if you try to interfere again, don¡¯t me me to do something¡­¡±


    It seemed like the first time Fiona had said such harsh words to her.


    Harper turned around, ¡°I won¡¯t, I won¡¯t interfere anymore, you can trust me.¡±


    After saying that, Harper tried to leave.


    But Fiona spoke again, ¡°Harper, why pretend in front of me? I know you better than anyone.¡±


    Harper stood still, not moving.


    Fiona tossed her sunsses aside and walked step by step towards her, ¡°Dad and mom always said you were well-behaved, I don¡¯t understand how you became someone who tries to steal her sister¡¯s boyfriend. Only I know, you¡¯ve always been pretending to be innocent. You¡¯ve always wanted to possess everything, it¡¯s not a sudden change in character.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°My parents adopted you because they couldn¡¯t have children before. But as soon as you came into our family, I was born shortly after. My parents gave me more love, and you tried so hard to act good to win their love. But it didn¡¯t work, I¡¯m the biological one,¡± Fiona said, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know? Every time Mom held me, you gave me the most malicious look¡­¡±


    Harper looked at her in astonishment. She had been jealous of her parents¡¯ love for her sister when she was little, but she never thought that Fiona would see her as a malicious woman.


    ¡°And then, when Logan came into our lives, you took care of him willingly. Do you think I don¡¯t know what your intentions were?¡± Fiona sneered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t care about Logan, you just want to possess someone. You want someone to be yours, to keep youpany, you just don¡¯t want to be alone!¡± Fiona continued, ¡°I¡¯ve read your diary.¡±


    Harper couldn¡¯t deny the truth about Logan. Who would like a silent blind boy when they were young? But she was so lonely, everyone adored Fiona, and she desperately needed warmth. That¡¯s when Logan appeared. She took care of him, she pleased him, making herself the most important person to him. She thought that way, she wouldn¡¯t be lonely anymore. But in the end, she was still abandoned.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, isn¡¯t it? After Logan¡¯s surgery, hepletely forgot about you. He regained his sight, and he also regained the normal standards of beauty. He fell in love with me¡­¡± Fiona continued, with a hint of pride in her voice.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Because my initial intentions weren¡¯t so pure, was this my punishment? I deserved to be forgotten?¡¯ Harper couldn¡¯t bear to listen anymore, ¡°Have you said enough?¡±


    Fiona suddenly grabbed her wrist from behind, ¡°Logan is mine,¡± Fiona emphasized.


    Harper shook off her hand and calmly remarked, ¡°You don¡¯t need to keep emphasizing that. It just shows yourck of confidence, as if you¡¯re not sure you can hold on to Logan.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Fiona frowned, unable toe up with a retort. That was what she hated about Harper. She didn¡¯t speak much, but when she did, she always hit the mark, hurting people deeply.


    ¡°I¡¯m marrying Logan at the end of this month. As my sister, you should attend. I don¡¯t want the media to say our family is not harmonious,¡± Fiona said with a smile, her face particrly striking and morous.


    Harper remained silent and walked away without a word.


    Pregnant. Getting married. How wonderful.


    Harper walked forward without looking back. She wouldn¡¯t show any signs of weakness. She said to herself, ¡®It¡¯s okay. I wasn¡¯t as needy forpanionship as I was a child. No matter how lonely and deste the road ahead, I could walk it alone. Child? Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if, like ze said, I did have a child, then wouldn¡¯t I be so lonely¡­¡¯


    Harper returned to the gynecology department and continued to wait quietly.


    When the nurse called her name, her phone suddenly rang.


    ¡°Harper, do you dare to ignore my words? Where are you?¡± ze¡¯s voice was annoyed.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you here yet? You have 30 seconds.¡± ze¡¯s roar was almost ear-splitting.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible.¡± Harper nced at the nurse calling her name and said, ¡°I¡¯m undergoing tests. Mr. Wychwood, once I prove that I¡¯ve never been pregnant, I hope you won¡¯t disturb my life anymore.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t afford to offend someone like ze, she just wanted to stay far away from him.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± The nurse kept urging her. Harper didn¡¯t say anything else, she just hung up the phone.

 Chapter 26 Be My Woman

    Sitting in the gynecologist¡¯s office, Harper admitted she felt awkward and ufortable. She never imagined she¡¯d be getting a gynecological exam for such a ridiculous reason.


    Harper tightly gripped her clothes, but forced herself to speak calmly, ¡°Doctor, I¡¯d like to check if I¡¯ve ever been pregnant.¡±


    The attending doctor, a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, adjusted his sses and looked at her with surprise. ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡±


    Harper clenched her clothes tighter and thought for a moment, then spun a ¡°reasonable¡± lie, ¡°Well, doctor, it¡¯s like this. My fiance and I are about to get married, but he heard rumors that I had a child before and he¡¯s been treating me differently ever since, even humiliating me. So I want to get a certificate proving that I¡¯ve never been pregnant¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, the doctor looked at her sympathetically. ¡°Oh¡­ I see¡­¡±


    ¡°What kind of examination do I need?¡± Harper asked.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in this profession for over twenty years. Let me take a look,¡± the doctor sighed and stood up, pointing to a closed door, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Harper followed him into a more spacious room.


    In the center of the room was an examination bed.


    ¡°Lie down and take off your pants,¡± the doctor said as he put on gloves.


    Harper froze at his words, feeling a sense of indescribable shame washing over her entire body. ¡°C-Can¡¯t you use a different method for the examination?¡±


    This method of examination was too embarrassing.


    ¡°This is the quickest way,¡± the doctor said, urging her, ¡°Hurry up and lie down, other patients are waiting.¡±


    Harper stared fixedly at the bed, trembling with nerves.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay, just treat it as a regr check-up. It¡¯s nothing. After doing this, I could prove her innocence.¡¯ Harper took a deep breath and then slowly, step by step, made her way to the bed. She began unbuttoning her pants, each movement requiring all her strength.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The sudden sound of the door being mmed startled Harper.


    ¡°Harper, get your ass out here. Are you fucking daring to undergo this kind of examination?¡± ze¡¯s hysterical voice echoed from outside.


    The next moment, the tightly closed door was violently kicked open.


    ze, with a furious expression on his face, stood in the doorway, ring fiercely in her direction. He was dressed in a white patient¡¯s gown, but far from looking like a patient.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Immediately, ze strode in, his slender hands forcefully buttoning up the buttons on her pants, exerting so much force it felt like he might break her waist.


    ¡°You hurt me,¡± Harper frowned.


    ¡°Who gave you the nerve to undergo this kind of examination?¡± ze stood in front of her, his voice dripping with malice.


    ¡°I need evidence¡­¡± she replied.


    ¡°Huh!¡± ze chuckled angrily, pointing to the doctor beside him. ¡°Your so-called evidence is letting this old pervert look at your¡­ your¡­ that ce?¡±


    Before Harper could say anything, the doctor beside her adjusted his sses and said, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, sir. Please respect my profession. And are you her fiance? You¡¯re so suspicious¡­¡±


    ze shot him a fierce re.


    The doctor finally recognized ze and immediately bowed, ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Wychwood, it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± With that, the doctor hurriedly left the room.


    ze looked at Harper with anger evident in his handsome face. ¡°You wanted to strip naked and let an old man look at your body?¡±


    Seeing him on the verge of exploding, Harper, knowing he was a vtile paranoid, said, ¡°In the eyes of a doctor, there¡¯s no gender.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s still a man!¡±


    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll find a woman.¡±


    ¡°But she could be a lesbian!¡±


    ¡°¡­ How unlikely.¡±


    ¡°How unlikely?!¡±


    ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll ask the hospital to use a different examination method.¡±


    ¡°You still want to be examined? I¡¯ve already checked you inside and out!¡±


    ze stared at her with displeasure, ¡°Harper, do you really want to strip naked and for all to see?¡± His tone was mocking.


    Sitting on the bed, Harper raised her hand and pped him hard.


    ¡°Did you think I wanted to undergo this examination voluntarily? It was so embarrassing, so humiliating¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± ze¡¯s face turned slightly away from the force of the p, his entire body frozen in ce. His deep-set eyes were filled with disbelief.


    Harper slowly lowered her hand, her eyes welling up with tears. From the moment she entered the hospital, enduring Fiona¡¯s mockery, enduring the long wait for the gynecological examination, and facing the prospect of undressing for the examination, she felt like a taut string, and ze had just snapped it.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood, have some decency!¡± Harper red at him, ¡°Do you think I wanted to undergo this kind of examination? If you hadn¡¯t been biting at me like a rabid dog, would I be here? It was you insisting on me revealing a non-existent child. It was you forcibly taking me. And it was you using me of being a liar. What had I done wrong?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the rabid dog here? How dare you hit me¡­¡± ze yelled, his voice abruptly cutting off. This time, it wasn¡¯t because of the p, but because of her eyes. Harper sit there, frail and pale. Her eyes were terrifyingly red, tears swirling in her eye sockets.


    Aplex feeling washed over ze.


    Harper blinked back her tears. ¡°All of you judge me based on your own perceptions. How many of you truly understand me? You all just want to bully me.¡±


    Fiona called her malicious, so she must be malicious? Logan hated her persistence, but did he know that it was he who wanted her by his side?


    ze was even more unreasonable, arbitrarily iming she had a child. He was so sure, yet he wouldn¡¯t let her check¡­


    Her voice trembled, sounding as if she were a young child, unfairly treated.


    ze stared at her, puzzled. Why was she so aggrieved? He had just raised his voice a bit, hadn¡¯t he?


    ¡®All? How many?¡¯ ze furrowed. His palm gently caressing her face. Her face seemed so small, so soft, stirring something within him.


    Harper turned her head away. ¡°Mr. Wychwood¡­¡±


    ze continued to stare at her in silence, his handsome face marked with a few visible fingerprints.


    Harper pushed him away and attempted to leave. But ze grabbed her waist with his long arms, effortlessly tossing her back onto the narrow bed. He lowered his head and kissed her lips forcefully, his kiss intense and passionate.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡®What was he doing now?¡¯ Harper tried to push him away, but he easily restrained her with one hand.


    ¡°Harper, don¡¯t be upset. I won¡¯t bully you anymore,¡± ze¡¯s voice became husky, sexy, and domineering.


    His kisses came crashing down on her relentlessly, almost suffocating her. ze grabbed her wrist, pressing her soft hand against his chest as if it could prove something.


    Her hand was so soft, sofortable¡­


    ze¡¯s kisses grew more intense, licking her every fingers¡­


    ¡°Mmm¡­ Uh¡­¡±


    With one hand, he pulled open her neckline and unsped her bra. Her full breasts bounced out, and his hand squeezed and kneaded them forcefully. His mouth eagerlytched onto her nipple, sucking hard. A tingling sensation washed over Harper, and she involuntarily moaned, ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    His other hand trailed down her body, undoing her pants button, pulling down her trousers, and then roughly tearing off her panties. His warm palm caressed her groin, starting to rub it. Along the gap, back and forth, asionally teasing the entrance with his fingernails¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want me?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Harper felt strange, she was unexpectedly eager for this moment, craving the pleasure, the feeling of being needed, craving him. What was happening to her?


    Without waiting for an answer, ze plunged two fingers inside her¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°You want me¡­ You are wet¡­¡±


    ze stopped asking and thrust in forcefully, no longer gentle, just eagerness.


    Harper cried out in pain. This eagerness made her feel that she was needed¡­ She realized she wasn¡¯t alone after all, even though ze was mentally unstable¡­ Harper slowly closed her eyes, letting him do as he pleased¡­


    After a long time had passed, Harper was carried away by ze, attracting countless curious nces.


    ¡°Bang.¡±


    Back in his private room, zeid Harper on therge bed. ze stood at the foot of the bed, staring at her. She sat there, her long hair disheveled. Her eyes were downcast, still red.


    The sight inexplicably drew his gaze.


    He turned his back to her, slowly reaching out to press his hand against his chest. There was a strange restlessness stirring within him. For the first time, he felt this way about a woman.


    ¡°Shit!¡± ze muttered, kicking the nearby sofa.


    Harper sat on the bed. Hearing the noise, her damp eyshes trembled.


    ze suddenly turned around. ¡°Be my woman!¡± He spoke not as a question but as amand, standing there like a ruler looking down on the world.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you hear me?¡± ze¡¯s anger red, kicking the bedpost furiously when she remained silent.

 Chapter 27 A Contract

    ¡°You made me look for evidence, only to deceive me,¡± Harperughed, her voice tinged with bitterness, ¡°Since you have no intention of letting me go, why bother? Just hurry up and kill me.¡±


    ze¡¯s eyes froze: What was she saying? Asking him to kill her? Did she want to die?


    His face darkened, and he growled lowly before storming out, mming the door shut behind him.


    As he stepped outside, his bodyguards and Dn, who had been waiting, lowered their heads in unison, ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°Master, it¡¯s time for your IV drip,¡± Dn reminded him as he followed.


    ¡°No need!¡± ze snapped. He paced back and forth, his handsome face twisted.


    Suddenly, he turned to Dn, his slender fingers touching his own face, ¡°Dn, am I ugly?¡±


    Dn was taken aback, ¡°Master, you¡¯re the most handsome member of the Wychwood Family, even in the entertainment industry, no one canpare,¡± Dn replied.


    It was the truth. A saying had circted many years ago: The Wychwood Family produces beauties. In this generation, ze¡¯s appearance was wless, refined to the utmost perfection. Who would dare to question his looks?


    ¡°Then am I poor?¡± ze asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re the richest man in the world.¡±


    ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t this woman ept me? Am I that bad? Rich, handsome, and still she didn¡¯t want me?¡±


    ze kicked over a chair in frustration, ¡°Damn Harper, did she know how many women were vying for me?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Master, you mean¡­ Miss Shaw?¡± Dn asked tentatively, then added after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°I don¡¯t think Miss Shaw is that kind of scheming woman. Otherwise, she would have stayed with you a long time ago, especially if she wanted a child.¡±


    ze¡¯s expression turned cold as he replied sharply, ¡°I know. If Harper wanted status or money, she should have seized the opportunities I provided her with. What did she really want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m undergoing a gynecological examination. Mr. Wychwood, once I prove that I haven¡¯t been pregnant, I hope you won¡¯t disturb my life anymore,¡± ze remembered her words.


    ¡°I see.., she wanted freedom¡­¡± ze¡¯s gaze turned icy, ¡°Get awyer here!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ze stood there, pressing his hand against his chest, determination gleaming in his eyes.


    ¡®That woman, Harper¡­ I had to have her. She thought I wouldn¡¯t disturb her life anymore? Dream on!¡¯


    ¡­


    In the VIP luxury ward, Harper still sat on the bed, feeling a dull ache between her legs. She braved the pain to get out of bed and reached for the doorknob.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was locked.


    He had locked her in here.


    She leaned against the door, despair in her eyes. She pped him just now¡­ Would he send someone to throw her back into the forest to fend for herself again?


    About two hourster, the door was pushed open from the outside. It wasn¡¯t ze who entered but the butler, Dn.


    ¡°Miss Shaw,¡± Dn greeted her with a warm smile.


    ¡°Has he figured out a way to kill me?¡± Harper asked calmly, sitting on the edge of the bed.


    Dn shook his head and lifted a ck folder in his hand, ¡°Master sent me to negotiate a deal with Miss Shaw.¡±


    ¡°A deal?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He is willing to give you unlimited time to prove your innocence, but during this period, you must be his woman,¡± Dn exined.


    Harper didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°I refuse.¡±


    She didn¡¯t trust ze. He was nothing but a vtile paranoid. How could she trust him?


    Dn smiled, ¡°Miss Shaw, don¡¯t jump to conclusions. Actually, this is a favorable deal for you.¡±


    Harper listened in silence.


    ¡°Master is used to getting what he wants. If you resist, it will only trigger his predatory instincts. That wouldn¡¯t be good for you, right?¡± Dn continued, ¡°You want freedom the most, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Freedom, hitting the nail on the head.


    Harper¡¯s fingers trembled at the sound of those two words. Indeed, she wanted to survive, she wanted freedom, andpromising seemed to be the best move.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, do you want some time to think about it?¡± Dn asked gently.


    Harper pursed her lips, then after a while, she asked, ¡°How do I know he won¡¯t go back on his word?¡±


    Upon hearing her question, Dn knew she had her answer. ¡°You can trust me on this. Master has never gone back on his word, and we can formalize the agreement with a contract.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think a contract would restrain someone like him,¡± Harper replied coldly.


    ¡°In the Wychwood Family, a contract holds absolute weight,¡± Dn said, waiting for her response.


    Harper looked at the ck folder.


    It was a sliver of hope. Her life seemed to be always osciting between hope and disappointment, from her foster parents¡¯ love to Logan¡¯spanionship. Hope after hope, dashed each time. Should she try again? Try again to seize the hope of freedom from ze¡¯s hands?


    ¡°Miss Shaw, when there¡¯s even a sliver of hope, you should fight for it. Only by staying alive can you see what the next moment holds.¡±


    The next moment¡­


    Her world had long lost its vibrant colors.


    But she agreed. When there¡¯s a sliver of hope, it¡¯s worth fighting for. She wanted freedom too much. In the past few years, she had been chasing after Logan, never really living for herself.


    Now, she wanted to live her life properly.


    And this freedom was in ze¡¯s hands, up there.


    ¡°Alright. But I have a few conditions,¡± Harper said.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I can be his woman, but he can¡¯t force me to , to do¡­ if I don¡¯t want¡­¡± Harper said, feeling a bit embarrassed to state that condition. But it was crucial.


    ¡°No way!¡± a domineering voice cut in.


    ze pushed the door open and strode in, looking displeased. He nced at Dn, ¡°It took you so long to finish a deal! Useless!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master. It¡¯s my ipetence,¡± Dn said respectfully, lowering his head and stepping aside.


    Harper was shocked to see the man standing in front of her. Had he been eavesdropping at the door the whole time?


    ¡°Harper! Listen to me, you can only make one demand,¡± ze said to Harper, his tone firm, ¡°But it can¡¯t be that one. I¡¯ll touch you whenever I want to!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Harper was livid. ¡°Then I won¡¯t sign.¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t sign, I¡¯ll still sleep with you,¡± ze said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about ending it all. Death isn¡¯t that easy. I¡¯ll have bodyguards watching you. I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t even die if you wanted to!¡±


    Harper couldn¡¯t believe he could say something so despicable. For a moment, she was speechless.


    ze snatched the ck folder from Dn¡¯s hand and threw it in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much patience. You have ten seconds to decide.¡±


    What else could she do? Harper relented, ¡°I¡¯ll sign.¡±


    ¡°Smart,¡± ze¡¯s anger subsided slightly.


    ¡°You can make one demand,¡± he said.


    ¡°No hitting me,¡± Harper requested.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± A satisfied smirk ying on his lips.


    The deal was made. The signing went smoothly. Harper became ze¡¯s woman just like that.


    After the sessful signing, ze was in an exceptionally good mood. He leaned against the headboard, receiving his intravenous drip, unable to hide his pleasure.


    He nced over at the corner. Harper was sitting on the leather sofa, about to put away the contract documents. Suddenly, ze¡¯s voice came, ¡°Dn, give her the entire contents of the contract.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Dn left the room.


    Harper looked up at ze, a bit puzzled. What did he mean by the entire contents of the contract?


    ze smiled smugly at her.


    Harper immediately had a bad feeling about this.


    Dn came back in, carrying a thick stack of papers, as thick as a dictionary.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, here are pages 6 through 278 of the contract,¡± Dn said, handing the thick stack to Harper.


    ¡°Pages 6 through 278? What did this mean?¡±


    ze loungedzily on the bed, leisurely saying, ¡°Harper, didn¡¯t you notice that a lot of pages were missing when you looked at the contract details?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Harper immediately put down the stack of papers and opened the ck folder to check the page numbers. Sure enough, it jumped from page 5 to page 279.


    She had mainly focused on the content of the uses and hadn¡¯t paid attention to the page numbers.


    ¡°You¡¯re cheating!¡±

 Chapter 28 24th Birthday

    Harper was about to argue, but Dn quickly interjected, ¡°Miss Shaw, rest assured, the missing part won¡¯t affect the overall situation. It¡¯s just the rules you need to follow during your time as Master¡¯s woman.¡±


    ¡°Rules?¡± Harper stood up, pointing at the stack of papers that were almost as thick as a dictionary. ¡°I can only have one demand for him, but he has 274 pages of rules for me? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m ze Wychwood,¡± ze replied, arrogant and self-assured.


    Harper red at him.


    ze chuckled lightly, feeling a sense of aplishment as he looked at her resentful expression.


    Harper gritted her teeth in anger, lifting the ck folder in her hand and hurling it toward him. Dn immediately rushed over and intercepted it.


    ze smirked triumphantly. ¡°Dn, tell her how the contract is written, and what¡¯s the punishment for hitting me?¡±


    Punishment? Harper was taken aback.


    ¡°A hundred tickles on the soles of the feet,¡± Dn answered solemnly.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood, considering this is my first offense, could you let me take the contract back to read it carefully?¡± Harper ultimately chose to yield. Since being bound to the castle deep in the forest, she had been at ze¡¯s mercy, unable to break free no matter how hard she tried.


    ¡°Recite it from memory, I¡¯ll be checking,¡± zemanded.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    ze waved his hand, generously allowing her to leave¡­


    In the tranquil night, Harper walked out of the bathroom and sat on the desk while wiping his hair.


    On the desky the 274 pages of rules.


    She couldn¡¯t fathom what was going through that man¡¯s mind toe up with 274 pages of rules. The first rule-without the party A¡¯s consent, party B must not expose any part of her body beyond the face and hands to anyone, regardless of gender.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He actually set such rules¡­


    Now that the time to prove her innocence had been extended from one week to an indefinite period, it was somewhat of a relief. But if the hospital couldn¡¯t provide evidence, what other way did she have to prove she hadn¡¯t been pregnant?


    ¡°Ding!¡±


    A sound suddenly rang out in the quiet bedroom, emanating from the phone on the desk. Harper picked up the phone, greeted by a disy of fireworks on the screen.


    Within the rainbow-like fireworks, a line of text slowly appeared-Master, today is your 24th birthday. Is the cake ready? Let¡¯s celebrate together.


    It was the reminder function built into the N. E phone system.


    Birthday. Today was her birthday.


    Harper looked at the screen, her gaze dimming as she watched the fireworks disy. Contrasted with her current loneliness, she felt an overwhelming sense of destion.


    Since Logan regained his sight and lost his memory, she hadn¡¯t celebrated her birthday.


    Memories always sneak into the mind unexpectedly.


    Logan¡¯s birthday was shortly after hers. He used to enjoy celebrating together, giving her all the gifts he received from The Davidson Family.


    Their old home¡¯s balcony was where they used to celebrate birthdays.


    ¡°Harper, in the future, our home will have a balcony too, so we can always celebrate our birthdays there.¡±


    ¡°Our home?¡±


    ¡°When you grow up and marry me, we¡¯ll have our own home.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Logan used to be blind, and he didn¡¯t like too much activity. He loved the balcony; it wasfortable with the sunlight and the breeze, and he could reach out and grab her hand easily.


    But now, Logan didn¡¯t need to celebrate birthdays with her on the balcony. He had Fiona, and soon he would have his own baby. His life was happy andplete without her.


    ¡®No one would celebrate my birthday. No one would remember.¡¯ Harper shook her head and reached to turn off the reminder on the screen when she heard the doorbell ringing outside.


    Who? No one woulde to see her at this time. Could it be someone remembering her birthday?


    Harper hurried to the door, her heart inexplicably beating fast, faintly hoping for something.


    Outside the door.


    ze leaned casually against the doorway, his neat brown hair framing his striking face, illuminated by the lights from inside, making him look even more alluring.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in the hospital?¡± Harper never expected ze to show up here.


    ¡°Do I need to report to you before I leave the hospital?¡± ze nced at her disdainfully, pushing her away and striding inside as if he owned the ce.


    Following him were Dn and a few bodyguards.


    ¡°Master, we¡¯ll wait outside,¡± Dn bowed slightly to ze and exited, closing the door .


    Harper felt utterly annoyed. How did her home be a ce where he coulde and go as he pleased?


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Make me something to eat, be quick!¡± ze ordered as he walked towards the kitchen.


    ¡°Now?¡± Harper was dumbfounded. Was he really here just because he wanted to eat? He was ze, after all. The Wychwood Family¡¯s castle had plenty of cooks, even chefs from all over the world, who made much better food than hers.


    ¡°Now! Hurry up!¡± ze snapped impatiently. He was genuinely hungry, ¡°The food made by the cooks Dn hired was so bad I couldn¡¯t even swallow a bite.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my woman now. I tell you to cook, you cook.¡± ze took a step back and grabbed her wrist, dragging her into the kitchen.


    ¡°Alright, alright, let go.¡±


    Harper conceded and opened the fridge, looking at the remaining ingredients inside. It had been a while since shest went grocery shopping, and all that was left was instant noodles.


    Suddenly, Harper remembered the birthday reminder on her phone: ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate together.¡±


    Celebrate? Celebrate with ze?


    That was quite odd.


    She turned her head to see ze walking towards the door. He was taking off his suit jacket, leaving him in just a shirt, looking lean and handsome. As he walked out, his foot hit an easel on the floor, and he casually kicked it aside.


    ¡®Ew¡­ such a bad temper.¡¯ Harper sighed and took out the instant noodles. She never expected her birthday to be ¡°celebrated¡± with this man.


    Her birthday + N. E. CEO + instant noodles.


    It was probably the weirdestbination, but it was happening for real.


    ze had a big appetite, so Harper decided to open a few more packs of instant noodles. She added eggs and ham sausages, throwing everything into the pot and cooking it messily.


    In the end, she served tworge bowls of noodles and a smaller one for herself.


    Harper ced the noodles on the table, and ze walked over as he talked on the phone, seemingly giving orders about some business.


    ¡°Not bad.¡± ze hung up the phone, sat across from her, and lowered his head to smell the aroma of the instant noodles, speaking in a low voice.


    Harper looked at the man in front of her speechlessly. It was just instant noodles. He must have had a taste or smell defect. If he couldn¡¯t appreciate the food made by the chefs at home, instant noodles became his idea of ¡°not bad.¡±


    Harper didn¡¯t bother to mention that it was instant noodles, she simply ate her noodles.


    The night was quiet, with the soft orange light casting a gentle glow over the dining table. The only sound was Harper slurping her noodles quietly.


    At that moment, Harper truly felt that ze was a nobleman. He ate the noodles quickly but silently, maintaining an elegant demeanor throughout, although he was a vtile and paranoid man.


    Suddenly, a hand snatched the bowl in front of her.


    ¡°¡­¡± She looked up in astonishment at the man across from her.


    He actually took her noodles?


    ¡°You cooked too little. I¡¯m still hungry, I¡¯m not satisfied.¡± ze justified his theft, continuing to eat from the bowl.


    ¡°¡­¡± Was he a robber?


    How could he eat so much? How could he maintain such a lean physique with this eating style? It didn¡¯t make sense.


    Watching her noodles being devoured by ze in just a few bites, Harper really wanted to grab the bowl and smack it over his head.


    Gracefully finishing thest spoonful of noodle soup, ze looked at her with firm eyes. ¡°Dessert?¡±


    ¡°What dessert?¡± Harper couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You¡¯re not full yet?¡±


    ¡°Not.¡±


    ¡°You just had acute gastroenteritis. Maybe you shouldn¡¯t eat too much.¡± Harper didn¡¯t want to make him dessert anymore!


    Today was her birthday, not her suffering day!


    ze seemed to think her suggestion made sense and didn¡¯t insist further. He just nced disdainfully at the bowl and said, ¡°Change these inferior bowls. They are ugly, made me lose my appetite.¡±


    ¡°Lose appetite?¡­ yet you ate so much?¡± Harper stood up to tidy up the dishes.


    Meanwhile, ze critiqued everything in her house.


    ¡°This chair won¡¯t do. Change it.¡±


    ¡°This ceiling won¡¯t do. Change it.¡±


    ¡°This vase is too ugly. Change it.¡±


    ¡°Harper, what¡¯s your taste? You need to redecorate your house.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡®No one asked you to my house. The thing that needed changing the most was you. You should disappear.¡¯ Harper muttered.

 Chapter 29 New House

    After tidying up the kitchen, ze was nowhere to be found. Had he gone back? Harper sighed in relief, about to head back to her bedroom when she heard a curse.


    ¡°Shit! What kind of crappy bathroom is this?¡± ze jumped out of the bathroom, wearing only pants, bare-chested. His perfectly sculpted chest and abs added to his sex appeal under the light, although his short hair was a bit messy from being wet.


    ¡°What are you doing in my bathroom?¡± Harper was shocked; she thought he had left.


    ¡°Taking a shower, then sleeping with you!¡± ze was blunt.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°This ce is too shabby. I¡¯ll get you a new ce!¡± ze shook the water off his hair.


    ¡°A new ce? What¡­ Ah-¡±


    Harper was cut off before she could finish speaking, as ze lifted her waist and carried her out with one hand¡­


    On Harper¡¯s 24th birthday, ze gave her a big gift-a luxury mansion. Harper never thought her worth would skyrocket overnight. When Dn handed her the property deed, she realized she was the owner of a duplex apartment in Sky Harbor Tower A, the most expensive residential area. Harper stood in front of the luxurious house, holding the property documents, unable to close her mouth when she saw the price of $780, 000 per square meter¡­


    ¡®Is this a joke?¡¯


    ¡°Never seen so much money?¡± zezily stood by, mocking her astonished expression.


    ¡°¡­¡± Harper had never seen such a high housing price. Were the bricks here made of pure gold?


    ¡°Close your mouth.¡± ze reached out and lifted her chin, ¡°If you¡¯re touched, I¡¯ll allow you to kneel down and thank me.¡±


    ¡°Your only intention is to find a better ce to sleep with me. Why should I be touched?¡±


    ze nced at her displeasingly. ¡°Thene back and live with me; my castle is even bigger. If I hadn¡¯t considered that you didn¡¯t like being restrained, would I buy you a house?


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡®Live with him again? In that castle deep in the forest?¡¯ Harper definitely didn¡¯t want to go back.


    ¡°How is it?¡± ze asked coldly.


    Harper forced a smile, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, thank you for buying me the house. I¡¯m really touched.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s about right,¡± ze said.


    ¡°Master, the duplex apartment is ready for upancy. Shall I move Miss Shaw¡¯s belongings in now?¡± Dn asked.


    Ready for upancy?


    ¡°We¡¯ll do that tomorrow.¡±


    Tonight, he had more important matters to do.


    ze finished speaking and forcefully grabbed Harper¡¯s delicate wrist, hoisting her onto his shoulder and striding towards the magnificent building in front. Dn and the bodyguards stood in two rows, bowing their heads respectfully.


    ¡°Put me down¡­¡± Harper hung awkwardly on his shoulder.


    ze paid no attention to her, striding into the elevator.


    ¡°Let me down.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    As he pressed the elevator button, Harper struggled to slide down from his shoulder.


    Just as the elevator doors were about to close¡­ On the long corridor outside, a familiar figure disappeared around the corner.


    Logan?


    Harper froze, staring nkly at the closing elevator doors.


    How could it be Logan?


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ze turned his head and saw her expression was absent-minded.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Harper shook her head and leaned back against the wall, standing in the corner.


    She lowered her eyes, and the light fell on her long eyshes, casting a faint shadow, inexplicably stirring ze¡¯s desire.


    Suddenly, ze walked towards her, pressing one hand against the elevator wall and lifting her chin with the other, kissing her lips.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Harper widened her eyes in astonishment and tried to push him away, but he easily restrained her.


    He cornered her against the wall, forcefully parting her lips, his tongue invading aggressively. The sweetness in her mouth, like the food she cooked, possessed a certain magic that made him unable to resist.


    ze¡¯s breath became heavy, and his body pressed tightly against hers.


    Harper could feel his body¡¯s change¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s in the elevator? Is he crazy? There are surveince cameras.¡¯


    Her lips were sealed by him, unable to speak. Her hands were also controlled by him. In desperation, Harper lifted her foot and stomped on his brand-new shoes¡­


    ¡°Uh-¡± ze winced in pain, releasing her. He nced down at the shoeprint on his shoe, his face darkening in anger.


    At that moment, the elevator doors opened, reaching the 12th floor.


    ze red at her, grabbing her in front of him, ¡°Harper, you are already my woman! We signed the contract¡­ I had never tolerated a woman to this extent-pping me, stomping on me¡­¡±


    Harper pointed towards the surveince camera, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished reading the contract. I don¡¯t know if it includes broadcasting 18+ live scenes for the security guards. If it does, be my guest.¡±


    Her voice was full of self-ridicule.


    ze nced in the direction she pointed, his gaze momentarily stunned.


    ¡°Damn it. I forgot about the surveince. Fine¡­¡± ze dered, lowering his head to kiss her lips again.


    This time, Harper didn¡¯t struggle. She had to constantly remember that there was a shameful contract between them.


    ze¡¯s kisses became deeper, and he hooked her shoulders while kissing her, carrying her up as they exited the elevator.


    Once inside, he pressed her firmly against the door and kissed her deeply and fiercely. She waspletely at his mercy, emitting a hoarse whimper¡­


    He wanted her, he was going crazy with desire¡­


    Through his pants, she could clearly feel his cock, hard and pressing firmly against her intimate area.


    Suddenly, he pushed upwards, ¡°Do you miss me?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Mmm¡­¡± A soft moan escaped her slightly parted lips.


    His hands trailed down the curve of her waist and hips, caressing her gently. Despite his long fingers, they easily slipped into her skirt, tracing along the edge of her panties to find the wetness between her legs.


    ¡°You little deceiver¡­¡± He tore off her panties and his fingers unexpectedly entered her body.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Harper eximed in surprise, unable to help but clench her legs tightly together as her body trembled uncontrobly.


    His fingers moved slowly in and out of her, eliciting sensations of both soreness and numbness that overwhelmed her senses. She wanted to push him away, but she couldn¡¯t lift her hands¡­


    Her body tightened, her heart pounding wildly, and then a rush of moisture flowed out.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°You¡¯ve reached climax¡­¡±


    ze stripped himself of his clothing, slowly dropping his underwear.


    He stood up straight, the menacing bulge between his legs seemingly unable to be restrained, pointing towards her.


    ¡°Turn around¡­¡± He flipped her over, one hand holding her waist while the other greedily kneaded her plump buttocks. Then, from behind, he entered her forcefully¡­


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    Harper woke up lying on the huge round bed, filled with ze¡¯s scent lingering around her. She hadn¡¯t slept well that night, constantly waking up intermittently. She tried to get up, but ze firmly held her in his arms, treating her like a pillow. He wrapped his arms and legs around her, leaving her with no room to move.


    This man¡¯s sleeping habits were unbelievable¡­


    Harper tried to move his hand, but ze didn¡¯t budge, still holding onto her.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Irritated by the disturbance, ze¡¯s handsome face showed displeasure as he kept his eyes shut.


    ¡°I need to use the bathroom.¡± She found an excuse, not wanting to anger him.


    Only then did ze release her from his embrace.


    Harper sighed with relief as she saw him drift back to sleep, then quietly tiptoed out of the room.


    As soon as she stepped out, she noticed clothes scattered on the floor, hers and ze¡¯s, strewn all over the ce.


    Trying not to dwell on the craziness of the previous night, Harper picked up her clothes from the floor and put them on.


    She hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the apartmentst night.


    Unlike the medieval European style of the Empire Castle, the decoration here was modern and sleek, yet still luxurious. The entire house was dominated by gold and white, with crystal decorations scattered everywhere, something any woman would appreciate.


    Such a huge house. And it was now under her name¡­


    Harper wandered around inside for a bit before finally finding the front door. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Dn and a group of guards standing outside.


    ¡°Good morning, Miss Shaw,¡± Dn greeted her with a smile.


    ¡®They were already standing guard outside so early in the morning? Didn¡¯t they need sleep?¡¯


    ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to go out, Miss Shaw?¡± Dn asked.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just going back to tidy up my things,¡± Harper replied.


    ¡°I see,¡± Dn stepped aside, ¡°I¡¯ve already canceled your previous lease. All your belongings are here. You can check to see if anything¡¯s missing.¡±


    Harper froze, looking outside to see about a dozenrge cardboard boxes lined up in the hallway.


    Well, they had moved everything for her. What else could she say?

 Chapter 30 Neighbour

    Harper forced a smile, ¡°Bring them in, I¡¯ll check.¡±


    The bodyguards immediately started bringing in the cardboard boxes, stacking them in the center of the lobby. Harper knelt on the floor to inspect them, while Dn waited nearby.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, how many maids should I arrange for you?¡± Dn asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not used to having too many people around,¡± Harper immediately declined, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.


    ¡°But cleaning such a big apartment alone might be a bit challenging, don¡¯t you think?¡± Dn kindly reminded her.


    Harper looked around and nodded. Yes, the ce was definitely too big for one person to clean.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll find two cleaners,¡± Harper said.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I can assist you,¡± Dn offered.


    ¡°Mr. Foster,¡± Harper said seriously, pulling out her sketches, ¡°Although Mr. Wychwood paid for this apartment, since I¡¯m living here, I hope to have control over my own space.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Miss Shaw.¡±


    Dn had no objections as he watched Harper organizing things. Just as ze had said, Harper was a bit rebellious; she liked her freedom and resisted constraints.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Harper smiled, thinking to herself that she was only temporarily staying in this apartment. Once she found evidence to prove her innocence, she would leave.


    Speaking of which¡­


    Harper stood up from the floor, holding her sketches, and asked Dn, ¡°Mr. Foster, I¡¯d like to inquire about what happened three years ago.¡±


    Since she couldn¡¯t go to the hospital for an examination, she had to get to the bottom of this whole thing.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you still want to prove your innocence?¡± Dn smiled and said, ¡°Go ahead and ask.¡±


    ¡°What exactly happened three years ago?¡± Harper asked.


    Dn remained silent for a moment before responding, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not entirely sure about the specifics. All I know is that on that day, Master attended a celebrity banquet on a super yacht called the ¡®Serenity Sea.''¡±


    ¡°Serenity Sea?¡± Harper paused.


    ¡°Do you remember something, Miss Shaw?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Harper nodded, holding her sketches tightly, ¡°At that time, I and my university ssmates went to apply for jobs as cruise ship waiters. The celebrity banquetsted for three full days.¡±


    She remembered the well-paid job with a daily wage of $1000 vividly.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you finally remembered,¡± Dn continued, ¡°Yes, itsted for three days. On the first day, Master was drugged¡­ Somehow, that night, a woman entered his room, and then¡­¡±


    Harper nodded, indicating him to continue.


    ¡°Master was furious and interrogated everyone on the cruise ship, eventually tracing it back to you,¡± Dn exined, ¡°At that time, Master only imposed a slight punishment on you and didn¡¯t pursue it further.¡±


    ¡°A slight punishment?¡± Harper was astonished, recalling her time in college.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°So, it was you who caused the school to discipline me for promiscuity?¡± She remembered.


    ¡°¡­ Yes,¡± Dn admitted.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? The whole school was buzzing with rumors, saying I slept with countless men, especially targeting married ones¡­ Every teacher maliciously gave me failing grades, and I couldn¡¯t even graduate properly!¡±


    Thinking about it made Harper feel like she was going crazy. It was a dark period in her life. Rumors surrounded her, and she had no idea who was behind it. It turned out to be ze!


    This man had already destroyed her once three years ago!


    ¡°Dare to drug me, the punishment was light,¡± azy voice chimed in from behind her.


    It was ze.


    Dn respectfully lowered his head.


    Just as Harper was about to turn around, ze embraced her from behind. He was wearing a bathrobe, exuding the scent of men¡¯s shower gel. He buried his head in her neck, inhaling deeply, sending shivers down her spine.


    ze opened his mouth and bit her fair and smooth neck.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Harper winced from the pain, instinctively covering her neck with her hand. ze then nibbled on her finger, not too lightly or too heavily.


    Her finger trembled from being bitten.


    ze chuckled softly. ¡°Your fingers are quite sensitive.¡±


    ¡®This pervert, didn¡¯t he see the butler was still here?¡¯


    Harper turned around to face him, ¡°I¡¯m currently learning about the events from three years ago. I think it¡¯s necessary to rify things with you.¡±


    ze stared at her, his gaze deep and unfathomable.


    After a moment, zezily walked over to the sofa and sat down, leaning back. His voice was low and sexy, ¡°Go on.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Harper quickly put down her sketches and walked up to him, ¡°Three years ago, I was indeed on the Serenity Sea cruise ship. But I swear, I didn¡¯t drug you, nor did I sleep with you.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± ze¡¯s eyes narrowed with displeasure as he nced at Harper.


    ¡°Then¡­ then you can¡¯t just insist it was me who drugged you¡­ With so many people on the cruise ship that night,¡± Harper questioned.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, we conducted the most thorough investigation before confirming it was you,¡± Dn interjected.


    ¡°That investigation waspletely biased!¡± Harper grew agitated, ¡°Why don¡¯t you conduct another search?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± ze¡¯s voice thundered with annoyance, ¡°How long do I have to listen to your nonsense in the morning? Go make breakfast.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts.¡± ze stood up from the sofa, grabbed her slender arm, and pulled her towards him, ¡°Harper, listen to me, unless you have substantial evidence, stop wasting my time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You can go make breakfast or we can go back to bed¡­¡± ze smirked evilly and then bit down on her lip.


    What a jerk!


    Harper winced from the pain, meeting his dark, sinister gaze. She dared not say anything further. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go make breakfast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±


    ze smirked and turned to walk away, instructing as he went, ¡°Dn, inform everyone that there will be a meeting at the headquarters in two hours to discuss the acquisition of L. T. Company. They bettere up with some usefulments, or they¡¯re all fired.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    As Harper watched ze¡¯s retreating figure, she reached up to touch her sore lip. She felt resentful. She would find the evidence she needed¡­ And she would¡­ get rid of him¡­. the jerk¡­


    After breakfast, ze left with his entourage, leaving Harper alone in the kitchen to do the dishes. As she washed, she pondered the events of the Serenity Sea cruise ship three years ago.


    ¡®If I could find Lena Abbott, the university ssmate who worked with me at the time, there would be a witness to prove my innocence. But without any contact information for the ssmates. How could I find Lena now?


    Relying on ze¡¯s power? He might just use that against me, taking advantage of my situation.


    What should I do? How could I findLena?¡¯


    Her phone suddenly buzzed, a message from an unknown number: ¡°Miss Shaw, there¡¯s a porcin gallery south of the neighborhood. Please purchase some dishes and bowls. ¨C Dn.¡±


    Buying dishes? ze was certainly picky about tableware. Annoying.


    Harper changed into a simple white hoodie, paired with sweatpants and sneakers, tied her long hair into a ponytail, and then headed out.


    She took the elevator straight to the first floor, and as the elevator doors slowly opened, she saw a couple walking hand in hand down the corridor ahead. They were deeply engrossed in each other, with eyes only for one another.


    Fiona and Logan¡­


    Harper froze. Her first instinct was to hide in the elevator. Even though she didn¡¯t know why. Perhaps deep down, she felt like a clown in front of them. A clown who had already left their world.


    So they lived here. She hadn¡¯t been mistakenst night; that figure really was Logan.


    It made sense. Sky Harbor valued privacy greatly. Logan was the heir to a top-tier cosmeticspany, and Fiona was a popr star. Choosing to live in Sky Harbor was the perfect fit for them.


    Harper remained in the elevator, leaning against the cold wall.


    Was it because ze had been driving her crazytely that she felt numb instead of heartbroken when she saw such sweet scenes?


    But it was too melodramatic. She ended up being their neighbor, both in Building A¡­ If they found out she lived here, they would probably think she was trying to cling to them again.

 Chapter 31 Blaze Saved Her

    Harper stood there for a while before finally stepping out and walking away.


    Outside, the sunlight was dazzling, casting beautiful rays onto the neighborhood¡¯s musical fountain. Harper, on her way to the porcin gallery, encountered government officials, scions of wealthy families¡­ almost everyone who was somebody in society seemed to gather here.


    She quickly found the porcin gallery. The storefront was tastefully decorated, with porcin items disyed on wooden shelves like pieces of art exhibition.


    ze actually wanted her toe here to buy dishes? This ce was clearly for art.


    ¡°Miss, Wee! Is there anything I can help you find today?¡± A waiter approached, smiling.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just looking around for now¡­¡± Harper replied, feeling somewhat unsure. She couldn¡¯t just say she was here to buy kitchen bowls, could she?


    The waiter continued to be enthusiastic, suggesting, ¡°Miss, you seem like someone who prefers a low-key style. How about this set?¡±


    Harper was taken aback. It wasn¡¯t about being low-key; she was just wearing cheap clothes in Sky Harbor¡­


    Just as Harper was about to find an excuse to leave, she heard a contemptuous voice, ¡°So, I wasn¡¯t mistaken. It really is you, Harper. I underestimated you.¡±


    Logan standing beside a ck wooden shelf. His face was expressionless, his eyes coldly fixed on her.


    He must have seen her in the elevator earlier¡­


    ¡°How did you get in here? This ce isn¡¯t open to the public, and with your ie, you can¡¯t afford a house here. You also don¡¯t seem like you have friends who live here.¡± He spoke to her with an icy tone,pletely different from the affectionate tone he used with Fiona.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t follow you in, and I won¡¯t disturb you either,¡± Harper replied calmly.


    ¡°Is this your new strategy?¡± Logan sneered, ¡°Your tricks are endless.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve given up on you, so whether you believe it or not is up to you.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then tell me, why are you here?¡± Logan¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°You better give me an answer that has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Harper froze. ¡®Why am I here? Because ze wanted me to be his woman and gave me a house.¡¯


    The answer was simple, but Harper couldn¡¯t say it.


    ¡°None of your business.¡±


    Logan blocked her path, looking at her coldly, ¡°Fiona is pregnant, and I won¡¯t allow her to be harmed.¡±


    Were these two taking turns to unt the pregnancy in front of her?


    ¡°I won¡¯t bother you anymore. From now on, I hope we can just pretend we never saw each other. Let¡¯s go our separate ways. Goodbye.¡± Harper said, stepping past him and walking past rows of wooden shelves.


    Since Logan lost his memory, she rarely left him with such dignity.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Suddenly, a row of wooden shelves copsed beside her.


    The porcin items on the shelves shattered into pieces on the ground.


    Harper watched in horror as the intact porcin shattered in an instant.


    It was her arm that had knocked over the row of shelves.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Several waiters screamed in terror.


    Because everyone in Sky Harbor was affluent, the waiters didn¡¯t dare to use Harper. They only asked, ¡°Miss, should we pack these up for you?¡±


    Harper stood there, motionless. She wasn¡¯t afraid of making mistakes or feeling embarrassed, but she didn¡¯t want it to be in front of Logan.


    But Logan didn¡¯tply with her wishes. He walked forward and pointed to a te on the ground. ¡°How much is this te?¡±


    ¡°250, 000 dors.¡± The waiter stated the price.


    ¡®One te for $250, 000, so I have topensate for millions, for broken tes?¡¯ Harper¡¯s body stiffened even more.


    A smallic artist like her couldn¡¯t afford it.


    Logan looked at her coldly. Her face was pale, ¡°I¡¯ll pay for you. From now on, don¡¯t let me see you again. Don¡¯te and disturb Fiona and me. This is the money I¡¯m using to make you disappear,¡± Logan said, taking out his wallet and handing a ck card to the waiter.


    ¡®Money using to make me disappear? I had done so much for the memories of the past, and in return, I was bought off by him with money?¡¯


    Harper stopped his actions, ¡°Everything about me has nothing to do with you, please leave.¡±


    Logan sneered contemptuously, ¡°You can¡¯t afford to pay for these tes even if you drawics for a lifetime. Now you should beg me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business,¡± Harper met his gaze defiantly, ¡°It was my business when I chased after you, it was my business when I gave up. It has always been none of your concern. I don¡¯t need you to buy me off with money.¡± His money was an insult to the memories of the past. This was her final pride in front of Logan. Even when she gave up, she wanted to do it gracefully, not because of money.


    Logan was irritated by her stubbornness, so he put away his wallet and coldly said, ¡°Fine. If you end up in jail because you can¡¯t afford to pay, it¡¯ll give me some peace.¡±


    With that, Logan left without looking back.


    Once Logan was gone, the waiters realized that Harper couldn¡¯t afford to pay. They became agitated:


    ¡°What¡¯s a poor person like you doing in a porcin gallery? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and pay. I calcted it, it¡¯s almost two million. Pay up quickly!¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? If you don¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll call the police!¡±


    Two waiters pushed her harshly against the wall, causing her pain. But she didn¡¯t have the strength to resist.


    Seeing her passive demeanor, the waiters became even more hysterical. They cursed at her while trying to tear her clothes, attempting to find her bank card.


    Someone was calling the police.


    Harper remained indifferent. She really couldn¡¯t afford to pay. All she could do was go to jail.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of women like you, always clinging onto Mr. Davidson. If you want totch onto Mr. Davidson, at least take a look at what you are first.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Mr. Davidson¡¯s fiancee is Fiona. She¡¯s a big star. Look at yourself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Davidson isn¡¯t blind. Just because you came to Sky Harbor doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll fancy you. Who do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°ze Wychwood.¡± Harper, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.


    The waiter, who was about to pull off her hoodie, stopped cursing and froze, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°ze.¡±


    Harper looked at the waiters surrounding her and said, word by word, ¡°ze Wychwood will pay for me.¡±


    Everyone was stunned into silence.


    ¡­


    Several limited edition luxury cars slowly pulled into Sky Harbor, stopping in front of the Porcin gallery.


    The bodyguards quickly disembarked.


    ze pushed open the car door and stepped out, his expression impassive as he walked into the Porcin gallery. As soon as he entered, he saw Harper standing against the wall. She had her head lowered, her clothes disheveled, and her hair, usually tied up neatly, was now a mess, indicating what she had been through.


    Harper lifted her pale face to see ze not far away.


    She froze. ¡®Why was he here in person? I had called Dn to borrow money, so why was ze here? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be at the headquarters meeting?¡¯


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood¡­¡±


    Several of the staff recognized ze and immediately approached him obsequiously.


    ze didn¡¯t even spare them a nce as he walked straight towards Harper. He gripped her wrist, ¡°Who did this to you?¡±


    ¡°Please, I was just asking¡­¡± Harper began.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, who did this to you?¡± ze¡¯s gaze bore into her, his tone menacing, ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time.¡±


    Who else could it be? Wasn¡¯t it obvious?


    Harper looked towards the staff. ze turned his face, his eyes scanning the faces of the staff coldly. A smirk tugged at his lips. ¡°Very well.¡±


    With that, he raised his leg and kicked the wooden shelf in front of him.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    There was a loud crash, followed by the sound of porcin shattering.


    ¡°Smash it all!¡± ze¡¯s voice was cold and menacing.


    Immediately, the bodyguards swiftly dispersed throughout the store, toppling all the wooden shelves and cabs, smashing all the porcin.


