"You can't fool me, and I'm not buying into your act!"Shane glanced at his now empty arms with a hint of resignation. "Okay, no more teasing. What do you feel like eating tonight? Let's go out and celebrate."Haley blinked, puzzled. "Celebrate what?"Shane took her hand, planted a kiss on her forehead, and grinned. "Celebrate... a major milestone in our marriage."Understanding his implication, Haley's eyes softened, and a smile danced in her watery almond eyes.**After Shane and Haley left, Xena and James's expressions turned grim.James could not believe it. How could someone as prominent as his uncle, a man of such stature, attend an event at the school just for Haley?As the CEO of the Ford Corporation, Shane's schedule was usually packed to the brim. This event was obviously arranged hastily, and the primary reason was that Haley wanted to show off her relationship at school, letting everyone know she had married his uncle.How had he not realized before that Haley was
At the Ford residence, Mrs. Ford Sr. was leisurely sipping her afternoon tea when the butler knocked and entered."James has returned, Madam."Mrs. Ford Sr. casually responded with a "Hmm" and, seeing the butler lingering, lazily raised an eyelid. "Is there something else?"The butler hesitated, then said, "James has brought Miss Xena."Mrs. Ford Sr. looked surprised and sneered, "I thought he would heed my warning, but it seems he's gone ahead and brought her home anyway."Unable to fathom Mrs. Ford Sr.'s thoughts, the butler asked, "Shall I arrange for them to meet you?""No need. Just send them away, and remind James not to forget what I've said."The butler respectfully nodded and left the room.Downstairs, James ushered Xena to sit on the sofa in the living room, anxiously awaiting Mrs. Ford Sr.'s appearance. Though he had assured Xena of his sincerity, he had no confidence in his heart.Not long ago, Mrs. Ford Sr. had threatened him, saying if he insisted on marrying Xen
"You..."James furrowed his brows, about to interject, when a voice filled with authority echoed from upstairs."What's this? You are not even part of our Ford family, yet you're already meddling in our affairs?"Both James and Xena's hearts skipped a beat as they instinctively looked up to see Mrs. Ford Sr. slowly emerging from the upper floor.Xena's face turned pale in an instant as she hastily tried to explain, "Grandma, I was just speaking casually. I didn't mean anything else."Mrs. Ford Sr. let out a disdainful hum, her shrewd eyes seeming to have already pierced through everything.Xena met her gaze and could not help but feel a twinge of guilt.She feared that Mrs. Ford Sr. would have a negative impression of her because of what happened just now, so she quickly took out the gifts she had bought on the way."Grandma, these are nutritional supplements I specifically bought for you. You must take care of your health, otherwise both James and I will worry."Mrs. Ford Sr.
Upon hearing that James had brought Xena to the Ford family, Evelyn could not sit still. She hurried over, her anger boiling inside her, almost ready to burst out. Seeing Evelyn's furious appearance, Xena shrank back into James's embrace, frightened. James quickly hugged her, shielding her, and frowned at Evelyn. "Mom, it's me who brought Xena home. It's not her fault.""And now you're defending her? Who am I doing this for?" Evelyn could not believe it. Why would her son fall for Xena as if he were enchanted? A woman would understand another woman best, and Evelyn could tell at a glance that Xena was not as innocent and kind as she appeared. On the contrary, she was a cunning woman, even skilled at appearing weak in front of men to win their sympathy. This was the type of woman Evelyn had always looked down upon. But unfortunately, her beloved son had fallen for her. James remained silent, but he kept Xena protected in his embrace, making his stance clear. Unable to do anyt
James was frightened and quickly released Xena's hand, walking up to Evelyn."Mom, please don't get yourself worked up."Evelyn shook off James's hand, pouting stubbornly. "Don't touch me. Just go with that little vixen. You don't care if I live or die anyway."James sighed helplessly and apologized to Evelyn, "Mom, I'm sorry."Evelyn took the water brought by the helper and swallowed a blood pressure pill, calming down slightly. She said to James, "It's either her or me. You choose.""Mom, are you trying to put me in a tough spot?" James was caught in a dilemma, not knowing what to do. One was his own biological mother who loved and cared for him, and the other was a woman who had suffered a lot to be with him. Whichever he gave up, he would be devastated.He sought help from his grandmother, who had been silent all along. "Grandma, please talk to Mom."Mrs. Ford Sr. watched the scene coldly and said in a chilly tone, "I can't persuade her. This is your family's affair. You sho
The next day, Haley woke up to a powerful, impossible-to-ignore gaze. She opened her eyes, turned her head, and found Shane lying on the bed, propped up on his arm, staring at her without blinking.Seeing her awake, Shane's lips curved into a slight smile. "Good morning, girlfriend."His "girlfriend" directly reminded Haley of everything that happened yesterday. For some reason, her cheeks flushed red, and she pursed her rosy lips, glaring at him with a hint of annoyance."Don't call me that randomly! Who said I'm your girlfriend?"Shane grabbed her delicate, fair wrist and raised an eyebrow. "If not 'girlfriend,' then what? Wife?"As he spoke, he deliberately leaned closer, his tone casual but carrying a magnetic laziness. Plus, just waking up, his voice was slightly husky, making him even more enticing.Hearing his teasing words full of smiles, Haley's cheeks blushed uncontrollably once again. She quickly pulled the quilt over her face, covering it tightly, and muttered softly,
In fact, there was even a little bit of liking. His kiss and his demeanor seemed somewhat different, but it seemed like this was the most authentic version of him, ingrained in his very being. Those gentle and modest appearances were merely a facade.Haley could not tell how long it had been, but she felt her breath becoming difficult, her lips and tongue tingling slightly, before Shane finally let her go.However, Shane did not immediately get up, his hand still firmly holding her slender waist.Disheveled, his hot breath cascaded over Haley's sensitive neck and behind her ears, sending tingles down her spine like electric currents. Haley could not help but instinctively pull back, attempting to hide, but found herself completely immobile.She moved slightly, only to hear Shane's deep voice, "Don't move."His voice was even hoarser than before, as if he were restraining something.Haley instinctively felt the danger, her body stiffened, and she dared not move.After a long
Because of the morning kiss, Shane's mood remained pleasantly uplifted throughout the day. Even when his subordinates occasionally misspoke during meetings or filled in data incorrectly on reports, he did not get angry. He even smiled and said to them, "Pay attention next time."He thought he was showing his gentle side, but little did he know that his unusual behavior had put the entire company on edge for the whole day. Everyone in the company, from top to bottom, tiptoed around, afraid to make any mistakes. Even those who usually loved gossiping were now diligently focused on their work, fearing that Shane might be playing possum, waiting for them to drop their guard so he could catch them in the act.Perhaps their anxiety was too obvious because even Shane noticed. He was surprised to find that all the employees in the company today were especially cautious, greeting him quickly before scurrying away.He curiously looked at Dean and asked, "Do I look scary today?"Dean hurr