    The staff screamed, huddling together in fear.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Harper looked at ze in astonishment. She hade to ask him for money, not to cause destruction.


    ¡°Shut up. You¡¯re a useless woman who can¡¯t even handle such a simple matter!¡± ze red at her disapprovingly.


    Before long, the Porcin gallery, once an artful space, was now a sea of shattered fragments.


    ¡°Master, it¡¯s done,¡± the bodyguards reported, bowing their heads.


    ¡°Call the CEO of the Porcin gallery and tell him his staff destroyed his store!¡± ze ordered.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The several staff members all copsed to the ground, pleading desperately, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, Mr. Wychwood¡­ Please, don¡¯t do this¡­ It¡¯s our fault. We shouldn¡¯t have med this youngdy. Please spare us.¡±

 Chapter 32 The CEO Is Paranoid

    Someone reached out to grab ze¡¯s pant leg. ze kicked them away and dragged Harper out with him. Throughout the entire ordeal, she couldn¡¯t utter a single word. As she nced back at the sobbing staff members, she couldn¡¯t understand how things had suddenly turned out this way. Wasn¡¯t she just trying to borrow money? How did it end up with the staff bearing the losses?


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Harper was roughly thrown into the backseat of the car. He jabbed a finger at her head, shouting loudly, ¡°Harper, I¡¯ve seen plenty of spineless women, but you take the cake for being the most pathetic!¡±


    Harper rubbed her head.


    ze grabbed her hand, continuing to poke at her head, ¡°You couldn¡¯t even handle a few staff members. I wonder how you had the guts to drug me three years ago!¡±


    The car stopped in front of Building A, and ze dragged Harper out. He berated her as they walked, ¡°Idiot! Ignorant! Useless! You let yourself get bullied like this. If you can¡¯t fight back, fine, but can¡¯t you at least speak up? Can¡¯t you tell them you have someone backing you?¡±


    Harper¡¯s head was keeping being poked. She didn¡¯t retaliate, just stared at ze beside her.


    He kept berating her, kept emphasizing how to tell those people she had someone backing her.


    Someone backing her¡­


    Since Harper was young, she knew no one would ever back her, even when she and Logan were so close. He was blind and often needed her protection more than she needed his.


    Today, for the first time, she tasted what it was like to have someone stand up for her, but she never imagined it would be ze, this terrible, paranoid man.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Harper said earnestly, looking at him.


    ze stopped in his tracks, staring at her for a long time.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± With that, he suddenly shook off her hand, turned around, and walked away, his movements awkward.


    Harper watched his retreating figure in astonishment. ¡®Why would someone react like that to being thanked? Is he shy?¡­¡¯


    Back at the apartment, Harper didn¡¯t see ze. Dn and the bodyguards were bringing things in. Seeing Harper looking towards the stairs, Dn said, ¡°Master should be having a video conference in his room. He came back halfway through the meeting.¡±


    ¡°He came back for me?¡± Harper was astonished.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Dn nodded. When he received Harper¡¯s call, ze happened to overhear it. That¡¯s when the meeting was interrupted.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time Master has ever interrupted a meeting,¡± Dn added.


    Harper¡¯s body trembled slightly at his words. Could it be that ze hade back just for her? She didn¡¯t want to dwell on what that might imply. Adjusting her hair, she turned to the bodyguards who were bringing in arge number of clothing racks. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡±


    ¡°Master instructed us to bring in some clothes. They¡¯re all thetest styles from Paris, all for you,¡± Dn smiled.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Harper noticed they were all dresses. He liked the way she looked in a dress.


    ¡­


    In the spacious kitchen, Harper was busy wearing an apron. Since ze had helped her today, Harper decided to make him a sumptuous lunch. She prepared ten dishes and two soups in a row. When she turned around, she saw ze standing at the doorway in casual gray and white attire, his eyes fixed on her. She wasn¡¯t sure how long he had been standing there.


    ¡°Food¡¯s ready,¡± Harper said while looking at the mirror on the wall beside her. Her face wasn¡¯t dirty, so she wasn¡¯t sure what he was looking at.


    ¡°Stop looking, you¡¯re not going to look any better.¡± ze mocked as he walked towards the dining room.


    ze ate with elegant grace, and astonishing speed.


    Having had a few experiences before, Harper hastened her own eating speed, constantly shoveling food into her mouth. If she ate any slower, she might end up starving.


    ¡°So ugly,¡± ze nced at her, his face full of disdain.


    Harper sighed and repeated to herself in her mind, ¡°He helped me today. He helped me today. He helped me today.¡± It helped her quell some of her anger.


    ze seemed satisfied then continued to sweep through the dishes on the table at an astonishing speed.


    Harper couldn¡¯t keep up with him, so she could only watch helplessly as all her favorite dishes disappeared.


    ¡°Harper, I need to remind you of something,¡± ze¡¯s voice was low, ¡°From now on, if you need something, you talk to me directly, not through Dn. Do you think Dn is richer than me or something?¡±


    Harper paused, then nodded obediently. ¡°Got it. Actually, I do need your help with something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I have a college ssmate named Lena Abbott, and I want her contact information.¡± Finding Lena meant finding a witness. Lena could prove that she hadn¡¯t drugged anyone during those three days.


    ¡°Why should I help you with that?¡± ze blurted out.


    ¡°You told me to talk to you directly, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d fulfill your requests,¡± ze retorted, his eyes filled with mischief.


    Harper sighed, ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll figure it out myself.¡±


    ¡°Watch your attitude, Harper,¡± ze sat there, looking displeased, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the contract clearly states that I¡¯m in charge. Do you dare to have this kind of attitude towards me?¡±


    ¡®Attitude? I just didn¡¯t want to deal with him, and he got mad? This guy was indeed a paranoid.¡¯


    Harper forced a smile and said, ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re the boss.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Even in bed,¡± ze¡¯s mood improved slightly with her response. He stood up from the dining table. ¡°Since you¡¯re being so obedient, I¡¯ll send someone to look into this ssmate of yours.¡±


    ¡°Her name is Lena Abbott,¡± she reminded him, afraid he might forget.


    ¡°I got it,¡± ze said, striding out of the dining room.


    Harper watched his tall figure and hesitated for a moment before speaking up, ¡°Mr. Wychwood¡­¡±


    ze stopped in his tracks but didn¡¯t turn around.


    ¡°I wanted to ask¡­ why did youe to my rescue today?¡± she asked softly.


    ze paused for a moment, ¡°Guess.¡± With that, he left.


    In the following days, Harper and ze had a few rtively harmonious days. ze was busy, even during his workouts, he¡¯d be on the phone dealing with business matters. Theirmunication was mostly confined to the dining table and the bedroom. To be honest, most of their interactions happened in these two ces.


    Sitting in front of theputer, opening ck for work, Harper felt like she was in apletely different world. It had been so long since she had lived a normal life.


    On ck, the editor kept urging her to submit new drafts, create newics.


    Newics¡­


    She wanted to draw newics, but the problem was she had no inspiration. Lately, she¡¯d been either thinking about what to cook for ze or how to minimize her outings to avoid running into Logan and Fiona.


    How could she have the mood to draw newics?


    Harper grabbed a stack of drawing paper and started doodling aimlessly, but there was no inspirationing to her. Suddenly, she heard ze¡¯s furious roar from outside the door, ¡°What¡¯s the use of keeping you useless bunch around? Even a 0. 1% error is still an error. If you keep doing this job, you¡¯ll be a harm to humanity! Get out, get out of N. E, the farther the better!¡±


    He was yelling at someone again.


    Harper listened, feeling sorry for his employees. ze was so paranoid, nitpicking every little detail, unable to tolerate even the slightest deviation, and he easily flew into a rage.


    Every day, she could hear about a dozen directors, managers being yelled at by him, it was like a storm of profanity.


    Harper stood up, ready to go close the door¡­


    ¡®Wait a minute. Wasn¡¯t this the perfect material for reality?¡¯ She quickly returned to her desk, picked up her pen, and wrote down a few big words on a nk sheet of paper-¡°The CEO Is Paranoid¡±.


    Then Harper swiftly outlined the basic plot for theic, and sent it over to the editor. In less than a minute, a message popped up on ck from the editor-


    ¡°Harper, you¡¯re amazing. This concept of a paranoid is great, a lot of people have mental health issues nowadays. Send me the finalized character drafts as soon as possible.¡±


    Harper looked at the message on the screen, and typed out a reply-


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    After finishing the conversation with the editor, Harper¡¯s inspiration surged like a fountain, and she quickly sketched out the outline of the main character.


    How tall was ze again? Nearly six feet three inches, right? Very tall.


    ze had a lean and slender figure, with neatly trimmed short hair, and a hint of exotic allure in his deep-set eyes. His eyes always carried a hint of anger; a straight nose, and lips that were thin but with a hint of sensuality¡­


    Finished.


    Harper looked at the character she had drawn on the paper. ¡®This man, he was too handsome.¡¯


    Harper gazed at the character she had drawn for a moment, then wrote down the protagonist¡¯s characteristics-paranoid, irritable, domineering, big eater.


    From this moment on, ze¡¯s life would be virtualized, and she would be the one to determine how he lived each day.


    In heric, she could vent all her dissatisfaction with ze.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Thinking about it made her happy.

 Chapter 33 Take The Initiative

    Harper¡¯s inspiration was bursting, and she didn¡¯t stop drawing until dusk.


    ncing at the time, it was time to cook.


    Harper saved the sketches on herputer, then stretched her arms and walked out of the study.


    As Harper passed through the living room, she heard ze¡¯s displeased voice, ¡°Why should I attend this kind of rich kid¡¯s wedding banquet? Just send a secretary, it¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°But the other party is about to inherit¡­¡± Dn started.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m not going, and that¡¯s final. Stop bothering me!¡± ze interrupted Dn impatiently, flipping through the documents in his hand.


    Harper nced over and sighed inwardly. ze was in a bad mood for twenty hours a day.


    Wedding banquet? Suddenly, Harper remembered that Logan and Fiona¡¯s wedding was in two days, and the invitation was still lying in her bag.


    Her life was so messed up by ze that she even forgot about this.


    ¡®To go or not to go?¡¯ Harper frowned and walked into the kitchen to start cooking dinner.


    Halfway through cooking, her phone suddenly vibrated. It was a call from her foster father, Walter Shaw.


    She hesitated for two seconds before answering, ¡°Dad.¡±


    How long had it been since shest answered her foster father¡¯s call? Over the years, whenever she called home, her foster parents wouldn¡¯t pick up. Even if they did, they¡¯d say a few words and hang up.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Walter¡¯s voicecked emotion. ¡°Are you still drawingics?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m still drawingics.¡± Harper¡¯s voice trembled slightly as she heard Walter¡¯s voice after such a long time, ¡°Dad, are you and Mom doing okay?¡±


    ¡°Do you know that Fiona¡¯s wedding is being dubbed the princess wedding by the media?¡±


    ¡®Fiona¡­ So this call was for her.¡¯


    ¡°Um, I know,¡± Harper replied indifferently.


    ze suddenly walked in from outside, seeing her on the phone but didn¡¯t say anything. He just walked over to her, picked up a fork, and started eating the dishes she had prepared.


    ¡®He must have starved to death in his previous life, always eating like this.¡¯ Harper nced at him.


    Walter¡¯s voice continued on her phone, ¡°Do you know how many people will be paying attention to this wedding? Both domestic and international media will be watching. This is Fiona¡¯s once-in-a-lifetime wedding, and I don¡¯t want any negative reports.¡±


    ¡®Negative reports¡­ Was he afraid I would cause trouble at the wedding?¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go,¡± Harper reassured him. She turned her head, and ze had already finished almost all the dishes, yet there wasn¡¯t a single grease stain on his thin lips. He always had excellent table manners.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t go, won¡¯t our family end up being portrayed as having conflicts again?¡± Walter sounded somewhat displeased, ¡°On that day, you¡¯ll go with us and stay by our side without causing any trouble. You don¡¯t need to say anything, just stay.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go¡­¡±


    At Harper¡¯s words, Walter immediately became excited, ¡°How many more years are you going to keep causing trouble? They¡¯re about to get married, don¡¯t be difficult to your sister. I¡¯ve raised you for so many years, you should repay me somehow.¡±


    Repay? Harper listened quietly, feeling a bit bitter. ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Even though she didn¡¯t want to get entangled with Logan and them anymore, Walter still wanted her to attend.


    Reality always goes against one¡¯s wishes.


    Hopefully, this would be thest time.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± After saying that, Walter hung up the phone.


    Harper put down her phone and served the food from the pot. ze¡¯s eyes were fixed on the dishes Harper had just served¡­


    ¡°Your expression seems to be judging me for eating too much,¡± ze¡¯s sharp gaze swept towards her.


    Harper was startled and hurriedly said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better not,¡± ze withdrew his gaze and continued eating. Then, as he ate, he suddenly asked, ¡°Harper, did you add any special ingredients to the food, like heroin?¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Harper found it somewhat amusing.


    ¡°Then why am I addicted to it?¡± ze¡¯s voice was deep, and his expression seemed a bit absent-minded, ¡°I wasn¡¯t a glutton. My appetite used to be normal. But when it came to the food you made, it seemed like I could never get enough. There was no exnation for it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Harper was taken aback. ¡®He said he was addicted to my food? Am I really that good at cooking? I didn¡¯t feel that way.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, by the way, did you find the contact information for my college friend Lena?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Harper nodded, feeling somewhat disappointed, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I want to tell you. I have to attend a banquet in a few days.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± ze blurted out, his tone domineering.


    ¡°I have to go to this banquet,¡± Harper looked at him seriously, ¡°So, how about this? Whatever you want to eat today, I¡¯ll make it for you, okay?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harper was stunned.


    ¡°I want to ¡®eat¡¯ you,¡± ze suddenly turned to stare at her, his eyes so deep they seemed to want to devour her, ¡°How about it?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Harper felt uneasy under his blunt gaze.


    Eat her? Her body had long been his dessert after meals.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Harper felt like she was truly decadent, agreeing to such a absurd request so readily.


    ze gazed at her, arms wide open. ¡°You have to take the initiative. If you¡¯re not sincere, do you think I¡¯ll let you off easily?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡± She knew it wouldn¡¯t be that easy.


    Harper hesitated. This was too¡­ ashamed¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll count to three.¡±


    ¡°How do I take the initiative?¡±


    ¡°Until I¡¯m satisfied. ¡±


    ¡°One¡­¡±


    ¡°Three!¡±


    Suddenly, it was already three¡­ Harper didn¡¯t think too much and just rushed forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying herself in his embrace.


    ze¡¯s body was knocked slightly back. ¡®Harper¡­ this woman¡­¡¯


    Harper didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. She held him tightly, slowly tiptoed, getting closer to his lips bit by bit.


    Oh well, since she had already done it, she might as well go all out.


    ze lowered his eyes to watch her. Her lips were pink, approaching his slowly with a seductive allure.


    She kissed him. Their lips met.


    ze¡¯s breath immediately became heavy, like someone suddenly encountering water in a drought, longing for a source of relief. He didn¡¯t move. Harper pressed her lips against his thin ones, clumsily moving her own lips.


    No, she just couldn¡¯t take the initiative.


    Harper was about to withdraw in disappointment when ze suddenly tightened his grip on her body, pulling her deeply into his embrace and fervently kissing her lips. He kissed her forcefully and passionately, his tongue prying open her lips to taste the sweetness inside¡­


    ze¡¯s hands tightening around her waist as he lifted her up.


    Harper¡¯s feet gradually left the ground as he kissed her. She was afraid of falling, so her hands slowly wrapped around his neck, and her legs instinctively wrapped tightly around his waist.


    ze held her tightly and sat her directly on the dining table.


    ¡°You are on top, this time,¡± hemanded.


    He lifted her skirt, pulled her panties aside, and eagerly inserted his fingers, moving them back and forth.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Sensations of both soreness and numbness overwhelmed her rationality. Her body had be ustomed to his touch.


    ze quickly unzipped, pulling out his already erect and sizable cock. He grabbed her buttocks, guiding them down onto his cock, which was already moistened with anticipation.


    Harper trembled with excitement, feeling every inch of his hard and long cock slowly prating her. Her legs quivered, and the fullness made her grip his shoulders tightly.


    But halfway through, it got stuck.


    ¡°You¡­ move down,¡± ze urged, slightly lifting her waist but only allowing a bit more entry. The sensation of being neither fully in nor fully out tortured their nerves.


    Harper bit her lip, slowly lifting her hips up and then down, trying to find the right rhythm. Up¡­ down¡­ a few times until she adjusted, then slowly taking it all in.


    Watching she actively amodating him, ze almost couldn¡¯t hold back from climaxing. He couldn¡¯t suppress the overwhelming sensation, ¡°Uh¡­¡± He pressed her buttocks down forcefully while thrusting upwards.


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­¡± Harper lifted her jaw, and even she didn¡¯t realize how content her expression was at the moment.


    ze held her hips, driving her up and down, making her engulf his hard andrge cock¡­


    ¡­


    Two dayster.


    A wedding ignited the highest attention.


    ¡°The most anticipated wedding in the country ¨C The Davidson Group¡¯s heir, Logan, and the actress Fiona¡¯s wedding, will be held today. The prince has booked the entire Tranquil Haven Ind to create the most romantic wedding.¡±


    With the sound from the TV, Harper opened her wardrobe, looking at the beautiful dresses inside.


    ze had Dn buy her all high-end custom-made outfits from top brands.


    ¡°Tranquil Haven Ind is beautiful, with perennial mist. It includes everything from chapels, hotels, spas, resorts, to airports, making it the perfect ce to rx. Journalists are invited to attend the wedding to catch a glimpse of the real Tranquil Haven Ind¡­¡±


    Tranquil Haven Ind, what a romantic ce.

 Chapter 34 The Wedding

    Harper took out a waist-cinching dress from the wardrobe, custom-made by Chanel, with a sweet style, the most understated among them.


    After changing into the dress, Harper turned off the TV and headed out.


    ze was sitting on the leather sofa in the hall, scrolling through his phone, his handsome face expressionless.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood, I¡¯m going out,¡± Harper said as she approached.


    ¡°Get lost,¡± ze replied without even looking at her.


    ¡°¡­¡± Hoping for ze to be polite was impossible¡­ Harper nced at him, said nothing, picked up her bag, and left.


    The moment Harper disappeared from the house, ze fiercely smashed his phone to the ground, growling in frustration, ¡°Where¡¯s the system optimization? Why can¡¯t I see it? What¡¯s different from thest update?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Dn stood by, head bowed, saying nothing.


    ¡°Redo it!¡± ze kicked the phone away, ¡°A bunch of useless people, can¡¯t even perfect a phone system optimization.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master, I¡¯ll call the headquarters right away,¡± Dn nodded and silently wondered, ¡®Master said yesterday that this optimization was okay, why is it suddenly not okay?¡¯


    Ten minutester, in the gym. ze mmed the dumbbell onto the massage chair, disgruntled, ¡°Theyout of this gym is wrong, redo it!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master, I¡¯ll arrange it immediately,¡± Dn handed him a towel, with a respectful attitude. ¡®Master¡¯s mood doesn¡¯t seem to be very good today. It seems like it¡¯s been off since Harper said she was going to change and go out.¡¯


    20 minutester, in the kitchen. ze spat out the cake in his mouth onto the table, frowning, ¡°What¡¯s this disgusting thing? Who made it, fire them!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes, Master,¡± Dn nodded.


    30 minutester, Dn also got scolded¡­


    Dn finally couldn¡¯t help but step forward, bowing his head, ¡°Master, about the wedding I mentioned the other day¡­¡±


    ze was smashing things in the kitchen, and at Dn¡¯s words, his face turned livid, ¡°I won¡¯t go! Why are you talking so much nonsense!¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Yes, Master. Then I¡¯ll send the people from Miss Shaw¡¯s brother-inw¡¯spany back.¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Brother-inw?¡± ze¡¯s pot-smashing action suddenly stopped¡­


    ¡­


    Harper arrived at the airstrip by car, where an outrageouslyrge private jet was parked. The wind was strong, tousling her long hair.


    ¡°Harper, hurry up, everyone¡¯s waiting for you!¡± Her foster father, Walter, stood beneath the ne,ining.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    The ne wasvishly decorated, filled with rtives and friends of The Shaw Family, chatting andughing.


    As soon as Harper entered, everyone stopped talking, each casting cold nces at her. No one weed her. She had long been alienated, and she expected this kind of scene.


    Harper sat down in the most secluded spot.


    ¡°Harper, isn¡¯t that a Chanel custom dress you¡¯re wearing?¡± A cousin recognized the expensive dress on Harper.


    All eyes turned to her.


    ¡°No,¡± Harper forced a smile, ¡°It¡¯s a high-quality imitation.¡±


    ¡°I knew it¡­ The Shaw Family no longer supports you financially. How can you afford it on your own? You¡¯re really something, wearing knock-offs just to get attention. At least put on some makeup if you¡¯re going to do that. How can youpete like this?¡±


    The cousin¡¯s sharp tongue was well-known.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze towards Harper was filled with disdain and disgust.


    Harper remained silent, pretending not to hear, just looking out the window. She didn¡¯t even bother with makeup, picked the least shy dress, and they still wanted to humiliate her like this¡­ Whatever, in their eyes, no matter how she dressed, they wouldn¡¯t be satisfied.


    Seeing Harper ignoring her, the cousin lost interest and turned to y with her boyfriend again.


    Everyone else joined in the lively chatter, as if she didn¡¯t exist.


    Harper sat in her seat, looking out the window, listening to everyone¡¯s conversation, suddenly feeling suffocated. She always thought being beside ze was the toughest. But now, she¡¯d rather be with ze, at least when he got angry, he vented directly, never insinuating gossip like this.


    At 10 o¡¯clock in the morning, the private jetnded on the airstrip of Tranquil Haven Ind.


    Harper was thest one to disembark. Stepping out of the cabin, she was greeted by swirling clouds and the gentle sunlight piercing through the thin veil of mist. In the distance, the trees of the forest appeared like a beautiful painting.


    Indeed, this was a romantic ce.


    ¡°You stick with me, no wandering around. Just show up when the wedding starts,¡± Harper¡¯s foster mother, Marcia Dennis, pulled her aside, repeatedly reminding her.


    Harper remained silent, wondering just how afraid they were that she would cause trouble.


    The group headed towards the resort. Beyond the flowing artificial streams was a row of wooden cottages. Harper entered her room, with Marcia standing nearby, watching her attentively, as if she were guarding a prisoner.


    Leaning against the window, Harper looked down at the several white doves on the ground outside.


    ¡°Mom, if you¡¯re so worried about me causing trouble, why did you even let mee?¡± Harper said, feeling somewhat helpless. Since she decided to give up on Logan, she hoped she wouldn¡¯t have to see him again more than anyone else.


    ¡°We can¡¯t have the media writing about family discord!¡± Marcia replied immediately, ¡°Harper, just look at the rtives, who hasn¡¯t criticized you for your actions over the years, fighting tooth and nail to snatch your own sister¡¯s boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you biased?¡± Harper retorted with a wry smile.


    ¡°¡­¡± Marcia¡¯s face froze for a moment.


    Harper picked up a bag of bird feed nearby and scattered some out the window. Without looking at her foster mother, she spoke to the white doves outside, ¡°Back then, Dad volunteered to take care of Logan for climbing up thedder. But who ended up actually taking care of him? It was me.¡±


    Her voice was calm, devoid of anyint, simply stating a fact.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve taken care of Logan for many years, but no matter what, he loves your sister now,¡± Marcia said.


    ¡°What if Fiona and I swapped positions?¡± Harper chuckled lightly. ¡°You¡¯d probably say I shouldn¡¯t have taken advantage of Logan¡¯s amnesia to steal Fiona¡¯s boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Marcia remained silent.


    ¡°Mom, are you really not biased?¡± Harper turned her head, smiling gently at her.


    ¡°¡­¡± Under her clear gaze, Marcia turned away, avoiding eye contact.


    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t me you for favoring one over the other. I know, without you, I would¡¯ve been an orphan for life,¡± Harper said slowly, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to keep brainwashing me, making me think I¡¯m in the wrong. I¡¯m an adult, I can tell right from wrong¡­¡± She never thought her entanglement with Logan for the past six years was wrong. She wanted to awaken Logan¡¯s memories, and she fought for it with all her might. So now, giving up, she wouldn¡¯t regret it.


    Marcia sat there, unable to utter a word. After a while, her eyes turned red.


    In reality, Marcia still cared for her, but no matter what, blood rtions always held more weight than those formed through adoption.


    Harper walked over to her and squatted down beside her, looking up earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t meddle in Fiona¡¯s affairs anymore.¡±


    Marcia looked at her somewhat incredulously, ¡°Harper¡­¡±


    ¡­


    As the time for the wedding ceremony approached, the group headed towards the church.


    Along the way, the rtives kept talking incessantly ¨C


    ¡°Logan truly lives up to his title as the prince, he¡¯s so generous. I just found out on the yacht that all those yachts are under Fiona¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°Fiona is so pampered¡­¡±


    Suddenly, there was amotion ¨C


    ¡°Is that Mr. Wychwood?!¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t his mainpany¡¯s market value announced to be the highest in the world recently?¡± ¡°He¡¯s topping all the wealth lists, and yet he¡¯s never given an interview.¡±


    ¡°This is great, Mr. Wychwood is actually attending the wedding, hurry up and interview him.¡±


    The journalists instantly stirred up.


    Harper looked forward in astonishment, and saw several bodyguards in ck suits walking into the church¡¯s entrance, blocking the approaching journalists and clearing a path.


    ze¡¯s figure appeared. His tall figure stood out among the crowd.


    ¡®Why would hee to Fiona¡¯s wedding?¡¯


    Harper suddenly remembered hearing him and Dn mention something about a rich second-generation wedding before. Was it this wedding today? Her immediate reaction was to quickly sit down, turn away, not letting him see her. She couldn¡¯t afford to meet ze here. He never cared about anything. What if he exposed their rtionshipter?

 Chapter 35 Exposed Their Relationship

    ze stood among the bodyguards, lifting his eyes and staring directly at her, his gazending on her without hesitation. He curled his lips into a smile, the smile sinister, as if he were looking at his prey on a te.


    Harper trembled at his smile, her heart pounding with fear.


    Suddenly, ze strode in her direction¡­


    ¡®No, I couldn¡¯t run into ze here.¡¯


    ¡°Mom, I need to use the restroom,¡± Harper said nervously, getting up and rushing towards a nearby side door.


    Harper dashed through the corridor, the sound of orderly footsteps behind her indicating ze¡¯s group of bodyguards in pursuit.


    In a moment of desperation, Harper quickly turned a corner and dashed into a room, locking the door behind her.


    Her heart was pounding like a drum. ¡®How did things end up like this? I was avoiding ze at Logan and Fiona¡¯s wedding?¡¯


    ¡°Harper?¡± a puzzled voice came from behind her.


    Harper turned in surprise, only to see Logan standing by the window in a white suit. Bathed in sunlight, he looked at her with questioning eyes, while his assistant adjusted his clothes beside him.


    ¡®It¡¯s Logan¡¯s dressing room?¡¯? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Afraid that he would think she was there to pester him again, Harper hurriedly said, ¡°Congrattions. I just came to use the restroom.¡±


    Logan looked at her in astonishment as she quickly darted into the adjacent bathroom and closed the door.


    Harper hid in the bathroom, her back pressed tightly against the door. She couldn¡¯t go out now, or she¡¯d bump into ze. What was she going to do? How long could she hide?


    Suddenly, there was a banging on the door from outside.


    Her hands clenched involuntarily. After a while, she heard Logan¡¯s courteous voice, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, it¡¯s an honor to have you attend the wedding.¡±


    ¡®It was indeed ze.¡¯


    Harper bit her lip, her brows furrowed tightly.


    ¡°Brother-inw?¡± ze¡¯s voice, tinged with scrutiny, suddenly sounded.


    ¡°What?¡± Logan didn¡¯t hear clearly.


    Then there was suddenly silence outside. Harper didn¡¯t know what was happening, but it made her even more nervous.


    ¡°What¡¯s Mr. Wychwood looking at? Are you looking for something?¡± Logan asked.


    Harper¡¯s face was dripping with cold sweat, her nerves on edge.


    ¡°Nothing,¡±


    Then there was the sound of footsteps leaving the dressing room, gradually fading away.


    Harper breathed a sigh of relief.


    After a moment, when ze was probably far away, she wiped the sweat off her face and opened the door to go out.


    ¡°Thanks for letting me use the restroom, I¡¯ll be going now,¡± she said, about to leave.


    ¡°Wait, I have a question for you,¡± Logan stopped her.


    Harper had no choice but to pause and turn to him.


    Logan took out a watch and put it on his wrist, asking, ¡°How did you resolve the Porcin Gallery issue?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t go to jail.¡± He had sent someone to find outter that the Porcin Gallery had disappeared overnight, and no one knew what had happened. And¡­ she hadn¡¯t gone to jail.


    Harper¡¯s eyes flickered as she replied lightly, ¡°I borrowed money from someone.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have friends that rich,¡± Logan exposed her, ¡°Did you borrow from a bank?


    With so much money, the interest must be high.¡±


    ¡°This is my business,¡± Harper didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation, ¡°I¡¯m gonna go.¡± She reached out to open the door.


    Suddenly, there was a loud thud behind her. The assistant eximed in concern, ¡°Boss, are you okay?¡±


    Harper turned around to see Logan kneeling on the ground, one hand holding his head in agony, his face terrifyingly pale.


    ¡°What was happening?¡± She was shocked.


    ¡°Medicine,¡± Logan groaned in pain, falling to the ground.


    The assistant quickly helped him up and dragged him to the nearby couch, ¡°Miss, could you help get the medicine? It¡¯s in the ck box on the vanity. Two pills.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Harper hurriedly retrieved two pills from the box and poured a ss of water, walking over to the couch.


    Logan was writhing in pain on the couch.


    ¡°How could this happen?¡± Harper asked incredulously, ¡°Was he in poor health?¡±


    ¡°Boss often gets headaches, taking medicine usually helps,¡± the assistant exined. He supported Logan as he sat up. ¡°Please don¡¯t mention this to anyone, it¡¯s his privacy.¡±


    Logan was in too much pain to speak. He clutched his head with one hand and reached for the pills in Harper¡¯s hand with the other. His vision was a bit blurry. He only managed to grab one pill, while the other one rolled to the floor.


    With trembling hands, Logan popped the pill into his mouth.


    Harper leaned down to offer him the cup of water. His body copsed uncontrobly into her arms¡­


    In that moment , a sh of light seemed to pass through his mind, something trying to break through, a sensation he had never experienced before.


    He tightly gripped her hand. ¡®What was it? What had just shed through? What was it?¡¯


    ¡°Let go, I¡¯ll go get you another pill,¡± Harper struggled to break free, pushing him towards the assistant.


    ¡°Boss, are you feeling any better?¡± the assistant asked anxiously.


    Logan sat there. He felt like he had fallen into a surreal dream, surrounded by white emptiness, something trying to emerge¡­ he wanted to grasp it, but he couldn¡¯t reach anything.


    ¡°I got another pill for you,¡± Harper came back with the medicine, ready to hand it to him.


    Logan didn¡¯t take it, just sat there with his head in his hands. After a while, he shook his head, enduring the pain, ¡°No need, taking this medicine will make me mentally exhausted for a while.¡±


    ¡°But you only took one pill. You¡¯ve been only taking one pill to ease the pain because of the wedding preparations these days. Can you handle it?¡± the assistant asked with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯ll rest for a bit, and I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Logan said, ¡°The ceremony is about to begin, and I don¡¯t want Fiona to think there¡¯s even a hint of imperfection in this wedding.¡±


    ¡®For Fiona, he was willing to endure the headache and ensure she had a perfect wedding. He truly loved Fiona. Logan and Fiona were destined to be together. I was just a brief episode¡¯ Harper stood by, holding the pill.


    Harper put the medicine back in the box and turned to them, ¡°I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    This time, no one stopped her.


    Harper walked out of the dressing room, but just a few steps away, her phone vibrated. She took it out-it was a message from ze.


    [Where are you hiding? Daring to avoid me?]


    ze¡­


    Harper couldn¡¯t be bothered to reply. She put her phone back in her pocket and headed for the back door of the church.


    Halfway there, she stopped.


    ze obviously wanted to find her, so he would definitely have someone guarding the back door. If she wanted to slip away, she couldn¡¯t take the usual route.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Harper walked towards a colorful stained ss window. She pushed it open and jumped out of the window¡­


    Tranquil Haven Ind was full of pigeons. When she jumped out, the pigeons all fluttered their wings in surprise.


    Harper pped her hands and turned to leave. A tall, burly bodyguard in a ck suit stood there, hands in front of him, bowing his head respectfully, ¡°Miss Shaw, Boss is waiting for you.¡±


    ¡­


    Under the sunshade in the square, ze sat at a table, casual andzy.


    He was surrounded by a group of bodyguards, protecting him tightly.


    The sea breeze blew in, warm andfortable.


    Harper walked slowly towards him.


    ze looked up at her, displeased. ¡°Were you avoiding me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Harper said as she approached him.


    ¡°No? Then why did you run?¡± ze said sarcastically, scanning her up and down, ¡°Howe I can¡¯t see that you¡¯re a track star?¡±


    Harper remained silent. After following ze for these days, she had learned that he was just a vtile paranoid. She wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to provoke him.


    ¡°Come here,¡± ze beckoned her over.


    Harper walked towards him. ze immediately pulled her onto hisp, his eyes staring deeply into hers. Harper struggled slightly, and he immediately frowned, ¡°What happened? You¡¯re not happy now?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Harper forced a smile, feeling ufortable sitting on hisp.


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re not happy!¡± ze¡¯s face was full of displeasure, his anger on the verge of erupting. He had chased her all the way to this damn ind, and she was still avoiding him, still looking unhappy?¡­ His time was much more precious than hers, and he wasn¡¯t unhappy yet!


    In the distance, the heavy tolling of bells could be heard from the direction of the church. Harper quickly spoke, ¡°The wedding ceremony is about to start. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Nothing worth seeing,¡± ze snorted coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not here to watch a wedding anyway.¡±


    ¡°I want to go,¡± Harper insisted, ¡°You promised me.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ Fine, let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing her forehead furrowed, ze didn¡¯t push further. He nted a kiss on her cheek and pulled her up, leading her towards the church.


    Seeing this, Harper became nervous again. ¡®Was he nning entering the church with me, together?¡¯

 Chapter 36 Night Sea Tour

    Harper stopped in her tracks, grabbing his sleeve, ¡°Today is my sister¡¯s wedding.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± He responded dismissively, his eyes staring at her hand that was wrapped around his sleeve. Her delicate hand held onto his sleeve.


    She rarely approached him first.


    ¡°My sister is the focus today. I don¡¯t want to steal her thunder, so¡­ could you pretend not to know me while we¡¯re on the ind?¡± Harper asked cautiously.


    ze¡¯s expression darkened as he grasped the meaning of her words. ¡°Say that again? Pretend not to know?¡±


    Harper understood that this was a sign of his anger brewing. She quickly exined, ¡°I mean, Mr. Wychwood, your influence is too great. Reporters are already swarming around you. If I appear with you, it¡¯ll just give them more gossip to write about¡­ and then my sister¡¯s headline tomorrow will be gone.¡±


    ze felt ttered, ¡°Of course. My news will naturally overshadow those two.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Harper nodded repeatedly.


    ¡°You¡¯re really ying the role of a big sister well.¡± ze scoffed at her actions.


    He hated being the subject of gossip, but he couldn¡¯t just let her go. He looked out towards the sea, ¡°Tonight, you¡¯lle out and apany me.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Harper paused, following his gaze towards the sea. Without much thought, she agreed, ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle find you tonight. I¡¯m off now.¡±


    With that, Harper quickly shook off his hand and ran towards the direction of the church.


    ze watched her retreating figure, his brows furrowing.


    ¡®Did she really need to run so fast? Tonight¡­ why did he feel like he was a ndestine lover?¡¯


    Harper hurried back to the church alone. The ceremony had already begun, and she quietly slipped back into her seat.


    The priest stood before the two newlyweds.


    Fiona, in her white wedding gown, was the center of attention. Her figure looked even more slender and elegant in the wedding dress. It was said to be a masterpiece from a Mnese designer, adorned with Swarovski crystals that took over a thousand hours to embellish, worth millions.


    It was clear how much Logan loved Fiona.


    The two faced the priest, dering their vows, their backs facing the audience, radiating harmony and love.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Harper stared without blinking. She had never imagined Logan would marry someone else, especially her sister.


    She couldn¡¯t quite describe her feelings at the moment, only that memories flooded back to her uncontrobly-


    ¡°Harper, make me look better in the painting.¡±


    ¡°Harper, stay by my side forever.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If I lose my memory, make sure I remember. ¡±


    The past and the present intertwined.


    Harper listened as Logan firmly said, ¡°Yes, I do.¡± The images from the past gradually shattered.


    Her phone suddenly vibrated, breaking her mncholic mood.


    Harper lowered her head, took out her phone, and saw a message from ze-


    [Why are you crying at your sister¡¯s wedding? You¡¯re so moved? Are you out of your mind?]


    ¡®He was insulting me again. The bastard!¡¯ Harper reached up to touch her face, feeling wetness. She had indeed shed tears.


    While everyone was looking at the newlyweds, Harper wiped her tears gently. She turned her head and saw ze sitting in the middle of the aisle. He wasn¡¯t looking at the newlyweds, and the moment she turned her head, she bumped into his eyes.


    ze shook his phone at her, his expression unclear, probably indicating anger or somemanding order.


    Harper ignored him, but soon her phone vibrated again-


    ¡°Hey! Stupid woman, reply to me!¡±


    ¡®Boring.¡¯ Harper shook her head. He always managed to ruin her mncholic mood. She wasn¡¯t sure whether to hate him or thank him¡­


    ¡­


    After the ceremony, Harper went to a corner and poured herself a ss of water. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone stumbling towards her.


    It was Logan, hisplexion looking a bit off.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Harper withdrew her hand discreetly.


    ¡°Maybe I haven¡¯t been taking the medication regrlytely. The headaches are worse than thest couple of days,¡± Logan said, his hand pressing against his forehead, his voice somewhat weak.


    ¡°In that case, you should sit down for a while,¡± Harper suggested, offering him the ss of water.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Maybe because he saw that she wasn¡¯t bothering him anymore, he didn¡¯t speak to her as coldly as before.


    Harper nced towards the area where their family and friends were, then turned to leave. She didn¡¯t want to stay with Logan and attract gossip. If she was going to let go, she had to let gopletely.


    She was about to leave when Logan suddenly spoke up, ¡°Sorry, could you pour me another ss of water?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Harper reluctantly took the empty ss he handed her and poured another. Seeing his furrowed brows, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How long have you had this headache?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been like this since the brain surgery, but it¡¯s nothing serious,¡± Logan replied, his voice sounding somewhat feeble.


    ¡®Since the surgery? That¡¯s been many years. So, he¡¯s been taking medication all this time.¡¯


    ¡°By the way, have you been taking this medication all along? And¡­ Fiona was pregnant, does it have any effect on the baby?¡±


    ¡°The doctor said it doesn¡¯t affect the baby,¡± Logan replied, taking the ss and drinking the water, which eased the pain slightly. He looked up at Harper and chuckled softly, ¡°I never thought we could have such a calm conversation.¡±


    In his memory, he was most familiar with Harper¡¯s relentless pursuit, which he detested. He was also wary that she might cause trouble at the wedding. But so far, she showed no signs of disruption.


    This kind of Harper¡­ he couldn¡¯t bring himself to hate her.


    Harper lowered her eyes and didn¡¯t speak. She nced over to where Fiona was being interviewed. Fiona asionally yed with her hair, casting a displeased look towards their direction every time.


    Harper saw it all but said nothing.


    Her phone, ced aside, kept vibrating incessantly.


    Okay, it was ze again, sending several messages she hadn¡¯t read:


    ¡°Stupid woman, reply to my messages.¡±


    ¡°Which room are you staying in?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t reply, I¡¯ll send people to search room by room!¡±


    ¡°Come out.¡±


    Harper couldn¡¯t find suitable words to describe him. ¡®This guy was really boring. Wasn¡¯t he too idle? Why did he keep sending her messages?¡¯


    As the evening approached, Harper ride a bicycle through the resort towards the beach, illuminated by the moonlight.


    In the distance, she could hear music,ing from the direction of the grand hotel.


    The entire facade of the hotel was lit up with the words ¡°I Love You,¡± romantically celebrating the couple¡¯s union.


    Several yachts were parked by the seaside, big and small, forming a dazzling sight with their lights, like a diamond ne adorning the night beach.


    Harper parked her bicycle and looked around. ze said to go sailing, but which yacht was his?


    Harper looked at each one in turn.


    ¡°My yacht is here. ¡± A cool voice drifted to her on the breeze.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Just nearby, an orange Lamborghini convertible was parked. ze sat in the driver¡¯s seat, one hand on the steering wheel.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling guilty?¡± ze¡¯s gaze was sharp, his voice icy.


    ¡°Why would I? What do I have to feel guilty about?¡±


    ¡°Like, for example, not reply to my messages?¡±


    ¡°My phone was dead just now¡­¡±


    ¡°Come with me!¡± ze interrupted, opening the car door and getting out. He grabbed her arm and dragged her forward.


    As they approached, Harper realized that ze¡¯s yacht was the biggest and most extravagant of them all. White, with especially bright lights. Dn and a row of bodyguards stood on board, nodding respectfully as they approached.


    ¡°Did youe here by yacht today?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Get on,¡± zemanded, pulling Harper up.


    The yacht slowly started and headed out into the deep sea.


    Tranquil Haven Ind grew smaller and smaller in the distance, shrinking into a glowing little ind.


    Harper stood on the deck, facing the wind, hands on the railing. She suddenly felt that sailing on the yacht in the middle of the night was quite nice, as the wind could take away all the negative emotions.


    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t ask you toe up here to stay silent like a dead person!¡± ze¡¯s displeased voice came from behind her. He walked over, leaning against the railing with his long legs, his back to it, his eyes ring at her.


    ¡°I just feel like quietly enjoying the sea view now, and I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Harper replied honestly.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s discuss why you didn¡¯t reply to my messages.¡± ze was very unhappy. This was the first time he had ever messaged a woman, and she didn¡¯t respond. How could she ignore him like this?


    ¡°Uh, my phone died, and I didn¡¯t bring a charger,¡± Harper tried toe up with an excuse.


    ¡°What¡¯s your phone¡¯s system?¡±


    ¡°N. E.,¡± Harper blurted out.


    Upon hearing this, ze smirked, ¡°Phones with N. E. systems can be wirelessly charged, and there are charging stations all over this ind.¡±


    The lie was mercilessly exposed.


    Harper didn¡¯t know how to respond. She touched her nose awkwardly. Seeing ze was showing signs of agitation, she quickly pointed to the sea, ¡°Sew¡­ It¡¯s so beautiful¡­¡±

 Chapter 37 Logan Was Missing

    ze followed her gaze. The sea shimmered in the night, with bioluminescent organisms jumping in and out, leaving behind a sparkling trail.


    ¡°It really is beautiful.¡± Harper was initially just trying to divert ze¡¯s attention, but when she saw the tiny lights on the sea surface, she was genuinely intrigued, ¡°What¡¯s that? Howe it¡¯s glowing?¡±


    She had never known that the nighttime sea could be so beautiful.


    ze withdrew his gaze, staring tightly at Harper.


    There she stood, hands resting on the railing. Her beautiful eyes were filled with curiosity as she gazed at the sea. Her petite nose and pale pink lips curved into a smile, with strands of hair tousled by the wind. A few strands fell onto her fair face, brushing against her lips as she gently pursed them, looking alluring.


    ze stared intensely at that strand of hair on her lips, a surge of inexplicable jealousy rising in his chest.


    He jealously eyed that single strand of hair.


    Without warning, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips.


    Her lips were soft and tasted good.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Harper¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. What was he doing now? She dared not resist, only enduring his sudden kiss. It was dominating, as if he wanted to devour her whole, leaving her breathless.


    Suddenly, ze lifted her up.


    A whirl.


    By the time Harper realized what was happening, she was already being lifted over the railing, with the sea beneath her feet. She waspletely suspended in mid-air, only held up by ze¡¯s arms around her waist, preventing her from falling into the sea.


    Meanwhile, the yacht continued to sail on the ocean.


    The sound of the wind roared in her ears.


    ¡°Ah-!¡± Harper screamed. She hastily clung to ze¡¯s neck, ¡°What are you doing? I could fall!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this perfect? Now you can go ask what those glowing things are.¡± ze chuckled, kissing her lips again, savoring the taste.


    ¡°Stop it¡­¡±


    Harper panicked, clutching him tightly. She tried to climb back onto the railing, but ze kicked her feet away.


    She tried again, and again he kicked her feet away.


    After several attempts, Harper started to get annoyed, ¡°Quit messing around.¡±


    The sensation of dangling like this was terrifying.


    ¡°What can you do to me?¡± ze smirked, his arm still wrapped around her waist as his lips trailed across her face.


    Harper held onto him tightly, no longer trying to climb back onto the railing, but instead wrapped her legs around his waist.


    This time, ze didn¡¯t kick her legs away.


    Harper leaned against ze¡¯s chest, gazing at the beautiful scenery. She used to think that Logan would never marry anyone else; then she thought that Logan marrying Fiona would be the most heartbreaking and devastating day of her life. But now, it wasn¡¯t like that at all. Here she was, holding another man and admiring the nighttime sea. She didn¡¯t cry or feel desperate. Life was sometimes strange.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ze asked, lowering his head to look at her.


    ¡°Enjoying the view. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± Harper replied.


    ¡°You really haven¡¯t seen much of the world,¡± ze mocked, ¡°I¡¯ll take you diving sometime.¡±


    ¡°Is the underwater scenery beautiful?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± ze suddenly lifted her onto the deck. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, his tongue lightly tracing her earlobe. His kissesnded on her eye corner, trailed down her straight nose, and pecked at her corbone. Hisrge hand roamed over her soft curves.


    Dn approached, ¡°Master, something came up.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± ze asked, showing no concern in his tone.


    ¡°I just received a call. They said the groom went missing before the banquet, and everyone has been searching for him on the ind,¡± Dn reported.


    ¡°Logan is missing?¡± Harper stood up in shock.


    Did he faint somewhere because of the headache?


    ze looked displeased at Harper¡¯s reaction, ¡°Why are you so nervous? It¡¯s not your groom is missing.¡±


    Harper quicklyposed herself, ¡°That¡¯s my brother-inw; of course, I¡¯m worried.¡±


    ¡°Save your concern for when I go missing,¡± ze said coldly.


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll make a phone call,¡± Harper said, hurriedly leaving the deck to find a quiet ce to turn on her phone.


    As soon as she turned it on, she saw several missed calls from Marcia. She quickly called her back, ¡°Harper, where are you? Logan is missing, and everyone is saying you took him. Did you?¡±


    Harper was stunned by her words. How could Logan¡¯s disappearance be rted to her?


    ¡°I¡¯m still here. I was just enjoying the night by the sea,¡± Harper said helplessly. ¡°There¡¯s no way Logan¡¯s disappearance has anything to do with me.¡±


    ¡°But everyone is saying¡­¡±


    ¡°Check the surveince footage to see where he went,¡± Harper interrupted her.


    ¡°We already did. Logan was driving to the hotel by himself, but he disappeared on the way. There are no outdoor cameras on the ind,¡± Marcia said anxiously, her voice almost breaking, ¡°I told them it couldn¡¯t be you, but no one believes¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help look for him,¡± Harper said, no longer wanting to exin further. She hung up the phone and headed back to the deck.


    ze was standing there, savoring his wine.


    ¡°Can you send some people to help with the search?¡± Harper pleaded with him.


    ¡°Why should I help?¡± ze didn¡¯t want to get involved in The Davidson Family¡¯s affairs.


    Suddenly, his hand was grabbed.


    ze lowered his head to see Harper holding his hand, her soft fingertips pressing against his palm, ¡°Please¡­¡±


    Her voice was filled with pleading, as if she was cing all her hopes on him. She needed him desperately.


    ¡°Shit!¡± ze tightened his grip on her slightly cold hand and shouted to Dn, ¡°Head back!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Harper breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at ze, ¡°Thank you.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ze snorted and reached out to tap her forehead.


    As the yacht approached the shore, Dn handed them a map. ¡°Master, this is a map of Tranquil Haven Ind. Most of The Davidson Family are searching in these areas. There are fewer people in this area at the southern corner.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s search there,¡± ze said.


    The southern corner was dense with trees andcked lighting.


    ¡°Logan¡­ Logan¡­¡± Harper called out as she walked into the forest, using the shlight on her phone to light the way. She stumbled and almost fell, but ze caught her in time.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already sent people to search. Let¡¯s go back and wait for news,¡± ze said, displeased.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can do it,¡± Harper insisted, continuing to move forward.


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? He¡¯s not going to die,¡± ze sarcastically remarked.


    Harper ignored hisment, and continued walking.


    The forest was too dark, and she instinctively tightened her grip on ze¡¯s hand.


    ze was about to say something when he was caught off guard by her simple action, his heart racing. He stared at their intertwined fingers, feeling like a puppet being led forward by her, unable to control his own steps.


    ¡°Logan¡­ Logan¡­¡±Harper didn¡¯t notice his reaction and kept calling out.


    The Davidson Family had tight security on the ind, and she didn¡¯t believe anyone would dare to kidnap someone on the wedding day¡­ She was afraid that Logan might have a seizure and copsed somewhere.


    After a long while, Harper suddenly realized that ze wasn¡¯t by her side. She had been so focused on searching that she hadn¡¯t even noticed when ze disappeared.


    ¡®Where did he go? Did they split up to search?¡¯ Harper waited in ce for a moment, but when ze didn¡¯t return, she continued walking into the woods alone.


    After some time, she stopped and looked ahead. Under a tree, a man in a gray suit was sitting on the ground, leaning against the tree. If it weren¡¯t for the light from his phone, he would almost blend into the darkness of the night.


    ¡°Logan?¡± Harper called out, puzzled. ¡°Is that you? Logan?¡±


    The man suddenly turned his head, staring deeply in her direction, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    It was Logan.

 Chapter 38 Slap

    ¡°It¡¯s really you,¡± Harper said, stepping closer to him, ¡°Are you okay? Why are you alone here?¡±


    Suddenly, she noticed something was off. Logan was sitting on the ground, his suit and pants stained with dirt. He had several scratches on his delicate face, blood visible.


    ¡°Are you injured? What happened? Why did youe here?¡± Harper reached into her pocket and pulled out a wet wipe, offering it to him, ¡°Here, clean up first.¡±


    But Logan remained silent, not taking the wet wipe from her. He just stared at her in shock, his pupils dted as if seeing her for the first time.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Harper¡­¡± Logan sat there, uttering her name.


    Harper felt a sense of unease as she listened to him call her name, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint what exactly was wrong.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Harper was about to say something when suddenly a bright light shone upon them, blindingly bright.


    Both she and Logan instinctively shielded their eyes from the light.


    The next moment, they heard hurried footsteps approaching. Just as Harper lowered her hand, she felt a sharp p across her face.


    It was a hard and heavy p.


    She was hit so hard that her head turned to the side, a taste of blood in her mouth, ears ringing.


    Fiona stood before her, wearing a gorgeous dress. She red at Harper, her sweet voice now sharp and piercing, ¡°Harper, I knew you wouldn¡¯t give up easily. You actually dared to kidnap Logan! You talk about giving up, but then you do something like this. You¡¯re despicable! Shameless!¡±


    Behind Fiona stood a group of friends and rtives, all looking at Harper with disdain.


    As Fiona grew more agitated, she raised her hand to hit Harper again.


    Harper was prepared this time; she held out her hand to block Fiona, ¡°Fiona, I can forgive your current misconceptions and reckless words, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can keep hitting your sister!¡±


    She had some attachment to this family, but that didn¡¯t mean she could be bullied at will.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with hitting you?¡± Fiona snapped. Her dress was torn, and she looked disheveled. She red at Harper with resentment, ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done? Ruining your own sister¡¯s wedding? You¡¯ve always been jealous of me, craving Logan. We¡¯ve tolerated you, but today you¡¯ve crossed the line!¡±


    Fiona looked like she wanted to pounce on her and tear her apart.


    ¡°Enough!¡± a weak voice interrupted. Logan sat on the ground, stopping their argument.


    Hearing this, Fiona rushed to Logan, ¡°Logan, are you okay? How did you get so many injuries? Did Harper do this? Did this wretched woman do this to you?¡±


    Harper stood aside, waiting for Logan to rify.


    Logan lowered his head, one hand pressing against his head, his face twisted in pain.


    Fiona anxiously asked him what was wrong.


    ¡°Stop yelling,¡± Logan said, struggling to speak, ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­ wasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, Logan?¡± Fiona asked urgently.


    Logan couldn¡¯t continue. He suddenly leaned to one side and passed out in Fiona¡¯s arms.


    Members of The Davidson Family quickly rushed forward to assist Logan.


    As Fiona stood up from the ground, she red at Harper with hatred, ¡°Harper, if anything happens to Logan, I won¡¯t let you off!¡±


    Harper knew no exnation would work, so she could only say, ¡°I didn¡¯t kidnap Logan, I just found him.¡± Maybe she was wrong. She shouldn¡¯t havee looking for Logan at all.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Fiona red at her hatefully, ¡°Alright then. Where were you when Logan disappeared? Where were you?¡±


    At Fiona¡¯s words, Harper hesitated for a moment before responding, ¡°I was walking by the sea.¡±


    ¡°Any witnesses?¡± Fiona pressed.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°No witnesses, right? Harper! Do you realize how ridiculous your lies are?¡± Fiona was convinced Harper was lying and angrily moved to strike her again.


    Harper instinctively stepped back.


    A figure suddenly stood in front of her.


    For a moment, she thought it was ze who had stepped in front of her, just like at the Porcin Gallery, when she was being mocked and he appeared, rescuing her.


    ¡°p!¨C¡± When an even harder p hit her face, Harper snapped back to reality.


    Walter stood before her, ring at her with uncontroble anger, shouting, ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done! How much longer are you going to embarrass me?¡±


    Harper reached up to touch her face, looking up at her adoptive father.


    ¡®What was this? using me without even understanding what happened?¡¯


    Not far away, everyone watched them, casting scornful and usatory nces at her.


    ¡°Today, with all our friends and family present, I announce that I¡¯m disowning this wretched person!¡± Walter nearly screamed, then turned and pulled Fiona away, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re leaving! We¡¯ll let the police deal with her!¡±


    Harper stood alone, her hand covering her numb and throbbing face.


    Disowning her? Letting the police deal with her?


    Huh¡­ These were the words her father uttered.


    But, it didn¡¯t seem to matter much. After all, she was an orphan to begin with; now she was simply reiming her orphan status. It was just back to square one.


    Suddenly, a faint light illuminated the dark woods. She nced to the side and saw Dn leading a group of security guards towards her¡­ They must have witnessed the entire ordeal.


    ¡°¡­¡± Harper wiped away her tears.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, are you alright?¡± Dn approached, sounding concerned, ¡°Forgive me for not stepping forward to testify for you. I thought it would only bring you more trouble.¡±


    He was right. If she was seen as ze¡¯s woman, being with him tonight would only attract more criticism.


    Harper nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡± Dn was a good person, looking out for her.


    ¡°There¡¯s been some trouble at headquarters, and Master had to leave temporarily to handle it. He instructed us to stay here.¡± Dn handed her a tube of ointment. ¡°He told me to give this to you; there are bugs and ants in the woods.¡±


    Harper paused, then took the ointment from him.


    So ze had already left¡­ Now that she thought about it, he seemed to have taken a call and told her something about standing still and not moving, and then he mentioned the guardsing over. She was just too preupied with finding Logan to pay attention.


    ¡®ze¡­ I had actually thought the figure that blocked me was ze¡¯s, only to receive a p from my adoptive father.


    But if ze were here, he probably would have stood in front of me, right?


    When did I start feeling this inexplicable reliance on ze?


    Was it because he stood up for me once at the Porcin Gallery?¡¯


    Harper walked forward with the ointment in her hand, following Dn.


    On the way, Dn walked alongside her and suddenly spoke up, ¡°Miss Shaw, there¡¯s something I need to tell you¡­ It¡¯s best not to let Master know about your involvement with the heir of The Davidson Family.¡± He had just witnessed the scene between her and Fiona, and could probably guess there was some emotional entanglement.


    Harper looked at him with confusion.


    After a moment of contemtion, Dn spoke with a serious tone, ¡°Master has paranoid personality disorder. Stubbornness and suspicion are prominent symptoms.¡±


    Paranoia¡­


    She had read about it in books. Paranoia entails extreme distrust of a partner¡¯s loyalty. Though she couldn¡¯t be considered ze¡¯s partner, she was his woman now. If he became suspicious, with his vtile temper, her days¡­ wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Understanding that Dn was genuinely looking out for her, Miss Shaw nodded appreciatively, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Foster.¡±


    Dn smiled, ¡°I¡¯m not just looking out for you. Since you two have been together, Master¡¯s temper has improved a lot.¡±


    ¡®Improved a lot? For a man who was angry at least 20 hours a day, how could his temper have improved? Was he angry for 24 hours a day before?¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Foster. There won¡¯t be any more entanglements between me and Logan. He¡¯s just my brother-inw now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Dn smiled, looking at her kindly and warmly.


    Afterwards, Harper was confined on the Ind.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The newspapers reported the wedding extravagantly, without mentioning Logan¡¯s disappearance and fainting.


    It wasn¡¯t until noon that Marcia brought her news: Logan had woken up and was fine. He had also rified to the police that he had wandered into the woods on his own, and it had nothing to do with her.


    Then the police left.


    And during this time, not a single person who had wronged her came to apologize¡­


    ¡°Harper, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let your father really sever ties with you.¡± Marcia choked back tears as she saw Harper off at the airport, touching her swollen cheek.


    Whether he severed ties or not, Harper didn¡¯t care anymore. She was truly tired. If they didn¡¯t want her, then so be it.


    To avoid suspicion, Dn and the bodyguards took a separate flight, making sure no one could guess their rtionship. He had thoughtfully considered her situation.

 Chapter 39 Who Hit You?

    Back in S City, Harper felt like she had traveled through time.


    The wedding;


    The sea voyage;


    The disappearance;


    The confinement.


    She had only spent a little over a day at Tranquil Haven Ind, but it felt like a century had passed.


    She walked down the street, and people kept ncing at her face with curiosity. Fiona and Walter had both left marks on her left cheek. Overnight, her face had swollen badly. Harper held her face with one hand and hailed a taxi with the other.


    As the taxi stopped in front of her, her phone vibrated with a message from ze-


    [I¡¯m so hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry¡­]


    The word ¡°hungry¡± repeated for about two hundred characters.


    ¡®His bottomless pit of a stomach was always hungry.¡¯ Harper sighed. Just as she got into the taxi and gave the address for Sky Harbor, ze¡¯s call came through.


    She reluctantly answered, hearing ze¡¯s perpetually displeased voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t Dn say you were back?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I just got back,¡± Harper replied wearily, her voice tinged with exhaustion.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± ze yelled, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°Why would I call you?¡± Harper blurted out without much thought, her face reflecting her confusion. She was back, why would she call him?


    ze was momentarily speechless on the other end, ¡°Fine, whatever! Harper, you¡¯re doing great!¡± he snapped before abruptly hanging up.


    Harper stared at her phone in bewilderment. ¡®Why was he angry again? He really had a short fuse.¡¯


    ¡­


    N. E. Group.


    ze sat back in his chair, visibly annoyed.


    Damn woman. She came back and didn¡¯t even bother calling him. And she had the nerve to sound so righteous!


    She had guts!


    Last night, he had to rush back to thepany for an emergency. He even saw she was worried about her family, so he didn¡¯t ask her toe with him. He left Dn and the bodyguards with her and came back alone on the yacht.


    And what did she do? Not a word of appreciation, not even a call to let him know she was back!


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    ze mmed his fist on the table, lips pressed tightly together, anger flickering in his eyes. He was going back now, right away, to give her a good lesson.


    Sky Harbor.


    As ze pushed open the door, a tantalizing aroma of food wafted out from inside. This woman really knew how to appeal to him.


    He nced into the kitchen and saw Harper standing at the counter, sweating profusely and , unable to conceal her exhaustion.


    On the dining tabley tes of steak and pasta, all very tempting. ze stood in the doorway, silently observing her.


    Suddenly, she leaned forward, clearly exhausted. ze¡¯s eyes widened in rm, and he immediately rushed in, ¡°Harper!¡±


    There was a hint of panic in his voice that he hadn¡¯t even realized.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Harper quickly stepped back to avoid bumping into the hot stove. Her face flushed red with embarrassment. She steadied herself and looked up at ze.


    Seeing that she was safe, ze subtly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he mockingly remarked, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone cook themselves into a pot before.¡±


    Suddenly, ze¡¯s gaze hardened as he stared at her face, ¡°What happened to your face?¡± his voice turned icy.


    Harper reached up to touch her swollen cheek, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Who hit you?¡± ze¡¯s voice was chilling. Who dared to harm his woman?


    ¡°I identally bumped into something,¡± Harper brushed her hair aside, hiding the swollen half of her face.


    ¡°identally? Harper, you¡¯re so clumsy,¡± ze snorted coldly.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to eat,¡± Harper said cautiously, watching ze¡¯s expression, afraid he would get angry again about what happened earlier.


    Surprisingly, ze nced at her and said nothing, simply walking over to the table and starting to eat with relish.


    After finishing their meal, ze began making phone calls while Harper sat in a chair, resting.


    As time passed, she started to feel bored. She looked at the man beside her.


    ze sat there, his hands flew over the keyboard, making low, rhythmic sounds.


    She nced at his face. His eyes were fixed on theputer screen, sharp and focused.


    So this was what he looked like when he was serious.


    ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± ze asked, his eyes fixed on the screen, hands still typing away.


    Harper turned her head, about to stand up and leave, but then heard zemand, ¡°Come over here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She didn¡¯t react in time, and before she knew it, he grabbed her and sat her down on hisp.


    ¡°I¡¯m disturbing you like this,¡± Harper said uneasily.


    ¡°You staring at me is more disturbing,¡± ze said, wrapping his arms around her and continuing to type on the keyboard.


    Harper sat stiffly on hisp, feeling ufortable, ¡°Should I go sit on the couch?¡± she suggested.


    ¡°Stay put,¡± ze said domineeringly.


    Harper looked at theputer screen, filled with lines of code she couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m making a virus,¡± ze said.


    ¡°A virus? I thought you were working on the mobile system,¡± Harper said, puzzled.


    ze¡¯s fingers continued to move rapidly across the keyboard, his voice low and sexy, ¡°I¡¯m creating a virus to attack N. E.¡¯s mobile system.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harper looked at the screen in astonishment.


    ¡®He¡¯s not sick, is he? He made the mobile system, and now he¡¯s making a virus attack it? Is that interesting?¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°The N. E. security system was almost hacked. I need to ensure our security system is one hundred percent perfect, without any ws,¡± ze said, with a hint of paranoia.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± Harper realized. ¡°You left Tranquil Haven Ind to deal with this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± ze responded, continuing to type.


    Harper turned to look at his profile and found him surprisingly¡­ handsome when he was focused on work. Perhaps it was his perfectionist nature that made the mobile system they used so wless, with hardly any ws.


    ¡®If he wasn¡¯t so mean, torturing me all the time, I might appreciate him as a serious man,¡¯ she mused.


    ¡°I said, no staring at me!¡± ze suddenly stopped typing and red at her. He quickly pinched her chin and leaned down to capture her soft lips.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Harper instinctively tried to move back, but he held her firmly in ce.


    His kiss was passionate, lingering¡­ Gradually, she felt the change in his body, his firm bulge pressing against her. Could he be thinking of ¡­ here?


    Just as she thought he might lose control, ze pulled away from her lips, his eyes filled with desire, his voice husky. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have work to do, I would have fucked you right now.¡±


    Harper breathed a sigh of relief.


    She could only sit there, staring at the iprehensible code on theputer screen in front of her.


    Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until they slowly closed, and she drifted off to sleep. Unaware, ze continued writing the virus. When he finished, it was early morning. He nced down at the girl in his arms. She was fast asleep, leaning against him, her mouth slightly open in aical expression.


    A tender smile tugged at ze¡¯s lips, unbeknownst even to himself. He reached out to smooth her long hair, gazing deeply at her face. His fingertips brushed against her swollen cheek, furrowing his brow.


    He picked up his phone and dialed, ¡°Dn, get me some bruise-healing cream.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    About ten minutester, Dn delivered the cream to him.


    ze brushed aside Harper¡¯s hair from her face, dabbed a bit of white cream onto his fingers and gently applied it to her face, massaging it in softly.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Harper felt the pain even in her sleep, furrowing and letting out a soft hum.


    He gentled his movements even more.


    After a moment, she even seemed to smile slightly in her sleep.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡®Was she dreaming?¡¯ ze watched the smile on her lips and suddenly felt an intense curiosity about what she was thinking at that moment.


    ¡­

 Chapter 40 Get Out Of The Car

    The next morning, Harper groggily opened her eyes to find ze lying beside her.


    She nced at the nket that had slipped off her and then at the sleeping ze, a strange emotion stirring within her. She reached out to cover him with the nket before getting up.


    As she pulled back the curtains a bit, the sunlight streamed in, warming her skin and making her feel cozy.


    ze woke up to see Harper standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, sunlight casting a glow on her delicate face and fair skin.


    He got up and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her shoulder.


    Harper was taken aback, her hands caught by ze and ced around her waist. His scent enveloped her as he leaned in, his lips moving slowly up her neck, nting gentle kisses.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ze murmured in his deep, sleepy voice, incredibly sexy. He encircled her waist, his lips moving slowly along her neck, nting kisses one by one.


    Harper felt uneasy, her neck tilting away from his touch, but she couldn¡¯t escape his control.


    His warm lips kissed lightly, his breath tickling her skin like an electric current coursing through her body, causing even her toes to curl involuntarily.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood¡­ I¡¯ll make breakfast for you.¡±


    ¡°Call me ze,¡± he murmured, kissing her neck.


    Harper paused for a moment, then followed his lead. ¡°ze, what do you want to eat?¡±


    As the words left her lips, she suddenly realized that this kind of morning and conversation gave her a sense of being an old married couple.


    Harper was startled by her own thoughts.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± ze replied nonchntly. He turned her body around, grabbed her hand, and brought it to his lips, kissing it.


    Harper couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    Sensing her sensitivity, ze smirked, ¡°Then I¡¯m going grocery shopping for some veggies, meat, and other stuff.¡±


    ze¡¯s gaze darkened, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡®How did he be so clingy?¡¯


    ¡­


    The car stopped in front of an upscale supermarket. ze changed into a clean and sharp outfit, immediately drawing attention with his outstanding appearance and powerful presence.


    Of course, most of the attention came from women.


    Harper followed suit and stepped out of the car. As soon as she did, her hand was grabbed by ze and pulled into the supermarket.


    ¡®So domineering¡­¡¯


    Harper grabbed a shopping cart with one hand and pushed it forward. Her other hand was constantly held by ze, making it difficult to move freely.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Harper asked ze as they reached the produce section.


    ze nced around and pointed at various items. ¡°This, this, this, this, and this.¡±


    Harper¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    After a moment of thought, ze added, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll just buy everything here, and you can cook it slowly!¡±


    Buy everything?


    Harper looked at him speechlessly. ¡®Is he unting his wealth in front of the poor me?¡¯


    Sighing, Harper said, ¡°How about I choose some fresh produce?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± ze agreed quickly.


    ze clearly didn¡¯t enjoy grocery shopping. As they walked, he no longer paid attention to the items on the shelves, instead ying with her fingers, which seemed to be his only interest.


    Later, Harper headed to the skincare section to pick out a face mask. Her skin was quite dry, and since she met ze, she hadn¡¯t really taken good care of it. The MG face mask from The Davidson Group had always been a top choice for hydration and moisturizing. Harper went straight for the MG face mask, only to realize that it had been repackaged, with Fiona as the new spokesperson. Fiona¡¯s smiling face adorned the elegant packaging.


    ¡°¡­¡± Harper¡¯s hand hovered over the face mask for a moment, then she suddenly lost interest in buying it.


    ¡°Your sister isn¡¯t very pretty, unlike you,¡± ze remarked, catching her staring at the face mask. He knew the woman on the packaging, she had been the center of attention at that wedding.


    Harper smiled, ¡°My sister is very beautiful. Many people like her.¡±


    Everyone liked Fiona.


    ¡°Strange how someone so ugly can be a celebrity. People¡¯s tastes these days are weird,¡± zemented, flipping the face mask upside down.


    It dawned on Harper that ze was actuallyplimenting her looks. Women always liked beingplimented, so her mood lifted slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll make breakfast for you.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to make a full English breakfast?¡± ze asked.


    Harper shook her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re so clueless. How will you ever win people over?¡±.


    ¡®She would have to visit my family in Ennd with our child eventually. If she couldn¡¯t make an English breakfast, how would she win over my parents? Wait¡­ Why did she need to win over my parents?¡¯ ze suddenly stopped in his tracks, his facial expression tensing.


    ze realized how much he cared about Harper. She still refused to hand over their child, yet she had captured all his attention. He even apanied her on mundane tasks like grocery shopping.


    ¡°Who do you want to impress? Do you like it?¡± Harper vaguely remembered that ze was of British nobility, so he probably enjoyed English breakfasts.


    ze turned his head to re at her fiercely.


    ¡°¡­¡± Harper was puzzled by his fierce re.


    ¡®What was wrong with him now? Was he having another fit?¡¯


    After paying for their items, Harper ced everything into the trunk of the luxury car. As she turned around, ze stood there, ring at her.


    Harper looked at him, utterly baffled.


    ze immediately grabbed her and roughly shoved her into the back seat. Harper fell onto the seat, staring at him in disbelief.


    ¡°Harper!¡± ze bent down to sit next to her, his eyes ring at her icily, ¡°You¡¯re feeling pretty pleased, huh? You don¡¯t even bother to keep an eye on your own child outside? Are you just nning to stay with me like this forever?¡±


    Harper felt a headacheing on. How could he think she was feeling pleased? The driver ignored their argument and continued driving forward.


    ¡°Three years ago, I didn¡¯t drug you. I never gave birth to your child,¡± Harper exined weakly.


    ¡°I said you did!¡± ze only believed in his own version of events, ring at her with intense hatred in his eyes, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you understand? If you handed over the child, I wouldn¡¯t kick you out. It was our baby.¡±


    ze felt an overwhelming desire to see the child like never before.


    ¡°¡­¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Harper was speechless. He was infuriatingly paranoid.


    ¡°Hand over the child!¡± ze grabbed her hand tightly and pulled her towards him,manding her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have it,¡± Harper sighed, patiently exining, ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to check with my college ssmate, Lena? She was with me on the cruise three years ago, and she can prove I¡¯m innocent. I really don¡¯t want to cling to you like this.¡±


    Besides, he was the one who forced her to sign that contract. She never wanted to attach herself to him in the first ce.


    ze red at her fiercely, his anger escting at her words, ¡°You asked me to check with your college ssmate just to find a witness?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Harper nodded.


    ¡®Was she desperately trying to prove we had nothing to do with each other?¡¯ A surge of fury rising in ze¡¯s chest. He clenched her wrist tightly, causing her to cry out in pain.


    ¡°Stop the car!¡± ze shouted loudly,.


    The driver quickly mmed on the brakes. ze leaned over, opened the door on the other side, and shoved Harper out of the car.


    He red at her angrily. ¡°Harper, get out of here!¡± If she didn¡¯t leave, he might not be able to control himself from hitting her!


    ¡°Ah!¡± Harper was forcefully pushed out of the car. A car rushed past her, narrowly avoiding hitting her. ze¡¯s car sped off into the distance.


    Harper hurriedly made her way to the side of the road. ¡®Was he trying to kill me? How could he be so impulsive, with no warning signs? Were all paranoids this vtile?¡¯


    ¡°You need medication, you jerk!¡± Harper yelled angrily in the direction ze¡¯s car had disappeared.


    ¡®He told me to leave. What did that mean?¡¯ Harper turned away and limped off, her foot hurting from being shoved out of the car.


    ¡°ze, you psycho!¡± Harper muttered to herself.


    Looking around, she realized she couldn¡¯t get a taxi here, and there was nowhere to rest.


    Luckily, herpany wasn¡¯t too far away.


    She hobbled into the office. Her colleagues crowded around, concerned about what had happened.


    The editor Sherry eximed as soon as she saw Harper, ¡°Oh my God, what happened to you? Your face and foot are swollen!¡±


    ¡°I just twisted my foot and bumped my face¡­¡± Harper replied weakly.


    ¡°Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?¡± Sherry asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Sherry, can you drive me home?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Ah, but I have a lot of work to do. How about I get my husband, Oliver, to take you?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s husband, Oliver, worked in the marketing department, and Harper knew him.

 Chapter 41 Blaze鈥檚 Jealousy

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Harper said, wincing in pain.


    Sherry helped her into the car. Harper turned to the young man in the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°Oliver, sorry to bother you. Can you please take me to a nearby hotel? I can¡¯t go back home right now.¡±


    Home? She didn¡¯t have a home anymore. Her rented house was withdrawn, and she obviously couldn¡¯t go back to the duplex at Sky Harbor.


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Oliver drove around for a while before finally finding a hotel.


    Harper opened the car door and stepped out, but as soon as her foot touched the ground, she winced in pain.


    ¡°Let me help you,¡± Oliver offered, seeing her struggling to walk.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Oliver,¡± Harper gratefully replied.


    Suddenly, they heard the screeching of brakes.


    The next moment, a limited edition ck luxury car mmed to a stop right in front of them. The car door crashed into the revolving door of the hotel, shattering the ss.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Oliver startled, taking a step back. Harper, nearly falling, instinctively grabbed onto his clothes.


    The car door swung open forcefully, and a figure rushed out, grabbing Harper and dragging her away.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Harper cried out in pain. She looked up in shock. It was ze, standing angrily in front of her.


    ze?Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you-¡±


    Before Harper could finish her sentence, ze let go of her and punched Oliver.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Oliver staggered backward, hitting the door frame. He reacted, striking back at ze. The two men started fighting right in front of the hotel entrance.


    Harper could only watch helplessly as Oliver was overwhelmed by ze¡¯s relentless assault, ending up lying on the ground, blood streaming from his mouth.


    ¡°Oliver-¡± Harper stared in horror, then turned to ze, her eyes zing with anger, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Have you gone mad?¡±


    ¡°Me, mad?¡± ze sneered, then kicked Oliver¡¯s body hard, causing him to curl up in pain.


    Seeing this, Harper rushed forward to push ze away.


    ze¡¯s reaction was a mixture of anger and hysteria, ¡°Harper, are you out of your damn mind? Sneaking around in hotels behind my back, and now you dare to push me?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s sneaking around? Are you insane? Let him go!¡± Harper pushed him with all her strength.


    Her desperate attempt to save Oliver drove ze mad with jealousy. He raised his hand as if to strike her¡­


    Harper¡¯s body tensed up instantly. ¡®Was he going to hit me?¡¯


    ze red at her, his eyes bloodshot. His hand was raised in the air for a long time, and finally did not fall on her. He turned away from her and resumed his attack on Oliver, ¡°You fuck dare to touch my woman? Do you want to die?¡±


    Oliver, unable to defend himself, spat out a mouthful of blood.


    ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Harper cried out fearfully, ¡°He¡¯s just the husband of a colleague, he was only giving me a ride! Stop, you¡¯re beating him to death!¡±


    ¡°Taking you to a hotel?¡± ze didn¡¯t believe a word of it.


    ¡°You told me to leave, where else could I go? I have nowhere else to go!¡± Harper shouted loudly, her hands clutching at his sleeve, ¡°Let him go.¡±


    ze¡¯s posture stiffened at her words. He had told her to leave, but just because he hadn¡¯t wanted to hurt her by losing control in his anger¡­


    Harper pleaded with him, her eyes glistening with tears.


    ze gradually calmed down. He withdrew his foot and snorted, ¡°I won¡¯t hit him anymore.¡±


    At the hospital-


    In a certain ward, Olivery on the hospital bed, barely conscious.


    Sherry sobbed uncontrobly at his bedside.


    Harper stood by, feeling guilty. She didn¡¯t know how tofort Sherry as she cried.


    ¡°Why are you crying? It¡¯s so annoying!¡± a voice of impatience cut through. ze sat on the nearby sofa, looking displeased.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Harper snapped at him. It was because of him that Oliver ended up in the hospital.


    ze met Harper¡¯s using gaze. She rarely dared to re at him, his lips moved slightly, but he didn¡¯t say anything else. He had made a mistake with the beating, but Oliver wasn¡¯t dead¡­


    ¡°Waaah¡­¡± Sherry¡¯s crying grew louder.


    Dn walked in from outside and approached Sherry, politely saying, ¡°Miss Sherry, I¡¯ve arranged for the best orthopedic surgeon in the country to treat your husband. This is thepensation from us, hoping you¡¯ll ept it. We apologize for what happened this time.¡±


    ¡°You think you can buy me off with money? Let me tell you, you guys just wait¡­¡± Sherry stood up, about to start ranting. Her gaze suddenlynded on the number on the check Dn was holding, and she froze. How many zeros were there? How could anyonepensate so extravagantly?¡­


    With tear stains on her face, Sherry looked at Harper.


    Harper looked back at her, full of guilt.


    ¡°Miss Sherry, we¡¯re truly sincere, please ept it. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll make sure your husband doesn¡¯t suffer any seques,¡± Dn said as he handed her the check.


    With so much money, Sherry and her husband wouldn¡¯t have to worry about anything for the rest of their lives. Sherry nced at her husband lying on the bed, thought for a moment, and decided to ept the check.


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s settled.¡± ze stood up and pulled Harper along, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I want to stay here,¡± Harper said, her feelings toward ze now filled with deep resentment, not wanting to be around him at all.


    ¡°Harper, you¡¯re getting bolder!¡±


    ¡°What, you want to push me again? My ankle hurts¡­¡± Harper propped up her swollen ankle.


    ¡°You-¡± ze shifted his gaze to her foot.


    ¡®Was it because of me that she ended up like this? If she hadn¡¯t provoked me in the car, I wouldn¡¯t have pushed her. It was her own fault!¡¯ Suddenly, ze turned and walked away.


    ¡°I remembered¡­¡± Sherry pointed at the door, her face filled with shock, ¡°He, he, he, he, he is ze Wychwood! The globally renowned ze Wychwood. The perennial leader of the wealth rankings, ze Wychwood! This man represented two things: money and power!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± Harper nodded helplessly. She knew Sherry would eventually remember.


    ¡°Oh my God.¡± Sherry looked at her incredulously, ¡°How did you get involved with him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a story that¡¯s hard to believe. I don¡¯t want to talk about him,¡± Harper shook her head, patting Sherry¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Let me go buy you a drink.¡±


    Harper walked out, ncing back at the hospital bed before leaving. Oliver was lying there, injured and asleep, his leg elevated due to a fracture.


    Paranoia was truly terrifying, even more so than she had imagined. To think that Oliver, innocent as he was, ended up like this. Luckily, ze didn¡¯t know about her past with Fiona and Logan. Otherwise¡­ She didn¡¯t dare to think about what the consequences might be.


    Walking down the hospital corridor, Harper winced in pain from her sprained ankle. She made her way to the vending machine, inserting coins and retrieving two bottles of drinks.


    ¡°Harper?¡± A gentle voice tinged with confusion called out.


    Harper turned to see Logan, dressed in hospital garb, standing by a potted nt.


    It¡¯s a small world after all.


    Harper forced a smile, ¡°Are you hospitalized here? About the wedding¡­¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t feeling well, so Fiona and I came back early,¡± Logan said softly, his tonecking its usual coldness.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Harper nodded, asking, ¡°Is your headache better now?¡±


    ¡°Much better,¡± Logan tapped his head and walked slowly toward her. He looked at her swollen face with apology in his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to it,¡± Harper shook her head.


    Logan¡¯s smile froze on his face. His deep eyes stared at her intently, ¡°I¡¯ve also wronged you before, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    Harper, in the midst of calcting her remaining coins, was taken aback by his words, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I remember saying so many harsh words to you before. I was a real jerk,¡± Logan apologized with remorse.


    Harper, puzzled, looked at him, ¡°Are you¡­ apologizing to me?¡±


    The two stood facing each other quietly, no conflict, no argument.


    Logan chuckled ruefully, his voice softening, ¡°I just felt I was too harsh on you before. I¡¯m really sorry. I don¡¯t even know how to make it up to you.¡±


    ¡®Make it up? Did he just say ¡°make it up¡±?¡¯ Harper looked at Logan and suddenly felt him somewhat unfamiliar.


    What she wanted was never his apology or anypensation.


    But now, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. She didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past,¡± Harper said lightly, holding onto the drink bottle, ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way. Take care of yourself.¡± She limped away.


    ¡°What happened to your foot?¡± Logan noticed her difficulty in walking, ¡°Are you here to see a doctor? Let me apany you.¡±


    ¡°No need, I can manage on my own.¡± She needed to get her foot treated; it was too painful.


    Logan caught up, ¡°I know the chief physician here. Let me¡­¡±

 Chapter 42 Looking For A Classmate

    ¡°I really don¡¯t need it.¡± Harper rejected him again, cutting off his words.


    Logan¡¯s hand, reaching out to help her, froze in mid-air.


    ¡°Thanks for your kindness,¡± Harper said politely yet distantly, ¡°You¡¯re Fiona¡¯s husband, and I¡¯m Fiona¡¯s sister. It wasn¡¯t right for me to bother you two before. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll see the doctor myself.¡±


    Logan looked at her, lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± Harper turned and left. Suddenly, she remembered something and turned back, only to see Logan looking at her with aplex gaze. It was a look she had never seen in his eyes before, and she was momentarily stunned.


    Logan quickly averted his gaze and smiled at her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Harper gave him a curious look, then said, ¡°I remember you also graduated from A University, right? Do you know how to find contact information for university ssmates?¡±


    ¡°The school keeps records of alumni. Who are you looking for?¡± Logan asked.


    ¡°I want to find contact information for a university ssmate,¡± Harper nodded, unsure if she could get the information from the school.


    Her infamous reputation at A University was probably still widespread. The teachers probably still harbored deep resentment towards her.


    Logan sensed her dilemma and gently said, ¡°I¡¯m going back to A University to give a speech in a few days. If you¡¯re not in a hurry, I can get it for you. What¡¯s the name of your ssmate?¡±


    Harper wanted to refuse, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she could get the information herself. And ze hadn¡¯t given her a response yet¡­R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be too much trouble for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    ¡°Then thank you,¡± Harper said, ¡°My ssmate¡¯s name is Lena Abbott. I just want to know her contact information.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Logan nodded.


    ¡°Thanks, goodbye.¡± Harper nodded slightly at him and turned to leave.


    As Harper walked away, Logan watched her retreating figure, his expression somewhatplicated. After a while, he leaned against the nearby wall, his gaze gradually dimming.


    ¡­


    Walking in pain, Harper felt like every step was killing her.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Harper looked up to see ze standing a few meters away.


    ¡®Why hadn¡¯t he left the hospital yet?¡¯ She was startled, and Oliver¡¯s beaten face shed in her mind. Reflexively, she nced back, but Logan was already gone from where he had been standing.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ze walked up to her, his tone unfriendly.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Harper ignored him and continued walking forward, dragging her painful foot.


    ze red at her fiercely, took a step forward, and effortlessly hoisted her onto his shoulder.


    ¡°What are you doing? Put me down!¡±


    ze carried her all the way, attracting curious nces from passersby. Harper, feeling embarrassed, turned her head away.


    ze carried her into the doctor¡¯s office.


    The doctor and two nurses stood there, nervously looking at ze.


    ze sat Harper down on a chair and red at the doctor, ¡°It¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Wychwood. I¡¯ve already prepared the medication. Let me take a look,¡± the doctor said, crouching down in front of Harper and examining her foot.


    Harper listened and understood that ze had left earlier to find the doctor and get medication for her¡­


    The doctor moved her foot, causing Harper to sweat from the pain, ¡°Ouch, ouch, doctor, please be gentle.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Be gentle!¡± ze yelled at the doctor, his eyes shing with menace, ¡°Or you¡¯ll disappear from the medical field today!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, my mistake, my mistake. I¡¯ll be gentle,¡± the doctor apologized repeatedly, sweating profusely, and then examined Harper¡¯s foot more gently.


    Harper felt sorry for the doctor who was being verbally abused and endured the pain.


    ze grew even more dissatisfied and raised his foot as if to kick the doctor, ¡°Look at her, enduring so much pain. You¡¯re clearly a quack. Get your hospital director here!¡±


    The doctor was scared.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in pain,¡± Harper couldn¡¯t bear it and looked at ze angrily, ¡°Can¡¯t you control your fists and feet? Always using violence.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so ungrateful? I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to use violence anyway.¡± Harper said coldly and turned her head away.


    ¡°You-¡± ze was once again infuriated. Instead of kicking the doctor, he kicked over the two chairs nearby, seething with anger.


    ¡°Uh, miss, try not to use that foot much in the next few days. Rest well,¡± the doctor said cautiously, observing the interaction between the two and showing admiration for Harper. This young girl dared to argue with someone like ze and even won. Impressive!


    After bandaging her foot, ze arrogantly carried Harper out of the hospital.


    On the way back to Sky Harbor, Harper didn¡¯t say a word to ze. She stared out the window with a cold expression, refusing to even look at him.


    ze grew increasingly angry.


    As soon as they got out of the car, Harper pushed open the door and got out. ze lifted her back to the apartment and put her on the sofa. Just as he was about to speak, Harper stood up with a cold face again, stood on one foot, and hopped into the study.


    ¡®Hop? Was she made of springs?¡¯ ze was instantly furious and grabbed a pillow from the sofa, throwing it at a vase. The crystal vase shattered, and a few flower stems fell to the ground in disarray.


    Dn followed from behind, quietly picking up the vase.


    ¡°Is Harper rebelling? Do I have to cater to her mood now?¡± ze roared in frustration, ¡°Dn, drag her out and give her a beating!¡±


    ¡°Master, the contract explicitly states that Miss Shaw cannot be harmed. Otherwise, it would be a breach of contract.¡±


    ¡°Then drag her out and give her a scolding! She¡¯s gone too far!¡± ze kicked chairs and knocked over floormps in anger, ¡°Does she still expect me to apologize to her?¡±


    Dn stood to the side, sighing softly, ¡°Master, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure if I should say.¡±


    ¡°Spit it out!¡± ze replied impatiently.


    ¡°As far as I know, Miss Shaw doesn¡¯t have many social connections and tends to live a rtively solitary life. She¡¯s upset because of her editor¡¯s husband was involved.¡± Dn exined calmly.


    ze fell silent at this revtion. Indeed, Harper¡¯s social life seemed sparse; he rarely saw her receive any phone calls.


    ¡°And you, today¡­¡± Dn observed ze¡¯s expression, ¡°were a bit out of line.¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly taking her side?¡± ze grumbled, ¡°Go on, get out of here, you¡¯re bothering me!¡±


    ¡°Understood, Master,¡± Dn replied respectfully before leaving.


    ze nced towards the direction of the study, ¡®Did I really go too far today? So what? I¡¯m ze, am I supposed to apologize? At most¡­ I¡¯ll be the one to initiate a conversation with her.¡±¡®


    Meanwhile, Harper sat in the study, engrossed in her writing. The protagonist in her drawing was depicted as fierce and grim. She drew him being beaten up, hiding in a dark corner, secretly crying.


    As she continued drawing, Harper¡¯s mood improved slightly.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    A loud banging on the door echoed through the room.


    ¡°Harper! Get out here and make lunch! I haven¡¯t had breakfast!¡± ze shouted loudly as he continued to pound on the door.


    ¡®Whose fault was it that he hadn¡¯t had breakfast? Who inexplicably pushed me out of the car and who inexplicably beat someone into the hospital?¡¯ Harper refused to open the door.


    ¡°Harper, you better take a look at the contract. Do you know the punishment for not cooking for me?¡± ze¡¯s voice boomed.


    The punishment for not cooking?


    Harper opened a drawer and retrieved the contract. On the third page, it explicitly stated-


    ¡°If the Party B fails to provide meals for Party A, it shall be deemed as agreeing to be subjected to BDSM by Party A.¡±


    Harper looked at the uses in disbelief. ¡®What the hell! That bastard, pervert! Were there any punishments he couldn¡¯t think of? And why the hell was there something about BDSM? That lunatic, he¡¯s really mentally unstable.¡¯


    ¡°Fine, if you have the guts, stay in there. I¡¯ll have Dn find the keys,¡± ze threatened loudly, standing with his arms crossed by the door, not moving. He was confident she wouldn¡¯t dare to ept BDSM.


    Three¡­


    Two¡­


    One¡­


    The door was pulled open.

 Chapter 43 Afraid Of Dark

    ze smirked triumphantly at her.


    Harper shot him a cold nce and then continued hopping towards the kitchen.


    ze followed, stealing a nce at her feet and then scooped her up, carrying her into the kitchen.


    Harper remained silent, allowing him to carry her without protest.


    ze set her down, but she didn¡¯t even look at him, immediately getting busy in the kitchen.


    ¡°What¡¯s your deal, Harper? You giving me the silent treatment?¡± ze was annoyed at being ignored.


    Harper didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Harper!¡± ze grabbed her hand.


    Harper shook his hand off, her expression cold.


    ze grabbed her hand again, this time with a tight grip, his fingers wrapped around her wrist, his grip turning her hand red.


    Harper tried to pull her hand back, but his grip was too tight, and she could only endure the pain spreading through her wrist, didn¡¯t make a sound. If he kept this up, he might actually break her wrist. But there was no hint of surrender on her face.


    Shit!


    ze released her hand abruptly, ¡°Harper, I¡¯m such an idiot!¡±


    Harper nced at him, then turned back to the sink, continuing her work.


    ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot for getting involved with a woman like you! I¡¯m an idiot for worrying about you getting hurt and letting you out of the car! I¡¯m an idiot for caring more about you than that kid!¡± ze shouted from behind her, kicking a nearby cab before storming off in anger.


    Harper stood frozen by the sink, shocked by his words.


    ¡®He said¡­ He let me out of the car because he was worried about me getting hurt? He cared about me more than that kid? Cared¡­ Could it be that ze had fallen for me?¡¯ Harper was taken aback by her own thoughts, ¡®Ever since he insisted on me signing the contract, I knew ze must have some interest in me, but his current behavior made it seem like he was in love with me and couldn¡¯t get a response¡­ Love, that word couldn¡¯t possibly apply to me and ze, but he had just said he cared¡­. If ze really has feelings for me, what should I do?¡­¡¯


    After a while, Harper regained herposure and prepared lunch.


    She waited in the dining room.


    An hour passed, then two, and ze still hadn¡¯t shown up.


    Harper ended up eating some food by herself. It wasn¡¯t until evening, when her prepared meal had gone cold again, and ze hadn¡¯t shown up, that she realized ze was genuinely upset this time¡­ He didn¡¯t even touch the food she made.


    Harper hopped to the study, leaning against the wall for support.


    Dn passed by with a suitcase, ¡°Miss Shaw.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Foster, where are you off to?¡± Harper inquired politely.


    ¡°Master is staying at the forest castle, so I¡¯m doing some packing,¡± Dn replied courteously.


    ¡°So ze was staying at the castle, which exined why he hadn¡¯te for dinner. Does that mean he won¡¯t being over for a while?¡± Harper asked.


    Dn nodded, ¡°Yes, Master seems to be nning to stay there for a while.¡±


    ¡®Staying for a while¡­ That meant ze wouldn¡¯t being over for some time?¡¯ She felt conflicted. Honestly, she didn¡¯t know how to face ze now. Not seeing him would be the best option.


    ¡­


    Deep in the forest, on the golf course behind the castle.


    ze stood on the green, dressed in crisp white sportswear, looking unusually youthful. He gripped the golf club in his hands, his gaze fixed on the ball on the ground, not making a move. He seemed lost in thought, and no one knew what was on his mind.


    Linda and a few other women, dressed in revealing outfits, sat under a parasol, sipping drinks.


    Suddenly, Linda approached ze with a cup of juice, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, take a break.¡±


    ze shifted his gaze away, staring at her expressionlessly.


    As she leaned in, a strong scent of perfume wafted over.


    ze immediately pushed her away, frowning, ¡°What perfume are you wearing? It¡¯s awful.¡±


    Linda fell to the ground, looking aggrieved, ¡°But isn¡¯t this your favorite perfume?¡± ze¡¯s taste had changed? He used to love the scent she wore.


    ze furrowed. ¡®It seems I needed to ask Harper what perfume she wear next time. That subtle scent is really nice. And I am thinking about Harper again¡­ Damn it. That ungrateful woman¡­¡¯ ze started cursing her in his mind.


    Dn drove the golf cart over from a distance, cing the suitcase on it and strolling leisurely toward ze.


    ze nced at him. ¡®Dn, the old man, is going really slow.¡¯


    He turned his attention back to swinging the golf club.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Master,¡± Dn said, lowering his head as he approached.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ze didn¡¯t bother looking at him, focusing on hitting the ball instead, ¡°Is that woman feeling sad now?¡± he asked, ¡°Now I am gone, she must be crying and begging for me toe back, right?


    Dn coughed lightly and replied, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Then she must be begging you to bring her to see me, right?¡± ze asked casually, ¡°Arrange for a car to pick her up. Her foot is injured.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Dn reluctantly broke ze¡¯s unfounded confidence, ¡°Miss Shaw hasn¡¯t asked me either.¡±


    ze gripped the golf club tightly. He red coldly at Dn, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw appears quite calm,¡± Dn exined.


    ¡°Calm? So, she was well aware of my numerous femalepanions and remained unperturbed?


    Harper, you¡¯re really something!¡± ze angrily smashed the golf club in his hand to the ground. ¡°Economically restrict her!¡± he ordered, determined to make her beg for forgiveness this time.


    ¡°Uh, Master, aside from the house, you haven¡¯t given Miss Shaw any money,¡± Dn kindly reminded him.


    ze¡¯s voice faltered, ¡°What? I hadn¡¯t given her any money? What about the groceries¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems Miss Shaw bought those with her own money,¡± Dn cut in, matter-of-factly. Harper didn¡¯t like others invading her space, so Dn didn¡¯t arrange for servants. She always did the shopping and cooking herself.


    ¡°She bought them?¡± ze was stunned, ¡°So, I¡¯d been living off this woman¡¯s money all this time? Wasn¡¯t the bank card she used at the supermarketst time given by you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hers¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn it.¡± ze was furious, ring at Dn, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? You¡¯re bing more and more unruly, old man! Making me live off her! Shameful!¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Master,¡± Dn admitted.


    ¡°In that case, impose various restrictions on her. I want her toe begging to me! Got it?¡± ze said coldly, striding toward the golf cart up ahead.


    Several women immediately followed, wanting to get on the cart together, but ze kicked each one off, one by one. The ones he wanted to see didn¡¯te looking for him, and the ones he didn¡¯t want to see were all over him. It was annoying!


    ¡­


    Harper pulled back the curtains, and the dazzling sunlight poured in, warming her up.


    Another brand new day.


    Sincest night, she had realized that such a huge apartment was not suitable for living alone. Speaking here alone would create echoes, and the loneliness would be amplified many times over.


    Harper looked at the empty house and sat down at the desk to start sketching¡­


    Time passed quickly, and before she knew it, it was already dark outside.


    Finishing thest panel, Harper rubbed her empty stomach, stood up, and hopped out.


    ¡°Thud, thud, thud.¡± The echoing sound of her footsteps in the empty house felt especially lonely.


    Harper struggled to hop forward. Suddenly, everything around her went dark, plunging into darkness. Her hand, reaching out to steady herself against the wall, missed, and she fell heavily to the ground.


    ¡°Ouch, that hurts.¡± Harpery on the ground, the pain in her bandaged foot intensifying.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on? Sky Harbor is supposed to be the best and most expensive neighborhood. How can there be a power outage?¡¯ Harper was in too much pain to move andy on the ground, waiting for the power toe back on.


    She had always been afraid of dark houses since she was a child.


    When she was young, her foster parents went on a three-day field trip with Fiona, leaving her with rtives. But the rtives also went out to y, locking her in the house.


    That night, there was a power outage too. At just seven years old, she spent the whole night in the dark house. No matter how much she cried and pleaded, the lights didn¡¯te back on, and no one came to rescue her.


    Later, when Logan came to The Shaw Family, he would apany her every time there was a power outage. Being blind, he could walk around in the dark with ease and take her anywhere, so she gradually became less afraid.


    Actually, rather than being afraid of the dark, she was more afraid of being alone in the house when darkness fell.


    And now, the same situation was ying out again.

 Chapter 44 Damn Blaze

    Harpery on the ground, waiting for a while, but it was still pitch ck around her. In the silent environment, she could only hear the sound of her own heartbeat.


    Harper reluctantly stood up from the ground. She rubbed her legs and groped her way back to the study; her phone was there.


    Along the way, she bumped into several things. Suddenly, she saw a dark figure not far away.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± She called out in fear.


    ¡®Damn ze, leaving me alone in such a big house. I want to go back to her old cabin.¡¯


    She stood there trembling, too scared to move.


    Suddenly, a phone ringtone echoed from the direction of the study.


    It was Harper¡¯s exclusive ringtone for ze. But now, it sounded spine-chilling.


    The ringtone continued to echo loudly in the quiet and spacious house, creating an eerie atmosphere.


    Harper took several deep breaths before mustering the courage to continue walking. As she approached, she realized that the dark figure was just a curved artwork hanging on a wooden rack.


    Harper patted her chest, still shaken. Instead of hopping, she limped into the study in the darkness.


    The only source of light in the study was the phone on the desk.


    Step by step, she approached. Just as she reached the desk, the phone stopped ringing, probably reaching itsst tone.


    But it immediately vibrated again. Harper picked up the phone without looking and answered it, her voice tinged with lingering frustration, ¡°Do you have any idea how scary it is here? I¡¯m telling you, I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore!¡±


    ¡°Harper, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± A man¡¯s anxious voice came through the phone.


    Logan¡¯s voice.


    Harper froze, setting down the phone, and was shocked to see the screen disying ¡°Logan.¡±


    It was the first time in many years that he had called her on his own initiative.


    Harper stared at the phone nkly until she heard Logan¡¯s anxious inquiries, ¡°Harper, Harper? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    She brought the phone back to her ear, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. Nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°No, something¡¯s not right. You sound scared. Tell me, what happened?¡±


    Logan¡¯s concerned tone in the phone made her feel at a loss. She was indeed scared. But what could fear do?


    ¡°Really, it¡¯s nothing. I thought it was someone else calling. Is there something you need?? If not, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Harper didn¡¯t want to say more and hung up the phone directly.


    Before hanging up, she heard Logan say, ¡°I¡¯ming to find you.¡±


    ¡®Find me? He didn¡¯t even know where I am.¡¯


    The fear in Harper¡¯s heart suddenly cooled down after Logan¡¯s call. She stared at the phone, and when Logan¡¯s call came through again, she shut down the phone directly. For six years after Logan¡¯s surgery, she had been waiting for him toe find her, waiting for him to be as gentle as he used to be. But now, she had given up. And now, finally, he came. But she had be ze¡¯s woman, and he, her brother-inw.


    Harper put the phone in her pocket, sat alone in the chair, and prepared to stay up all night alone, just like when she was seven years old.


    ¡­


    A white Porsche sped in and headed straight for Building A.


    Logan was in the driver¡¯s seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he approached Building A. Suddenly, a gray sports car zoomed past him, overtaking him.


    The gray sports car abruptly spun around and blocked his path.


    Logan jerked, quickly hitting the brakes. A figure got out of the car and hurried into Building A.


    ¡®ze? What was he doing here?¡¯


    ¡­


    In the pitch-ck study, Harper sat for a long, long time.


    Suddenly, she thought of something and stood up, feeling her way to the window and pulling aside the thick curtains.


    There were lights outside.


    ¡®Sure enough, only this ce has a power outage. No need to guess-it must be ze who cut off the power. The water was cut off earlier today, and I don¡¯t think much of it at the time, but now ¡­ It¡¯s all ze¡¯s doing. He left in such a rage yesterday, how could he easily let me off?¡¯


    Harper looked out at the lights outside and decided to leave this big house. She stood up, gritting her teeth against the pain, and limped out.


    Suddenly, a series of knocks echoed on the door.


    In the darkness, Harper¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    In an instant, her memory shed back to when she was seven years old, alone in a dark house with burrs at the door. She hid under the sofa at her rtive¡¯s house, watching as the two pairs of feet walked from left to right, and from right to left, the shlight beam swinging back and forth.


    ¡®Another burr? No fear, I am not seven anymore.¡¯ Harper, with a pale face, searched for a ce to hide.


    Then came the sound of the door being kicked open, and a furious voice rang out, ¡°Harper, dare to not pick up my calls? Dare to turn off your phone? Why is your phone still in use? Who are you talking to? Tell me! Is there another man? If you don¡¯t exin, I¡¯ll kill you today!¡±


    ze stormed in, he was almost exploding with rage. He had been waiting at home for two whole days. She didn¡¯te to beg him, not even a phone call. Dn said all girls were afraid of the dark, so he cut off her power and called her. But she didn¡¯t pick up, she even turned off her phone¡­ Damn this woman!


    ze strode in, locking onto the figure frozen on the sofa.


    ¡°Harper, you¡¯re in trouble today!¡± ze charged forward, grabbing her arm. Then he heard a low sob.


    ¡°Are you crying?¡±


    ze stood in front of her, his voice suddenly softening.


    ¡°Did you cut off the power, ze? Is all of this some kind of sick joke to you? You want me dead, you don¡¯t need to go through all this trouble¡­¡± Harper choked out, tears uncontrobly streaming down her face. Fear, terror, anger-all rushed at her like a tidal wave.


    ¡®Her voice trembled. Turns out, Dn was right-girls really are afraid of the dark.¡¯ ze reached out to caress her face, finding it wet and cold. His fingers traced over her lips, which were still trembling.


    She pushed his hand away.


    ze frowned, displeased, ¡°Alright, alright, you women are so timid. Stop crying.¡±


    ¡°You just want to see me in this miserable state, don¡¯t you?¡± she choked, tears flowing uncontrobly, ¡°I want to leave. I want to go.¡± She didn¡¯t want to stay in this house, it was too big and too dark.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The hint of childishness in her tone softened ze¡¯s heart, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ze wrapped his arm around her and led her out of the house. In the darkness, Harper¡¯s vision was limited, so she had to rely on him to guide her.


    Once outside, the corridor was brightly lit. Harper pushed ze¡¯s hand away and leaned against the wall, wiping away her tears.


    ¡°Harper¡­¡± ze red at her, annoyed.


    She looked up at him, tear streaks all over her face.


    Harper¡¯s voice still trembled, ¡°ze, you¡¯ve gone too far. I hate you¡­ Mmm¡­¡±


    Suddenly, ze lunged at her, silencing her unfinished words with a forceful kiss.


    Harper¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she tried to push him away.


    ze kissed her aggressively, like a child biting into something with no finesse. He grabbed her wandering hands and pinned them to the wall, rendering her unable to move.


    Harper struggled desperately.


    ze kissed her soft lips dominantly, tasting their sweetness and inhaling the faint scent on her skin.


    When he finally released her, Harper breathed heavily.


    ¡°Alright, I know you¡¯ve been scared tonight.¡± ze said.


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s forget about what happened before. As a man, I won¡¯t argue with you, a little woman.¡±


    Harper stared at him speechlessly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ze suddenly turned his head to look down the corridor.

 Chapter 45 Old Story

    Harper gasped, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It seems like someone¡¯s watching us,¡± ze said coldly. He held her hand and led her deeper into the corridor, all the way to the end, but there was no one around the corners.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Are you sure you saw something?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± ze furrowed, looking down at her, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, making me lose my judgment!¡±


    ¡°My fault?¡± Harper was speechless. ¡®Was he really a professional at deflecting me?¡¯


    Before she could say anything, ze scooped her up and started walking back, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s your fault. I haven¡¯t eaten in two days! I¡¯m dizzy from hunger! My judgment is all off!¡±


    He was shamelessly justifying his actions.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Harper was about to speak when ze leaned down and kissed her lips again.


    Harper pushed his lips away and said, ¡°But you said you haven¡¯t eaten in two days, I¡¯ll go make you something to eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather have you first,¡± ze said, his lips still against hers. His tone was wild and seductive as he carried her back.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ I don¡¯t want to go back, it¡¯s too dark,¡± Harper said, afraid to return to the big house.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Dn restore the power,¡± ze said, kissing her lips again firmly. He took a deep breath, smelling the fragrance on her skin, ¡°What perfume are you wearing?¡±


    ¡°The cheapest one from The Davidson Group,¡± Harper replied.


    The Davidson Group mostly produced high-end luxury products, with only a small portion targeting the mass market.


    ¡°The Davidson Group? Thepany of your brother-inw?¡±


    ze snorted coldly, showing a hint of jealousy as he kissed her lips again and walked on.


    Their voices gradually faded away in the bright corridor.


    Everything fell silent.


    Suddenly, a door was pulled open, and Logan, wearing hospital clothes, walked out with a lost look on his face, staring in the direction ze and Harper had left.


    Suddenly, his phone vibrated. It was his assistant calling.


    ¡°Boss, how¡¯s it going?¡± the assistant asked on the phone, ¡°Did you find the person you were looking for? The phone¡¯s location is at Sky Harbor. Do you want me to pinpoint which building?¡±


    ¡°No need, I had already found them.¡± Logan hung up the phone, his eyes fixed on the long corridor, his hand slowly clenching at his side.


    Time flies.


    Harper had spent another peaceful period by ze¡¯s side.


    She had finished drawing the entire first volume of ¡°The CEO Is Paranoid,¡± just waiting for it to be published.


    One day, just after she finished making breakfast, her phone rang.


    It was Logan calling. He hadn¡¯t called since that night when he called before.


    Harper hesitated for a moment, remembering the favor she had asked of him, then answered the phone, ¡°Logan.¡±


    ¡°Harper, I¡¯ve been busy these past few days and haven¡¯t been in touch. I¡¯ve got Lena¡¯s information. Are you free today? I can give it to you in person,¡± Logan¡¯s voice was gentle.


    Harper wanted to avoid meeting, so she said, ¡°Thank you. Just send me her contact address and phone number. You don¡¯t have to bothering in person.¡±


    There was a pause in Logan¡¯s voice, then he said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin over the phone. Why don¡¯t youe over? Are you free today?¡±


    Harper didn¡¯t want to refuse again, so she said, ¡°Okay, send me the address.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Harper hung up the phone, feeling a bit strange. During the six years since Logan lost his memory, whenever they had to deal with each other, they never had any private meetings.


    Now he¡¯s married, she¡¯s given up, but he¡¯s asking to meet privately.


    After breakfast, ze changed his clothes, ready to head out.


    ¡°By the way, any news about Lena?¡±


    At the mention of Lena, ze¡¯s expression turned cold, and he looked at her displeased, ¡°Still looking, what¡¯s your rush?¡±


    ¡®Still looking? He probably doesn¡¯t want to find her.¡¯ Harper thought.


    ¡°Alright, got it,¡± she said, not pressing further, and saw him off.


    Outside the door, Dn and a few bodyguards were already waiting.


    Just as Harper was about to close the door, she saw ze ring at her fiercely. With a sigh, she approached and lightly kissed his lips.


    Unsatisfied, ze pulled her into a deep embrace, releasing her only after a passionate kiss. His voice husky and enticing, he said, ¡°Come with me to a dinner party tonight.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t you usually have femalepanions for events?¡± Harper was puzzled.


    ¡°Juste with me, stop with the nonsense,¡± ze frowned impatiently.


    ¡°But attending with you will surely attract attention. My sister is a big star, I¡¯m afraid the media will make things up, which could harm her reputation,¡± Harper said. She really didn¡¯t want to attend any public events with ze. She just wanted to hide away, the fewer people who knew their rtionship, the better. That way, when she left someday, she could still fool herself into thinking it was all just a ridiculous dream. Everything could start anew.


    ze snorted, ¡°The events I attend are never open to the public. Except for your sister¡¯s weddingst time. I only went there to find you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Harper nodded.


    ze turned to leave. Suddenly, he stopped and looked at Harper coldly, ¡°I really don¡¯t know if you¡¯re deeply loyal to your sister or just don¡¯t want others to know about our rtionship.¡±


    Harper was startled, but she tried to maintain herposure, forcing a smile, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±


    ¡°It better be!¡± ze said coldly. Since Tranquil Haven Ind, he always felt like he was some kind of secret underground lover.


    After ze left, Harper tidied up the room and grabbed her bag before heading out. She was about to hail a taxi when a white convertible Porsche pulled up in front of her.


    ¡°Harper.¡± Logan was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, dressed casually. He took off his sunsses, smiling at her. ¡°Hop in.¡±


    Harper hesitated.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t our meeting supposed to be at the cafe?¡¯ Harper had a lot of questions, but she didn¡¯t voice them. She just smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s great to see you here. So, can you give me the information about Lena?¡±


    Logan looked at her gently. ¡°I have the information at the office. Why don¡¯t youe with me?¡±


    Harper couldn¡¯t find a reason to refuse, so she nodded and got into the passenger seat. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small thing, no need to thank me all the time.¡±


    ¡°The Davidson Group perfume,¡± Logan suddenly said.


    Harper was surprised again, realizing he was talking about the perfume she was wearing.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a new fragrance out, with a hint of fresh grass. It suits you well.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Harper nodded.


    Back when he had amnesia, she was obsessed. She worked tirelessly to buy a perfume he had helped design, just to feel a connection with him. Eventually, she got used to the scent. Over the years, she kept using it.


    Ten minutester, Harper realized something wasn¡¯t right, ¡°Is The Davidson Group in this direction?¡±


    ¡°I need to make another stop. Are you in a hurry?¡± Logan nced at her apologetically.


    In the past, she would have been thrilled to spend more time with him. But now¡­ spending too much time together just made her ufortable.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Logan apologized.


    The car stopped at a ce, and Logan got out, opening the door for Harper, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe out and take a walk? Sitting in the car for so long must be tiring.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll wait in the car,¡± Harper said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go in for the meeting,¡± Logan said, ¡°If you get bored, you cane out and take a walk. This used to be thergest amusement park in the country.¡± With that, Logan left.


    ¡°An amusement park?¡± Harper stared in shock at the faded rainbow gate ahead, with oversized cartoon letters spelling out ¡°Crazy Fund.¡±


    ¡°Crazy Fund.¡± Harper looked at the gate, frozen in her seat.


    Eventually, she pushed open the car door and walked inside alone. She couldn¡¯t believe how rundown the ce had be. Over a decade ago, it used to be magnificent, with exciting rides. She was ten or eleven that year, right? Logan knew she loved Crazy Fund, so he begged the Davidson Family to buy it.


    They were both picked up from their hometown by the Davidson Family¡¯s car and brought here. They spent the whole day ying around. Mostly, he yed with her. He couldn¡¯t see, so he just apanied her. She had a st that day.


    Harper walked slowly, memories flooding back as she looked at familiar attractions.


    In the distance, a slide stood still.


    Harper stared at it, as if seeing a girl leading a boy up there, then putting her hand on his back, telling him, ¡°Logan, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll push you down. It¡¯s so much fun.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the boy trusted herpletely,ughing joyfully as she pushed him down. Harper could almost hear their happyughter.


    But all of that was in the past.


    Harper immediately turned her head, not letting herself dwell on it. As she did, she saw Logan standing not far away, looking at her with aplex expression.


    The boy of the past.


    The Logan now.


    Harper¡¯s eyes welled up, and Logan gazed at her intently.


    For a moment, she had the illusion that Logan remembered her¡­

 Chapter 46 The Dress Chosen By Blaze

    After a while, Logan smiled and walked towards her.


    ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± Harper stared at him, thought, ¡®Did he remember something?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m nning to buy thisnd to build a perfume factory,¡± Logan looked at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are your eyes red?¡±


    ¡®Oh, that¡¯s why. He didn¡¯t bring me here because he remembered. It¡¯s better this way. Remembering now wouldn¡¯t do him any good in this situation. These memories, even I¡¯ve buried them.¡¯ Harper thougt to herself.


    ¡°Is everything sorted out then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Next, Logan didn¡¯t wander around anymore but headed straight to hispany. In no time, he handed her a thick folder. ¡°Where are you heading next? I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just go to the subway station by myself,¡± Harper declined, clutching the folder to her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll still take you to the subway station,¡± Logan insisted.


    Harper wanted to say something, but Logan had already gone to unlock the car, so she reluctantly got back into his car.


    The subway station was very close by.


    As they arrived outside the station, Harper was about to unbuckle her seatbelt and get out when Logan suddenly spoke up, ¡°The Davidson Group is in turmoil.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harper was taken aback.


    ¡°You know I have a sister. When I was young and blind, my father, ashamed of me, focused all his efforts on training my sister,¡± Logan looked ahead as he spoke, ¡°Now, my father wants to support me. But my sister, beingpetitive, wants to vie for the CEO position with me. Talking about buyingnd to build a factory is also to make a name for myself and earn respect.¡±


    So there was such a situation within The Davidson Group-a struggle between siblings.


    ¡®No wonder he doesn¡¯t have the typical newlywed happiness. Being the heir of The Davidson Group muste with a lot of burdens. But why is he telling me all this? Shouldn¡¯t he share these burdens with his wife?¡¯ Harper wondered.


    ¡°Really? Work is just work, don¡¯t overwork yourself. Fiona and the baby are the ones who need you the most,¡± Harper said with concern.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Logan turned to look at her but didn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I say something wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Logan shook his head, looking at her deeply.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll get off here. Thank you for helping me find the information,¡± Harper thanked him with a smile, then pushed open the car door and got out.


    ¡°Uh¡­ see youter,¡± Logan watched her walk away, slim and beautiful, getting farther and farther away from him.


    He thought of the tears in her eyes at the amusement park, and his hand clenched slowly on the steering wheel. There were still too many things unresolved.


    The Davidson Group.


    Fiona.


    Nothing was resolved yet. He needed to solve everything before he could do anything else.


    ¡®Just give me a little more time, wait for me a little longer, Harper.¡¯ Logan thought to himself.


    ¡­


    Harper returned to Sky Harbor and sat on the couch, opening the folder. For some reason, she felt that Logan had be somewhat strange. Ever since the wedding at Tranquil Haven Ind, when he ran off alone into the woods, everything had be very strange.


    Leaning back on the couch, Harper flipped through the documents-


    ?Lena, 24, female, graduated from S City University.


    As she continued reading, Harper discovered that Lena¡¯s resume was quiteplicated. After graduating from university, she had been traveling to various countries, had several boyfriends, and had attended many dance,nguage, and art sses.


    So Lena had been living quite freely all these years.


    Now, Lena was a social media influencer and a flower arranger. Lena shared her colorful life and work online, attracting a lot of fans, especially male ones.


    Without finishing reading all the documents, Harper anxiously took out her phone and dialed the number listed in the file.


    She wanted to rify the truth from three years ago as soon as possible.


    But it could not get through ¡­ Logan¡¯s file had shown her three numbers, and she dialed each one, but they all could not get through.


    Why were none of the calls going through? Were they temporarily switched off, or had Lena changed her number again?


    After some thought, Harper took out her phone and found Lena¡¯s Facebook ount.


    Harper sent a message-


    ?Hi, Lena, I¡¯m your college ssmate Harper. Where are you now? I need your help with something.


    After sending the message, Harper put away the documents.


    Lena had been found. The truth would be revealed soon. But until dusk, Lena¡¯s phone still remained unreachable. There was no response to her message either.


    ¡°Is she busy?¡± Harper muttered to herself, tapping her phone.


    ¡°Busy with what? Harper, you¡¯d better be thinking of me,¡± a low, sexy voice came.


    The next moment, Harper was engulfed in an embrace. ze wrapped his arms around her from behind, lowering his head to kiss her cheek.


    ze always liked to ambush her like this. Every time he came back, he was silent, and then suddenly he would embrace her from behind.


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Harper turned in his arms to face him. ze immediately lifted her chin with a finger and leaned down to kiss her lips, savoring their softness.


    ze¡¯s teeth pried apart her lips, his hot tongue delving into her mouth with fervor. One long arm tightened around her.


    Just kissing wasn¡¯t enough; he pushed her against the wardrobe, his thin lips grazing her face, her neck, his breath growing heavier.


    ¡®Starting tomorrow, I have to take this woman to thepany. If I don¡¯t see her for a day, it¡¯s like I¡¯m going through withdrawal, craving toe back.¡¯ ze thought.


    Harper was breathless from the intensity of the kiss.


    After a while, ze finally released her. Harper¡¯s cheeks were flushed from the kiss, and she reached up to touch her swollen lips.


    ¡°Bring in the dress.¡±


    Dress?


    At ze¡¯smand, Dn entered carrying a ck dress.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Harper asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, this is a suit specially chosen for you by Master,¡± Dn exined, ¡°It¡¯s from Mn by Alisa, her designs are always highly sought after and expensive. This one is called ¡®Night Sky¡¯.¡±


    It was a short ck dress, as ck as the night sky, made from a soft satin-like fabric. The A-line neckline design had a vintage feel, and the skirt seemed to be adorned with something like twinkling stars, shimmering.


    ¡°What a beautiful dress,¡± Harper eximed in amazement.


    ¡°Of course, I picked it.¡± ze smirked, sitting down on the nearby couch, ¡°Change into it, we¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Harper nodded and took the dress, heading to the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes, put on the dress, and reached behind her to zip it up.


    Just as she was halfway through, she heard the bathroom door open.


    The next moment, a hand reached over and pulled up the zipper at her back,pleting the final step.


    Harper turned around in surprise, looking at the tall man in front of her, then back at the open door, ¡°How did you get in? I clearly locked the door.¡±


    ¡°Ever since someone dared to lock me out of the study,¡± ze said proudly, holding up his right hand. Between his index and middle fingers, he pinched a card, ¡°I had the tech department make me a universal key card for this apartment.¡±


    ¡°A universal key card?¡± Harper was stunned.


    Surprisingly, there was such a damn thing!


    ze stood before her, carefully examining her.


    ¡°The Night Sky¡± dress looked stunning on her. She had a slender figure, a narrow waist, matching perfectly with the understated sparkle of the dress, giving off an indescribable allure.


    Harper felt a bit awkward under his gaze and adjusted her dress nervously.


    Suddenly, ze¡¯s gaze fixed on her chest. The dress had a tear-shaped cutout above the chest, revealing fair skin and leaving her shoulderspletely exposed, sexy.


    ze¡¯s throat tightened instantly, and he pushed her against the wall, resuming their passionate kiss.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to go to the banquet?¡± Harper said helplessly.


    ¡°To hell with the banquet,¡± ze couldn¡¯t care less about any banquet at the moment. He scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom, kissing her passionately as they walked. He captured her soft lips, eagerly intertwining his tongue with hers-

 Chapter 47 The Cruise Ship

    Harper could clearly feel his arousal below. Her heart raced faster and her mind went nk¡­


    She was lost in his passionate kiss¡­


    zeid her down on the bed, lifting her clothes, leaning down slightly, and taking her pink nipple into his mouth.


    She gasped, her hands gripping his hair tightly¡­


    ¡­


    After the long and passionate moment-


    Harper put on the dress again and stood in front of the floor-length mirror. She looked at the kiss marks on her neck, ¡°Should I cover them with a shawl?¡±


    ze didn¡¯t respond to her question.


    Dn walked in from outside, holding a ck chiffon shawl, ¡°Miss Shaw, Master has already picked out a shawl for you.¡±


    Harper nced at her bare shoulders, then at ze¡¯s smug smile. She realized the kiss marks were intentional, just so she would wear the shawl. He was not only obsessive but also conservative¡­


    A stretch Lincoln slowly drove on the highway.


    Harper sat in the car with ze¡¯s arm around her. He held one of her hands, ying with it, asionally bringing it to his lips for a kiss or a nip.


    Harper blushed, her fingers trembling involuntarily. She pulled her hand back, but ze grabbed it again, starting a new round of torment on her fingers.


    ¡°Master, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Harper sighed in relief as she followed ze out of the car. The bodyguards were already waiting outside. She looked around and realized they were by the seaside again. A luxurious cruise ship was docked there, brightly lit and familiar.


    ¡°Serenity Sea?¡± Harper was shocked. Wasn¡¯t this the cruise ship she had worked on three years ago?


    Dn exined, ¡°Serenity Sea holds a banquet once every three years, inviting elite members of society and politicians. Master doesn¡¯t attend every time.¡±


    Harper looked at ze. If he didn¡¯t attend every time, why did hee three years ago and now?


    ¡°Come with me!¡± ze held her hand and led her onto the cruise ship.


    The host of the banquet, a blue-eyed blonde man, greeted ze warmly, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, wee aboard. Pleasee inside.¡±


    ¡°Is my room still avable?¡± ze asked.


    ¡°Of course, your room is always reserved for you. Would you like to hand the key to my servants so they can clean it for you?¡±


    Privacy on the Serenity Sea was strictly maintained. The room keys reserved for guests were unique, with no backups. Guests were free to send someone aboard to clean their rooms.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go check it out first,¡± ze refused immediately, pulling Harper along briskly. Hisrge hand enveloped her small one, ¡°Come on!¡± His tone betrayed a hint of delight.


    Harper looked at him with confusion. He was walking fast, so she had to jog to keep up with him.


    The Serenity Sea cruise ship. Three years ago, she had marveled at the grandeur of the ship. Back then, it felt like watching the Titanic.


    Luxurious, magnificent, filled with nobility, politicians, and business elites. This was a gathering ce for the elite of the elite.


    Three yearster, the cruise ship remained as splendid as ever. Women in exquisite dresses, gentlemen in suits and tuxedos mingled on the ship.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ze led Harper through the ship, riding a vintage elevator to the third floor, then stopping in front of a door.


    ze looked at her. Harper looked around, utterly puzzled.


    Seeing her confused expression, ze¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Are you pretending not to know anything?¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡± Harper looked at him nkly.


    ¡°You-¡± ze red at Dn, ¡°Open the door!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Dn followed closely, taking out a set of keys to open the door.


    ¡°Harper, take a good look. You seduced me here in the first ce!¡± ze was somewhat displeased, ¡°I¡¯ve kept this room locked for three years.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected toe back. But when he was invited by the organizers of the Serenity Sea, he suddenly felt revisiting the ce wasn¡¯t a bad idea. The anger from being drugged three years ago had long subsided.


    As Dn pushed open the door, Harper understood ze¡¯s words, ¡°You mean this is where you were drugged three years ago, where that woman drugged you?¡±


    ¡°That woman is you!¡±


    Misunderstood for so long, Harper was indeed curious about what had happened three years ago. She looked at the door and then stepped inside.


    The room was spacious, decorated in a vintage European style reminiscent of royal rooms from centuries past.


    ze leanedzily against the doorway, his gaze following her.


    She looked around, her eyes filled with unfamiliarity, as if she were entering the room for the first time. Finally, her gaze settled on the bed.


    Without a doubt, she was curious about whether-was this where he was drugged?


    ze looked at her, his lips pressed tightly together, his eyes suddenly turning cold.


    Seeing ze about to lose his temper, Dn stepped forward hastily, addressing Harper, ¡°Miss Shaw, haven¡¯t you remembered anything?¡±


    Harper shook her head at Dn¡¯s question, ¡°I¡¯ve never been here before.¡±


    Three years ago, she had been a waitress here. She was only responsible for serving drinks, why would she enter a guest¡¯s room? Especially the room of someone as important as ze.


    ¡°Stop pretending! ¡± ze¡¯s voice was icy.


    Sensing ze¡¯s anger, Harper turned to Dn, ¡°Mr. Foster, could you and your men wait outside? I need to talk to ze alone.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Dn nodded, leading the guards to retreat to a distant corridor.


    ze suppressed his rage, grabbing her slender arm and pulling her closer to him. He red at her fiercely, ¡°Fine. Then tell me, if it wasn¡¯t you, who drugged me? Who bypassed my guards and sneaked into my room? Was it all just a dream?¡±


    Her arm hurt from his grip.


    ¡°Actually, I no longer doubt the truth of what happened three years ago. But I want to tell you, even if there was someone who drugged you, it wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± ze looked at her coldly, ¡°Are you questioning the results of my investigation?¡±


    Harper looked into ze¡¯s angry eyes seriously, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Speak!¡± ze spat out the word.


    ¡°Three years ago, you must not have seen the face of that woman, right?¡± This was something she had wanted to ask for a long time. Later, she realized that it must have been because of the drugs, he was too dazed to see the woman¡¯s face clearly, so he just assumed it was her.


    ¡°So what? My investigation pointed to you, so it¡¯s you!¡± It was another symptom of his paranoia, stubborn to the core.


    ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s talk about another piece of evidence.¡± Harper had to change tactics, feeling a bit embarrassed as she bit her lip, then continued, ¡°Do you remember the first time you kidnapped me to Empire Castle, demanding that I hand over the baby?¡±


    ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡°At that time, I was so dazed and confused, I didn¡¯t remember anything,¡± Harper said, ¡°But you should remember, that was my first time, Couldn¡¯t you feel it?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bleed, so you weren¡¯t a virgin,¡± ze said coldly.


    ¡°Most modern girls don¡¯t bleed their first time.¡± She looked at ze, with a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes as she asked, ¡°Then¡­ you must have felt it, right?¡± Asking such a question made her feel embarrassed, but if she missed this chance, she was afraid she wouldn¡¯t be able to ask him again.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been with so many women, even if I didn¡¯t bleed my first time, you must have felt something,¡± she continued.


    After a long silence¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. My intuition tells me you¡¯ve given birth to my child! You should give birth to my child!¡±


    ¡®What a broken intuition. It¡¯s just his paranoid personality disorder acting up again. He¡¯s so stubborn, he believes only in himself, trusts no one! Thinks everything he thinks is right? He really needs treatment!¡¯ Harper felt extremely speechless.


    She didn¡¯t want to anger him, ¡°Let¡¯s forget about this. Aren¡¯t you here to attend the banquet tonight?¡±


    ¡°Harper!¡± ze looked at her, his face darkening.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do you particrly want to leave me?¡± ze said, ¡°From going to the hospital for a check-up, to contacting university ssmates, asking Dn, and now asking so many questions today, are you trying to distance yourself from me, huh?¡±


    ze released his grip on her arm, lifting her chin with his hand. Harper was forced to look up at him. He stared at her coldly, enunciating each word, ¡°You-better-not-think-about-it!¡±


    His voice was chilling to the core.

 Chapter 48 Meeting The Witness

    Harper listened, a chill running up her spine, filling her with an indescribable fear.


    Since signing the contract, ze, though prone to anger and outbursts, hadn¡¯t harmed her, and she had gradually lost her fear of him. But now, that fear returned.


    ¡°Harper, listen to me. Unless I don¡¯t want you anymore! Otherwise, you will always be mine!¡± ze said, each word dripping with menace.


    Suddenly, he lowered his head and fiercely bit her lips.


    ¡°Master, there are a few people from the political circle who want to see you,¡± Dn interrupted them, reporting to ze respectfully.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ze nced at Harper and then left with Dn, leaving her behind.


    Harper stood at the doorway of the room, taking a long time to regain her normal breathing.


    She touched her lips, which were even more swollen now.


    The ze from just now¡­ was so terrifying.


    The cruise ship sailed slowly on the sea.


    People chatted in the corridors. Harper walked alone, leaning against the railing, facing the sea breeze.


    She rested her arms on the railing. She had a feeling that even if Lena testified for her, ze wouldn¡¯t believe it. He only believed in himself. What should she do? Was she really going to stay by ze¡¯s side forever? This wasn¡¯t the life she wanted.


    ¡°Darling, the scenery here is beautiful.¡± A pleasant voice came. It sounded familiar.


    Harper froze, turning to look to her right. Not far away, a young woman stood there, not wearing an evening gown but a white dress, her waist-length ck hair fluttering in the wind.


    Lena? Encountering her on the Serenity Sea cruise ship? The world was truly full of coincidences. Harper stared at her in a daze.


    Perhaps sensing her gaze, Lena turned her face and saw her. A fleeting look of shock crossed Lena¡¯s face, then she smiled and walked towards her.


    ¡°Harper, I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what a coincidence.¡±


    Meeting an old ssmate again was something to be happy about, especially when that person was someone she had been searching for.


    Lena looked Harper up and down, slightly surprised, then said, ¡°Are you here to attend the banquet with someone too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Harper nodded.


    ¡°I never expected our paths to cross like this. Remember three years ago, we were just waitresses on this cruise ship.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we worked as waitresses together back then.¡±


    If it wasn¡¯t for that part-time job three years ago, she wouldn¡¯t have been mistaken by ze.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lena sighed after a moment of thought, ¡°But speaking of fate, I saw the news recently, your sister married the prince of The Davidson Group.¡±


    Harper¡¯s gaze dimmed for a moment, about to ask about that matter.


    ¡°By the way, who are you apanying today? Could it be the boyfriend your sister¡¯s husband introduced to you? Are you also marrying into a wealthy family?¡± Lena asked curiously.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s not my boyfriend,¡± Harper denied.


    ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯m here with my boyfriend. Let me introduce him to you.¡± Lena walked back, linking arms with a man and approached with a happy smile on her face.


    The man looked like he weighed around 400 pounds, and his steps seemed to cause vibrations on the floorboards.


    ¡°Harper, this is my boyfriend James Anderson, the president of L Bank.¡± Lena smiled as she introduced James to Harper, ¡°Darling, this is my college friend Harper.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± James extended a fat hand towards her.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Harper shook his hand.


    ¡°Your college friend is not as pretty as you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, stop talking nonsense,¡± Lena patted him, but her face was full of smiles as she leaned her head on his shoulder.


    Watching Lena¡¯s sweet smile, Harper suddenly felt a bit estranged. Lena seemed to have changed.


    The Lena in front of her and the 400-pound man didn¡¯t look like a couple in love at all.


    The Lena from before was full of artistic cells, with a cool temperament, and never paid attention to the pursuit of boys. She came from a poor family and had been working part-time in college.


    But now, Lena seemed different.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Harper. My boyfriend always talks like this,¡± Lena said to Harper with a smile. ¡°By the way, who are you apanying?¡±


    ¡°Are you here with your boss?¡± James looked at Harper and asked.


    At events like this, femalepanions were usually either secretaries, mistresses, or girlfriends.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°No,¡± Harper shook her head.


    Lena looked puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re not here with your boyfriend or your boss?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, she¡¯s a rich man¡¯s mistress.¡± James spoke with disdain as he looked at Harper, understanding dawning on his face.


    Before Harper could say anything, Lena nudged James. ¡°Darling, Harper used to be a very good friend of mine. Why don¡¯t you introduce her to a boyfriend?¡±


    With that, Lena turned to Harper again, her face sincere. ¡°Harper, being someone else¡¯s mistress is undignified. Don¡¯t degrade yourself. It¡¯s better to find a boyfriend. My boyfriend knows a lot of people, would you like him to introduce someone to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not anyone¡¯s mistress, you¡¯re mistaken,¡± Harper said somewhat helplessly.


    ¡°Huh. If you¡¯ve already done it, what¡¯s the point of denying it?¡± James scoffed bluntly, looking at Harper disdainfully, ¡°Who¡¯s your sugar daddy? How much do you make in a month? Since you¡¯re Lena¡¯s friend, if you really want a sugar daddy, I can introduce you to some powerful ones.¡±


    Harper realized she always felt like she couldn¡¯t exin herself in front of others, no matter what she said.


    Suddenly, James looked behind Harper with a fawning expression and approached. ¡°Mr. Foster, what a coincidence to run into you here.¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Dn approached, smiling politely at James.


    James immediately let go of Lena¡¯s hand, stepping forward and shaking Dn¡¯s hand, ¡°Mr. Foster, is Mr. Wychwood also on board the cruise? I¡¯ve been wanting to cooperate with Mr. Wychwood for a long time.¡±


    Previously, he had tried many connections but hadn¡¯t even seen ze in person, only Dn.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood is still busy. If he has time, I¡¯ll introduce you to him,¡± Dn smiled, withdrawing his hand and turning to Harper respectfully, ¡°Miss Shaw, Mr. Wychwood is waiting for you to dance.¡±


    Upon hearing this, James was shocked, gaping at Harper.


    Harper looked at Lena, ¡°Lena, I need your help. Can you please stay close by for now?¡±


    Lena looked at James, still a bit stunned.


    James quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, yes, we won¡¯t go far. Miss Shaw, whatever you need, we¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Harper nced at Lena before leaving with Dn.


    Once they were gone, James shoved Lena, his ttering expression turning fierce. ¡°You¡¯ve ruined everything for me, you woman! Howe you didn¡¯t tell me your friend is Mr. Wychwood¡¯s woman? You made me lose face! And you wanted me to introduce a boyfriend when she¡¯s already with Mr. Wychwood? Is there a richer sugar daddy in the world?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood?¡± Lena asked dumbfoundedly, ¡°Which Mr. Wychwood?¡±


    ¡°Who else could it be? Only one. ze Wychwood!¡±


    Inside the cruise ship, the lights shimmered. A female singer and dancer were performing energetically on the central stage, while below, male and female guests were dancing.


    ze sat on a nearby sofa, his body slightly leaning back. Harper walked over.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡± ze nced up at her, the anger from earlier still evident in his expression.


    ¡°Just walking around,¡± Harper replied cautiously, unsure of how to bring up Lena as a witness.


    ¡°Come dance with me!¡± ze stood up from the sofa and pulled Harper into the dance floor.


    Harper ced her hand on his shoulder, matching his steps as they danced the waltz. ze held her close, his face gloomy as ever.


    ¡°Are you still angry?¡± Harper asked softly, keeping pace with his steps.


    ¡°Do you even realize why I¡¯m angry?¡±


    ¡°I just want to understand the truth from three years ago. Why do you have to be like this?¡± Harper whispered even softer.


    ze¡¯srge hand pressed against her waist, exerting force to pull her closer. ¡°Is that so? What I see is a woman who just wants to distance herself from me, to escape.¡±


    Listening to his words, Harper tried to remain calm, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better that way,¡± ze gazed into her face, leading her through the dance step by step.


    ¡°You¡¯re a great dancer,¡± Harper changed the subject, her mind racing on how to bring Lena into the conversation without upsetting ze further.


    ¡°Leading someone like you is child¡¯s y,¡± ze sneered. Harper breathed a sigh of relief, following his lead while ncing towards the edge of the dance floor.


    She saw James holding Lena, sitting next to Dn¡­


    Harper felt a bit frustrated. How should she bring it up?


    With both ze and Lena here, now would be the best time to talk about the events from three years ago.


    She needed a n¡­

 Chapter 49 The Child Doesn鈥檛 Exist?

    Harper pretended to twist her ankle, naturally falling into ze¡¯s arms. ¡°Ouch¡­ that hurts.¡±


    ze furrowed his brow, supporting her while his eyes scanned her ankle.


    ¡°Could you help me to the seating area over there?¡± Harper looked at ze.


    ¡°Are you pretending to hurt your ankle just because you don¡¯t want to learn how to dance properly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    Instead of assisting her, ze lifted her up and carried her out of the dance floor, heading towards Dn¡¯s direction. Dn immediately stood up to make space.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, are you okay?¡± Dn asked with concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, maybe I really don¡¯t have the talent for dancing,¡± Harper chuckled.


    ze sat her down on hisp, taking off her high heels and examining her ankle closely, ¡°No swelling,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s not too serious,¡± Harper followed his lead, feeling ufortable with ze¡¯s serious examination. He actually thought she had sprained her ankle.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood is so kind to Miss Shaw,¡± James interjected, taking the opportunity to approach them.


    ze looked up, his gaze icy.


    Harper seized the moment and quickly said to ze, ¡°ze, I happened to run into my college friend on the cruise ship. Let me introduce you. This is my friend Lena, and her boyfriend James.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood, I¡¯m James,¡± James nodded respectfully. Lena stood beside him, her face pale as she nced between ze and Harper.


    ¡°Lena? That name sounds familiar.¡±


    Harper felt a surge of nerves, ¡°She¡¯s the college friend I asked you to find before. Didn¡¯t expect to run into her here.¡±


    At her words, ze immediately turned a dark gaze towards her.


    Harper held her breath. She wasn¡¯t sure what ze would do next ¨C berate her or throw her out?


    Harper remained seated on hisp, feeling as if everything around them had frozen. There was no sound, no one else; her eyes were fixed only on ze¡¯s brooding face.


    Suddenly, ze chuckled, a chillingugh.


    ¡°Is this yourst move? Finding a witness?¡± ze smirked at her, as if amused by a child.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Harper didn¡¯t understand his meaning.


    ze turned his head, his eyes cold as he nced at Lena, who paled even further.


    ze suddenly grasped Harper¡¯s chin, forcibly turning her face towards Lena, then smirked, ¡°Woman, there¡¯s something I forgot to tell you. The most crucial part of the investigation three years ago was the testimony from this college friend of yours. She confirmed that you¡¯re a suspect.¡±


    Harper was stunned, ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    She stared nkly at Lena, who took a step back¡­


    In a vintage European-style reception room, ze sat alone on the sofa, leaning slightly forward, holding a ss of champagne and gently swaying it, his eyes fixed on Harper. Lena stood beside James, her face pale.


    Harper looked at Lena in disbelief, ¡°Why?¡± She had thought Lena might be herst hope, only to find out that everything she had endured was because of Lena.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lena looked up at her, taking two steps back, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. They kept asking me where I was at that time, and where you were.¡±


    ¡°But we were together the whole time, weren¡¯t we?¡± Harper said.


    ¡°But that night you said you weren¡¯t feeling well, and you rested in the restroom for an hour, didn¡¯t you? They asked me, and I could only tell the truth,¡±


    Harper was stunned, ¡°I did feel a bit unwell that night and rested for a while. Could it be that during that hour, ze was¡­¡±


    As if to confirm her suspicions, Dn emerged, saying, ¡°It was during that hour when Master was alone in his room, he drank water and was drugged, losing consciousness. A female attendant sneaked into Master¡¯s room, avoiding the guards¡¯ sight.¡±


    Harper looked at Dn in shock.


    ze sat there, watching Harper¡¯s expression, lifting the ss in his hand and taking a sip.


    After a while, Harper heard her own voice, ¡°Did you only investigate the attendants? What if someone disguised themselves?¡±


    ¡°Master also considered that,¡± Dn said. ¡°So we conducted a thorough search. During that hour, everyone except you had at least one witness, and none of them could have had the opportunity to approach Master¡¯s room.¡±


    ¡°Everyone had a witness, except me? How could this be?¡± Harper took a few steps back. She kept backing away until she reached the wall, leaning against it in despair.


    ze kept staring at her, then signaled to Dn with his eyes.


    Dn stepped forward to ask James and Lena to leave. James wanted to cozy up to ze, but Dn firmly ushered them out.


    Therge reception room was now empty, leaving only ze and Harper.


    ¡°Harper, have you given up now? Can we wrap up this drama of yours?¡± ze set down his champagne, his voice low.


    Harper leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down to the floor, feeling utterly drained, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? You knew Lena couldn¡¯t be my alibi, yet you said nothing.¡±


    ¡°Because you yearn for freedom too much,¡± ze replied.


    Harper fell silent.


    ¡°I had to give you a glimmer of hope so you¡¯d stay by my side obediently,¡± ze continued, rising from the sofa and approaching her step by step.


    Harper didn¡¯t lift her head, her gaze fixed on his straight legs. She muttered, ¡°Since you knew I craved freedom, you should understand that I don¡¯t want to cling to you. So, why would I drug you, a big shot like you, three years ago?¡±


    ¡°You should understand that I don¡¯t want to cling to you.¡±


    ¡°You should understand that I don¡¯t want to cling to you.¡±


    Her words echoed in his ears, once again rifying her stance: she didn¡¯t want to cling to him.


    A dangerous glint flickered in ze¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, he chuckled coldly, ¡°Huh, things change over three years. Even if you only want to distance yourself from me now, back then, you did provoke me!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. If I had intended to deceive you, I would have discussed with Lena first and let her help me!¡± she reiterated. But now, Harper understood that it was futile.


    ¡°Talking about this is pointless now,¡± ze slowly crouched in front of her, his index finger resting on her forehead, sliding down slowly until it lifted her chin.


    She was forced to lift her face and meet his gaze.


    ¡°Harper, listen, I don¡¯t care why you drugged me three years ago.¡± ze stared at her coldly, ¡°It¡¯s done, hand over the baby.¡±


    He mentioned it again.


    ¡°There is no child.¡± Harper mumbled, ¡°Why do you just refuse to believe me?¡±


    Forced to meet his gaze, Harper¡¯s eyes were filled with despair.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe me?¡± she whispered tearfully, her vision blurred by tears. Her tears dripped onto his fingers.


    ze lowered his eyes to the shimmering droplet¡­


    ¡°Forget it, whatever,¡± Harper sighed bitterly, pushing away his hand and standing up, ¡°I was too naive. How could I expect a paranoid like you to believe me? Love me or hate me, do whatever you want.¡±


    She started walking towards the door.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± a voice suddenly echoed behind her.


    ze was still half-crouching in the same spot.


    Harper stiffened slightly, turning around to look at him in disbelief, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    He said he believed her? Really?


    ze stood up from the ground.


    After a moment, she heard him say, ¡°I said I believe you. The lie detector test, hospital examination, sailing on the Serenity Sea again, finding alibis¡­ Everything you¡¯ve been doing. I had a psychologist analyze it. There are three reasons why you deny the truth of three years ago.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harper was taken aback.


    ¡°First, you wanted to attach yourself to me, intentionally leaving an impression on me. But that doesn¡¯t hold true. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have pissed me off in the castle, and I wouldn¡¯t have thrown you into the forest,¡± ze said, his voice low.


    Harper stood in ce, stunned. Hearing his analysis, she actually feel somewhat relieved.


    ¡°Second, you¡¯re skilled at teasing men. Seeing my interest in you, you wanted more, like my attention, maybe even something bigger-my love. Of course, this reason doesn¡¯t hold true either.¡±


    ze slowly approached her, his eyes fixed deeply on her, his thumb rubbing against his index finger. There were still traces of her tears on his fingers. Cold.


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m not the kind of woman?¡± Harper asked, puzzled.


    At his words, ze¡¯s gaze deepened, pausing for two seconds before he said, ¡°If you were, you could end it now.¡±


    ¡®Because you¡¯ve got what you wanted. Because you¡¯ve seeded,¡¯ ze thought to himself.


    Harper looked at him, furrowing her eyebrows slightly, not understanding what he meant. She continued, ¡°And what about the third reason?¡±


    Was the third reason about admitting that everything was his mistake, that she was honest? Harper hoped for this answer.

 Chapter 50 Crazy Night

    ¡°Third, regarding the memory of that one hour three years ago¡­ you selectively forgot,¡± ze said coldly, ¡°Based on your behavior, this possibility is the most likely.¡±


    Harper eximed, immediately denying, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I didn¡¯t lose any memories. I remember everything clearly.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Then tell me now, what were you doing during that hour?¡± ze demanded sharply, turning and sitting down on the sofa.


    ¡°I¡­ I was resting in the bathroom. I felt really unwell, dizzy, so I slept there for a while,¡± Harper tried to recall, feeling uneasy as it did sound suspiciously.


    ¡°Do you believe this statement yourself?¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t lose any memories. And I¡¯ve never heard of anyone losing just one hour.¡±


    ¡°Just because you haven¡¯t heard of it doesn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t happen,¡± ze said coldly.


    Harper couldn¡¯t find words to argue. Then a thought struck her, and she asked, ¡°Wait, if you¡¯re using memory loss to judge me, does that mean you believe I¡¯m honest?¡±


    ze looked up at her, his face expressionless. He didn¡¯t say anything, but his silence was confirmation enough.


    Harper felt a surge of relief, ¡°So, regardless of whether I lost that hour three years ago or not, you should believe that I never had a child with you, right?¡±


    At her words, a fleeting disappointment shed in ze¡¯s eyes. He had considered this long ago; the evidence that she had been pregnant was too weak. After the lie detector tests and continuous questioning, he should have believed her, should have let her go. But he didn¡¯t want to admit that their child had never existed. It was their child. The fact that it had never existed was deeply unsatisfying to him.


    Seeing his silence again, Harper quickly walked up to him, eagerly saying, ¡°Since you believe there was no child, then our contract should be null and void, right?¡±


    ze sat on the sofa, staring at her coldly, without saying a word.


    Suddenly, Harper felt an inexplicable chill. She looked at ze¡¯s cold gaze, and stiffly began to step backward, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± ze asked back, standing up from the sofa.


    ¡°Am I wrong? Our contract should be null and void, right?¡± Harper continued to step back.


    ¡°Why are you stepping back? Am I that scary?¡± ze chuckled coldly as he watched her.


    Harper looked at the man in front of her with some fear. She suddenly realized that ze¡¯s anger, his tendency to smash things or even hit people, wasn¡¯t the scariest thing about him. The scariest thing was the way he was now.


    ze approached her, and she continued to step back until she was against the wall again.


    He suddenly reached out and pressed his hand against the wall beside her, and Harper froze with fear, not daring to move.


    ¡°Harper, you keep trying to prove that we have no rtionship, time and time again, and my patience is wearing thin!¡± ze growled lowly.


    ¡°I just want to clear things up,¡± Harper pressed against the wall.


    ¡°I thought if I didn¡¯t push you too hard, you¡¯d behave, but it seems I was wrong,¡± ze¡¯s face was inches from hers, his hot breath spraying on her face.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re only interested in clearing things up, then I see no reason to give you any leeway,¡± his voice was icy and sinister.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Harper¡¯s face paled.


    ¡°Harper, didn¡¯t you understand what I said to you in that room?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I have paranoid personality disorder, and once I¡¯ve decided something, no one can change my mind,¡± ze leaned in closer, ¡°So, my intuition tells me you should have my child. Even if we didn¡¯t have one before, now-we can make up for it!¡±


    Harper¡¯s eyes widened in terror.


    The next moment, ze kissed her forcefully. He sucked on her lips repeatedly, disregarding everything.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ no-¡± she protested.


    With one hand pressed against the wall and the other behind her, he suddenly pulled down the zipper of her dress.


    A cool breeze swept across her back.


    He gripped her waist with one hand, pinning her against the wall. With the other hand, he pulled aside her panties and thrust his already erect cock into her entrance all of a sudden, pushing himself into her body without hesitation.


    At the moment of pration, their bodies trembled.


    She was too tight, unable to amodate him. She felt a sharp pain-


    ¡°Ah¡­ you, get out¡­¡± her brows furrowed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.


    Seeing this, ze leaned down to kiss her lips.


    While she was lost in his kiss, he thrust again forcefully, swallowing her fragmented moans and sighs between his lips.


    She gradually adjusted to him.


    The pain subsided, and she was greeted with familiar pleasure-


    How long this intense feelingsted, she couldn¡¯t tell. She felt herself reaching the limit. Warm streams flowed from her entrance¡­ he sent her to climax¡­


    That night, ze was like a man possessed, fucking her again and again. He was rough, disregarding her feelings. Despite Harper¡¯s repeated pleas for mercy, it was in vain. Eventually, she had to pretend to be unconscious.


    The cruise ship docked urgently.


    ze lifted Harper into the extended Lincoln car, holding her the entire time. She continued to feign sleep. ze¡¯s paranoia exceeded her imagination. He categorized the events of three years ago as her having lost an hour of memory and insisted on her having his imagined child. He was a sick man.


    The journey was silent.


    ¡°Master,¡± Dn¡¯s voice broke the silence in the car, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to let Miss Shaw rest on the adjacent seat?¡±


    Harper listened and silently agreed.


    ¡°No need,¡± ze vetoed.


    ¡°But you¡¯ll get tired holding her like this,¡± Dn persisted.


    ze tightened his hold, his voice turning colder, ¡°If she falls or gets hurt while you put her down, are you going to take responsibility? Can you afford that?¡±


    Harper¡¯s upper body was almost entirely resting on hisp. His hand served as a pillow under her neck, while her legs were ced on the seat. His other hand was positioned to prevent her from falling.


    Every time he spoke, his voice reached her ears, resonating with an indescribable depth.


    Listening to his words, Harper felt a stir in her heart.


    ¡°Master, your feelings for Miss Shaw, I believe she will feel them sooner orter,¡± Dn remarked.


    ¡°Eh,¡± ze responded softly.


    He uttered just one word, yet it stirred up a storm in Harper¡¯s heart. ¡®He didn¡¯t deny it. What does that mean, admitting he cares for me? How is that possible?¡¯


    Suddenly, Harper remembered their conversation in the reception room-


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m not the type of woman who tease men?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°If you were, you could end the game now.¡±


    Could it be that ze¡¯s meaning at the time was¡­


    Harper didn¡¯t dare to think further. She suddenly understood why ze had to keep her by his side. Why even though he believed the child didn¡¯t exist, he still wanted to keep her.


    ¡®He¡¯s-fallen in love with me.¡¯


    What would it be like to be loved by a paranoid person? What would it be like to be loved by a powerful, paranoid person?


    ¡°Harper, listen to me, unless I don¡¯t want you anymore! Otherwise, you¡¯ll always be mine!¡±


    ¡°I have paranoid personality disorder, and once I¡¯ve decided something, no one can change my mind. So, my intuition tells me you should have my child. Even if we didn¡¯t have one before, now-we can make up for it!¡±


    Recalling every word he had said, the more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, her body trembling involuntarily.


    ze lowered his gaze to the trembling woman in his arms. ¡®Was she having a nightmare?¡¯


    His brow furrowed slightly, and his hand lightly patting her shoulder likeforting a child.


    ¡­

 Chapter 51 Thank you, Blaze

    The next morning, Harper, who hadn¡¯t slept all night, got up early to make breakfast, feeling poorly.


    She couldn¡¯t understand how ze could have fallen for her. She had never tempted him, always irritated him, and had never shown any virtues to him.


    Virtues? Harper looked at the finished breakfast on the te, her gaze faltering. Could it be her cooking skills that attracted ze, causing him to develop feelings for her without realizing it?


    At the thought, Harper immediately threw the prepared breakfast into the trash, then re-fried the eggs until they were burnt before cing them on the bread, generously thering on thick chili sauce.


    ze walked in from outside, wearing a gray bathrobe, emanating the scent of men¡¯s body wash. He nced at her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast,¡± Harper tried to maintain her calm as she sat down at the table.


    ¡°Eh,¡± ze didn¡¯t mentionst night on the cruise ship, and neither did she. It was as if it hadn¡¯t happened at all. He was still him, and she was still his woman, nothing had changed. But Harper knew that their rtionship could no longer be defined purely by contractual terms.


    ze elegantly picked up his knife and fork to start eating breakfast.


    Harper observed him cautiously. He put the bread, mixed with red chili sauce, into his mouth. After just one bite, he paused, his brow furrowing, ¡°Why chili sauce?¡± His tone immediately turned displeased.


    ¡°Oh, I wanted to try a new vor,¡± Harper bluffed, waiting for his outburst. She nned to keep doing this if he got angry, until he finally got fed up with her.


    ¡°This vor doesn¡¯t taste good,¡± ze said coldly.


    ¡°Really?¡± Harper waited for him to get up and leave.


    Instead, ze cut another piece of bread and continued to eat, chili sauce included. Harper stared at his actions in astonishment.


    He still ate with elegance and grace, and his speed didn¡¯t slow down despite the unpleasant taste.


    After finishing his own te, ze nced at her and, seeing that she hadn¡¯t eaten, reached out and moved her te closer to him, continuing to eat. Her te also had chili sauce smeared on it¡­


    How could he eat such a bad food?


    ¡°Go learn how to make English breakfast,¡± zemanded.


    ¡°Why?¡± Harper wondered.


    ¡°Start learning from today,¡± ze ordered.


    ¡°Why?¡± Harper looked at him in astonishment, ¡°If you want to eat, just hire a chef to cook for you.¡±


    ¡°No, you have to learn,¡± ze insisted, displeased.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to learn,¡± Harper refused. ¡°I¡¯m an artist, not a chef. Why should I bother learning recipes?¡±


    At her words, ze¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°You have to learn to make English breakfast. Otherwise, how will you please my parents when you bring our child back to Ennd in the future?¡±


    Harper¡¯s eyes widened in shock at his words, ¡°Our child? Where did this childe from? And why would I need to go back to Ennd?¡±


    ze slowly lowered his head, his face nearing hers, ¡°You¡¯ll have to give birth to a child for me sooner orter. You and the child will naturally have to return to The Wychwood Family in Ennd.¡±


    Harper stared at him in disbelief, ¡°Are you suggesting marriage?¡±


    ¡®The Wychwood Family in Ennd. Taking the child there. Was that what he meant?¡¯ In her mind, preparing to have a child and meeting parents were all steps before marriage.


    ¡°Marriage?¡± ze looked at her, his eyes momentarily stunned, a sh of confusion crossing his handsome face.


    In that moment, Harper understood his meaning. He never intended to marry her or anything like that; he just wanted to possess her, to have her bear his child. In other words, he wanted her to be his mistress. Thinking this, Harper couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitterugh.


    ze thought she was upset about not being able to get married. He reached out and grasped her chin, turning her face towards him.


    He gazed at her intently, his voice deep. ¡°Harper, listen to me. I can¡¯t give you marriage, but staying with me is better than marrying any ordinary man.¡±


    Harper looked at him in silence. ¡®Was this supposed to beforting her? Yes, he was ze, the richest man in the world. Even if he dropped a bit of pocket money, it would be more than an average man earned in a lifetime. But everyone had different pursuits for material things.¡¯ Of course, she couldn¡¯t exin all this to him; after all, he was a paranoid man.


    ¡°I love you. Besides the marriage certificate, I can give you everything,¡± ze said, staring at her. It was the first time he had made such a big promise to a woman.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Harper replied, her tone indifferent andcking joy. ze thought she had understood. ¡°As long as you know. You¡¯ll attend English cooking sses every week from now on. My parents are very picky about food.¡±


    With that said, ze leaned down and fiercely kissed her on the cheek.


    After finishing their meal, Harper and ze were riding together to work when Harper¡¯s phone rang. It was her foster mother, Marcia, calling.


    ¡°Mom.¡±


    ¡°Harper, where are you? I came to your rented ce, they said you¡¯ve moved out. Did you find a new ce?¡± Her voice sounded anxious.


    ze stood behind her, circling her, ying with her hand.


    ¡°You went to my rented ce?¡± Harper was taken aback, then quickly responded, ¡°Yeah, I moved to a new ce.¡±


    ¡®One, two, three, four, five.


    Five, four, three, two, one.¡¯


    Bored, ze counted silently on her fingers. Suddenly, he raised her hand to his lips and bit it.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Harper flinched sensitively.


    With a mischievous grin, ze continued biting her fingers.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Harper hurriedly replied.


    ¡°Where are you now? I want to meet you.¡±


    Harper nced outside, realizing they were close to her rented ce, so she said, ¡°I¡¯m having drinks outside, why don¡¯t youe over?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After giving the address to her foster mother, Harper hung up. ze was still ying with her fingers, bending them into various shapes, and said, ¡°Your fingers are so soft.¡±


    Harper pulled her hand back, turned around in ze¡¯s arms, facing him seriously, and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to meet my mom at the restaurant next door, do you want to go back first?¡±


    ze stared at her for a few seconds, then said, ¡°Your mother? I want to meet her.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harper was stunned, ¡°Why do you want to meet my mother?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re with me now,¡± ze said.


    ¡°No way,¡± Harper immediately refused, pleadingly looking at him, ¡°Please, just go first. My mom is just a housewife.¡±


    ze stared at her pleading expression, his eyes cooling down gradually, his voice unusually heavy, ¡°Do you really not want me to meet your family?¡± He had noticed this since the incident on Tranquil Haven Ind. She didn¡¯t want anyone around her to know him.


    He suddenly grabbed her, pulling her hand and heading towards the restaurant. She was trying to distance herself, but he was determined to make their rtionship known!


    Harper was being dragged forward by him.


    ¡°ze, is this how you love someone?¡± Harper¡¯s low voice sounded behind him, with an indescribable bitterness.


    ze stopped in his tracks, turned around to look at her.


    She stared at him, her face pale, her eyes dim.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s how I am,¡± ze said dominantly.


    Harper stood before him, one hand still held by him. Her long hair fluttered in the wind. ¡°So what do you want me to be then?¡±


    ¡°To stop rejecting me, to stop denying our rtionship!¡± he answered quickly.


    ¡°What rtionship do we have then? I¡¯m not your girlfriend. Everyone knows what kind of big shot you are, ze, and everyone knows the gap between us. You¡¯ve also said you can¡¯t give me marriage,¡± Harper¡¯s tone grew more excited, ¡°Do you want me to go around telling people that I¡¯m your lover? Are you asking me to acknowledge such a rtionship without dignity?¡±


    ze fell silent. ¡®Marriage. She¡¯s thinking about marriage. But The Wychwood Family¡¯s marriages areplex, always decided by the family. But marrying her wouldn¡¯t be bad for me. I wonder how she¡¯d look in a wedding dress?¡¯


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you in the car!¡± ze said in a low voice, slowly releasing her hand.


    ¡®A stubborn paranoid like him didn¡¯t persist further, justpromised like this?¡¯ Harper was somewhat surprised.


    ¡°Thank you, ze.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡­

 Chapter 52 Severance of Parental Relationship

    ze sat back in the car.


    ¡°Do women really value marriage so much? Is there no dignity without marriage?¡± ze suddenly asked the driver.


    The driver was stunned.


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t really understand women¡¯s minds,¡± the driver said, ¡°But my wife has said before, she says marriage gives women a sense of security.¡±


    ¡°What kind of security can a piece of paper provide?¡± ze said coldly, ¡°Marriage can still end in divorce, where¡¯s the security in that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but women just love chasing after these things,¡± the driver said.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ze thought, if he couldn¡¯t give her marriage, would she continue like this forever?


    ¡°But my wife also said that the most important sense of securityes from the man,¡± the driver continued, ¡°When a man is willing to pamper her, to coax her, to think of her first in everything, then a woman¡¯s sense of security naturallyes.¡±


    ze¡¯s gaze deepened suddenly, looking at the driver sharply.


    The driver was startled by the gaze, nervously saying, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, did I say too much?¡±


    ¡°Double your sry, and tell Dn when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±¡­


    Inside a coffee shop ¨C


    Harper sat alone by the floor-to-ceiling window. With a turn of her head, she spotted a ck luxury car parked outside. The back window rolled down slowly, revealing ze sitting inside, his eyes fixed on her.


    Feeling resigned, Harper called the waiter and ordered two cups of coffee.


    ¡°Harper.¡± Marcia walked in from outside.


    At once, Harper noticed the usually well-kept Marcia looking much more worn out.


    She whispered, ¡°Mom, how have you beentely?¡±


    Marcia set down her bag, sighing as she looked at Harper, ¡°You have no idea what¡¯s been happeningtely with The Shaw Family.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Your dad was just a driver for The Davidson Group back in the day, but he rose through the ranks because of taking care of Logan at The Davidson Group. Now, with Logan marrying into our family, your dad naturally entered the boardroom, helping Logan to fight for power with his sister, trying to push Logan into the CEO position,¡± Marcia exined.


    Harper had heard about the sibling rivalry at The Davidson Group from Loganst time. It seemed reasonable for Dad to help Logan.


    ¡°Your dad and Logan¡¯s sister are at each other¡¯s throats, but Logan seems oblivious. He spends all his time with Fiona, shopping and ignoring everything else, leaving it all to your dad,¡± Marcia continued.


    ¡°Their lovey-dovey rtionship is a good thing,¡± Harper remarked.


    ¡°Lovey-dovey would be fine, but they¡¯re not exactly peaceful either. I heard from The Davidson Family¡¯s servants that Logan and Fiona have already argued several times since getting married,¡± Marcia said.


    ¡°Argued?¡± Harper widened her eyes in disbelief, ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡±


    ¡°The reasons for their fights seem to revolve around you..¡±


    Harper froze, the reason for their fights was her? How could that be possible?


    ¡°The servants say that every time they mention you, they end up arguing. Since Logan got married, he¡¯s like a different person.¡± Marcia shook her head, ¡°Your sister calls us crying every time they fight.¡±


    At that moment, the waiter brought over the two cups of coffee.


    Harper sat there, unable to understand why she had be their catalyst for conflict. But Logan¡¯s behavior was indeed strange. He had been so dedicated to giving Fiona a perfect wedding, even refusing to take painkillers for his headaches. How could he be arguing with Fiona now? It didn¡¯t make sense.


    Marcia stared at her for a long time, then took out a document from her bag and ced it in front of Harper, ¡°Your dad wants you to sign this document.¡±


    Harper¡¯s hand rested on the steaming coffee cup as she looked down at the document. The document was filled with densely packed words, and although she couldn¡¯t read it clearly, she saw arge title-


    [Deration of Severance of Parental Rtionship]


    Harper¡¯s face went deathly pale in an instant. Her fingers trembled, causing the coffee to spill all over the table. Without thinking, she picked up the document. It wasn¡¯t wet from the spilled coffee, not a single word smudged, but the coffee dripped onto her, scalding hot.


    ¡°Harper-¡± Marcia eximed, quickly standing up to wipe away the stains with tissues.


    Harper pushed away her hand as she stood up. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°No, you could get burned¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk business,¡± Harper pushed away her mother¡¯s hand, said coldly, ¡°Weren¡¯t you here to talk about signing?¡±


    The waiter came over to clean the table.


    ¡°Harper¡­¡± Marcia sat back down, ¡°I¡¯ve argued with your father for a long time, but he insists on this. He believes it was your previous meddling that caused the problems in Logan and Fiona¡¯s marriage. He insists on severing ties with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll sign it. I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m fit to be The Shaw Family¡¯s daughter anyway,¡± Harper said indifferently, smiling. ¡°Mom, where¡¯s the pen? You must have brought one. Oh, I guess I can¡¯t call you mom anymore, can I?¡±


    ¡°Harper, don¡¯t say that.¡± Marcia took out a pen from her bag and handed it to her, ¡°Your father makes all the decisions, and I can¡¯t oppose him. But in the future, I¡¯ll sneak out to see you.¡±


    ¡°No need. It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll sign,¡± Harper said, taking the pen from her hand and flipping to thest page of the document.


    Suddenly, the document was snatched away. Harper looked up to see ze standing next to her, his face grim, tightly gripping the document.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± ze sneered at the document in his hand. ¡°I thought it was something serious.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re-¡± Marcia looked at ze in astonishment.


    ¡°You¡¯re her foster mother?¡± ze looked at Marcia, his voice cold.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Harper¡¯s mother.¡±


    ¡°Does someone who abandons their own child deserve to be called a mother?¡± ze waved his hand, stared coldly at Marcia, ¡°Her biological mother isn¡¯t worthy, and neither are you.¡±


    ¡°ze, what are you doing? This is my business,¡± Harper protested.


    ze gave her a disdainful re, ¡°Look at yourself, what right do you have to say it¡¯s your business? I¡¯ll handle it!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Harper was at a loss for words.


    ze? Marcia looked at ze in shock, ¡°You are that ze? From N. E.?¡±


    ze shifted his gaze from Harper to Marcia, his eyes icy as he held up the document, ¡°I¡¯ve seen your signatures on here. Why are you severing ties with Harper?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­ because of the discord between the sisters.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so why not sever ties with the younger daughter instead of the older one?¡± ze sneered, then acted as if he just realized something, ¡°Right, because Harper is the foster daughter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. There were many things that happened in between. Outsiders wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± Marcia couldn¡¯t help but defend her own daughter. In the matter involving Logan, their family all believed Fiona was innocent.


    At this, zeughed even harder. He looked at the document in his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone abandon their daughter and have the audacity to say such shameless things.¡±


    Marcia was speechless.


    Then ze tossed the document in front of Harper. ¡°Sign it!¡±


    Harper opened the document again, flipping to thest page. Her foster parents had already signed, and now it was her turn.


    Harper finally wrote her name.


    ze picked up the document and threw it back at Marcia.


    Marcia looked at Harper with a pained expression. ¡°Harper, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t take care of you well. How did we end up like this¡­¡±


    ¡°After signing the severance document, why are you still putting on this hypocritical face?¡± ze sneered, disdainfully looking at Marcia.


    ¡°¡­,¡± Marcia couldn¡¯t find words to respond to the usation.


    ze¡¯s eyes red coldly at Marcia. His voice was low and stern, ¡°I want to remind you of one thing.¡±


    ¡°Now that the rtionship is severed, Harper has no obligation to take care of you anymore,¡± ze said sharply. ¡°That means, whether you¡¯re sick, poor, or dying, The Shaw Family¡¯s decline and downfall¡­ don¡¯te begging Harper.¡±


    Harper kept her head bowed. Marcia looked at ze in a daze, then at Harper, her voice choked , ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak too soon,¡± ze chuckled coldly, a hint of malice in his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve already seen your future.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Marcia was stunned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the day when you¡¯lle crawling and begging Harper,¡± ze said, standing up and pulling Harper along with him. He lifted her chin with his long fingers, making her look at Marcia. ¡°Harper, look at this face carefully. Today, she¡¯s the one abandoning you. In the future, even if she kneels down begging you, you are not allowed to help her!¡±

 Chapter 53 Begging You Oneday

    Harper looked at Marcia. She knew ze was helping her, helping her regain thest bit of dignity in front of her foster mother.


    ¡°ze, let¡¯s go,¡± she said.


    ¡°Alright!¡± ze agreed readily, grabbing her hand and leading her out.


    Suddenly, he stopped and said, ¡°By the way, after the documents are finalized by the court, send a copy to the office of the CEO of N. E Group, addressed to ze. Thanks.¡±


    With that, ze dragged Harper out of the coffee shop.


    Marcia sat there, stunned, watching them leave.


    As ze dragged Harper back into the car, she kept her head down, silent.


    ¡°Can you have a little dignity? Don¡¯t let yourself be upset over someone like her,¡± ze said, frowning as he sat beside her.


    ¡°I once read a sentence in a book,¡± Harper¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in the car.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That sentence said, ¡®Why do people need a home? Because no matter how far you go, how good or how hard it gets, when you turn back, there¡¯s always a solid support waiting for you to rest.¡¯ ¡­ I don¡¯t have a home anymore,¡± Harper said, slowly lifting her head, looking at ze, suddenly smiling, ¡°I don¡¯t have a home anymore.¡±


    She calmly stated a fact. From now on, she really had no home.


    Harper wasn¡¯t crying, she was smiling.


    ze stared at her, feeling as if something heavy was pressing on his chest.


    ¡°In the future, I, ze, will be your home!¡± ze growled.


    Hearing this, Harper looked at him in shock. What was he saying?


    Suddenly, ze lunged at her, pinning her against a corner of the car. His voice was sexy yet firm, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be your support. Whoever you sh with, I¡¯ll take care of it for you!¡±


    ¡°ze¡­¡± Harper couldn¡¯t believe ze would say such things. This man, whom she had been avoiding at all costs, was saying these things.


    ze looked deeply into her eyes. ¡°Listen to me. They don¡¯t want you, but I, ze, want you! Whoever messes with you, even if you want to kill them, I¡¯ll clean up the mess for you.¡±


    Harper stared at him in disbelief. Every domineering word he uttered seemed strangely appealing to her. What was happening to her?


    The next moment, ze sealed her lips with his own, kissing her fiercely.


    He parted her lips, and Harper slightly opened hers, allowing him to kiss her.


    For some reason, she didn¡¯t feel repulsed by ze¡¯s kis. Instead, she felt like something missing inside her was being filled.


    No one wanted her. But he told her he did. Harper¡¯s longshes trembled as she let him kiss her, letting him pry open her own lips.


    He pressed her against a corner of the car, his breath getting heavier, his body tensing up.


    She felt his little brother erected, feeling ashamed.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Drive! Let¡¯s go home!¡± ze left her lips and shouted at the driver.


    Harper looked at his eager expression, her face heating up. She thought, ¡®He just said, go home¡­ go home.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t help but look at ze¡¯s handsome and perfect profile. Today, he once again stood up for her.


    ze suddenly turned to her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Harper lowered her head, but her chin was quickly lifted by him. He forced his face close to hers, his eyes sharp, showing a posture of not giving up until he got an answer, ¡°Speak, what are you looking at?¡±


    Harper had to say softly, ¡°I never thought, at this moment, it would be you by my side.¡±


    When she was alone, helpless, and abandoned, the person by her side turned out to be ze, this despicable and domineering fanatic.


    At her words, ze smirked, his eyes full of triumph. ¡°Are you moved?¡±


    The driver was right. As long as you treat a woman well, you can make her willingly stay by your side. He knew what to do from now on.


    ¡°Just a little,¡± Harper admitted that having someone by her side at this moment did make her feel less miserable.


    ¡°Just a little?¡± ze frowned.


    Harper didn¡¯t say anything, pushing away his hand that was lifting her chin and turning her head to look at the scenery retreating outside the window.


    Back at Sky Harbor, as soon as they got out of the car, ze eagerly picked her up and carried her into the elevator. Having had an experience of almost being watched by surveince security, ze didn¡¯t do anything to her in the elevator.


    But as soon as they exited the elevator, ze put her down, pressing her against the wall, kissing her while walking towards the house, the two of them entangled together.


    From the moment they entered the room, clothes scattered everywhere.


    Harper was held in ze¡¯s arms,pletely under his control.


    His kisses kept raining down on her.


    His hands were scorching, burning every inch of her skin.


    In the air, only the sound of their lips and tongues intertwining could be heard.


    ze used one hand to knead her full breasts vigorously. The other hand tightly gripped her waist, pressing her tightly against his body¡­


    He parted her legs. His long fingers slipped down to her wet entrance between the thighs, and with a little force, he slid inside.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Mm¡­¡± She tilted her neck slightly, unable to control the soft moans escaping her lips.


    With each movement, he stimted her senses. She leaned against him like soft y, her eyes already moist, ¡°ze, it hurts so much¡­¡± She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist.


    The moment she wrapped her legs around his waist, he sucked in a sharp breath.


    His kisses trailed down her neck. When he reached her chest, he delicately nibbled on her enticing pink nipples. Then he buried his face between her twin peaks, his tongue sliding back and forth between the soft crevices. He eagerly sucked on the tender nipples again and again until they hardened.


    Harper couldn¡¯t stop trembling, sweet moans escaping uncontrobly from her lips.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Then, he suddenly sat up while holding her. He lifted her pert buttocks and positioned his erect cock at her already wet entrance, then forcefully pushed her down.


    ¡°Ah-¡± Suddenly prated deeply again, Harper couldn¡¯t help but scream out. After the sultry sound escaped her lips, she felt extremely embarrassed. She wrapped her hands around his neck, letting him hold her as they moved up and down together. The ce where they joined asionally made embarrassing pping sounds¡­


    ¡­


    After the wild night, Harper had already fallen asleep.


    ze pulled back the covers and got up, heading to the bathroom for a shower. He changed into a robe and walked out.


    Dn was alone in the living room, tinkering with a vase of flowers. ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°Get me a file on Harper¡¯s family rtionships. I want information on everyone in The Shaw Family,¡± ze said as he sat down on the sofa.


    ¡°The Shaw Family?¡± Dn paused, then nodded. ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ze propped up one leg and looked at the flowers Dn was arranging. ¡°When you investigated Harper, did you find out that her rtionship with The Shaw Family was not good?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Harper¡¯s family rtionships before. If he hadn¡¯t seen it today, he wouldn¡¯t have known that Harper had reached the point of being expelled by her foster parents.


    Dn was trimming the flowers with scissors. After a few seconds of thought, he replied slowly, ¡°Miss Shaw is the foster daughter. She had good grades as a child, but she was always overshadowed by her sister, and her life didn¡¯t turn out as well as her sister¡¯s. The psychologist even analyzed at the time that Miss Shaw was so reckless as to drug you because of her long-term inferiorityplex. But now, it seems that Miss Shaw is not such a person.¡±


    ¡°Dn,¡± ze leaned back, speaking indifferently.


    Dn looked at him.


    ¡°I want you to establish a department to suppress everyone rted to The Shaw Family. Anyone close to The Shaw Family, whether by blood or by association, should be suppressed,¡± ze ordered, uttering the most ruthlessmand. ¡°Especially Harper¡¯s sister. I heard she¡¯s a celebrity. I want her to fail in the entertainment industry!¡±


    Upon hearing thismand, Dn looked at ze somewhat surprised, ¡°I understand, Master.¡±


    ze sat elegantly, staring at the flower branch that Dn had cut, and suddenly asked, ¡°Why did you cut this one?¡±


    Dn followed his gaze and touched the vibrant flower in the vase. ¡°Because it was obstructing this one from blooming. Look at how beautiful this one is when it¡¯s in full bloom.¡±


    ze gave him a dark look, then suddenly stood up from the sofa, leaned forward, and his slender hand directly threw the flower from the vase onto the ground. He picked up the one Dn had cut and inserted it into the vase, ¡°I want this one that nobody appreciates to bloom in the most dazzling ce!¡±


    With that, ze turned and left, saying as he walked away, ¡°There¡¯s no need to let Harper know about this for now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡­

 Chapter 54 Suppress The Shaw Family

    ¡°What? She¡¯s with ze? Mom, are you kidding me?¡± Fiona, sitting in front of her makeup mirror, turned around in shock to look at her parents.


    ¡°How could I be mistaken? Besides, he even said that he¡¯s ze,¡± Marcia replied, holding the documents in her hand as she sat down.


    ¡°This girl is really not what she used to be. She¡¯s learned totch onto a sugar daddy,¡± Walter eximed, directlybeling Harper as a gold digger.


    Marcia furrowed, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s her boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Mom, stop joking,¡± Fiona, halfway through her makeup, retorted sarcastically, ¡°What kind of person is ze? I heard he categorizes even his lovers into different levels. He keeps a lot of women in his castle. Could Harper be his girlfriend? She¡¯s just a bed warmer, nothing more.¡±


    At Fiona¡¯s words, Marcia fell silent too.


    After a moment of thought, Walter spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s better to cut ties now. Harper is bing more and more vain. If she¡¯s exposed as having an affair with a rich man, it won¡¯t be good for Fiona. We should send this severance document to the court for validation.¡±


    Fiona nodded in agreement, then mocked, ¡°No wonder she suddenly stopped bothering with Logan. Turns out she¡¯s climbed onto an even more powerful figure. She doesn¡¯t even think about what she is. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, she¡¯s still your sister, you should watch your words,¡± a distant voice chimed in.


    The three of them instinctively looked outside and saw Logan walking in.


    ¡°Logan, you¡¯re back,¡± Marcia and Walter straightened up. Despite being their son-inw, Logan was still the heir of The Davidson Group, and they always felt inferior in front of him.


    Fiona stood up from her makeup mirror, looking somewhat excitedly at Logan, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you now? Every time Harper is mentioned, youe to her defense. You weren¡¯t like this before.¡±


    Since they got married, whenever she mentioned Harper, Logan would scold her, and he didn¡¯t take care of her as much, leading to their marriage deteriorating.


    ¡°Is it normal for you to behave like this?¡± Logan nced at them indifferently, ¡°The three of you are here, unfairly using your daughter of being ze¡¯s mistress. Can¡¯t you discuss it face to face?¡±


    ¡°This is a fact! Could ze really marry her? Who does she even think she is?¡± Fiona eximed angrily.


    ¡°Why could¡¯t he?¡± Logan retorted.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Fiona looked at him defending Harper and suddenly felt enraged.


    Marcia pulled her back, signaling her not to argue with Logan.


    Fiona thought for a moment, then clutched her stomach and cried out, ¡°Ah, it hurts so much¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Fiona?¡± Walter and Marcia immediately rushed to support her, filled with concern.


    Fiona looked at Logan¡¯s indifferent face with a sense of grievance. ¡°Logan, you¡¯ve changed. Why do you only speak up for her now? I¡¯m your wife, the mother of your baby.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Walter stepped forward. ¡°Logan, we¡¯ve been good to you. I¡¯ve helped you at thepany. Fiona is carrying your baby. Yet you¡¯re siding with Harper. We¡¯ve cut ties with her. From now on, The Shaw Family doesn¡¯t have a daughter named Harper!¡±


    Cut ties? Logan only then noticed the document in Marcia¡¯s hand, clearlybeled ¡°Deration of Severance of Parental Rtionship.¡±


    Afterward, he walked over to Fiona, gently taking her into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been in a bad moodtely and not paying attention to what I say. Let me take you to the hospital.¡±


    Seeing Logan soften, Fiona spoke softly, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. As long as you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll always be with you.¡±


    Logan embraced her, his fair hand patting her back gently, but his eyes were not on her; they were fixed on the document in Marcia¡¯s hand¡­


    ¡­


    Harper slept deeply, not waking up until the next morning.


    Harper woke up groggily from her bed, feeling sore all over. Last night, she hadpletely copsed into his arms.


    Harper nced beside her, but ze wasn¡¯t in bed.


    She sat up, smelled a faint scent of shower gel. She couldn¡¯t remember if she had showeredst night.


    Harper rubbed her head, recalling that when she was dozing off heavilyst night, she felt someone carrying her to take a shower.


    ¡°It must have been ze. This man actually bathed me.¡± Harper felt a bit embarrassed as she got out of bed. Checking the time, it was already past nine in the morning.


    Harper quickly got up and rushed to the kitchen after freshening up. Before she could get close, she heard Dn¡¯s anxious shout, ¡°No, no, no, Master, you can¡¯t just throw the steak in like that, you need to wait for the oil to heat up!¡±


    ¡°What if the oil stters when it¡¯s hot?¡± ze retorted.


    Surprised, Harper peeked into the kitchen from outside and saw the mess inside, with pots and pans scattered all over the floor.


    ze was standing about a meter away from the stove, tossing steaks into the pan.


    What was he doing?


    Dn stood by, visibly distressed, ¡°The oil won¡¯t stter. Master, let me make breakfast for you.¡±


    ¡°You cook so badly. No way!¡± ze dismissed him with disdain.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Master, I have a chef¡¯s certificate.¡± Dn pleaded, ¡°Or, should I go wake Miss Shaw up to make breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Are you daring to defy me?¡± ze immediately grew angry. ¡°These days, she can sleep aste as she wants, you¡¯re not allowed to disturb her! Also, don¡¯t mention words like father, mother, dad, mom, adopted daughter, abandonment, or cutting ties in front of her, got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Dnplied.


    Harper stood outside, rooted to the spot, as ze¡¯s words echoed in her mind. Everything that happened yesterday shed back to her. Yes, she had beenpletely abandoned by The Shaw Family. She had be a castaway once again.


    Standing there, her pale face cracked into a bitter smile. She hadn¡¯t even thought about any of this since waking up.


    Peering into the kitchen, she saw ze continuing to toss steaks into the pan without flipping them, causing oil to stter everywhere.


    ze was battling with the pan, unaware of her presence. He had an impable face. Knowing ze for so long, Harper found him somewhat likable for the first time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take over.¡± Harper smiled and walked in.


    ze turned around, shocked. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want the kitchen to explode.¡± Harper walked up, turned off the heat, and said to him, ¡°You and Mr. Foster should go out. Breakfast will be ready soon.¡±


    ze didn¡¯t leave, just stared intently at her smile.


    Harper washed the pan clean. Suddenly, strong and warm arms wrapped around her from behind. ze embraced her from behind, pressing his chest against her back, enveloping herpletely.


    It was aforting hug, she could feel it. She continued to scrub the pan, then ced it back on the stove and resumed cooking the steak.


    ze kept holding her from behind, making her movements awkward, but Harper didn¡¯t push him away.


    She thought, she was truly craving this kind of embrace¡­


    After breakfast ¨C


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°To change clothes! I¡¯ll apany you to rx.¡± Harper looked puzzled.


    ¡°ze, you really don¡¯t have to do this,¡± Harper felt ufortable with his change.


    ze nced at her arrogantly. ¡°I want to, so what? Just go and change!¡±


    ¡°This man, caring for someone with such a bad temper and dominance,¡± Harper murmured and nodded obediently.


    A sleek convertible sports car was parked outside, its exterior design not only luxurious but also aggressive, making it impossible to look away.


    ze nced at her,manding, ¡°Get in.¡±


    ¡°Just the two of us?¡± Harper looked around, surprised. Normally, ze would have bodyguards following him, but this time, there were none.


    ¡°Do you want more?¡± ze gestured impatiently for her to get in.


    ¡°No bodyguards?¡± Harper looked at him in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re the famous ze, the wealthiest man in the world. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being kidnapped?¡±


    ¡°I, ze, am personally driving for you. Besides gratitude, you don¡¯t need any other doubts! Get in!¡± ze urged her impatiently.


    Harper reluctantly opened the door and got in, fastening her seatbelt. ze stepped on the elerator, and the high-performance supercar shot out¡­


    The car raced down the open road at incredible speed.


    The feeling of speeding was exhrating, the strong wind taking away all emotions.


    It made her mind go nk, unable to think of anything else.


    ¡°Faster!¡± Harper suddenly shouted, her voice quickly drowned out by the wind.


    ze nced at her. Was she starting to feel better? He pressed harder on the elerator.


    This feeling was special for Harper, something she had never experienced before. She realized that driving fast could make her forget about unhappy things.


    Unable to resist, Harper unfastened her seatbelt and stood up from her seat. Seeing this, ze frowned and slowed down.


    Harper stood on the speeding car, leaning against the seat, hands cupped around her mouth like a megaphone, shouting into the wind, ¡°Harper! You can live well on your own!¡±

 Chapter 55 Threw The Ring

    She shouted loudly, her voice quickly disappearing into the wind.


    ze¡¯s expression darkened as he turned the steering wheel¡­. Did she really think she was alone, even when she was with him? Suppressing his dissatisfaction, ze continued to act as her free chauffeur.


    The sports car went faster and faster. When the car finally slowed down, Harper felt much calmer. She turned to ze, who was staring at her.


    Their eyes met. It felt like there were only the two of them in the entire world.


    ¡°ze, thank you today. I feel much better now,¡± Harper said.


    ¡°Thank you? Do you think I did all this just to hear you say thank you?¡± ze suddenly pulled her into his arms, aggressively kissing her lips. Every time he kissed her, it was intense, as if nothing else mattered.


    Harper was trapped in his embrace, his scent filling her senses. She couldn¡¯t speak for a long time, overwhelmed by his dominance.


    After a long, wet kiss, ze reluctantly let her go. ¡°Harper, I want you! I want you to love me.¡±


    Harper lowered her head, unable to find the right words to say to ze.


    The wind blew through the car, warming her face.


    After a while, Harper couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°ze, can I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± ze replied.


    ¡°With so many women, have you never really been in love with any of them?¡± Harper asked.


    ze¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re the first one I¡¯ve wanted to love! I don¡¯t have time to fall in love with anyone else.¡±


    Harper¡¯s heart is racing. He had admitted that she was the first person he wanted to love, without any pretense.


    ¡­


    The nearest town was a small one. ze parked the car in front of a rtively upscale hotel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the restroom, you go to the restaurant first,¡± Harper said.


    ¡°Hey, hurry up!¡± ze red at her.


    Harper walked into the hotel restroom and sshed water on her face. Then she looked at herself in the mirror.


    Cut off from her foster parents, she didn¡¯t feel much, but ze was giving her a headache. His affection was aggressive and possessive, demanding and intense. She couldn¡¯t respond to him right now¡­ What should she do?


    ze had even thrown away the birth control pills. Harper touched her t stomach. She couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen if she were actually pregnant. Did she really have to give birth to a bastard child?


    Bang. The door of the restroom swung open, and a young woman stepped inside.


    ¡°Lena?¡± Harper looked at her, surprised.


    ¡°Harper?¡± Lena also seemed astonished. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Just passing by, thought I¡¯d grab something to eat. How about you?¡± Harper tore off a paper towel to dry her hands.


    ¡°Same here.¡± Lena smiled and leaned over to wash her hands.


    Harper nodded, about to leave. Lena turned to her, sounding apologetic, ¡°By the way, Harper, I feel bad about what happened on the cruisest time, not being able to help you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you were just telling the truth. Three years ago, I was indeed alone in the bathroom for that hour, and no one saw me.¡±


    ¡°I see Mr. Wychwood treats you well. You must be enjoying being around him, right?¡± Lena smiled, her tone full of concern ¡°Isn¡¯t it great?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Harper shrugged, pushing open the door and leaving the restroom with Lena.


    ¡°It sounds like you don¡¯t really like staying by Mr. Wychwood¡¯s side,¡± Lena walked beside her, asking with concern, ¡°Is it because of what happened three years ago? Were you really the one who drugged him?¡±


    Drugged him. Harper got a headache just thinking about it.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°Then how¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened three years ago. All I know is I became the scapegoat and ended up with ze.¡±


    ¡°Really? So Mr. Wychwood is looking for the person who drugged him three years ago to make her his lover?¡± Lena asked, puzzled. ¡°But why did he ruin your reputation three years ago and now he¡¯s treating you so well?¡±


    ¡°Because he thought I secretly had a child three years ago, and he wants the child.¡± Harper didn¡¯t hide anything. It was all absurd to her.


    ¡°He thought you had a child, so he¡¯s treating you well?¡± Lena looked at her in disbelief.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Harper shrugged.


    At this point, she didn¡¯t understand where ze¡¯s insistence came from¡­ Initially, it was about having a child, then forcing her to sign a contract. Now, even without a child, he wants to create one. She couldn¡¯t fathom what ze was thinking.


    ¡°Oh, I see now,¡± Lena eximed, her long hair falling over her ear as she pondered something.


    The two of them reached the hotel entrance, and Lena walked towards the hotel¡¯s main door, smiling as she bid Harper farewell. ¡°Harper, catch upter.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Lena hurried out.


    Harper felt a bit strange, but she didn¡¯t dwell on it. She headed towards the direction of the restaurant.


    In the exquisitely decorated restaurant, guests were gradually leaving. Harper was intercepted by a waiter. The waiter politely said to her, ¡°Miss, this restaurant has been booked. Please choose another one.¡±


    ¡°Booked?¡± Before Harper could respond, she heard a domineering voice saying, ¡°She¡¯s with me!¡± In the spacious restaurant, ze sat by the window, his slender hands crossed under his chin. The sunlight illuminated his face, making his remarkable handsomeness even more captivating.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Mr. Wychwood¡¯spanion. Please, this way,¡± the waiter immediately stepped aside to let her in upon hearing this.


    Harper walked over and sat opposite ze with some resignation. ¡°Was it necessary to book the entire restaurant?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Fewer people make for a better date,¡± ze stated, having his own set of theories.


    ¡°But others are still eating,¡± Harper nced at several tables nearby. Some hadn¡¯t even finished their snacks or coffee.


    ¡°I have money, and I can do what I want!¡± ze¡¯s words silenced Harper.


    Harper remained silent, sitting by the window, waiting quietly for the meal to be served. ze reached across the table, took her hand, and yed with it in his palm.


    ¡°You¡¯re missing something on your hand,¡± ze suddenly said.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Harper replied, looking out of the window.


    ¡°I said you are,¡± ze nced at her, holding her hand with one hand while reaching into his pocket with the other.


    Outside the window, a pink Lamborghini was parked, particrly eye-catching. Harper couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces, and suddenly saw a familiar figure heading towards the Lamborghini.


    Harper widened her eyes in surprise.


    It was Fiona.


    Fiona was dressed very low-key, wearing a long coat and a hat. Her beautiful and delicate face was hidden behind a pair ofrge sunsses. She walked to the car, looked around, and then got in, driving away.


    How could Fiona be here? This was a remote town, and Fiona was a big star. Why would shee alone? Strange. Harper thought, something flickering in her mind but unable to put it into words.


    Out of the blue, she felt a chill on her finger. There, on her ring finger, sat a diamond ring, its perfect heart-shaped cut sparkling brilliantly under the sunlight.


    ¡°A heart-shaped diamond,¡± Harper murmured in disbelief, looking up at ze.


    Grinning, ze pinched her finger, ¡°You¡¯re allowed two tears of joy, no more, no less.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you the ring,¡± ze interrupted, his eyes fixed on her reaction.


    ¡°Why are you giving me a ring?¡± Harper asked, puzzled.


    Harper¡¯s reaction was far from what ze had expected.


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m giving you a ring?¡± ze frowned, annoyed, ¡°I¡¯ve got money, and I can do whatever I like!¡±


    Harper looked at the sparkling ring on her finger, her thoughts swirling. She wasn¡¯t naive enough to not understand the significance of a gift like this. Touching the cold diamond, she whispered, ¡°This ring is too precious.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s precious. It¡¯s a heart-shaped diamond cut with a unique craft from around the world.¡±


    ¡°Then I can¡¯t ept it,¡± Harper said, immediately trying to take off the ring.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± ze red at her.


    ¡°A ring is a symbol of intimacy between lovers. Look at this perfectly cut ring; why not save it for your future wife?¡± Harper tried to convince ze to take off the ring.


    ¡°Also, it¡¯s a bit big for me,¡± Harper desperately searched for reasons. ¡°The ring would definitely slip off. If it falls off, what about such an expensive ring¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you done?¡± ze coldly interrupted her.


    Harper looked at his face, which had turned extremely unpleasant.


    She fell silent.


    ze tightened his grip on her hand, staring at her, ¡°Basically, you just don¡¯t want to wear the ring I gave you, right? Why bother making so many excuses?¡±

 Chapter 56 Let Me Go

    ¡°I¡­¡± Harper hesitated.


    ¡°Fine, don¡¯t wear it!¡± ze suddenly stood up, snatching the ring from her finger and kicking the table over with a loud crash.


    ¡°Bang!¡± The sound reverberated through the room. The table flipped onto the ground, and the sses on it scattered, water spilling everywhere.


    A mess.


    He red at her furiously, clutching the ring tightly in his hand.


    He was throwing a tantrum again.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood¡­¡±


    Several waiters approached, carrying dishes, and they were all stunned by the scene.


    ze red at them darkly, then grabbed a silver tray and smashed it against the window, shattering the ss with a loud ¡°bang.¡±


    Harper watched in shock, wondering how much force it took to break the ss like that.


    With a swift motion, ze tossed the diamond ring out of the window, causing the waiters to gasp in astonishment.


    ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± ze demanded, his anger boiling.


    Harper was speechless, her mouth slightly agape in disbelief.


    He was so furious?


    ze¡¯s eyes bore into Harper, and he strode over to her. Harper couldn¡¯t help but shrink back, fearing he might hit her.


    But the expected blow never came.


    ze stared at her lowered head, sensing her fear of his temper. ¡®Yet, even in her fear, she didn¡¯t utter a word about wanting the ring back. Such a stubborn woman.¡¯ A hint of sadness flickered in his eyes, ¡°Harper, you¡¯re the first person to ever refuse me.¡±


    With that, he stormed off, not even looking back.


    Harper stood alone, feeling a mix of emotions. She knew ze had a vtile and obsessive personality, but seeing him explode like that still scared her.


    ¡°Miss, Mr. Wychwood¡­¡± The waiters looked at Harper,pletely bewildered.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, he¡¯s not in a great mood,¡± Harper forced a calm smile, ¡°How much for the damages here, and the cost of booking the restaurant¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood has already covered the restaurant rental fee. As for the damages here¡­¡± The waiters quickly estimated, ¡°It¡¯s probably around thirty to forty thousand. Let me go get the manager to assess it properly.¡±


    ¡°No need, I have a card. Just swipe it,¡± Harper said, pulling out her card from her bag. Thankfully, ze had already paid for the venue, or she wouldn¡¯t be able to afford this today and might end up getting detained here.


    After swiping her card, Harper left the hotel, feeling utterly exhausted.


    ze¡¯s temperament was just too frightening.


    Harper walked out, finding a spot in a nearby flower bed to sit. She looked around, but there was no sign of ze or his car.


    He must have left in a fit of rage.


    Harper stood up, about to leave, when she noticed the same waiters sneaking off in the direction where ze had tossed the ring earlier. She tightened her grip on her handbag. She couldn¡¯t ept ze¡¯s ring; it was too intimate. But after spending the whole day with him, she didn¡¯t want his ring to just disappear like that. With that in mind, Harper headed over.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    The waiters were rummaging through the bushes. Seeing Harper approaching, they eximed and immediately straightened up, looking embarrassed. Then they scattered, no longer daring to search for the ring.


    Harper watched them run off, then set her bag down and started searching on the ground. Outside the restaurant was a parking lot and a green area, lush with bushes in rows.


    She remembered ze had thrown it in this direction.


    Time flew by, and before she knew it, it was dark. Harper¡¯s hands were covered in dirt, and her vision was worsening. She had to take out her phone, using its shlight to illuminate the bushes and continue searching.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I find it? It was definitely around here,¡± Harper muttered to herself, ¡°Strange. Did it bounce off afternding here?¡±


    In the end, Harper disregarded her appearance, kneeling on the ground and running her hands through the bushes repeatedly.


    ¡°Ah.¡± She caught a snail, its slimy sensation clinging to her fingers. Harper quickly let go, shaking her hand.


    ¡°Beep-beep.¡±


    A piercing horn suddenly sounded, apanied by two strong beams of light heading her way. Harper knelt on the ground, shielding her eyes with her dirty hands.


    The horn abruptly stopped. Silence fell under the night sky.


    The lights dimmed, leaving only the cool moonlight.


    Harper blinked her ufortable eyes and looked ahead. ze¡¯s shy convertible was parked not far away, facing her. ze was sitting expressionlessly in the driver¡¯s seat, staring at her.


    ¡®He hadn¡¯t left?¡¯ Harper looked at him in astonishment.


    Suddenly, ze pressed a hand against the car door, leaping out directly and striding toward her.


    Harper tried to stand up, only to realize her legs were numb from kneeling and couldn¡¯t support her. ze reached her, ring at her fiercely.


    ¡®Is he getting angrier anding back to vent on me?¡¯ Harper felt a pang of fear, tilting slightly backward and looking at him apprehensively.


    The next moment, she was forcefully pulled up by ze. He hugged her tightly, his hands gripping her slender body firmly. She gasped for air, ¡°ze¡­¡±


    ze held her close, leaning down to her ear. His breath was heavy as he rasped, ¡°Harper, I really want to just kill you!¡±


    Harper¡¯s heart was racing, about to say something, when ze whispered in her ear again, ¡°But I can¡¯t, Harper, I can¡¯t!¡±


    He hugged her and said in a nearly surrendering tone, ¡°You win! Harper!¡±


    ¡°ze¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen carefully, I want you to stay! Even if you drive me crazy, I, ze, still want you!¡±


    Though his words sounded domineering, there was a hint of surrender, a humble surrender.


    What did he mean by this? Was he not angry anymore?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ze suddenly released her and pulled her into the hotel. He marched to the front desk, demanding, ¡°Book the best and most expensive room!¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the receptionist nodded immediately.


    Harper was dragged away by ze, straight up to the room. As soon as they entered, ze forcefully sat her down on the bed.


    He went into the bathroom, the sound of running water filling the air. Soon, ze emerged with a damp towel in hand. He stood before her, his face serious, taking one of her hands and wiping away the dirt.


    ¡°I can do it myself, thanks,¡± Harper said, ufortable with being attended to.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± ze red at he r, continuing to clean her hands. After a few times, her hands were spotless. Then he ordered, ¡°Lift your face.¡±


    Harper hesitated, but before she could refuse, ze lifted her chin forcefully, not giving her any chance to resist.


    ze held her chin with one hand, using the warm, damp towel to wipe the dirt off her face.


    His expression was dark, but his actions surprisingly gentle.


    Harper felt uneasy sitting there. She wasn¡¯t used to this side of ze. She could handle him throwing tantrums and yelling at her, but this sudden tenderness was unsettling.


    ¡°Picking up a ring and getting your face dirty, are you stupid?¡± ze scolded her, his actions gentler than his words, as if afraid of hurting her.


    ¡°You saw it too? I thought you had left¡­¡± Harper kept her eyes down, avoiding his intense gaze.


    ¡°I came back to give you a beating!¡± ze snorted coldly.


    Harper fell silent, then heard ze¡¯s voice again, ¡°If you don¡¯t want the ring I gave you, why did you go pick it up?¡±


    ¡°The ring is too precious,¡± Harper replied honestly.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m rich, tossing a few rings is nothing,¡± ze said arrogantly, gripping her chin, ¡°Look at me and answer me!¡±


    With her chin in pain from his grip, Harper reluctantly looked up at him.


    Her throat choked up, unable to speak.


    ¡°Speak!¡± ze demanded.


    The room was dimly lit, ze staring at her intently, refusing to relent until he got an answer.


    ¡°ze,¡± Harper met his gaze calmly. ¡°I appreciate the gifts you gave me, but I really can¡¯t ept them.¡±


    ¡°Reason.¡±


    ¡°You should understand.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t love you,¡± Harper finally uttered the words, feeling a sense of trepidation. She didn¡¯t know what to expect from ze, this obsessive man, whether he¡¯d throw another tantrum or¡­


    ze stood before her, his towering figure stiffened by her words. He looked at her expressionlessly, his breathing growing heavier in the quiet hotel room.


    Suddenly, ze ced his hands on her shoulders, ¡°Then why did you still look for the ring?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t love you, but I don¡¯t want you to suffer a loss either,¡± Harper said honestly.


    ¡°From today on, you¡¯re not allowed to say those four words!¡± ze stared deeply into her eyes.


    Harper sat on the bed, her face obscured by the dim light. After a while, she gathered her courage and reached out to touch his wrist. She pleaded, ¡°ze, please let me go.¡±

 Chapter 57 By His Side 24/7

    ze lowered his eyes, staring at her intently, but said nothing.


    Undeterred, Harper continued, ¡°Let¡¯s start from being friends. Please set me free, okay? We can stay in touch like friends.¡±


    ¡°I have no friends here!¡± ze stared at her, ¡°I might as well tell you, I was furious today, I wanted toe back and strangle you. But when I came back, I saw you kneeling on the ground, looking for the ring! The ring I discarded! No woman would act so undignified to retrieve something I didn¡¯t want! At that moment, I thought, I must have this woman!¡±


    Harper looked at him in astonishment. She suddenly felt she had made a huge mistake. Why did she go back to pick up the ring again¡­ she shouldn¡¯t have done that.


    ¡°So, Harper, I won¡¯t let you go!¡± ze suddenly lowered his head and kissed her lips.


    Harper reached out to push against his chest, but ze easily grabbed her hand, rendering her immobile.


    ze sealed her lips with his, his teeth grinding against hers. Harper winced in pain, opening her mouth, allowing ze¡¯s hot tongue to invade.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ don¡¯t do this¡­ let¡¯s talk¡­ Eh¡­¡± Harper managed to gasp for breath, frowning. She knew, with his personality, if she didn¡¯t seize this chance to talk things through, she might never get another opportunity.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about!¡± ze pressed his lips against hers, ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t ask you anymore. Everything will be done my way! Don¡¯t expect to trample on my dignity again!¡±


    With that, ze pushed her onto therge bed.


    Harper looked at him in confusion. What did he mean by doing everything his way?


    ze leaned down and kissed her passionately, causing her to tremble involuntarily.


    He suddenly grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers, and brought her slender fingers to his face. He silently stared at her hand for a long time.


    Harpery there, not understanding what he was up to.


    After a long silence, ze suddenly kissed her fingers, causing Harper to shrink back involuntarily. The next moment, she found something on her ring finger ¨C a diamond ring.


    ze turned his face, his white teeth biting the ring as he slowly slid it onto her finger, from the tip to the base, performing the action slowly and ambiguously.


    Harper had never seen anyone put on a ring like this before. She stared nkly at his face, so handsome, so sexy. Her body trembled uncontrobly, melting under him.


    ¡°If you take it off again, I¡¯ll nail it to your finger, got it?¡± ze looked at her, his voice hoarse, ¡°This is my way! From now on, everything will be done my way.¡± With that, he kissed her lips again¡­


    He kissed her wildly and fiercely, pressing against her neck, biting roughly. No matter how Harper resisted, he remained immovable like a mountain. A chill crept up from her feet.


    ze, still kissing her, rudely tore off her dress. The air was filled with the sound of fabric rustling.


    His hands eagerly groped her ample breasts.


    Harper¡¯s body trembled slightly.


    His kisses descended from her lips down her body, the heat from his mouth spreading over her, his hardened cock finding its way to her sensitive spot.


    He didn¡¯t give her more forey, almost as if he was punishing her, he thrust into her forcefully.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ Uhh¡­¡± The pain of tearing made her bite his shoulder¡­


    ¡­


    After the intense lovemaking, ze fell into a deep sleep, but Harpery awake in his arms.


    Resting her head on his arm, Harper raised her own hand and looked at the ring on her ring finger. The diamond was cut into the shape of a heart. Exquisite, gorgeous, elegant ¨C none of these words could fully describe its beauty. ze had excellent taste.


    But she felt ufortable wearing it. It was such a small, light diamond, yet it felt so heavy on her finger.


    Harper looked at the man beside her.


    He was ze. Why did he have to fixate on her?


    Harper reached out to take off the ring on her ring finger. But then she remembered ze¡¯s domineering words ¨C ¡°If you take it off again, I¡¯ll nail it to your finger!¡±


    Her hand froze.


    Feeling annoyed, Harper gently pushed away ze¡¯s entangling limbs. She got out of bed and walked to the balcony.


    A cool breeze swept in, Harper immediately tightened the hotel bathrobe around her.


    Sighing deeply, Harper saw a white Porsche parked below. The pure white color stood out against the night sky.


    ¡°Is that Logan¡¯s car? Why is his car parked here? Is it because Fiona is also here? No, Fiona left during the day. If they came together, there would be no need for two cars¡­¡±


    So strange¡­


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Harper followed ze out of the town and back to the city center.


    After quickly changing her clothes, Harper was taken by ze to the N. E headquarters.


    ze wanted to be with her 24/7¡­


    In the CEO¡¯s office at N. E headquarters, ze sat at his desk and started working.


    Harper reached out to pull open the floor-to-ceiling window curtains and basked in the sunlight.


    For some reason, she felt that something was off during their trip to the town yesterday¡­


    Lena at the hotel;


    Fiona leaving the hotel right after;


    The white Porsche at night.


    Harper bit her lip, lost in thought. She felt like there was some connection between them, but she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it.


    ¡°Harper,e here!¡± ze suddenly called her name.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Regarding the acquisition case¡­¡± the secretary stopped halfway.


    Harper pushed aside her doubts and walked over to ze. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ze was flipping through documents and signing. Suddenly, he put down his pen, grabbed her cor, pulled her down, and fiercely kissed her lips. His tongue licked her lips, then he let go. ¡°Alright, you can go now.¡±


    Harper stood there speechless, touching her lips.


    The secretaries were all dumbfounded, staring in shock at Harper¡¯s flushed lips from being kissed.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Go ahead!¡± ze coldly nced at the secretaries,manding them to continue their reports.


    The secretaries hurriedly continued, ¡°Mr. ze, there¡¯s another document that needs your signature.¡±


    ze nodded and signed it.


    ¡­


    In the following days, Harper was driven nearly crazy by ze.


    He seemed addicted to kissing her, anytime, anywhere.


    The most outrageous was during a meeting with hundreds of people, he suddenly had her brought in. She thought something was wrong, but ze just embraced her and kissed her for nearly three minutes, then let her go¡­


    From then on, whenever Harper entered N. E Group, the employees greeted her with ttery¡­


    ¡°ze, could you please stop kissing me in public from now on?¡± In the CEO¡¯s office, Harper sat at the white desk, speaking to ze who was reviewing documents.


    ¡°Nope,¡± ze¡¯s voice was cocky.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, everything will be done my way, and that¡¯s my way!¡± ze closed a document and turned to look at her, ¡°If I want to kiss you, I¡¯ll kiss you. If I want you, I¡¯ll have you! You can¡¯t refuse!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts!¡± ze interrupted, ¡°I have a private appointmentter, you¡¯lle with me and wait in the car.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Harper couldn¡¯t refuse, and frankly, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to refuse.


    ze kept her by his side 24/7 now, she had no way of escaping.


    Harper lowered her head, twirling the pen in her hand, getting ready to doodle on the paper.


    Suddenly, her phone vibrated.


    It was a text message from one of Lena¡¯s phone numbers. She had called earlier, but Lena didn¡¯t pick up.


    [Harper, it¡¯s Lena. Do you have time to grab a drink?]


    Harper tightened her grip on her phone. Honestly, she didn¡¯t really feel like meeting up with Lena. When they met on the cruise, they weren¡¯t as close as before, and their conversation felt awkward and distant.


    But thinking about seeing Lena and Fiona in that remote town, Harper couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity. How could they were all just happen to go to that small town that day?


    ¡°ze, can I meet up with a ssmate?¡± Harper applied to Mr. Wychwood.


    ¡°Come here.¡± ze closed another document he had finished reviewing. His voice was deep, with his usualmanding tone.


    Harper had no choice but to stand up and walk over to him. ze pressed her down onto hisp, holding her tightly and kissing her lips. Hisrge hand caressed her hand, feeling her delicate ring finger, touching the ring on it¡­


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

 Chapter 58 What Happened Three Years Ago?

    Harper¡¯s breath was taken away by the kiss. ze loosened his hold on her for a moment, then kissed her again passionately, ravishing her lips and tongue, until her body gradually softened in his arms, involuntarily leaning against his chest.


    Only then did ze release her, his eyes fixed on her fair face. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Harper touched her swollen lips¡­ Now she had to get his approval for everything she did. He said he was her home, but he seemed more like a guardian, a domineering one at that.


    ¡°But you must meet next door,¡± ze added.


    ¡°¡­¡± Harper was speechless.


    ¡°No more than a kilometer away from me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you hear me?¡± ze bit her ear, dissatisfied with her silence.


    ¡°I got it, Mr. CEO, whatever you say.¡± Harper felt helpless. She had never seen anyone approach love the way ze did.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make ns to meet up with my ssmate.¡± Harper returned to her desk and texted Lena to arrange a time.


    ze had arranged to meet at an upscale private club. He directly booked two adjacent rooms, so Harper wouldn¡¯t be too far from him. He could see her anytime.


    The private club¡¯s rooms werevish and magnificent, dominated by gold tones. The entire ce was decorated like a pce. As Harper stepped in, she felt like she was entering a luxurious world. Living with ze, everything she saw and heard was so different from before.


    Harper walked over to the bar, pondered for a moment, then took out a bottle of high-proof red wine and sat down at the table.


    Before she could even open the wine, the door was pushed open.


    Lena, dressed in a white dress, stood at the doorway, ¡°Sorry. Harper, I¡¯mte.¡±


    ¡°No worries, I just got here too.¡± Harper smiled, ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    Lena looked around the room with admiration, ¡°It¡¯s a high-profile private club, did Mr. Wychwood arrange this for you?¡±


    Harper just smiled and didn¡¯t say much. She poured a ss for Lena, ¡°Long time no see, let¡¯s have a drink.¡±


    After Lena put down her ss, she looked at Harper curiously, ¡°By the way, we rushed thingsst time we met. Tell me, what happened three years ago? And what¡¯s going on between you and Mr. Wychwood now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you already know?¡± Harper said lightly as she took a sip of the wine. It tasted a bit bitter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much,¡± Lena said.


    ¡°You seem very interested in what happened three years ago?¡± Harper had a hunch that Lena know something, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it.


    ¡°Just chatting. If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, we can drop it. So, how have you been these years?¡± Lena twirled her long hair, exuding a mature woman¡¯s charm. Lena was really different from before. The old Lena didn¡¯t have this seductive vibe.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just been drawingics, you know I¡¯ve always lovedics since college. My days have been pretty simple and boring. How about you? You seem to be doing well,¡± Harper said.


    ¡°Me?¡± Lena¡¯s face darkened at the mention. She was a bit tipsy from the wine. After a moment, Lena looked up at her, ¡°Do you want to hear the truth?¡±


    Before Harper could say anything, Lena suddenly stood up from the table, pointing to her bag hanging beside her,¡±I have designer clothes, designer bags now, but I¡¯m not doing well. In fact, I don¡¯t even know what I want¡­¡±


    Harper listened quietly.


    ¡°Back then, my family was so poor, I didn¡¯t have what others had. I was so poor that I had to borrow money for tuition. I could only do part-time jobs, and I couldn¡¯t even afford to go to the hospital when I was sick.¡± Lena looked at her bag with a bitter smile, ¡°I was really scared of being poor. I thought I would get better after graduation.¡±


    Harper listened, sinking into memories of their college days.


    Back then, they often leaned against the window of the dormitory. They encouraged each other, one saying they had to work hard to make money, the other saying they had to strive to be the top girl in the world ofic.


    ¡°But I found out, poor people are just poor people. It¡¯s not that simple to get better! No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t catch up with others!¡± Lena suddenly looked at Harper, self-mockingly, ¡°I know, when you saw my boyfriend on the cruise, you secretly looked down on me.¡±


    Harper looked at Lena, her gaze sincere, ¡°No. I just thought you could choose a morefortable life. The Lena I know is a very hardworking and ambitious girl. After not seeing you for a few years, I was a bit surprised.¡±


    ¡°A morefortable life? Huh, that also depends on material things¡­ Nowadays, who cares about you if you don¡¯t have money?¡± Lenaughed. She picked up the red wine bottle and poured herself another full ss, ¡°I know you look down on me too. But I need to stay a live, I need money, I¡¯m tired of living a life where I¡¯m exhausted but get nothing in return!¡± At the end, Lena shouted out passionately.


    ¡°You¡¯ve had enough to drink.¡± Harper stood up, pressing down Lena¡¯s hand that was about to raise her ss again, and said calmly.


    ¡°Let me drink.¡± Lena looked at her with a bitter smile, ¡°You don¡¯t know, I¡¯m tired of pretending to be ady in front of those rich people. In the world of the elite, women are alwayspeting secretly, there are no friends at all. Meeting a friend like you, I really don¡¯t want to pretend anymore.¡±


    Harper looked at her, slowly retracting her hand.


    As the waiter came in with a variety of dishes, Lena was alreadypletely drunk.


    ¡°Miss,¡± a waiter approached her, holding a tray, ¡°Mr. Wychwood asked me to give you something. He¡¯s waiting for it.¡±


    ¡°Give me something?¡± Harper looked at the tray in confusion.


    On the tray was a piece of paper wrapped around something.


    It was a piece of ice-cold transparent ss, about the size of her palm, cut into a heart shape.


    ¡®How much does ze love heart shapes¡­¡¯ Harper ced the ss on herp and unfolded the paper. On it, four letters were written in a mboyant manner ¨C kiss!


    ¡®¡­ This guy¡­¡¯ Harper thought. ¡®He actually thought of this trick to ask for a kiss, shameless.¡¯


    The waiter seemed to sense her reluctance and said immediately, ¡°Mr. Wychwood said if we couldn¡¯t get it back, he woulde and take it himself.¡±


    ¡®Come and take it himself? This damn pervert!¡¯ Harper thought, embarrassed. She lowered her head and picked up the heart-shaped ss, pressing her lips against it. The crimson lipstick immediately left a light imprint on the ss.


    ¡°Take it,¡± Harper said, feeling incredibly embarrassed. Her face was burning.


    ¡®Damn ze. Stupid man! Kiss fiend! Perverted lunatic!¡¯ Harper cursed ze in her mind, waiting for the waiters to leave before she lifted her head.


    Lena was already too drunk, murmuring about their college days, ¡°I¡¯m not as good as before, neither are you. You¡¯re also with Mr. Wychwood. Harper, we¡¯ve all changed, we¡¯ve all changed¡­¡±


    ¡°Lena, I have something to ask you.¡±


    Lena, barely able to open her eyes due to drunkenness, slurred, ¡°What?¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Three years ago, someone from The Wychwood Family approached you for questioning. Why didn¡¯t you tell me anything and just watched me get crushed by the college gossip? And on the cruise, I could tell you were shocked. Your avoided the topic of three years ago¡­ Are you hiding something from me?¡±


    Lena sobered up slightly at Harper¡¯s words, sitting up. She sighed bitterly, ¡°You¡¯re really smart, Harper. You¡¯ve always been smart, actually.¡±


    ¡°I want the answer,¡± Harper said seriously.


    Lena shook her head desperately, as if she remembered something, ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t say.¡±


    Seeing her like this, Harper became more convinced of her suspicions. She grabbed Lena¡¯s arm, ¡°Are you really hiding something from me? Tell me, what is it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say¡­¡±


    ¡°Lena!¡± Harper couldn¡¯t help but get excited, ¡°Do you know how important the events from three years ago are to me? I¡¯m in this situation now because of that. Tell me! What do you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Lena apologized.


    ¡°Sorry? Why are you apologizing to me? What do you know? What have you done?¡± Harper gripped her arm tightly.


    Lena felt ufortable being held so tightly, and she identally spat out some red wine onto the ground. She shook her head repeatedly, ¡°I can¡¯t say, I really can¡¯t say. Harper, please don¡¯t force me¡­¡±


    ¡®Is she really not willing to say anything? What happened three years ago? Why can¡¯t she talk about it?¡¯ Harper¡¯s mind raced with many thoughts.


    Watching Lena¡¯s distressed expression, Harper didn¡¯t speak for a long time. She reached behind Lena and gently patted her back, asking, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±

 Chapter 59 Seeking Revenge

    Lena bowed her head, letting Harper pat her gently.


    Suddenly, Lena lifted her face, tears in her eyes but a smile on her face, ¡°Do you remember? I used to work part-time selling beer at school. I couldn¡¯t hold my liquor, and I always came back drunk. It was always you who took care of me. You were the best person to me back then.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t force you anymore.¡±


    Whether Lena spoke or not didn¡¯t matter. At least now she was certain of one thing: there was something suspicious about the events on the cruise three years ago, even though she still didn¡¯t know what it was.


    ¡°Harper,¡± Lena called her name softly, hesitating, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Harper asked.


    Lena, in a drunken stupor, looked at her, suddenly falling towards her, ¡°Three years, three years¡­ you¡­ be careful¡­ your sister¡­¡±


    ¡®Sister?¡­ Fiona.¡¯ Harper felt a chill run down her spine, as if a puzzle was slowly unraveling in front of her, ¡®The events from three years ago on the cruise are rted to Fiona. This exins why Lena and Fiona appeared separately in the remote town. Lena was secretly meeting Fiona. But, three years ago¡­ what exactly happened? What role did Lena y in that event? The whole situation¡­ is it a conspiracy? How big of a conspiracy is it?¡¯


    Harper had nned to wait for Lena to sober up before asking her questions. But ze couldn¡¯t wait, and he took her away immediately after finishing his appointment.


    Harper was reluctantly dragged out of the private club room by ze, ¡°Can¡¯t I chat with my ssmate a bit longer?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± ze was very domineering, pulling her hand and leaving.


    Sky Harbor, Tower A.


    The TV was ying various entertainment news. Harper sat on the sofa with a pillow, lost in thought.


    The events from three years ago.


    Lena.


    Fiona.


    Who set her up? Who framed her? Who put her in this situation? She had to find out.


    Harper hugged the pillow tightly, and a faint scent of mint drifted over.


    ze walked towards her in a bathrobe, drying his wet hair with a clean towel. His voice was deep, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Harper replied.


    ¡°Help me dry my hair,¡± ze tossed the towel to her.


    Harper reluctantly put down the pillow, kneeling on the sofa to dry his hair with the towel.


    ze sat there, and suddenly a heart-shaped ss appeared in his hand, with her lip print on it. He tossed the ss up and down, ¡°Next time, can you kiss prettier? This lip print is too small, not sexy enough.¡±


    ¡®He wants it to be sexier? How many lip prints does he want?¡¯ Harper was speechless.


    She vigorously dried his hair and suddenly said, ¡°ze.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± ze leaned towards her, enjoying her soft body.


    ¡°If I said there might still be something worth investigating about the drugging incident three years ago, what would you think?¡± Harper asked tentatively.


    She hoped ze would be interested and willing to investigate. With his power and authority, providing a small clue would surely lead to uncovering everything.


    ¡°What would I think?¡± ze put away the ss, turned to look at her, ¡°Did you find someughable evidence again? Do you think you can clear our rtionship again?¡±


    Harper knelt in front of him, eagerly saying, ¡°I really feel like there¡¯s still something wrong here. ze, don¡¯t you have any curiosity about the truth of the matter?¡±


    ¡°The truth is three years ago you drugged me. Three yearster, I caught you, and then I fell for you!¡± ze summarized everything in a few words.


    ¡°But what if it wasn¡¯t me who drugged you three years ago? Aren¡¯t you curious about who really did it?¡± Harper tried to pique his interest, to guide him to investigate.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested,¡± ze said firmly.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ze reached out and pinched her chin, his voice deep, ¡°I¡¯m interested in you now! Understand? I don¡¯t care about what happened three years ago!¡±


    ¡°Even if it turns out someone else drugged you?¡± Harper persisted.


    ¡°Even if someone else drugged me, it doesn¡¯t matter!¡± ze asserted dominantly, ¡°What matters is that I like you now, and I don¡¯t want to see you trying to distance yourself from me anymore! That makes me very unhappy.¡±


    Harper stared at him nkly, unable to speak for a while. For ze, the truth from three years ago wasn¡¯t that important. The only person who cared about the truth from three years ago was¡­ herself.


    Harper made up her mind. If ze wouldn¡¯t investigate, she would do it alone. Now, with the events from three years ago involving Fiona, she faintly felt that the whole thing might be a conspiracy against her¡­


    But how could she investigate the events from three years ago? Harper struggled with this question for days but couldn¡¯te up with a good solution¡­


    After making a tub of vani ice cream in the kitchen, Harper carried it to ze¡¯s study-


    ze was sitting at his desk, typing on the keyboard, his handsome face focused and serious, his slender fingers moving up and down on the keys.


    ¡°The ice cream¡¯s ready,¡± Harper said as she approached him.


    ¡°Feed me!¡± ze didn¡¯t even look at her, justmanded dominantly. His eyes were fixed on the screen, his fingers still typing rapidly on the keyboard.


    ¡°Okay. CEO¡¯s orders were above everything else.¡±


    Harper spoon-fed him, her gaze falling on thergeputer screen, where there was a bunch of code she couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°Are you making a virus again?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is it for messing with your own phone system again?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    How could he be so focused on making viruses to attack the system he designed?


    Seeming to know what she was thinking, ze spoke in a low voice, ¡°Viruses aren¡¯t necessarily bad things. They can be used not only to check your own system but also to deal with people you dislike or to get what you need.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Ignorant.¡±


    A bold idea slowly formed in her mind, ¡°ze, do you have the kind of virus that can directly invade someone else¡¯s phone? Like the eavesdropping technology in movies, what you can listen to someone¡¯s calls or read their messages.¡±


    ¡°Who do you want to deal with?¡± ze stopped his actions.


    ¡°No one, I¡¯m just curious if such a virus exists,¡± Harper replied, feeling a bit guilty under his gaze.


    ¡°Are you boredtely?¡± ze nced at her, reached into a cab, and pulled out a silver box resembling a USB drive, throwing it onto the table, ¡°Take it, then.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± Harper asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Plug this into the charging port of the phone. In just 30 seconds, the virus program will invade the phone without leaving any trace,¡± ze said, his voice low and sexy.


    Harper put down the spoon and picked up the small silver box. Such a small thing could invade someone¡¯s phone? That¡¯s impressive.


    If she could invade Fiona¡¯s phone, she could surely listen in on any private conversations between Fiona and Lena. Then she could finally understand what happened three years ago. But¡­ was it okay to do this?


    As Harper was contemting, she found herself being lifted onto ze¡¯sp.


    ze held her with one hand while elegantly feeding her a spoonful of ice cream with the other. ¡°If you want to invade my phone, forget about it. That¡¯s not happening.¡±


    Harper awkwardly smiled, ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t invade your phone.¡±


    ¡°Then whose phone do you want to invade?¡± ze pinched her chin, forcing her to look at him. ¡°Which man¡¯s phone are you interested in invading?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Not a man.¡±


    ze¡¯s expression softened slightly, and he continued, ¡°Then who?¡±


    Harper bit her lip and honestly replied, ¡°I was thinking¡­ about invading my sister¡¯s phone. I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡±


    ¡°Your sister?¡± ze looked at her expressionlessly.


    Harper thought he was going to ask why she wanted to eavesdrop on her own sister, but ze just chuckled lightly at her words, pinching her chin with approval shining in his eyes, ¡°It seems you still can¡¯t let go of the fact that your adoptive parents want to cut ties with you. Your foster mother said you and your sisters don¡¯t get along, yet she only kicked you out¡­ It¡¯s only natural to take revenge on your sister. Well done. Eye for an eye.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Harper was stunned. Did he think she wanted to retaliate against her own sister?


    ¡°Whoever makes you unhappy, you should make them unhappy. That¡¯s the way to go!¡±


    ze hugged her, ¡°Are you thinking of digging up some dirt on her and ruining her celebrity image?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°This kind of revenge is just child¡¯s y. But if you want to y, go ahead.¡± ze didn¡¯t listen to her exnation at all, convinced that she was seeking revenge.


    Harper felt helpless, wanting to exin. Suddenly, ze hugged her tightly, ¡°Shortly after, I have a big gift for you.¡±


    His eyes became deep.

 Chapter 60 Eavesdrop

    ¡°A big gift?¡± Harper was taken aback.


    What big gift? Another heart-shaped diamond or ss?


    ¡­


    Leaving ze¡¯s study, Harper tucked the silver box into her pocket and grabbed the garbage bag, heading out.


    ¡°Ding.¡± The elevator doors opened.


    A familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.


    ¡°Mom, can you please stop overthinking? Without Harper, we all will be better. Why are you always fixated on her? I¡¯m your biological daughter.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s voice.


    Fiona noticed Harper and questioned, ¡°What are you doing here? Are you following us again? Are you here to bother Logan?¡±


    Harper looked at her coldly, saying nothing. She hadn¡¯t expected Fiona to speak of her with such disdain and hatred behind her back. The idea that the events from three years ago might be rted to Fiona deepened within Harper¡¯s mind.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not here for Logan.¡± Fiona suddenly realized as she noticed the garbage bag in Harper¡¯s hand, ¡°You¡¯re with ze now. And you¡¯ve moved to Sky Harbor too.¡±


    Harper looked at her impassively. After being asked to sign the ¡°Severance of Parental Rtionship Agreement¡±, Harper knew that her rtionship with ze couldn¡¯t remain a secret.


    Standing in front of Fiona, Harper didn¡¯t say a word. She walked indifferently towards therge garbage bin nearby and threw the garbage bag inside.


    Fiona¡¯s contemptuousughter came from behind her. ¡°Looks like I should move out sooner, so that my baby and husband won¡¯t be bothered by someone every day.¡±


    At her words, anger surged within Harper. She had chosen to give up, but it didn¡¯t earn her any understanding; instead, she continued to be ndered.


    ¡°Fiona,¡± Harper called out to her.


    Fiona stopped at the sound of her voice, looking at her disdainfully, ¡°What?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Harper turned around. ¡°There¡¯s something about severing our rtionship that I still don¡¯t understand. Let¡¯s discuss it at your ce.¡±


    ¡°Discuss?¡± Fiona looked at her suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss? Go ask Mom and Dad. They¡¯re the ones who didn¡¯t want you.¡±


    Harper was about to say something else when the gate nearby opened from the inside. Logan¡¯s stood there, expressionless. Seeing Fiona and Harper in the hallway, his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Harper?¡± His first reaction was to call out her name, not Fiona¡¯s. This was something that hadn¡¯t happened since he lost his memory.


    Logan¡¯s gaze shifted from Harper to Fiona. ¡°Why are you two together?¡±


    Fiona run to hug Logan, then looked at Harper with resentment in her eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking. She said she wants to talk to me about something regarding severing our rtionship, but it¡¯s none of my business¡­¡±


    Seeing the intimate scene between the two, Harper lowered her head. She realized that after returning from Tranquil Haven Ind, she didn¡¯t feel sad when facing these two. Wasn¡¯t that a good thing?


    ¡°Is that so? Thene on in.¡±


    Harper looked at Logan in astonishment.


    ¡°What?¡± Fiona eximed in disbelief. She wanted to say something, but Logan had already turned aside, making way for them, ¡°Pleasee in.¡±


    Saying that, Logan turned to the maid and said, ¡°Bring us some juice and prepare some snacks.¡±


    ¡°Logan¡­¡± Fiona hurriedly followed inside.


    Harper hesitated for a few seconds at the door before resolutely stepping in.


    Upon entering, Harper noticed that the house was decorated like a princess¡¯s pce, dreamy, beautiful, luxurious¡­


    This reminded Harper of Logan¡¯s promise to give Fiona a princess wedding. Apparently, at home, Logan also treated Fiona like a princess.


    ¡°Harper, please have a seat,¡± Logan invited Harper to take a seat.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Harper nodded lightly and sat down on the sofa.


    Fiona sat directly beside Harper, blocking Logan¡¯s view. She ced her phone on the coffee table and watched Harper warily, ¡°What do you want to say? Say it and leave quickly.¡±


    Harper¡¯s gaze fell on her phone deliberately. ¡°I just want to know when the severance agreement will take effect.¡± But in her mind, she was thinking about how to imnt the virus into Fiona¡¯s phone system¡­


    ¡°We all can¡¯t wait to sever ties with you,¡± Fiona said, pulling Logan to sit beside her, ¡°If that¡¯s all you¡¯re here for, you can leave now.¡±


    Logan didn¡¯t participate in their conversation but kept his gaze on Harper.


    ¡°Fiona, it seems like you don¡¯t want me anywhere near you,¡± Harper said, staring at the phone, still unsure of how to obtain it.


    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re a woman who has always coveted my husband. I don¡¯t want to see you,¡± Fiona said.


    ¡°Then three years ago, were you also on guard against me?¡± Harper suddenly said, looking deeply at Fiona.


    Fiona stiffened for a moment, looking at Harper with surprise. But she quickly regained herposure, ¡°I¡¯ve always been on guard against you, never stopped.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Harper¡¯s gaze once again shifted to the phone on the coffee table. How could she get her hands on it?


    The maid approached with the juice and then left to prepare pastries.


    ¡°I think you should leave now. Our ties with The Shaw Family have been severed, and Logan and I havepleted our wedding. There¡¯s nothing left to say between us,¡± Fiona urged Harper to leave, ¡°Please leave, and preferably, let¡¯s not meet again.¡±


    Harper understood that she didn¡¯t have much reason to stay any longer, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling reluctant without getting hold of the phone.


    Seeing Fiona¡¯s sensitive reaction to the phrase ¡°three years ago¡± made Harper more convinced that the matter was indeed rted to Fiona.


    ¡°Excuse me, I need to use the restroom. I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡±Logan suddenly stood up to walk inside. Then he turned back to Fiona, ¡°Oh, by the way, your makeup seems a bit smudged. Ask your makeup artist to touch it up.¡±


    ¡°What? Is my makeup smudged?¡± Fiona, being extremely conscious of her appearance as a female celebrity, quickly stood up and hurriedly went in the direction of the bathroom, dragging her makeup artist along.


    Logan looked at Harper with a gentle smile and then turned to walk inside as well.


    In the living room, Harper was left alone with the phone on the table¡­


    Before she could think of a n, they unexpectedly left her with such a rare opportunity¡­


    Harper looked around, then reached out and picked up the phone, taking out the silver box from her pocket and plugging it directly into the charging port.


    As ze said, the virus program started running automatically after plugging it in¡­ It would take 30 seconds.


    This was Harper¡¯s first time doing something so ndestine, and she couldn¡¯t help feeling nervous. She nced towards the direction of the bathroom from time to time.


    Hurry up.


    Faster.


    Harper silently urged in her mind¡­


    Not far away, Logan stood behind a white pir, quietly watching the nervous Harper in the living room, a knowing smile on his face¡­


    ¡®You indeed want Fiona¡¯s phone. Silly Harper, there¡¯s no need to be so nervous. Harper, whatever you want to do, I will give it to you.¡¯ Logan looked at the slender figure, silently saying in his heart.


    Harper sat on the sofa, tightly holding the phone in her hand. After 30 seconds, the screen returned to normal.


    Harper quickly unplugged the silver box and put it back into her pocket, cing the phone back on the coffee table.


    ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± Fiona came out of the bathroom and saw Harper still there, looking displeased. Harper took a sip of juice, and then stood up, ¡°I¡¯m off now.¡±


    Her objective had been achieved, and she didn¡¯t want to stay in this house any longer¡­


    Back at home, Harper flopped onto the bed, letting out a long sigh. She couldn¡¯t believe it-she had actually managed to hack into Fiona¡¯s phone. She did it. The whole process was nerve-wracking yet surprisingly easy.


    Harper reached into her pocket and pulled out the silver box, muttering under her breath, ¡°I know it¡¯s shady, but I gotta know the truth.¡± Her voice was low but determined.


    ¡°Harper, get your ass out here!¡± ze¡¯s shout echoed through the house.


    ¡°That paranoid jerk, why¡¯s he always so mad¡­¡± Harper muttered to herself.


    She made her way out.


    Huh? Where was ze?


    ¡°Harper! If you don¡¯t get over here right now, I¡¯m tearing apart this pile of toys!¡± ze¡¯s voice came again, from the study he¡¯d set up for her.


    Toys?


    Harper entered the study to find a long curved table in the southeast corner, cluttered with all sorts of high-tech gadgets and threeputer screens, with three massive screens lit up, disying various data.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Harper asked, bewildered.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been down there for ages, did you imnt the virus into your sister¡¯s phone?¡± ze stood by theputer, holding an ice cream tub with a hint of smugness on his face.


    Harper was taken aback, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Your sister lives downstairs, I just found out.¡± He had seen it in the data Dn provided. ze shot her a nce, then set down the ice cream tub and reached out to her, ¡°Give me the sh drive.¡±


    sh drive?


    Harper paused, then remembered the silver box. She pulled it out and handed it to ze, looking at him with confusion.


    ze plugged it into theputer.

 Chapter 61

    Instantly, a bunch of data appeared on the three screens, with one of them prominently disying Fiona¡¯s contact list. Harper stood there, marveling at the high-tech setup. ¡°So, this is a whole spying kit?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± ze nodded, ¡°That¡¯s for listening in. Over here, you can see texts, photos, basically everything on her phone.¡±


    As he spoke, ze clicked open the photo library.


    Mostly selfies and work photos filled Fiona¡¯s library, with few pictures of her and Logan. ze nced at them, then closed the window, scoffing, ¡°Damn, she¡¯s ugly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll add a bit more programming. Once her phone connects to theputer, everything on theputer will be under control too.¡± ze said as he put down the ice cream tub.


    Computers can control too? Harper stood there, mouth slightly agape, watching ze work at lightning speed. To him, there must be no privacy in this world, which was terrifying.


    Seeing her silence, ze stretched out his arm and pulled her into a hug, smirking, ¡°How about that? This new toy set should get back at your ugly sister, right?¡±


    ¡°Should be.¡±


    Harper thought, ¡®Revenge? Whatever, let him think I¡¯m getting back at her. If I say it¡¯s about finding the truth, he¡¯d probably get upset again. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll find the truth here¡­ But if Fiona¡¯s really connected to what happened three years ago, there¡¯ll be clues.¡¯


    ¡°So, how are you gonna thank me?¡± ze hugged her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cook you a nice meal?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you different vors of ice cream?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°How about I serve you tea while you work out?¡±


    ¡°Pass.¡±


    ¡°What do you want then?¡± Harper couldn¡¯t think of anything else.


    ze hugged her, his dark eyes staring deeply into hers.


    Harper met his gaze, feeling a slight unease. What mischief was he plotting now?


    ¡°Deep sea, wilderness, or your art desk¡­ You pick.¡± ze¡¯s voice was deep and sexy.


    ¡°Why do I have to pick?¡± Harper didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°You can pick more than one.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Harper was puzzled, but a voice inside her told her it couldn¡¯t be anything good, that whatever she chose would be bad.


    ¡°Hurry up and pick! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll consider it all selected! I¡¯m counting down.¡± ze was impatient with her hesitation, starting to count, ¡°5, 3, 1¡±


    ¡°The wilderness, the wilderness.¡± Harper quickly chose. Not choosing meant choosing everything, which was worse.


    What did he mean by deep sea? Diving? She couldn¡¯t dive;


    Her art desk was important to her, and she didn¡¯t know what he wanted to do with it, she definitely couldn¡¯t choose that.


    So, only the wilderness was left.


    ¡°The wilderness? See, I knew you¡¯re wild at heart. I thought you¡¯d pick the desk.¡±


    Harper looked at him cautiously, ¡°What exactly are you nning?¡±


    Why was choosing the wilderness considered wild?


    ¡°What else can I do?¡± ze¡¯s voice was incredibly sexy.


    ¡°¡­¡± Harper was perplexed.


    ze lowered his head, nibbling on her lips, then released her. ¡°Alright, you y with your toys here. I¡¯ll go check out which wilderness is more suitable.¡±


    ¡®Suitable for what? What did he want to do? Wilderness, wilderness, what exactly did he want to do?¡¯ Harper was utterly baffled¡­


    Harper¡¯s phone suddenly buzzed, it was a call from Sherry, her editor.


    ¡°Sherry, how¡¯s your husband doing now? Is he feeling any better? I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t visited you guys yet,¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, I¡¯m taking care of him,¡± Sherry replied nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m calling to tell you that the first volume of ¡®The CEO Is Paranoid¡¯ic is about to be published. You better hurry up and draw the rest of it.¡±


    ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll get it done as soon as possible,¡± Harper replied.


    ¡°That¡¯ll do,¡± Sherry said.


    Harper, still bewildered by ze¡¯s mischievous expression earlier, sought help from Sherry. ¡°Sherry, what does it mean when a guy talks about the wilderness¡­ what does it mean?¡±


    ¡°Ha?!¡± Sherry seemed to be drinking water and sprayed it all out when she heard Harper¡¯s question, ¡°ze said that to you?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, the richest man in the world is ying so wild,¡± Sherryughed.


    ¡°Wild? What do you mean?¡± Harper was still confused. ze had said her choice was wild too¡­ What did it mean?


    ¡°Come on, why are you so dense? When a man talks to a woman about going to the wilderness, is it for a pic? Of course, it¡¯s for outdoor sex!¡± Sherry eximed loudly.


    Finally understanding, Harper¡¯s face turned red.


    That damn ze, he was thinking of this!


    That pervert!


    That rogue!


    That paranoid pervert!


    Harper stomped her foot in anger. How could she be so stupid as to choose the wilderness?


    Harper hung up the phone with a frustrated expression, wondering if it was toote to tell ze she wanted to change her choice.


    As she turned to leave, her hand identally knocked off the headphones. They fell onto the keyboard, hitting a certain channel, and then she heard voicesing from the headphones.


    Harper paused, then quickly put on the headphones.


    The voice of Fiona¡¯s manager came through, ¡°Mr. Davidson left?¡±


    Harper suddenly realized that ze¡¯s virus program allowed her phone to be a listening device. As long as people were talking around the phone, she could hear them. This was too powerful. Harper once again marveled at ze¡¯s methods.


    She heard Fiona¡¯s slightly displeased voice, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s gone.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Fiona, when are you nning to tell him? You can¡¯t keep this kind of thing hidden for too long,¡± the manager¡¯s voice echoed in Harper¡¯s headphones.


    ¡°I know I should tell him earlier, but now, it¡¯s not the right time,¡± Fiona¡¯s voice sounded unhappy. ¡°Logan has been much colder to metely, I¡¯ve tried to bring it up several times but couldn¡¯t.¡±


    Harper stood in front of the three screens, listening to the voicesing through her headphones. It seemed this eavesdropping had yielded some unexpected results. Fiona was keeping something from Logan.


    The manager sighed, ¡°Well, it¡¯s up to you. But you know, he¡¯s bound to find out about the pregnancy sooner orter.¡±


    Hearing this, Harper gasped and covered her mouth. Fiona wasn¡¯t pregnant?


    ¡°Fine, leave me alone. I¡¯ll find the right time to tell him,¡± Fiona¡¯s voice came through the headphones again. ¡°Oh, and Lena seems to have left the country. Keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn¡¯te back.¡±


    ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll handle it,¡± the manager replied¡­


    Harper slowly took off the headphones. So Fiona was indeed in contact with Lena. One was her sister, the other her old ssmate. Three years ago, Lena might have only heard Fiona¡¯s name from her, they didn¡¯t even know each other. Yet they were in contact privately? Harper had only just installed the virus program, and she¡¯d already heard so much news.


    Harper held the headphones tightly, murmuring to herself, ¡°My dear sister, what exactly have you been doing behind my back?¡­ This time, I¡¯ll get to the bottom of it.¡±


    For the next few days, Harper focused all her energy on eavesdropping on Fiona.


    She heard a lot of information-


    First, Fiona wasn¡¯t pregnant;


    Second, Fiona was in contact with Lena privately and didn¡¯t want her toe back to the country;


    Third, Logan always came home after three in the morning, which made Fiona very unhappy.


    Harper sat at her desk, looking at her notebook, and crossed out the third point. When Logan came home didn¡¯t seem important. Back on Tranquil Haven Ind, she thought Logan and Fiona were destined to be together, but now it seemed like it was all sweet lies. But why would Logan change after being so affectionate to Fiona before? Did he find out Fiona was lying to him? Well, their rtionship wasn¡¯t her concern. She just needed to uncover the truth about three years ago. Harper silently reminded herself not to meddle too much in their affairs.

 Chapter 62

    This day, Harper found herself tied up learning British aristocratic cuisine again.


    The so-called aristocratic cuisine required meticulous selection of every single te before serving it to the noble host. No wonder ze was so picky about tes; turns out, it¡¯s amon tradition among aristocrats.


    Harper spent the entire day learning how to select tes¡­


    Knock knock ¨C a knock suddenly sounded at the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± the instructor called out.


    Dn pushed open the door from outside, courteously addressing her, ¡°Miss Shaw, the car is ready, we can leave now.¡±


    Harper stood by, still studying the cup in her hand. ¡®What was wrong with the pattern on this cup? Did drinking tea really have to be this meticulous?¡¯


    ¡°Miss Shaw?¡± Dn called out again.


    ¡°Leave? Leave for where?¡± Harper snapped out of her reverie, puzzled. She instinctively nced at the nearby sofa. ze would usually be sitting there waiting for her when she came to learn British cuisine. But why wasn¡¯t he here today? Wasn¡¯t he here just now?


    ¡°Master has already left,¡± Dn smiled faintly, ¡°He sent me to escort Miss Shaw over.¡±


    Harper turned the white cup in her hand, still puzzled, ¡°Go where?¡±


    Dn smiled mysteriously at her, ¡°Didn¡¯t Master already make ns with Miss Shaw? I heard it¡¯s the reward for the eavesdropping device.¡±


    Reward for the eavesdropping device?!


    Harper froze, then remembered the three options ze had given her that day¡­ She chose the wilderness¡­


    From Sherry¡¯s astute analysis, it was clear that ze intended to y some adult game in the wild with her. She thought ze had forgotten about it since he hadn¡¯t mentioned it again, but apparently, he hadn¡¯t forgotten. He chose today.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going!¡± Harper immediately dered firmly. He was already crazy enough at home; who knew what that paranoid maniac would do to her in the wilderness?


    ¡°Master insists you must go,¡± Dn said.


    ¡°I¡¯m still learning¡­ He told me to focus on learning British cuisine, didn¡¯t he? I haven¡¯t mastered it yet.¡± Harper held the cup in front of her, desperately searching for excuses.


    ¡°Master said you cane next week; he¡¯s already waiting for you there,¡± Dn replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go! I refuse!¡± Harper¡¯s attitude was resolute as she stepped back repeatedly, ¡°I don¡¯t care, call ze. If he insists on me going today, he can take my dead body there!¡±


    Several instructors stood by, watching this scene in astonishment.


    Seeing Harper so determined, Dn frowned and sighed heavily, ¡°Miss Shaw, I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    Sorry for what? Harper stood her ground, looking wary.


    In no time, several burly men walked in from outside, ze¡¯s bodyguards. They walked straight toward Harper, lifting her up and carrying her out.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn you, ze!¡±


    ¡­


    Harper was forcibly shoved into a limited edition customized business car by the bodyguards. As soon as she sat down, the doors were firmly locked, leaving her no chance of escape.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, there¡¯s no need to be nervous,¡± Dn assured her.


    She curled up, clutching her knees tightly, and nced out the window.


    As the car drove on, the sky outside gradually darkened. Suddenly, the car began to ascend a slope, spiraling upwards.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Harper asked, puzzled.


    ¡°To the top of the mountain,¡± Dn replied.


    ¡®The top? So ze chose the wilderness to be on the mountain. Well, that¡¯s not too bad; there probably won¡¯t be many people around¡­¡¯ Harper breathed a sigh of relief.


    After a long time, the car slowly came to a stop.


    Harper stepped out of the car and saw a mountain-top hotel ahead. A row of hotel staff in professional attire stood at the door, bowing respectfully, ¡°Miss Shaw, wee,¡± they greeted.


    ¡®A hotel? Just a hotel in the wilderness mountain?¡¯ Harper nced at Dn. If it was just a hotel, she could ept it. She just prayed it wasn¡¯t really out in the wilderness; that would be too embarrassing¡­


    ¡°Where¡¯s ze?¡± Harper asked Dn.


    ¡°Master is at the highest peak,¡± Dn said, taking out a ck deluxe custom gift box from the car, ¡°Miss Shaw, please change into these clothes before going to see him.¡±


    ¡°Change clothes?¡± Harper was taken aback, ¡°What? I have to change clothes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, once you¡¯ve changed, the driver will take you to see Master,¡± Dn handed her the gift box.


    Harper took the box and was urged to walk into the hotel. A staff member kindly escorted her to the changing room and asked enthusiastically, ¡°Miss, do you need any help?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Harper replied. She walked into thevishly decorated changing room and opened the gift box, revealing a neatly folded set of clothes.


    Why did she need to change clothes? Harper wondered as she unfolded the clothes. Then she was deeply shocked.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    What the hell kind of clothes were these¡­ They were clearly school uniform, with a short shirt top and a short skirt. What¡¯s more, the skirt looked extremely short, and the shirt top was also very short¡­


    Thinking about ze bringing her here to y some adult game, Harper was speechless.


    ¡®This man not only wants to make love in the wilderness but also wants to role-ying? uniform y? He¡¯s such a jerk, a pervert!¡¯ Harper cursed ze repeatedly in her mind. There was no way she would wear such a skirt; she didn¡¯t want to indulge ze.


    ¡°Knock knock,¡± the sound of knocking echoed as a staff member politely asked from outside, ¡°Miss, are you ready? Do you need any help?¡±


    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Harper replied loudly, feeling restless in the changing room.


    ¡®What to do? There was only one option left-escape.¡¯ Harper stood by the window, looking down. It was pitch ck below. The changing room was on the second floor, not too high.


    Gritting her teeth, Harper made up her mind to escape from there. She clung to the window and started to climb down. The descent wasn¡¯t smooth; her hands encountered several obstacles, leaving three cuts that oozed blood.


    ¡°Thud.¡± Sessfullynding on the ground, she turned around, only to see two burly bodyguards standing in front of her.


    The bodyguards respectfully lowered their heads, ¡°Miss Shaw, Mr. Wychwood said you like to climb out of windows¡­ Pleasee back,¡± they said.


    Harper stood there, dejectedly looking down at her hands¡­


    ¡®This ze, how can he always guess that I will climb out of windows? It happenedst time on Tranquil Haven Ind too¡­ Does he really install a tracker on me?¡¯


    Unable to sessfully escape, Harper was forcibly taken back to the changing room by the bodyguards.


    Dn stood at the door, looking at her helplessly, ¡°Miss Shaw, are you okay? What¡¯s going on today? It¡¯s just meeting Master,¡± he said.


    ¡®Meeting? If it were just a simple meeting¡­¡¯ Harper thought to herself.


    This time, two female staff members came in to help her change clothes, dressing her in a schoolgirl outfit.


    Harper stood in front of the full-length mirror, feeling ashamed of her appearance-a short-sleeved top that barely covered her waist, a red tie that barely concealed her belly button, and an ultra-short schoolgirl skirt that barely covered her butt. She felt too embarrassed to face herself.


    ¡°I-¡± Harper was about to say she wanted to change, but the staff members pushed her down onto a chair and started to do her hair. They even put a crystal headband on her, in pink¡­


    ¡°Okay, Miss, you can go out now,¡± the staff members said seriously.


    ¡°Are you sure I can go out dressed like this?¡± Harper covered her eyes with her hand, unable to bear looking at herself. She was already 24, for God¡¯s sake, wearing this outfit was too embarrassing and awkward¡­


    The staff members just smiled and remained silent.


    Outside, Dn¡¯s urging voice could be heard again.


    In the end, Harper could only pick up a long coat and put it on. She wrapped herself tightly, leaving only her bare legs exposed, and then walked out.


    Dn stood at the door of the changing room, chuckling as he saw Harper¡¯s resigned expression. ¡°Miss Shaw, let¡¯s go,¡± he said.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Harper nodded, clutching her coat tightly as she walked outside step by step.


    Once again, the business car drove Harper up to the higher summit of the mountain. The night was quiet, with only the sound of the wheels rolling on the mountain road.


    The car stopped on the road, and Harper took a deep breath before pushing open the door and getting out. She nervously rubbed her hands together; her palms were covered in band-aids.


    As she looked ahead, her gaze froze. At the end of the summit, a towering tree stood silently under the night sky. Beneath the tree, a tall and slender figure stood there.


    It was ze.


    In front of him was a white dining table, illuminated by candlelight, exuding a romantic atmosphere.

 Chapter 63

    ze hadn¡¯t noticed her. He walked to the side, standing by the railing at the edge of the summit. Below was a sheer cliff. His slender figure leaned forward, giving the impression that he could fall off at any moment.


    In thete night, on the mountaintop, by the cliff, under the tree, ze.


    The entire scene was eerily beautiful, stunningly breathtaking.


    Harper stood far away, stunned by the sight before her.


    Suddenly, ze turned his head, and looked at her.


    In that moment of eye contact, Harper vaguely saw a hint of mncholy on his face. She had never seen such an expression on ze¡¯s face before, and she wondered if she had mistaken it.


    After all, ze was aloof and arrogant. How could he possibly feel mncholic?


    The car behind Harper silently departed.


    ¡°Come here!¡± ze walked back to the tree, his handsome face expressionless.


    Thatmand brought Harper back to reality. She almost forgot why she had been taken to the mountaintop today.


    Harper tightened her coat and walked towards him.


    As she approached, she noticed ze wearing a ck shirt, looking exceptionally sexy. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and the cor was unbuttoned, revealing his exquisite corbone. His lean face appeared even more mature and charming in the night.


    ¡°Take off the coat!¡± ze stood by the table under the tree. As Harper approached step by step, his gaze fell on her tightly wrapped coat, and he ordered impatiently.


    ¡°It¡¯s too cold,¡± Harper made an excuse.


    ¡°There¡¯s no wind, it¡¯s not cold now,¡± ze looked at her with a stern gaze. ¡°Take it off!¡±


    ¡°But I¡­¡± Harper began to protest.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll do it for you,¡± ze interrupted her.


    Harper red at him, infuriated.


    ¡°Hurry up, I don¡¯t have the patience to argue with you today. Take it off!¡± ze frowned, displeased, and started to approach her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself, I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± Harper said, both angry and embarrassed, trying to stop him froming closer.


    ze stopped in his tracks, staring at her intently.


    Harper looked around warily, making sure there was no one else on the mountaintop, before slowly unbuttoning her coat, revealing the short student uniform inside, with a tie swaying on her chest.


    ze nced at her outfit, furrowing. ¡°Why this one?¡±


    Harper looked at him speechlessly, thinking, ¡®Jerk, wasn¡¯t this your choice? Who else but you would pick such clothes?¡¯


    Standing there, she ufortably tugged at the hem of her skirt. But as she pulled it down, more of her fair waist was exposed, making her feel even more embarrassed.


    ze stared at her, his gaze following her movements. The displeasure in his eyes gradually dissipated. His eyes locked onto her slender, fair waist.


    ¡®This woman looks so seductive in a school uniform,¡¯ ze thought, ¡®She¡¯s clearly trying to seduce me by wearing this outfit.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, no need to change,¡± ze said. ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°Come here!¡± ze demanded, ring at her.


    With that, ze walked towards her, grabbed her wrist, and led her to the edge of the table.


    ¡®Oh no¡­ I don¡¯t want this in the wild¡­¡¯ Harper was still struggling.


    ¡°Harper, what¡¯s wrong with you today?¡± ze looked puzzled. He gave her a re, then simply picked her up and sat her down at the table.


    Then, he let go of her. There were no further actions, nothing at all.


    Harper sat at the table, looking at ze with some confusion.


    ze elegantly uncorked the wine bottle and poured red wine into two tall sses.


    Staring at the wine in the ss, ze¡¯s eyes deepened, his voice bing husky. ¡°This wine is from 1986, it¡¯s been carefully preserved in Ennd.¡±


    If Harper had observed ze¡¯s expression carefully, she would have noticed that he was different today from his usual self. But her mind was preupied with thoughts of the adult game in the wild, so she couldn¡¯t pay attention to anything else. She stared at the wine in the ss, absentmindedly touching the crystal headband on her head, and pursed her lips.


    ¡®Yes, let¡¯s just drink some wine first. If I get drunk, I won¡¯t care about embarrassment anymore.¡¯ With that in mind, Harper reached out and picked up the ss, ready to drink.


    ¡°Harper, what are you doing?¡± ze watched as she downed the vintage wine that had been stored for years in one gulp.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. Once I¡¯m drunk, you can do whatever you want,¡± she said, picking up the bottle and pouring herself another ss.


    ze watched as she downed another ss of wine, wondering, ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this woman today?¡¯


    He grabbed her hand, ¡°If you get drunk, who will apany me for what¡¯s next?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Apany for what?¡± Harper felt extremely embarrassed.


    ¡°You have to apany me!¡± ze said firmly, snapped her hand away.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Harper¡¯s wound was hit, and she winced in pain.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ze crossed the table and grabbed her hand, noticing three band-aids on her palm. His voice became serious, ¡°How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Harper withdrew her hand, but he grabbed it back forcefully.


    ¡°Tell me, how did you get hurt? Was it in the British cooking ss?¡± ze asked coldly, ¡°I was only away for a moment, and you get hurt so badly.¡±


    Harper shook her head. ¡°No, I identally hurt myself.¡±


    ¡°How did you hurt yourself?¡­¡± ze held her hand, pausing for a moment before suddenly realizing, ¡°Did you climb out of the window to escape again? Just likest time at Tranquil Haven Ind?¡±


    Harper remained silent, lowering her head.


    The next moment, ze pped her head hard, ¡°Why do you love climbing out of windows so much? Next time, I¡¯ll seal all the windows wherever you go!¡±


    ze sat down beside her, carefully inspecting the bandage on her hand to make sure it was secure. Harper attempted to pull her hand back, but ze shot her a re, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    Suddenly, she felt a cool sensation on her hand, like a gentle breeze brushing over her palm, quite soothing. ze was blowing gently on her palm. He was so focused, as if holding a priceless treasure.


    Harper sat there, a strange feeling enveloping her. He was actually blowing on her wound. Despite having had numerous minor injuries throughout her life, being so anxiously cared for like this was a first.


    The seriousness on ze¡¯s face made her feel as if she were seriously injured.


    ¡°How¡¯s it feeling? Does it hurt?¡± ze blew a few times and asked, his eyes staring straight into hers.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just a scratch,¡± Harper withdrew her hand again.


    ze¡¯s voice turned cold, ¡°You¡¯re always using these hands for drawing and cooking, how can you afford to get them injured?¡±


    ¡°I really am fine.¡±


    ¡°Harper!¡± ze grabbed her hand, his face stern, ¡°Listen to me. You¡¯re not allowed to hurt these hands again, or else-I¡¯ll make sure you never use them again!¡±


    ¡°Are you going to chop them off?¡±


    ¡°Chop them off? That would be such a waste.¡± ze held her hand, inspecting her fingers up and down as if they were a delicious meal. His gaze grew darker, and after a while, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll tie these hands up with chains, so you won¡¯t be able to use them.¡±


    ¡°Got it?¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± Harper could only nod.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± ze finally seemed satisfied. His expression softened slightly, and then he lowered his head and bit her finger.


    Harper couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    ¡°So sensitive,¡± ze chuckled and kissed her fingertips.


    Harper looked at him warily, wondering if he was going to start the adult game.


    But ze didn¡¯t kiss her again. He held her hand tightly in his palm, and with the other hand, he picked up the bottle of alcohol and ced it aside, ¡°No more drinking. You need to eat something else.¡±


    Harper felt like she was going crazy-When he kissed her, she tensed up; when he didn¡¯t, she felt nervous and uneasy. She had no idea when he would start¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t get your hand wet, don¡¯t lift heavy things, don¡¯t touch sharp objects. Got it?¡± ze rattled off a bunch of instructions.


    Harper sat there listening, wanting to tell him he was making a big deal out of nothing, just a couple of scratches, no need to be so nervous. But seeing the seriousness and sincerity on his face, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it, only feeling touched. Maybe it had been too long since someone had cared for her like this. A tiny injury that she wouldn¡¯t even notice herself, yet he was so concerned. The normally bad-tempered and domineering ze had turned into a nagging olddy because of her. The thought made her heart race.

 Chapter 64

    ¡°Come over and have something to eat.¡± ze ced a te of sunny-side-up egg in front of her,manding her to eat, ¡°We¡¯ll be staying outte tonight, so eat up and replenish your energy.¡±


    Staying outte? Did he n to y for a long time? Harper took a deep breath and said, ¡°ze, why don¡¯t you juste straight to the point? Finish early and go back early, okay?¡± She didn¡¯t dare to enjoy his excessive care; it only made her feel disoriented. It would be better if he were straightforward, just show his bad side with her. That way, her feelings towards him wouldn¡¯t be tooplicated.


    ¡°How can we finish early with something like this? It¡¯s not like I can control it.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t control it?¡± Harper was astonished. It waste at night, just the two of them on the mountain top. Who else could control it if not him?


    ¡°Obviously, how would I know when the meteor shower is going to happen?¡± ze said, elegantly cutting the egg.


    ¡°Meteor¡­ shower?¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Harper was confused. What meteor shower?


    At that moment, her phone, lying on the table, lit up, and a news alert caught her eye ¡ª


    ?The Orionid Meteor Shower is expected to peak around 12 a. m. tonight. ording to analysis, HLS Mountain¡¯s summit is the optimal geographical location for viewing the meteor shower. However, it has been reported that the summit of HLS Mountain has been booked by a mysterious individual, and ess to the summit has been closed since yesterday.


    Meteor shower?


    HLS Mountain, wasn¡¯t this HLS Mountain¡¯s summit?


    So, the mysterious person mentioned in the news¡­ was ze?


    Harper slowly began to understand. She asked nkly, ¡°ze, I choose the wilderness, does it mean to watch meteor shower in the wilderness?¡±


    ¡°Then what else?¡± ze retorted, picking up a piece of fried egg with his fork and offering it to her lips.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re here today to watch the meteor shower?¡±


    Just to watch a meteor shower? So innocent? This didn¡¯t fit ze¡¯s style at all. Harper sighed.


    ¡°Yes. What did you think we were here for?¡±


    ¡°Uh.. nothing.¡± Harper didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth, ¡°Then why did you make me wear this school uniform?¡±


    At her words, ze¡¯s hand holding the fork and knife paused, his eyes bing deep.


    Harper looked at him, puzzled.


    ¡°When I was 17, someone asked me to watch the meteor shower. But that person stood me up. I ended up spending the whole night alone in the wilderness. That day, I rushed over that I didn¡¯t even have time to change out of my school uniform.¡±


    Harper was taken aback. So he had been stood up before, but what did that have to do with her wearing the uniform now?


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand being stood up. So, even though it¡¯s been over ten years, I still want someone in uniform to stand in front of me for the appointment. Today, you¡¯re ying that role.¡±


    Harper realized that despite being by ze¡¯s side for so long, she only little about him, his messy private life, being the richest man in the world, his bad temper, and stubbornness¡­ But she didn¡¯t know much about deeper matters.


    ze continued to feed her silently. His face was expressionless.


    The night was quiet, not a sound to be heard.


    Harper watched him, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this before?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to mention?¡±


    ¡°Being stood up by someone important must have left an impression.¡±


    As she spoke, ze coldly inserted the fork into a piece of fried egg and said, ¡°Not important! Someone who stands me up will never be important to me!¡±


    ¡®If the person is not important, then why bothering to watch a meteor shower again¡­ and making me wear a school uniform for remembrance. That person must be important. Is it his girlfriend when he was young?¡¯ Harper understood. She was just a substitute today, recing the person who stood him up¡­


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing a school uniform today then?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not 17 anymore, wearing a uniform is just stupid.¡±


    Harper was speechless. So she was the only one being stupid, huh?


    After a while, she couldn¡¯t help but look at ze¡¯s cold face and say, ¡°If you really care so much, why not try to make another date with that person again?¡±


    ze red at her fiercely, his tone suddenly turning extremely hostile, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Suddenly, a sh appeared in the sky.


    A shooting star.


    Harper quickly stood up from the table and tapped ze, ¡°ze, the shooting stars are here.¡±


    The summit was the closest ce to the sky.


    Streaks of light crossed the night sky, drawing the most beautiful arcs in the pitch-ck night.


    So beautiful.


    Harper stared in awe at the meteor shower falling from the sky. After a few seconds, she lowered her gaze to ze-


    Only to see ze still sitting at the table, maintaining his posture, not looking up at the sky. His eyes were fixed on the tabletop, lost in thought.


    The next moment, ze set down his knife and fork. He took hold of the wine bottle and walked step by step to the edge of the cliff¡¯s railing, tilting the bottle of red wine, pouring it all out.


    Like performing some kind of ritual.


    Harper stood behind him, watching him puzzled.


    After emptying the bottle, ze tossed it aside and sat down at the railing. He lifted his eyes to the shooting stars in the sky, his face pale.


    ¡°Come here!¡± ze called out to her.


    Harper adjusted her ultra-short skirt and walked over slowly, sitting down beside him.


    The two sat on the ground, Harper¡¯s hands pressed against the railing, stealing nces at ze from time to time.


    For some reason, she felt that ze today was different from usual. Not as sharp, not as domineering, as if he was hiding a lot of emotions.


    ¡°Do you know the most thorough way to stand someone up?¡± ze suddenly asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s death.¡± ze¡¯s icy tone was quickly scattered by the wind.


    Harper stared at ze, stunned. What did he mean by that?


    ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± ze sat on the ground, looking up at the shooting stars in the sky. ¡°That year, he didn¡¯te to watch the meteor shower. Because he died on his way here.¡±


    Harper finally understood why ze had looked at her so fiercely when she suggested dating that person again. It turned out that person was someone he couldn¡¯t ever meet again, no matter how domineering he was.


    ¡°Can I ask who this person is?¡± Harper asked cautiously.


    ¡°My brother.¡±


    Another unexpected answer. So he had a brother, and his brother was already dead.


    No wonder ze had hesitated when he first saw her in this school uniform. Actually, he wanted her to wear a boy¡¯s uniform¡­ But Dn, the ¡®all-knowing¡¯ butler, misunderstood and got her this provocative school uniform instead¡­


    Under the night sky, shooting stars fell one by one, like a golden rain. So clear, so beautiful.


    ¡°That year, I was waiting there, waited the whole night.¡± ze¡¯s voice was low, ¡°There was no signal in the wilderness. It wasn¡¯t until the next day that I found out he had died in a car ident on his way here. He and the car fell off the mountain, smashed to pieces.¡±


    He described it in a t tone, but Harper could imagine the shocking scene of the ident at that time, and the madness of waiting alone in the wilderness all night, waiting for the devastating news.


    ¡°Haha.¡± ze suddenly chuckled coldly, His coldughter sounded particrly deste on this night.


    Harper sat quietly next to ze, listening attentively. After a while, she spoke, ¡°He didn¡¯t want to stand you up, that¡¯s why¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence. She thought ze understood better than anyone else that his brother had intended to keep their appointment. He was just ming himself for the meteor shower arrangement that ended tragically with his brother¡¯s death in a car ident.


    ¡°The N. E system was originally his idea, but he didn¡¯t follow through. A man who can¡¯t finish anything.¡± ze said, his tone unable to hide the pain.


    Harper sat beside him quietly, absorbing his words.


    So, the groundbreaking N. E system that rocked the world was originally intended to be developed by ze¡¯s brother¡­ She had never heard this story anywhere in the news.


    ¡°So you developed the N. E system and even make it globally popr.¡± Harper tilted her head back, looking at the gradually thinning shooting stars, and said earnestly, ¡°There is a saying, after people die, they be stars. They watch over the people on Earth. I believe your brother¡­ He¡¯s always been proud of you. Although it sounds cliche, I still believe it.¡±


    ¡®And, if he could improve his temper a bit, then his brother would be even prouder.¡¯ Harper silently added this in her mind.


    ¡°Harper,¡± he called her name in a low voice.


    ¡°Huh?¡±

 Chapter 65

    ¡°From now on, you¡¯re not allowed to stand me up.¡± ze stared at her solemnly.


    Harper froze.


    ze held her hand and looked down at the wound on her hand, ¡°From now on, when I make a date with you, you muste on time. No running away, no no-shows!¡±


    ¡°Do you hear me?¡± ze squeezed her wrist tightly, repeating, ¡°Do you hear me?¡±


    Harper winced in pain. She furrowed and nodded under ze¡¯s stern gaze, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± ze released her hand, gently rubbing the sore spot where he had gripped her wrist.


    Harper looked down at her hand, unable to describe her feelings towards ze. He could be really mean to her, but sometimes he seemed to care a lot about her. Even a slight injury on her hand made him overly anxious. And he craved hermitment, she felt an exaggerated sense of being needed that she had never felt before.


    Suddenly, her hand felt cool as ze began blowing on her wound again. It was as if he believed that by doing so, her injury would magically disappear¡­


    ¡°Harper,¡± ze looked at her, ¡°You promised me today. If you dare to stand me up in the future, I will make sure you regret it!¡± There was a hint of fierceness in his eyes.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Harper looked at him, feeling a chill run down her spine.


    The next moment, ze pulled her into his arms, his strong arms tightly embracing her body.


    Harper leaned against his chest, watching as the shooting stars fell from the sky, her thoughts a jumble. She couldn¡¯t believe she was watching a meteor shower with ze of all people.


    ze kept her firmly locked in his embrace, lost in his own thoughts. Harper, feeling drowsy, snuggled closer to him.


    As the night wore on, the air grew colder. Harper couldn¡¯t resist the chill and sought warmth by nestling into ze¡¯s embrace, half asleep.


    Momentster, ze lowered his head and lightly kissed her forehead, ¡°You promised me not to break your word,¡± he murmured softly. In the quiet of the night, his voice was barely audible to anyone but himself.


    ¡­


    Dawn broke, a ray of light fell on the peaceful mountaintop.


    Under arge tree, Harper slept peacefully in afortable spot. She felt a wet, sticky sensation on her fingertips and withdrew her hand. Soon after, a warm, velvety feeling enveloped her fingertips, as if a kitten was licking them.


    Harper groggily opened her eyes to see ze¡¯s handsome face, his sensual lips wrapped around her finger.


    Startled, Harper immediately sat up.


    ¡°Morning,¡± ze leaned in, kissing her cheek. His lips felt exceptionally warm in the cool morning air.


    Harper touched her lips, which now carried ze¡¯s scent.


    A chilly breeze blew, causing Harper to shiver. She looked around for her jacket, but ze pulled her back into his arms. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked.


    ¡°To find my jacket, it¡¯s so cold,¡± Harper struggled to get up, ¡°It¡¯s already daylight, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± ze pulled her back into his embrace, gazing down at her face. His long fingers brushed through her hair, adjusting her pink crystal hairband with a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look at youst night. So you dressed up like this on purpose.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my doing,¡± Harper hastily took off the hairband.


    ¡°Why take it off? It looks good on you,¡± ze took the hairband from her hand and put it back on her head.


    Harper blushed.


    The next moment, he teasingly lifted her chin, ¡°Seeing you like this¡­ I don¡¯t like lolita, but the one you¡¯re dressed as, I do!¡±


    Harper was speechless, struggling even more, but ze lowered his head and captured her soft lips¡­


    ¡°Mmm¡­ We really should go back,¡± Harper mumbled.


    ¡°Going back now would be a waste after you dressed up like this,¡± ze said, yfully tugging at her tie.


    ¡°This outfit wasn¡¯t my choice,¡± Harper sighed.


    ¡°Is that so? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Since you¡¯re here dressed like this, I might as well make the most of it,¡± ze smirked.


    ¡°You-¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡± ze interrupted.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this, we can¡¯t do this,¡± Harper protested.


    ze chuckled at her words, then leaned in to nibble on her soft cheek. His voice husky and seductive, ¡°Why can¡¯t I do this? I¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we here to remember your brother? This isn¡¯t appropriate,¡± Harper desperately searched for an excuse.


    At her words, ze¡¯s gaze dimmed. After a moment, he sneered, ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it? The shooting stars have all fallen, that wasst night. It¡¯s all in the past now.¡±


    ¡°Besides, with you by my side, it¡¯s the perfect opportunity to erase those memories,¡± ze said, lowering his head to kiss her lips again.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ Eh¡­¡± Harper tried to resist, but ze forcefully pushed her down onto the ground.


    There was a suit jacket spread out beneath her, but her arms still brushed against the weeds.


    ze approached her slowly, his warm breath washing over her face. In the most seductive tone, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Now,e and help me erase those memories.¡±


    His kiss was extremely aggressive, while his strong hand snaked into her shirt and cupped her breast causing her nipples to harden intentionally as she was thrilled to the core due to his touch.


    He trailed down kisses from her lips, down to her neck. She moaned and grasped his head and began to caress his hair while he nibbled on her neck. She released his hair, breathing deeply as he pulled her shirt over her head, revealing her naked chest.


    Just after he had taken off her shirt, he grasped her left breast, lifting it up as he mounted her hard nipple. He sucked her nipple hard while his other hand fondled her right breast.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±. She gasped out as his wet tongue flicked her nipples. He began stroking her right nippple between his thumb while he suckled on her other nipple.


    He took off her skirt and padded it, along with the shirt, under her ass. Then he used his knee to force her thighs wider apart so both of his legs could be between hers. He grasped her both wrist and lifted her hand above her head before he pinned it against the grass at ease so she wouldn¡¯t move when he prate into her. He slid his mouth to her ear and whispered coarsely, ¡°I¡¯m fucking gonna fuck you¡±. His massive hand squeezed her breast as he whispered into her ear.


    He then held his cock and lined the head of his cock perfectly towards her opening. With a smirk as he added more pressure while his cock squeezed against her entrance, and she curled her toe while groaning, ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Fuckkk¡­¡±. He growled as his hand went to her leg and parted them wider for him, She was so tight that it made him uneasy to thrust in at ease. He inched backwards, pulling his cock from her cunt until the head of his cock remained inside her, he then stared down at her and said, ¡°This might hurt a little, little girl.¡±. He said and before she could respond, he mmed back in and shoved his full length deep into her. He tilted his head back and moaned in pleasure, feeling her walls stretched to amodate his full size as he plundered deeply.


    A sharp cry escaped Harper¡¯s lips. She grabbed the weeds next to her while tears rolled down, ¡°Ah¡­ ze, you fucking bastard!¡±.


    ¡°You are so fucking tight¡±. ze groaned and brought her legs up to his chest to draw himself closer as he slowly began to increase his speed and she started to feel heat rising in her at once.


    ¡°Ahhh fuck¡±. He moaned as he began to ram into her with full speed. Her thighs slipped further open and rested on both sides of his shoulder as the pains slowly began to fade away while pleasure consumed her whole body.


    ¡°Are you feeling me ?¡±. He asked, hearing her small whimper turning into a throaty moan. ..


    ¡­


    Harper ended up ying a wild adult game against her will. She felt super embarrassed, the hickeys on her neck couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    On the way back, she stared at Dn with resentment the whole time. Dn was quite puzzled, not understanding what he had done wrong.


    As soon as they arrived at Sky Harbor, Harper got out of the car without looking back.


    Dn opened the car door for ze and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Master, did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°You did great. That uniform, I¡¯m very satisfied, extremely satisfied.¡±


    ¡°But Miss Shaw seems pretty unhappy with me,¡± Dn said, puzzled.


    ze shot Dn a look, ¡°She¡¯s into school uniforms. Get a few more ready, preferably from schools all around the world.¡±


    ¡°Uh? okay¡±¡­


    Harper marched into Building A.


    Coming down from the mountaintop, she was nning to ditch the school uniform. But ze wouldn¡¯t allow it, so she had to cover up with her jacket.


    She hurried inside.


    Suddenly, a slender figure emerged from the front corner.

 Chapter 66

    ¡°Harper,¡± Logan stood in front of her.


    Meeting him at this moment caught her off guard. She looked somewhat ufortable, ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    ¡°Back so early from outside?¡± Logan questioned, his gaze drifting to her neck, his face paling instantly.


    Harper noticed his stare and quickly covered her neck with her hand¡­


    Both of them fell silent.


    She stood there, silently, hands firmly on her neck.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Even though she knew he probably already knew about her and ze, being caught off guard like this filled her with embarrassment.


    Logan remained silent too. He didn¡¯t step aside, just stood there.


    ¡°Thud, thud-¡± a low, heavy footsteps suddenly sounded behind Harper.


    It was ze.


    Harper inexplicably tensed up.


    ¡°Why the rush?¡± ze draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her into his embrace. Sensing her body stiffen, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°What¡¯s with you? Why are you so scared now?¡±


    Harper kept her head down.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood,¡± Logan¡¯s voice suddenly rang out.


    ze finally noticed Logan, sneering contemptuously, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, brother-inw.¡±


    ¡°Considering Mr. Wychwood¡¯s rtionship with Harper, it doesn¡¯t seem appropriate to call me brother-inw.¡± Logan said, with a smile, his gazending on ze¡¯s hand on her shoulder.


    Harper couldn¡¯t tell if he was attacking her for being just ze¡¯s lover or attacking ze for not deserving to be called his brother-inw¡­


    She admitted she was clueless; she couldn¡¯t understand Logan¡¯s meaning at this moment. But she could feel the grip of the hand on her shoulder slowly tightening.


    ¡°You certainly don¡¯t have the qualification,¡± ze sneered, full of mockery, ¡°Your family only deals with cosmetics. How do you qualify to be rted to me?¡±


    Harper sensed ze¡¯s suppressed anger in his tone and quickly reached out to tug at his shirt, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I want to go back.¡±


    ze cast a dark look at Logan, said nothing more, and led Harper away.


    The elevator doors opened.


    Just as they were about to step in, Logan¡¯s voice sounded behind them, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, cosmetics are the most intimate thing for women. A woman can leave any man, but she can¡¯t leave her cosmetics. So, don¡¯t underestimate people who make cosmetics.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Are you implying you¡¯re better than me?¡± ze hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood is a smart man and can definitely understand what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Logan met ze¡¯s gaze squarely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°Well, that can only mean Mr. Wychwood might really not understand women very well,¡± Logan said with a smile.


    Harper felt the tension between the two men, shocked. She didn¡¯t understand why ze and Logan were arguing over cosmetics.


    They were getting along fine on Tranquil Haven Ind. ze had a quick temper and could argue with anyone, but Logan was always well-mannered. Why was he provoking ze repeatedly today?


    ¡°Logan, I feel like I¡¯ve really gotten to know you today!¡±


    ¡°My pleasure,¡± Logan smiled faintly, then turned and walked away.


    ¡°If a woman really can¡¯t live without cosmetics, I, ze, will burn all the cosmetics in the world!¡± ze¡¯s arrogant voice echoed behind him, ¡°I have the power to burn down your entire Davidson Group!¡±


    Unlike Logan¡¯s hidden threat, ze was direct and cruel.


    Logan paused for a moment, then continued walking forward, as if he hadn¡¯t heard.


    Harper stood there, watching Logan¡¯s retreating figure, with confusion in her eyes. Logan¡­ seemed to have really changed. He never liked arguing with people before. ze didn¡¯t offend him, so why was he speaking so aggressively?


    ze suddenly turned to her, his eyes fierce, his voice icy, ¡°Does this guy like you?¡±


    What?


    Harper was stunned on the spot¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, does this guy like you?¡± ze pped her head, displeased with her silent response.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? You know he¡¯s Fiona¡¯s husband, you even went to their wedding.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten Dn¡¯s warning: she couldn¡¯t let ze know about her past entanglement with Logan. That would cross a dangerous line with a paranoid like him.


    ¡°His reaction clearly shows he sees me as a rival,¡± ze said coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it,¡± Harper said, trying to maintain her normal tone as she headed towards the elevator.


    ze grabbed her arm, staring at her, trying to read something from her face.


    She stared back at ze, silently.


    She wasn¡¯t lying; Logan really didn¡¯t like her, so she had nothing to feel guilty about.


    The two stood there motionless as the elevator doors closed with a faint sound.


    After a while, ze let go of her, his voice cold, ¡°Was he unable to win you over, so he went after your sister?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t discern anything from her face, so he came up with another hypothesis.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°How is it not possible? Even though your sister is so ugly, he still pursued her. He must have initially been interested in you, failed to get you, and settled for second best,¡± ze was convinced of his conclusion. He pulled her into his arms, sounding disdainful, ¡°Neither of them are good people. The further away you stay from them, the better. It¡¯s right to cut ties early!¡±


    As ze hugged her into the elevator, Harper felt as if she had narrowly escaped a disaster. Even though she hadn¡¯t witnessed ze¡¯s jealousy before, she figured it was best to avoid witnessing it altogether.


    ze leaned against the corner of the elevator, frowned at her slightly pale face, ¡°What are you absentmindedly thinking about? You¡¯re not thinking about your brother-inw, are you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Harper shook her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s for the best,¡± ze lowered his head, resting his chin on her shoulder. His thin lips almost touched her face, his voice low and arrogant, ¡°If you dare to think about another man in front of me, I¡¯ll-¡±


    ze paused.


    Harper listened to his voice, her heart that had just rxed tensed up again, ¡°What will you do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll burn you all!¡± ze announced the answer.


    Harper lowered her head, speachless¡­


    ze leaned closer to her face, his lips brushing against her cold cheek, ¡°Why are you so scared? Be good, I trust you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°After all, with me around, who else could you possibly fall for?¡± ze had an unshakable confidence in himself. ze was always this arrogant.


    As soon as the elevator doors opened, she bolted out, ¡°I¡¯m going to change my clothes.¡± She couldn¡¯t continue the conversation with ze any longer.


    Harper rushed back to her room, wiping the sweat off her forehead. In reality, she didn¡¯t need to be so nervous. She and Logan had no rtionship now. While ze was unreasonable, he wouldn¡¯t actually go as far as burning people.


    Thinking like this, Harper felt a lot calmer. But as she calmed down, she remembered Logan¡¯s provocation in his words just now. He never spoke like that¡­


    ¡°Harper, is there any ice cream left? I want some!¡± ze shouted from outside.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll make some for you now.¡±


    ¡°No need to make any!¡± ze loungedzily at the door, hands in his pockets.


    ¡°No need?¡± Harper looked at him suspiciously. He didn¡¯t want ice cream? But he was the type who could eat dozens of tubs in a day.


    ¡°Yeah, no need to make any! You stay at home properly these days, don¡¯t do anything!¡± ze stood at the doorway, eyeing her hands.


    Harper looked down at the bandage on her hand. She had almost forgotten; her hand had been injuredst night. He still remembered¡­


    A strange feeling rose in Harper¡¯s heart, ¡°What about the household chores? Who will do them?¡± As soon as she said it, she froze in shock. Did she just go along with ze¡¯s words and consider this ce home? Was she stupid?


    ze didn¡¯t notice her reaction, speaking in a low voice, ¡°Let Dn handle the kitchen, he has a chef¡¯s certificate; let Dn handle the cleaning, he has a cleaning certificate; if the pipes are broken, let Dn fix them, he has a construction certificate!¡±


    ¡°So Mr. Foster has passed so many certificates,¡± Harper eximed in amazement, ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°What, do you have feelings for Dn now?¡± ze leaned against the doorway, displeased.


    ze pounced on her, wrapping his arms around her body, ¡°Harper, listen. I won¡¯t allow you to have any feelings for any other man, not even admiration!¡±


    ¡°From today onwards, you and Dn are not allowed to speak more than three sentences to each other each day!¡±


    Harper was speechless. His jealousy¡­ was just absurd.


    ¡­

 Chapter 67

    Harper went to the study to check the contents she had overheard yesterday. She opened the monitor, where some of it was still in code. Unable to understand, she only looked at the parts she couldprehend. She grabbed the mouse and moved it to the message area on the screen-


    Fiona¡¯s messages suddenly appeared in front of her, including the ones she had instantly deleted. The messages mostly consisted of discussions with the director about the script. Harper quickly nced over them and noticed that Fiona¡¯s script involved a lot of action scenes, indicating that Fiona really wasn¡¯t pregnant.


    Harper continued reading-


    [Lena: Miss Fiona, I¡¯m back.]


    [Fiona: You were doing fine abroad, whye back?]


    [Lena: Three dayster, the usual ce, nomunication devices, don¡¯t bete.]


    Lena had returned? What exactly was the rtionship between Lena and Fiona?


    ¡°Three dayster, the usual ce, nomunication devices, don¡¯t bete.¡±


    Harper stared fixedly at the messages on the screen, feeling both excited and scared. Was the truth from three years ago finally going to be revealed? That would be great. Wait, if they¡¯re meeting without anymunication devices, she wouldn¡¯t be able to eavesdrop. She could only follow Fiona outside. But with ze constantly by her side 24/7, how could she tail Fiona and Lena?


    To go out, she needed permission from ze.


    ¡­


    In the morning.


    In the gorgeous bedroom.


    ze slowly opened his eyes.


    A smiling face suddenly appeared in his line of sight.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Wychwood,¡± Harper stood by the bed, bending slightly. She was dressed in a ck and white maid outfit, the maid headband entuating her smile. She held a tray of fruit sd in her fair hands.


    No man would dislike seeing such a scene early in the morning.


    zezily sat on the bed, his gaze sweeping down from her head. She even wore maid stockings on her legs, her calf lines especially enticing in the morning light.


    ze¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Harper, What¡¯s wrong with you? This is so unusual.¡±


    Harper still maintained her smiling face. She picked up a bright strawberry and offered it to his lips, ¡°Mr. Wychwood, please¡­¡±


    ze¡¯s gaze locked onto the smile at her lips, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing, as he opened his lips to eat it.


    ¡°Is it tasty?¡± Harper asked, her innocent face coupled with the maid outfit particrly cute.


    ¡°Tasty,¡± ze chewed a few times, slowly saying. His gaze wandered over her delicate figure. To him, the delicious thing wasn¡¯t the strawberry; it was her.


    Harper felt her cheeks heating up under his intense gaze, a blush spreading across her face.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather eat your face,¡± ze sat on the bed, staring fixedly at her face, which was now redder and more appetizing than the strawberry.


    Harper touched her flushed face and set the te aside. She took a clean shirt from the nearby rack and unfolded it. ¡°Mr. Wychwood, your clothes are ready. Would you like to put them on now?¡±


    ¡°A school uniform yesterday, and today, a maid outfit. Harper, you¡¯re more yful than I imagined,¡± ze said, with a smirk ying on his lips.


    ¡°Mr. Wychwood, should I put the clothes on now?¡±


    Did she really need to go to such lengths to please this annoying man, just because she wanted to go out and needed his permission? Harperined inwardly.


    ze stared at her overly bright smile. ¡°As my maid, don¡¯t you know I always take a shower before getting dressed in the morning?¡±


    Harper paused. Right, ze had a habit of taking a shower every morning.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She put down the shirt, stepped aside, and lowered her head. ¡°Please, I¡¯ll wait here for you.¡±


    ¡°Wait for me?¡± ze got out of bed, ¡°As my maid, shouldn¡¯t you assist me in bathing?¡±


    His tall figure loomed over her, showing off his perfect physique.


    Harper forced a smile, ¡°How could I dare covet the master¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°I allow you to covet,¡± ze said.


    Harper chuckled nervously. ¡°I¡¯ll go make breakfast for you.¡±


    As she tried to leave, ze grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Harper lost her bnce, her face crashing into his chest, her lips touching his bare chest.


    zeughed, looking down at her, ¡°Harper, you¡¯re quite good at pleasing me today.¡±


    Harper felt embarrassed and quickly pulled away from him.


    ze looked her up and down, his gazending on her injured hand.


    ¡°Your hand is injured. You don¡¯t need to go to the bathroom, and you¡¯re not allowed in the kitchen. Let Dn make breakfast.¡± His tone remainedmanding.


    He still remembered her hand¡­ Harper looked at him with some surprise, then nodded. ¡°Oh, okay, I¡¯ll wait here.¡±


    ¡°I allow you to watch me bathe.¡±


    Harper¡¯s face burned with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯ll just wait here for you.¡±


    With that, she obediently sat down by the bed and quietly waited.


    ze nced at her and walked towards the bathroom. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. ¡°You really don¡¯t want toe in?¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve allowed a woman to covet my body. Aren¡¯t youing in?¡± ze said as he reached the bathroom door.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine. You-take-your-time-showering!¡± Harper turned her head away, not daring to look at ze¡¯s bare chest any longer.


    ¡°Bang.¡± The bathroom door closed with a thud.


    Harper let out a long sigh of relief.


    Thank goodness ze didn¡¯t forcibly drag her into the bathroom. She smoothed out her maid outfit, amazed that she had resorted to such tactics just to get permission to go out. Hopefully, her efforts to please ze would pay off. Harper sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.


    After a while, the bathroom door opened. Before she could turn around, she found herself enveloped in a warm, slightly damp embrace. ze wrapped his arms around her from behind, lowering his head to nt a firm kiss on her neck, letting out a satisfied sigh, ¡°Smells good¡­ But from today, you¡¯re not allowed to use cosmetics, especially not The Davidson Group¡¯s.¡±


    He remembered her mentioning that she used a perfume from The Davidson Group.


    He remembered Logan saying in front of him that women couldn¡¯t live without cosmetics. It was as if Logan was implying that women couldn¡¯t live without him.


    Ridiculous.


    ¡°No cosmetics?¡± Harper blinked, Logan¡¯s face shing in her mind, then nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± She didn¡¯t often go out anyway, so not using cosmetics wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    ¡°Good girl, very obedient today. Now, what¡¯s your real intention?¡± ze asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t see through your intentions, then I must be blind,¡± ze said with a low voice.


    Harper chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives, I just¡­¡±


    ¡°Just what?¡± ze stared at her intently.


    ¡°I just want to take a day off,¡± Harper looked at ze, her face showing a pleading expression, ¡°I want to go out for a drive in a couple of days. Can I borrow a car from you?¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I just want to go for a drive,¡± Harper dared not say she wanted to investigate the truth from three years ago.


    ¡°I can go for a drive with you today.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m an artist. When Ick inspiration, I need to go out and find some,¡± Harper exined.


    ¡°Where do you want to go? I¡¯ll take you!¡± ze insisted.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Harper observed his expression, hesitated for a few seconds, then spoke out, ¡°I want to go alone.¡±


    As expected, ze¡¯s face darkened instantly.


    ¡°You went to such great lengths to please me today, just to avoid me?¡± ze suddenly sneered, his eyes full of sarcasm, ¡°You really know how to surprise me.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that, I¡¯m used to finding inspiration alone¡­¡± Harper tried to exin.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but from today, you must change this habit!¡±


    Harper¡¯s face paled, ¡°Why can¡¯t I have a little personal space?¡±


    ¡°You have space when you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same. Everyone needs their own private space.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡± ze¡¯s tone was icy. ¡°I can do without it, why should you have it?¡±


    Harper was speechless¡­ Indeed, since he expressed his feelings for her, he had kept her by his side 24/7, leaving her with no personal space¡­


    Seeing her silence, ze assumed she hadpromised. He stood up, his face cold, about to leave, but Harper couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Do you have to be so dictatorial?¡±


    ze turned around, his gaze piercingly sharp. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Harper red at him, showing her anger atst, ¡°You control my freedom, my time, my body¡­ Everything about me is under your control. What am I then? A puppet? You dictator! You tyrant!¡±


    She mmed her hands on the table and stood up, then stormed off without looking back.


    ze¡¯s face turnedpletely dark.

 Chapter 68

    ¡°Bang!¡± He kicked over a nearby chair, ring angrily in the direction Harper had run off.


    ze was furious. Did she just call him a dictator? A tyrant? Huh, she was trying every trick to get some space, some freedom from him. What did she take him for? A virus? Did she really think she could just walk away from him like that? No way!


    ¡°Dn, keep an eye on her. Don¡¯t give her a chance to escape!¡± ze growled fiercely. He clenched his fist and pounded on the table, venting his anger.


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ze headed towards the gym. He was so agitated that he kicked things along the way, leaving a mess behind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind having her around every day, and she wants space? She just wants to get away from me!¡±


    ¡°Bang¡± ze stepped heavily onto the treadmill, increasing the speed.


    Dn came in with a clean towel. ze gave him a cold look and snapped, ¡°You old geezer, you walk so slowly, it¡¯s time for you to retire. You can¡¯t do anything right, not even cook a meal!¡±


    ¡°Get lost! Stop bothering me!¡± ze shouted at him.


    Dn sighed lightly and approached ze¡¯s treadmill. He respectfully lowered his head and spoke gently, ¡°Master, please forgive me for being presumptuous.¡±


    ¡°I believe Miss Shaw didn¡¯t mean anything else by her words,¡± Dn stood there, his voice gentle and kind. ¡°It¡¯s natural for there to be some space between couples.¡±


    ze¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°Do I need you to speak this? I want to be with her 24/7! That¡¯s my style!¡±


    Dn paused, ¡°Back in Ennd, when I was dating my third girlfriend, we were so sweet together, couldn¡¯t stand a second apart, but s¡­¡± he trailed off.


    ze, who was initially uninterested, now looked intrigued, ¡°But what?¡± he asked in a deep voice.


    Dn sighed. ¡°We were always together, knew each other too well, there was no mystery or space¡­ In less than a month, we stopped loving each other, and ended up breaking up miserably.¡±


    ze slowed down the treadmill, his eyes icy.


    ¡°Master, the towel is here. I¡¯ll be on my way now,¡± Dn, always knowing his ce, said before cing the towel and leaving.


    ze stepped off the treadmill, grabbed the towel, and then, suddenly, he tossed it aside.


    Shit!


    He stormed out of the gym and headed towards Harper¡¯s study. He silently pushed open the slightly ajar door.


    Harper was sitting at her desk, lost in thought. She had changed out of her maid outfit, now wearing a fresh long dress, holding a pen. Her eyes stared nkly ahead.


    ze was about to enter when he heard Harper angrily scribble on the paper, muttering, ¡°Dictator! Paranoiac! Psychopath! Shameless!¡±


    She dared to curse him!¡­ ze stood at the doorway, his face darkening. He reached out to close the door.


    Just before the door closed, Harper suddenly copsed onto the desk, lifeless, muttering to herself, ¡°When will this kind of lifee to an end¡­ ¡±


    ¡®End? She¡¯s thinking about the end already, feeling tired of being around me? It hasn¡¯t been that long, and she¡¯s already bored, just because there¡¯s no mystery?¡¯ ze panicked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no end.¡± he said coldly.


    Harper was taken aback by ze¡¯s sudden appearance, turning to look at him in surprise.


    ze strode towards her, ring at her coldly. ¡°Do you like cursing me behind my back?¡± he asked harshly.


    ¡°No,¡± Harper replied expressionlessly, clearly unhappy.


    ¡°If you keep up with that expression, forget about going out to find inspiration,¡± ze threatened.


    ¡®This is ridiculous! Every time I¡¯m with Harper, I have to find a way out myself. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t even bother to talk to me.¡¯ ze scorned himself inwardly.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Harper was about to retort, then suddenly realized, surprised, ¡°You allowed me to go out for inspiration?¡±


    ¡°Once a month,¡± ze said indifferently.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Okay, deal!¡± Harper immediately agreed, smiling happily.


    Her smile was particrly annoying to ze. Was she so happy just to get away from him for a day?


    ¡°Are you hungry? I¡¯ll make you breakfast,¡± Harper said, smiling, trying hard to please him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt my hand.¡±


    ze shot her a fierce re before turning and walking away.


    He suddenly found a piece of drawing paper on the table. On it was a cartoonish drawing of a man with a stern face, neat short hair, and slightly mixed-race features, looking very familiar.


    ze picked up the paper. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s mytest creation, a character for myic,¡± Harper reluctantly confessed, hoping he wouldn¡¯t recognize it.


    ze lifted the paper, staring coldly at her. ¡°You think I can¡¯t even recognize myself?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Harper didn¡¯t know how to exin.


    ze had just agreed to let her go out alone, and now he had discovered she was secretly drawing him, using him as material for heric¡­ It was only a matter of time before he erupted.


    What to do?


    What to do¡­


    Suddenly, a light chuckle sounded above her head, ¡°Harper, are you finally admitting that you¡¯ve fallen in love with me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Harper looked up, bewildered, at ze¡¯s smug face. How did it suddenly jump to¡­ falling in love with him?


    ¡°When did you start drawing this?¡± ze asked, his face devoid of anger, reced with pride.


    ¡°Just when I moved into Sky Harbor¡­¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve been quietly drawing me for so long.¡± ze chuckled. He nced at the drawing, then back at her, ¡°Harper, it seems you¡¯re hopelessly in love with me. Still denying it? On one hand, you show no signs of affection towards me, and on the other hand, you¡¯re secretly drawing me. I understand now, what kind of woman you are.¡±


    Harper blinked, wondering how he could see her undying love for him from the drawing. At most, he was just her muse.


    ze held the paper, growing more satisfied as he looked at it. Harper¡¯s drawing skills were indeed impressive. He had chosen a remarkable woman.


    ¡°I remember you used to draw teenage romanceics,¡± ze said, looking at her. ¡°Did you turn our story into aic?¡±


    It sounded like a question, but his tone was certain.


    Harper stood there, unable to say that her main plotline this time wasn¡¯t about romance, let alone their story as a prototype, but about a psycho turning from his peak to his downfall¡­ She had vented all her grievances against him on the protagonist of theic.


    Seeing her silent, ze assumed she had acquiesced. He pulled out a chair and sat down, propping one leg on her desk. He pulled her into his embrace, still holding the paper. ¡°What¡¯s the name of theic?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Harper blinked, absolutely not willing to reveal the title ¡°The CEO Is Paranoid.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± ze urged her.


    Harper thought for a moment, forcing a smile. ¡°Theic is called¡­ ¡®My CEO is the Top Priority.''¡±


    ¡°Nice name,¡± ze nodded, nting a firm kiss on her forehead, ¡°Now, you better draw it well. Whatever inspiration you need, find it. Pour all your hopeless love for me into it!¡±


    ¡°Also, you used to draw adult scenes. Do the same this time, add a few more!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really draw those, I just asionally sketch some intense kissing scenes¡­¡± Harper attempted to exin.


    ¡°You still won¡¯t admit it? If youck inspiration in that area, I can help you on the spot!¡± ze moved to pull at her dress.


    Harper quickly jumped out of his embrace, ¡°No need, no need. It¡¯s not appropriate to draw that. We need to resist explicit content! ¡±


    ze¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°True. We can¡¯t let others see that.¡±


    Harper breathed a sigh of relief, agreeing, ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±


    ¡°Then, draw a adult version for me,¡± zemanded after a moment of contemtion.


    ¡°What?¡± Harper was dumbfounded.


    ¡°You¡¯ll draw an adult version of ¡®My CEO is the Top Priority¡¯ for me, and you have a week to do it. Otherwise, forget about going out alone for inspiration next time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Harper genuinely felt she would go crazy if she stayed by ze¡¯s side any longer. ze¡¯s desires for her naturally extended beyond just aic book. Over the next two days, he continued to pressure her, having her almost in his embrace, possessing her¡­


    On the day he allowed her to go out alone, Harper limped away. The difort between her legs made her wish she could tear ze to shreds.


    ¡°Are you okay? Do you need someone to escort you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Harper gritted her teeth, ring at him with resentment. He must be doing it on purpose. Though he said he¡¯d let her go out, deep down, he wasn¡¯t really willing, which was why he was treating her like this.


    As if knowing what she was thinking, ze stepped closer, his palm cupping her face. ¡°Yes, I am doing it on purpose,¡± he admitted shamelessly.


    Harper wanted to tear his face off.

 Chapter 69

    ze kissed her lips, shamelessly dering, ¡°You smell amazing.¡± Even without makeup, she still had a faint scent that he liked. He liked everything about her.


    ¡°The car keys, you said I could borrow the car.¡± Harper reached out her hand to him. ¡°I want a ck one, something low-key, not a luxury car.¡±


    ¡°Downstairs in the garden, help yourself,¡± ze tossed the car keys to her.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Harper said, clutching the keys, ready to leave, but her hand was grabbed from behind.


    Harper turned to look at ze, puzzled. He frowned at her. ¡°Are you just going to leave like that?¡±


    Harper nced down at herself, bemused. For the sake of convenience, she had even asked Dn to buy her a set of sportswear and prepared tools like a telescope in her bag.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten anything,¡± she replied.


    ¡°When will you understand romance?¡± ze grumbled, pulling her back into his embrace, lowering his head to capture her soft lips in a passionate kiss. His tongue forced her tightly closed lips apart¡­


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Harper was held tightly by him, her hands pressed against his chest.


    After a lingering wet kiss, ze reluctantly released her. ¡°Remember, from now on, you have to kiss me when we part! A wet kiss!¡±


    Harper didn¡¯t say much. ¡°Got it, got it.¡±


    With that, Harper pulled on her backpack and hurried out.


    Watching her disappear from his sight, ze¡¯s mood plummeted. He lifted his foot and kicked over a nearby floormp, then stormed off to the living room, his face cold.


    In less than a minute, the living room was a mess, all overturned by ze¡¯s kicks.


    Dn arrived and saw the scene, feeling helpless. ¡®Miss Shaw isn¡¯t around, and Master¡¯s mood is terrible again. We¡¯ll have to pick out furniture again.¡¯


    ¡°Master, should I prepare the car to go to thepany?¡± Dn asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going!¡± ze stood on the coffee table, kicking over an antique vase, his handsome face full of frustration. He couldn¡¯t calm down at all.


    ¡°Dn, prepare the car,¡± ze said coldly after a while of kicking. ¡°She¡¯s going to find inspiration. Didn¡¯t say I can¡¯t follow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Dn bowed respectfully and was about to turn around to prepare. His phone suddenly rang. He answered it, said a few ¡°yes¡± in a row, then hung up. He looked at ze, ¡°Master, it¡¯s a call from the UK.¡±


    ze paused his kicking, his expression changing. A call from the UK¡­


    The living room instantly fell silent.


    ¡­


    Harper pressed the car key in her hand, and the headlights of a car lit up. It was a ck Rolls-Royce.


    She felt a bit helpless. Well, in ze¡¯s view, a Rolls-Royce was considered low-key. Fortunately, it was amercial vehicle. If it were a sports car, how could she use it to track anyone?


    Harper approached, opened the car door, and got in.


    Fiona and Lena had agreed to meet at their usual spot. Harper wasn¡¯t sure where the usual spot was, so she had to track Fiona.


    From the listening device, she knew Fiona would leave at eight, so she had to wait first¡­


    The waiting was long and boring. Harper pped her somewhat sore legs and cursed ze hundreds of times in her mind. If she couldn¡¯t find out the truth today because of this, she would hate him forever.


    Harper parked the car at the exit of the Sky Harbor underground parking lot.


    For the past two days, she had been tied to ze without any freedom. But she had entrusted Dn to keep an eye out. Fiona always parked in the underground parking lot.


    Eight ten.


    A pink Lamborghini drove out of the parking lot, with Fiona behind the wheel.


    Harper started the car, and carefully followed Fiona.


    Fiona drove in the direction of the remote town they had been to before.


    Harper followed Fiona at a safe distance.


    After driving for a while, she saw Fiona¡¯s car stop outside thergest hotel in the town.


    So, this hotel was Fiona and Lena¡¯s usual spot.


    Harper parked the car to the side and stared straight ahead at the pink Lamborghini. She saw Fiona get out of the car and walk straight into the hotel, without even carrying a bag.


    She didn¡¯t know if Lena had arrived yet.


    Harper thought for a moment, pushed open the car door, put on a duckbill hat, lowered the brim, and followed Fiona into the hotel.


    Fiona didn¡¯t notice her at all, walking straight into the elevator.


    Harper stood by a pir, looking up at the numbers on the elevator. It stopped at the 8th floor.


    Fiona went to the 8th floor.


    Just as she was about to move forward, a tall figure suddenly walked past her towards the elevator. It was Lena, her former good friend and ssmate.


    Both of them had arrived.


    After Lena entered the elevator, she waited for a few seconds, then opened another elevator and followed to the 8th floor.


    The elevator doors opened in front of her, and she cautiously peered out. She saw Lena walking down the corridor, her high heels making a dull sound on the floor.


    Lena walked deeper into the corridor, stopped at the end, and knocked on a door.


    After a while, the door was opened from the outside.


    Harper remained standing by the elevator, shrinking her body inward, not revealing any ws.


    She only heard Fiona¡¯s slightly displeased voice, ¡°Come in, I still have an announcement to make, don¡¯t have much time to chat with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to chat,¡± Lena replied coldly, stepping into the room.


    The door was closed.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Next, the hallway fell silent, not a sound to be heard.


    Harper scratched her head, thinking about how she could listen in on their conversation.


    After a moment of contemtion, Harper resolutely went downstairs and took out a pair of binocrs, standing in the courtyard, aiming upwards.


    The hotel¡¯s architecture was quite uniform, with each sunlit room having a balcony¡­


    ¡°Hi, can you give me a room? I want 802.¡±


    Harper decisively returned to the hotel front desk and booked the room next to Fiona¡¯s.


    As soon as she entered the room, Harper threw her backpack aside and walked straight to the balcony. Her room¡¯s balcony was only separated by less than a meter from Fiona¡¯s room. She could climb over there and eavesdrop on what they were secretly talking about.


    However¡­ Harper walked onto the balcony and nced down below. It¡¯s on the 8th floor, which was terrifyingly high.


    Harper paced back and forth on the balcony in silence. Her fingers involuntarily twisted together. Should she take the risk? It was only a few dozen centimeters away, and she should be able to make it across, right?


    ¡°I must know the truth.¡± Thinking of everything that had happened recently, Harper was unusually firm in her determination. She measured the distance between the two balconies, preparing to make the leap.


    As she reached out to lift her foot onto the balcony railing, her phone suddenly vibrated.


    Harper was startled and almost fell off. She quickly retreated to safety, took out her phone, and was stunned by what she saw on the screen.


    Logan. It was a call from Logan.


    Harper hesitated for a moment before answering the phone, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Open the door,¡± Logan¡¯s voice came through, sounding somewhat urgent.


    ¡°What?¡± Harper waspletely taken aback.


    ¡°I¡¯m outside your hotel room, open the door,¡± Logan urged her, ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    With that, Logan hung up.


    Harper stood on the balcony, staring nkly at the hung-up phone. Her first thought was, oh no, Logan found out about the tracking. He and Fiona areing to confront her¡­


    Harper self-deprecatingly thought to herself as she walked back inside from the balcony. When she reached the door, she took a deep breath and pulled it open with force.


    However, there was nothing but silence outside.


    Harper felt puzzled as she looked up-


    Logan stood at the doorway, tightly gripping a phone in his hand. The corridor¡¯s lighting was dim, and his face was filled with tension.


    Harper nced around, not seeing Fiona, which only added to her confusion.


    ¡°You-¡± Harper was about to speak, but Logan suddenly reached out and pushed her into the room, then locked the door behind them.


    Harper was stunned by his sudden action.


    ¡°Harper, are you out of your mind? What were you thinking? Climbing from the balcony to eavesdrop next door? Aren¡¯t you afraid of falling?¡± Logan looked at her nervously, his tone tinged with reproach, ¡°We¡¯re on the 8th floor!¡±


    Harper stared at him nkly. ¡°You¡­ you knew?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Logan¡¯s breathing was a bit uneven.


    ¡°So, what do you want?¡± Harper sighed, stepping back. ¡°Yes, I was tracking Fiona. Are you going to call the police or do something else?¡±

 Chapter 70

    If he called the police, Harper could imagine ze storming into the station to bail her out, probably while scolding her and protecting her at the same time.


    At her words, Logan chuckled bitterly. ¡°Why would you think I¡¯m going to call the police?¡±


    Harper looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°If I wanted to call the police, why would I knock ande in? I could just wait for you to climb over and catch you in the act,¡± Logan exined.


    As Harper listened to him, she was utterly astonished.


    Logan sat down on the sofa, leaning forward slightly and rubbing his forehead, which seemed to be hurting. He had noticed her following Fiona¡¯s car and had followed her closely. He didn¡¯t know what she was up to, but he was worried she might get into trouble. Seeing her observing with binocrs and checking into the room next to Fiona¡¯s, he had a vague idea of her intentions. She had always been bold, unlike most girls, willing to climb trees, windows, and walls. But this was the 8th floor, and he couldn¡¯t let her go.


    Time passed, and the two of them remained silent.


    Harper leaned against the wall, breaking the silence, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why I was tracking Fiona?¡±


    At her words, Logan sat up straight, chuckling, ¡°You always have your reasons for doing things. If you want to talk about it, I¡¯ll listen. If not, I won¡¯t pry.¡±


    Harper looked at him in astonishment, feeling a mixture of emotions she couldn¡¯t quite articte. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Logan asked.


    ¡°Logan, you¡¯re really different now,¡± she blurted out.


    Logan looked at her, his gaze flickering slightly. He gazed deeply into her face-her brows, her eyes, her nose, her lips.


    Feeling ufortable under his intense gaze, Harper didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Fiona hasn¡¯t left yet. Let¡¯s find a safer way to eavesdrop,¡± Logan suggested, vaguely guessing her intentions foring out today. He wanted to help her achieve her goal, unwilling to let her take risks.


    Harper waspletely dumbfounded. Was he really offering to help her eavesdrop?


    Logan stood up and asked, ¡°Do you have that silver box you can plug into her phone?¡±


    Harper was shocked, but after a few seconds, she finally understood. So, it was Logan who had helped her that day at The Davidson Family¡­ when he suddenly got everyone else out of the room, leaving only her behind. She had thought it was just luck.


    ¡°That day, you deliberately helped me,¡± she mumbled.


    Logan didn¡¯t deny it, simply asking, ¡°Do you have it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Harper walked to the side and opened her backpack, taking out the sh drive. She had been carrying this silver box with her, just in case.


    ¡°Give it to me,¡± Logan took the sh drive from her hand, giving it a brief nce before saying, ¡°This is a high-tech listening device. Can it still work if the phone is turned off?¡±


    Harper nodded stiffly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ze¡¯s virus program was too powerful, turning the phone itself into a listening device. If it weren¡¯t for Lena and Fionaing here to have a private discussion without bringing anymunication devices, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to follow them. She could have just eavesdropped from home.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Logan nodded, then walked out, ¡°Wait here for me.¡±


    Harper watched him leave in confusion. ¡®What was he nning to do?¡¯


    A few minutester, Logan returned to the room and nced at her at the door, signaling her toe over.


    Harper walked over, puzzled. Logan opened the door slightly, revealing a uniformed waitress pushing a food cart outside, gesturing ¡°ok¡± to Logan.


    Harper was even more confused.


    ¡°Come here, but don¡¯t make a sound,¡± Logan pulled her over.


    She stood there, startled, as the knocking on the door outside started. The sweet voice of the waitress sounded, ¡°Hello, hotel service, bringing your meal.¡±


    The waiter knocked on the door of the next room.


    Shortly after, the sound of the door opening came from.


    Harper felt nervous. Suddenly, she felt a hand on hers, and she looked down to see Logan holding her hand.


    In the next moment, she withdrew her hand and put it behind her back.


    Logan leaned against the wall, feeling her movement. His hand hung there stiffly, saying nothing.


    From the direction of the neighboring room, Fiona¡¯s voice came, ¡°I didn¡¯t order any food.¡±


    ¡°This is aplimentary service from our hotel,¡± the waitress said with a smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it, take it away,¡± Fiona said impatiently, dismissing her.


    ¡°Alright then, please ept this bottle of wine. Miss, have a pleasant stay.¡±


    After a few more words, the door next door closed, and the waitress wheeled the food cart away.


    Logan closed the door, and Harper asked with a puzzled expression, ¡°What did she do?¡±


    ¡°She put my phone in the next room,¡± Logan said, ¡°I¡¯ve turned off my phone, so there¡¯s no risk.¡± He said calmly, ¡°And on that phone, I¡¯ve imnted your eavesdropping program.¡±


    Harper looked at him in astonishment. So, all she had to do now was go back and listen to find out what Lena and Fiona had said.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    This was indeed a foolproof n.


    ¡°You can go back and listen now,¡± Logan said again, ¡°I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    With that, Logan opened the door and prepared to leave.


    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Harper was extremely puzzled; everything Logan had done far exceeded her expectations. Wasn¡¯t he Fiona¡¯s husband? Yet here he was, helping her eavesdrop on Fiona¡¯s secrets without asking why.


    Logan¡¯s figure paused, and he remained silent.


    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Harper asked again.


    ¡°Do you want to know the answer?¡± Logan didn¡¯t turn around, his voice barely audible.


    Harper stood behind him, after a long while, she heard her own voice echoing in the quiet room, ¡°Of course, I want to know the answer. Why are you doing all this? What¡¯s your motive?¡±


    Logan let out a faintugh and took slow steps toward her. His hand rested against the wall, tracing the patterns on it with his fingertips.


    In that moment, Harper had a hallucination, as if she saw a young Logan walking towards her. When he was young, Logan was blind, always feeling his way along the wall towards her.


    Watching him move like this, Harper¡¯s face turned pale. Reality and the past seemed to blur before her eyes.


    Logan approached her, his eyes lowered to her pale face. A smile slowly appeared on his face, just about to speak, when a sharp pain struck his head. Logan pressed his hand to his head, and staggered towards her.


    Harper snapped out of the confusing memory in an instant, quickly supporting him. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Logan shook his head, but his face was pale.


    ¡°Come sit over here,¡± Harper struggled to help him onto the sofa, then asked with concern, ¡°Where¡¯s your medicine? ¡±


    Logan trembled as he took out a small box from his shirt pocket, trying to open it but shaking badly.


    Harper snatched the box from his hand and opened it. A pungent smell wafted out, making her pause. ¡°Did you change your medicine?¡±


    Last time at the wedding, she didn¡¯t smell anything unusual from the medicine.


    Logan didn¡¯t say anything in response. He pressed his forehead, his fingernails digging deep into his temples, trying to alleviate some of the pain.


    Harper grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the desk and handed it to him. Logan took two pills from the box and swallowed them with water.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Harper stood in front of him, looking at him with concern. ¡°Are your headaches always this severe?¡±


    Logan didn¡¯t say anything, just pressed his head in silence.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the surgery supposed to be sessful? Why do you still have such severe aftereffects?¡± Harper asked.


    Logan silently nced at her, a drop of cold sweat sliding down his forehead. He forced a pale smile. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about all thister.¡±


    With that, Harper refrained from asking further.


    Time passed quietly, and Logan felt better, ¡°I¡¯m fine now. I should leave, just in case I run into Fiona, it would be hard to exin.¡± Logan stood up, swaying slightly.


    Harper reached out her hand towards him. Her intention was to help him, but Logan suddenly grabbed her hand. He lowered his eyes to her, his eyes full ofplexity.


    Harper froze. When Logan was young, he liked to hold her hand tightly.


    Wait. He wasn¡¯t the young Logan. He was Fiona¡¯s husband, someone she had already given up on.


    Harper quickly withdrew her hand.

 Chapter 71

    Logan¡¯s gaze dimmed, his face even paler than when he had the attack. ¡°Your hand¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a minor injury.¡±


    Logan didn¡¯t say anything.


    After a moment, he spoke again. ¡°I should go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, if you¡¯re willing, I¡¯d like to hear what they¡¯re talking about,¡± Logan said, turning back at the door. ¡°I¡¯m curious to know what kind of woman Fiona really is.¡± There was no warmth in his tone when he said this, only coldness.


    Harper looked at him in astonishment, unsure whether to agree or not.


    Seeing her hesitation, Logan didn¡¯t say anything further. ¡°I¡¯ll call you again,¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Harper nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll get your phone back.¡±


    Logan nodded and left.


    Watching him disappear at the door, Harper blinked, her eyes filled with confusion. She found it strange that Logan would talk about Fiona with such coldness, as if he didn¡¯t love her at all¡­


    Waiting until dusk, she left the room and found the same waiter Logan had spoken to earlier, retrieving the phone. The eavesdropping n was executed seamlessly. Now all she had to do was listen to what was said.


    Back at the apartment, she pushed open the door and found it quiet inside.


    ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Harper called out, changing into her slippers in the entrance.


    Her voice echoed in the quiet air, but there was no response. Wasn¡¯t ze supposed toe out and scold her foring homete ?


    Harper paused for a moment, then walked inside. The living room was a mess, furniture overturned, tea sets shattered on the floor, as if it had been ransacked. She frowned. Did ze throw another tantrum?


    ¡°Ring ring ring¡­¡± Thendline phone suddenly rang.


    Harper put down her backpack and picked up the receiver, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, you¡¯re finally home safely,¡± Dn breathed a sigh of relief on the other end. ¡°Where did you go? Master sent us everywhere looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Looking for me? I told him I was just out for a drive today.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you turn off your phone? Master couldn¡¯t reach you, and he was really worried,¡± Dn asked.


    Harper held the receiver with one hand and took out her phone with the other. It was dead.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize my phone was dead.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re home safe. Master will get off the ne in about three hours. Remember to call him,¡± Dn reminded her.


    ¡°Off the ne? Where did he go?¡±


    Dn quickly exined the situation, ¡°Master had some business back in Ennd, and I¡¯m heading back to the castle to take care of some things.¡±


    ¡°For how many days is he gone?¡±


    ¡°At least a week.¡±


    At least a week¡­ Harper¡¯s eyes brightened, her heart started pounding vigorously. A week, which meant she was free for the whole week? No more being tied to him 24/7? Lady Luck was finally smiling upon her!


    Harper couldn¡¯t contain her joy, keeping up a pretense of normalcy, she said, ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, remember, make sure to call Master proactively. Remember that!¡± Dn reiterated.


    ¡°Yeah yeah, got it,¡± Harper replied repeatedly, then hung up the phone.


    She happily jumped up, plopping down heavily on the nearby sofa. She was ecstatic. A week, ze gone for a week. Fantastic. Freedom, she finally had it, even if just for a week.


    Harper leaned back, hands forming a megaphone as she shouted into the quiet living room, ¡°Freedom! Here Ie!¡±


    Harper joyfully rolled around on the sofa, when suddenly her gaze fell on a piece of A4 paper on the coffee table.


    A note from ze before he left.


    [Harper, you dare not answer my calls? I have to resort to handwriting. You¡¯re in big trouble when I get back! Remember, I¡¯ll be gone for a week. You better stay put at home. Here are the rules:


    First, don¡¯t touch water until your hand heals, stay out of the kitchen. I¡¯ll have Dn send some maids over.


    Second, while I¡¯m away, no eye contact, conversation, or physical interaction with any man, including Dn. He¡¯s been sent back to the castle.


    Third, no frequent outings, focus on your painting at home.


    Fourth, keep your phone on! Answer my calls! Only my calls!


    If you can¡¯t follow these four rules, then be prepared for me to deal with you!]


    Harper looked at the note, the handwriting revealing the intensity of ze¡¯s message. She was speechless for a long time. Did he have to be this controlling? nning everything out even when he¡¯s not around. He even forbid her from going out frequently. Why didn¡¯t he just put a leash around her neck and keep her indoors?


    This wasn¡¯t love, it was like treating her as a pet dog.


    Harper sighed, feeling a bit annoyed.


    Her gaze fell on the bag beside her, and then she remembered she hadn¡¯t yet listened to Fiona¡¯s secret.


    Harper grabbed her backpack and phone and headed to the study. She powered up all three screens and suddenly realized that the content she wanted to eavesdrop on was on Logan¡¯s phone, and she had no idea how to connect it to theputer in front of her. ze had always set things up for her, and she couldn¡¯t understand it at all, let alone do it herself¡­


    She¡¯d been too caught up in the joy of ze¡¯s departure, reveling in her newfound freedom. But without ze, she couldn¡¯t hear what Logan¡¯s phone has eavesdropped on¡­


    Harper stood there deted, thinking she¡¯d have to wait until ze got off the ne to call him and ask. But ze was so suspicious; he¡¯d probably interrogate her again¡­ That paranoid guy¡­ She found her feelings toward ze were trulyplicated.


    Just as she was thinking this, her phone vibrated, disying an unfamiliar number. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Logan¡¯s gentle voice sounded in her ear. ¡°That phone you have is my usual one, and I have a few calls to make. Could you bring it out for me? I¡¯m at the main elevator of building A.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Harper said as she opened her backpack, taking out Logan¡¯s phone. Her eyes scanned the three screens, and a thought struck her¡­


    ¡°Logan, do you know anything aboutputer programs?¡±


    ¡­


    Ten minutester, the doorbell rang.


    Logan stood outside, dressed casually. Compared to when he was sick during the day, hisplexion was much better now.


    ¡°Pleasee in.¡±


    Logan stepped in, his gaze falling on the shoe rack beside him. There sat a pair of men¡¯s slippers, obviously matching the ones Harper was wearing. His gaze dimmed.


    Following his gaze, Harper thought he wanted to change his shoes and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to change shoes, juste on in.¡±


    ¡°Is it really okay for me toe in like this?¡± Logan asked. This was the ce where Harper and ze lived together¡­ His hand by his side clenched into a fist.


    ¡°You¡¯re just here to help me with theputer, why not?¡± Harper said calmly.


    Logan nodded and walked in, feeling gloomy. She said, just here to help with theputer¡­ Did she see him as some kind ofputer repairman? Inviting him into the house she shared with another man, she didn¡¯t seem ufortable at all¡­ Had he bepletely insignificant to her?


    Harper invited Logan into the study and pointed at theputer. ¡°It¡¯s right here. I don¡¯t know how to connect the content from your phone to thisputer. I remember ze did it pretty quickly, but I don¡¯t remember how.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Alright, take your time. I¡¯ll go get you a ss of water,¡± Harper said, turning to leave.


    Logan stood there, gazing around the study¡­


    White desk and chairs, walls painted in a pastoral color, a stack of papers on the desk, and a closedptop, pens of all kinds in the holder¡­ She created herics in this kind of environment. Creating her favoriteics next to another man¡­


    Harper returned with a ss of water, asking eagerly, ¡°How¡¯s it going? Did you figure it out?¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± He couldn¡¯t fix a virus program, but connecting aputer was doable.


    Logan plugged in the sh drive and tapped away on the keyboard.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Really?¡± Harper eximed, leaning in. ¡°y it for me.¡±


    The recording started with Logan asking the waitress for help, their conversation unfolding.


    Harper nced at the time.


    ¡°Are you in a hurry?¡± Logan noticed her gesture.


    ¡°No, I just need to make a call to ze,¡± Harper blurted out, thinking if she didn¡¯t call him first, that paranoid guy would definitely get agitated¡­


    Logan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°So, you¡¯re really close with him¡­¡±

 Chapter 72

    Logan lifted the ss and took a sip, his eyes falling to her slippers, silently listening to the voicesing from theputer.


    Soon, the sound of the door closing came from theputer. It was when the waitress sessfully and stealthily ced the phone in Fiona¡¯s room during the day.


    Then there was silence for a few seconds.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a maximum of three million. Take the money and leave the country, don¡¯t evere back,¡± Fiona¡¯s contemptuous voice echoed from theputer.


    ¡°Three million to shut me up? Am I that worthless to you?¡± Lena¡¯s voice came back, filled with coldughter, ¡°Let me tell you, the reason why Harper is with ze now is because of what happened three years ago.¡±


    Harper sat in the chair, unconsciously pressing her lips together. She thought, the truth she wanted to know would soon be revealed.


    ¡°And what then?¡± Fiona¡¯s cold voice came again.


    ¡°What if I expose everything? Do you think you can handle the consequences?¡± Lena chuckled. ¡°Moreover, if this gets out, The Davidson Family might not even want a schemingdy like you, and your future will be bleak.¡±


    It was clear Lena was ckmailing Fiona.


    If Harper hadn¡¯t heard it with her own ears, she wouldn¡¯t have believed Lena could speak like this.


    ¡°Do you really think anyone will believe what you say?¡± Fiona sneered.


    ¡°I dare say it because I have evidence. Do you really think you¡¯re so careful that I couldn¡¯t gather evidence even withoutmunication tools?¡± Lena said calmly, ¡°You¡¯re smart, but I¡¯m not stupid.¡±


    ¡°What ?¡±


    ¡°You know, like how you got me to lure Harper onto the ship, then drugged her to sleep, and finally testified that she was missing for an hour.¡± Lena said.


    Harper stood up, her eyes filled with shock. Although she had guessed some of it, seeing the truthid bare in front of her still shocked her. Drugged. So, three years ago when she felt unwell on the cruise ship, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence; it was because she had been drugged by Lena. And all of this¡­ Fiona was the mastermind, and Lena was an aplice.


    Fiona¡¯s displeased voice came from theputer, ¡°Lena, isn¡¯t ckmailing me for so many years enough? Back then, I just wanted Harper to gain notoriety. All you needed to do was to drug her and arrange for Mr. Taylor toe over. But what did you do? You set your sights on ze, such a big figure, and messed everything up¡­¡±


    Harper¡¯s face turned pale. So, Fiona¡¯s original n was to drug her on the cruise ship¡­ Her own sister, plotting to drug her.


    Mr. Taylor? Harper remembered, there was such a man. He was a sixty-something old man, whom she had seen once at The Shaw Family¡¯s banquet. He had leered at her all night¡­ Fiona hadughed at her then, saying she could marry into a wealthy family¡­


    Logan sat there, his grip on the cup tightening¡­ Three years ago, Fiona had nned to have someone harm Harper secretly¡­


    There was a moment of silence from theputer, then Lena¡¯s rebuttal came, ¡°There were so many big shots on the cruise ship, I just wanted to take a chance.¡±


    ¡°Take a chance?¡± Fiona mocked, ¡°Your idea of taking a chance was drugging ze and sleeping with him. And you forgot to direct Mr. Taylor there.¡±


    ¡°In the end, not only did you fail to climb up thedder in one night, but you also heard ze, in his confused state, saying he wanted to kill you. That¡¯s when you got scared and hurriedly left his room,¡± Fiona taunted her. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a dumb gold digger like you.¡±


    Lena immediately retorted, ¡°But didn¡¯t I make up for it? I didn¡¯t take your money for nothing; I framed Harper.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t found someone to help you in time, do you think this would¡¯ve been so easily brushed aside? If I hadn¡¯t helped you, ze would¡¯ve found out about you sooner orter,¡± Fiona said. ¡°Lena, are you trying to ckmail me again? Think carefully, if we split now, you won¡¯t benefit either. ze will destroy you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have leverage over him now.¡±


    ¡°What leverage? Didn¡¯t you say that night in bed, when he was drugged and confused, he kept saying he wanted to kill you?¡±


    ¡­


    Harper couldn¡¯t listen to any more of their conversation. Her mind was filled with conspiracies, plots, framing, and usations¡­ She finally understood the whole story. Three years ago, Fiona set up the entire scheme, tricking Lena into luring her onto the ship, drugging her, and arranging for her to be harmed. And Lena, lost in the world of wealthy elites on the ship, wanted to catch a big fish. So she willingly climbed into ze¡¯s bed, and then framed her¡­ Hehe¡­ her former college friend and her own sister¡­ teamed up to set up this trap for her. That¡¯s it. Three years ago they harmed her, tarnishing her reputation; three yearster, she was directly imprisoned by ze because of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m calling the police!¡± Harper said, about to rush out. Logan immediately stood up, reaching out to grab her wrist. ¡°Harper, don¡¯t act rashly.¡±


    ¡°Rashly?¡± Harper red at Logan, her eyes filled with hatred. She pointed to theputer beside her, shouting emotionally, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? Three years ago, they conspired to harm me. Because of them, I couldn¡¯t even graduate from college properly! They ruined everything for me! They destroyed my life!¡±


    ¡°I know. Just calm down first,¡± Logan said, trying to soothe her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t calm down!¡± Harper forcefully shook off his hand. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for them, ze wouldn¡¯t have mistakenly thought I had his child and kept me imprisoned by his side. I wouldn¡¯t be stuck in this giant cage unable to escape! I almost died at ze¡¯s hands, you know?¡± She yelled loudly, her eyes turning bloodshot with hatred.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t willingly with ze?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Of course not! If it weren¡¯t for what happened three years ago, he wouldn¡¯t havee looking for me in the first ce!¡± Harper eximed, her emotions running high, ¡°I was imprisoned by him in the forest back then. I reached out to you for help, but you didn¡¯t help me! You all thought I was lying¡­ No one believed me!¡± she shouted, her voice nearing desperation.


    Thinking back to the phone call he received a long time ago, Logan realized she was truly seeking help. Now, he would believe whatever she said. But back then, his memory hadn¡¯t been restored¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Logan said softly, his face filled with deep remorse. She said she almost died at ze¡¯s hands, and at that time, he didn¡¯te out to help her immediately. If only he could have recovered his memory earlier, none of this would have happened.


    Seeing his intense self-me, Harper forced herself to calm down a bit, but her emotions were still turbulent.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize to me; you don¡¯t owe me anything. I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s apologies. I want them to go to the police station. I want to call the police, I want to expose everything they¡¯ve done!¡± Harper walked towards theputer, preparing to back up all these conversations.


    Her hand was once again stopped by Logan. ¡°You need to calm down first; we need to discuss this carefully.¡±


    Harper immediately pulled her hand away, looking at him with distant eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to go public, do you? Are you trying to help Fiona cover this up?¡±


    Harper took two steps back, leaning against the desk, staring at him defensively. ¡°You¡¯re deliberately helping me, aren¡¯t you just waiting for me to gather evidence so you can destroy it?¡±


    Logan stood stiffly there, a self-deprecating smile tugging at his lips. ¡°So in your eyes, I¡¯m not even worth trusting.¡±


    Harper realized her tone was too harsh, ¡°It¡¯s not about trust. I know she¡¯s your wife, and you probably can¡¯t bear it. It¡¯s human nature.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t bear it?¡± Logan scoffed self-mockingly, ¡°She continuously deceived me, kept the abortion secret from me, kept the dirty scheme against you hidden from me. Should I still be unable to bear it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harper looked at him in shock.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been eavesdropping on Fiona for a few days, you should know by now,¡± Logan said calmly.


    Harper stuttered, ¡°I thought she just wasn¡¯t pregnant.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t not pregnant? She just secretly aborted the child,¡± Logan recounted calmly.


    Harper couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. What was Fiona thinking after all? She nced at Logan¡¯s defeated face, piecing everything together with what she knew before. Suddenly, it dawned on her, ¡°So that¡¯s why you helped me. You also want to know how many dirty deeds Fiona has done behind your back, right?¡±

 Chapter 73

    Logan looked at her, lips moving as if to speak, but ultimately, he remained silent. ¡®I helped you because I just wanted to help you, no other reason.¡¯ But these words remained unsaid. He hadn¡¯t resolved everything yet; he wanted to return to being the old Logan before approaching her again.


    Logan didn¡¯t reply, only soothing her with a gentle voice, ¡°Now, can you calm down and listen to me? Think about what you want to do next.¡±


    ¡°I still want to call the police,¡± Harper insisted. Besides calling the police, she couldn¡¯t think of any other way to get back at those two women.


    Seeing her stubbornness, Logan frowned, ¡°If you call the police now, this evidence will be considered illegitimate. You¡¯ll be caught for eavesdropping too.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. ze will definitely bail me out,¡± Harper replied without hesitation.


    Logan¡¯s voice became hoarse, ¡°You just said you weren¡¯t willingly staying with ze, but now you trust him to help you.¡±


    Harper stood there, speechless. For a moment, she was startled by her own words. Yes, hadn¡¯t she always hated being forcibly bound to ze? Hadn¡¯t she always hated theck of freedom, hated ze?¡­ Howe, at the first sign of trouble, her first reaction was to trust that ze would help her? Was she losing her mind? Since when did she rely so heavily on ze? Harper couldn¡¯t ept this side of herself. She walked two steps to the side, then slumped into the chair.


    Logan stood there, gazing at her pale face, understanding something.


    After a while, Logan spoke slowly, ¡°Even if you go to the police station now, leaving aside whether you¡¯ll be arrested or not, this evidence won¡¯t be admissible in court because of its illegal origin.¡±


    Harper looked up at him, ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying I can¡¯t hold Fiona and Lena ountable even with this evidence?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stopping you from getting back at them, but revenge needs to be well-prepared.¡± Logan stood in front of her, staring deeply into her eyes. ¡°Harper, do you trust me?¡±


    Harper looked at him nkly, taking a long time before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She truly didn¡¯t know. If it were the young Logan, she would have believed him without hesitation. But it wasn¡¯t the case now; he had amnesia, and he was still Fiona¡¯s husband¡­


    ¡°Leave this matter to me. I¡¯ll get to the bottom of it within a week and present you with any favorable evidence,¡± Logan said softly. ¡°I won¡¯t let you be wrongly used.¡±


    Harper stood there, unable to say a word.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t sort things out within a week, you can do as you please, alright?¡± Logan asked.


    Harper didn¡¯t know what else to say. After a while, she stuttered, ¡°Why are you helping me? Don¡¯t you love Fiona anymore? She¡¯s your wife.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t got married yet. Legally speaking, she¡¯s not my wife,¡± Logan exined.


    Harper looked at him in shock. ¡°But you used to love her, didn¡¯t you? Just because she hid the abortion from you, you¡¯re turning against her to help me get revenge?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m heartless?¡± Logan understood her current thoughts.


    Harper fell silent.


    ¡°Do you know when I truly began to despise you? When I lost my memory, I didn¡¯t really dislike you,¡± Logan continued, ¡°It was three years ago when I found out about yourplicated rtionships. Fiona even said she saw you fooling around with that old man, Mr. Taylor, at home. Back then, I believed Fiona without a doubt.¡±


    Harper listened in disbelief.


    ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve felt a strong aversion to you. Every time I saw you clinging to me, I felt you were particrly hypocritical,¡± Logan suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly. ¡°Now that I think about it, I was just a fool. I believed without verifying anything.¡±


    Harper listened, thinking about all the years of her futile efforts, all the times Logan treated her with indifference. Now that the truth was finally revealed, but she felt no happiness at all.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s also why Fiona set up that scheme three years ago. She wanted me to utterly despise you,¡± Logan said.


    Harper felt incredibly ufortable hearing this. Over the years, she had been relentlessly clinging to Logan, wanting him to regain his memory¡­ She had angered her sister, and Fiona had set up such a deep scheme, dragging her into the abyss. And now, after three years, she finally saw whose hand had pushed her.


    Logan lowered his head and slowly took off the ring from his ring finger. ¡°I never thought that all these years, I¡¯ve been trusting the wrong person.¡±


    Harper gradually calmed down. She looked at the ring on Logan¡¯s hand. ¡°I know you¡¯re not feeling great either. What¡­ what are you nning to do next? Are you really going to help me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m definitely going to help you,¡± Logan said firmly, without hesitation.


    ¡°But in the end, Fiona did all these things because she loves you,¡± Harper said earnestly, ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. Just don¡¯t get involved. I can handle this myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see this through to the end. I have my own ns, and someday, you¡¯ll understand,¡± Logan said with a bitter smile, putting the ring back into his pocket. ¡°For now, we need to keep calm and carry on.¡±


    Harper never imagined that one day she would be on the same side as the amnesiac Logan.


    ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Logan said again. ¡°From what I heard earlier, I can roughly understand your rtionship with ze. Since it¡¯s all a misunderstanding, can¡¯t you just exin things to him and leave?¡±


    Harper shook her head softly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to stay with him?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Harper shook her head, her fingers clutching her clothes, ¡°ze has his own way of thinking. He doesn¡¯t care anymore about who drugged him three years ago. He¡­ he wants¡­¡±


    ¡°What does he want?¡±


    ¡°Harper,¡± Logan leaned forward. He ced one hand on the edge of her chair, almost enveloping her in his embrace, ¡°Let me help you, alright?¡±


    Harper felt ufortable all over.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Harper, tell me, what does ze want?¡± Logan asked.


    ¡°He wants me to have a child,¡± Harper blurted out.


    Logan¡¯s body froze for a moment¡­


    ¡°He won¡¯t seed,¡± Logan¡¯s voice was firm, like never before. He gazed quietly at her, then suddenly lifted his hand toward her face.


    Harper was startled and quickly stood up from the chair.


    Logan¡¯s hand froze in mid-air.


    Harper looked at him, feeling extremely embarrassed, not knowing what to say.


    The phone suddenly vibrated.


    Hurrying to the desk, Harper picked up the phone and answered, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ze¡¯s angry voice came through, ¡°Harper, are you asking for trouble? Where did you go? How dare you turn off your phone? Do you know how many times I called you? Do you n on leaving me again? Let me tell you, you better not even think about it! From now on, don¡¯t you dare leave my sight within two meters!¡±


    Harper winced at the yelling, instinctively holding the phone a bit farther from her ear, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. I didn¡¯t realize my phone was out of battery.¡±


    ¡°You should have paid attention to such things when we¡¯re apart!¡± ze yelled, apanied by the sound of rushing wind. He seemed to have just gotten off a ne.


    ¡°Are you in the UK now?¡± Harper changed the subject.


    ¡°Just arrived!¡± ze continued angrily, ¡°You wait for me at home. When Ie back, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it!¡±


    If there were punctuation in spoken words, Harper believed ze would have put exmation marks after every sentence, big exmation marks.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Harper replied.


    There was a voice on ze¡¯s end asking him to take another call.


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± ze yelled at someone, then turned back to the phone, ¡°Listen to me. Your phone must stay on, and I¡¯ll call you againter.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± Harper was taken aback, ¡°But it¡¯s almost midnight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call, and you better answer. Even if you¡¯re asleep!¡± ze ordered sharply before hanging up.


    Harper put down the phone, sighing helplessly. ze was always so tyrannical.


    Turning around, she saw Logan still sitting in the chair, looking at her.


    Thinking about the scene just now, Harper realized that Logan had wanted to touch her face¡­


    Logan stood up from the chair and walked towards her step by step.


    Harper took a step back, clearly showing her avoidance.


    Logan chuckled bitterly. ¡°You¡¯ve never avoided me like this before.¡±


    Harper remained silent, lowering her head, not saying a word.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. You should rest early. I¡¯ll leave now,¡± Logan forced a smile.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Harper breathed a sigh of relief when she heard he was leaving.


    Seeing Logan off at the door, Harper was about to close it when Logan turned around, ¡°Last time, I said there¡¯s a perfume that suits you well. I¡¯ll bring it for you next time.¡±


    Harper moved closer to the door, then looked at Logan seriously, ¡°Logan, there may be some issues between you and Fiona. But that¡¯s your business, not mine.¡±

 Chapter 74

    How could Logan not understand her words? ¡°Do you think I want to flirt with you just because I¡¯m upset about being deceived by Fiona?¡±


    Harper didn¡¯t say anything, but her expression made it clear that¡¯s exactly what she thought.


    Logan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. In that moment, he almost wanted to say that he had regained his memory.


    After pondering for a couple of seconds, he smiled and asked, ¡°You used to want to be with me, right?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve given up,¡± Harper immediately responded. ¡°I used to be persistent, but I just wanted you to regain your memory. I¡¯ve let go.¡±


    ¡°Just giving up like that? Even if I finally realize I¡¯ve been wrong all along and want to make amends, it¡¯s useless?¡± Logan asked.


    Harper stood at the door, stunned by his words.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I was just asking casually,¡± Logan replied, staring at her.


    Harper couldn¡¯t discern anything from his face. She lowered her head and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s pointless. ¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Logan smiled gently, ¡°In this world, nothing is certain.¡±


    Harper looked at him puzzled.


    Logan didn¡¯t say anything more and turned to leave¡­


    Harper was hungry. Just as she was about to enter the kitchen, her phone rang again, this time Dn calling.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, the maids have arrived. Can you please open the door?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need maids.¡±


    ¡°This is what the Master instructed. It¡¯s a bitte now, let the maid make you some supper.¡± Dn said, ¡°You know his temper¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Harper sat in the living room eating the noodles made by the maid, thinking about everything that had happened today.


    Tracking Fiona;


    Fiona¡¯s secret conversation with Lena;


    Logan¡¯s inexplicable flirtation;


    And¡­ ze suddenly flying to the UK.


    ze still didn¡¯t know that Lena was the one who climbed into his bed back then, and Harper wondered what he would do when he found out¡­ Would he treat Lena the same way as he did her? Or would he punish Lena severely?


    She hoped it was thetter.


    Harper bit into her noodles, lost in thought. She never expected Lena to betray her like this. A so-called good friend, a ssmate¡­ it was all fake¡­


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    Harper continued eating as she answered the call.


    It wouldn¡¯t be anyone else calling at thiste hour, only ze.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Eating noodles and watching the news,¡± Harper replied vaguely, with a mouthful of noodles.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry too!¡± ze said on the other end, his voice sounding somewhat tired.


    ¡°Then have something,¡± Harper suggested.


    ¡°I want to eat what you make. The food here is terrible,¡± ze cursed a group of chefs.


    ¡°How could that be? Stop being picky,¡± Harper retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not being picky, their food is really terrible. I should have brought you with me,¡± ze sounded irritated, ¡°I¡¯m really hungry. Why aren¡¯t you by my side?¡±


    Harper listened silently. There must be something wrong with him, only likes the food she makes.


    ¡°Hey, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ze¡¯s irritation grew as he couldn¡¯t hear her voice properly.


    ¡°I¡¯m eating,¡± Harper replied, her tone tinged with impatience.


    ¡°You can chat with me while you eat, or just stop eating! I¡¯m hungry, and you shouldn¡¯t eat either,¡± ze demanded.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Harper held the phone to her ear and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been on the ne for so long, you must be tired. Why not go to sleep? I¡¯ll finish my noodles and sleep too.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± ze¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°so you shouldn¡¯t sleep either. Keep mepany.¡±


    He was beingpletely unreasonable.


    Harper took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, ¡°Then what do you want to talk about?¡±


    There was a moment of rustling noises on the other end, sounding like the rustle of nkets and pillows.


    In a luxurious, retro-styled bedroom in Ennd, zey in the center of the bed, his long legs crossed over the covers. Holding his phone in one hand, the other behind his head, he confidently said, ¡°I¡¯m too hungry to think. What do you want to chat about?¡±


    Harper replied dismissively, ¡°I want to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Chat about sleeping?¡± ze¡¯s tone suddenly became excited, with a hint of mischief in his smile. ¡°Phone sex? I like it. You start.¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about that?¡± Harper groaned.


    ¡°You did. Come on, hurry up, start moaning,¡± ze urged her.


    Go to hell! Harper imagined ze¡¯s arrogant face on the phone and punched the air in frustration before reluctantly bringing the phone back to her ear, ¡°Why did you suddenly go to Ennd? Is there something urgent?¡±


    There was a moment of silence on the other end.


    Harper looked at her phone in confusion. The call was still connected; why did he suddenly stop talking?


    Before she could ask, ze¡¯s voice suddenly lowered, ¡°Nothing, just a trip. I¡¯ll be back in a week. Make sure you wait for me at home.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Harper replied softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it,¡± ze added suddenly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not overthinking it. What¡¯s there to overthink?¡± Harper retorted, rolling her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m done eating. I¡¯m going to take a shower and get ready for bed.¡±


    ¡°Taking a shower?¡± ze suddenly sat up in bed.


    ¡°Yeah. Then I¡¯ll hang up,¡± Harper replied casually.


    ¡°No!¡± ze immediatelymanded her, ¡°Take the phone with you into the bathroom.¡±


    That insane! Harper wanted to argue for a moment but then had a sudden idea, ¡°Okay, fine. Just wait.¡±


    ze was very satisfied, his fingertips tracing over his lips, already feeling impatient.


    Harper walked into the bathroom of the guest room, turned on the shower, and loudly announced, ¡°I¡¯m starting to shower.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± ze replied satisfactorily.


    Harper ced her phone on the sink and then pped her hands before turning and walking out of the bathroom.


    After showering in another bathroom, Harper copsed onto bed and fell into a deep sleep.


    In her dream, she was back in her childhood home. Logan¡¯s fingers traced on the wall as he walked towards her step by step. He reached her and smiled gently, ¡°Harper, I¡¯m back. I¡¯m really back.¡±


    Suddenly, Logan¡¯s face morphed into ze¡¯s domineering face. His features contorted in front of her as he shouted, ¡°Harper, wake up! Phone sex!¡±


    She was frightened and ran away. ze kept chasing her, and she kept running, but he kept chasing¡­


    The bedroom light suddenly turned on.


    Harper rubbed her eyes ufortably and adjusted her position to continue sleeping.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, wake up. Miss Shaw! Wake up!¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, wake up!¡±


    ¡°Miss Shaw, Miss Shaw.¡±


    Harper groggily opened her eyes, looking annoyed at the two maids standing by the bed. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The two maids stood there, looking anxious. One of them handed her the phone, ¡°Miss Shaw, why did you leave your phone in the bathroom? Master is looking for you.¡±


    Master?


    ze?


    Harper looked at the phone, and the call time disyed on the screen instantly shocked her awake. The call hadn¡¯t been hung up all this time? It had been over two hours. Was ze insane?


    ze¡¯s angry voice came through, ¡°Harper! Are you out of your mind? I thought you slipped in the bathroom, but it turns out you went to sleep instead!¡±


    Harper silently moved the phone away from her ear, gesturing to the two maids to go to sleep first.


    The two maids nodded silently and left her bedroom.


    ze was still yelling at her, ¡°Do you know how worried I was? You just went to sleep like that? You dare to go to sleep without saying a word?¡±


    Harper sat on the bed, stunned by his words. He was actually worried about her?


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°Hang up the phone, let¡¯s video chat.¡±


    As the video call connected, Harper saw ze¡¯s huge bedroom, looking like some retro Western pce.


    ze stared straight at her, his voice sexy, ¡°Harper, take off your pajamas.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Take off your pajamas.¡± ze stared at her tantly.


    Harper had had enough. She red at the screen angrily, ¡°ze, if you keep this up, I¡¯m cutting the video, and you can deal with me in a week. And by the way, it¡¯s almost dawn here, can I go to sleep?¡±


    ze frowned at her words, ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay in touch with me like this?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m really tired.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you off this time.¡± ze sighed, ¡°Keep your phone on, I¡¯ll call you, you must pick up.¡±


    ¡°Okay, got it.¡±


    Harper replied, reaching to end the video call, but she saw ze on the screen, staring deeply at her.


    His gaze was intense, as he said each word, ¡°Harper, I¡¯m really hungry. I want to eat the food you make.¡±


    His voice was low and maic, filled with longing. His eyes were speaking of missing her.


    Harper stared at his face on the screen, her heart racing.


    Harper ced her hand on her chest. What was wrong with her? ze had only said a sentence. He talks so much every day, what¡¯s there to be moved by?

 Chapter 75

    Click.


    Harpery down on the bed, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. ze¡¯sst look was all she could see. That look inly told her, he missed her.


    Harper tapped her head, pulling the nket over her head, forcing herself not to overthink¡­


    Harper slept until the afternoon. Just as she entered the dining room to eat, her phone buzzed.


    ¡°Awake?¡± ze¡¯szy, maic voice came through, ¡°Harper, shouldn¡¯t you get me a gift? You¡¯ve never given me a gift before.¡±


    A gift? Harper was puzzled. ¡®This lunatic, why is he suddenly talking about gifts?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m going away for a week, we¡¯ll be apart for so long, you should prepare a gift for me!¡± ze demanded, ¡°I want to see it when Ie back.¡±


    Harper tried to find an excuse, ¡°But didn¡¯t you tell me to stay in more? How can I get you a gift?¡±


    ¡°I allow you to go out to pick a gift.¡± ze insisted.


    ¡°Of course, the phone must stay on.¡± He wanted to control her timepletely, to know everything about her.


    ¡°ze.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that during the week you¡¯re away, we talk on the phone every day?¡± Harper seemed to start grasping his intention.


    ze answered quickly, ¡°Harper, you finally understand.¡±


    Harper felt crushed inside, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Who knows what you¡¯ll do when I¡¯m not around? What if you go off with some other guy?¡± ze said,pletely unapologetic about his behavior.


    ¡°ze, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being unreasonable? If you don¡¯t trust me, just kick me out. Isn¡¯t this exhausting for you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± ze replied.


    ¡°But it is for me.¡± Harper sighed, frustrated, ¡°You¡¯re suspecting me for no reason. I can¡¯t even breathe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you artificial respiration then.¡± ze waspletely indifferent to her frustration.


    ¡°Alright¡­ alright¡­ Whatever I ask of you, you have to do it.¡± ze said dominantly.


    Harper was speechless. She didn¡¯t know how to argue with someone so paranoid and obsessive.


    ¡°I¡¯m going out now.¡± There was a sound of him getting up, ¡°The phone needs to stay connected all the time. You have to have the gift ready for me by the time Ie back, got it?¡±


    For the next few days, Harper wore Bluetooth earphones constantly. She didn¡¯t even get a chance to take them off. She wore them while eating, sleeping, and even going to the bathroom.


    If ze called and she didn¡¯t respond in a second, he would explode in anger over the phone, threatening how he would deal with her when he got back.


    The silver lining in this unfortunate situation was that ze was busy in the UK too, so he wasn¡¯t constantly on her case¡­


    In the nignt.


    Harper walked alone on the street. It was her first time out this week, out to pick a gift. ze was returning home in a couple of days, and she hadn¡¯t chosen a gift yet.


    Harper reached up and tapped her Bluetooth earpiece, the call still ongoing. There was no sound from ze¡¯s end, probably busy with something else with his microphone muted like hers.


    What gift should she pick? Harper wandered aimlessly down the street.


    Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks.


    The most renowned luxury hotel, several luxury cars were parked outside.


    Coming out of the cars were familiar faces. Now they could only be called acquaintances. Because legally, they had no rtionship anymore.


    Her adoptive father Walter, impably dressed in a suit, held hands with her adoptive mother, Marcia, as they walked into the hotel.


    Following them were Logan¡¯s parents, an elegant couple.


    Then, Fiona, dressed in an evening gown, linked arms with Logan as they stepped out of the car.


    Across the street, Harper couldn¡¯t see their expressions, but they seemed to be getting along well. Earlier, Logan had said he would help her¡­ Was it all a lie?


    Harper nced at the splendidly lit hotel and turned away, leaving alone.


    She walked down the street, passing by a barbecue stand.


    ¡°Some beer,¡± Harper stopped and told the boss.


    The barbecue stand was bustling with people, lively. She sat alone, opening a can of beer, enjoying this rare moment of freedom.


    Later, as she turned her head, she saw a white convertible Porsche parked by the roadside. Logan sat in the driver¡¯s seat, his eyes fixed on her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Logan looked at her, his eyes showing concern.


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Harper didn¡¯t want to say anything, just wanted to leave.


    Her arm was grabbed by Logan, ¡°Harper, what¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Let go!¡± Harper¡¯s tone turned cold, ¡°I saw it just now. Actually, you had no intention of helping me, you just wanted to y a prank on me, right?¡±


    Logan exined, ¡°Just now? I and Fiona, our rtionship¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your business, not mine.¡± Harper said, ¡°But what I do to Fiona is my business, and I don¡¯t want to involve you.¡±


    With that, Harper turned and walked away.


    Logan¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Apart from Fiona, we have no rtionship anymore?¡±


    Harper paused, her tone somewhat indifferent, ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Logan¡¯s tone became heavier. ¡°Have you forgotten what you¡¯ve done over the years?¡±


    Harper turned back with anger, ¡°I said I¡¯ve given up. You¡¯ve never cared before, so why bring it up now?¡±


    ¡°You give up just like that? What if I don¡¯t agree?¡±


    Harper mocked with augh, ¡°That¡¯s my business, how can you¡­ Mmm-¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Logan suddenly rushed over and pressed her against the wall, lowering his head to kiss her lips.


    Harper¡¯s mind went nk, not expecting this. Logan¡­ forcibly kissed her.


    Smack- Harper pushed him away forcefully, then pped him hard across the face. The mark of her hand was visible on his fair skin, his eyes filled with bitterness.


    He looked at Harper, ¡°Harper, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Logan, do you know you¡¯re a married man?¡± Harper red at him with near hatred.


    ¡°We¡¯re not married.¡± Logan said.


    ¡°The whole world saw your wedding!¡± Harper eximed angrily, ¡°You got fooled by Fiona, that¡¯s your business, but don¡¯t drag me into your hypocritical marriage. I¡¯m not your pawn to y with. I know, all these years I¡¯ve been clinging to you, making you think I¡¯m frivolous. But I just wanted you to remember.¡± Harper stared at him, ¡°If you think you can y around between me and Fiona, then you¡¯re wrong.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Logan, I¡¯ve never disliked you this much before! I hate the soul which is upying this body, preventing the real Logan froming back¡­¡± Harper looked at him with hatred, then turned and left without looking back.


    Logan stood in the alley without chasing after her. He suddenly punched the wall hard, blood seeping from his knuckles.


    ¡°I¡¯m back. The real Logan has returned¡­ Can¡¯t you see it? Foolish Harper¡­ How can you be so naive¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Harper didn¡¯t know how she got back home. She feltpletely out of it.


    She sat on the sofa, touching her lips. When she was young, she had imagined what her first kiss with Logan would be like, waiting for him to make the move¡­


    But she never expected that the Logan who lost his memory and got married would suddenly forcibly kiss her. It made her feel ironic and ridiculous.


    ¡°Miss Shaw, are you okay?¡± The maid brought her a ss of juice, looking at her slightly pale face with concern, ¡°Have some juice to sober up, you¡¯ve been drinking, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Harper picked up a wet tissue and vigorously wiped her lips. Even when ze forcibly kissed her, she hadn¡¯t felt this repulsed.


    Harper lifted the juice and gulped it down.


    Suddenly, ze¡¯s domineering voice came through, ¡°Harper, what are you doing?¡±


    Harper opened the microphone on the call and tapped her earpiece, her voice t, ¡°Nothing much.¡±


    Wearing the earphones for a long time made her ears ache. She took them off and switched back to her phone to listen to the call.


    ¡°Where did you go tonight?¡± ze asked, his voice low and maic.


    Harper nced at the two maids cleaning, ¡°I went to see if there was any suitable gift, but I didn¡¯t find one.¡±


    ¡°Not out gallivanting?¡± ze¡¯s voice turned icy.

 Chapter 76

    ¡°What do you mean, gallivanting?¡±


    ¡°How could picking a gift turn into drinking?¡± ze asked coldly.


    So he knew about her drinking¡­ Did those two maids report everything to him? Harper smelled the alcohol on herself and said lightly, ¡°I just had a little bit to drink.¡±


    ¡°Who did you drink with? A man or a woman?¡± ze pressed.


    ¡°I drank alone.¡± His paranoia was acting up again.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never drunk alone before.¡± ze said coldly. ¡°Honestly, who did you drink with tonight?¡±


    ¡°I really drank alone.¡±


    ¡°Harper, are you hiding something? You won¡¯t even say who you drank with? If it¡¯s a woman, I won¡¯t do anything to you!¡± ze said coldly, giving her ast chance to be honest.


    Harper rubbed her temples, feeling a headacheing on.


    Her silence made ze thoroughly unhappy. ¡°Don¡¯t y silent with me, otherwise, next time you go out, I¡¯ll have someone follow you every step of the way!¡±


    ¡°While I¡¯m not in the country, you go out drinking and gallivanting. Harper, you¡¯re getting bolder!¡± ze thundered over the phone.


    ¡°Enough, ze!¡± Harper suddenly stood up from the sofa and shouted into the phone.


    ze was silent for two seconds on the other end, incredulously, ¡°Harper, are you crazy? How dare you shout at me?¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Harper shouted loudly, releasing all the pent-up anger, ¡°What do you want? How far do you want to push me? You send two maids to monitor me while you¡¯re abroad, and keep the phone connected 24/7. You already control me like this, what more do you want?¡±


    ¡°You dare to shout? Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°What gives you the right to doubt me? Why should I have to endure your baseless suspicions? Why should I be controlled by your paranoid suspicions??¡± Harper shouted angrily, ¡°I¡¯ve said I drank alone! Alone! Believe it or not, I don¡¯t care! Come back and kill me! I¡¯ve had enough of you!¡± She shouted particrly loudly.


    The two maids were shocked¡­ They never expected Miss Shaw, so slim, to have such explosive power, and to dare to shout at Mr. Wychwood.


    ze waspletely silent on the other end, so quiet that not even a sound could be heard.


    Harper thought he must be packing up to fly back immediately to deal with her, whatever. She was about to hang up the phone when suddenly ze¡¯s muffled voice came through, ¡°If you say you were alone, then I¡¯ll believe you. Why are you shouting? Who¡¯s trying to kill you?¡± His voice was low, like a child who had been scolded and didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who keeps interrogating me, I¡¯m not your criminal,¡± Harper said angrily, ¡°Why should I be responsible for your suspicions? Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my woman, can¡¯t I ask?¡± ze muttered, his tone even weaker than before, tinged with a hint of grievance,pletely different from his usual domineering demeanor.


    Harper didn¡¯t expect this reaction from him and was somewhat dumbfounded. Was he left speechless by her scolding?


    ¡°Go take a shower. A woman smelling of alcohol is disgusting,¡± ze said, then added, ¡°Leave the bathroom door open, let the maid pay attention to your bath time, don¡¯t pass out in there.¡±


    She shouted at him like that, and he just told her to take a shower? And he was worried she might pass out in the bathroom?


    ¡°Go take a shower, I¡¯ll grab something to eat, I missed two meals already,¡± ze said, then turned off the microphone, leaving the call connected.


    Harper stood on the sofa, staring at her phone in disbelief.


    Was that it? She had scolded him like that, and he just meekly let it go? So, in their rtionship, she could voice her opinion too? But wait, when did ze ever care about her opinion? Harper sat back on the sofa, holding her phone, thinking and thinking again. Eventually, she came to a conclusion ¨C ze was a masochist. Normally, he was arrogant and used to yelling at everyone, and no one dared to argue with him, so no one noticed his masochistic tendencies.


    So that¡¯s it. Harper felt like she had uncovered a tremendous secret. She thought she knew how to deal with ze in the future if she ever felt pushed to the limit¡­


    After she shouted at him, ze behaved much more calmly for the rest of the evening, speaking noticeably less assertively, though he still didn¡¯t allow her to hang up the phone.


    After taking a shower, Harper stood in the study and copied the conversation between Fiona and Lena, saving it onto a USB drive.


    ¡°So, when are you going to pick out the gift?¡± ze¡¯s voice echoed in her ear.


    Harper noticed that when ze¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t domineering, there was a sense of weakness and vulnerability, which was a stark contrast. She found it a bit hard to adjust.


    ¡°Probably tomorrow, anyway, I¡¯ll have it ready before youe back,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Oh,¡± ze paused, then asked again, ¡°What are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°Just thinking,¡± Harper said, holding the small USB drive in her hand.


    She didn¡¯t want to rely on anyone anymore. She wanted to handle this matter herself. But as Logan had pointed out, if she went directly to the police, she might get arrested herself since the recording was illegally obtained. Apart from reporting to the authorities, she couldn¡¯t think of any other way to retaliate against Fiona and Lena.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ze asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­¡± Harper stared at the USB drive in her hand, ¡°ze, if something happens to me, like¡­ if I end up in jail, will you bail me out?¡±


    ¡°Who do you want to deal with?¡± ze¡¯s response was blunt, ¡°Why bother getting your hands dirty with murder? I¡¯ll arrange for a professional hitman for you, clean and simple.¡±


    Harper felt embarrassed. When did she ever mention murder?


    ¡°Are you pissed off at The Shaw Family? Or your sister?¡± ze guessed her thoughts.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just overthinking,¡± Harper said, deciding not to pursue the topic further. She knew ze was someone who could turn words into action, and if she really had all The Shaw Family taken care of by professional hitmen¡­ that would be terrifying.


    ¡°You¡¯re with me now, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. Why bother with The Shaw Family? And there are better ways to deal with those who don¡¯t want you around,¡± ze said.


    In the UK, ze thought she harbored resentment towards The Shaw Family. He walked over to theputer, opened the screen, and typed two words into a chat box ¨C ¡°Take action.¡±¡­


    The next morning, Harper woke up, holding the USB drive with the recording, lost in thought.


    Logan¡¯s phone calls kepting in one after another. Harper was about to turn off her phone when she received a text message from Logan ¨C


    [Harper, please don¡¯t do anything reckless. Trust me this once? Let me help you.]


    Harper couldn¡¯t understand what Logan was thinking. Ignoring the message, she grabbed her shoes from the hallway and was about to leave.


    Another message came in, this time with a picture attached. The photo was obviously taken secretly and was somewhat blurry. It showed Lena sitting on the floor, ying with a young child. Despite the fuzziness, they seemed to be enjoying each other¡¯spany.


    ¡®What was this?¡¯ Harper looked at the picture with confusion written all over her face.


    Soon after, another message from Logan came through ¨C


    [This child is exactly 3 years old, secretly adopted by Lena.]


    So what if Lena adopted a child?


    Harper furrowed her brows, put on her shoes, and prepared to leave. Suddenly, she froze and quickly checked the messages on her phone.


    3 years old¡­.


    Three years ago, Lena drugged ze ¡­


    The phone slipped from Harper¡¯s hand, crashing onto the ground.


    Her face turned deathly pale, and she couldn¡¯te to her senses for a while.


    A child, 3 years old, three years ago, on the cruise.


    Could it be¡­


    How was this possible?


    The phone vibrated, bringing Harper back to reality. She picked up the phone from the floor.


    ¡°Logan, what do you mean by this?¡± Harper asked.


    ¡°You finally answered the phone,¡± Logan sighed in relief before continuing, ¡°I did some investigation, and it turns out Lena is actually very materialistic. From her conversations with Fiona, it¡¯s clear she helped Fiona frame you for money.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Logan paused, ¡°Do you think a woman like her would go and adopt a child?¡±


    Harper remained expressionless. Only one thing filled her mind ¨C


    So, three years ago, Lena didn¡¯t just leave her a mess¡­ she also left behind a baby, ze¡¯s baby¡­


    ze had a child, ze actually had a child? How was this possible?


    ¡°Harper? Harper?¡± Logan gently called her on the phone.


    ¡°Is the information you got urate?¡± Harper asked. She didn¡¯t know what was happening to her. Why was she so shocked by this news, why¡­ was it so hard to ept?Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


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